SBK has one sister site in the betting exchange and parent company, Smarkets. As there is just one, our experts have also added some great alternatives.
SBK is part of the UKGC registered company Smarkets (Malta) Limited (UKGC: 39173) operating as the only traditional sportsbook under their ownership. Alongside SBK, there is also the betting exchange Smarkets, which operates in a different style to the standard bookmaker.
Smarkets (Malta) Limited is in its 11th year in the UK markets so boasts plenty of experience in the industry.
The first thing that really hits you when you head over to SBK is the look and feel of the site. The black background, dark grey boxes, white text and green surrounds work really well both in terms of ease of reading and generally looking smart.
The navigation layout around menus and icons is also very strong, whilst the mobile app is another string to what is an excellent user experience.
It is not just a visual site though. The detail underpinning that front end is good too. Betting margins are unquestionably the standout factor; margins during our test came in at just 3.3%. That is insanely good.
Where perhaps SBK could perform better is in the availability of what is there to bet on. Don't get us wrong, it's far from a poor offering but 25 events to wager on, including esports, politics and television is not close to market leading.
Market depth within those events though is pretty solid; Premier League football matches come with around 250 different markets, for example.
That just leaves us with the payment options to discuss. It's a mixed bag. In terms of the variation of methods available to deposit and withdraw with, the choice is vast. You cannot complain.
What you can grumble at are deposit minimums that sit at £10, maximums that only reach £3,500 (excluding Instant Bank Transfers) and withdrawal processing speeds of around 12 hours.
None of these "negatives" are tragically poor, but you will find plenty of operators that can outperform those elements. You can bundle the absence of a casino in that category.
SBK is a really solid sportsbook operation but that does not necessarily mean it is the perfect platform for you.
With SBK sister sites not really a thing, we've highlighted a few SBK alternatives below. These sites hold some similarities to SBK in what they offer but with different strengths and weaknesses. We unpick it all here.
BetTom does not have the same history behind it as some of the other brand names we reference here, but the substance it boasts makes it a phenomenal SBK alternative.
One area of immediate upside is the availability of a casino, including live casinos. It's far from market leading but circa 1,300 games is a decent array.
The plus points continue across the banking options available at BetTom. The options aren't extensive, but the minimum deposit sits at just £1, which is the best you will find anywhere in the market.
The withdrawal tests we've conducted are rapid too, with funds returned to us within a matter of minutes.
Where the actual betting is concerned, you have got betting strong margins of 5.29%. This isn't close to the strength of SBK but, more widely in the industry, is a decent margin.
Then there is the actual coverage of sports. All told, the sports on offer are spread across 33 different categories ranging from the well-trodden path of football and horse racing through to lesser-known sports like Pesapallo! Market depth is another area that BetTom excels in.
Fafabet is another site that offers a modest casino, giving it an immediate and obvious advantage over SBK in a straight comparison. It’s the sportsbook where we really need to measure up though. It isn’t a bad offering and is broadly comparable to SBK in a lot of ways.
From a sports coverage angle, there are 20 plus sports to bet on. All of these are simple to navigate to and around courtesy of a smart main menu and clean odds layout.
The market depth attached to sports is reasonable too with our litmus test of Premier League fixtures pulling through around 200 different betting options.
Margin wise, our test came in at 5.20%. Similar to what we mentioned with BetTom, this is pretty good but not SBK good. Competing with those odds though is a big ask.
The banking options aren’t exactly noteworthy either. With only card deposits available and a £10 minimum, most people can get started easily, but it’s not exactly a headline callout.
It is worth celebrating their withdrawal process though; a 45 minute turnaround from request to bank is good.
With Betfair providing punters both a traditional sportsbook and a route into a betting exchange, it might be the closest we get to an SBK sister site. It's not associated though and is very much an alternative. That said, it is not one we would recommend.
In a lot of ways it can stand up well to SBK. Betfair is a huge brand name and can compete on the event coverage front without any issues; there are 30 different sports to explore with each of those, or certainly the higher profile ones, boasting a good breadth of competitions and event meets as well. Market depth is on a par with SBK too.
Where things really fall down for Betfair though are two-fold. Firstly, and most importantly, it has seen been pulled up by the UKGC for targeting vulnerable customers. Secondly, the betting margins are appalling at 16.72%. It does, however, provide a casino section.
Ashley, an Ipswich Town fan, is an experienced content writer in the sports & betting space, who also has an extensive background in data analytics. Those skills combine here to allow for unique angles to be taken across a host of topics.