First Impression & Registration
How Does The Website Look?
They say that we all form a first impression of a person within seven seconds of meeting them. If the same is true of a website, then seven seconds was plenty to answer the question ‘Is Betsafe a good betting site?’ The first thing that struck us was the website’s great design. It’s created with a dark grey colour scheme that’s accented with a red heading to draw attention to the website’s important bits. You’ll find links to all the important betting markets from one page. Below the heading is a large promotional image advertising the casino offer. You can even find links to the Betsafe app at the top of the homepage so you can get started with wagering at Betsafe, mobile style. It’s clean and simple; much like the sites found in our
Betsson review
and
Skybet review.
More On Betsafe’s Site
Is Betsafe reliable? From the website design alone we’d have to say yes. From the home page you can find casino bets, sportsbook wagers and poker games. The registration link sits at the top of the home page, and you can access promotions from here too. But we’re interested in the sportsbook. After all, this is a Betsafe sports review.
On the sportsbook, you’ll find a variety of sports options on the left-hand side of the screen, with the bet slip on the right. In-play options are displayed in the middle of the screen for easy access too. Overall, the great layout of the site and the availability of all the betting aspects you need in one place means our Betsafe ratings are high in this category.
Registering at Betsafe
When it comes to registering, nothing could be simpler. During our Betsafe review it took us less than minute to fill in Betsafe’s one-page registration form. To access it we clicked the green ‘Create Account’ button at the top of the page. We then had to add a username and password and personal details to the form before confirming we’re over 18. After this, we clicked the ‘create account’ button at the bottom of the registration form and we were ready to bet.
No Sportsbook Bonus Available
Next up in our Betsafe review is their bonus deals. While there are bonuses available at Betsafe, we were very disappointed to find that there are no Betsafe sports bonuses available. As this is a Betsafe sportsbook review, you can imagine it was disheartening, but there are Betsafe casino bonuses available, not least their sign up offer that is a 100% matched bonus.
The bonus is pretty simple to get. You don’t need to use a sign up code, instead you just make a deposit using an accepted payment method and your bonus is awarded. This is capped at £50, which is a generous figure to get you started.
The Betsafe Bonus In Detail
Once you sign up with Betsafe you have 30 days to apply for the Betsafe bonus. You can use the Betsafe bonus on any casino game you like, although the bonus funds need to be wagered 40x before you can withdraw them. Each game you play on has its own limits, with 100% of slots wagers going towards the wagering requirements as opposed to 5% for poker. You can check each wager’s individual contribution on the promotions page.
The bonus is awarded at 100% of your initial deposit. To qualify for the bonus you must make your initial deposit using a payment method that is acceptable for the bonus. You can’t use Neteller, Skrill or Moneybookers to receive this deal. Larger deposits get you extra bonuses. The minimum deposit is £10, but deposit £25 or more in your first deposit and you’ll also receive 20 free spins on the Coins of Egypt slot. This is a decent deal if you’ve got a larger budget. Remember that all bonus funds must be wagered 40x before it is withdrawn. That is the equivalent to £1000 of bets before you can take back your bonus.
Once your bonus is received you have 30 days to use it before it expires. We think this is a reasonable amount of time for the bonus to be used, and other Betsafe casino reviews on the internet agree. The bookie has received very favourable opinions overal.
Betting Via Mobile
What do you look for when it comes to mobile betting? For us, mobile betting doesn’t necessarily have to use an app, but it does have to perform at least as well as desktop betting. An extra mobile specific bonus would be nice, as would an affinity for live wagering. So does Betsafe allow all of this and more? Well, almost. There are mobile apps available on both iOS and Android, which made betting on the go easier. The performance of these apps was also excellent, taking no time to download from the QR code on the website. They also loaded and updated quickly, too.
But when it came to mobile betting, the app was sadly lacking. Make no bones about it, mobile betting at Betsafe is heavily biased towards casino bets, and it shows when you visit the sportsbook. While all sporting markets are available, not all of the live betting markets are. This is a shame given that live betting is one of the areas that mobile apps often work best with, allowing you to check up on them and cash out while you’re on the go. This gave us no choice but to drop the app rating slightly.
Added Features to App
One of the major plus sides of the mobile app, though, was its extra features. Where live betting is offered you’ll also find live streaming which gets you closer to the action. But you can also tailor the notifications you receive on your app, streamlining its performance. For casino fans you can bookmark your favourite games to come back to later. Perhaps the best feature of all, though, is the wide selection of horse racing bets, even odds on ante-post betting, which should keep you thoroughly entertained.
A Casino Experience Like No Other
Betsafe has spent a lot of time and effort on their casino and it shows. As well as live betting on a whole host of table games, complete with real-life dealers, the bookie also has a massive 1066 video slots covering every budget.
You can view the list of slot games in a couple of ways. Firstly you can view them by image, and secondly in a list view that shows you the minimum and maximum bet for each slot game. You can wager from just 1p a spin, rising to £1000 a spin for the biggest budget options.
The casino isn’t just slot heavy, though. You can find 53 different table games with blackjack, poker and roulette all featuring. If you’re looking for a casino, this may well be one of the largest selections we’ve found.
How Sociable is Betsafe?
Betsafe are one of the more sociable bookmakers around. As well as their informative blog which can be found by clicking the Betsafe logo, they also have a Facebook and Twitter page and Youtube account, too.
The Facebook page is updated regularly and is a balance of sports news and results with a light smattering of self-promotion. The information on Facebook is carbon-copied across to Twitter, with no variance whatsoever.
