Sportingbet bookmaker review
By James Walters
Sportingbet is a British gambling company that has been around since 1998 and claims to be the ‘world’s number one in online gaming’. They offer markets for more than 90 different sports on their website. Let’s see what all the fuss is about.
Key information
| Link to site | https://sports.sportingbet.com/en/sports |
| Welcome bonus | Get up to £50 in free bets, an odds boost token, 20 free spins and a £10 casino bonus (if you complete four welcome challenges) |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Licence | British Gambling Commission |
| Sports offered | Football, horse racing, greyhounds, cricket, golf, tennis, basketball, darts, table tennis, esports, alpine skiing, American football, baseball, biathlon, boxing, cross country skiing, cycling, floorball, F1, Gaelic games, handball, ice hockey, MMA, motorbikes, NASCAR, politics, pool, rugby union, rugby league, ski jumping, snooker, volleyball, water polo |
| Payout time | 3-5 days |
| Minimum withdrawal | £5 |
| Customer support options | Live chat, email, phone, social media private message |
| Owner | Entain |
| Banking options | Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Paysafecard, Trustly, instant bank transfer |
| Mobile app? | Yes |
| FIRST rating | 4.3/5 stars |
What is Sportingbet all about?
Bonuses
Sportingbet’s welcome bonus differs from many other bookmakers as it’s based on the bettor completing challenges. You can get up to £50 in free bets, an odds boost token, 20 free spins and a £10 casino bonus if you complete four welcome challenges.
The four challenges are; football challenge, acca challenge, in-play challenge and casino challenge.
The football challenge is straightforward. You will receive 20 free spins and an odds boost when you bet £10 on any football market (at minimum odds of 1/2). The acca challenge is also simple and you'll get a free bet of up to £10 when you back an accumulator (with three or more picks at 1/2 per selection).
The in-play challenge sees bettors get a back-up bet token (money back as a free bet up to £20 if it loses) if they stake £10 on an in-play single with minimum odds of 1/2.
The casino offer is more demanding as you must bet £50 on casino games to get the £10 bonus, which isn't a good offer in my eyes! You will also get a £20 free bet if you complete all four challenges.
Overall, it’s a different and enticing offer to catch your eye, especially considering most welcome bonuses see bettors get a free bet.
Available sports
Sportingbet has vast markets on pretty much every sport you would want to bet on. Their coverage of football, horse racing and tennis is great but they also offer niche sports markets including cross-country skiing and ski jumping. If you’re a big winter sports fan, Sportingbet could be the bookmaker for you!
Their football coverage is decent and you can do your own build a bet, however, they do offer slightly fewer markets than their rivals. Sportingbet have the usual result, goals and corners markets but they don’t offer odds on player shots on target or fouls.
I'm a big fan of their horse racing section and they have vast markets available on all races. They show the price changes on runners, a preview or tip of the race from horse racing experts ‘Timeform’ and markets including forecast, tricasts, betting without, top finish, to win by X lengths and money back if second, third or fourth.
Sportingbet’s in-play tab is as good as it gets. They have plenty of events and markets, with football, tennis and even handball. They have statistics and live graphics too.
They also have esports covered and claim to have 'endless opportunities for thrilling bets and epic wins'. When I clicked on their esports tab, they had a decent range of markets for League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2. You could also bet in-play.
I was also impressed with Sportingbet’s American sports coverage. Their NFL section is brilliant and they have a superb range of markets, while you can also do a Build a Bet, which is a major bonus.
User experience and interface
The user experience on Sportingbet is great. It’s a simple site but it has everything you could possibly need while also being easy on the eye. They have a blue and white colour scheme, while everything is easy to find.
On their homepage, they have their popular sports at the top, with their A-Z sports tab next to it if you're after something specific. There is also an in-play tab and a search bar.
You then see their welcome offer above upcoming football markets, trending football markets and their live markets. The biggest events are clearly visible as you go on the site which doesn’t seem like rocket science but you’d be surprised at how many sportsbooks are hard to navigate!
Mobile and app compatibility
Sportingbet’s desktop and mobile sites are virtually identical. One slight difference is the bet slip and ‘my bets’ moving from the right of the screen on a desktop to a tab at the bottom on mobile. Their site is user-friendly on both platforms and they also have the A-Z of sports, in-play and casino tabs at the bottom on mobile.
