NetBet Review

You might not have heard of NetBet, but you’ll certainly enjoy using them. They have a slightly more continental focus than most UK based bookies and because they’re not one of the bigger, better-known brands they actually offer more variation in some places.

I know that sounds slightly contradictory, but the big bookmakers try so hard to keep up with each other that they sometimes end up offering the same things, so NetBet have snuck in the backdoor.

NetBet are no new kids on the block though, having been operating since 2001. They’ve got a much more impressive market depth to their name than you might imagine, too. Of course, all of the major sports that interest a UK bettor are covered, but they also look at some more random sports that will be of note to a European bettors.

Using the Site

NetBet’s website took me by surprise when I first used it. Given that they don’t have the largest reputation in the UK I must admit that I wasn’t expecting much.

Imagine my surprise, therefore, when what I discovered was a desktop site that puts some of the bigger companies to shame.

It is clearly laid out, very responsive and the style and design of it is laid back and smooth.

The site offers plenty of information but it doesn’t do so in a cluttered or confusing manner, separating everything out nicely so it’s easy to find what you’re looking for. It’s one of the most instinctive sites I have used.

A list of quick links to the most popular events and competitions as well as all of the available sports is always on hand, whilst in the main body of the homepage is taken up by a console showing the betting events of the day including any fixtures that are currently live.

There is zero learning curve for NetBet’s site, everything is right where you expect it to be, and yet it isn’t predictable either; little touches and useful features keep popping up to make the experience interesting.

Banking: Deposits/Withdrawals

There are no fees for any method of deposit or withdrawal, but NetBet have a lazy processing period of up to 48 hours. They also allow requests to be reversed which when coupled with a lengthy processing period can be an issue if you are easily tempted.

Be aware too that there is a daily winning cap of £20,000 instead of sport specific caps, which is significantly lower than other bookies. It won’t affect many people but if you can afford to play with high wagers then watch out.

Mobile App Review

The same user-friendly feeling and smooth style successfully makes it across to the mobile app, along with a few changes to make things work more efficiently.

You could run your whole account from the app if you wanted to, and although you might have to sit through a few page loads for certain features (like the cashier or live chat) that you wouldn’t have to on the desktop site, your experience would still be wholly positive.

A scrolling menu bar as well as two separate menu buttons – one for betting and one for account management – keep navigation simple, and I like that there is often more than one way to get to the same place.

It could be argued that live betting is even better via mobile, with all of the cool features like fast markets and cash out still available, as well as the statistics and the live centre. If you were betting from the terraces this app would be the perfect companion.

There’s an odd quirk where it seems to take longer to load when going back to the homepage, but there is a search function that isn’t always present on other betting apps, so you can get around this.

Live Betting

The live betting section of the website is just as impressive as it is on the mobile app, it’s just laid out differently. There’s a clear link to the in-play interface at the top of the homepage with a list of events split up into their respective sports then leagues/competitions – there are loads of sports covered too. The score, basic match info, and some of the latest odds are laid out very clearly and you can favourite events if you want to.

If you click on a specific event then you’ll be taken to a list of all of the bets you can make, the live centre (which is like a map of the playing field), and some stats. Depending on the popularity of the sport the depth of the market is really impressive. The key to having lots of markets, of course, is in how well you display them and NetBet’s system is pretty close to flawless, with plenty of ways to narrow down your search plus collapsible menus.

NetBet don’t offer any live streaming and although it might be disappointing this is understandable. When you’re not one of the big bookies you need to make a decision about what to spend your resources on and live streaming probably doesn’t bring in as many punters as a classy website. Their live package is so good in every other department that I can easily let them off.

About the Betting

You’ll be able to bet on all of the usual markets you’re used to looking at on other bookies with NetBet, but where they really come into their own is when it comes to slightly lesser known events. How do you feel about futsal, for example? Have you ever thought to put a bet on Gaelic football? You can do both here.

Esports and Winter Sports are two ‘out of the way’ sports that are particularly well covered, although horse and greyhound racing are both a bit of a let down if it’s one of your main betting areas but they are both still there.

Depth of market is only topped by the industry giants, so you will find 175+ markets for an average Premiere League match, for example, and Asian markets are available.

The odds offered by NetBet aren’t the best but they’re not the worst, either. They sit comfortably in the middle of the market and actually offer some decent odds if you take advantage of their regular price boosts and other offers. In fairness it will only really affect you if you’re putting on big bets, such is the closeness of NetBet’s odds to most of the other major bookmakers.

About Netbet’s History

The company was founded back in 2001 as a casino and online gaming site, being bought by Cosmo Gaming Company Ltd in 2009. They got their gaming licence three years earlier, in 2006, and went from strength to strength after that. In 2014 their poker site merged with Poker770, meaning that they have over 2 million registered users and a really decent poker engine.

The company is now registered as NetBet Enterprises Limited and has made efforts to increase its brand recognition across Europe in recent years. The main way it has done this has been via sponsorship deals with some well-known clubs, most notably West Brom, St Etienne and Steaua Bucharest.

NetBet has been located in Malta ever since it was formed, leading the way compared to plenty of other bookies who have tended to move there because of the tax breaks they receive in exchange.

NetBet Specialities

The company are quite hot on promotions and betting features, so there’s plenty to talk about here.

In general they would suit any punter who is looking to build or add to a portfolio of betting sites. I wouldn’t recommend them as your one and only place to bet but they definitely deserve a place among a few others.

This is also a good shout for people who don’t like overly busy websites. Honestly, NetBet’s interface is head and shoulders above almost everyone else.

Here are a few of my favourite features:

• Add2Bet – Allowing you to add a selection to a pre-existing bet. Essentially, you use the cash out amount of your existing bet as the stake for your new bet.
• SnapBet – It’s just another name for pulse betting, but it’s great fun. You are betting on minute markets like ’goal in next 5 minutes’ but the closer to the end point the goal occurs, the more you win.
• Betmaker – A personalisation tool allowing you to add selections from the same event into an accumulator. Markets like 1^st/2^nd half, goals, corners, and cards are included.
• Stats & Blog – I snuck two into one here, but combined they provide all the info you will ever need to help you decide what to do.

Contact Options & Licence Number

NetBet’s customer service is apparently available from 9am until 11pm thanks to live chat, though they can be tricky to get hold of sometimes – maybe they have just gone to make a cup of tea or something.

I would use their Twitter account for information and offers rather than support as they post frequently but don’t interact much.

Their customer service address is: Netbet Enterprises Limited, 209, Marina street, Pieta PTA 9041, Malta.

NetBet are based in Malta but they’re controlled by the UK Gambling Commission and have a license through them. The license reference number, should you be interested, is 39170.