HISTORY |
Sportingbet was founded by Mark Blandford in
February 1998. Launching of the website sportingbet.com took place
in October 1998. In 2000 the company acquisited betmaker.com, in
2001 - sportsbook.com, and in 2002 - sportingodds.com - all focussed
on the US market. In 2001 Sportingbet was quoted on the Alternative
Investment Market (AiM), part of the London Stock Exchange.
Sportingbet Australia's website was launched in 2003. In 2004
Paradise Poker was acquisited and became Sportingbet's poker room.
Mysportsbook.com was acquisited in 2005. Sportingbet has been ranked
several times as Number 1 gambling operator worldwide in eGaming
review's 'Power 50' survey of the most powerful operators'. |
COMPANY INFO |
'Sportingbet Plc' is the holding company of the
Group, providing strategic direction and setting policy for its
subsidiary operating companies located in Australia and Europe. The
Group’s global coverage and decentralised operating strategy has
allowed it to expand its gambling activities largely since 1998.
Sportingbet operates local-focused sportsbooks, virtual games and
casino sites, and the online poker cardroom, Paradise Poker.
Overall, the company has over 2.5 million registered customers in
200 countries, who place over one million bets (casino, poker,
sports and virtual games) per day. Sites under Sportingbet's brand:
sportingbetplc.com, sportingbet.com (16 languages versions),
sportingbet.com.au, paradisepoker.com, sportingodds.com,
miapuesta.com, superbahis.com, sb28.com. Operating out of regulated
and licensed markets, 'Sportingbet Plc' has been listed on the
Alternative Investment Market (AiM) of the London Stock Exchange
since 2001 and is one of the largest companies on AiM. Company's
address: Sportingbet Plc, 4th Floor, 45 Moorfields, London, EC2Y
9AE.
Category evaluation: EXCELLENT |
>>> sub-category: REGULATION
|
The Sportingbet Group holds licenses via its relevant trading
subsidiaries in the relevant jurisdiction. These include licenses
issued out of the United Kingdom, Alderney in the Channel Islands,
Italy and Antigua and Barbuda. The Australian subsidiary operates
under an Australian bookmaking permit. Sportingbet bookmaker does
not accept clients from USA, due to legal reasons.
Category evaluation: EXCELLENT
|
ODDS |
Odds are decent, even slightly better than average
(for most markets and leagues). Sportingbet operate big markets on
7-8 % margin and smaller 'unknown' leagues - on 11-12 % margin.
Margins are pretty standard but odds usually last longer than some
competitors' ones. On certain occasions sharp players can take
advantage and catch odds which are already cut by other bookies. If
Sportingbet site is localized in your language, it's very good to
have them in your portfolio because odds for local leagues are very
good and many betting types are offered. Odds are released quite
early usually (5-6 days before the events), even for smaller
leagues. Odds on favourites aren't anything special, you can rather
find some value odds on underdogs.
Category evaluation: GOOD |
>>> sub-category: SOCCER
|
All things mentioned above are applicable here. Decent average
odds, especially for the localized leagues. Margin between 7-12 %
depending on the league. Odds don't move too much. Quite early
release, even for smaller leagues. Good number of betting markets
and types are offered for most leagues (including special bets like
corners, goalscorers, cleen sheets, penalties and cards given,
etc.).
Category evaluation: AVERAGE
|
>>> sub-category: US SPORTS
|
Sportingbet's American sports odds are average
for the industry, mostly 1.91/1.91 style. You have to look elsewhere
if you bet on US sports mainly. Usually only sides and totals
spreads and money lines are offered.
Category evaluation: AVERAGE
|
OFFER |
Sportingbet offers a large variety of sports and
markets. Sports offer include: American football, baseball,
basketball, boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, futsal, golf,
greyhounds, handball, horse racing, ice hockey, motor sports, poker,
rugby league, rugby union, snooker, soccer, tennis and volleyball.
There is one additional 'Special' category, where you can bet on
politics and different awards competitions (please note: these
special markets vary for the different languages versions of the
site).
Category evaluation: GOOD |
>>> sub-category: SOCCER
|
Soccer list on offer includes: all
major International competitions, all major European leagues (UK -
covering almost all the levels of English and Scottish football,
Spain, Italy, Germany and France - all covered down to third level
divisions), Netherlands and Belgium, Portugal, Scandinavia, Central
Europe, Russia, almost all Balkan leagues, almost all North and
South American leagues, Japan. Some matches from Middle East, Asia
and Africa are offered too, but not on regular basis. Still
Sportingbet's soccer offer is admirably vast and versatile.
Category evaluation: EXCELLENT |
>>> sub-category: US SPORTS
|
All major US sports are covered: American
football, basketball (NBA and college basketball), baseball (MLB),
ice hockey (NHL).
Category evaluation: EXCELLENT
|
>>> sub-category: LIVE BETTING
|
Sportingbet's live betting offer has grown
steadily over the last years. They are one of the bookmakers to
offer most live events nowadays, maybe just a step behind Bwin (and
some asian bookies of course). Sports for live coverage: soccer,
basketball, tennis, ive hockey, rugby, american football, baseball,
cricket, snooker, volleyball, etc. There are quite many betting
options for these, including final result, goal totals, next goal,
corner, etc.
Category evaluation: EXCELLENT
|
>>> sub-category: CASINO, POKER & GAMES
|
Customers have two options for playing the casino
games: downloading and installing the casino client (stand-alone
application) or playing directly in their browsers. All major
categories of casino games are offered: card and table games, video
slots and video poker, progressives, keno, etc. Sportingbet poker
brand is Paradise poker. The client offers Texas Hold'em (Fixed, Pot
and No Limit), Omaha and Stud poker. You can play at cash ring
tables, sit'n'go tables and many tournaments (including freerolls).
It's easy to find more than enough opponents for every preferred
game and limit, action is running 24 hours per day. Poker and casino
games can be played only for fun too, with 'play' money. Many
different luck and skill games, as well as backgammon, are available
for playing through flash applications, directly in browser.
Category evaluation: EXCELLENT
|
BETTING PROCEDURE |
Major markets are easily accessible but finding the
smaller ones requires some additional scrolling (bet search button
is missing too, complicating the situation additionally). Your
betting slip is always visible in the right. Very rich list of
combination bet types and systems are available in case of multiple
selections in the slip. The bet confirmation procedure isn't
optimized to the best level though. Errors occur occasionally when
confirming a bet, and you have to check your history in order to see
if the bet is accepted or not. Overall the website's interface is a
friendly one though, even inexperienced users wouldn't need too much
time to adjust to it.
Category evaluation: AVERAGE |
