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Sportingbet Review: An Icon of Online UK Sports Betting

Sportingbet has been a trusted UK sports betting site for decades, and offers players comprehensive gambling options such as online casinos and online poker in addition to its top sportsbook. In this Sportingbet review, we’ve explored the markets, odds, and much more to help you decide if this is the right site for you.

Our Rating of Sportingbet - United KingdomUnited Kingdom Flag

Overview – One Click to Your Topic
Sports to bet on 38
Avg. markets (EPL) 156
Live streaming Yes
Payout rate (EPL) 95%
Sponsorship
Languages offered English, German, Spanish, Hungarian
Customer service Live Chat/Email
Gambling Licence UK Gambling Commision Number: 39011
£10 Free Bet
Play Here VISIT SITE!
Website www.sportingbet.co.uk
Overall Rating 4.8 / 5
Sportingbet Highlights:
Mobile Rank Best Betting Apps
Payment Rank Top PayPal Betting Sites
Full T&Cs Apply! Players must be 18+ to join. New players only. Min. £10 deposit required. Excludes deposits via PayPal. Max. stake £10. Min. Odds 1/1. Max FreeBet £10. Excl. Horse Racing.
Luke Andrews: Editor-in-Chief at BestBettingSites.com
Written by: Luke Andrews
Updated on: 10.10.2024

It’s our mission to ensure that our readers leave our reviews knowing every relevant piece of information to guide their decision about what are the best betting sites in the UK. To do this, we’ve covered the most important elements such as the betting minimums, the web platform, customer service options, accepted payment methods and much more.

An Introduction to the Sportingbet Sports Betting Site

It came as no surprise to us that Sportingbet offers plenty of great betting options for dozens of sports and markets. In this first section of our Sportingbet review, we’ve explored the different markets, betting types, alternative bets, maximum payouts and odds available at this world-class operator.

Sports Markets

There are at least 38 sports categories to bet on at Sportingbet, which is toward the upper limit of what any bookmaker on our betting sites list offers. Considering that there are several categories such as the Olympics or Special which offer even more individual events, the site can offer odds on up to 90 sports at any given moment.

Several of the top sports categories such as football and tennis also offer a wide selection of leagues and tournaments. According to the homepage, the most-popular markets in the UK are football and tennis, as well as leagues such as American football NFL, MLB baseball and the NBA basketball league. There is a strong focus on football betting at Sportingbet, and for good reason. The English Premier League (EPL) is without a doubt UK bettors top league to wager on, so it was satisfying to note that there are an average of 156 EPL markets per game at Sportingbet.

Sportingbet have been around for years, so are one of the more established boxing betting sites, meaning they cover most fights.

The site offers bets on some enjoyable novelties ranging from political bets to who will be the next Pope, so it was disappointing to find no eSports bets offered. That said,  it is one of the best sites for horse racing betting, so we have little doubt that this platform will appeal to a majority of bettors with more traditional tastes, and Sportingbet’s expertise really shines in this particular category.

The Live Platform

Live betting is a major feature of the best sports betting sites. As in-play bets are incredibly time-sensitive, it’s important for a betting operator to facilitate easy-to-navigate live markets as well as a fast and responsive betting function. Fortunately, Sportingbet’s live betting platform offers all of the above.

All In-Play odds can be found within the site’s Live tab. Here, you’ll be able to find a brief overview of events that are in-progress and can add odds straight to your bet slip from there. Alternatively, you can view more detailed information such as statistics and additional odds through the Event View tab.

Sportingbet UK also offers live streaming on select matches, including English Premier League games and other popular football events. While there are sites out there that offer many more live streaming games, we were satisfied with the selection at Sportingbet. Head to our live guide to find out more about the best live betting sites in the UK.

Multiples Bets

Sportingbet offers a streamlined multiples betting function that can be accessed in several different ways. The first method is to select bets as you usually would by clicking on the odds that interest you. If you add two or more odds, you can select the Multi-tab in the bet slip to set a stake on a multiples bet.

[Text Wrapping Break]Alternatively, you can also use the Multi Builder, which is a useful tool that lists some suggested odds to build a multiple in one tab. You can have anywhere between two and 20 odds calculated in a multiples bet, which is about as good as any multiples betting system gets.

