Unibet Review

Unibet screenshot

Unibet are one of the good guys of online gambling; hugely popular around the world with a strong focus on Europe and a heavy commitment to responsible gambling. The brand progressed at an extraordinary rate, winning countless awards along the way, and now seemingly offer customers every betting product on the market.

The website itself is one of the best there is, and by offering odds and interesting bet types on events from all around the world they have managed to build a far reaching customer base that comes back time and time again.  They have an equally strong reputation for gaming with over a dozen games providers as well as bingo, poker, virtuals and pretty much anything else you could want from a gambling website.

Enticing daily and weekly promotions and special offers only add to the value, and while there have been some customer support issues in the past – down to workload rather than incompetence – we have never experienced any issues ourselves.

We don’t want to jump the gun here, but we think Unibet is knocking loudly at the door of the top 5.

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Markets & Odds

Unibet Markets and Odds

Since Unibet takes a worldview rather than focusing solely on the UK, the diversity in the type of markets you can bet on is exceptional. Obviously Football still dominates (70k+ markets worldwide on a Wednesday morning) but Basketball, Ice Hockey, American Football and Tennis also see a fair share of the action. What’s more, Hockey aside, the odds on these sports are usually very favourable indeed, with margins often coming in under 4%. Football punters can find especially profitable prices, even on big games.

There are 40 event categories in total, with some of the lesser spotted being Trotting, Surfing, Bandy, and Cylco-Cross (we have no idea what that is). Market depth in some of these events is understandably lower, but if we tell you there are around 20 markets for Floorball games, for example, you will see that there is still depth there. When it comes to the popular events, well, how’s 250+ markets for Chelsea vs Derby County? You will be hard pressed to find significantly better, to be honest.

Horse Racing earns its’ own section of the site, and you can wager on races from around the world with Best Odds Guaranteed on UK/Ireland races. The Greyhounds are covered with equal precision if you like to jump between the two. A great destination for racing fans.

There’s nothing but good news here really, and it gets better with frequent price boosts and enhanced odds offers, as well as an integrated and detailed stats system to help you make up your mind. In all honesty, we don’t think Unibet get the credit they deserve for the range and value they can offer.

Live Betting/Streaming

Unibet Live Betting

Staying true to form, the live betting experience at Unibet is excellent. The interface is a breeze to use but doesn’t compromise on detail, integrating basic match stats and providing an external link to more in depth analysis. This is perfectly balanced by the way, it’s informative and comprehensive but presented so that it is easy to understand and fun to use.

It goes without saying that the market range and depth is huge, and a combination of collapsible menu’s and interchangeable viewing options saves time and means you can customise to a point. Although the game graphic doesn’t look as good as it perhaps could do the mechanics behind it are fab, with diagrams and text explaining what is happening on the field and where, second by second.

Live streaming is available on a good 20%-30% on the in-play events which is very high, although you will need to have funds in your account to use it. You may also find more international games live streamed that aren’t available at other bookies. A qualifying bet is required if you want to watch live horse racing, it’s only £1 though so it won’t exactly break the bank, and almost every race is available.

A recent addition to the in-play product aimed at mobile users really helps it to stand out from the rest; this is called Action Betting, and it’s designed to tailor your experience and give you more opportunities to wager on events as they happen. It will alert you if there has been an incident (corner, freekick etc) and show you the new selections and odds that have arisen, then allow you to instantly add them to your bet slip if you like the look of them. In this way, you never have to miss out on a winning opportunity because you couldn’t find the bet in time – the bet will come to you.

Banking

Banking Method Max/Min Deposit Max/Min Withdrawal Notes
Debit Card £5 £10 1-3 Days
PayPal £10 £10 Up to 12 hours
Neteller £5 £10 Up to 12 hours
Skrill £5 £5 Up to 12 hours
Paysafecard £10 N/A No Withdrawal
Bank Transfer No Min £10 3-5 Days

Unibet make funding and withdrawing a stress free process, with minimums, maximums and time frames that are not only fair, but down right generous in some cases – plus, there are no fees.

