Bet365
Up to € 100 bonus in betting credits
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Bonus program
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Customer service
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Offers
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Security
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Odds
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Live betting
Summary
- Excellent betting offer
- Very good quota key
- Numerous live streams
The British bookmaker bet365 is a real institution in the world of sports betting. Millions of customers worldwide appreciate the extremely extensive offer and the lucrative odds. Comparison portals regularly praise the convincing overall package, which is said to have almost no weaknesses. Since it has been a while since my last detailed bet365 experience report, I would like to take this opportunity to get an up-to-date picture. Does bet365 still live up to its good reputation? This is an interesting question, especially in view of the growing competition. To answer it, I will take a close look at all relevant aspects, such as betting offer, odds, bonus, deposit and withdrawal options, customer service as well as important security features.
In order to convey an impression that is as realistic as possible, I will not just string together mere facts in the following. Instead, I will describe my personal bet365 experiences from the user’s perspective. Therefore, I would like to point out first of all that all statements made are based on my subjective feelings and have no claim to general validity. Information about the bookmaker’s offer refers to the time at which this review was created (as of February 19, 2019) and may therefore no longer be applicable. All information is non-binding and without guarantee.
The strengths and weaknesses of Bet365
- Excellent betting offer
- Huge selection of live bets
- Stable and lucrative betting odds
- PayPal as a deposit option
- Numerous live streams available
- Website looks a bit old fashioned
Betting offer - Can't be topped in terms of breadth
The most important feature of a good betting provider? That’s right, a good betting offer! Even if it may sound banal, this truism has still not arrived in some companies. Therefore, my first look is always at the betting portfolio – and bet365 really has it going on. Clearly arranged on the left side of the page, you will first find an alphabetical listing of almost 30 disciplines. From American football to greyhound racing, I was able to identify all the sports that are traditionally at the top of the betting fans’ list.
However, that is by no means all, because some terms reveal further subcategories. The motorsports section, for example, contained separate menus for Formula 1, Nascar, motorcycles and supercars during my test. Special bets are sorted by country where the political event or award ceremony takes place in each case. And then there is the nice “Other sports” section. Those who have a soft spot for so-called exotics will definitely find what they are looking for here. The whole thing is rounded off by the inevitable eSports and Virtual Sports sections. Neither is really my cup of tea, but the selection options are considerable.
This brings us to the real strength of bet365. Quite apart from the more than 40 sports and betting disciplines in the test period, what is behind it is even more impressive. Trying to even come close to describing the dimensions of the offer would clearly go beyond the scope offered here. I could spend hours clicking through the individual menus and discovering previously unknown betting options. What I also like very much is the sensible subdivision according to different focuses in the individual sports and disciplines. Despite the sheer infinite offer, for example in soccer, you can find your way around intuitively. Competitions, nations and betting markets are color-coded and can be easily selected directly.
Live betting: calendar, multi-view, numerous sports and markets, but no streams
The best selection in over 40 sports
- Special bets
- eSports
- Virtual sports
*The terms and conditions of bet365 apply. 18+. Gambling can be addictive (help is available at gamblingtherapy.org). Play responsibly.
To cut a long story short: bet365 has, in my opinion, the widest betting offer in the industry. This is not only true for the popular sports, first and foremost of course soccer, tennis, ice hockey and basketball, but applies to almost all disciplines. If you don’t find what you’re looking for here, you probably won’t find it anywhere. There is one exception. During my bet365 experience, there were no horse bets available. However, anyone who is seriously concerned with tips on the four-legged will probably prefer a specialist provider like Racebets anyway.
Finally, I would like to take a closer look at the betting offer in the area of soccer, since this is known to be the area with the greatest demand by far. Logically, the round leather is also particularly strongly represented at bet365. Of course, this includes all major international competitions and top leagues. As an example of the depth of the portfolio, the premier league is the most suitable. Just over 150 individual options per Champions League match (in test: Liverpool vs Bayern on 19.02.19) is not a bad value.
