BetFair Review

Last Updated: August 3, 2021

BetFair is one of the oldest and most revered sportsbooks in the world. Operational since 1999, this sportsbook has been able to gain a lot of market attention thanks to its focus on consistency and customer experience. The brand is known for its great odds, quick customer service, and a super optimized mobile website.


BetFair Review

History of BetFair

Initiated in 1999, this sportsbook is located in the UK and has been licensed by PPB Counterparty Services Ltd. The sportsbook has been around for decades and has been able to provide its users with the same great value that it has promised since its inception.

This sportsbook has seen it all, from fads to growing trends, and has even had the privilege to start a few online casino trends as well. BetFair has been on the radar of professionals for years and is the primary choice for many when it comes to making easy and profitable bets.

BetFair boasts a great payout ratio as well and has been a fan favorite for many customers over the globe. The sportsbook, however, did have a short period of disarray in 2010 where it was not able to provide its users with promised bonuses. BetFair has since made amends and has been growing every year. With an alleged million users on the platform, it is easily the most trustworthy bookie out there.

Mobile Experience

If you are looking for a zappy mobile experience, then you need to experience BetFair on your phone. While the brand does not provide a dedicated mobile application for its users, it does provide a mobile-optimized website that does everything that you need to browse the site, play games, and place bets. The mobile experience is comparable to other big names in the industry, and BetFair provides the best security and tech infrastructure to power its site.

Desktop Experience

The desktop website is amazing as well. We found the desktop website to be slightly more agile and better in terms of navigation due to the extra screen size. The website takes full advantage of the extra computational resources and provides a super optimized experience that feels design and animation-heavy while not being too indulgent.

BetFair Welcome Bonus, Promotions, and Rewards Program

BetFair has had a slight rough history with bonuses. Back in November 2010, the sportsbook giant had activated a promotion on the platform where players could make unlimited matching bonuses on their deposits for a four-hour period. This meant that players could earn up to $200 as bonuses, which is a huge amount, especially if you consider that there was an unlimited clause attached to it. There was a rollover of 10x as well, which was well worth it considering how amazing the bonus promo was.

However, once the promo run ended, there were a lot of complaints from customers who claimed to have had their accounts blocked and their winnings frozen. It turned out that BetFair had not accounted for the massive influx (read: abuse) of bonuses and was actually losing money because of the promo. This meant that players who participated and used the promo were flagged, and their winnings were taken away from them.

Apart from this disaster, which was a huge one in our opinion, BetFair has remained a trustworthy brand as it has never had a similar repeat incident or any sort of problem with payouts before and after the fateful promo run. We doubt that a bookie of this size and stature will ever make the same mistake again.

BetFair Betting Experience

Variety of Sports and Leagues

BetFair covers everything that you need to place bets online. Seriously, the brand offers almost every category in existence. This is because BetFair has been in the game far longer than newer sportsbooks that are more geared towards gimmicky promos and free plays. BetFair is known to be a professional-friendly website that has been able to attract players from almost every region, thanks to its diverse betting portfolio.

Quality of Odds

BetFair offers one of the best odds in the industry. With lower commission than your average sportsbook and fantastic odds throughout American and European sports, this bookie has been able to provide consistency and reliability when it comes to its odds. The bookie is known to be one of the key players in the market, so much so that other, smaller sportsbooks look up to it as a gold standard when it comes to early lines and odds.

BetFair Casino

The casino is perhaps the best attraction at the site. With a focus on adding more optimized games and boasting a tried and tested games portfolio, the casino experience at BetFair is truly ground-breaking. This casino has been active for nearly two decades, and it shows how much it has invested towards the future of online casino games on its platform.

BetFair Poker

The poker room is fun, and with over a million users, it is hard to ever find yourself on a waiting list. The games are matched up quickly, and you will rarely face any type of server crashes or maintenance breaks.

BetFair Live Dealer

Live dealer games are a big reason why people spend time at online casinos. If a sportsbook is not known to have a good live dealer section, it is deemed as inferior. The live dealer games at BetFair are optimized to run across different platforms, and with HD quality video, you are surely going to be spending hours at the site.

BetFair eSports

The eSports section has the same amazing odds and a highly curated portfolio of games and events. We found all the major gaming events on the site along with a lot of popular and some indie titles as well.

Methods of Deposit

BetFair doesn’t offer anything too crazy when it comes to the banking side of the business. You can expect the traditional methods with a few e-wallet options as well. Skrill and Neteller are a popular choice on the website, and you are likely going to see better processing times with e-wallet payment methods at the site.

Methods of Withdrawal

BetFair is known to fulfill its payout commitments within hours or at least within 12 hours. This is truly amazing because most sportsbooks lack behind in this area. Some players have claimed to have had their payments processed within the hour. You get all the traditional withdrawal methods without any support for Bitcoin, which is a bit of a disappointment.

Customer Service & Support

This website will provide you with a superb live chat staff along with email and phone support as well. We tested the service and found the live chat support channel to be the best. The support staff is available all year round - 24/7!

BetFair Reputation

This sportsbook is revered in the betting scene because of its high payout ratio and trustworthiness. Apart from its blunder back in 2010, BetFair has been a consistently good sportsbook in the European region. The brand has been able to even lead the market towards new trends. While there have been customer complaints regarding some areas of the site, you should bear in mind that the sportsbook has been operational since 1999, so it is bound to make at least a few mistakes down the road.

BetFair Reddit

There are a few posts where Redditors have praised the sportsbook while others have escalated their issues on the public forum. Thankfully, the support staff has dealt with all these issues in a timely manner.

FAQ about BetFair

Is BetFair a legit site?

Yes. This is a legitimate European-facing sportsbook.

Is BetFair Sportsbook Legit for US Players?

No. This sportsbook does not operate in the USA as of right now.

How long does it take to get your money from BetFair?

You can expect your winnings in about a couple of hours to 1 business day.

Do you pay taxes on BetFair winnings?

You may be taxed as per your local tax laws on casino winnings.

Can you place bets on the BetFair app?

There is no dedicated iOS or Android application for the sportsbook, but you can place all your bets on its super-optimized mobile website.

Does BetFair report to the IRS?

No, this sportsbook is not operational in the USA, so it is not likely to report to the IRS. It does, however, report to every other relevant authority in the region.

Is BetFair a good sportsbook?

Yes. This is a fantastic website that is built for professionals. It provides a trustworthy experience that will eventually make you a loyal fan.

BetFair is a great sportsbook for serious players who are looking for a straightforward and no BS solution for their betting needs. Whether you are betting big or small, this sportsbook will always have your back.

  • Lower commission on bets
  • Amazing betting platform
  • Diverse categories
  • Not available in the USA
  • High rollers are charged higher commission
BetFair
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We test and review sports betting sites. Our rating methodology includes bonuses, betting experience, credibility, history, banking options, sports variety, plus much more. Find out which are the best online sportsbooks.
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