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| Release date | 1998 |
|---|---|
| E-post | - |
| Betting Features | ACCA Insurance, Best Odds, Bet Builder, Guaranteed |
| Sport Categories | Cycling, Boxing, Cricket, Darts, Football see more Handball, Ice Hockey, Rugby League, Snooker, Tennis, American Football, Aussie Rules, Basketball, Golf, Horse Racing, Mma, Volleyball, Athletics, Badminton, Baseball, Formula 1, Gaelic Football, Gaelic Sports, Ski Jumping, Rugby Union, Motorsports, Biathlon, Politics, Ufc Mma, Greyhound Racing, Water Polo |
| Betting Types | Moneyline, Totals, Handicap Betting see more Points Spread, Asian Handicap, Accumulator Betting Parlays, Double Chance, Correct Score, Draw No Bet, Half Time Full Time Betting, Both Teams To Score, Betboost, Point Spread Bet, Total Bet, Parlay Bet, Goalno Goal, Handicap 1x2, Evenodd, Exact Result, Underover, Winner Of The Match |
| Min. Deposit | 5 |
| Withdrawal time | Instant |
| License | United Kingdom (UKGC), Republic of Ireland (Revenue Commissioners) |
Sportingbet is one of the most well-established betting sites in Ireland. It is owned and operated by industry giants LC International Limited and has been in business in one form or another since the late 1990s. In this Sportingbet review, we take a look at whether or not the brand is still able to provide a top-quality sports betting experience to bettors in the Emerald Isle, break down its pros and cons, and more.
My Snapshot Review of Sportingbet
| 🎁 Welcome Bonus | N/A |
| 🖼️ Concept | Legacy bookmaker brand with strong presence in Ireland and the UK |
| ⚖️Licence | United Kingdom Gambling Commission |
Why Trust Irishluck?
Irishluck is one of Ireland’s most respected online bookmaker review sites. We have built a team of independent experts who are passionate about sports betting and want to share their experience and advice with our readers. Crucially, our team will always share their honest opinions, ensuring they never recommend an online sportsbook they wouldn’t use themselves.
Sportingbet Sportsbook's Website at a Glance
Despite having been active in Ireland for nearly two decades, Sportingbet shows zero signs of ageing. The website is stylishly designed, with the sports menu clearly laid out, and the live-betting section easy to use.
One drawback with Sportingbet’s user experience is that some information, most notably customer support options, is not easy to find. This can be a little bit frustrating as you bounce between different pages in search of support.
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My Experience Opening an Account at Sportingbet Sportsbook
I found opening a Sportingbet account to be a smooth process. Like other UKGC and Irish bookmakers, it uses a frictionless background check to confirm your data. If this is all confirmed, you will not need to provide any further proof of ID or address.
I clicked the register button at the top of the page to begin the process.
There were three pages to fill in. First, I had to enter my email and chosen password. I also had to confirm my country of residence and the currency I wanted to use.
The second page asked me to provide my name and date of birth.
On the final page, I provided my address and mobile number.
The site then quickly verified my account.
When this was verified, the site gave me the option to set a deposit limit. Personally, I would always recommend doing this. You can adjust it at any time in your account settings.
If you can not verify your account, the operator will request that you provide ID. You will not be able to deposit until you have been verified.
How Did I Place a Bet on Sportingbet?
It is really easy to place a bet with Sportingbet. Firstly, I deposited funds into my account using my debit card. I then added the selection to my slip, which appears on the right-hand side of the screen, and entered my stake. You can also check any active bets in your account section.
Sportingbet Withdrawal Review
I found Sportingbet to offer a strong selection of withdrawal payment methods. The site covers all of the basics, allowing withdrawals using Visa/Mastercard debit cards, Skrill, PayPal, Neteller, and Apple Pay. The minimum deposit is €10 for all methods, with the withdrawal times varying.
| Withdrawal Method | Min. withdrawal | Max. Withdrawal | Withdrawal Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Debit/Mastercard Debit | €5 | N/A | Varies - can be instant |
| Skrill | €5 | N/A | Up to 24 hours |
| PayPal | €5 | N/A | Up to 24 hours |
| Neteller | €5 | N/A | Up to 24 hours |
| Instant Bank Transfer | €5 | N/A | Up to 24 hours |
Sportingbet Withdrawal Requirements
If your account has already been verified, you will just need to have €10 in your account to make a withdrawal.
Sportingbet will not allow you to make a deposit without having verified your information. However, if they run into any issues during the withdrawal process, you might need to provide one of the following:
Proof of ID (Passport/driving license)
Proof of address
It is also worth noting that you can only make a withdrawal with a method you have previously deposited with.
My Experience Withdrawing Winnings at Sportingbet
I had a smooth experience withdrawing with Sportingbet. I requested a €20 withdrawal using my debit card, and it appeared within my account in less than an hour. However, customers should be aware that times can vary.
