Unibet are a much bigger bookmaker than you might think and are in fact one of Europe’s biggest betting sites. Founded back in 1997 the operator boasts over 15 million customers spread over 100 countries.
This bookie has everything for punters of any persuasion, from weekend football bettors to multi-sport professional’s, with tons of markets, live streaming, in play betting, mobile apps and some great offers to try out.
With a more continental focus you will also find plenty of markets and features available here that you won’t find many UK focused bookies, although they are pushing their UK presence hard. Unibet are also one of the top bookies for great odds and prices on top lines. Not many bookies can truly offer something new, but Unibet give a unique angle to sports betting that really should be experienced.
- Best Alternative To The Big 5 – Lesser known perhaps, but just as powerful.
- Continentally Focused – Unique markets, top of the range odds, streaming of over 40000 events.
- Robust Package – Award winning mobile app, loads of offers, huge range of markets and betting lines that stand up to the best in the industry. An all round great.
Using & Navigating the Website
Unibet have an impressive appearance overall, you can tell they have spent time thinking about the user rather than just about profits. It probably helps that the site is built on the Kambi platform which itself was a spin-off from Unibet. Whatever the reason, this is probably my favourite site to use.
The general theme is a football pitch green with white and black text boxes which keeps things feeling energetic and fun, and also serves to make different sections on the same page distinct and easy on the eye. Indeed, the first thing you will notice is how clear the menu options are both in terms of font size and text clarity, and this turns a very busy homepage into something much more manageable.
The side bar shows a list of shortcuts to currently popular competitions and leagues, followed by an A-Z sports menu with some cool sport icons, while the search function is so sophisticated it can find markets based on players, teams, or leagues. Navigation then is clearly not an issue.
One thing I love about the Unibet homepage is that the entirety of the screen is taken up with in-play, upcoming, or recommended markets and odds rather than huge promotion banners or an as yet unused betslip. The betslip pops up when a selection is made (and can be minimized) and although offers are on show they are relegated to a tiny box. There is very little scrolling to do either which can save punters hours of time in the long run.
Digging Deeper into Platform Features
Moving through the site just hammers home what a terrific job they have done.
There is more flexibility from one page to another than anywhere else as well as a greater number of interesting features and categorisation options, yet the page never feels too full or complicated.
Looking at a particular category will show you in-play and upcoming fixtures alongside various bet types and odds which the bettor can adjust to their liking.
There are up to ten different betting lines to display at this point depending on the sport you are viewing, and this means if you were building an acca, for instance, you wouldn’t even need to go into event view.
You probably should though, because it’s brilliant. The match insights are a superb idea and the stats on display are honestly out of this world – plus, if you want to get really analytical there is a separate stats tool.
Everything is kept neat and tidy with collapsing menus too so browsing for a bet is a joy.
Can you tell that I’m a fan?
Betting Markets Covered
This is one of the best aspects to using Unibet. Expect to find all of the standard bookmaker markets from racing to football, with many more continental lines available too including things like Bandy, Surfing, and Pesapallo.
Racing has its own separate interface containing horses, greyhounds and trotting, and meetings from around the world are covered daily in all three categories. This includes all the usual’s plus Hong Kong, Sweden, Chile, New Zealand etc. The interface is slightly different with a few changes to optimise usability for racing bettors.
Depth of market is also superb; with football for example you will routinely find 65,000+ betting lines across every major league and division worldwide, as well as some minor ones. In fact, as far as I can tell you could count the bookies that match this on one hand with a few fingers missing. Basketball coverage is also exceptional, plus tennis, rugby league, Aussie rules, and ice hockey.
The betting options for each fixture don’t let the side down either, once again offering more variety than pretty much everywhere else. Top football can see upwards of 350 markets, basketball upwards of 150, cricket around the 75 mark. It’s good stuff.
I can’t find a single area where Unibet slacken off, even their specials and novelty betting markets blow most other bookies out of the water. You can even bet on oddball predictions such as ‘IKEA to be listed on the stock exchange market this year’.
How are the Odds?
