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Betfred – The Complete Review of the Proud British Bookmaker

In the following test, we put Betfred under the microscope and conduct a thorough examination of all the different aspects of the betting site. This Betrfred review looks at bonus offers, the platform, the quality of the customer service and the average odds levels, to bring you a complete overview.

Our Rating of Betfred - United KingdomUnited Kingdom Flag

Overview – Click to Find Out More
Sports to bet on 32
Avg. markets (EPL) 95
Live streaming Yes
Payout rate (EPL) 92.13%
Sponsorship Bolton Wanderers
Languages offered English
Customer service Live Chat/Phone/Email
Licensing UK Gambling Commision Number: 99314
in Free Bets Bet £10 Get £50
Play Here Visit site!
Website www.betfred.com
Overall Rating 4.9 / 5
Betfred Highlights:
Mobile Rank Best Betting Apps
Payment Rank Best Apple Pay Betting Sites
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs Apply!.
Luke Andrews: Editor-in-Chief at BestBettingSites.com
Written by: Luke Andrews
Updated on: 11.10.2024

Our separate sub-sections will go into all the nitty gritty details and examine the strengths and weaknesses of the mobile app, the live betting features, the T&C’s, as well as the great range of bonus offers that have led to the operator earning the title “The Bonus King”. For the main review, scroll down the page and see how the company performed against the strong competition.

An Overview of the Sports Catalogue

Even though Betfred don’t offer quite the same number of specialised sports markets and competitions like some other betting websites in the UK we’ve covered so far, most of the common favourites you would expect to find at any reputable bookmaker have been catered for.

Betfred Sports Welcome Bonus & Offers

Below we will take a deep dive into Betfred’s promotions, starting with the welcome bonus, but also taking in the potential offers for existing customers.

The Betfred Welcome Bonus

If you use special link in the Betfred review when signing up for the first time, you will be able to claim an impressive welcome bonus of £50 for a deposit of just £10.

This offer breaks down as £20 for in-play betting, £20 for acca bets, then you can hop over to the casino arm of Betfred and use the last £10 on 50 free spins on the ever-popular Fishin’ Frenzy slot.

Wagering requirements and time limits apply here, so be sure to check the terms and conditions of the bonus before claiming it.

Ongoing Betfred Promotions

Alongside the welcome bonus, Betfred offers a host of bonuses and promotional offers for existing customers. These promotions often align with big events in the sporting calendar such as the World Cup or Grand National. Offers may include cashback, odds boosts, acca bonuses, various types of bet insurance, and more.

Pros and Cons of Betfred

As with all UK betting sites, Betfred Sports has its advantages and disadvantages when compared to its competitors. However, the positive column is definitely the busier one. here’s a brief breakdown of Betfred’s pros and cons:

Pros

  • Excellent welcome bonus and ongoing promotions
  • Wide range of betting markets
  • Well known and trusted sports betting brand

Cons

  • Wagering requirement on the welcome bonus is a little high
  • ID verification can take a few days
  • Luke Andrews.
    Luke Andrews – My Impression of Betfred

    I found Betfred to be everything I expected from such a renowned sports betting brand, and more. An array of sports betting markets, competitive odds, excellent welcome bonuses, and smooth navigation whether on my desktop or mobile device are just some of the highlights.

Sports Markets & Betting Types

There is a strong variety of Betfred betting markets on over 20 different sports. The main sporting options such as football betting, tennis, cricket and darts are all well looked after. Betfred also caters for the more niche bettor with sports including handball and Gaelic football.

Football (41) Horse Racing (63) Tennis (8) Cricket (8) Greyhounds (26)
Premier League Cheltenham ATP Cup Asia Cup Peter Bussey
Champions League Dubai World Cup WTA Finals Pakistan Super League Romford
Bundesliga King George VI Chase ITF County Championship Springbok
La Liga Durbanville Australian Open IPL Hove
Belgian Pro League Lingfield Wimbledon Twenty20 Blast English Greyhound Derby
S League (SGP) Doncaster US Open Momentum One Day Cup Sunderland

Betfred provides a selection of domestic and international leagues and competitions. All the top leagues and cup competitions from the UK and Europe are made available as well as a few less popular options.

