bet365 review: Global player expands its eSport portfolio and game depth!

The bookmaker bet365 is amongst the leading players of our time in the field of sports betting. This renowned bookmaking portal, which is owned by Hillside Limited, is worldwide one of the first ports of call for sports betting fans. And in the sports betting market, this bookmaker has seen the signs of the times and already now offers customers an extensive eSport betting portfolio. We present to you the renowned bookmaker, bet365, in the context of our sports betting test, we explain to you, which betting options you are offered specifically in the area of eSport betting and evaluate the new customer bonuses on offer, focussing on their user friendliness for beginners. With the help of our guide, you will be able to see at a glance, if bet365 is the right home for your eSport betting, the place where you will gather your positive eSport betting experiences.

The most important facts about bet365:

  • Behind bet365 stands the international operation, the Hillside Group
  • Bet365 offers a new customer bonus of up to 100 Euro
  • It has an eSport portfolio with 8 betting markets
  • Extensive additional offers
  • Leading provider in the German speaking sports betting segment

The Categories in which we tested bet365:

It is necessary for the bookmaker bet365 to convince us in the ten important test categories of our big test. Only if we rate a provider good, or very good, in almost every category, can we recommend them to you. When you are looking quickly for some specific information, for instance whether a provider accepts PayPal, or if the provider offers support services in German, then it just takes a click on the corresponding test category to lead you to the appropriate subsection of our field test. If you are generally interested in a particular bookmaker and asking yourself if you will feel at home there and gather positive experiences, then we recommend that you read through the entire guide.

Game Portfolio:
8 eSport betting markets and a good game depth (10/10)

With 30 betting markets for classical mainstream sporting types and up to 80 betting options per betting event, even in the classic sports betting field, this bookmaker sets very high standards. In the sphere of eSports betting, the provider currently covers the following betting markets: CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Heroes of the Storm, Overwatch, StarCraft 2, and Warcraft 3. The biggest number of betting options are for CS:GO and LoL fixtures, with 18 to 20 betting options per event likely to be available.

That means, this bookmaker offers you up to eight eSport markets, for your betting pleasure. The individual markets differentiate themselves into national and international fixtures. Overall a very convincing performance in this test category, although to be honest, from this global player, we expected nothing less.

Bonus:
Up to 100 Euros extra for new customers! (9/10)

Of course this bookmaker also offers an appropriate new customer bonus, when you open an account and pay an instalment, which ensures right at the beginning, a positive experience with bet365. If you install an amount of between 10 and 100 Euros, you will receive an identical bonus playing credit. To receive the minimum bonus, you must pay in at least 10 Euros, for you in return, receive a ten Euro bonus. To receive the maximum bonus, you need to pay in a 100 Euro instalment, for which you will receive the maximus bonus of 100 Euros. 100 Euros is the maximus bonus available, and paying an instalment larger than 100 Euros still only gets you a 100 Euro bonus. After the instalment payment, you need to activate the bonus, by placing a bet. The scope of the bet must correspond to your instalment. After that, the bookmaker will credit your account with the bonus. Special quotas do not apply for this activation bet.

Before you can get your bonus or winnings that you have earned through your betting activities paid out, the bookmaker requires that you fulfil the so called “rollover´´. This means that you need to place wagers in the total amount of your instalment and bonus together, three times. It is also important to note that every individual bet must have odds of 1,50 or higher. Lower odds do not count towards the rollover. When you place multiple bets, at least a selection on your betting slip should fulfil this odds stipulation. When you cancel a bet prematurely, in other words use the cash-out feature, this also does not count towards the rollover.

Bet365 Bonus details

  • Type of Bonus: Instalment Bonus
  • Maximum Bonus: 100 Euros
  • Bonus Code: –
  • Rollover: 3 x (Bonus plus Instalment) on bets with odds of 1,50 or higher
  • Bonus validity: 90 days

If you choose to secure the minimum bonus of 10 Euros, you must in turn make a turnover of 60 Euros in 90 days. If you chooses the maximum bonus of 100 Euros, then the turnover must amount to 600 Euros. The long validity of 90 days is an especially user friendly aspect of this bonus, making for a positive Bet365 eSport betting experience, particularly for beginners.

Website:
bet365 prioritises a good overview and simple structure (8/10)

The website of bet 365 gleams in black, green and grey, the corporate colours of Hillside Limited. The entire portal can be rated as very clear and lucid – on the left side you find the various betting markets, and in the middle you will find the most important current fixtures, and on the right, the betting slips are to be found. Whether the overall design concept will appeal to you, we cannot say. However, we can guarantee that the website reacts without delays or irritating loading times, even at peak times. We expect that even people with little technical affinity will be able to find their way around, thanks to the design concept of the website.

What we find less appealing is that the betting slips are a stationary fixture on the site. That means that when you scroll down, they disappear from your window. This is especially irritating when one is trying to place complicated system bets, and want to choose a betting option from the bottom of the list. It means that you always have to scroll back up to see the rest of your betting choices.