Bookmakers like 888sport or 22bet offer significantly more, but I always wonder who really needs that. Personally, the classic formats such as 3-way bet, over/under, handicap, double chance and goal bets are completely sufficient for me. These are of course standard at bet365 and can be placed on games around the globe. During my test, numerous youth and some women’s competitions were also available. Those who like it really exotic can bet on matches in the 2nd league of Senegal or the women’s cup in Algeria, among others. In German soccer it goes down to the third league.
Live betting: Huge selection of real-time events and livestreams
As a big fan of live betting, the performance in this category is especially important to me. Nothing is more annoying than staring at an orphaned screen displaying a single-digit number of boring events. This is exactly the moment when you place bets that are doomed to fail, just because nothing else is available at the moment. Such a situation is absolutely unthinkable at bet365. My extremely positive experience in terms of betting offer was even surpassed in the live area. I am not aware of any bookmaker that offers such a gigantic selection of real-time bets. The outstanding pre-match portfolio seems to be consistently continued here.
Naturally, the offer depends on the time of day and season, but apparently there are no fundamental restrictions in terms of sports. On a Tuesday afternoon in mid-February, for example, I was able to place live bets on soccer, tennis, badminton, basketball, cricket, eSports, ice hockey, snooker, table tennis, volleyball, and greyhound racing. Clicking on one of the categories, the difference from the competition becomes immediately clear. Instead of being able to choose between a few options, it’s not uncommon to have to scroll through lists here! However, I didn’t realize the full extent of this until I used the calendar view. During my test, I came across several hundred live events – per day! Of course, it should not go unmentioned that, for example, 113 individual bets are available for a match of the UEFA Youth League (Dinamo Zagreb U19 vs. Lokomotive Moscow U19 / 19.02.2019).
The clarity of the live cockpit could not be better in my opinion. As soon as you select an event, basic information about the course of the game is displayed centrally. All associated betting options are listed below as usual. For me, the absolute highlight: live streams galore, taking the real-time experience to a whole new level. According to my rough estimate, this option was offered for more than half of all live bets during the test period. I have yet to experience such a range anywhere else. By the way, the prerequisite is an account balance of at least 10 euros or, alternatively, a bet placed in the 24 hours before the respective stream starts.
Betting bonus: Up to 100 euros new customer bonus in the form of betting credits
Anyone who signs up as a new customer with a bookmaker receives a welcome bonus in the vast majority of cases. Of course, there are big differences here. Since I have been registered with bet365 for years, I was very curious to see what conditions the current offer can come up with. To do this, I brought a colleague on board, because as an existing customer, I myself can of course no longer redeem the bonus. Only recently, the entry-level offer was fundamentally revised. Previously, there was a classic deposit bonus, which was credited to 100 percent of the first deposit. The bookmaker is now saying goodbye to this variant and instead relies on so-called “betting credits”. These are credited up to a maximum value of 100 euros and can be compared most closely with freebets. For our test, we went through all the steps from registration to the use of betting credits. In the following, I will detail our bet365 experience with the welcome bonus.
How to redeem the bet365 bonus
Let’s start with the first time with the registration. Our links on this page will take you directly to the opening offer of bet365. Click on “Register” to call up the registration form. Here, all required data must now be entered truthfully. Then deposit at least 5 euros. However, we have decided directly for the amount of 100 euros, which is necessary to collect the maximum possible betting credits later. Now call up the member area via the “Service” menu. Click on offers and finally select “Claim now” under “Offers available”. This activation must happen no later than 30 days after registration.
The betting credits will now be credited 100% to all qualifying bets that were settled within 30 days from the activation of the bonus. You can collect a maximum of 100 euros worth of betting credits in this way. “Qualifying” in this context means that only bets placed at a minimum odds of 1.20 will be counted. This means that the lower limit is set unbeatably low. Basically, you can place bets without worrying about the bonus conditions. After all, odds below 1.20 are not very lucrative and are likely to be ignored by the majority of users anyway. Even combination bets are counted towards receiving the credits, as long as at least one selection meets the odds requirement. Bets that have been completely settled via the cash-out option, void bets, and live bets that are settled as a push, on the other hand, do not count towards the release of betting credits. Further restrictions, such as those that come into play when using partial cash-out, can be found in the full terms and conditions.
