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188Bet Sports Review
188bet is an Isle of Man based and licensed Internet sports book which is well-trusted and boasts great prices on every game. They are heavy hitters in gambling on sports due to their attractive odds, and they offer online poker and casinos in addition to their various sports markets. Their main niche is football and 188bet is currently the main sponsors of English Championship club Bolton Wanderers. Bolton were relegated from the top flight at the end of the 2011-12 Premier League season.
They maintain a presence in the Premier League as the official gambling partners of the likes of Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, as well as the Aviva Premiership Rugby side London Wasps. They also serve as the official gambling partner of Championship side Sheffield United. This gives them the opportunity to hold special promotions and deals in conjunction with the squads they sponsor or partner.
There is plenty to love about 188bet. From their markets to their character, this bookie is about as reputable as they come. They offer better odds than many of the other sportsbooks who are present in the UK, and they accept customers from other countries in Europe and Asia. Every bit of money they take by deposit is segregated from their operating accounts. This is a requirement of their gambling licence and means that your money is safe.
Deposits and Bonuses
In addition to their stellar reputation and attractive odds, we like the no-risk wager that the site makes available to new customers. Simply deposit and bet £10 and you will receive £30 in free bets courtesy of 188bet. Use promo code FREE30 when you sign up to be eligible for the offer, and we suggest you look at some of our Football tips before deciding where to place your money.
Other great promotions at 188 include Acca Insurance and Acca Boost – two bonuses aimed directly at football accumulator punters. Acca Insurance means that if one leg of a five-fold or larger accumulator (1×2 and both teams to score markets) lets you down, 188Bet will give you your money back as a free bet up to a value of £50. If you hit it big and win a five-fold or larger accumulator, you’ll receive an incremental Acca Win Boost in the form of a free bet up to £100. The promotion breaks down as follows:
- 5% Bonus on 5-fold ACCA Winnings
- 10% Bonus on 6-fold ACCA Winnings
- 15% Bonus on 7-fold ACCA Winnings
- 20% Bonus on 8-fold ACCA Winnings
- 25% Bonus on 9+ fold ACCA Winnings
Another thing worth liking is that they offer higher limits than most UK online sportsbooks. Most books have a rather low ceiling with maximums you can wager. At 188, while they do employ a maximum limit, it is much higher than similar books. This means you can stake more and therefore win more. You can take higher limit punts on football, basketball, NFL games, futsal, and motor sports, as well as television shows (Big Brother, X-Factor), and current events.
Odds & Markets
188Bet prides itself on offering some of the best odds on the market, and that’s a serious pull for switched-on punters. Odds can be up to 20% better than those on betting exchanges (after you’ve paid commission on winnings), but you have the convenience of betting with a conventional bookmaker, with no waiting around for bets to be matched. Better odds along with 188Bet’s higher stake limits is a powerful combination.
In terms of market penetration, 188Bet is up there with the best. They offer in-play betting on over 10,000 football matches each and every month, with coverage of over 400 different leagues worldwide! There are dedicated sections on site for Horse Racing and eSports, and a full A-Z of other sports is covered. That’s without mentioning the casino, poker, bingo, slots, financials and entertainment betting. It’s clear that there is a vast choice at 188Bet, and you’d struggle to find a sportsbook with more variety.
Customer Support
188Bet prides itself on excellent customer service, and lists three core principles on the website:
- The customer always comes first
- Your satisfaction drives our business
- We will always strive to exceed your expectations
Sounds great, but do they live up to the billing? The answer is an emphatic yes. Live chat and email support are available 24 hours a day, service is quick, and staff are both friendly and knowledgeable. In addition 188Bet also offers 24-hour phone support for those who prefer to speak to an adviser. Customers in Europe and the UK can contact the help line at +44 20 3286 9991, whilst Asian customers can call their support line at +852 8176 4875.
If that wasn’t enough, there’s an absolutely huge FAQ section on site, which is separated into clear categories, is searchable, and answers just about any question you’re likely to ask.
When cashing out your account, you will find the processing times are good, but they are not as quick as the likes of Paddy Power on most of their cash out methods. 188Bet offers immediate availability for funds cashed out through Skrill. However, withdrawals generated through NETeller arrive in 1-2 business days. Local banks generally receive processed funds within three days, whilst cheques take from five to thirty days from the time they are requested until the time they arrive in the post. The company does not currently process withdrawals through credit cards.
Concluding Thoughts
With a higher wagering threshold and the ability to gamble on many different sports and markets at better than average odds, we are a huge fans of this sportsbook. The higher odds and reduced Vig results in better returns. Your funds are secure, and 188Bet offers a very generous sign up bonus as well as great ongoing promotions. We vote this bookie a winner and think you will agree.
SBObet Sports Review
SBObet are a major player in the online gambling world. Licenced in both the Philippines, and Europe (Isle Of Man), they operate as an international bookmaker. Recent changes to legislation in the UK now requires all firms to hold a licence in the country, and since late 2014, SBObet can no longer offer their services to UK residents.