To match the great number of markets available Unibet have top prices too – especially for major sports and events.
Major European football (including the Premier League and La Liga) are run with some of the lowest vigs around. This means on average there is a 97.5% payback when betting on W/D/W lines (i.e. 2.5% bookmaker margin) when you place your wagers here, which shows there is value to be found and that Unibet aren’t greedy. American football, cricket, and darts can also provide particularly impressive returns, but there isn’t really any area that could be considered low.
Unibet are not always listed on UK odds comparison sites so it is worth checking prices with them directly, it is also recommended you take a look at the regular price boosts and profit boosts as these can really add value to your bets. If you’re a fan of an accumulator you may also want to check out the enhanced odds multiples available.
The special offers page is absolutely stacked with interesting promotions and bonuses; in the past we’ve seen things like refund offers, extra places, sports jackpots, refer and friend, and they don’t just stick to one or two sports. Best odds are guaranteed on UK and Irish races.
Odds are provided by default in fractions but this is easily converted to decimal or American at the bottom of each page.
Betting Live In-Play
Once again, Unibet have this area locked down, it’s one of my favourite in-play packages. To start with there is plenty of choice as there are over 150,000 live events to bet on each year and a quarter of these are streamed live (40,000+). The interface is housed inside the main site so it loads in no time and functionality is top notch.
Initially punters can view live events by sport and league with the collapsed markets enabling a quick overview of everything in a single scroll of the mouse. This isn’t because not much is available, but because the markets are organised cleverly.
Viewing a specific event works in much the same way as far as navigation and operation is concerned, but there is also the option of expanding the match graphic to block out all other in-play events or to keep them showing so that you can track multiple events at the same time. This flexibility works perfectly in the bettor’s favour. The match graphic isn’t actually as detailed as some others but it’s a small price to pay for the quality of everything else that is on offer, and so much is streamed anyway.
Depth of market is truly great with hundreds of lines on top events like major football including Asian lines. This bookie are also great at providing very short term ball-ball, run-run lines which they call action betting, allowing you to bet by the second if you so choose.
On top of this Unibet also provide customers with statistics, live score and results services on most sports as well as expert opinion blogs from top sportsmen plus daily updated news articles.
This is very very good live betting package, comprehensive, layered, and sophisticated.
Sports Streaming
With over 40,000 events streamed live it’s hard to justify going anywhere else if you like to watch and bet at the same time. With a continental focus you will also find many events streamed by Unibet that you may not find elsewhere with UK bookies.
The Unibet TV feature is supreme. Punters can see what live events are streamed up to a week or more in advance with an easy to digest interface common to Unibet. Many bookies do not publish their streaming schedules in advance and it makes a big difference to be able to plan ahead.
The range of sports on offer is outstanding – from the usual football and tennis to the less broadcast snooker, ice hockey, darts, volleyball, basketball and even e-Sports. A few streams are free to watch but for most you need a funded account or a small minimum bet.
It’s also possible to view the available streaming events separately to in-play events which is hugely appreciated but not all that common for some reason. You just need a funded account to get access to all of this.
Mobile Betting Capabilities
The Unibet mobile app is award winning and it is easy to see why. With a similar colour theme to the main site the app enjoys the same clarity and ease of navigation and even on the smaller screen everything feels like it has space.
At first glance the app doesn’t appear to be all that different from many others, but once you have used it a few times the difference is like night and day. With all the same features as the desktop site including live streaming you may decide to use the app exclusively.
The app isn’t over developed so it runs quickly (but not always smoothly) without unnecessary extras draining processing power, and feels much more laid back at the users’ end. Scrolling isn’t something you have to do too much of thanks to the logical collapsible menu system, but when you do it follows your movements almost exactly – where other apps whiz to the bottom of the page with the slightest touch, this one is built for precision.
As soon as the app loads, punters are dropped in at the action end with in-play/upcoming, popular, and recommended events offered as a starting point. Quick links to major sports are accessible from a fun looking scrolling menu bar and all other navigation and account management options are stacked above, leaving the rest of the page free for betting. This works to create space and thus helps the punter work faster.
