Matchbook

Matchbook UK Review (2024)

Sports fans in the UK are not short of betting sites to pick from, but Matchbook stands out as a rather unusual proposition due to it also hosting a betting exchange as well as a live casino site.

New customers are currently being offered the chance to get zero commission for 90 days on all their sports bets at Matchbook, so this is a great time to be signing up for an account on the site.

Matchbook Betting Exchange Review

While the site is home to a range of options, the exchange still remains the heart of Matchbook - indeed, it was shortlisted for Best In-House Product in the EGR Operator Awards in 2022. For those who lack experience in using a betting exchange, it is worth giving a brief overview of what this is and how it works. On a betting exchange, prices are set on a peer-to-peer basis. Rather than odds being set by a betting site itself, users are actually betting against each other.

What this means in practice is that betting exchange sites like Matchbook and its main industry rival Betfair typically have better odds than any other UK sports betting site. However, the flip side is that users are normally charged a commission rate, which helps to redress the balance. Prices can also be boosted by regular enhanced specials that are offered by Matchbook. These often cover football, so can be a good option for fans of the beautiful game who seek top value.

The list of sports offered at the Matchbook betting exchange is broadly in line with those offered by the major sports betting sites. There is not any option to bet on esports just yet, however, so anyone who is hoping to find top odds for CS:GO, Dota 2 and so on will have to go elsewhere. Some top political betting markets are available to browse, though, such as the next upcoming presidential election in the United States, though there is a lack of TV and film special markets.

Matchbook's betting exchange is relatively easy to navigate. Anyone who is brand new to using a sports betting exchange might take a while to get up to speed, but the layout is clear and once users are sure about the difference between backing a bet and laying it, they will pick it up fast. It is possible to bet live in-play as well as pre-match for most major sports. However, smaller events may feature a lack of liquidity in the betting exchange markets, so the odds may be low.

Part of the Matchbook betting exchange offering is a busy virtual sports department. This is worth a look in the event of there being no major sports action to bet on. Within the virtual sports area, Matchbook betting exchange customers have the chance to pick from a wide array of options such as virtual soccer, virtual greyhounds, virtual tennis, virtual horse racing and more.

At the moment, customers who join Matchbook and enter the bonus code "COMMFREE90" will get a 90-day period with no commission needing to be paid on their bets. This means there is a good period of time to try out the betting exchange without the commission element in play. There is also a £20 welcome offer up for grabs with Matchbook betting exchange users able to get their money back as a free bet if their first wager turns out to lose. Thrown into the welcome offer at the Matchbook betting exchange is 20 free spins to be used on the Starburst slot game.

Matchbook Zero Review

One of the most interesting parts of the Matchbook betting exchange site is the Matchbook Zero product, which was recently launched. As the name Matchbook Zero suggests, this is a zero-commission area, allowing the site's customers to keep 100% of their winnings from bets.

At the present time, Matchbook Zero is only available for horse racing and football bets, so those who like to place back or lay bets on other sports like tennis and golf will have to wait for now. Matchbook Zero is also stake limited, with users only able to bet £20 on each market. It is also limited to a single bet.

This means that for each horse race, for example, Matchbook Zero customers can only place one back or lay bet, with the stake size not able to exceed £20. This is far from ideal and will likely prompt many to choose one of the more established horse racing bookies. Even football fans might want to try one of the more prominent sites instead, therefore.

Matchbook Zero is available through the normal desktop site, as well as mobile web and mobile betting apps that can already be downloaded onto both iOS and Android devices. It is fair to say that Matchbook Zero is an interesting idea. One of the downsides of using a sports betting exchange like Matchbook - or its main industry rival Betfair - is the commission charged on winning wagers. Users of typical sports betting sites are accustomed to being able to keep 100% of their winnings and this is also the case at Matchbook Zero, which is very good news.

However, the fact it is stake limited means those who are hoping to place larger bets may find that Matchbook Zero is not going to be suitable for their needs. While Matchbook Zero has only been launched relatively recently and could be rolled out to other sports in the near future, users being limited to choosing football or horse racing Matchbook Zero markets is also a problem.

Matchbook Casino Review

With up to £100 up for grabs as a matched deposit bonus, it is clear Matchbook takes its casino site very seriously, even if the betting exchange and Matchbook Zero remain its meat and drink.

The Matchbook casino boasts dozens of slot games, though the selection is nowhere near as impressive as those at the UK's top online casinos. Slots come from developers including Red Tiger and NetEnt, as well as a couple of original games unique to the Matchbook casino. But some top studios and developers from the online casino industry are missing here, so fans might have to look elsewhere for their favourite online casino games as the selection is small.

Table games are covered by the likes of blackjack, craps, baccarat and roulette, while there is also the chance to play other games such as sic bo and pai gow poker in this section of the site.

There are only a couple of video poker titles at the Matchbook casino - Deuces Wild and Jacks or Better - while the jackpots section is also limited with only a few different games to play.

