Betting Basics UK: A Beginner's Guide

BETTING BASICS

CHOOSING A BOOKMAKER (BOOKIE)

Key things to consider before choosing an online bookie

The online gaming industry is so crowded that choosing a site can feel confusing. Bookmakers and online casinos bombard us with advertising and large welcome offers & promotions, and it’s tempting to sign up as soon as you spot the lure of ‘FREE’ bets/bonuses. But spending a bit of time choosing the right site pays off in the long run – there’s a surprising difference between bookies.

Here are some key questions to ask any bookie before handing over your debit card details.

Is the Bookie/online casino reputable?

This is perhaps the most important question of all. When you join a site, you want to know your deposited funds are safe, your financial details are protected, and you’ll actually get paid when you win. Most bookies handle this well, especially those that have been in the industry a long time (or have the money to sponsor a big football team!). Look for a bookie licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) – most sites that advertise on TV or sponsor sports teams meet this standard. If you’re unsure about a site, take a few minutes to research it first.

How good is the initial welcome offer?

This is an important question, as a good welcome offer gives your bankroll an early boost. Bonuses generally come in two forms: a free bet, or a bonus based on a percentage of your initial deposit. Naturally, you’ll want the bonus that gives you the most ‘free’ money – but always read the ‘terms and conditions’ first, so you know exactly what you’re signing up for.

Some bonuses carry a wagering requirement (particularly at online casinos), meaning you must gamble the total deposit and bonus amount a set number of times. There’s often a minimum odds requirement for your qualifying bet too. And watch for the ‘expiry date’ – missing out on a bonus because you overlooked the small print is a frustrating way to lose free money.

How good are the Reload/ongoing offers on the site?

Some bookies offer a wide range of promotions across many sports. For example, a site might refund your stake as a free bet if a game ends 0-0, or if your horse finishes second in a race. Compare the offers available and consider which reload promotions suit you best. Ideally, choose a site that rewards bets you’d place anyway – that way you gain ‘free’ money just by gambling as you normally would.

How good are their Odds?

You’d be surprised how different odds can be between bookies for the same event. This matters, because a site with poor pricing won’t give you value for money. If you saw the same product £10 cheaper in one shop than another, you’d choose the cheaper option – sports betting works the same way. Luckily, odds comparison sites make it easy to compare prices across bookies. Some sites offer better odds for certain sports than others, so check the areas that interest you and find which site gives the best odds there.

How easy is the site to use/navigate?

A site needs a clean, intuitive layout – especially important when you’re using your own money to place bets (less of an issue with casino sites, since most use similar slots & table layouts). Struggling to find a specific horse or race is infuriating, and many sites still lack a proper search function.

How good are the Mobile Betting Options?

Many bookies now offer apps or responsive mobile sites for iPhones, Android and other devices. Since most of us now use smartphones as our main way online, a decent app or mobile-friendly site matters. Quality varies between operators, and since you’ll be using this site often, look for the most user-friendly experience you can find.

You can check these out before signing up – if a site has an app, download it from the relevant app store and give it a try.

How responsive is the support given?

As a new client (and perhaps new to sports betting and online casinos generally), you may have questions: what caveats apply to qualifying for a free bonus, whether your ACCA was placed correctly, what happened to your withdrawal, and so on. Getting a slow or vague answer is frustrating. Most decent bookies offer online chat support, but check how responsive it actually is – can you reach support if you have an in-play-only bonus, and do they keep sensible opening hours (some close as early as 6pm)? These are all worth checking before you commit.

Key take-out

Asking these questions gives you real quality control and helps you find the site that’s ideal for you. Choosing the right bookie from the start puts you on the right track – and could make you more money over the long term.

VERIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

All UK Gambling Commission licensed gaming operators must perform player verification checks to find out:

If you are old enough to gamble
If you’ve been self-excluded from gambling
To confirm your identity

What documents does a bookie need?

Licensed operators have some discretion over how much personal information they request, but you’ll typically need to supply documents accepted under KYC (Know Your Customer) rules, containing the following:

Name
Photograph on an official document which confirms your identity
Residential address and date of birth

In line with KYC and money laundering regulations, the following documents are accepted as proof of identity/address:

Passport or Driver’s licence
Recent utility bill (within last three months, and usually a mobile bill is not allowed)
Bank or mortgage statement (within last three months)

You may feel nervous about uploading or emailing such personal & sensitive documents, but it’s necessary if you want to continue using these sites – especially if you want to make a withdrawal.

