Excellent
No Affiliate Links
Please note that there are no affiliate links featured in this review. This means that we will not receive a commission if you proceed to open an account at this bookmaker. Unlike many other gambling referral sites, we remain committed to reviewing bookmakers that we do not actively endorse. This approach ensures that bettors have the opportunity to explore all available options, rather than solely focusing on those that might be advantageous for us.
- Diverse product offering
- Extensive sports & markets
- Quick withdrawals
- Funds are well secured
- Mediocre mobile app
Betfair Review Summary
Betfair stands out for its innovative betting exchange, offering a wide range of sports and markets through both its bookmaker and exchange platforms. While it excels in features and variety, its sportsbook odds are average compared to competitors. Additionally, its website and app could use improvement. Explore the categories below to see how Betfair performed in our detailed review.
How were these ratings created?
In this review of Betfair, I’ve examined a set of standard criteria to establish an impartial and data-driven rating for the bookmaker. Each of the above criterion is assigned a weight corresponding to its importance, with factors such as Odds and Features carrying more influence than others.
This methodical approach eliminates subjectivity and guarantees that only significant factors influence the overall rating. This results in a fair and objective assessment of the betting site, shedding light on both its strengths and weaknesses.
Unlike many other sites, Punter2Pro adheres to an identical process for all betting site reviews, ensuring that no brand receives an unjust advantage over another — regardless if we are affiliated with them or not.
About Betfair
Established in May 1999 by Flutter Entertainment Plc, Betfair is an online bookmaker operating exclusively online, holding 7 licences.
Betfair employs various protective measures such as SSL encryption, two-factor authentication, and ‘Know Your Customer’ processes. It ensures secure payment processing, geo-fencing compliance, and promotes responsible gambling through features like Deposit Limits and Self-Exclusions.
Additionally, the site is eCOGRA certified and IBAS registered, emphasising its commitment to fair and safe gambling practices.
Bookmaker Profile
Company
Flutter Entertainment Plc (parent company)
Established
May 1999
Website
Betfair.com
Target Markets
UK, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Australia
Languages
English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Greek, Swedish, Danish, Russian, Bulgarian
Licences
Italy, Malta, Romania, Spain, Sweden, UK, Northern Territory
Regulators
1. Product Range
Betfair’s website offers a diverse array of 8 primary products, including Sportsbook, Casino, Live Casino, Poker, Bingo, Virtual Betting, Financials, and Betting Exchange with the option for Tote Pool on selected horse racing markets. This extensive range reflects the site’s commitment to serving various types of players with a comprehensive platform.
Notably, Betfair stands out for pioneering the concept of the betting exchange, making it a highly appealing destination for both casual and professional bettors.
Standard
Popular products offered by many betting sites. These count more towards the score for this section than 'Specialist' products.
Specialist
Specialised "niche" products offered by some betting sites. These count less towards the score for this section than 'Standard' products.
2. Sports & Markets
Betfair’s sportsbook section boasts an impressive array of 43 sports, which represents 74% of the sports typically covered in our bookmaker reviews; this is 11 more than the average. Popular sports, commonly found at most online bookmakers, are marked with an asterisk in the list below.
Sports range from mainstream options like football and horse racing to niche sports like mixed martial arts and Gaelic games. Betfair also provides a variety of “specials” or novelty bets, allowing users to place bets on non-sports outcomes such as TV shows, films, and political events.
Furthermore, Betfair customers can benefit by switching to the sports betting exchange, which offers ample liquidity and leading odds for both popular and obscure markets. This sets Betfair apart as a market leader, surpassing rivals such as Betdaq.
The live betting section is just as impressive as the pre-match offerings, featuring a vast array of matches and betting markets. Plus, the introduction of bet builders has enhanced the live betting experience, offering additional options for in-play betting.
Note that while live streaming is available for various sports, there is room for improvement in terms of providing match graphics and statistics for non-streamed games. It lacks the depth of some other inplay services.
All Available Sports (A-Z)
- American Football*
- Athletics
- Australian Rules
- Badminton
- Baseball*
- Basketball*
- Beach Volleyball
- Bowls
- Boxing*
- Chess
- Cricket*
- Current Affairs
- Cycling
- Darts*
- Entertainment / TV
- eSports
- Field Hockey
- Fishing
- Football*
- Formula 1*
- Futsal
- Gaelic Games
- Golf*
- Greyhound Racing
- Handball
- Horse Racing*
- Hurling
- Ice Hockey
- Lacrosse
- Lotto Specials
- MMA / UFC*
- Motor Racing
- Motorbikes
- Netball
- Novelty
- Politics
- Pool
- Rowing
- Rugby League*
- Rugby Union*
How are sports & markets graded?
