Good
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
- Wide range of sports & markets
- Speedy withdrawals
- Solid reputation
- Limited payment options
- Moderate fund protection
Review Summary
How were these ratings created?
In this review of Virgin Bet, 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 Virgin Bet
Virgin Bet was founded in May 2019 under the ownership of the holding company ‘Anzo Group Limited’. Operating exclusively online without any physical shops, Virgin Bet holds two gambling licenses.
The platform adheres to standard protective measures found on legal and reputable online betting sites. These measures include SSL data encryption technology for secure transactions, two-factor authentication to prevent unauthorised access, and ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) processes to identify and deter identity fraud. The platform also ensures safe financial transactions through Secure Payment Processing and uses Geo-Fencing to verify users’ locations within legal betting areas, in compliance with local regulations.
As a regulated entity, Virgin Bet incorporates essential ‘safer gambling’ tools such as Deposit Limits, Reality Checks, Time-Outs, and Self-Exclusions. Additionally, the site holds eCOGRA certification, attesting to the safety and fairness of its systems.
Bookmaker Profile
Company
Anzo Group Limited (holding company)
Established
2019
Website
Target Markets
UK
Languages
English
Licences
Gibraltar, UK
Regulators
1. Product Range
Virgin Bet’s website offers a diverse selection of seven main products, including Sportsbook, Casino, Live Casino, Poker, Bingo, Virtual Betting, and Spread Betting. This extensive range reflects the platform’s commitment to being a comprehensive destination catering to a diverse audience of players.
Most notably, the site presents a comprehensive sportsbook as well as an engaging online casino with a variety of popular games, including slots, blackjack, roulette, and live dealer experiences.
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
Within Virgin Bet’s sportsbook section, a total of 34 sports are covered, representing 59% of the sports considered in my bookmaker reviews. This aligns with the industry average. Popular sports are denoted by an asterisk in the list below.
The platform boasts a wide variety of markets within each sport, keeping pace with the offerings of many other well-established betting sites. Notably, Virgin Bet excels in football markets, spanning major tournaments like the Champions League to regional competitions in Europe, South America, and Asia. This includes traditional options like goals and results, as well as unique choices such as corners and cards.
Beyond traditional sports, Virgin Bet extends its offerings to non-gaming categories like Entertainment, Politics, and Specials. For example, users can place bets on Oscar award categories, explore political topics, or engage in entertainment-focused competitions like BBC Sports Personality, Dancing On Ice and Love Island in the Specials section.
Virgin Bet seamlessly integrates live and pre-match betting, ensuring a consistent experience across both. Live streaming is available for major sports like football, tennis, and golf, marked by a “Watch” button.
Overall, with a wide array of sports and betting choices, Virgin Bet caters to a diverse audience.
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 randomly selected sample of 20 choices, Virgin Bet’s odds were 4.48% lower than the corresponding betting exchange Back odds available at that time. The average decimal price for the bookmaker’s odds in the sample was 2.9, compared to the betting exchange’s 3.03. This indicates that the odds offered by Virgin Bet are competitively priced.
While this sample doesn’t offer a precise assessment of Virgin Bet’s pricing competitiveness, it provides an insight into the potential variance of their odds compared to the leading prices on the betting exchange. Therefore, this comparison significantly contributes to the overall rating of this bookmaker.
Bookmaker vs Exchange Odds
Note: Please be aware that this sample only includes odds from top-flight European football leagues. To ensure uniformity across all bookmaker reviews, odds were capped at 10.0. We are committed to enhancing the depth and precision of this data regularly.
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
The current Virgin Bet signup bonus ‘Bet £10 Get £20’ is straightforward and low-risk, though it falls slightly short in comparison to larger promotions provided by competitors, impacting its score in this section.
However, the platform compensates with robust promotions (or ‘reloads’) for existing customers, featuring offerings such as:
- £5 free bet when you bet £10+ on football
- Money back as a free bet if your horse loses
- £10 free acca bet when you place 2x £10 accas
- Extra places on selected races
- Price boost for specific events
Overall, the site provides good value through its bonuses.
Potential customers, who have yet to open an account, can claim the signup promotion via the Virgin Bet website.
Is The Signup Bonus Worth It?