The mechanics couldn’t be simpler, and any extra information you might want is easy to find from the Cashier rather than having to hunt through the T’s and C’s.

The range of banking methods could be more diverse if we were being picky, but there is a good mix of e-wallets, pre pay cards, debit cards, and even Applepay, so most of you will be more than satisfied.

The main details for each major payment method are noted in the table above.

Features

We have already mentioned some of the betting features on show at Unibet, but we will cover a few in more detail below.

Blog & Community

Unibet BlogThe blog and community areas of the site really help to make it more than just an online bookie, but a place to come for news and conversation about all things sports betting. What’s more, both of these features feel alive and well used.

The blog is searchable by keyword or you can choose articles on a specific sport, and several posts are published daily by various different authors, so it feels current. The community boasts nearly 12,000 members with a few hundred minimum online at any one time, and subjects covering every facet of the site and the industry in general.

Great if you are a bit of a social butterfly.

Statistics & Betting Guide

Unibet StatsStaying true to their mission statement, Unibet gives punters every chance to make the most informed decisions when betting by offering guides, advice, and well laid out stats.

The stats are available in-play as match stats, head to head stats for ante post bets (showing form, previous meetings etc) and also a wealth of general team/player stats. You could lose days exploring the information available; full match details, individual player form, difficulty ratings for upcoming events, transfer history – it really is endless. However, it is also easy to digest, so anyone who has ever played Championship Manager will feel right at home.

The betting guide offers advice and information on how to get into sports you may not be too familiar with but have an interest in exploring. It’s all kept as unintimidating as possible and avoids jargon where possible, so you have a genuine chance to get to grips with what you are reading.

Everything is there to help you which says a lot about Unibet, but what is more impressive is that they have actually invested real time and money to make these features as high in quality as the rest of the site.

Cash Out

Unibet CashoutWhile we are clearly fans of Unibet, it would be remiss of us not to say that the Cash Out feature is fairly basic. That’s fine though, it’s there, it’s often available, and it works.

The premise is simple: You make a £10 bet for United to beat Spurs. It’s 2-1 United with 15 minutes to go but United look tired and Spurs have momentum. You could choose to cash out your bet early for a smaller profit to ensure that you don’t lose your stake if Spurs equalize before the final whistle.

The amount of profit you get will depend on what is happening in each particular game, but odds can change quickly in relation to the current situation, so act fast.

Cash out won’t be an option on every bet so look out for the green cash out button so that you know what your options will be before you wager your stake.

Interesting Offers

Unibet are pretty good at coming up with event specific special offers as well as more regular promotions, and there have also been Refer a Friend bonuses in the past. A shortcut to the Special Offers area is available from the homepage and clearly lists the deals currently available. A lot of them tend to be Football focussed but they do exist in other markets too.

ACCA’s, Profit Boosts and Enhanced Odds all add variety and value to your betting experience and can serve to reinforce the profitability of bets you choose.

Casino

Unibet Casino

As is often the case, there is a Casino that runs alongside the Sportsbook at Unibet, and it is just as straightforward to get to grips with.

There are almost 1250 games to play in total, made up mostly of Slots which account for a good 1100 of them, but also featuring a healthy number of Jackpots, Slingo, and Table Games. It’s also a site where you can play a decent amount of video poker, an option which many casinos don’t bother with, quite possibly because of the less favourable house edge for anyone who knows what they are doing.

Unibet’s casino is a little more complicated than some others, but that’s only because it has so much more to give and needs somewhere to put all the options. The casino tournaments, for example, are not something that smaller casinos offer, but they are a brilliant way to get extra winnings from a play session and to compete against your fellow players.

Unibet Live CasinoThe site also has a full complement of game guides so anyone unfamiliar with a specific game or game type can swot up before they start staking their money. Unibet don’t have to do this, it doesn’t benefit them really, but it definitely benefits the customer – once again, they are showing themselves to be the good guys with a customer focused approach.