Details on the use of bet365 betting credits
According to the T&Cs, betting credits are usually made available within an hour after a qualifying bet has settled. This information is consistent with our bet365 experience. A payout is of course not yet possible at this point. The following restriction should also already be known from freebet and free bet offers: The stake value of betting credits is not included in the winnings achieved with them. For example, if you place a bet with betting credits worth 10 euros at odds of 2.00, you will not be credited 20 euros in the event of success, as would be the case with real money bets, but “only” 10 euros. However, it is very pleasing that winnings from betting credits can be paid out directly without having to wager them in any form beforehand.
Your Deposit
100€
ZodiacBet Bonus
100€
Betting Balance
200€
Opening offer: Up to €100 in betting credits for new customers at bet365. Condition for betting credits release: minimum deposit €5 and 1x settled bet. Minimum odds, betting and payment method exceptions apply. Winnings exclude the use of betting credits. Terms and conditions and time limits apply.
Basically, you are entitled to the betting credits with all available deposit methods. By the way, you do not have to claim the bet365 bonus during the first deposit. There is still a period of 30 days from the registration date. The highest deposit amount that you deposit in the 7 days before claiming the offer is considered qualifying.
The conclusion of our bet365 experience with the bonus is therefore: the current opening offer of the bookmaker is quite attractive in terms of amount and scores especially with particularly fair conditions, which can also be managed by sports betting beginners.
Betting odds: Consistently stable and very lucrative
My bet365 experience shows that the general odds level of the provider can be described as very attractive. According to my calculations, the payout key averages 94 to 95 percent, which means that bet365 is located in the upper third of the competition. It is also noticeable that the values are very stable, so that you as a user can assume consistently good betting odds. Depending on which games and tips are involved, the key may even be 96 percent. Especially in less popular games and leagues, the odds settle somewhat lower according to experience – here it always depends on your choice, so a comparison between the individual bookmakers is a good idea in any case. Overall, you can expect very good odds from bet365, especially in the top leagues.
In the bet365 test phase, I also came across relatively strong odds on underdog bets. Thus, the bookmaker is a real recommendation for bets on underdogs. Of course, I also took a closer look at the odds adjustments in the area of live betting and can draw an absolutely positive conclusion in this regard. Very interesting: There have been certain situations in the past where bet365 has apparently almost completely waived its own profit, for example during major events like the World Cup. Whether such a case will repeat itself is, of course, up in the air. However, it is definitely worth keeping your eyes open. Under certain circumstances, bet365 will again increase its own odds on special events and thus set the payout key at almost 100%. The profit margin will be neglected in favor of advertising effectiveness and new customer acquisition.
Deposits and withdrawals in check: Large selection of fee-free options
No matter in which direction the money should go: Personally, it is very important to me that a bookmaker offers several payment options that I use. If one should fail or not be covered, I can always react at short notice. My bet365 experiences are also absolutely positive in this point. The following methods were available for new German customers at the virtual checkout during the test period:
- PayPal
- Instant bank transfer (via Klarna)
- Bank transfer
- Credit cards (VISA / Mastercard)
- Apple Pay
- Paysafecard
- Klarna by Skrill
- Giropay by Skrill
- online bank transfer by Skrill
- entropay
- Fast Bank Transfer
- Bank and personal checks
Very few bookmakers can offer such an extensive selection. There should really be something suitable for everyone. Personally, I rely on the eWallet PayPal, Sofortüberweisung (via Klarna) and occasionally credit cards for deposits. I find it very interesting that bet365 is one of the first sports betting providers to offer the Apple Pay payment option, which was just launched in Germany, to German customers. The methods marked in bold in the overview can also be used for a payout. When choosing a bookmaker, I always make sure that all payments are processed free of charge, as is the case with bet365. Anything else, to be honest, I find quite brazen and no longer up to date.