To assess this section, every sport has been classified based on its betting popularity, assigning greater importance to widely sought-after sports like Football, Horse Racing, and Tennis, in contrast to those with a more limited audience appeal.
Furthermore, the inclusion of market depth (betting options) also contributes to the overall score, emphasising the importance of “quality over quantity”.
This approach ensures that not only the sports but also the richness and diversity of betting options within each sport are taken into account in the evaluation process.
3. Odds
In a sample of 20 selections, Betfair’s bookmaker odds were found to be 4.85% lower than the Back odds on the betting exchange at that time. The average decimal price for the bookmaker’s odds in the sample was 3.04, compared to the betting exchange’s 3.2. This indicates that the bookmaker’s odds hold a competitive value.
While this sample doesn’t offer a precise estimation of Betfair’s pricing, it does shed light on the potential variation between their odds and the leading price on their betting exchange. Consequently, this comparison significantly contributes to the overall rating of this bookmaker.
Bear in mind that with Betfair, customers can choose to transition to the exchange product and access industry-leading prices for the majority of selections. Nevertheless, this review concentrates on the more widely used bookmaker product in particular.
Betfair Sportsbook vs Exchange Odds
Note: Only odds from top-flight European football leagues were included in this sample. Odds were capped at 10.0 to maintain consistency across all bookmaker reviews. The depth and accuracy of this data will be improved on a regular basis.
Why are the exchange odds higher?
The betting exchange provides industry-leading odds generated by the public, traded peer-to-peer rather than against the betting company. These odds are widely considered the most accurate in the market. The betting exchange earns its revenue through a commission, usually applied to winnings.
In contrast, bookmakers operate under a different model, incorporating a margin or “edge” into their odds. Consequently, the prices offered by bookmakers tend to be lower than those found on the betting exchange.
This crucial information is often overlooked by many gambling affiliate sites, but for the sake of transparency, it should be common knowledge. Despite this, bookmakers give many advantages over betting exchanges.
4. Bonuses
As a Betfair customer, you have access to various bonuses, including price boosts, acca bonuses, and bet builder bonuses.
At the time of writing this review, the Betfair sportsbook offered the following promotions for its existing customers:
- Get a free bet when you bet on multiples
- Extra places in horse races
- Earn £10 in cash for every friend you refer
- Lengthen the odds (for bets meeting certain criteria)
The current Betfair signup bonus (“Bet £10 Get £50 In Free Multiples”) is outstanding, offering an exceptional introduction to the site. At the time of writing, it is 116.7% above the average value of free bets featured on this site.
However, Betfair’s ongoing promotions (or “reloads”) are only occasionally worth claiming, in our opinion. The value isn’t huge.
Is The Signup Bonus Worth It?
Based on our calculations, an average customer stands to gain around £32.80 in value by taking this promotion. In other words, the promotion is in favour of the player – which is excellent. However, this value is simply a guideline.
Taking up this promotion still carries the risk of losing your initial qualifying bet. Therefore, while the promotion offers potential value, it does not necessarily guarantee a profit.
How was this bonus valued?
This bonus was mathematically valued using an “average case” scenario. This makes few important assumptions:
- Odds gathered in the previous section are assumed to be representative of the overall value offered by the betting site.
- Qualifying bets are assumed to be placed at the minimum required odds for the promotion (2.0) to reduce risk.
- Free bets are assumed to be placed at decimal odds of 3.5, representing “medium risk” outcomes.
The same assumptions apply in all betting site reviews featured on Punter2Pro. This ensures that free bets & promotions can be compared consistently and fairly.
This approach helps to highlight valuable promotions, as well as cases where a typical bettor does not stand to benefit.
5. Payment Options
Betfair offers 11 different payment methods for transferring funds to and from the betting site, covering 29% of all recognised methods reviewed. Eight of these are ‘core’ payment methods, which are typically expected at any established betting site.
The remaining three payment methods are less popular but may appeal to some customers. For instance, you can also deposit cash via Paddy Power shops.
It’s important to note that ‘core’ payment methods contribute more significantly to the bookmaker’s score in this section.
While Betfair provides the most popular methods, several other bookmakers offer a greater variety.
