They may be known primarily for their online casinos, but Marketplay have delved into online sportsbooks from time to time, including with one of their most popular sites, Mr. Play. Their recent efforts with ZetBet Casino (now known solely as ZetBet) shows how their previous experience has helped to produce an impressive sports betting offering, that includes most things necessary to modern-day punters.
In this comprehensive review, we will be considering every key area of ZetBet, including its special offers, safety and security, bonuses, customer service, betting markets, and more. Overall, we’ll be evaluating whether this is a good option as a sportsbook, and if the time is right to begin your ZetBet journey.
The British betting industry is home to some of the biggest bookmakers in the world. In recent decades, the likes of SkyBet, PaddyPower, and Bet365 all have cemented themselves as mainstays, making it exceedingly difficult for new sportsbooks to gain a significant audience.
This is especially the case when it comes to sign up offers. Often, sign up offers can actually cost sportsbooks a substantial amount of money. Bigger companies like the ones previously mentioned, however, can handle this loss in the knowledge that it is a useful acquisition tool. But for smaller companies, it is trickier, and ZetBet is no different.
For this reason, it’s no surprise that ZetBet’s sign up offer is pretty small in scale. It’s a classic ‘Bet and Get’ deal, in which you wager £10, and receive a £10 bet token in return (this is the same as a £10 free bet – it’s simply marketed as a ‘token’).
Receiving the welcome token is simple, with these being the few steps you must take to do so:
This is a pretty weak sign-up offer when compared to some of the biggest in the business, like Bet365, who currently offer as much as £50 in free bets when you create an account. In addition, there are several terms and conditions which must also be considered:
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that ZetBet find it difficult to push a competitive acquisition offer, and – for those looking for a bigger welcome bonus – it is often major sites that impress the most. However, seeing past the initial welcome bonus could actually still lead to a pleasurable experience at ZetBet, as we’ll see shortly.
Unfortunately, whilst Marketplay have begun to delve into the world of online sportsbooks, their online casino offering still seems to be their focus. Nowhere is this clearer than when it comes to ongoing promotions. Whilst the casino includes as many as three exciting specials, there is only one ongoing promotion on the sportsbook. Thankfully though, it’s admittedly a popular one in the betting industry.
Enhanced odds are a go-to promotion for not only smaller sportsbooks, but some of the biggest names around too. ZetBet have taken this a step further, offering boosted wins on accumulators up to a huge 77%.
The premise is simple: choose at least four pre-match selections, place your bet, and ZetBet will boost any winnings. The more selections you make, the more chance you have of your ZetBoost increasing.
Aside from this, as noted, the cupboard is completely bare. The ZetBoost is a high-quality special, that can be used on accumulators as often as you please. However, if ZetBet are serious about making improvements, increasing their library of ongoing promotions – to meet the demands of a diverse range of bettors – would be a great place to start.
Marketplay’s impressive reputation has sprung almost completely from their casino offering. However, their partnership with Aspire Global has opened the door to building an online sportsbook, with Aspire’s knowledge certainly having played a key role in building a well-rounded sportsbook. That is made no clearer than when it comes to the vast array of sports betting markets offered at ZetBet.
There are over 30 sports to choose from, including some of the most popular sports to bet on. These include football – which sits as the most prominent sport on offer – horse racing, tennis, and Formula 1.
American sports are also on offer at ZetBet, including basketball, ice hockey, and American football. There are also more niche sports for those looking for something a little different, including water polo and volleyball. ZetBet also understand the importance of one of the fastest-growing betting markets in the world – eSports. They offer two of the most popular titles around – Counter Strike: Global Offensive and Rainbow Six: Siege – among their sportsbook offering.
Overall, there are more than enough options at ZetBet to feel as though your betting needs are met, from the most popular sports to those roads less travelled.
It’s no surprise that football plays a huge role on ZetBet. After all, the beautiful game is the most popular sport to bet on in the UK, for digital punters at least. On the sports homepage, football appears first in the navigation menu, and is shown in ZetBet’s in-play offering above all other sports.
The range of football betting here is impressive, and even competes with some of the biggest betting sites in the world. From major competitions like the Champions League, Premier League, La Liga, and the Bundesliga, all the way to more niche leagues like those in Armenia, Bahrain, Cyprus, and many more, the possibilities for football betting are huge.
Inside these betting leagues are a host of bet types, which is unsurprising when you pair this with ZetBet’s focus on accumulator betting. These include, but are not limited to:
ZetBet also offer both outright markets and in-play across some of the biggest competitions around. So, no matter when you are looking to join in on the action, you’ll certainly have an extensive list of choices available.
ZetBet clearly understand what is popular amongst most UK bettors. That’s why – in addition to football – horse racing plays a major role on their site.
On the right of your screen on ZetBet, the next major horse race sits just underneath your bet slip by default. This offers the player the ability to choose from English racing, American racing, or all racing. On the left, horse racing sits just below football in terms of prominence.