The site is simple but it’s perfect for beginners and experienced bettors. It’s slick and efficient, while the graphics of team kits and logos are easy on the eye. They also have tabs on their homepage for ‘today’s football’, ‘today’s racing’ and ‘today’s tennis’, which is handy for bettors.
Their app, which is available on iOS, Android and Google Play, is very tidy and has the same layout as their mobile site. The app has an average rating of 4.7/5 (1.8k reviews) on the Apple App Store and 3.5/5 (185 reviews) on the Google Play Store.
Apple App Store: 4.7/5
Google Play Store: 3.5/5
VIP programmes and loyalty rewards
Sportingbet does a lot right, however, their lack of a rewards scheme for bettors is a negative. In fact, there aren’t many promotions at all on their site. They have an enhanced odds section which boosts acca odds but apart from that, what you see is what you get!
Pros and cons of Sportingbet
| Pros | Cons |
| Sportingbet welcome bonus is enticing and different to rival bookmakers | No rewards scheme for bettors is off-putting and doesn’t entice you to keep coming back |
| Their site is slick and really effective. The user experience is great and it’s easy to navigate. It’s good for new bettors or experienced gamblers | The lack of promotions overall isn’t ideal as rival bookmakers have plenty |
| The amount of markets available for numerous sports is solid. Main sports are covered but they’re also all over niche sports and esports | Deposit and withdrawal options are fairly limited. Withdrawal times could be better too |
| They’ve got American sports covered, especially with their NFL section. The amount of markets available, partnered with the Bet Builder option, makes them a great choice for bettors who are into American football | |
| The in-play tab is superb and accompanying graphics and statistics are beneficial to bettors |
Diving deeper into Sportingbet
Licensing
Sportingbet is regulated by both the Gibraltar Gambling Committee and the UK Gambling Commission. They’re owned by Entain, who also boast Ladbrokes and Coral in their roster. They are IBAS (Independent Betting Adjudication Service) approved which enhances their reputation.
Payment methods
Sportingbet’s deposit and withdrawal options are fine. You can deposit money into your account using Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Paysafecard, Trustly and instant bank transfer. The minimum deposit is £5 for all methods. You can’t deposit money into your betting account with a credit card.
Their withdrawal options are the same and the minimum withdrawal is £5.
Security and fairness
Sportingbet has a 'contact' option at the top and the bottom of their homepage. They both take you to their 'help and contact' page which has their FAQs section. If you click on the FAQ that applies but you're still not satisfied, you can click to get more help. It takes you to their 'contact us' section. There are links to their live chat, email, and phone, as well as being able to send private messages on X and Facebook.
Responsible gambling measures
Sportingbet have a responsible gambling tab at the top of their site, while there is also a link at the bottom of the page. They have tools including deposit limits, maximum stakes, reality checks, self-exclusion or even account closure. They also have links to GamStop, GambleAware, the Gambling Commission and the National Gambling Helpline. They also promote their ties to IBAS.
FIRST rating
4.3/5 stars
Payment methods
| Payment method | Available on deposits | Min. deposit | Available on withdrawals | Min. withdrawal | Withdrawal time |
| Visa | ✅ | £5 | ✅ | £5 | 3-5 days |
| Mastercard | ✅ | £5 | ✅ | £5 | 3-5 days |
| Paysafecard | ✅ | £5 | ✅ | £5 | Up to 8 hours |
| Apple Pay | ✅ | £5 | ✅ | £5 | Up to 8 hours |
| Trustly | ✅ | £5 | ✅ | £5 | Up to 8 hours |
| Instant bank transfer | ✅ | £5 | ✅ | £5 | Instant |
FAQs
Is Sportingbet legit?
Yes, Sportingbet is a legitimate company. They’ve been around for over 25 years and they are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Sportingbet is also IBAS approved.
How can I contact customer support at Sportingbet?
Sportingbet has a live chat, email and phone number available on their site. You can also send private messages on X and Facebook. Their customer service phone number is 0800 028 0348.
How do I reset my password at Sportingbet?
To change your password on Sportingbet, click on the icon on the top right of your screen on mobile. Head to ‘my account’ and go down to ‘settings’. At the top of the list is the ‘change password’ link. Enter your current password and your new password, then you’re good to go!
