Sky Bet Online Sportsbook Review
SkyBet are one of the household names when it comes to online sports betting and their regular television adverts & sponsorship of sporting events has only increased their reputation in recent years.
Sky are synonymous with live football in the UK and their coverage of the Premier League action and their betting company provides a huge number of markets and enticing price boosts on many big games throughout the season. It isn’t just football, SkyBet is an extremely popular brand with racing fans too.
Since their rebrand in 2012 Sky Bet have been the hosts of Sky’s Super 6 competition each weekend which is heavily promoted throughout Soccer Saturday. An account is required in order to enter the weekly competition.
Getting Started and Signing Up
Sky Bet make the process of signing up for an account remarkably straight-forward and many first time bettors tend to opt for Sky Bet due its simplicity. The Sign Up box is prominently displayed on the right hand side of the page. A separate screen loads and a few details are required including address, telephone number and payment details.
Occasionally Sky Bet may ask for age verification. This is often if card details do not match personal information. Unlike rival sportsbooks, no password is required. Sky Bet ask new customers to select a 4-digit code which they can use every time they log in. This is a terrific idea and in a day and age when multiple passwords are required, this is a slightly alternative way of operating.
Sky Bet also offer the chance to sign up via their mobile site.
Depositing and Withdrawing
Sky Bet accepts the majority of major payment methods. Visa Debit and Credit cards are the most popular ways of funding an account. Deposits arrive in accounts straight away but it often takes between 2 and 5 working days for withdrawals to reach bank accounts. Sky Bet offer a £5 minimum deposit using this method and accounts must boast £10 or more before withdrawals can be completed.
Neteller, Skrill and Apple Pay have recently been added to the range of available methods offered by Sky Bet. Paypal is a popular way of funding betting accounts but ensure you add these details when signing up as existing customers have complained that adding them at a later date can be difficult. Withdrawals can often process faster if using a Paypal account.
One of the biggest grievances with Sky Bet in recent years has been the lack of deposit options but they have worked to improve this recently and the range is pretty extensive now.
New Customer Bonus
There are technically two different sign up promotions offered by Sky Bet so it’s well-worth opening an account if you haven’t already got one.
A free £10 bet without having to make a deposit into your account.
Deposit and place a bet of £5 or more and get a free £20 bet.
New customers can select which of the two options they prefer when completing the sign up process. The free £10 bet should be credited to accounts instantly but occasionally logging out and signing back in will trigger this. This offer is particularly enticing as new customers get a feel for the website without spending any money.
Terms and conditions apply for both offers. It’s always worth checking these.
There’s also the Sky Bet Club. You will be given the chance to opt-in once the sign-up process is complete. Customers who opt-in and make £25 worth of qualifying bets within 7 days are rewarded with a free £5 bet at the end of every week. Bets must be struck at Evens or greater.
Other Bonuses and Promotions
Sky Bet offer a huge range of promotions throughout the football season with the majority of their offers tailored around the Premier League season.
As well as the Sky Bet Club there are several enhanced prices ahead of major sporting events. These aren’t just restricted to football with recent boosts featuring action from the French Open tennis and the Monaco Grand Prix.
There is a weekly boost which is emailed to customers. This is often three teams to win, usually all favourites with an enhanced price offered to tempt customers into a bet. Many of these did win throughout the season at prices as big as 7/1. International fixtures often yield many of these boosts too.
Regular boosts are also available on horse racing. These don’t occur every day but expect heavy advertising of these during the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot.
Users also get free entry into the aforementioned weekly Super 6 competition with prizes of up to £250,000 available.
Finally, not strictly a promotion but their request-a-bet service on Twitter is an excellent use of social media. Punters can put together ambitious or ostentatious accumulators and multiples for one particular event which will be duly priced up by the traders. Other bookmakers have followed suit but Sky Bet were one of the trailblazers for this idea.
Mobile Site and App
Sky Bet’s mobile site has all the functions and qualities of their main site. You won’t miss any of the action using your phone to place bets on the move. The App is easy to download from all major stores and it’s easy to get started.
The live betting page is the standout feature of the App with the live stats updating quickly throughout matches.
The recently launched Sky Bet Tracker is also available for mobile users. This allows punters to check on the progress of their bets and they will be offered a cash-out option if available. This is particularly handy if you’re betting in multiples or have numerous accumulators of a weekend!
Overall, the mobile offering feels clean and the usability is simple. The Sky Bet App rarely encounters gremlins and it’s quick and easy to place and monitor your bet whether you’re on the bus or sat in the dentist’s waiting room!
Website Usability
On the whole the Sky Bet website is easy to use but occasionally things appear a bit jumbled. Frustratingly you often have to navigate below all of the current In-Play matches so if you log in at a busy time you may have some scrolling to do before you can find your desired market.
There are many great features including the easy-to-use A-Z of sports down the left hand side of the website. This is a quicker way of discovering less mainstream action. The ‘Forthcoming events’ section is another positive feature which allows customers to view upcoming betting heats before deciding where the money is going.
Switching between markets and sports is nice and simple and the dedicated in-play page is impressively laid out.
The simplicity of the website layout and the individual event pages makes Sky Bet ideal for first time online bettors.
The website is always quick to load and rarely troublesome to navigate but its design hasn’t been updated for a number of years and a fresher feel is perhaps required. It is easy to switch between events and sports but occasionally the live in-play markets frustratingly get in the way.
Markets and Odds
Sky Bet is certainly one of the best when it comes to odds. The company regular offer price boosts on both horse racing and football but their markets are nearly always competitive.
Their range of odds on each event are particularly impressive with fans of Boxing, Tennis and Cycling amongst those who have been impressed over the years.
An impressive set of markets are available on most major leagues with markets such as ‘Correct Score Group Betting’ and ‘Exact number of goals in the match’ priced up days ahead of the event.
There’s also an enticing range of ante-post bets available with Sky Bet who are one of the few companies offering a wide range of Football League bets for the forthcoming season.
Customer Service
There are plenty of ways of contacting Sky Bet should you encounter a problem. There is a comprehensive FAQ available on their website and it’s easy to locate. If you have an issue, it’s always advised to check this page before contacting the company directly.
Should the query not be answered there is a telephone line where friendly operators will aim to solve the conundrum as quickly and efficiently as possible. It is open until midnight (UK time) each evening. Sky Bet have recently launched a live chat function which is a helpful way of contacting an advisor. There’s also an email address available on their website or a postal address if preferred.
Conclusion: Visit Sky Bet Now!
Sky Bet is ideal for first time online sportsbook users. Its simplicity is part of its charm and the range of markets is impressive. They specialise in live betting and their tracker service for mobile users is a tremendous addition. Occasionally their website can frustrate but if you can look past its minor flaws it won’t cause big problems when placing a bet. Their sign up offer is one of the best on the market particularly as no deposit is required and their other services such a ‘Request A Bet’ have just added to their already impressive offering.
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