Bet365 – The King of Sportsbooks and Rightly So!
We all know that Bet365 is one of the most popular sportsbooks in the world. I have been their loyal customer for quite some time and now, here I’m to review their selection which stretches outside sports and live casino games!
The company was founded back in 2000 and in just 19 years, it has grown to become a top favourite among betting enthusiasts. It is currently headquartered in Stoke-on-Trent, England and employs over 4,000 people!
What Makes Them So Great?
Bet365 are massive in the world of sports. For instance, just last year, they signed sponsorship deals with 10 La Liga teams! And that’s just football. In terms of customers, they have more than 35 million of them, many of whom are Indians.
They are known for the endless range of sports they cover, with loads of market to bet on. Are you certain that Messi will score in every match he plays? Go ahead and bet! You may end up winning big.
Cricket, IPL, FIFA World Cup, tennis, basketball – you name it, they have it. Plus, they also have live casinos where you can play online Roulette, Baccarat, online Blackjack, among other exciting games with real dealers on the other end of your screen! So if you ever get bored with sports, you know where to go.
Here is the best part – they accept INR and more importantly, they always remind you to gamble responsibly.
Is Bet365 secure to play at?
When we think about betting online, the first thing that always comes to our mind is whether the site is secure or not.
Luckily, with Bet365, it is not an issue. They are a trusted name and are backed by years of excellent customer service and a loyal fan base. Bet365 is the trading name of Hillside Sports ENC and is licensed and regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority. They also hold a license granted by the UK Gambling Commission.
If you are still not convinced, just think about the popular football clubs like Stoke City, Villarreal, Espanyol, Celta Vigo, Getafe, and other teams that proudly carry the Bet365 name on their jerseys. Plus, with over 30 million customers and 18+ years of operations, it is hard to imagine that they cannot be trusted, isn’t it?
In other words, asking if it is safe to play at Bet365 is just like asking if Salman Khan will release a movie this Eid – the answer is always yes.
The connection to the site is secured by an SSL certificate. It means that whatever information you share with them is secured and protected. People on Quora, who are practically our brothers and sisters, are also quite positive about Bet365 and have spoken greatly of their services and trust factor.
On top of this, Bet365 follows the strict European standards for personal data protection GDPR. Your details will never be handed out to a third party.
Bet365 payment methods
Considering that Bet365 caters to customers from more than 100 countries, it comes as no surprise to see them have a variety of options for deposits and withdrawals. Let’s take a look at how you can deposit funds from India and later withdraw your winnings.
Deposits
You can add funds to your Bet365 account in any of the following ways:
- Credit cards and Debit cards like Maestro, Visa, and MasterCard: Minimum deposit ₹400
- Bank Wire Transfer: Minimum deposit ₹7,500
The funds will be processed instantly through all of these methods, except for bank wire transfer. That will take 2-10 working days.
No processing fee charged by Bet365 here. However, you may have to pay a small fee to your credit/debit card provider or to the E-Wallet platform for processing your transaction.
During my time, I’ve always used E-Wallets to add and withdraw funds. Whenever I have tried to use a credit card, I got an error saying that my deposit was unsuccessful since a small number of Indian banks do not support transactions to online gaming companies. I’ve compiled a complete guide on making payments from India right here.
Withdrawals
Withdrawals work pretty much in the same way as deposits. You can use any of the options mentioned above to withdraw your funds.
- Credit cards and Debit cards like Maestro, Visa, and MasterCard
- E-Wallets such as Neteller, Skrill
- Bank Wire Transfer
Here, the processing time is slightly on the higher end. You can withdraw your funds to E-Wallets within 12 to 24 hours while with credit and debit cards, you will have to wait for 1-5 working days. Lastly, with a bank wire transfer the wait is the longest, going up to 10 days.
Again, there is no processing fee here except for bank transfer, where you will be charged Rs.600 if you withdraw your funds more than once in a 28 day period.
Bet365 Welcome Offer on First Deposit
Aha! The part we all have been waiting for – Bet365 deposit bonus and free bets. Well, the good news is they do have an exciting way to welcome new members – free bets and bonuses across their sportsbook and live casino platform.
However, in my opinion, the offers aren’t as exciting as the ones you get with other smaller bookmakers such as 10CRIC. Perhaps, it is quite understandable since Bet365 is a BIG name in the sportsbook industry and they don’t have to try that hard to draw people. Sometimes, subtlety is all the class you need, just like that gorgeous lady you saw at the bar last night.
Nonetheless, these deposit bonuses worth giving a shot!