Popular Methods Supported
All Available Methods (A-Z)
- Apple Pay
- Astropay
- Bank Transfer
- Boku
- Boleto
- Cash
- CashToCode
- Citizen
- Diners Club
- eCheck
- Entropay
- EPS
- Google Pay
- iDEAL
- iDebit
- InstaDebit
- Interac
- Klarna
- MasterCard
- MuchBetter
- Neosurf
- Neteller
- Nordea
- Pay4Fun
- PayPal
- Paysafecard
- Payz
- QIWI
- Rapid Transfer
- Skrill
- Sofort
- Solo
6. Withdrawal Speed
Betfair’s withdrawal times depend on the method used, but they are typically processed quickly, usually within 2 working days. Based on our data, this is 13.62% faster than the average of all bookmakers reviewed on this site.
Withdrawal speed significantly impacts the bookmaker’s overall rating, as every sports bettor deserves to receive their money promptly.
| Payment Method | Withdrawal Time | Minimum | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bank Transfer | 1 - 5 days | - | Free |
 Visa | 2 - 5 days | - | Free |
 Mastercard | 2 - 5 days | - | Free |
 ApplePay | 2 - 3 days | - | Free |
 PayPal | 4 hours - 1 day | - | Free |
 Skrill | 1 hours - 4 hours | - | Free |
 Neteller | 1 hours - 4 hours | - | Free |
How is withdrawal speed graded?
The rating for this section is derived from a combination of data, incorporating:
- The bookmaker’s officially stated withdrawal times, dependent upon the successful completion of Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
- Average withdrawal times as reported by actual customers with real-world experiences.
I aim to gather enough data to provide accurate estimates of the withdrawal times for various payment methods. If insufficient data exists for a particular method, it is not included in the above list, and therefore does not impact the rating.
7. Features
Betfair goes above the average bookmaker by offering 8 main Sports Betting features to enhance the overall user experience.
Accessing the Request a Bet (RAB) feature is as simple as using the hashtag #OddsOnThat.
Although the bet builder feature is a relatively recent addition to Betfair, it holds promise for future innovations that may enhance the overall betting experience on their platform.
In terms of customer support, Betfair provides 4 main features for general inquiries, checking bonus eligibility or terms, and requesting self-exclusions or time-outs. If these features suit your requirements, Betfair could be a fitting choice for you.
Sports Betting
Features that enhance the sports betting experience. These count more towards the score for this section than 'Customer Support' features.
Customer Support
Features that enable customers to seek assistance quickly and effectively. These count less towards the score for this section than 'Sports Betting' features.
- Live Chat
- Phone Support
- Email Support
- 24/7 Support
- Phone Support
8. User Interface
I’ve explored Betfair’s user interface, keeping in mind that everyone’s got different tastes. Using a set of fixed criteria, I rated the two main versions of the site as follows:
- Mobile: Decent, meets expectations
- Desktop: Great, slightly exceeds expectations.
It’s worth noting that I’ve given a bit more weight to the mobile version in the overall rating because more bettors are leaning towards apps than desktop sites.
-
Mobile
-
Desktop
The Betfair mobile app operates independently from the betting exchange and other products like Casino, Poker, Live Casino, and Bingo, although it does include some casino games. This lack of integration is an immediate drawback.
Assessing the standalone sports betting app, there are both positives and negatives. The app boasts an appealing design with a tasteful color palette, but the navigation can be a bit cumbersome, often requiring several clicks to reach desired markets. While working on this review, I found myself scrolling for quite a while to locate a list of upcoming English Premier League fixtures, which should be easily accessible.
The app offers various routes to find what you need, such as an A-Z list of all sports, a highlights list on the home page, and a horizontal list of sports at the top. However, in my opinion, this variety creates more confusion.
On the positive side, once you reach the desired page, placing bets is straightforward and relatively flawless. Nevertheless, it's disappointing that the app doesn't simplify menus and include a search function, which could resolve navigation issues.
| Mobile Ratings |
|---|
| Content |
| Navigation |
| Aesthetics |
While composing this review, I did notice frequent sluggishness on the Betfair site -- a deviation from its usual performance -- which negatively impacted the score for this section.
However, overall, I appreciate the visual appeal of Betfair.com, especially the fonts and colours, and the general user-friendliness of site -- even though it carries a more 'traditional' and somewhat plain aesthetic.
It deserves credit for efficiently incorporating a lot of information on one page, making it ideal for those seeking a comprehensive overview of a sports event with numerous betting options displayed at once, eliminating the need for excessive scrolling.
However, it's disappointing that an established brand like Betfair has yet to implement a simple search function in their bookmaker section.
Betfair's consistent production of sports betting content, including articles and videos with tips, adds extra richness to the site.
| Desktop Ratings |
|---|
| Content |
| Navigation |
| Aesthetics |
9. Fund Protection
Another crucial consideration is fund protection. So, how secure is your money with Betfair?
