Bet £250, Get £100 in Free Bets
Bonus Code: ZBBC01
Reviewed By James Molloy
Betfair Sportsbook is the fixed-odds betting division of the Betfair Exchange, which is the biggest betting exchange in the world. It was founded in 2000 and is now a well-established and trusted brand that has applied the approach behind the exchange to provide an outstanding sportsbook since 2016.
New customers can claim the welcome bonus for up to £100 in the form of free bets which is described below. There are also weekly free bets for current customers and other ongoing promotions. We recommend this site as one of the best betting sites because of the range of betting markets, offers and the reliability of the brand.
📅 Online Since: | 2016 |
🎁 Welcome bonus | Place five bets of £10, Get £100 Free Bets |
⚖️ Gambling Authority | UKGC |
⚽ Sports Available | Football, Horse Racing, Golf, Boxing & More |
Bet £250, Get £100 in Free Bets
Bonus Code: ZBBC01
The main welcome offer with Betfair is free bets for a maximum of £100. Here is a step-by-step guide to claiming the free bets:
The Betfair Sportsbook welcome bonus is subject to the following Terms & Conditions:
In terms of value, this is one of the best welcome offers for residents of the UK and Ireland who register with Betfair. Even though the qualifying process can be quite convoluted, the bonus provides a good reason to open an account, make the minimum deposit and place the qualifying bets.
In addition to the welcome offer free bets, existing customers can earn £2 in the form of a free bet when they stake £10 on multiple bets, accumulators and Bet Builder. The combined odds must be 2.0 (Evens) or bigger and the free bets are sent after the qualifying bets have been settled. You don’t need to opt-in and you have 48 hours to have your qualifying bets settled or they are not valid.
When you register with Betfair, there is a field for a promo code or referral code. The bonuses codes are used to activate exclusive offers and promotions. The referral code identifies an individual who has been referred by a friend so that both parties receive the benefits.
At the time of the review, Betfair offered two exclusive bonuses related to horse racing in the UK and Ireland. You can boost your odds on three horses each day. The maximum stake is £25 and the increased odds appear on the Betslip when you click ‘Apply Boost’.
There are also other daily horse racing promotions. For example, you get your money back if your selection is not placed in a specific race. The maximum bet is £10 and free bets are credited within 24 hours and expire after 7 days. This is a generous offer that rewards the loyalty of current customers.
If and when this promotion ends, we expect Betfair to introduce something similar for their horse racing clients. It could be extra places on selected races and other types of money back offers. Betfair also offers one-off promos related to football, which could be for a specific match or league.
Betfair is the world’s biggest betting exchange and the first operator to offer peer-to-peer betting on a structured scale. The company was founded in 2000 and is now one of the most trusted names in online sports betting. It allows customers to match bets to other customers with opposing views.
The company purchased a sportsbook which was rebranded under the Betfair name. The Betfair traditional Sportsbook was introduced to the operation in 2012. Customers require just one account to place bets in the Sportsbook and back and lay bets in the Exchange.
Betfair currently operates legally under a license and regulations of the Malta Gaming Authority and UK Gambling Commission. The company must comply with strict regulations set and policed by these bodies. They can issue fines and in extreme cases take away a license temporarily or permanently.
Here are a number of Advantages and Disadvantages related to the Betfair Sportsbook:
Bet £250, Get £100 in Free Bets
Bonus Code: ZBBC01
At the time of the review, Betfair offered odds on 26 sports of which the following are most popular:
The site also features more niche sports, including:
In addition to these regular sports, customers with Betfair can place bets on novelty markets in Politics, Awards and TV and Entertainment Specials.
The Betfair Sportsbook is unique in that it is integrated with the betting exchange. You require just one account for both platforms and you can seamlessly move from the Sportsbook to the Exchange. You can compare the odds in both products and place back and lay bets on the one site.
Even though the core product is sports betting, the desktop and mobile platforms also feature a casino, live casino, slots, games, poker, bingo and Virtual Sports. Therefore, Betfair offers a one-stop shop for a comprehensive range of gaming products, under the one branding.
Navigation is simplified with Quick Links, Featured Coupons and Sport Highlights. This means customers can quickly locate a match or league. The main sports page also has a link to the current live events. Betting. Betfair provides tips, previews and blogs for major sporting events.
Horse racing is one of the major strengths of the Betfair Sportsbook. Upcoming races for each meeting are displayed on the main page. Meetings are organized by day, over the next five days. There is a Horse Finder facility which allows you to create a personal list of horses. There is an A-Z list of today’s runners and ante post betting for future races.
