Summary
188Bet have plenty of things going for them, with a superb in-play betting facility available as well as massively competitive odds.
That said, improvements could be made to make the website more user friendly for punters, especially with the live betting sections of the website, which we think should be given their own area rather than simply blending live and pre-match betting markets together.
But 188Bet should be praised for offering some great odds on most (if not all) European leagues.
Customer service is also excellent and while there's only a limited range of sports on offer, things are certainly going in the right direction for the company.
New Customer Offer
Place a bet of up to £25 when you open an account with 188Bet and if your first bet loses, they will refund your stake up to £25.
To claim your free bet, email promo@188bet.com, providing your username along with the bet ID and displayed promotion code.
Wagering requirement
N/A.
Background
After securing sponsorship deals with Premier League clubs Bolton Wanderers and Wigan Athletic, it's clear that 188Bet are keen to get involved with the highly-competitive and lucrative UK market.
But the Cube Limited-owned operation also has versions of its website for customers in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, while casino and live casino is also available and uses the excellent Microgaming software.
Fully licensed and regulated by the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Committee, 188Bet are relative newcomers after launching in 2006.
Punters can place their bets safe in the knowledge that all funds - deposits and winnings - are held in a segregated reserve account with Royal Bank of Scotland International, meaning your money is safe at all times.
188Bet - bet now and claim a £25 free bet
Odds and Markets
Football (soccer) and in-play betting are the two main attractions at 188Bet at time of writing and it's easy to see that the current aim is to ensure that live football betting is always available around the clock for punters.
Odds on offer are at worst, competitive and at best, some of the best you'll find online.
The focus is on the 1x2, Total Goals and Asian Handicap markets, although there are a wide range of markets available as well as a handy odds calculator, which makes it easy for punters to see the margins which 188Bet are operating at.
If football isn't your thing, then you may be somewhat disappointed by the other sports on offer. U.S sports do get coverage, but by far, the main focus is on European football, with around 3,000 live games per month available for in-play betting.
Website
188Bet provide a relatively easy to use website and the layout is generally good.
In-play betting is easy to find from the homepage and placing a bet is straightforward.
Sports are found in a menu on the left-hand side of the page, but some punters may not like how clicking on the 'Sports' tab at the top of the page takes you directly to 188Bet's football markets. It means a couple of extra clicks if you're not a football fan and although only a minor niggle, we can appreciate how those looking to bet on other sports would not be too keen on this.
While the cosmetics of the site are generally good, some of the methods used for navigation are not the best and some punters used to betting with some of the big boys may find it takes a while to get used to 188Bet's website.
Customer Service
Email and telephone support is available 24/7 while 188Bet also offer a Live Chat facility.
188Bet also offer a Skype facility, which is something rarely seen with bookmakers and a nice addition.
Customer Service Email
help@188Bet.com
Customer Service Telephone Number
+442070228668