Year established: 1996
Mobile compatible: Yes
Jurisdiction: Antigua and Barbuda
Overall rating: B+
Recommended: For professional players
The Greek Sportsbook Review
The Greek is a veteran sports book that has been online since 1998 and was founded by the infamous Spiros Athanas 1996.
The bookmaker is a subsidiary to Olympic Sports, and is based in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It is both licensed and regulated by the Jamaican Good Standing- Registered Players Paradise Ltd.
The Greek is affiliated with the Off-Shore Gaming association (OSGA)
In 2011, in an attempt to further focus on the international market, The Greek stopped operating in the USA and its sister company BetJamaica transferred all of its players to Heritage Sports. Now the site is only currently unavailable in France and the USA. They operate in English, Spanish and Dutch.
Their mantra is “Sweat the game, not the pay-out” and aim to make any withdrawals as quickly and as easily as possible. As a result they have been a winner of Gambling Magazine’s Top Payout Sportsbook two years in a row.
With its on-site blog and a huge presence on Twitter, with over thirteen thousand followers, The Greek does well to use social media posting new exciting odds almost daily.
Betting Markets
Despite the choice of the Greek Casino and Poker, The Greek’s sportsbook arm is clearly the focus of this site. They have markets for most traditional sports including Football, American Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Golf, Tennis, Rugby, Horses, Martial Arts, Boxing, Cricket and so on.
They also have more unique markets for Entertainment, Politics, Special Events and a comprehensive sportsbook for the Olympics.
Live Betting
The Greek’s ‘Live In-Play’ section has no live streaming facility and does not offer an option of live cashout. Despite this there is a very clean and simple feel to the layout to the live betting.
There is a huge range of odds and bettors can easily find what they are looking for, which is important for the fast-paced action and changes that occur in sport.
Usability of the site
The Greek is very bare in terms of its layout and you are not forced into making any bets as the result of constant advertising. That being said, a first time player may find it somewhat difficult to navigate and use.
There is a noticeable lack of a live-chat facility, but The Greek do have a hotline, which is operated 24 hours a day and seven days a week. However, there have been some complaints that some operators Jamaican accents can be difficult to understand. As well as this they have an e-mail facility.
In terms of payment methods, The Greek has a huge variety of options including Neteller, Skrill, FedEx and Express Transfer.
For more hardened players, bettors can place a number of interesting bets such as round-robins, parlays, teasers and reverses. The bonus system offers up to $1,100 on your initial deposit and you can earn 10% up to $500 per month on additional deposits. However these are not made clear to potential players and could be advertised much more clearly.
Their mobile app, like the website, is designed to concentrate on the odds and markets available, a bit more could be done to consider new, potential players in order to make them feel more comfortable.
Conclusion
The Greek is a hardened bookmaker that has proved itself over nearly two decades in a highly competitive arena. With a focus on its sportsbook, it has a huge range of markets and odds that are very competitive compared to any other bookmaker.
However, more could be done for improving the accessibility of potential players and there could be more consideration given to the features for their ‘Live In-Play’ odds. This is crucial if they are to continue to improve and remain competitive.
Advantages:
- Respected in the online betting community for two decades;
- Huge amount of betting options to choose from;
- North American pro & college sports league focus;
- The website is practical for the professional player;
- Bet lines before they are available anywhere else;
- Offers possibility of buying points;
- Financial backing is second to none;
- Up to $250 bonus in monthly reloads;
- Phone and Internet betting 24 hours a day;
- Minimum bet as low as $2;
- Multi-currency accounts;
- Fast payout.
Disadvantages:
- Live betting is not regular;
- It is necessary to check out of the page, otherwise you will be logged at;
- Registered users have to be at least 21 years
Payments:
Visa/Mastercard, Skrill (Moneybookers), Bank Transfer, Citadel, Click2Pay, eCheck, InstaDebit, Money Transfer, Neteller, paysafecard, Ukash, WebMoney
*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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