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Sportingbet Deposit Review
Depositing at Sportingbet is a simple process. Once my account was verified, I made my first deposit using my Visa debit card. I was pleased to see the site offered a good selection of payment methods, including PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller. It also supports Apple Pay deposits on mobiles. The minimum deposit is €5, making it a nice, budget-friendly option.
| Depositing Method | Min. Deposit | Max. Deposit | Depositing Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Debit/Mastercard Debit | €5 | N/A | Instant |
| Skrill | €5 | N/A | Instant |
| PayPal | €5 | N/A | Instant |
| Neteller | €5 | N/A | Instant |
| Paysafecard | €5 | ||
| Instant Bank Transfer | €5 | N/A | Instant |
Firsthand Experience of Mobile Betting at Sportingbet
I tested Sportingbet on my iPhone using both Google Chrome and Safari and was very pleased with the results. As a bettor who prefers using their mobile to a desktop, I am always happy when a mobile site does a great job of essentially mimicking the desktop experience and making it more touch-friendly. The menus on the mobile site are clearly labelled, with the main menu still remaining at the bottom of the screen, and the A-Z sports selection menu being on the left-hand side.
Sportingbet Mobile App
I would highly recommend downloading and betting on the Sportingbet betting app. The app is available on iOS and Android, and I found it to be a great overall betting experience. It follows the website’s stylish colour scheme and layout, and is very responsive, which is excellent for in-play betting.
Don’t just take my word for it, though; it holds a 4.7/5 rating on the App Store from over 2,000 reviews, with users praising its ease of use and live betting capabilities.
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Sportingbet Sports Betting
One of the things that impressed me most about Sportingbet was the number of sports it has available to bet on. As well as traditional sporting markets like football, boxing, horse racing, and tennis, it also covers a wide range of niche options, including chess, biathlon, volleyball, and athletics.
As someone who also enjoys a political bet, I found the dedicated politics section to offer some great future markets, most notably for the US and UK.
Another area of interest for Irish bettors is the Gaelic Games markets, with the site offering great coverage of both hurling and football.
| Sports & Categories | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Football | Aussie Rules | Athletics | Badminton | Baseball |
| Basketball | Biathlon | Boxing | Chess | Combat Sports |
| Cricket | Cross Country Skiing | Cycling | Darts | Entertainment |
| Esports | Football | Formula 1 | Gaelic Games | Golf |
| Greyhound Racing | Horse racing | Ice Hockey | Motorsports | NASCAR |
| Netball | Politics | Pool | Rugby League | Rugby Union |
| Ski Jumping | Snooker | Tennis | Volleyball | Water Polo |
The Different Betting Markets I Found at Sportingbet
As I’ve mentioned throughout this Sportingbet review, one of the most impressive aspects of the site is the sheer number of sports betting markets it offers. The following are just some of the highlights I have picked out.
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Football
Unsurprisingly, football betting is the most popular sport to bet on at Sportingbet. I found the selection on the site to be very strong. During the time of writing this review, a major international tournament was taking place, and the site offered over 400 markets on individual matches, as well as bet builder offers and price boosts.
As well as this, it offers excellent odds on domestic leagues, including the Premier League and the League of Ireland, as well as major international leagues like La Liga and the Bundesliga.
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Horse Racing
Horse racing betting is where Sportingbet really comes into its own. The site covers races throughout the day from the UK & Ireland, as well as international races from countries like the USA, France, Germany, and Australia. I was very impressed with the number of markets on offer, with the site also having very competitive antepost odds.
Esports
While Sportingbet does not have the most comprehensive esports betting options in Ireland, it still has a solid range that will keep you occupied. The main games it covers are Escocer (EA FC), Counter-Strike 2, DOTA 2, and League of Legends. I found the range of markets within these games to be fairly consistent with other top Irish sports betting sites, and there were also plenty of streams available to keep me fully immersed in the action.
A Closer Look at Betting Odds at Sportingbet
In my experience, Sportingbet stands toe-to-toe with most top Irish sports betting sites. As a football bettor, I opted to look at some international football markets for the sake of comparison. For a World Cup match between Argentina and Austria, the site offered matching odds with leading names like bet365 and Ladbrokes, offering 4/9 for Argentina to win.
It was slightly behind with Austria, with bet365 and Ladbrokes offering 6/1, and Sportingbet offering 25/4. However, it did balance this out with its goalscorer markets, offering evens on Lionel Messi as first goalscorer, with most bookmakers offering lower than this.
Does Sportingbet Have a Good Range of Bets?
Yes. The above example, Argentina vs Austria, offered a wide range of bets, including some excellent bet builder specials and price boosts. This included standard markets like results, BTTS, over/under markets, and scores, as well as player-specific bets and specials.