The racing service is presented in partnership with Timeform who provide form for runners in the UK and Ireland. The service also features meetings from France, United States, Australia, Dubai and South America. Customers can place win and each way fixed odds bets and Tote bets on racing in the UK and Ireland. The range of Tote bets includes Win, Place and Forecasts and more exotic bets.
Football is by far the most popular betting sport with Betfair. This operator provides betting from about 80 countries and over 300 leagues and Cup competitions. Popular events include the Premier League in England and the main leagues in Germany, Spain, Italy and France. The UEFA Champions League, World Cup and European Championships are also huge for betting.
Football is a major in-play sport with Betfair. Matches are displayed by competition. Bettors can view a visual display of the progress of play and refer to live match data. The cash out facility is available on selected leagues and markets. Customers can take control by closing a bet before expiry. Betfair suspends betting following a key event and displays updated odds after a short delay.
The Betslip works in the same way for horse racing, football and the other betting sports and novelty markets. You add selections and can place singles, doubles, trebles, accumulators and system bets. You enter the unit stake and the Total Stake and Potential Returns appear on the Betslip. You click ‘Place Bets’ and on confirmation, your account balance is updated accordingly.
The in-play betting platform provides numerous live events in football, tennis, basketball, cricket, baseball, ice hockey, basketball, rugby union, rugby league and many more minor sports. There is no live streaming for sports but customers can follow the progress of play in a graphic.
Betfair live streams horse racing from the UK and Ireland. Customers must place a bet to access live pictures of a race. The coverage includes betting news and the full result at the end of a live race. Betfair also offers radio coverage of British and Irish racing.
Bet £250, Get £100 in Free Bets
Bonus Code: ZBBC01
The first thing to point out in the review of the registration process is that you sign up for the Sportsbook and Exchange in a single operation. The main page of both products displays a ‘Login’ button which you click to begin the procedure. You then have to populate the following fields with your personal information:
You are advised to enter this information correctly, so that Betfair can verify your account. We would expect a company of Betfair’s standing to have stringent measures in place to ensure an individual is correctly identified. This is critical to prevent underage gambling and any other form of abuse.
You then specify a Password, enter a security question and set a deposit limit. The Account Currency will be GBP by default but you set a deposit limit and frequency. You enter the promo code if one is available which is used to claim the welcome bonus.
You acknowledge that your funds are protected and when you ‘Click Now’ you are accepting Betfair’s Term & Conditions and Privacy Policy and that you are aged 18 and older. The sign-up page also has links to Help & Contact and information about safer gambling.
You can select from the following methods to make a deposit:
Deposits are immediate and free of charge. The minimum deposit is £10 and the maximum deposit depends on the method and provider.
Customers with Betfair have to make withdrawals with the same method they made the initial deposit. Withdrawals with e-Wallets are processed within 24 hours. Bank Transfer and card transfers can be delayed in line with industry standards, from 2 to 5 business days. The minimum withdrawal is £10 and the maximum varies depending on the provider, some who may charge for the transaction.
In order to make a withdrawal customers must prove their identity. If the information provided when registering is not sufficient, there will be a request for ID documents. These will be a photocopy of a Passport, diving license or ID card and a utility bill, showing your name and address.
After over 20 years of developing the software to manage the betting exchange, Betfair is in a position to create a sportsbook with no significant technical flaws. Navigation is seamless through banners, menus and links. There is a search box which can be used to locate a team, competition, races and more. The mobile site runs smoothly to complement the desktop website.
Betfair offers downloadable apps for iOS from the Apple Store and for Android for Google Play. The apps can also be accessed using the web browser on your mobile device. Both types of operation are quick and seamless and can be completed with very little delay.
In line with the reputation of the name, Betfair have produced one of the best betting apps on the market. The website is now being modified with mobile use in mind. This is reflected in navigation and what can be displayed on the smaller screens. There are no issues with speed and ease of use.
The Betfair mobile app replicates the desktop in terms of account management, banking and sports betting. However, the review has seen that there are no mobile-specific offers. That is offset by the fact that mobile users can claim the welcome bonus and any loyalty offers.
The unique feature of the Betfair Sports odds is that they can be compared immediately with the odds on the Exchange. The Exchange odds offer better value as the operator does not write in a commission on the odds. The exchange charges commission for providing the platform to match bets.