The Live Casino is powered by both Evolution and Pragmatic Play, containing a full suite of games from both, and those in the know will recognise the benefit of that. It means twice as many game options and a little bit of diversity in presentation and style too. It just helps to keep things fresh.

Bingo

Unibet BingoUnibet’s bingo offering is something else. It has been supercharged and makes every other bingo product on the market look like a village fete in comparison.

It offers free games for new players, huge progressive jackpots at one end of the scale and penny tickets playing for £5 prizes at the other. This makes it suitable for any type of player.

Most of the bingo available falls into the 90-ball or 75-ball bracket, but the recent addition of Hexabingo has certainly spiced things up a little bit. You choose your own stake and are then matched with two other players, you all have 1 ticket each. The game then randomly selects your prize which will be between 2x and 1000x your stake (not a typo, 1000x) and away you go, one of the three will win it. Exciting stuff, huh?

The bingo rooms are all based on popular sports and feature cool graphics, making the bingo in game interface feel like a place for the new breed of player rather than the typical cuddly, bouncy atmosphere you tend to find most other places.

You can also take part in bingo tournaments and earn bingo loyalty points, or read up on the rules using the bingo guides. It’s got everything, and feels ahead of its time.

Poker

Unibet PokerAvailable to download to your desktop and phone or as instant play in your browser, Unibet’s poker product is a bit of a beast.

Again, it’s the extra touches that make it stand out. The fact that the software can ensure no players get an unfair advantage (database software and heads up displays not available to use with Unibet poker), the fact that they stream on Twitch and even run competitions in this way, the fact that the loyalty system is a little bit different and operates by giving players challenges to compete – it all makes Unibet poker unique, interesting, and evolutionary.

Of course all of the usual stuff is available too; Texas Holdem, Omaha, Banzai, cash games, sit and go’s, tournaments big and small, and buy ins to suit all bank rolls.

There is even the Unibet Open which runs a few times a year, where hobbyists can take on pros if they manage to earn tickets for the satellite tables. The Opens take place at stunning locations all over Europe, with an ultimate six figure prize and some pretty raucous after parties too by all accounts.

Desktop Site

Unibet Desktop

Quite simply one of the best we have used. How they have managed to include so much content and variety and still keep the website looking clean and spacious we have no idea, but they have, and this makes it an absolute joy to use.

It’s responsive, moves quickly between selections, and uses a clever interface that expands and collapses various parts of the site as and when you need them. The result is that you are never dealing with more information than necessary, and everything on screen should relate to the wager you are making. It feels hi-tech and modern and makes organising and controlling your betting activity a doddle.

The Homepage offers Recommended, In-Play and Upcoming events in the first instance, with the A-Z of sports also in plain sight, and there are a well curated number of shortcuts on hand although they never impose on the betting interface.

Everything is within easy reach and unnecessary page reloads are kept to a minimum, plus – and we know this isn’t really the point – it’s just a pleasant site to look at. This is what you get when you use an elite platform like Kambi, which incidentally, is a spinoff from the Unibet Group. It is a multi-award winning platform provider used by the upper echelons of the gaming industry and employing some of the finest experts in their field.

Mobile Site

Unibet MobileWe are really trying to find a few areas for improvement here but it’s tough. Yet again, Unibet knocks it out of the park.

A crisp clean interface reminiscent of the desktop site works fluidly and intuitively to make navigation and usability no trouble whatsoever. It responds well to the touch most of the time and very little is lost on the small screen in the way of features – the in-play betting is especially good. It can even provide match insights before you place a bet, such as “Cardiff City have lost 6 of their last 7 matches” – cheers Unibet (sorry Cardiff).

We are fans of the easy access Cash Out button, which the Unibet mobile site doesn’t have, but tapping My Bets reveals all of your betting history in one place including any cash out options, so in many ways it is there under a different name.

Two separate menu’s keep your account options and your betting options separate for easy management, and there is also a search bar in case you need it.