It’s an app that thinks for itself too, for example when scrolling the top menu will minimise to give you access to the full screen, but will show up again as you scroll back towards the top. It knows when to get out of the way and when to make itself known, and this is a theme that runs throughout the app.
Unibet have separate apps for casino and poker. I am not usually a fan of multiple apps but by keeping the products separate they have been able to get the best sports features into the sports app and best casino features into the casino app without compromising the integrity overall.
Payments, Banking & Finances
| Method | Min Deposit | Min Withdrawal | Fees | Withdrawal Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debit Card | £5 | £15 | - | 1 - 3 Days |
| PayPal | £10 | £10 | - | Up To 12 Hours |
| Skrill | £5 | £10 | - | Up To 12 Hours |
| Neteller | £5 | £10 | - | Up To 12 Hours |
| Apple Pay | £5 | n/a | - | n/a |
| PaySafeCard | £10 | N/A | - | N/A |
With a European outlook Unibet offers accounts in a range of currencies including: Great British Pounds (GBP), Euros (EUR), Danish Krone (DKK), Norwegian Kroner (NOK), Swedish Krona (SEK), Swiss Franc (CHF), Polish Zloty (PLN), and more. Note that once you have opened an account and chosen a currency you cannot change it.
Deposits & Withdrawals
This is another case where the information available on site does not match the reality in the cashier. Bookies really should provide more concrete information on these limits or punters can end up feeling confused and even resentful. Minimums and maximums stated in the FAQ are not the same as those offered in the cashier.
What is clear is that there are no deposit fees, and that is certainly a positive sign. Withdrawals should be fee free too with the exception of a bank wire, although information on maximums is sketchy. As a guide, work with £50k for each card transaction, £1k for Skrill and Neteller and unlimited for bank transfers. These tend to be processed quickly too; your withdrawal will only be pending for 2 hours on average.
You are able to deposit by both Skrill and Neteller but you cannot use these services for your very first deposit, so don’t panic if you don’t see them as options, you must instead use a bank card, PayPal or bank transfer and then switch to these services later.
Minimum Stakes & Maximum Payouts
The minimum bet is nice and easy at just £0.10p – so anyone can deposit and have some fun, but when it comes to payout limits, this is one area where Unibet could really flex its financial muscles.
They don’t seem to, however, which is surprising given how impressive they have been so far. For football max winnings is £1M, in line with other big sportsbooks, but for other top sporting events such as horse racing you can win up to £100,000 which is a lot less compared to what some of their competitors offer. For most this will make little to no difference but if you bet high amounts you might be a bit miffed.
Almost all other sports have a cap of £500,000 with a few at £50,000 and £40,000. It can be lower if you are betting on low level leagues, but the lowest payout limits are £10,000 for novelty and special bets. If you are placing an accumulator bet of mixed events the payout cap is generally set to equal the lowest limit.
Fortunately, the operator won’t let you stake more than you can win. If your stake is above their maximum limit it will be displayed on the betslip where you will be given the option to either reduce your wager or request that the entire bet is accepted at which point your bet will be referred to a trader. Not everywhere does this which is extra points for Unibet.
Cash Out
Cash out is available at Unibet, it would be a huge let down if it wasn’t, but there are better versions available elsewhere. They don’t push it too much at Unibet but combined with the top live in play betting and streaming available it simply adds to an already great package.
The principle is simple, place a bet on a qualifying market and you will be offered a live price that you are able to cash in in advance of the event finishing. For example, you bet £10 on Barcelona to win the Champions League at 12/1, it’s the final and Barca are winning 2-1 on 80 minutes but you are worried Barca are flagging and may go on to lose. Cash Out is offering you £90 if you cash out your wager at that time, guaranteeing you a profit regardless of the outcome.
Of course, you will always win less than you could if you allow the event to run to completion (in this case £120) but you are able to mitigate your own risk and this adds a fantastic tactical dimension to online betting.
What Makes Unibet Unique?
The most unique aspect of Unibet is really how long such a great bookie has gone unnoticed by the UK public. With top live betting and streaming capabilities, top odds, and one of the biggest books on the internet it’s amazing that these guys aren’t mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Bet365.
