How we review
Nothing gets a score until we have opened an account, deposited, placed bets, asked for our money back and talked to support.
Real accounts
We sign up the way a reader would, in a state or country where the operator is licensed, and we go through identity checks with our own documents. If verification takes days, or asks for paperwork the terms never mentioned, that goes in the review.
For subscription tools we pay for the plan we review. Free trials are noted, but the score reflects the paid product.
Deposits, bets and withdrawals
We deposit with at least one common method, place a spread of ordinary bets (pre-match, in-play and, where offered, parlays or exchange lays), then request a withdrawal. We record the time from request to money in the account, every fee, and any extra checks along the way.
Stakes are small and fixed in advance. We never chase losses for a review, and winnings or losses play no part in the score.
What the score measures
Every review is scored out of ten, to one decimal place, on the same six questions:
- Prices. How much margin is built into the odds on the markets most people bet, or the commission and fees on an exchange or prediction market.
- Payouts. How fast withdrawals arrive, what they cost and how often they stall.
- Markets. Depth of sports, leagues and bet types, and how early lines go up.
- The product. Whether the app and site are quick, stable and clear about what you are betting on.
- Support. How quickly a person answers, and whether the answer is right.
- Safer-gambling tools. Deposit limits, time-outs, reality checks and self-exclusion, and how easy they are to find and set.
Reviews scoring 7.0 or more sit above the line on the rankings board. Below it are products we reviewed but would not point most readers to.
Bonuses and promotions
We read the full terms of welcome offers and quote the wagering requirements, minimum odds and expiry dates that matter. An offer can be mentioned in a review; it never lifts a score on its own, because it runs out and the prices do not.
Updates and corrections
Odds, apps and terms change. We revisit reviews when an operator changes something material, and the review shows the date of the last update. Factual corrections are marked in a note at the end of the review. If you spot something out of date, tell the desk.
Betting safely
Reviews are information, not advice, and never a promise of profit. Bet only what you can afford to lose, set a deposit limit before you start, and if betting stops being fun, get free, confidential help from BeGambleAware (UK, 0808 8020 133) or 1-800-GAMBLER (US).