Beside the Multi-tab, players can all select Systems to make a system bets. There is a maximum of eight odds permitted in systems bet. We were extremely impressed by the betting functions at the Sportingbet sportsbook as it was fast, responsive and easy to understand.

The Minimum Bet and Maximum Payouts at Sportingbet UK

In order to place a bet, players must wager a minimum of 50p. This is actually quite high compared to other UK betting sites, which can accept bets from as low as 1p-10p depending on the event. As for maximum stakes, this is calculated based on the winning limits on each sport and changes accordingly.

By the same token, the maximum winning limits depend on which sports are bet on, and these are explained in the Terms and Conditions. The maximum weekly win is £250,000 is available for most major football leagues and other high-liquidity sports leagues such as the NBA.

Considering that alternative bookies such as William Hill offer maximum payouts of £1 million for football matches, high-rollers may prefer to join another site.

The Sportingbet Odds9

You couldn’t become as trusted and widely-used as Sportingbet without offering great sports odds. This platform regularly offers great prices that outperform the competition, especially for popular markets such as football. On average, the site takes a 5% margin on sports bets, meaning that the odds are based on a standard 95% RTP rate.

In the following table, we’ve created an overview of the most relevant Sportingbet odds. We were happy to find that there aren’t any massive variances between the lowest and highest odds for the most popular sports, although in markets where there is less liquidity there appears to be a much higher variance.

Odds Levels for the Largest Sports Markets
  • .
  • Golf94.84 - 95.63%
  • Basketball94.65 - 95.21%
  • Tennis94.82 - 95.34%
  • Ice Hockey94.54 - 95.03%
  • Football94.32 - 94.74%
  • Baseball94.53 - 94.92%
  • Cricket94.21 - 94.84%
  • Moto Racing93.84 - 94.23%
  • ..
  • .....
  • Return to Player (%)

The live betting odds at Sportingbet are just as competitive as the regular odds, and we have found that this site can be one of the most generous bookies for live betting on both tennis and football. It’s worth pointing out though that odds are subject to fluctuation — especially live odds — so don’t waste time if you’re hoping to claim a great deal.

Deposit and Withdrawal Methods

Sportingbet facilitates plenty of reliable payment providers to power player transactions, so we’re sure that you’ll be able to find a convenient method to make your transactions. Below, we’ve listed some of the most popular and reputable gambling site payment methods, from mobile payments to E-Wallets and bank transfers.

Payment Methods Withdrawal Limits Deposit Limits Withdrawal Time Deposit Time Fees
Apple Pay Unlimited £10- £2,500 N/A Instant Free
Paysafecard Unlimited £10- £750 N/A Instant Free
Skrill Unlimited £15- £50,000 1 – 2 days Instant Free
Bank Transfer Unlimited £10- £50,000 2 – 10 days 2 – 10 days Free
Neteller Unlimited £15- £50,000 1-2 days Instant Free
Paypal Unlimited £10 – £10,000 1 – 2 days Instant Free

As you can see in the table, every payment method is unique and has its own perks and disadvantages. Fortunately, there are no transaction fees charged by the operator, although each varies when it comes to minimum/maximum limits and transaction times.

For the best payments, we recommend using E-Wallets such as Skrill or Neteller. Unfortunately, PayPal can not be used to claim the site’s welcome bonus, so we don’t recommend this method for your first payment.

A Streamlined, Stable Web Platform

The ease-of-use of the Sportingbet platform is likely one of the major factors in its success. With its light blue and white colour scheme, the site is visually appealing and easy to read. The categorisation of the sports and features are logical, and tools such as the bet slip and live tabs are responsive and intuitive.

The site shares that same platform as PartyCasino and Sportingbet, its sibling sites under the ElectraWorks Limited group. While this could be a downfall for other sites, we actually find this platform to be one of the most high-powered and user-friendly of any bookie on the market, so we can understand the decision to clone.

The site was quick to load, and we had no trouble finding the most important information to help with this Sportingbet review. The account controls were simple and transactions could be made easily. In our opinion, a platform highlight is the Sportingbet betting slip, which makes it incredibly simple to customise bets and place them quickly.