For racing fans, there is an excellent selection of cups and competitions on offer, with around 60 domestic and international competitions to choose from at the height of the racing season.

Similarly, for greyhound racing, punters can expect to find well over 30 different UK markets that include popular events from Romford, Nottingham and Sheffield.

For those who love combat sports, Betfred is one of the best boxing betting websites around, and often sponsors UK boxing events.

Aside from the main sports, you can also bet on novelty markets including politics and weather betting.

In-play Betting & Live Streaming

Live betting at Betfred brings the action right to punters’ fingertips, allowing them to place bets as the action unfolds. This dynamic betting option keeps the adrenaline pumping, offering an interesting to engage with live sports events.

While Betfred’s live streaming service may not cover every sport, it does offer the chance to watch a selection of sporting events live. This capability allows punters to stay closely connected to the action, helping them to make more informed choices by watching events as they happen.

Furthermore, Betfred’s sports scoreboard is an invaluable resource for in-play bettors. It offers real-time updates and insights into ongoing matches, aiding bettors in keeping track of the game’s progress and adjusting their bets accordingly for better strategic planning.

Betfred Betting App

With super-smooth, user-friendly navigation, superb in-play graphics and statistical information, as well as an impressive selection of live streams, the Betfred mobile app is great for making wagers whilst on the move.

To add to this, the same range of deposit methods you find on the desktop version are also made available on the mobile app, and the live chat customer service feature is also supported. 

A Vast Array of Betting Options

Betfred co-founder Fred Done created the Lucky 15 bet type. This trend of staying ahead of the competition is consistent, with the operator having an expansive range of multiples betting options on offer.

The 30+ different multiples bet types include common favourites such as the Yanke, the Canadian and the Heinz. Betfred also offers lesser known options such as the Trixie, the Union Jack, the Pontoon and the Round Robin.

The different multiples and singles selections are clearly divided on the bet slip, and the potential returns calculator next to each chosen market makes keeping track of all your original stakes and potential payouts simple and stress free.

Bet & Win Limits

The minimum permitted stake amount at Betfred is 10p. Even though there are some bookies out there that allow you wager as little as 1p, we feel as though the minimum threshold here is more than reasonable.

When looking toward the maximum payout limits, the company fall in line with many of the best gambling sites in the UK that permit maximum payouts of £1 million for top flight football and horse racing.

Tennis, boxing and cricket are all listed as lower tier sports; this means that the maximum amount you would be eligible to win from a single bet is capped at £100,000. 

Pretty Solid Odds Levels7

With regard to consistency across the board, Betfred offers a solid range of odds prices when compared to other betting sites. Here are the odds for the most popular sports:

Betfred Odds Levels for the Largest Sports Markets
  • .
  • Tennis92.67 - 97.60%
  • Basketball94.58 - 95.84%
  • Cricket93.56 - 95.52%
  • Boxing89.46 - 93.91%
  • Rugby90.81 - 93.08%
  • Darts91.58 - 92.92%
  • Football89.44 - 92.40%
  • Horse Racing79.26 - 84.67%
  • ..
  • .....
  • Return to Player (%)

One the whole, Betfred odds prices are among the highest: cricket, tennis, and ice hockey are all somewhere near the top end of the leaderboard, with rugby, darts and boxing also showing competitive numbers.

The live odds prices tell a similar story. For football and tennis, the scores of 93.44% and 93.34 are again high up the rankings, whereas the figures for basketball and tennis are even more competitive.

Accepted Payment Methods at Betfred

When it comes to deposit and withdrawing, Betfred has a decent number of options for players. Debit cards, e-wallets, and prepaid cards ensure most, if not all preferences are catered for.