I would like to point out one more special feature at this point: The deposit methods Skrill, Skrill 1-Tap and Neteller are only available for existing customers since 27.04.2020. Anyone who registers after this date will no longer be able to use the aforementioned transfer options.
Details about the withdrawal options at bet365 (as at: 19.02.19)
Deposit duration and limits at bet365 (as at: 19.02.19)
The money is, apart from Fast Bank Transfer (1-3 business days), conventional bank transfer (2-10 business days) and bank and private checks (5-28 business days) in all cases immediately available on the betting account. Withdrawals are fastest via Neteller (within 12 hours) PayPal, Skrill and paysafecard (both within 24 hours).
Deposit now for free and bet immediately
- PayPal instant transfer
- Apple Pay
- & many more options
*The terms and conditions of bet365 apply. 18+. Gambling can be addictive (help is available at gamblingtherapy.org). Play responsibly.
The minimum deposit amounts start at 5 euros (paysafecard, VISA /Mastercard, Skrill, Skrill 1-tap, Apple Pay, Klarna by Skrill and Fast Bank Transfer) or 10 euros (Sofortüberweisung via Klarna, entropay, Giropay by Skrill, online bank transfer by Skrill). With PayPal and Neteller it is 15 euros. Bank and private checks (from 150 euros) and conventional bank transfers (from 200 euros), on the other hand, already represent a significant investment. Upwards, amounts between 1,000 euros (paysafecard) and 150,000 euros (bank transfers) are possible in one deposit. All the essential details about the payout can be found in the picture above.
Customer service - German-speaking support on all channels
Even with the best bookmaker, there may be a need for clarification every now and then. In this case, as a customer, I would like to have fast and expert help – ideally from a German-speaking employee. bet365 does everything right in terms of service in my opinion, because here really all conceivable channels are open for contacting. You can formulate your request via live chat, email, web message, telephone or mail. Before you take this step, however, I recommend taking a look at the bookmaker’s extremely helpful FAQ menu. I was able to answer most of my questions myself.
If you wish to make a personal call, you should only use the toll-free 00800 number. The second option may be associated with high costs due to the British area code. I prefer to use the live chat if necessary and have had consistently positive experiences with bet365 in this regard. During the test period, my inquiries were always answered quickly and to my complete satisfaction. In less urgent cases or for the transmission of documents, it is of course also possible to send an e-mail to support-ger@customerservices365.com.
Website and app: Strong presence - on the web and mobile
Time and again, I see new providers trying out completely new concepts in terms of design – and usually failing. I, on the other hand, stick to the old sportsman’s adage “never change a winning team” and prefer the classic and proven sports betting layout. A successful example of this is the bet365 website. On the left, the slim sports menu, on the top right the betting slip functions and centrally in the middle of the screen, I am presented directly with the top events, sensibly divided into live bets and upcoming highlights. All filter functions are very well thought-out, which is a mature achievement considering the gigantic betting offer. What I would like to see as an improvement, however, is a fixed betting slip that always stays in view when scrolling through the menu.
My bet365 experience during the test phase was positive throughout. The page load is lightning fast. Annoyingly long loading times or failures of individual functions did not occur at any time. The successful structure achieves an outstanding clarity, in my opinion. In terms of aesthetics, one can of course argue. At first glance, the whole thing looks a bit outdated. Perhaps a fresh look could be achieved with some discreet interventions without interfering with the basic structure. In the end, however, this only plays a subordinate role for me. User-friendliness and performance should be in the foreground and that is clearly the case with bet365.
If you like to place bets on the go, like I do, you have all the trump cards in your hand with this provider. Users of iOS and Android can download the in-house bet365 app conveniently and of course free of charge. All functions of the desktop version are thus also available with the smartphone or tablet. In the test, I was particularly excited that this also applies to the huge livestream offer. The usability is excellent in my eyes. Those who do not want to have any bookmaker software on their device can alternatively call up the bet365 page via the integrated browser, whereby the display automatically adapts to the respective model. However, I recommend downloading the technically more sophisticated app, because with this variant you have one of the best online betting sites at your fingertips at all times.