How to Make a Sportingbet Bet

The betting process, as we’ve explained, is extremely simple with the Sportingbet bet slip tools. All of the possible betting options are laid out in an easy-to-read way so that you just need to worry about finding the right odds to build your bets. You can make single bets, multiples and system bets all from one slip, and we’ll tell you how.

First you need to create an account. To make this as fast as possible, have digital copies of your official identification documents at hand to ensure quick verification of your age. Once you’ve made your deposit, it’s as simple as selecting the odds in the sportsbook and adding them to your bet slip. You can find more details below.

If you want to build a multiples bet based on the site’s recommendations, you can also use the Multi Generator tool. Placing a live bet is essentially the same process — you’ll just need to head to the Live tab to find up-to-date odds and statistics.

You’ll just need to be quick to take advantage of the live odds on offer because they will change based on what’s happening during the event. Also, once you’ve hit Place Bet, you’re wager won’t be complete. You also need to click confirm to guarantee your stake or else the bet won’t be processed.

Sportingbet Company Information

Since 1997, Sportingbet UK has helped to spearhead the online sports betting revolution. Today, it is now a part of one of the world’s largest gambling groups and is a respected bookmaker all over the world. In this upcoming section, we’ve explained more about the company behind the bookmaker and the features that indicate why it is so trustworthy.

The Sportingbet Business Under the Microscope

Sportingbet is a British gambling business that has helped to define the online gambling business since the late 2000s. After many exciting years of mergers and acquisitions, the UK branch of the company is now owned by the Entain Group, a global gaming giant that includes Ladbrokes, Sportingbet and BWin as subsidiaries.

Over the course of its history, Sportingbet UK has sponsored a number of European teams and leagues, including the Wolverhampton “Wolves” Premier League team. Currently, Sportingbet sponsors the Greek Euroleague Basketball Team and is a partner of Brazillian Series A Football. You can find some more in-depth details about its business operations below.

All About the Sportingbet Business
Company Support Security Player Protection
Name: Sportingbet Live Chat: 24/7 Encryption: 256 Bit SSL Deposit Limits: Adjustable
Head Office: Suite 6, Atlantic Suites, Europort Avenue, GIBRALTAR, GX11 1AA Phone: 0800 028 0348 Licence Number: 39011 Betting Limits: Adjustable
Owner: Sportingbet Ltd Email: support@sportingbet.com Testing Agency: eCOGRA Self Exclusion: Available
Employees: 500+ Fax: N/A Audit Organisation: International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) Child Protection: Guaranteed
Registered Players: 2.5 million + Other: Betting help FAQ/Contact forms Anti Money Laundering Controls: KYC Partner Organisations: GambleAware, GAMSTOP

There are now more than 2.5 million registered players with Sportingbet around the world. The company is licensed in several regulated markets, including Australia where it is operated by the William Hill Group. The operator has teamed up with respected associations such as the European Gaming and Betting Association and the IBIA to ensure it plays a part in maintaining sports integrity.

Customer Support Options10

One of the most useful ways to test whether or not an online bookie truly cares about its customer satisfaction is by checking its customer support options. If a bookmaker offers numerous contact methods available around the clock, this proves that the site is dedicated to maintaining its customers’ peace of mind.

After this section of our Sportingbet review, we were happy to find that players can reach a customer support representative 24/7 and through live chat and email. In our experience, live chat is the best contact method as it tends to be the fastest. Support is offered in English, German and Spanish.

Before you reach a customer service agent, you can use the site’s helpful FAQ section which details everything from betting limits to descriptions of betting types. Our experience with the customer care team was extremely pleasant, with staff being professional, helpful and clearly very knowledgeable about the product.

Licensing, Safety & Security Information10

So that it can legally accept UK customers’ bets, Sportingbet has been licensed by the Gambling Commission. Aside from the legal implications, there are dozens of benefits to gambling with a licensed site, including a guarantee of security, fairness, safety and responsible-gambling focused business practices.

Sportingbet is licensed under ElectraWorks Limited in the UK, and the company also holds a license in Gibraltar and Malta, both of which are also known for their strict standards. In order to meet security requirements, Sportingbet’s technology and player details are protected with 256-bit encryption. The site has also been tested by eCOGRA to verify the fairness of its products.

