21Bet.co.uk
Year established: 2016
Mobile compatible: Yes
Jurisdiction: Malta & UK
Overall rating: C
Recommended: For recreational players
21Bet Sportsbook Review
21Bet runs off a licence from the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). The operator is a part of the Aureate Gaming Solutions Ltd.
21Bet only started life in the spring of 2016, in time for Cheltenham Festival, but rather than going for the slowly but surely approach it opted to come out all guns blazing in terms of marketing and promotion. The operator signed deals with the likes of Wolverhampton FC and rugby clubs such as Gloucester in its first few months. 21Bet also became the sponsor of IBF flyweight professional Charlie Edwards in September 2016. The betting company is also a partner of Waterford FC.
WIthin a month of going live, 21Bet reported that over 15,000 customers has registered which is undoubtedly a strong first four weeks for an operator in such a competitive landscape. The sportsbook is powered by FSB Technology, and industry veteran Richard Hogg is the company’s CEO.
At the time of its launch, a spokesperson for the company, said of the firm’s plans: “21bet is all about simplicity, fun and providing an outstanding personalised service, with no over-complicated offers or gimmicks. The first class desktop and mobile site will offer free insight and tips, but at its heart it’s all about the betting.”
21Bet offers sports betting options and a casino selection with games powered by the likes of Microgaming, NetEnt, BetGamesTV and more. Notably, this is a bookmaker which also offers customers a betting exchange, the 21Bet Exchange, which is powered by Betfair. 21Bet is a part of GambleAware.
Betting markets
21Bet promised at its launch to take on the big boys, and by agreeing a deal with FSB Technology it ensured that it has the markets to do so.
In terms of sports markets customers have plenty to choose from. Markets include Football, Tennis, Golf, Cricket, American Football, Alpine Skiing, Aussie Rules, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Chess, Curling, Cross country skiing, Cycling, Darts, Esports, Floorball, Handball, Ice Hockey, Motorsports, Netball, Olympics, Pesapallo, Rugby League, Rugby Sevens, Rugby Union, Bandy, Snooker, Squash, Surfing, UFC/MMA, Volleyball, Water Polo.
, and Trotting
21Bet has a particularly wide offering when it comes to esports and it makes the sensible decision to split these into their relevant titles. Currently offered are the likes of Heroes of the Storm, Street FIghter V, Mortal Kombat, King of Glory and Starcraft in addition to the usuals of Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch and CS:GO
Outside of sports markets it offers entertainment and politics, as well as an everchanging mixture of Specials.
Live betting
As a bookmaker which went live in 2016 it’s no surprise that a lot of thought went into building and ensuring an excellent inplay betting offering. 21Bet is mobile first so it’s for those on the go, meaning live bets are paramount to its success.
On the dropdown menu on the left customers can quickly and easily swap between Live and Prematch markets, with Live the default offering.
What it lacks is the live streaming of events, but, and it’s an important but the live infographic is a cool and engaging one which is designed with the intention of keeping customers’ attention. You can also Pin certain matches as they unfold live so you can keep a close eye on a few of them whilst further navigating around the site.
Usability of the site
The simple red, white and gold colour scheme is a solid choice and the 21Bet logo is a great design.
The platform is well designed, it feels modern and it’s nice to move through. The main options along the top of the homepage are Home , Sports, Live Casino, Lottery, Slots, Betting Exchange, Promotions and Blog.
It may do well to maintain a cleaner homepage however as many operators are doing these days, with the view that sometimes less is more. Customers, especially new bettors, can feel a little overwhelmed by being offered so many options at once. This is especially the case with 21Bet as just below this main navigational line are a number more options including Live Calendar, Live Multiview and Quiz.
Features such as the blog and fun quizzes are a nice addition to a bookmaking platform but they should perhaps be moved elsewhere. The 21Bet blog is a good one when it comes to the content itself but it’s majorly let down in a lack of consistent content, at the time of writing the latest piece of content was from over three weeks prior.
Promotions are naturally a major way in which bookies compete and 21Bet is no different. Its promotions however focus more on keeping current customers returning week to week and these are far better than the usual returning customer offers. It also offers a variety of New Customer bonuses, and Welcome Friend bonuses too to encourage players themselves to drive more traffic.
21Bet is big on marketing as can be seen from its club partnerships, and so it’s no surprise that the bookmaker is keen on social. It maintains a presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Its Twitter feed is mostly odds and offers with a sprinkling of fun posts to prompt customer engagement; it only has 2,789 followers at the time of writing however (and less than 3,100 on Facebook and Insta combined) so it might want to work on a social media strategy.
Conclusion
21Bet is one of the newest betting platforms on the scene and it came out to take on the big boys. A strong sports betting offering, a smooth platform design, good offers and promos, club partnerships aplenty and a lot of customer in its first month, it seemed set to do so in 2016.
The addition of a betting exchange (powered by Betfair) was a wise move, and its horse racing offers and odds will keep a certain breed of customers returning. It has since added live chat to its customer service options which makes all the difference, but 21Bet would do well to make its homepage less busy and more refined. To truly take on the big boys too it needs to add live streaming for key events.
Advantages:
- Lots of markets for football gamblers;
- Competitive prices including best odds guarantee on UK and Irish horse;
- Nice welcome bonus of unlimited free bets;
- Price boosts and money back specials;
- Licensed in the United Kingdom;
- Very swift and helpful live chat option;
- Brilliantly executed site design;
- Cash out is available.
Disadvantages:
- Relatively new bookmaker;
- Not as established as other firms;
- Offers fewer sports compared to other operators;
- Opening bonus can be a little complicated and requires a considerable outlay in order to maintain it;
- Navigation could be a little more intuitive;
- Payment options quite limited.
Payments:
Visa/Mastercard, Bank Transfer
*Keep in mind to double check information. Be prepared for changes to restricted countries, bonuses, currencies, deposit and payment options, languages, contact info.
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