Payment Methods Withdrawal Limits Deposit Limits Withdrawal Time Deposit Time Fees
Debit Card Unlimited £5 – £9999 Up to 3 days Instant Free
Paypal Unlimited £5.50 – £5000 2-3 Days Instant Free
Neteller Unlimited £5.50 – £4000 2-3 Days Instant Free
Skrill Unlimited £5.50 – £6500 2-3 Days Instant Free
Bank Transfer Unlimited £85 – £3000 2-21 Days Instant Free
Apple Pay N/A £5 – £5000 N/A Instant Free
paysafecard N/A £10 – Unknown N/A Instant Free

*Limits may apply from the payment processor themselves.

Some methods, such as paysafecard, are deposit only. With any other payment option, you will usually need to withdraw using the same method as your deposit.

The Platform 6

Betfred is designed to ensure simple navigation for bettors. Your bet slip is located at the right hand corner of the screen just above the blue “Cashout” menu. If your slip is free from any selections, it will only appear as a green drop down menu.

Once you’ve added one or more selections, the drop down menu will expand and you’ll have full view of your bet slip. Betfred utilises a separate cash out bet slip that allows you to clearly manage all of your cash out bets so that you can see exactly where and when the special lifeline is available.

At the top left hand corner of the screen, punters can make use of the “Betting Highlights” menu which provides easy, one-click-access to the most popular betting markets on the site. Just below, the full list of available sports is displayed under the heading “Sports Betting”.

Using the drop down arrows displayed next to the different sports headings, users can easily scroll through the different leagues and divisions and locate the desired betting markets.

In the middle section of the homepage, users will see the in-play window that displays the odds of the current live fixtures, as well as those that will be available for live betting later in the day.

Clicking the “Watch Live” tab in the top menu bar of the home page will reveal a new window, and take users to the various live streams available that day.

How to Place a Bet

The Betfred betting process is pretty straightforward. To add a selection to your bet slip, simply mark the empty tick box next to the displayed odds price of the desired market.

Once the box has been ticked, the selection will automatically appear on your bet slip. To place multiples bets, follow the same single bet placement procedure.

Once the selections appear on your bet slip, simply scroll down to see which multiples options are available, and key-in the desired wager value in the empty “Stake’’ box.

  • [1] Choose Your BetThe First Step Of The Bet Placement ProcessSelect your desired bet by clicking on the odds button next to a given betting market. To add more bets, simply repeat the process.
  • [2] Lay Your StakeThe Second Step Of The Bet Placement ProcessCheck to make sure your bet selection is correct, and then key the amount you wish to wager into the stake box.
  • [3] Confirm On Your Bet SlipThe Third Step Of The Bet Placement ProcessCheck the selection once more using the “Check bets” button, then click “Place Bet” to confirm your wager.

The procedure is the same for in-play markets; the only difference being that when a selection is added to your bet slip, any fluctuations in the odds prices will appear at the top.

The cash out symbol will appear on the bet slip next to any markets where its use is permitted.

Official Business

The following section of this Betfred review delves into the more structured facets of the company. Understanding the security protocols, testing processes, and customer service evaluations can significantly impact the quality of your online gambling journey.

For those looking to bet on lotteries online or engage in any form of betting, familiarising yourself with these details at Betfred can provide invaluable insight into making informed decisions.

About the Company

Betfred first started in Salford, Manchester back in 1967 as a single-store betting operation. After savvy marketing and hard work, the operator is now one of the top five in the UK.

With the company’s co-founder and inventor of the Lucky 15 bet type Fred Done at the head of its operations, the bookmaker boasts a strong retail presence of over 1,300 licensed betting offices in the UK.

It also offers a vast range of digital products via the Games, Poker, Bingo and Lotto platforms, as well as one of the best online casinos in the UK.

All About the Betfred Business
Company Support Security Player Protection
Name:Betfred Group Live Chat:available, 24h Encryption:Trustwave, 128bit Deposit Limits:adjustable
Head Office:Warrington, UK Phone:0800 0320 878 Licence Number:39544 Betting Limits:adjustable
Owner:Fred Done Email:support@betfred.com Testing Agency:e-COGRA Self Exclusion:available
Employees:Over 10,000 Fax:not available Audit Organisation:IBAS Child Protection:guaranteed
Registered Players:unknown Other:contact form via website Anti Money Laundering Controls:Call Credit Partner Organisations:Gamble Aware, GamCare

The vast majority of the Betfred business is focused in the UK market. In recent years, the company has reshuffled its approach towards sports sponsorship and funneled significant investment into UK horse and greyhound racing.