Additional verification

In some cases, you may need to prove your identity and submit documents before your first withdrawal – for example, a photo of yourself holding your ID.

Sites may also ask for a photo of the debit card you deposited with. If so, blank out the middle digits and the CVV (3 digit) code on the back.

These extra checks are becoming standard practice, so don’t be alarmed if you’re asked to do this.

Automatic verification

Many casinos and betting sites now run electronic checks in the background, without you noticing. These give the site enough information to verify your identity and age.

How long does the verification take?

If you’re not verified electronically and documents are requested, you can usually upload scanned copies directly to your account page, or email them over. Most sites process these within a few hours, using an internal form that alerts the verification team – though this depends on the day and time. Some sites can take a few days, so chase up via online support chat if needed.

Verification anomalies and requests

It’s rare, but a casino can ask for further proof of identity. If an operator suspects an account is being used to launder money – for example, making frequent deposits and withdrawals in a short space of time – it will run an advanced check, which can include a soft credit check or a request to see your bank details.

Beyond this extreme example, an online casino may request further proof of identity in the following instances:

Your passport or driver’s licence has expired
Your utility bill or bank statement breaches the three-month time limit
Your passport photo isn’t clear or has been defaced
Your driver’s licence doesn’t contain a photo
There are inconsistencies in the information submitted i.e. names, date of birth and address don’t match government/official records

What happens if your account cannot be verified?

This varies by site. If you can’t provide the necessary documents to confirm your identity or age, the site will either suspend your account, or let you keep depositing and playing while blocking withdrawals until you’re verified.

Verification delays and issues

All UKGC licensed casinos store your information and documents in line with the Data Protection Act 1998 (and, more recently, GDPR). If you play at an unregulated online casino instead, you risk identity theft & fraud.

Some unscrupulous sites misuse the verification process to delay or deny withdrawals altogether. By claiming a cashout can’t be completed until you’re verified, rogue operators can hold onto your money indefinitely. For this reason alone, only register with a UK licensed bookie or casino.

Why do gaming sites need to verify accounts?

Player verification became a requirement under the Gambling Act 2005, aimed at preventing fraud and money laundering. Operators licensed by the UKGC must meet three main objectives: keeping gambling free from crime or disorder, avoiding association with crime or disorder, and preventing gambling being used to support crime. This is why casinos & bookies must monitor anyone they suspect of crimes such as money laundering.

Looking specifically at the UKGC’s code of conduct, licensees must adopt a “risk-based approach” to the “exercise of its supervisory functions”. In practice, this means operators must take all necessary steps to ensure that money wagered is legit.

Building on this, the more recent Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 required remote online casinos to hold a UK gambling licence to accept UK customers. This meant remote operators now had to identify, record and prevent possible crime – which is how age and identity verification became standard practice.

Quick to slower player verification sites

Online casinos and bookmakers handle account verification differently. They all have the same requests and goals, but processing times vary – worth bearing in mind if you’re signing up with a site outside the big-name bookies and/or online casinos.

MAKING A DEPOSIT

How to make your first deposit

Making your first deposit doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow this guide to avoid common pitfalls and start playing with your cash as soon as possible.

Step 1: Creating your account

Before depositing any money, you first need to sign up for an account with your chosen site. This is simple at most sites: fill in your basic details, choose a username and password, and verify your account as required – remembering to enter any required Welcome Offer code or opt-ins along the way.

Don’t be tempted to use false details – use your genuine credentials in every field. Some operators are legally required to verify a player’s identity before processing withdrawals, so if you land a big win but can’t verify your details, you’ll run into trouble. This is largely why you need to feel confident about the site you’re playing with from the start.

Once your account is set up, the banking or deposit screen should be easy to find.

Step 2: Choosing a deposit (& therefore withdrawal) method

Once you’ve set up your account and found the deposit screen, you’ll likely see a range of different payment options. The most commonly accepted depositing types are:

Direct bank transfer
Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, etc). n.b. Credit cards are no longer a valid payment method
E-wallets (e.g. PayPal, Neteller, Skrill)
Pre-paid cards (e.g Paysafecard)

Not every payment method works for both deposit and withdrawal. Your chosen site may accept Skrill for deposits, for instance, but not allow withdrawals through it. It pays to read ahead and work out the best way to move your money – debit cards are usually instant to deposit but can take 2-5 working days to withdraw to, while Skrill withdraws in minutes but charges a fee to send cash back to your nominated bank account.