A small odds comparison sample for the match winner of the three most popular betting sports with Betfair shows comparable odds with competitors. The odds are competitive for the match winner in football, tennis and basketball.
Could you also bear in mind that there are daily odds boosts for football, generally associated with a double or treble on high profile matches. There are also daily boosts on three horse races which can be selected by the customer. Also, odds can be displayed in fractional and decimal formats.
It is fair to say that Betfair scores highly when dealing with customer queries and you can contact them through the following avenues:
These options are available in the Help section which also has a search box in which you enter a keyword or phrase to locate the subject in which you have an issue.
VIP/Loyalty Programmes
At the time of the review, Betfair Sportsbook did not feature any VIP or Loyalty Programmes. All customers can take advantage of the welcome bonus and ongoing promotions, free bets and odds boosts. Also, the odds are generally competitive and these features compensate for the absence of specific schemes that reward the loyalty of existing customers. The brand offers enough outstanding services to make up for no VIP and loyalty initiatives.
Betfair Responsible Gambling Features
There is a prominent banner on the Betfair Sports Homepage, labeled ‘SAFER GAMBLING: Keep your Cool’ and the words ‘Safer Gambling’ also appear which provides a link to responsible gambling features. Betfair express a commitment to safer gambling and they have the following measures in place:
There are also guidelines as to what to do if you have concerns about somebody’s gambling. The site also lists bodies that can offer support, block gambling sites and provide advice about finances and debt. So Betfair offers a comprehensive programme to ensure customers gamble within their budgets.
Another way in which Betfair can have some control is with betting limits. These are dependent on the sport and fixture. The minimum bet is £2 but the maximum bet is not fixed. The bookmaker could restrict a customer and set limits if they feel there is evidence of problem and excessive gambling.
There is very little not to like and recommend about the Betfair Sportsbook. The integration with the exchange is a great feature, especially as you only require one account for the two platforms. The desktop and mobile apps are well designed and easy to navigate without any delay.
The welcome bonus can be quite complex but the £100 in the form of free bets provides a good incentive to register with Betfair. Current customers are well catered for with free bets and odds boosts and various event specific promotions.
You can place bets on 26 sports in pre-match, in-play and ante post markets and select from a range of novelty bets. The live betting platform provides numerous live events, which are enhanced by the cash out option. There is live streaming of horse racing from the UK and Ireland.
In conclusion, Betfair Sports is an excellent destination for a full range of betting options and services. There are few missing significant features and betting events and markets. So, the desktop and mobile apps offer an outstanding choice for betting on sport in the UK.
The minimum deposit amount with Betfair Sports is £10.
Betfair Sports offers betting on 26 sports and many novelty markets.
There is a Betfair Sports downloadable Betfair app for iOS and Android devices.
Betfair Sports provides a safe and secure betting environment.
Withdrawals at Betfair Sports take from 12 hours to 5 business days depending on the method and provider.
The UK-facing Betfair Sports operation is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
CURRENCY: | MULTIPLE: |
---|---|
AUD | X1 |
CAD | |
USD | |
GBP | |
EUR | |
SEK | X10 |
DKK | |
NOK | |
HKD | |
SGD | X2 |
Game | % of stake contributing to bonus requirement |
---|---|
Slots (Excluding double options) | 100% |
Arcade, Scratchcard Games and Fixed Odds Games (Excluding Spin A Win/Lucky Wheel) | 100% |
Roulette (All Varieties excluding Zero Roulette and 3D) | 50% |
Card Games (All varieties excluding Red Dog, Casino Hold'em, Casino War & Wild Vikings) | 50% |
Sic Bo | 50% |
Blackjack (All varieties excluding Pontoon, Blackjack Surrender, Blackjack Switch, Zero Blackjack and Stravaganza) | 50% |
Craps | 5% |
Video Poker (All varieties) | 5% |
Pontoon, Blackjack Switch, Red Dog, Spin A Win/Lucky Wheel, Casino War, Casino Hold'em, Wild Vikings and Stravaganza | 5% |
Zero Games, Blackjack Surrender and all double options on slots, Video Poker (All varieties), 3D Roulette and any other games not in the eligible games list | 0% |
Live casino games | 0% |
"I've worked in the betting industry on product, operations and customer service for several years. A class operator will deliver on many aspects and we cover them all."
Reviewer since October 2015
Free Spins. Exclusive Bonuses. Sent Weekly.
Thank you for signing up!
Confirm your email address in the email you will receive shortly.