Bet365 are one of the biggest sportsbooks in the UK. They're a private, family-run company based in England and continue to grow at a rate of knots. They claim to have close to two million customers worldwide and now employ upwards of 600 people.
The company began in 1974 as a series of betting shops dotted around the Midlands and North-West. During the late 1990s, a telephone betting division was set up and an online operation followed shortly afterwards. In 2005, bet365 decided to sell their several hundred shops to Coral and instead focus more on their fast-expanding online business.
The bet365 website prides itself on being one of the fastest in the industry and it certainly services customers wanting to deposit and place a bet just before an event begins. The lay-out is clear and uncomplicated; the latest In-Play events dominate the homepage with the vast array of pre-event sporting markets only a couple of clicks away. The layout of the markets is very neat and organised and the recently-added bet slip functionality make placing a bet a piece of cake.
One of bet365's major plus points are their competitive odds and the sheer range of sports and markets offered. For football, they bet to 107% on all the major European leagues, offer up to 40 pre-match markets, while they cover every Premiership match In-Play. Bet365 also offer early prices on every UK & Irish horse race as standard and currently have a popular Best Odds Guaranteed promotion which is a big hit with customers.
On the downside, bet365 have a reputation for limiting winning customers. Although every firm tends to operate this policy, bet365 are one of the worst culprits for clamping right down on punters who are on a winning run.
Bet365 offer 24/7 customer service, including a Live Chat facility. There can occasionally be a delay when using this, depending on the day and time of contact. They also operate a friendly and efficient telephone and email support network.
You can get up to $100 at a 100% cash match when you sign up to bet365 via links on Bettingpro.
Most self-respecting punters have a bet365 account. It's also hard not to be impressed by their simple yet easy-to-navigate website which takes you through to an abundance of markets with just two or three clicks of a mouse. Their In-Play service also continue to go from strength-to-strength, with live streaming now integrated into an already dynamic live odds console. However, you may find yourself going somewhere else if you get on a winning run.