Check the bonus terms & conditions too, as in a lot of instances, deposits via e-wallets do not qualify for any of the available bonuses.

Keeping deposits and withdrawals matched

Your chosen deposit method usually becomes your withdrawal method too – you cannot deposit via debit card and then try to withdraw the money to your Skrill account. If you use multiple deposit methods, the site may limit the amount you can withdraw to each at any given time, e.g. you cannot deposit £100 using a debit card & £10 via Neteller, and then try to withdraw £110 to Neteller.

Essentially, using a single account for both deposits and withdrawals makes it much easier to keep a detailed record of how much you’re winning versus how much you’re depositing.

Step 3: Making your deposit

Once you’ve settled on a deposit method that works for you, it’s time to decide on the amount you want to send. This is where your first deposit bonuses come into play. If you’re planning to deposit a set amount, it’s often better to do so with your first deposit, rather than staggering the amount over several deposits. This allows you to take fullest advantage of any welcome bonuses, which are usually the most generous in percentage terms.

Check the terms and conditions of any bonus, particularly the wagering requirements – some bonuses are easier to collect than others (check out the Casino offers listed on our site). These may vary in percentage terms, but by crunching the numbers, you can work out the most advantageous way of getting your money into your gambling account. The depositing or banking section on your chosen casino site should be easily navigable.

Step 4: Start playing

After you make your deposit, you’ll get a confirmation message telling you whether it has been successfully processed, and usually indicating the timeline of processing if relevant. Once your payment is processed, it will be reflected in your balance, and you’re good to go.

RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING

Responsible gambling means managing your betting habits and not spending more than you can afford. It’s become a hot topic for regulators, operators and players over the last few years, and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has pushed its licensees to take problem gambling more seriously, to help ensure betting doesn’t harm consumers.

Fines for failing to protect customers are becoming more common, but sites can only do so much. In practice, responsible gambling is a two-way street – you need to play your part too.

What is responsible gambling?

Responsible gambling means staying within your personal limits. There are some generally accepted signs of problem gambling, but the boundaries are individual – a large bet for one person might be perfectly manageable for someone else, depending on their budget and bankroll. The simplest definition: responsible gambling is playing in a way that doesn’t harm you financially, mentally or socially.

To help you avoid getting into difficulties, take note of the following responsible gambling tools and tips.

Bankroll management

Learning to manage your money is a fundamental part of responsible gambling. Bankroll management means setting a budget based on the amount of money you can comfortably afford to lose. If you view online gaming (whatever its form – bingo, betting or casino) as entertainment, then ‘losing’ a sum of money feels more comfortable and secure, in the same way you’d spend money at a restaurant, nightclub or cinema for the evening’s entertainment.

Self-exclusion

To comply with UKGC regulations, gaming sites have to offer some or all of the following self-exclusion features:

Time Out/Reality Checks: To limit the amount of time you spend online, you can set up alerts that either tell you how long you’ve been active or automatically log you out.
Account Limits: Applicable to deposits and betting options, you can restrict the size of your deposits/bets/buy-ins on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.
Self-Exclusion: When you feel as though you need a break, you can choose to temporarily freeze your account. Typical timeframes range from 12 hours to six months.
Account Closure: All online gaming sites must give you the option to permanently close your account. There are also options to exclude yourself from an entire network of sites and have your IP blocked.

Gambling addiction

Self-awareness is one of the best ways to address a potential problem. Symptoms of problem gambling vary from person to person, but some of the signs are:

Feeling a constant compulsion to gamble.
Being secretive about your betting habits.
Spending more than you can afford.
Borrowing money to fund your betting activities.
Losing sleep over your betting habits.
Signs of concern from your family and friends.

Gambling addiction support

If you’ve taken steps to protect yourself from problem gambling and feel you need more help, free support is available. As part of the UKGC’s licensing conditions, all sites have to provide links to one of the following agencies that offer support and counselling services:

Online gaming is as legitimate and fun a leisure activity as any other, but it’s important to set your own money and time boundaries, and to know how and where to seek help if necessary.