However, it is in the horse racing markets themselves where ZetBet unfortunately misses the mark. They do include outright winner markets on all major race meets, but nothing more. No First After SP Favourite, no Forecasts, and no Unnamed 2nd Favourite. In terms of outright markets across a meet, there is also a lack of markets available. A site that doesn’t have too much to offer in terms of sportsbook promotions needs an array of markets to draw customers, but – in terms of horse racing – this is sadly lacking.
If you are only interested in making standard horse racing bets, then ZetBet has everything you need. If you like to be a bit more creative with your betting on the ‘sport of kings’ though, then ZetBet may not be what you’re looking for.
Tennis may not have the reputation in the betting industry as football and horse racing, but – for a smaller betting site – tennis could prove a fruitful sport to push to customers. After all, the biggest companies focus the majority of their marketing on football and horse racing, leaving plenty of room for lesser-known bookies to swoop into the gaps.
ZetBet have done just that, offering the biggest and best tennis competitions in the world, alongside some of the less popular tournaments. Inside, a host of betting markets are available, including but not limited to Set Winner, Asian Handicap, Over/Unders, Player to Win a Set, and Final Score to name a few. For a site that offers boosted accumulators, an array of markets is critical, and ZetBet have certainly got that when it comes to tennis. Not only that, but many of these tennis markets are available to both pre-match and in-play punters.
As stated above, horse racing is admittedly not ZetBet’s strongest area. But, in contrast, tennis really is. If you are looking for a site to make the most of your tennis betting, ZetBet may just be it.
The selection of sports available on ZetBet is vast. Whatever your taste, there should be something for you. The offering ranges from the most popular sports to bet on in the UK, like football and horse racing, to those popular across the pond like American football and hockey, and the more niche sports like water polo and handball. eSports like CoD and CS:GO are also covered, as are British classics like golf, cricket, and rugby. In all, these add up to make Zetbet’s offering more than enough to keep your betting experience feeling fresh over the long haul.
No longer is betting constrained to taking place before the action. Now, bettors can make their move whenever they want, thanks to the introduction of live betting. In fact, for a betting site to thrive nowadays, it is critical that this option is not only available, but is optimised to make the experience an enjoyable one.
We’re happy to say that – when it comes to live betting, ZetBet do indeed make the grade. Accessing live betting markets is very simple indeed. The homepage on the sportsbook focuses on in-play bets, with a “LIVE NOW!” main section in the centre of the page. This is configured to show football first, but an easy-to-use taskbar includes all other sports in order of popularity, including tennis, basketball, and baseball.
What’s more impressive is that the variation of bet types available in-play genuinely competes with those available pre-match, giving you a similar degree of flexibility to that which you’d get when making that bet before the action starts. Combine this with the ZetBet accumulator boost, and the in-play offering here is genuinely fantastic.
Smartphone technology has revolutionised the betting industry. No longer are players constrained to betting inside, at a computer screen, or – going further back still – in a betting shop. Thanks to smartphones, players can bet whenever and wherever they want, making it more accessible than ever before.
Naturally, those that can’t evolve with the times get left behind. That makes it paramount for new betting sites to build – at a minimum – a mobile site that works well with many different smartphones, or better yet their very own betting app.
For many industry newcomers, developing an app can seem like an unnecessary expense. That’s why many steer clear (at least for the first few years) from building an app, and focus on the mobile version of their main site instead.
ZetBet is no different, failing to provide a betting app for either iOS or Android devices. They do, however, have a mobile compatible version of their site, still making it plausible to bet whenever and wherever you please. Thankfully, that mobile site is intuitive and easy to navigate. It is kept simpler than the desktop version, focusing on a taskbar at the top detailing all sports choices, and the various in-play markets underneath. To find a particular market, you simply choose the sport you’re interested in, then pick a league or event, and finally locate whichever game or fixture you would like to bet on. It is a tried and tested navigation method, which works very well on the ZetBet mobile site.
You can also deposit, withdraw, manage your account, access customer support, and anything else that is available on the desktop version of the site. Overall, it is the next best thing to using a betting app, and serves as a decent stand-in for an actual app.
The biggest betting brands in the world have had years of both time and investment to develop some of the best betting features on the market. It is difficult, therefore, for smaller sportsbooks to compete.
ZetBet actually breaks the mould here, however – in one respect at least – with an impressive range of both live betting features and promotions. As touched upon, ZetBet’s range of in-play markets is almost as impressive as their pre-match options. Their product is simple, the odds are updated in real-time consistently, and the cash out tool is strong, which – when it’s all added together – makes placing and cashing out on a bet responsive and easy to do. Naturally though, even this set of features could be vastly improved by the inclusion of live streaming.
ZetBet’s actual sign up offer might not be too appealing when compared to their competitors, but the sign-up process itself here is as simple as it gets. We can probably put that down to many years of honing their casino sign up process, which has now been transferred across to the sportsbook.
To sign up to ZetBet’s online sportsbook, begin by clicking “Open Account” in the top right of the screen. From there, simply add your email and create a password.
You will then be met with step two, which includes adding a series of personal details, including your name, your date of birth, and your address. Here, you also have the option of adding any bonus codes you may have for the site, although none were available at the time of writing.