It’s Youtube that sets Betsafe’s social media apart from their competitors, though. You’ll find interviews with industry experts such as Harry Redknapp and playlists on the Saracens rugby union club. There are also behind the scenes documentaries on sporting events like the Gumball 3000 for an exciting new angle on the sporting topic chosen.
Betsafe’s Plentiful Payment Options
There’s a solid range of payment options available at Betsafe. If you’re a fan of card you can wager using VISA or Mastercard. Do note, though, that a charge of 2.9% may be made for VISA payments. This is a real disappointment given that most bookies have got rid of these fees now. Deposits can also be made via Entropay and Paysafecard, although withdrawals cannot be processed using these payment methods. Payments can also be made to your account using the ewallets PayPal, Skrill and Neteller, but do bear in mind that if you want to take advantage of the sign up bonus, you must deposit without using one of these methods. Lastly, instant banking is available for withdrawals. These options are similar to what we found in our
Bruce Betting review.
Deposit and Withdrawal Times
When you make or receive a payment on a bookmakers’ website you want to make sure that your funds are processed quickly. Betsafe are very good in this regard, with withdrawals taking on average 3-5 working days to process. This may be quicker for ewallet withdrawals, with them taking around 24 hours on average after the withdrawal has been confirmed by the bookmaker. Ewallets are, however, subject to transaction fees which are charged by the payment provider. These vary depending on the value of the withdrawal, and may be prohibitive.
When it comes to deposits each payment method is instantaneous, allowing you to place your wagers straight away with the bookie. Ideal if you’ve got a live bet on your mind that just can’t wait.
All-in-all we were quite impressed with the bookmakers payment options, however, Betsafe have lost some marks in our payment rating due to potential fees charged.
How Can Betsafe Help?
Customer support at Betsafe scored highly thanks to its wealth of options available. Firstly, the bookmaker has a live chat function which is available 24/7 to answer any queries and give peace of mind when needed. We tested the live chat function and were put straight through to an adviser, which is always a good thing.
The bookie also has an email address where you can contact support or send them supporting documents if necessary. We’re told the email is secure, which is essential if private data is being sent.
You can also request a callback from the bookie at a time convenient for you, which saves you emailing or hanging about if customer live support is busy. Alternatively, try the FAQ which is very comprehensive and should answer even the most detailed of queries.
Loyalty Awarded For Casino Aficionados
Betsafe offer a loyalty scheme which awards players points based on their purchases spent on the Betsafe casino. Fans of sportsbook bets cannot collect points. You don’t need to opt in to the scheme. All players who sign up with the casino are automatically enrolled. As you gain points on a monthly basis, this is used to calculate your loyalty level. The higher up the loyalty scale the bigger perks you get. Each 100 loyalty points are worth £0.20 and can be used to convert into cash to spend on the casino, sportsbook or poker.
Licensing at Betsafe
A bookmakers licenses are important things. They need to have one to cover each jurisdiction they offer their bookmaker services to in order to stay compliant with that country’s laws and betting regulations. Betsafe hold several licenses, but perhaps the most important for our UK players is their British Gambling Commission license which allows them to operate in the UK. By granting this license to Betsafe the British Gambling Commission have applied a series or rules and regulations to the bookmaker to keep players over here safe. They also monitor the services at Betsafe to ensure that their website are impartial and bets that are placed have a fair chance of winning. By holding a BGC licence, we consider Betsafe trustworthy. Do bear in mind, though, that status’ can change. Always check the website still holds a license before signing up on their website.
Keeping Safe at Betsafe
With a name like Betsafe you’d expect your funds to be secure, and they are, thanks to SSL encryption that keeps your personal data hidden. But there are other betting dangers online, and these can stem from problem gambling.
Every responsible bookmaker with links to the UK has to provide support to those struggling with online betting. In Betsafe’s case this comes in the form of help and advice in their help centre. Here you’ll find information on Betsafe’s Know Your Customer identification process to help stamp out underage betting by asking for identification for verification. The bookmaker also offers a self-assessment which players can check to assess their risk of gambling addiction. There’s also a self-exclusion option which players can activate themselves to prevent them from logging onto the Betsafe website for a prolonged period of time. While this is enough help for many, there are also links to Gamcare and other gambling support organisations should a player need them.
BetSafe Review Conclusion
Betsafe Scored 75 Out of 100 Points In Our Test
We’ve reached the end of our review, and while it is clear that there are a couple of elements the bookmaker can improve on, overall their website performance was exceptional. One of these elements was the lack of sportsbook bonus, and this is reflected in the added level of care given by the bookmaker when it comes to their casino. It’s obvious that the casino is king here, but the sportsbook is still worth a shout in our opinion, as demonstrated by scoring a very respectable 75 points out of 100. So what were the key plusses and minuses of the bookie? Read on below to find out. .
Betsafe Strengths and Weaknesses
We thought for a while that the bookie was going to score huge marks across the board, but with a dedication to their casino, not their sportsbook, us footie, horse racing and tennis fans were a little left out. The lack of sportsbook bonus weighed on our minds as we went through the rest of the review, and sadly, live betting on the mobile just wasn’t as good as their competitors.
It is fair to say, though, that this is a bookmaker that is solid. Yes, it has flaws, but so do some larger brands too. If you’re looking for a bookie with great customer service and social media interaction then Betsafe is for you. They’ve got decent odds and betting markets that compare favourably to other sportsbooks too. Overall, we’d still recommend the bookie, but it would be great if Betsafe gave more thought to their sportsbook fans to even out the two sides of their betting site.
Looking for more comparisons? You’ve landed in the right place. Check out our
Expekt review
and
Gamebookers review.