betfair.com
I'm sure you may have heard about the name Betfair if you follow soccer or rugby closely. It is one of the top betting sites in the UK, and has established itself as an exchange platform giant, entering the world of online sportsbooks in 2011. However, that's not when it actually established itself. Betfair has been active since 2000 and in two decades, the company has become a household name in Britain. With over 1 million active users and weekly revenue generation of above £50 million, there's something that Betfair is doing right.
What is Betfair?
The online gambling company, Betfair, offers a variety of services including fixed odds betting (FOB), an online casino, online bingo, and poker. Betfair quickly rose to prominence with its innovative in-play system, which has revolutionized the betting industry. The system allows bettors to keep track of the latest in-game odds and make informed bets throughout the course of the game. In addition, Betfair has fostered a community-focused approach which makes it one of the most engaging and sociable digital sportsbooks available today.
Live coverage of varied sporting events
As a result of its Betfair TV service, the brand is able to offer great live streaming capabilities to its players. As of now, the network hosts over 3,500 sporting events a year which covers a wide range of sports from across the globe. Thus, unlike Bovada/you can actually stream the sports content live/all the live content on Betfair can be accessed for free except for horse racing in UAE, England or Ireland. If you want to watch horse racing, you're required to place bets of at least 50p in order to stream the network.
Different streaming conditions
To stream videos on the network, you need to fund your account with at least 50 pence. You can also stream US and South African horse racing for free, but you must bet at least £2 on the event. While this criterion may seem unnecessary and confusing, it is in compliance with the rulings. However, we cannot deny that watching sports such as football and tennis comes with a minimal requirement.
Quality live-streaming
I have tested the live stream on Betfair and I found it to be quite user-friendly. There is no confusion when navigating the selection, as everything is clearly laid out. You can choose any event that you want to watch, and if itâs available, you will see a small TV symbol which will open up a streaming window. The window will also include a calendar comprising of in-play and details about upcoming events. The only flaw that I found was that the content isnât very extensive; so, other than greyhound and horse racing, there are not many fixtures that you can watch.
History
In June 2000, Betfair, based in Hammersmith, West London, was founded by Edward Wray and Andrew Back. In 2006, Betfair acquired Timeform - a horseracing publishing company. Betfair is also the first betting company to sponsor a football club, with Fulham donning the kit with Betfair branding in 2002-03. Aside from Fulham, the betting giant has a sponsorship with renowned football clubs such as FC Barcelona, Juventus and Manchester United.
In 2007, Betfair began its own radio service that can be accessed via the website. You can access live commentaries using your desktop or your mobile phone. The Betfair Radio service is now known as Timeform Radio which generally broadcasts horse racing.
Why should you stream on Betfair?
Betfair has a vast array of sports events, many of which can be watched live on the site. In-play betting is an important part of the Betfair user experience, and it is easy to place bets as low as £2. However, there are some issues with streaming quality on certain days, depending on the connection, device, and browser.
No annoying ads
Betfair does not rely heavily on banner ads to generate additional income. They do not have any pop-ups or intrusive ads, which allows players to focus on what matters and prevents them from clicking onto malware and inviting trouble.
Safety & Security
Betfair is a secure website with extensive regulations and licensing. It is frequently updated with new safety features and is comprehensively protected from data breaches. However, there are a few critical reviews about its performance and site stability. Nevertheless, your payments are safe and secure with Betfair. The website has an SSL encryption which means that your data is secure.
Sign-up offer
If you are a new customer, you can receive a sign-up bonus of £100. This bonus is available to all customers and can be used to take advantage of free bets. Besides the sign-up bonus, you can also take advantage of promotion codes which occasionally offer free bonuses.
Placing Bets and Payments
Betfair Exchange permits you to engage in head-to-head competition with other players. In addition to traditional bets, you can use Betfair Exchange to remove the middleman from the picture. You can then come up with your own terms with other gamblers on the same platform. There is a limitless room for experimentation and though 5% is charged off every win - you still receive the majority of the prize money.
Customer Service
A serious flaw with Betfair is their lack of 24/7 telephone support. This means that if you need help during peak hours, you're out of luck. Instead, you'll have to take advantage of the live chat feature which can be frustrating when things get rough.
Design
Betfair is a platform that isn't as complex as Bet365, but it isn't as simple as Bovada. The menus and categories are colorful and standout with the Orange and Black color combination. I appreciate the tiny thumbnail like snippet sliders which give you access to almost all of the sports-related events available on the platform.
Header
A striking design with an orange background and black fonts. In the header section, you'll find 10 categories - Politics, Football, Horse Racing, Specials, Cricket, Tennis, Golf, Boxing, Rugby and Menu. If you click on the menu, you'll find an integrated panel sliding in from the left. This section has a Sports, Features and Special columns. Under each of these menus, you'll find a host of options that you can choose from. If you wish to go back to the homepage, simply click on the cross icon towards the right.
Hero Section
Betfair's Hero Section follows a traditional news template. It begins with small thumbnails slider highlighting each sport. Under those sliders, you will find a banner on the right and top stories on the left. Generally, the main topic of the day finds its place on the homepage banner. You can use the slider buttons to check out different banners. There are five sliders at any given time.
Body
As you scroll down, you will find four major sections on the page: Best Bets, Star Columnists, Features and Services. The Best Bets section contains sports picks from Betfair's experts. The Star Columnists section features news from the company's pundits. The Features section has exclusive stories from Betfair's team of reporters. The Services section has a variety of helpful options such as Opta Stats, a Podcast, Rewards, and the Betfair Casino.
Footer
Betfair's footer includes a variety of options. For instance, you can find information about the company, learn about its products, or choose your favorite language.
Content
You can bet on as many as thirteen sports on Betfair. Using the bet in-play feature, you can go head to head with other bettors. The sports covered on Betfair include football, tennis, cricket, horse racing and golf. You'll find most of the popular sports on the network. With decent betting market coverage, you get a quality betting experience as compared to an all-encompassing approach provided by Bet365.
Desktop/Mobile experience
Betfair's mobile app is amazing. You can stream the website from your desktop, use the mobile version, or download the app. Among all these three platforms, I love the mobile app the most because browsing and navigating across it is excellent.
Plans & Pricing
The pricing for streaming varies depending on the sport you are interested in watching. In some cases, you have to fund your account in order to watch it live, while in other cases you need to bet in order to access a stream.
Suggestions I have for Betfair
I like the platform and admire its steady rise over the years. However, I would recommend the developers to work on the customer support and streaming issues that arise from time to time. Additionally, the payment requirement is not stable which is kind of frustrating.
Conclusion
Overall, Betfair is a good platform if you want to bet on sports such as football, cricket and horse racing. Sure, there are many avenues but the football coverage on the website is quite amazing. There is a good range of betting options along with free streams and adjustable cashouts. In my opinion, Betfair should definitely be checked out.