As a result, the name Betfred is now tied to the world famous Cheltenham Gold Cup steeple chase, as well as a number of dog tracks in Nottingham, Sheffield and Kinsley.

Customer Service 8

For the majority of the most common issues and queries, there’s an extensive help and FAQ section that provides straight forward and easy solutions.

In addition, the “Betting Glossary” and “Bet Type” pages provide useful explanations of different betting terminologies as to provide some of the lesser experienced punters out there with some deeper insight into the world of sports betting.

When the help sections can’t provide a solution to your problem, there are a number of different ways in which you can contact the customer service team. Firstly, the telephone service is free of charge when calling from within the UK, and is line is available 24/7.

There’s also a live chat option, the top choice when you’re looking for quick answers to some of the more common troubleshooting issues. However, for some of the more technical, more challenging queries, we advise making use of the separate email contact addresses for issues regarding mobile betting, personal accounts, and free bets.

Licensing & Security 7

As with all legal and legitimate UK betting sites, Betfred carries a license from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Betfred is also licensed in Gibraltar.

Utilising an advanced SSL security system, the site is fully protected by the Trustwave security company. This means that punters are free to deposit and make withdrawals with full assurance that their personal financial details will remain safe and protected.

Betfred’s partnership with the highly reputable e-COGRA company gives that extra added guarantee that all the operator’s services are trustworthy, safe and honest.

e-COGRA also ensure that all the automated online gaming and software systems are regularly tested for fairness and reliability, and also carry out monthly checks as to make sure that the operator are issuing the correct pay outs in a timely fashion.

Details on how to go about setting up a period of self-exclusion from the website and from Betfred shops, parental controls, and how to keep track of your betting history can all be found under the “Responsible Gambling” tab at the footer of the website.

Near Perfect Bonus Points9

Betfred managed to rack up a hugely impressive 9/10 score in our bonus points section. For the wide range of sports coverage and high volume of live streams per day – not to mention the very handy live stream schedule – we awarded a perfect three points.

As previously mentioned, the operator has gone through considerable efforts to put its name to all the biggest UK horse racing meets, as well as a fair few greyhound tracks and competitions. When we also consider that they were the official betting partner of Manchester United from 2006-2009, anything less than another perfect 3/3 score here simply wouldn’t suffice.

  • Live Streams.3/3
  • Sponsorship.3/3
  • Awards.1/2
  • Extra Markets.1/1
  • Bonuses.1/1
  • Bonus Points.9

For awards, the operator can boast to having won the top prize for “Best Innovation in Mobile” at the 2012 mGaming awards ceremony, and also the Best Innovation in Social Marketing at the EGR E-gaming Operator Innovation Awards in 2013.

Conclusion – Solid With Room For Improvements

Betfred stands out in many ways. The live streaming service on offer here is one of the best around, and the top selection of daily bonus offers, along with the wide selection of short term and ongoing promotions are good enough to rival any competitor.

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Strengths and Weaknesses of Betfred
  • Major Strengths
  • value for money welcome bonus
  • extensive range of live streams
  • numerous multiples bet types
  • Major Weaknesses
  • Higher than average wagering requirement
  • Minor Strengths
  • numerous promotions & bonus offers
  • Minor Weaknesses
  • limited payment options
New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs Apply!.

Q&A/FAQ

Here we have presented a detailed analysis the Betfred bookmaker, if you require further clarification, please see the sub-pages of this review, or email at info@bestbettingsites.com.

Do I need to download any additional software in order to watch live streams?

In the vast majority of cases, desktop computers are already set up for live streaming. If you’re experiencing problems, it’s likely that you don’t have the latest version of Abode Flash Player installed. To get the latest version, simply download the required software directly from the Adobe website.