Available to new UK (including Northern Ireland) internet and mobile customers only. 18+. Full T&C Apply.
Totesport is a traditional online bookmaker that is the fixed odds arm of the Tote. The Tote was a state pool betting operator before being purchased by Betfred in 2011. Betfred and Totesport are now part of the Petfre group of companies that are based in Gibraltar. Customers outside the UK bet under the license of regulations of the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner. The UK Gambling Commission issued Totesport’s license for UK trading and is the regulatory body. Pool betting is still part of the Totesport product range which also includes sports betting, games and Lotto. The license to run the Tote will expire at some stage and Totesport could also get new owners if Betfred do not wish to renew.
In line with its status as a fixed odds online bookmaker with a UK background Totesport offers new customers a welcome bonus. The promotion complies with the guidelines established and monitored by the UK Gambling Commission. Well known operators have been fined for lack of transparency in their offers for new and existing customers.
The Totesport sign up offer is subject to the following Terms & Conditions described below with a step-by-step guide to claiming the bonus:
The Totesport welcome offer is rare in that there are two elements. New customers can claim one offer without activating the other. The total value of the sign up offer is about average. The rules are clear but the two processes mean other online bookmakers offer more achievable bonuses. Even so, the total bonus of £35 provides a good incentive to open an account with Totesport, deposit funds and bet.
The Totesport package of ongoing promotions for existing customers is one of the most comprehensive in the industry. At the time of writing there were sport specific offers for horse racing, football and rugby league. Here is a summary of those promotions by sport:
These offers are ongoing and generic but from time to time Totesport will publish event-specific concessions. These offers will be related to football, horse racing, tennis and golf and other sports when the event justifies a promotion. The complete package of promotions for current players provides a good incentive to continue to deposit funds and bet after the welcome offer has been claimed.
The Totesport sports betting service is designed for the UK market and most of the betting sports have major leagues and competitions in the UK. The range of betting sports appears in an A-Z list and there are about 30 in total. There is also a menu showing the main betting events of the day and Quick Links to other areas of the site. The main sports page also displays promotions in a rolling graphic. The most popular in-play events are also shown with the match winner market and a link to more bets.
In addition to the regular sports, customers with Totesport can place bets on Esports, Lottery Specials, Politics, TV Shows, Awards and Royalty. The three most popular betting sports are football, horse racing and tennis and here is some information about betting markets on offer for each sport:
Football is by far the most popular betting sport with Totesport. The most popular bets are singles and accumulators on the match winner and more exotic bets such as the first scorer and correct score. The most bet on competitions are the Premier League in England and the Champions League. Football betting increases over the summer when there is a World Cup of European Championship finals, especially if England and the other home nations are involved.
The match result market is displayed for each fixture with a link to additional markets of which there are over 100 in total. The match winner market is compiled with a profit margin of 5%. Other firms offer more competitive odds but recreational gamblers are unlikely to notice the slight variances. Totesport work on the basis of low stakes but many bets for football while other forms will look to attract the bigger bettors with smaller margins.
Totesport was the fixed odds element of the Tote before the pool betting operator was sold to Betfred. The Tote only provides pool betting for horse racing so it makes sense for Totesport to have a good horse racing product. Customers can bet on race meetings from the UK and Ireland and international races from around the world. Totesport offers a comprehensive ante-post betting service, covering upcoming major races, mainly in the UK. The site attracts a great deal of ante-post betting interest in the championship races at the Cheltenham Festival and Royal Ascot and single races such as the Grand National over jumps and the Classics on the Flat. Customers can bet into the Tote’s horse racing pool bets by selecting the Totepool option.
There are more bets placed during tennis matches in the live environment than before the event. Tennis is suited to in-play betting due to the constant changes in the play and scoring and the resulting fluctuating odds. The most popular tennis markets are the match winner, handicaps and totals and the more exotic like correct score set betting. Totesport offers odds on the WTA and ATP tours and other tours further down the pyramid. There is ante-post betting on the outright winner of upcoming Grand Slam tournaments for both men and women.
The Totesport App can be downloaded to a smartphone by following this procedure:
The iOS and Android versions are similar and replicate the function on the desktop release of the Totesport sportsbook. The mobile apps are well designed and look attractive. Excellent navigation means specific markets can be located with just a few taps.
Totesport offers a sportsbook, casino, games and lotto products. The core audience visit the site to bet on sports and the following features enhance that experience:
With such an emphasis on horse racing and a predominantly British market, it is no surprise that Totesport offers Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) on horse racing in the UK and Ireland. The offer is valid for day of the race bets placed from 07.00. The BOG promise comes into play when the Starting Price is bigger than the early price. All win and each-way bets are settled at the best odds and in some cases this could be the board price. The offer does not count for cashed bets and any selections in a Lucky 15. 31 or 63 do not qualify. Some bookmakers place a limit on the winnings that result from the best odds but Totesport does not stipulate a limit.
In-Play is the third option on the main menu on the Totesport Homepage. The first option is Sports followed by Totepool which takes players to the pool betting options available with the Tote. Totesport offer a full daily service of live betting events for football, tennis, cricket and several other sports. There is no live streaming or a visual display of the play and the amount of live data is limited. There is definitely room for improvement in the Totesport in-play betting service.
Despite the weaknesses in live betting with Totesport, customers can cash out selected bets during an in-play event. This facility means bettors can close a bet before the result is known. Depending on the original bet and the state of play cash out betting ensures a known profit or limits the loss. Partial or full cashing out is allowed or the cash out offer can be rejected and the bet stands. Cash out is available for the most popular betting markets for football, tennis and several other sports and more options could be added in the fullness of time.
Deposits are immediate and free and withdrawals are subject to standard delays and do not carry a charge. The most common banking methods are available such as debit cards, e-Wallets such as PayPal and Bank Transfer. Limits range from a minimum of £10 to a maximum of £20,000 depending on the method.
Potential new customers visit the Homepage of the Totesport website. The registration screens appear when a user clicks the ‘Register’ button. The sign up process involves entering account and personal information, including an optional bonus code and a Username and Password. Once the new account is submitted and confirmed customers make an initial deposit using on the banking methods available on the site. The initial deposit activates the welcome offer process which requires a qualifying bet. The selection of odds in a betting market produces the Betslip which is populated with the bet and stake. When the customer has placed the bet and Totesport accept it the relevant account balance is updated accordingly.
The Totesport customer care tea can be contacted by phone, email and Live Help. The company website does not refer to response times or the hours of opening. It is rare for a UK-based bookmaker to offer 24 hour support and more typical is a service from 8am to midnight. Totesport shows a complaints procedure and there are responsible gambling measures that ca be put in place.
Totesport will be associated with the Tote which has not been always popular as a state run pool operation. Perceptions have changed somewhat with the involvement of Betfred and more commercial bets. However, the Tote bets are now seen as quite old-fashioned compared to some of the modern alternatives. The Totesport interface could be slicker and the in-play service is relatively unappealing.
In keeping with an organisation with links to state managed betting, Totesport is a reliable and trustworthy operator. The product has all the usual elements and the site functions efficiently. Other UK brands offer more in terms of appearance and in-play betting but existing customers can choose from a wide range of ongoing promotions. The overall impression is of decent service but which is not outstanding.