Matchbook

Matchbook have been a name in the UK betting industry since 2004, but they have been through some pretty big changes in that time. The company they are now is far removed from the one they used to be, and if you ask me, their reputation is only just beginning to catch up.

This is a brand in the ascendance, and as word spreads, I can see them grabbing more and more market share from their competitors.

Why?

Because Matchbook offer a streamlined book focussing on core markets which offer excellent value and low commissions, with plenty of extras on top.

They have live streaming. They have good promotions. They have a casino and virtuals if you’re into that sort of thing. They even have their own Matchbook podcast which you can toggle on and off via Soundcloud which is built into the site. You can listen while you browse and bet for a more immersive experience.

Their brokerage service will be attractive to punters with specific needs, and their promotions are well thought out to cater to as many punters as possible. All of this is packaged in probably my favourite betting exchange platform of them all, keeping everything sleek and stylish and super user friendly.

• Great Liquidity – Market leading liquidity in some markets and always strong for core markets
• Low Commission – MB Zero allowing one commission free lay or back bet per event
• Great for Large Stakes – Brokerage service for punters with bespoke needs

Market Availability and Liquidity

Matchbook has a focus on providing liquidity and value on core markets, so it is a great place to bet on the likes of football and horse racing, but another strong area is US sports.

In fact, on many occasions I have found better liquidity on baseball and basketball than I found on Betfair. Exchange punters who bet on these sports and use Betfair as a default may not be aware of this, but they should be, because they could be missing out.

Cricket and Greyhound racing are two other popular markets for Matchbook customers, and the Golf section always seems busy when I look at it.

They do have other markets, such as politics, TV, Snooker and Formula 1, but liquidity here is often a bit hit and miss. You will probably be alright for small stakes, but if you want to bet big on niche sports you will need to go elsewhere or use Matchbook’s brokerage service.

The A-Z only contains around 15 categories, but this is the whole point of Matchbook. They focus on core markets in order to keep liquidity high.

So in short, liquidity shouldn’t be an issue at Matchbook 99% of the time. Especially not on the likes of football, horse racing and US sports.

Commission Rates

For punters in the UK or ROI, Matchbook has a flat 2% commission rate on net profits (it’s 4% in some other countries).

This is where most other UK facing brands have settled too, so it’s an industry standard rate. The difference is that some other brands will charge more in certain situations, whereas Matchbook only ever charge additional fees to commercial customers. If anyone isn’t quite sure what a commercial customer is, it isn’t you.

Matchbook make their offer even more appealing with MB Zero. This feature allows customers to place one bet per event on the back or lay side with zero margin and zero commission. This means for that wager, you are getting the best value in the industry.

Additional wagers will of course revert to the regular 2% commission rate, unless you have found some other promotion to use, but that’s

Website and App

I love Matchbook’s website. I mean I really love it.

They say don’t judge a book by its cover but the site is very attractive to look at, and it feels every inch the modern, sophisticated, streamlined betting exchange it is attempting to be. It has that perfect blend of excitement, style, and usability.

It’s also one of those rare sites that looks and works just as brilliantly whether you are using a desktop, a tablet, or a mobile phone. You can often tell if a site was designed for one or the other, but Matchbook’s site is ideal on any sized screen.

It exists as an app too, by the way, but I tend to use mobile websites rather than apps so that’s where my experience comes from. They look identical, though.

In terms of functionality the user experience is fluid and smooth, and because it’s not a big bloated site like Betfair, it’s so much simpler to navigate.

In fact, I would go as far as to say that anyone new to exchange betting would be best off starting at Matchbook. They have a lot of supporting content explaining how it all works too, and it’s all easy to find.

The markets and odds are flanked by the A-Z on the left and a collapsible bet slip and settings panel on the right. If you click on a price it open up and you can place your bet before minimising it again and carrying on. It feels like whenever you need something you just need to hold out your hand and the site serves it up to you.

It’s a lightning fast site, too. It’s great.

History

Matchbook launched in 2004, so although it is a long established business, the fact that it was not first to market held it back somewhat in the early days when Betfair dominated.

Things have changed a bit now, though, and Matchbook commands a healthy slice of market share.

The company turned around when they were acquired by a group of investors including Triplebet Limited, who are now the registered company behind the brand.

The new owners wanted to rebuild the brand to make it more technologically advanced, highly liquid in the most popular markets, and therefore able to offer value to high-volume users. That essentially means the brand was remodelled to appeal to professional punters.

It worked, too. Matchbook now has a niche but very loyal following, and while recreational bettors enjoy the platform too, they aren’t necessarily its main target. This was achieved with the help of a big marketing push in 2016 which saw Matchbook strike sponsorship deals with the likes of Brentford FC and York Racecourse.

A low point came in 2020 when the company were forced to shut down for 6 months. During their nationwide crackdown on online gambling operators, the UKGC suspended Matchbook’s license due to AML and social responsibility failings. They had to complete a full audit of their operations, restructure their senior management and compliance procedures, and implement new systems and controls for player protection.

This they did, and their license was successfully reinstated. To be fair to Matchbook, the industry was going through a massive cultural change and most brands ended up with huge fines, some with suspensions, but all had to go through significant changes to update their systems.

It’s been plain sailing for Matchbook ever since.

Deposits and Withdrawals

There is nothing to worry about in terms of payment methods or minimum and maximum deposits or withdrawals here. It’s all industry standard.

They are one of the industry’s most trustworthy companies too, since customer funds are held in a separate account at the highest level of protection possible. This means if the company were ever to go under, funds in your account would be safe.

Not many bookies or exchanges tick that box, and Matchbook certainly don’t have to under the terms of their license, so it shows what they are about. They have gone out of their way to protect their customers’ money.

Support Services

Matchbook have multiple lines of contact open and their support services team work 9am through to 2am. If you need help outside of those hours you can always email and go to bed, but how often do you urgently need to talk to your online bookmaker in the early hours of the morning?

Contact options are:

• Email
• Live chat
• Telephone
• Twitter

This is the best customer support offered by any betting exchange operating in the UK.

Plus, they even have a brokerage service for clients requiring larger stakes than normal or who have bespoke requests they can’t fill on the exchange. Anyone meeting the threshold for this service will have their own direct line to contact their broker and won’t need to use the regular customer support.

Who Should Use Matchbook?

Well, being a betting exchange, sharp bettors or professional punters will find Matchbook extremely useful, of course. The 2% commission rate keeps them competitive, and there are promotional opportunities to get this down further from time to time.

Plus, anyone with deeper pockets or who wants a more personal service will be able to find that available to them here via the brokerage service.

Having said that, I also think that punters new to exchange betting would get a lot of benefit from Matchbook. The interface is so incredibly user friendly, and the site is a manageable size, not to mention all the supporting information on offer. Plus, with the sort of liquidity you can find here in core markets, they won’t be left wondering what has happened to their bet, because chances are it will get matched immediately.

It’s hard to think of anyone it wouldn’t suit to be honest, but perhaps a punter with a very broad betting portfolio would prefer somewhere with a bigger range of markets.

Contact and License

• Name: Matchbook Betting Exchange
• Registered Company Name: Triplebet Limited
• UKGC Licence Number: 39504
• Telephone Support: Request call-back via live chat
• E-mail: [email protected]
• Twitter: @MatchbookCS
• Registered Address: Millenium House, Olivier Street,
  Alderney, GY9 3TD, United Kingdom