Sports fans who like to play slots every now and again might find that the Matchbook casino is adequate but this part of the site is little more than a nice added extra to the betting exchange.

Matchbook Live Casino Review

Also provided within the Matchbook casino site is a small live casino department. With top live casino games have gotten a lot more popular over the past few years, it makes good business sense for Matchbook to ensure it has offered customers the chance to play live casino games.

Live poker, live baccarat, live blackjack and live roulette all have their own dedicated areas here. Powered by the live casino games expert Evolution Gaming, there are dozens of live blackjack rooms to pick from, ensuring all types of budgets are covered for UK Matchbook casino users.

There are eight live poker rooms at the Matchbook casino, with stake sizes starting small at just 50p but rising all the way up to a whopping £2,500, so the site is suitable for high rollers as well. Baccarat has even higher stake sizes at the Matchbook live casino, running up to £5k per hand.

Game shows are a common sub-section of live casinos these days. Monopoly and Deal Or No Deal are likely to be two of the most popular live casino games to play on the Matchbook site. It is also possible to try out live dealer games such as Mega Ball, Crazy Time and Football Studio.

The range of live dealer games on offer at Matchbook's casino is far more eye-catching than the list of slots that can be played, showing the focus on the live dealer side of things on the site.

The live casino games at Matchbook can also be accessed via the betting exchange's mobile apps, which are available to download for iOS via the App Store or for Android via Google Play.

Matchbook Customer Support Options

Anyone who is planning to sign up for an account at Matchbook - either to play slots, try out live dealer games, use Matchbook Zero or place bets on the exchange - is likely to need to make use of the various different Matchbook customer support options that are available to access.

A major downside of the Matchbook customer support options are that they are not available on a 24/7 basis. This is something most of the UK's top sports betting sites have been able to offer for a long time now, so Matchbook is somewhat lagging behind in this very important area.

Live chat is accessible only between the hours of 9am to 2am from Monday to Sunday, but it is also possible to send in some email enquiries via the support@matchbook.com address.

Telephone is included among the Matchbook customer support options but the site does not publish the number to call. Instead, to request a callback from one of the Matchbook customer service agents, customers should ask for this through live chat, which does not run 24/7 here.

Social media customer support can be found on the Matchbook Twitter page @MatchbookCS and there is a frequently asked questions area for users to check, but it is not easy to navigate.

Matchbook Payment Methods

The list of Matchbook payment methods that can be used is not as long as that provided by most major sports betting sites in the UK, with no Apple Pay, Google Pay or cryptocurrency. The popular method Paysafecard, which is available on many sites, is also not yet included on the approved list of Matchbook payment methods.

Debit cards from Visa or MasterCard will probably be the main way that Matchbook customers choose to fund their accounts. Of course, credit card deposits can no longer be made in the UK. Neteller and Skrill can also be used to fund accounts at Matchbook. E-wallets are a popular choice but the fact that PayPal - which is standard on so many sites - is not on the list of Matchbook payment methods is notable.

The minimum deposit and withdrawal amount is £10 at the Matchbook casino and sports betting exchange. This is higher than at a lot of online bookmakers, where the limit is set at just £5.

Bank wire is an option to withdraw winnings out of Matchbook accounts, but not to make a deposit. Bank transfer is also likely to be the slowest way to withdraw winnings at the site, taking as long as five business days for the transaction to be fully processed and completed here.

It is also important to note the minimum amount for a bank transfer withdrawal is £500 and this may be subject to fees, so it is recommended for Matchbook customers to pick another option.

Matchbook operates a policy called a 'closed loop' when it comes to withdrawing funds. What this means is that Matchbook customers need to use the same payment method to take funds out of their account that they used to make a deposit.

For example, if a Matchbook customer makes a deposit of £50 using Skrill, they will need to withdraw £50 to Skrill before being able to choose from any of the other accepted Matchbook payment methods to take money out here.

Who Owns Matchbook?

Matchbook's owner is an iGaming company called TripleBet, which had its UK licence briefly suspended by the Gambling Commission back in February 2020 as a result of what were described as serious failings in the company's approach to anti-money laundering guidelines. One of the key figures at TripleBet is Matthew Benham, who is also the owner of Brentford FC.

What is the Commission Rate on Matchbook?

Matchbook charges its betting exchange customers in the UK a 2% commission only on their net profit on a market. There is no need to pay any commission at all on losing bets and there is no commission rate to be charged at all for those who use the Matchbook Zero option on the site.

How Long Does a Matchbook Payout Take?

Depending on which of the Matchbook payment methods is used to withdraw winnings out of an account on the site, it can take up to five business days for UK customers to receive their funds.

Can You lay an ACCA on Matchbook?

With accumulators being one of the most popular types of bets in the UK, many sports fans will be wondering if it is possible to lay an acca on Matchbook. At the moment, it is only possible to add back bets to multiple wagers on the Matchbook betting exchange, so accas cannot be laid.