It’s an absolute workhorse of a bookie that encapsulates quality, value, and unique features and combines them into one of the best online betting packages available. Add to this one of the most usable mobile apps around and you’ve got an industry leading betting site.
The only downside really is the lack of support options, but other than that the stand out features are… well, everything.
Casino & Games
The Unibet casino and gaming package is just as user friendly as the sportsbook, and no less impressive in scale. The collection of slots, jackpots, table games, and live games add up to around 800 different titles in total and even includes a few exclusives.
Unibet have been providing casino and gaming services for over 15 years and in this time they have developed a substantial feature with plenty of extras like casino guides and tournaments.
They run poker products too, and since purchasing Maria Bingo in 2008 Unibet can also boast one of the best Bingo sites.
A Helping Hand from Customer Services
It was all going so well. There has to be a drawback with any company and for Unibet it is their customer services and help section. I have yet to have anything better than a satisfactory experience with them. The staff are pleasant and knowledgeable but there doesn’t seem to be enough of them, well, for the UK market at least.
Still, at least there are plenty of options and to their credit they are open 24/7. Freephone, live chat, and email are the main three methods of contact, but there is no obvious way to find the details. What you actually have to do is use their searchable FAQ – which is great to use from a functional perspective but contains some rubbish and irrelevant answers – search for your issue, and then at the bottom you will be given a contact option if you haven’t found your answer.
They are essentially forcing their customers to try to solve the issue themselves before contacting support. I can see why they would prefer this but it isn’t exactly a customer focussed move. Worse still, you can be waiting for 10 minutes for live chat, hours for an email response, and if you call you are often put on hold. Come on Unibet sort this out, it is a let down on what is otherwise a great service.
The Unibet community is also offered as a way to seek help, which roughly translated amounts to getting their punters to do their work for them. Saying that, it also builds a nice sense of community and a place to share ideas and experience so it’s not a bad idea. In general though, everything about the support service is irritating.
About Unibet
Unibet have Scandinavian roots and are Sweden’s largest sports betting site. Licenced and regulated in Malta, despite being around since 1997 the bookmaker has grown most significantly over the last few years reaching over 15 million customers worldwide. Unibet have focused on growing their UK customer base in particular in recent times and now offer every event a British punter might want to wager on in addition to many European markets that are more unusual to find on these shores. The UK operation is licenced under Platinum Gaming Limited registered in London.
Initially Unibet were set up as a telephone betting operation before launching their website in both Swedish and English in 1999, then moving their base to Malta in 2001. The company was owned under the umbrella of the Unibet Group Plc, listed on the Nordic OMX public listing, and is now part of the Kindred Group along with brands such as 32Red and Bingo.com. With over 1000 employees and annual revenues around a billion pounds this is a company with serious resources.
The bookmaker has always had an eye for new and upcoming features, they were one of the first to launch live betting back in 2003 in the same year the bookie launched its Casino and gaming operation. By 2006 Unibet’s site was available in 20 languages setting its stall out early as a bookie with international pedigree.
Unibet are known for making huge payouts, famously paying out €4.5 million back in 2009 when a single punter hit the Mega Fortune jackpot in their casino.
A top European bookie with a nice overall package and a great betting site if you are looking for something different form the normal UK bookie.
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- Responsible Gambling
- What Happened to These Old Famous Bookmakers and Betting Brands?
Contact & License
- Name: Unibet
- Licence Holder: Platinum Gaming Limited
- Registered Company Name: Kindred Group
- UK Licence ref/No: 45332
- URL: www.unibet.co.uk
- Customer Services: 0800 329 393 (Freephone) or 0044 (0) 207 257 8701 (international)
- E-Mail: [email protected]
- Customer Services: Unibet, Suite 2B, 143 Main Street, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA
- Phone betting: Not accepted
- Text betting: Not accepted
- Twitter: @Unibet @Unibetracing
- Registered Company address: Kindred London Ltd, 17 Hartfield Road, London, SW19 3SE