Once all that is done, hit the “Open Account” button. Your account should be created after a few moments, and you’ll be ready to make your first deposit and – after that – your first bet. In all, the process takes barely a minute or two to complete.
Before you can withdraw money from your ZetBet account, you will need to verify your identity. Whilst this may prove a nuisance for many, this is by no means an issue specifically with ZetBet. As part of the Remote Gaming Regulations of Malta (RGM), and being licenced by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), ZetBet must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) checks before any money can be withdrawn. These are a necessary nuisance to protect both the gambling industry and the players betting on-site.
Thankfully, documentation submission is clearly explained in the Help section on the site, with these being the few steps you must take:
Based on UKGC regulations, ZetBet require two pieces of documentation. One of these must prove your residential address, such as a recent utility bill or bank statement. The other should be proof of your actual identity, such as a passport or driving licence.
Once all that is done, you should hear back from the ZetBet team in a few days at most. If the documentation submission is successful, they will allow you to withdraw your funds. If it is unsuccessful, they will include next steps in the process. Usually, however, this process is straightforward and quick.
Similar to with their other casino and sportsbook products, ZetBet offer an array of payment methods to suit the vast majority of their players. This is a critical step for both betting companies and players alike. After all, without the ability to deposit and withdraw using a method of your choosing, betting is impossible.
When depositing, you have a significant range of options available to you, including Visa and MasterCard, Online Bank Transfer, Trustly, Skrill, Skrill 1-Tap, Neteller, ecoPayz and PayPal to name just a few. Depositing is instant on all options, as on most platforms.
Most of the banking options above are also available for withdrawals, except Paysafecard. If you have used this prepaid card, the withdrawal will be returned via any other available withdrawal method, as listed above. Depending on the option you choose, your withdrawal will take anywhere between zero to six days, with debit card and bank transfer withdrawals taking the longest. The minimum payout on all banking options is £10.
When you look at the sportsbook’s layout here, it comes as no surprise that Marketplay have such a strong history in building successful betting sites, even if it isn’t specifically on the sports side. The pages here are crisp and clean, whilst maintaining the ZetBet branding style to help it stand out from the market.
The navigation is simple, utilising toolbars on both the right and top of the screen. Useful additions like quick links for the most popular markets at the top are also critical to making ZetBet’s gaming experience what it is. In addition, the site is actually optimisable for the player in a few ways. For example, you can decide whether your odds are displayed fractional or decimal, and you can display markets from a week away to as close as the day itself.
The most interesting layout function is on the right-hand side of the screen, however. Here, the next horse race to begin is displayed with the event’s favourites, making your next horse racing bet (if you desire) easier than ever. It is an addition that even some of the biggest names in betting do not include, which serves as a significant positive when looking at betting with ZetBet.
Particularly with newer sportsbooks, there is likely to be an issue in your experience from time to time. That’s where a dedicated customer support system can make or break a relationship between bettors and sportsbooks. The goal for betting sites is simple here – resolve any issues that arise as quickly as possible.
In general, ZetBet have a reliable customer support service. Their FAQ pages should be the first port of call for any bettor, offering details on how to receive bonuses, how to deposit, and how to cash out, to name just a few subjects.
If your question is not answered in the FAQ pages, ZetBet’s customer support email is available seven days a week between 8 am and midnight CET. Unfortunately, there is no live chat functionality, which is usually the quickest method to get issues resolved. This is disappointing to say the least, since even the newest brands nowadays typically launch with live chat support in place.
ZetBet’s sportsbook may be new, but the casino side of the site, alongside Marketplay’s (powered by Aspire Global) range of additional online casinos, have years of experience, including with Mr. Play, Spin Rio, and Regent Play. It is also not the first sportsbook in Marketplay’s repertoire, having added one to one of their most popular casino sites – Mr. Play – recently.
The company itself is based in Malta, and holds licences with both the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). The UKGC in particular is a very robust commission, which takes gambling compliance very seriously. Taking this into account, ZetBet can be trusted as a reputable site, and one which is safe to bet on.
It’s no surprise that the systems in place on ZetBet are clear and concise. Years of working in the casino industry has streamlined many of the tools and features that are also useful when building a sportsbook. The depositing and withdrawal systems are laid out well, the customer support system (although live chat is a big miss) provides you with useful assistance, and the sign-up process makes it easy for players to get started quickly, so they can get on with placing bets. Being licensed with the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, alongside the host of past successful exploits with online casinos, also means that ZetBet qualifies as a reputable site. As such, players should feel safe and secure when placing a bet, despite the lack of a track record.
It is within the sportsbook itself, however, that ZetBet could do with some improvements. Their casino promotions are exciting, but the sportsbook is easily left behind by its competitors. The volume of betting features available on the site is also disappointingly small. That said, what they do offer as betting features and offers – such as the accumulator boosts (or ZetBoost) and live betting functionality – are interesting additions to the site.
Overall, if you are simply looking to distance yourself from some of the biggest names in the betting industry, and go with a newer brand, there are better options out there than ZetBet. With that said, if you’re looking for an excellent casino site which also lets you place sports wagers using the same account, ZetBet might actually prove a solid option.