If we move away from football to another sport, tennis, there was a good selection of markets for both individual matches and tournaments, with the site offering numerous specials and future markets on Wimbledon and the US Open.
Live Betting and Streaming at Sportingbet
If you want to watch your bets play out in real time, then Sportingbet has some solid options. The site offers horse racing streams from races worldwide, with punters needing to place a bet on the race to watch it. There are also some streams available in other sports like tennis and cricket.
We found the quality of the streams to be consistent, with no notable lag, and odds updating quickly to accompany the action.
How I Claimed The Welcome Bonus at Sportingbet?
Unfortunately, there was no welcome bonus available during this Sportingbet review process. When I reached out to customer support, I was informed that there was no welcome bonus available for me to claim. Previously, the site had offered free bets and deposit bonuses as part of its welcome package, as well as quests to unlock them.
Did I Need a Bonus Code to Receive the Offer?
While there was no welcome bonus available at the time of writing this review, the site has run multiple welcome bonuses in the past, and on those occasions, it has required a bonus code. As such, check back with us at Irishluck regularly to see if the situation changes.
The Inside Scoop on Betting Bonuses and Promotions at Sportingbet
There is a small number of promotions and features available for existing customers at Sportingbet.
Best Odds Guaranteed
How it works: Sportingbet ensures that if the odds on a horse get better after you have placed them and before the race starts, you will receive those odds.
My Experience: As a regular horse bettor, the BOG feature has served up some nice payouts for me at Sportingbet. One horse I had backed at 2/1 drifted out to 7/2, giving me a much bigger win than I had anticipated.
Build a Bet+
How it works: Build a Bet+ is available across different sports and allows you to build a bet by mixing and matching markets.
My Experience: I have used Build a Bet+ regularly, especially for football matches. I have also found Sportingbets pre-built bet builders offer excellent value.
Price Boosts
How it works: Sportingbet regularly provides daily price boosts. You will often find these when you click on a specific event.
My Experience: In my experience, Sportingbet offers some excellent price boosts, especially for goalscorer markets in big football matches.
Acca Boosts
How it works: These do as they say on the tin - provide accas with boosted odds. The size of the boost depends on the number of selections.
My Experience: As a regular acca bettor, I have often taken advantage of these price boosts, with many of them helping me secure bigger wins.
Best Odds Guaranteed
How it works: The Best Odds Guaranteed feature ensures that, if the price of your horse improves before the race starts, your bet will automatically adjust to those odds.
My Experience: Best Odds Guaranteed is always a feature I’m delighted to see. It is always a disappointment to see your horse win the race at better odds than you had backed, and this has helped me avoid that more times than I care to count.
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Unavailable Bonuses at Sportingbet
While there is a nice selection of bonuses available at Sportingbet, there are also some bonus types that you can not access on the site.
VIP programme
Wagering Requirements at Sportingbet: Are They Fair?
Sportingbet’s welcome bonus has zero wagering requirements. This has become increasingly common with sports betting bonuses, and is definitely a big positive.
Weighing The Pros and Cons of Sportingbet
On the whole, the pros outweigh the cons significantly at Sportingbet. While the site does not offer a traditional welcome bonus, once bettors have signed up, they will receive access to a huge number of sports and markets to bet on. As well as this, the operator offers hundreds of daily live streams and boasts excellent sports betting features, including the Build a Bet+ feature and Best Odds Guaranteed.
- 😀 €5 minimum deposit and withdrawal
- 🥳 Over 40 sports to bet on
- 📈 Hundreds of daily live streams
- 📱 Excellent features, including Build a Bet+ and Best Odds Guaranteed
- 😔 Some website navigation issues
- 😥 No welcome bonus
How I Connected To Sportingbet - A Step-by-Step Guide?
The customer support experience at Sportingbet is a mixed bag. While the site does offer a wide range of contact services, they are not easily located. I found their contact page through the introduction email.
This led me to a page with multiple options, which included the option to reach out to the customer support team through social media, email, phone, or live chat.
I used live chat to test out the customer support, enquiring about bonuses on the site. This was my exchange with an agent, Lakshmi:
Me: Hi, I was just wondering if there were any promotions available for me.
Agent: Hi Liam, let me just check that information for you.
Me: No problem.
Agent: Liam, after reviewing the details, I would like to inform you that we are currently not offering any welcome bonus on our website. Your kind understanding in this matter is greatly appreciated.
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| Support Channel | Information |
|---|---|
| customerservice@Sportingbet.co.uk | |
| ☎️ Toll-Free Number/ Helpline | Available through website |
| 💬 Live Chat | 24/7 |
| ⭕ Others | FAQ, Instagram, X, Facebook |
Trustworthiness of Sportingbet
Sportingbet is one of Ireland’s most respected and established online bookmakers. The company has been in the business for nearly three decades and has been able to endure by offering safe and fully licensed betting options for Irish bettors.