According to our calculations, the average customer stands to gain approximately £12.94 in value by taking advantage of this promotion.
While this suggests a favourable scenario for the player, it’s important to note that participating in this promotion involves the risk of losing the initial qualifying bet. Therefore, despite the potential value, the promotion does not 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 (1.5) 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
Virgin Bet offers three payment methods for transferring funds to and from the betting site, constituting 8% of all recognised methods reviewed.
All three of these methods are considered ‘core’ methods, representing the standard options found at any established betting site. It’s worth noting that core payment methods contribute more significantly to the bookmaker’s score in this section.
Virgin Bet noticeably lacks several popular payment options, including Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard, and Trustly. It’s uncommon for an online bookmaker to offer such a limited selection, making this a notable weakness for Virgin Bet.
Popular Methods Supported
All Available Methods (A-Z)
- Apple Pay
- Astropay
- Bank Transfer
- Boku
- Boleto
- Cash
- CashToCode
- Citizen
- Click2Pay
- Diners Club
- eCheck
- ecoPayz
- Entropay
- EPS
- Google Pay
- iDEAL
- iDebit
- InstaDebit
- Interac
- Klarna
- MasterCard
- MuchBetter
- Neosurf
- Neteller
- Nordea
- Pay4Fun
- PayPal
- Paysafecard
- QIWI
- Rapid Transfer
- Skrill
- Sofort
- Solo
- Todito Cash
6. Withdrawal Speed
The speed of withdrawals at Virgin Bet varies based on the chosen method but is generally processed swiftly, within a 2 working day timeframe. According to the gathered data, this speed is 14.08% faster than the average among all bookmakers reviewed on this site.
The promptness of withdrawals holds considerable weight in determining the bookmaker’s overall rating, as every sports bettor deserves to receive their funds in a timely manner.
| Payment Method | Withdrawal Time | Minimum | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
 Bank Transfer | 2 - 5 days | £10 | Free |
 Visa | 1 - 3 days | £10 | Free |
 Mastercard | 1 - 3 days | £10 | Free |
 PayPal | immediate | £10 | 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
What features does Virgin Bet offer to elevate the quality of its service?
Virgin Bet presents six key Sports Betting features, contributing to an average level of offerings.
Notably, the platform introduces a specialised Bet Builder feature for football matches, enabling users to customise bets with options such as halftime/full-time results, both teams to score, and total corners. Additionally, users can leverage the cash-out option through the “my bets” section for extra flexibility.
However, there is no Request A Bet (RAB) service at Virgin Bet, which is the most obvious feature that’s lacking.
Virgin Bet incorporates three primary Customer Support features, catering to general inquiries, bonus eligibility or terms checks, and requests for self-exclusions or time-outs.
If these features align with your requirements, Virgin Bet may prove to be a fitting betting site for your needs.
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
Virgin Bet’s user interface quality is evaluated based on fixed criteria, acknowledging the subjectivity of user preferences. The assessment formed two distinct ratings:
- Mobile: Great, slightly exceeds expectations
- Desktop: Decent, meets expectations
Please note that the mobile version holds slightly more weight in the overall rating, reflecting the growing preference among bettors for app-based platforms over traditional desktop interfaces.
-
Mobile
-
Desktop
The Virgin Bet mobile app boasts a clean aesthetic, primarily characterised by a white and grey colour palette, along with the trademark red header.
While this simplicity generally works well, there are instances where it hinders the app's ability to effectively section content, as if there is not an obvious separation off between different bets and features.
The font styling and text sizing are tidy, but occasionally lack boldness in highlighting crucial selections and titles, such as football team names within a betting market.
However, the inclusion of a search function is great, facilitating easier market navigation and accommodating various naming conventions. For example, variations like "Man Utd," "Man United," and "Manchester United" are all correctly recognised as the same entity. Additionally, a convenient A-Z listing of sports is provided.
Throughout testing, no significant page lag was observed, even when loading feature-rich elements like match centres for live events, complete with infographics and statistics.
While the app seamlessly integrates with Virgin Bet's Casino and Live Casino products, its compatibility with other offerings, such as Poker, remains limited, leaving room for future expansion.