Owned by Celton Manx Ltd and in business since 2004, SBObet specialise in Asian handicap betting. The company is renowned for accepting very large stakes and a large number of European bookmakers use the SBObet odds and market moves to guide their own trading strategies.
In addition to a sportsbook, SBObet offer a live casino, games and a financials section. In this review, we look at the services on offer, the depth of the markets and the overall quality of SBObet as a bookmaker.
Website
As could be expected, the website is very professional and well designed, following the increasing popular layout adopted by many bookmaking firms. A several tone blue theme is utilised, with the list of sports down the left hand side of the page, popular matches in the centre of the page and the bet slip on the right and side. Customers can flick between sports, live casino, classic games, racing, games, financials and poker by clicking the links on the menu bar at the top of the page.
Next to each set of odds is a number which represents the number of additional bets for the match, and there is also a small bar chart icon which links to the statistics section.
SBObet do have a web app, which is automatically accessed when visiting the site from a mobile device. However to view any of the odds or markets, customers must log in on the app. Apple customers can download an SBObet app from the iTunes store and there is also the option to view the site in a desktop view or they can use the WAP version (very basic).
Languages
The website can be viewed in English, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Burmese, German, Russian, Spanish, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Thai.
Markets
Widely considered one of the world’s premier bookmakers, it comes as no surprise that SBObet have a comprehensive list of sports to bet on, with 30 different disciplines available. Their bread and butter are football, with matches covered from all over the world.
In most of the major leagues, there are usually two Asian handicap lines for each match, which give one team a certain number of goals head start, making the odds similar. With most of their business conducted on the Asian lines by big staking punters, there is no desperate need for SBObet to compile an extensive number of additional bet types for each football match. For instance, 48 hours out from English Premier League matches, to supplement the 1X2 and handicap fare, there were only an extra 24 bet types for customers to sink their teeth into. At the same point in time, BetVictor had 75-80 and Coral 130-140.
The Asian handicap theme runs through the other sports and is the most popular choice for punters in basketball games. NBA games typically have around 18 extra bet types including over/under, highest scoring quarter etc. With many of SBObet’s clients coming from the continent, Asian basketball, and in particular the South Korean action gets a lot of attention.
Horseracing has its own devoted section that can be accessed on the menu bar at the top of the page. SBObet provide odds on racing from England, Ireland, South Africa and UAE, but curiously, users have to be logged in to their account to view any of the markets on display.
Odds
SBObet is built on handicap betting, which is particularly popular with customers in the Far East. Why? Because the margins are low as there are only two outcomes available on any one event, and it makes the odds for both teams broadly similar.
The competitiveness of odds can be determined by the total book percentage. A betting book with no inbuilt profit margin would equate to 100% and therefore the closer to that figure, the more generous the odds being offered by bookmakers.
The English Premier League Asian handicap odds work to a very impressive 101.5-102% – again evidence of SBObet’s low margin, high turnover approach to bookmaking. The same margins are available for games across other top leagues in Europe, and even the lower divisions have fair book percentages. While the handicap odds are very generous, the 1X2 books for the top leagues are far less competitive, working to 107-107.5% books.
The ‘moneyline’ for NBA matches is effectively the same as the Asian handicap, with one team receiving a head start. The prices for basketball’s premier league typically work to 102.5%, which is again very fair. Some of the European leagues work to a slightly higher 103.5%, but in the grand scheme of things, the odds are some of the best that punters will be able to find.
Handicap betting in the NHL (where unlike the moneyline, is determined after the end of regular time) works to around 103.5%. European matches are a little higher at 104%, but the odds are still competitive.
Promotions
New customers are eligible for a lucrative sign up bonus. When using the promo code DEPBON12, users can claim €250 (or currency equivalent). Whilst the concession offers quite a large bonus, customers are made to work for it. They must rollover the qualifying deposit amount 10 times before the bonus is credited to the account. If there an insufficient funds in the account, the customer is able to deposit further in order to meet the wagering requirements. Selections must be made on non-live events, with odds of 1.50 or bigger.
Be sure to keep an eye on the sign up offers, because they generally change from month to month, with the previous month offering only a €180 bonus.
Payment Methods
SBObet is an international firm, and as such they have payment options to satisfy clients from around the world:
There are also several online banks who can be used to transfer money to SBObet.
Customer Services
SBObet’s staff are very easy to access. There is a live chat feature which is manned by friendly and knowledgeable staff. Customers are also able to contact SBObet via:
- Email – support@sbobet.com
- Telephone – +44 1642721960 – Europe, +63 28563776/ +63 27296516 – Asia
- Fax – +44 1624721966 – Europe, +63 28563766 – Asia
- Skype – sbo-css
Review
SBObet are a top bookmaker, used by professionals worldwide. Serious football bettors (and punters on other sports) who dabble in the Asian handicap markets need not look anywhere else. While the 1X2 prices across different sports are uncompetitive, they appear to be somewhat of an afterthought, with the total book percentages for the handicap markets being extremely competitive. Large stakes are accepted and there is a fair sign up bonus (although the rollover requirements are quite extensive).