About

Unibet KindredUnibet are part of The Kindred Group, one of the largest online gambling companies in the world with many other brands under their belt, one of them being 32Red.

Originating from the bedroom of Anders Ström, the company’s founder, Unibet began taking bets over the phone in 1998 and launched the website just one year later in 1999 in both English and Swedish. Ström was a Sports bettor himself, so his ambition was always to create a bookie by players, for players; and he was passionate about sharing his sports expertise and betting knowledge with his customers, vowing never to waste their time with useless promos and the like.

It didn’t take long for things to get moving and by 2004, with a new CEO in Pontus Lesse, Unibet had an international gambling licence, 300,000 registered customers from more than 100 different countries, and a website that supported 12 different languages. They also floated on the Swedish stock market in the same year. All of this took them just six years.

Over the next six years, Unibet Group PLC (as they were now known) diversified their range of products, becoming early adopters of the mobile betting phenomenon and adding a Live Casino as well as Bingo to their range.

A number of acquisitions over the next few years – Stan James in the UK and BetChoice in Australia amongst them – strengthened their foothold in the industry further still, and in 2016 The Kindred Group was born to better serve their new multi-brand strategy. They surpassed 1,000,000 registered customers soon after.

Unibet are a recognisable brand to most people thanks to their sponsorship deals with Aston Villa, Middlesborough, Preston North End, and of course, Warwickshire County Cricket Club. The brand can also be seen sponsoring events like the Masters, World Grand Prix, and numerous horse races.

Unibet LogoTaking all of this into account, it is no surprise to find out that Unibet took home a total of 14 awards between 2014-2016, many of them in recognition of their work towards ensuring responsible gambling.

Read more about the company behind the brand on our Kindred Group company page.

Why Bet With Unibet?

Why wouldn’t you? Great odds on pretty much everything, plenty of markets, and a website and mobile product that go hand in hand offering one of the best online gambling packages we have ever seen.

They are especially good for bettors who enjoy exploring European markets and for those who like the idea of diving into statistics but find it a little daunting. The stats at Unibet are perfect for beginners and veterans alike.

Live Streaming is also a particular strong point, with coverage of many games that won’t be readily available to watch elsewhere.

Earlier in the review we said Unibet were knocking on the door of the big 5. How they are not included in that group already we don’t know – they certainly should be.

Customer Support

Unibet Live ChatCustomer Support is one of the most important factors to a lot of punters, since things can and do go wrong, and you don’t want to feel stranded in the event.

Happily, Unibet offers a support service that is almost unrivalled in some ways, but you are strongly encouraged to help yourself rather than contacting them. Basically, contact details are hidden away at the end of a question trail in the FAQ/Help Centre, probably due to the team being overloaded.

The Help Centre, actually, is fantastic; it’s straight forward to use and comprehensive in the information it provides – there is even a Community area where punters can help each other out and discuss tips or news in general. The FAQ is searchable by keyword and organised into sensible categories to aid you in your search.

Only once you have selected a category and a question will you find the option to contact Unibet via Live Chat, Email, or Phone; so you see, they are clearly trying to stem the flow of contact from customers by ensuring that you do a bit of your own research first.

We don’t see anything wrong with that, we’re all grown ups after all, and the Support service they provide is top notch and open 24/7 – once you get through to them.

Contact & Licence

  • Live Chat – It’s there but they make you work for it – explanation above. It’s open 24/7, very responsive and you can even rate the agent you dealt with. Oh, the power!
  • Email –  Again, this isn’t easy to find but we found it: [email protected]
  • Phone – The good news is that it’s a freephone number and we did the digging for you: 0800 329 393 open 24/7.
  • @unibet – The old UK account is defunct so this is the one to use. It only focuses on Football news and betting advice but not exclusively.
  • Address – Platinum Gaming Ltd, Kindred London Ltd, Kindred House, 17 Hartfield Road, London, SW19 3SE
  • UK Gambling Licence – 45322
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