Overall, it's a solid app with minor flaws, although it ultimately falls short of the industry's top contenders.
| Mobile Ratings |
|---|
| Content |
| Navigation |
| Aesthetics |
Virgin Bet has embraced a minimalist design approach for their desktop site, which proves to be effective.
The layout predominantly features a white background with subtle grey accents and the trademark red banner at the top, offering a visually soothing experience, albeit with a slight absence of vibrant colours.
The small text size used on Virgin Bet allows for ample content visibility at once, yet there are instances where bolder elements could enhance the prominence of bet selections.
All sports are conveniently listed in a vertical menu on the left side of the page, facilitating quick and easy navigation to desired markets. However, the lack of a search function is a slight disappointment, especially considering that the mobile app includes one.
While there are no significant drawbacks to the Virgin Bet site, the lack of additional content -- such as a sports news section -- limits its rating in this section.
| Desktop Ratings |
|---|
| Content |
| Navigation |
| Aesthetics |
9. Fund Protection
Another crucial consideration is the aspect of fund protection when evaluating the safety of your funds with Virgin Bet.
The site holds a ‘Medium’ fund protection rating, evaluated by the Gambling Commission. This rating indicates that certain measures are in place to keep customer funds separate from the business accounts, safeguarding assets in the event of insolvency. However, it’s essential to recognise that fund protection is not guaranteed.
While fund protection is significant, the financial performance of the company also plays a pivotal role in assessing the likelihood of insolvency. The entity behind Virgin Bet is Livescore Group Limited, which includes the brand Livescore Bet. Currently, the company operates at a loss due to substantial investments into new markets, raising concerns about future profitability. Therefore, users are advised to maintain a conservative balance when using this brand.
For reference, the average annual profit of all reviewed sites stands at +£51.9m.
Additionally, I’ve researched account fees and have found that Virgin Bet imposes a £5 monthly fee after 18 months of inactivity. This fee negatively impacts the score for this section, as some bookmakers do not charge dormant fees.
By considering these potential risk factors, a fair score for this section has been determined.
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
As a final assessment, I’ve delved into Virgin Bet’s reputation, specifically focusing on customer satisfaction levels and the overall brand image.
To ensure a comprehensive understanding of public perception, I’ve collected insights from diverse sources, including customer feedback platforms and respected gambling communities. This resulted in an average user rating of 8.53 out of 10. This signifies that the bookmaker is widely regarded as trustworthy, with a relatively low incidence of complaints. In essence, players express high satisfaction with the bookmaker’s services.
As an additional measure, I’ve confirmed that, as of the current writing, Virgin Bet has not incurred any regulatory actions recorded by the Gambling Commission. This clean record underscores the brand’s positive public standing.
These factors strongly influence the bookmaker’s rating because, despite the numerous options and features available, reliability and trust are crucial for ensuring a positive user experience.
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
In the Punter2Pro bookmaker rating system, Virgin Bet achieves a commendable total score of 7.0, highlighting its status as a strong sportsbook with notable strengths, albeit with some areas for improvement.
My Opinion
Virgin Bet, backed by the iconic Virgin brand, lacks the widespread recognition enjoyed by other industry giants. However, there are numerous positives that warrant consideration.
The platform offers a diverse range of sports and markets, competitive odds, and maintains a solid reputation within the industry. Its minimalist website and app design are likely to resonate with certain players seeking simplicity and efficiency.
That said, Virgin Bet could enhance its appeal by expanding its bonus offerings, incorporating more popular payment options, and elevating its level of fund protection for users’ peace of mind. These improvements would further solidify its position in the competitive landscape of online betting platforms.
- Diverse product offering
- Wide range of sports & markets
- Speedy withdrawals
- Solid reputation
- Limited payment options
- Moderate fund protection
Good
FAQ
Virgin Bet is an online betting platform established in May 2019 by the company ‘Anzo Group Limited’.
Virgin Bet covers a wide variety of sports and markets, with a total of 30+ sports available, offering a diverse range of betting options across various events and competitions.
Withdrawals on Virgin Bet are typically processed quickly, usually within 2 working days, providing bettors with timely access to their funds.
Virgin Bet has an excellent reputation, with high levels of customer satisfaction and a positive brand image. There are no regulatory actions on record with the Gambling Commission, indicating a clean record in terms of compliance.
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