License and security: Absolutely trustworthy
Anyone who places sports bets on the Internet automatically takes a certain leap of faith in the respective provider. After all, not inconsiderable amounts of money are involved and sensitive data is disclosed. Whether a provider deals with this in accordance with the regulations and can be classified as reputable can be judged on the basis of various characteristics. First of all, I pay attention to whether the legal framework is in place. In the case of bet365, everything is in the green here.
The bookmaker operates under an EU license from the Malta Gaming Authority, which is known for very strict requirements. In addition, I am interested in details about the company that is responsible in the background. However, such information is often not easily accessible and can be difficult to verify. With an industry giant like bet365, things look a bit different. Already the Wikipedia entry provides impressive figures, which nips all doubts in the bud that this is not a reputable company. The fact that bet365 has been active for almost 20 years is also positive.
In my opinion, the provider also scores points for its extremely comprehensive customer service and exemplary activities in the area of player protection. In the test, I noticed the cooperation with several institutions from the field of addiction support, such as Gambling Therapy or Gamblers Anonymous. A separate section on the website provides detailed information on this topic. bet365 allows every player to take precautionary measures by setting self-selected deposit limits. If the loss of control threatens, a temporary time-out is also possible, as well as self-blocking in the last instance. This proves that bet365 takes its responsibility on this point very seriously.
Betting tax: 5 percent deduction from winnings
Since I am a resident of Germany, the question that always arises for me with every bookmaker is how they handle the betting tax. During my bet365 experience in the test period, I was charged the tax on the gross profit, which has been required by law since 2012. I have selected the following bet as an example for illustration:
- Bet: 50,00 Euro
- odds: 2,00
- Gross profit: 100,00 Euro
- 5 % betting tax: 5,00 Euro
- Net profit: 95,00 Euro
In contrast to the deduction from the bet – also a common model – this gives you a slight advantage. If a bet is canceled, you get the full amount refunded and the tax is not withheld. In such cases, bet365 takes over the legally binding part. Especially in tennis, it is not uncommon for players to give up prematurely. Betting fans who frequently play this sport are thus comparatively better off than when the tax is deducted from the bet.
Additional offer: A visit to the affiliated casino is worthwhile
In addition to sports betting, I have always had a preference for roulette, albeit quite classically in the casino. With the advent of the first live offers on the Internet, this variant became increasingly interesting for me. Therefore, I naturally also took a closer look at the affiliated bet365 Casino. Considering that the entry into this sector took place significantly after the start as a bookmaker, what is offered here can definitely be seen. More than 500 games were available to me during my test. These include around 150 different slot machine versions, including numerous modern Viedo slots and high jackpots. The software is provided by renowned developers such as NetEnt, Yggdrasil, Playtech and Microgaming.
More exciting for me was the look at the classics. If you are into roulette, blackjack, poker, sic bo or baccarat, you are definitely in good hands at bet365. Due to the wide range of variants and betting limits, there should be something for every type of player here. Of course, the experience at bet365 Live Casino does not come close to a real casino outing. However, the professional dealers do their job very well and provided entertaining entertainment. By the way, you can easily transfer your account balance back and forth between the different areas.
Conclusion on bet365: Still a terrific overall package!
Overall, not much has changed since my last bet365 experience review, which in this case should be taken as explicit praise. In my opinion, the breadth of the sports betting offer still puts all competitors in the shade. This applies equally to the real-time section, where live bets can be placed on numerous disciplines around the clock. A large part of the events is offered as a live stream, which provides additional excitement and ideal interpretation possibilities. The odds are, according to my calculations, not the very best in the industry, but are still in the upper third and can be described as very stable. I also have nothing to criticize when it comes to payment methods and customer service. New customers are offered an attractive bonus at the start, which is also ideal for beginners due to the fair minimum odds. The bottom line for me is that bet365 is still one of the best bookmakers in the competition, which I can unreservedly recommend in view of the high reliability factor.