The site holds a ‘High’ fund protection rating, evaluated by the Gambling Commission. This designation indicates that customer funds are securely held in a dedicated trust account, separate from the company’s operational funds. An impartial trustee or external auditor monitors and verifies the controls over this account, representing the highest level of fund protection.
While fund protection is vital, it’s also noteworthy to assess the company’s financial performance, a key indicator of potential insolvency. Betfair’s standalone profit is relatively low; however, its parent company, Flutter Entertainment, is a global powerhouse, encompassing brands like Fanduel, Sky Betting, Pokerstars, Betfair, Tombola, and more. It’s plausible that Betfair is a lower priority within the group.
In their latest financial accounts, Betfair’s annual profit was £3,500,000 before tax, significantly below the average annual profit of £51,900,000 for all sites reviewed. While this figure may not convey the complete story, it offers insight into how Betfair operates in a business context compared to competitors, influencing the rating for this section.
Additionally, I investigated account dormant fees, often charged on inactive betting accounts. Betfair stands out by not imposing dormant account fees on inactive accounts; a positive feature considering many other bookmakers do.
Considering these potential risk factors, a fair and critical score has been assigned to this section.
How accurate are these profit figures?
I’ve made every effort to research the pre-tax profits of the featured gambling sites in my reviews, but I cannot guarantee absolute accuracy.
Due to the complex setups of gambling companies, which are often divided into different parts around the world, complications arise in determining their true profitability. Moreover, the landscape is constantly evolving with frequent mergers and investments occurring, adding yet another layer of complexity to unravel.
While I strive to offer a helpful insights, it is advisable for you to conduct further research if you have any concerns.
10. reputation
Finally, let’s delve into public perception of Betfair—specifically, customer satisfaction and the overall image of the brand.
I’ve compiled feedback from diverse sources, including customer reviews and gambling communities, resulting in an overall user rating of 7.37 out of 10. In general, Betfair is perceived positively, with only occasional complaints—a common occurrence in the realm of sports betting sites.
Currently, Betfair has one regulatory action on record with the Gambling Commission. This indicates instances where they might have deviated from their license rules. While not an unusual occurrence, it’s important to note. The most recent incident took place within the past year, prompting an adjustment in the rating for this segment of the review.
Do any sites have an immaculate reputation?
It’s highly unlikely that any betting site will score maximum points in this section, for a good reason — none of them are perfect.
Even the most prominent and reputable sites in the online gambling business have weathered their fair share of bad publicity, and I won’t shy away from that.
Nevertheless, the landscape of the gambling sector is undergoing positive transformations. Faced with heightened regulatory scrutiny and societal expectations, companies are being forced to improve their standards. Many are rising to the occasion, creating a significant gap between the commendable platforms and those falling way short of the mark.
I hope that the industry continues to push for a more responsible, enjoyable experience for all customers and that, eventually, this section will produce higher ratings in my reviews.
Learn more: Problems In The Gambling Industry
Verdict on Betfair
The Punter2Pro bookmaker rating system awards Betfair an overall score of 8.1, establishing it as an elite sportsbook with numerous robust features, surpassing almost every competitor.
My Opinion
In my opinion, Betfair stands out as the most innovative sports betting site ever, primarily due to the pioneering of their betting exchange.
The platform offers a remarkable variety of sports and markets, encompassing both the bookmaker and exchange versions of the site. However, despite their obvious capability to monitor prices on the betting exchange, the sportsbook’s odds value is on par with other bookmakers, rather than leading the pack. This is quite disappointing.
While the Betfair brand excels in providing an extensive array of features, comparable to the best in the industry, there is room for improvement in terms of its (relatively average) website and app.
Enhancing these aspects could contribute to setting the platform apart from its close competitors.
- Diverse product offering
- Extensive sports & markets
- Quick withdrawals
- Funds are well secured
- Mediocre mobile app
Excellent
Betfair FAQ
Betfair withdrawal times vary by method but are typically processed within 2 working days, which is faster than the average of all reviewed bookmakers.
Betfair’s sportsbook covers over 40 sports with a wide variety of markets, including traditional and niche sports. The platform also offers unique betting opportunities, such as TV shows, films, politics, and more.
In a random sample, Betfair’s bookmaker odds were 4.85% below the odds on the betting exchange (which is accessible through the Betfair platform). It’s important to note that this observation may not necessarily reflect the odds across all sports and markets offered by Betfair.
Betfair features several main products, including a Sportsbook, Casino, Live Casino, Poker, Bingo, Virtual Betting, Financials, Betting Exchange, and Tote betting. The standout product is the betting exchange, which Betfair pioneered, making it one of the most attractive places to bet.
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