Live Casino Bonus
Just like all live casinos online, Bet365 too offers a lucrative welcome bonus to its new customers:
- You can claim a 50% bonus on the first qualifying deposit/transfer, and the maximum amount you can claim is $200. So, if you deposit $400, you can get that maximum bonus of $200.
- The minimum amount you need to deposit/transfer is $20 or more. The offer code is ‘INBONUS50.’
Now, I know what you are thinking – Why can’t I just withdraw this free money? Well, Bet365 are smart enough to know what you are thinking and that’s why they have certain requirements you need to meet before you can make a withdrawal:
- Before you can withdraw your bonus funds or any winnings from them, you need to bet your deposit amount plus bonus, 40 times on eligible games.
- You have 30 days to meet this wagering requirement. If you don’t, whatever money you had in your bonus account will be removed.
Sport Bonus
Now, Bet365’s welcome offer for sportsbook may be a bit tricky to understand, so stay with me:
- When you make a qualifying deposit of $10 or more, you will be eligible to get 15% of that amount back in bet credits. This amount is capped at $60. So, if you make a deposit of $100, you will be eligible to get $15 in bet credits.
- Bet credits are essentially free bets. If you win, you get to withdraw your winnings. If you lose, you lose nothing.
- No bonus code is required.
The Catch
You need to fulfil certain terms and conditions before you can get your hands on the bet credits:
- You need to place bets that are worth 12x your qualifying deposit to get that free bet deposited into your account.
- The bets placed here must meet certain conditions like odds of 1.20 or greater and so on. This is quite good, considering that the many sportsbooks ask you to wager in matches with odds greater than 1.50 (hint, KTO’s crappy sportsbook).
For instance, if you make a qualifying deposit of $10, you need to make bets with a total stake value worth $120 or more to get that $1.50 free bet credit. - This offer is available to new customers only.
From my experience, it is always better to go through the terms and conditions mentioned in the promotions section to understand how they really work.
Loyalty program & campaigns
This is where things get quite interesting. On the site – sportsbook and casino, I never saw any mention of Bet365 Loyalty Program. But then, a simple Google search led me to their Casino Loyalty Scheme Page. It goes something like this:
- You start as a beginner at the Bronze level in their casino. The more you play, the more points you earn.
- Get 150,000 points and you will be moved to Silver, and with 500,000 points, you will achieve the Gold level.
- The conversion rates also vary at each level, like this:
- Bronze: 100 points = 1 currency unit
- Silver: 85 points = 1 currency unit
- Gold: 75 points = 1 currency unit
- You can convert these points into real money and withdraw the same.
You join this program automatically, as soon as you make a deposit in the Bet365 Casino section.
But, there is a lack of clarity
When I contacted their support team through the live chat option to confirm the same, I was told that it is at the discretion of Bet365 to carry out such VIP programs. In other words, it is not quite clear if they still have that Loyalty Scheme program.
When I entered their live casino, I never got any sort of prompt that told me that I’m enrolled in this scheme. Perhaps, it is only for their casino games and not live casino? Perhaps, it was automatic? It’s so unclear! But in either case, I have nothing to lose.
Casino Games at Bet365
To be the best online casino in India some think you need to offer a combination of sportsbook, casinos, and live casinos – just like Unibet does. But then, there are big players like Bet365 who only specialise in a handful of them. In this case, their expertise lies in bookmaking, with a decent presence in the live casino segment. At the time of writing this, Bet365 offers no casino games online in India or video slots.
As we will see in the next section, their live casino is quite interesting. It has plenty of options to keep you engaged and entertained. It is exciting and enjoyable, but if you are truly looking for a hardcore casino site, there are better sites like Dafatbet out there in the market.
Live casino
Bet365’s live casino has all the leading, popular casino games – Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Spin-a-Win, Poker, Hi-Lo, Dragon Tiger, and Sic Bo.
- The live dealers at Bet365 are in the same studio. This means you can establish a personal connection to your favourite dealer.
- There are minimum bets for every live casino game at Bet365. It varies across different variants of the game.
- The minimum bet for roulette tables is ₹50. Similarly, for blackjack, the minimum bet is ₹500 while for baccarat, you can find tables starting at ₹100.
- Live poker, for example, has two versions – Casino Hold’em and 3 Card Brag. You will also find such variants in blackjack, roulette, and baccarat.
Just to be clear, in a live casino, you will be playing against the dealer and not with the other players present there. All in 1080 Full-HD resolution and top-notch audio without delays.
A Personal Touch
Bet365 have done quite well to add that feel of gambling in a real online money casino. You can interact with the dealers through the live chat option, just like you’d do in person! They will welcome you and keep you engaged in the game with small talk.