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Licence and Security - Is Sportingbet Safe and Legit?
Yes. Sportingbet is fully licensed and regulated. The site is owned and operated by LC International Limited, which operates under United Kingdom Gambling Commission license number 54753. The UKGC is one of the strictest and most respected regulators in the industry, ensuring that bettors in the UK and Ireland are safe when betting at Sportingbet. In Ireland, the operator holds the remote betting licence issued by Ireland Office of Revenue Commissioners.
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Sportingbet Reputation - What Do The Reviews Say?
Sportingbet does fall short when it comes to its reputation with the public. On one major review platform, the site holds a dismal 1.5/5 customer score rating. Negative reviews tend to touch on a number of subjects, with slow withdrawal times and poor customer service being among the most common.
A common theme appeared to be the site making verification processes difficult. One reviewer, Barton, from the UK, wrote:“This company blocked my account for no reason when I deposited 20 pounds, then they reopened my account after extra checks. I had a little win, and pressed withdraw and they have now blocked me again.”
Whereas another UK user shared a similar experience, stating:“They accepted my money when I deposited funds. They verified my account and allowed me to use the site. Then when I win money they get all weird and verify account which I supplied details required. I won over £471 and wanted to withdraw that. Then my account got closed no reason given and funds seized.”
Of course, not all reviews were negative. One user from South Africa was particularly optimistic, stating:“Frequently receiving generous no-deposit bonuses. Completely user-friendly. Honestly, Sportingbet deserves way more recognition than they get.”
It was worth noting that during this Sportingbet review, I did not experience any issues with withdrawing funds, though I also did not receive any spontaneous no-deposit bonuses.
Sportingbet Commitment to Responsible Gambling
Sportingbet has an impressive selection of responsible gambling resources. The Safer Gambling page provides access to a range of tools, including deposit limits, self-exclusion options, and cool-off periods. There are also some useful explainers around the most common gambling problems, as well as some useful activity trackers.
While it is not mandatory, the site prompts you to set a deposit limit during its sign-up process. This is something I always do, and would recommend to readers.
| Responsible Gambling Tools | Available |
|---|---|
| Deposit limits | ✅ |
| Session limits | ✅ |
| Daily limits | ✅ |
| Weekly limits | ✅ |
| Monthly limits | ✅ |
| Loss limits | ✅ |
| Self-exclusion | ✅ |
| Cool-off periods | ✅ |
| Win/loss tracker | ✅ |
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Did I have any Problems Playing on Sportingbet
While my experience at Sportingbet was mostly positive, the site could definitely benefit from making certain aspects easier. Finding the customer support page is not straightforward, for example, with the ‘contact’ page essentially taking you to an FAQ and help centre. As well as this, the most frustrating aspect was the lack of a welcome bonus for new customers.
Why Did I Give Sportingbet a Rating of 4.3?
Sportingbet scored highly according to our TOPScore system and has been given a 4.3/5 rating. This score takes into account my experiences at Playradar, as well as customer feedback and other professional reviews.
The site scored highly for its selection of sports, competitive odds, and live betting options, but was let down by a lack of a welcome bonus and promotions for existing customers.
Do I Recommend Betting at Sportingbet?
Yes. Overall, my experience betting with Sportingbet was positive. The site has been active for a long time, and it certainly knows how to keep Irish bettors happy. The most impressive aspect of the site is the sheer number of sports and markets it covers, offering odds on everything from popular sports like football and boxing to more niche and novelty events.
However, there are a few caveats customers should be aware of. The biggest is the lack of promotions, with the site not offering a welcome bonus or any ongoing promotions for existing customers at the time of writing this Sportingbet review.
FAQs
Does Sportingbet have a no-deposit bonus?
No. Unfortunately, there are no no-deposit bonuses available for bettors at Sportingbet.
Is there a bet builder at Sportingbet?
Yes. Sportingbet has its own bet builder feature called Build a Bet+, which is available on selected sports and markets.
Is Sportingbet legit?
Absolutely. Sportingbet has been in business since 1997 and is one of the oldest and most respected bookmakers operating in Ireland.
Similar to SportingBet Sportsbook
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18+. IRE/NI new customers only. €/£100 in FREE Bets (FB) as €/£80 in sports bets & a €/£20 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit €/£10. Min stake €/£10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept €/£10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable €/£100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. T&Cs Apply 18+. UK/IRE online only. Min odds 3/1. Max stake £/€20. Available on one bet per selected event. 50% boost applied after all selections are settled. Max boost payout £/€1,000. Offer excludes multiple bets. Free, void, or cashed out bets do not qualify. T&Cs apply.
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Sports & sportsbook expert of 8 years. Specialising in a subject close to her heart, sports, Siobhan informs online sports betting fans about the latest news & best sports betting sites.
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