The Sportingbet sports betting platform also works with several respected responsible gambling organisations such as GambleAware and GAMSTOP. This ensures that players struggling with problem gambling can find support and useful tools such as self-exclusion and self-limits to curb any harmful habits.

The Bonus Point Round10

In this final section of our Sportingbet UK review, we’d like to award some final points for web features that we haven’t properly acknowledged in other sections. This includes the industry awards it has received, the bonuses and promotions, the additional markets it offers, live streams and sponsorships.

In what is a very rare case, we have awarded full marks for all bonus categories at Sportingbet. The site offers a great live streaming platform and has a history of being a major sponsor for popular teams and leagues. Last year, its parent organisation EGV (now Entain) was awarded Safer Operator of the Year at the EGR Awards.

Sportingbet also accepts political bets and entertainment bets in addition to sports bets, hence the point for the Extra Markets category. As well as offering a free bets, there are also several loyalty-based Sportingbet betting promotions available for existing customers. Earning full marks is no easy feat, so we are extremely impressed by this site.

In Conclusion: An Experienced, High-Quality Bookmaker

To wrap up this Sportingbet, we want to once again acknowledge that this is an extremely well-stocked sports betting site that utilises a responsive platform and top betting features. There are a great number of sports markets and hundreds of markets and odds available at any given time, so this will appeal to most players.

The site offers a top live betting platform including live betting odds, in-play statistics and of course, live streaming of popular events such as football and tennis. The customer service is impeccable, the odds are competitive, and the site has proved its safety and security by being licensed in multiple respected jurisdictions.

There are a satisfying number of sports markets to choose from, with football betting being a highlight of the sports features.

The bet slip functions are streamlined, convenient and responsive, and no matter what kind of bet you’re looking to make, the site makes it easy to do it. The live platform is well-stocked and functional, and the Sportingbet odds are competitive to other major sportsbooks.

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Strengths and Weaknesses of Sportingbet
  • Major Strengths
  • Live streaming
  • Plenty of sports
  • Minor Strengths
  • 24/7 support
  • Major Weaknesses
  • Low maximum payouts
  • Minor Weaknesses
  • No eSports markets
Full T&Cs Apply! Players must be 18+ to join. New players only. Min. £10 deposit required. Excludes deposits via PayPal. Max. stake £10. Min. Odds 1/1. Max FreeBet £10. Excl. Horse Racing.

Perhaps the most disappointing thing that we found at Sportingbet was that it’s maximum payout of £250,000 pales in comparison to competitor sites. Check out our Ladbrokes review for a bookmaker with higher payout limits. The lack of any eSports markets is also disappointing. That said, a majority of players will find it easy to overlook these issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can find answers to common questions asked about the Sportingbet sports betting site. We’ve provided a jump link to the relevant sections of our review in each answer so you can find more in-depth information. If you have any more questions, send us an email to info@bestbettingsites.com and we will get back to you with an accurate answer ASAP.

💰 What is the safest payment method to use?

There are several payment methods available to deposit and withdraw funds on Sportingbet. We recommend using PayPal for quick and secure payments. You can use PayPal to instantly deposit funds into your account. You are also able to make withdrawals to your PayPal account through the Withdrawals tab in your account. PayPal is deemed one of the safest ways to send money online.

💳 Can I make deposits with credit cards?

In April 2020, a new regulation was put into place for all betting operators in the UK that means customers are now unable to deposit funds with a credit card. This includes credit card deposits to eWallets like PayPal or Apple Pay. You are still able to make deposits using a debit or prepaid card, though you can’t deposit funds from a card issued by a Money Service Business (MSB) like Transferwise.

📝 Why is licensing important?

To be legal, sportsbooks must be licensed in the UK. We strongly recommend you avoid using the services on any unlicensed offshore bookmakers. It is the responsibility of a licensed bookmaker to help customers gamble safely and responsibly, and reduce any risks associated with playing. Licensing also ensures operators payout any winnings owed to players.

☎️ How do I reach customer support?

There are a couple of different ways to contact Sportingbet’s customer support. It is our recommendation that you use Sportingbet’s live chat function. This is because live chat tends to be the quickest method and is available 24/7. Another option is to complete an email contact form detailing your query, but this could result in a slower response.