Plus, they are also polite enough to wish you good luck at the start of every round. The dealers are also quite handsome and beautiful (don’t let this distract you from the game!) although, I didn’t see anyone of Indian origin, sadly.
You will also see small widgets on the side of your live screen, where you can find information about payouts, table limits, statistics, et cetera. All the information you need to make smart bets are right there!
Sportsbook
You can bet on pretty much every single sport imaginable. It is like walking down the food streets in Mumbai and Delhi – there are so many varieties, you don’t know which one to pick!
Opening Offer Available for all Sports. The details include:
- When you sign-up as a new player, you can avail up to ₹5000 in Bet Credits.
- The minimum deposit amount required is ₹350.
- You can use the Bet Credits only if you settle the bets to the value of the qualifying deposit.
- Exclusions on the minimum odds, bets, and payment methods apply.
- Returns don’t include the Bet Credits stake. Also, time limits and T&Cs apply.
Some of the top sports you can bet on are:
- Cricket, football, tennis, basketball, hockey, golf, baseball, rugby, motor sports, volleyball, MMA, American football, and many more!
- Even the markets for each sport are diverse and intriguing. For instance, if you think that Virat Kohli will be the top batsman for India against England, go make a bet on the same!
- Similarly, if you think that Real Madrid will score 3 goals at least against Chelsea (A tough ask, I know), then why don’t you give it a try? The odds are so good that if you win, you win big.
- These kinds of intricate options are found in pretty much every sport. If you can think of it, chances are Bet365 will have it.
Bet on Live Matches!
Bet365 also offers the option to bet on live matches. That’s right – you can bet on the outcome of the match and other happenings, as you are watching it. For example, you can bet on a live tennis match on Rafael Nadal to win the next point, let alone the next game. That’s how detailed and specific their betting options are.
This definitely adds a whole level of thrill to your betting experience. You also have the option of locking your profits and cashing out, even before the match is finished!
Lottery
If you think you are lucky, and by lucky, I mean lucky enough to find no traffic on your way to work on a Monday morning, then you should certainly give Bet365 Lottery a try.
It works in pretty much the same way as the Kerala or Mumbai lotteries – you pick a bunch of numbers and depending on how many you get right after the draw, you win. If you get all the numbers right, you win massive! If you get only one number right, you still win something.
There are many variants of the lottery on the site, which are divided by region. You have Irish, Spanish, New York, German, French, and Canadian. You can also bet on specific markets within these lotteries like guessing the bonus ball number, 1st number drawn, bonus ball colour, the total sum of the lottery balls picked, et cetera.
Bet365 Mobile Version
Bet365 have a mobile casino & sports app but unfortunately, it is not available in the Google Play Store or App Store in India. So, if you are looking to access Bet365 from your mobile, you need to do it through your mobile browser.
However, it is not a problem at all. Their site is configured to pure perfection for mobile and tablets. All the products are available – sportsbook and casino, making it easier for you to play on the go!
The pages are optimised for the mobile screen and you can place your bets – before the match or in-play, without any difficulties. It doesn’t matter if you an iPhone or an Android device – as long as you have a good internet connection – something like 4G, you are sorted.
The navigation is very easy, convenient, and the site is quick to load. No wonder they are so popular in the world – they are ruling the sportsbook industry on desktops and mobiles.
24/7 Customer support
One of the reasons why I prefer Bet365 to most of the other bookmakers out there is owing to their customer support. They are prompt, efficient, and are well-versed in solving any issues you may have.
I remember this one time when I faced a problem with one of my bets. I got in touch with them through their live chat feature and within 5 minutes, I got a response! Not only that, but they resolved in a polite and helpful manner.
- Live chat is available 24/7, 365 Days
Sadly, they don’t speak any other language apart from English, to my knowledge.
Top 5 reasons to play at Bet365
Here are my top 5 reasons why I will always play at Bet365:
- Excellent customer support team.
- Site is safe to use, their reputation is backed by more than 19 years of experience in the industry.
- Plenty of sporting events and markets to choose from; you will never run out of options.
- A good live casino section to give you a thrill of casinos, if you ever want to try.
- Live streaming and in-play betting options. Thanks to this, you can watch all major sporting events across the world.
Another thing I’d like to add here is their seriousness and dedication to responsible gambling. They are committing to giving us a safe, fun time, but not at the risk of becoming addicted to gambling. Now, all you have to do is just click the button below and join the group of winners at Bet365! And if you are looking for something different and desi, try Pure casino too.