Mobile App and Mobile Website:
bet365 covers every access option! (10/10)

In 2019 mobile entertainment is certainly a major trend. Bet365 has seen the sign of the times, and therefore offer a mobile App for your iPhone, iPad or your android devices. Alternatively, you can also access the mobile website of bet365 from any mobile device. That means that an XXL variety of access options are available to you, in other words: bet365 covers every available access option with a useful access portal. In our field test, the website reacted just as well in Safari Browser, as it did in the offered App, on an iPhone, promptly and without delays.

The App gives you access to the complete portfolio, including all eSports markets, you can initiate instalments and disbursements and can also contact support services, if desired. It is not often that a bookmaker offers an App for Android and iOS, as well as a mobile website simultaneously. This all on one offer is a unique selling point, and another reason why bet365 is the market leader in the online gambling sector. Those who are fond of mobile betting will be very positively impressed by the bet365 experience.

Payment options:
More than comprehensive, and without fees (10/10)

In the payment portfolio category, this bookmaker covers almost all available payment options which are preferred by German speaking customers. You can use any of the options listed below to pay for your eSport betting:

  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Credit Card (MasterCard and Visa)
  • PayPal
  • GiroPay
  • Sofort
  • Entropay
  • Bank transfer
  • Paysafecard
  • Scheck

Apart from bank transfer, all paying in methods are credited into your account within minutes. The minimum paying in amount for some methods is five Euros. Note that this amount will not activate your bonus – for this you need at least a 10 Euro instalment. No additional fees apply for any of these paying in methods.

Disbursements can be paid out using the same method as you paid in. These can take from a few hours up to a number of working days. Bet 365 charges no fees for disbursements. This is another extremely user friendly advantage of this bookmaking portal. We recommend that you stick to making your instalment via fast options like PayPal, transfers or credit card. This has the advantage that your payments are credited to your account within minutes, so that you do not miss out on any betting opportunities. When you pay in via bank transfer, it can sometimes take a few days until the credit appears in your account. If in the meantime important betting events come up, you will not have the opportunity to place bets as you would have wished.

Odds and Limits:
Good odds for eSports and micro transaction bets possible (7/10)

Concerning odds and limits, for the first time for this provider, the results of our big bet365 sports betting test were fair to middling. Here it is important that we add that the test results were limited to our experience with the eSport offers. Because eSports are generally with most bookmakers, in their infancy, as a rule you will get a very balanced odds ratio. This is also true for bookmakers with a portfolio which concentrates solely on eSports, like gg.bet. When it comes to odds, bet365 holds its own, but we must honestly say that better favourite odds are sometimes to be found with competitor gg.bet.

When it comes to limits, this bookmaker reserves the right to establish individual limits for each event. If you want to place your entire credit balance on one event, you will have to see if this betting option is allowed. However, you do have the option of betting in micro transactions. This means that with bet365, placing wagers under one Euro is no problem.

Support:
This customer service sets the bar! (10/10)

From the support services on offer from this bookmaker, one quickly realises that this one of the leading providers. German speaking support is offered via live chat, contact form or hotline. The Hillside Group has a support centre where all the support services of the individual portals are housed under one roof. In our field test, we were able to reach a service representative via Live Chat within 30 seconds. Our inquiries about the calculation of betting tax, and the availability of an iPhone App, were correctly answered, in German. With regards to accessibility, competence and German speaking support, there is nothing here to criticise. If you are someone who speaks very little English, then you have nothing to worry about if you run into problems.

Live Bets and Cash Out:
eSports fans get their money’s worth! (9/10)

These days, bet365 has an XXL offering of live betting opportunities. Here, you have the opportunity to bet on a currently running event. Live betting is a sensible opportunity to gain back lost bets. To better explain this: before the game starts, you place a bet on the favourite to win. Ten minutes after the game has started, it is patently clear that today the favourite will loose dismally. The first map has already been lost and the only real question that remains is how bad the defeat will be. You then have the opportunity, while the event is still running, to place another bet, on an outcome opposite to your previous bet. With this win, you can offset the loss of your previous bet. In order for you to realistically use this option you need to have access to the appropriate live streams. For most sporting events, bet365 has the live streams on offer!

This bookmaker now also offers Cash Out. Under this we understand, that you can cancel a bet, and in so doing get a part of your stake back. To see if one of your running bets offers this feature, you must change to your player profile and view all your running bets. Bets with a Cash Out symbol can be cancelled with one click.

Additional Offers and Betting Tax:
XXL Additional Offers, but betting tax levies on winnings

In this test result, we come to the good news first: Hillside Limited has every aspect of online gambling covered. Whether huge poker tournaments, Bingo offers or classical sports betting – here you will always find an alternative diversion, when you sometimes want a change from eSport betting. Bet365´s online casino is one of the largest on offer anywhere, most online poker players have a home here, and as a rule you can use freely use your bonus with combination offers like for example online casino and sports betting.

Our ratings for the betting tax provisions are not so positive however. When you win a bet, the bookmaker deducts the 5% betting tax from your winnings. This means that when you bet 100 Euro, at odds of 2,00, instead of receiving winnings of 200 Euros, you receive a 5% reduced amount of 190 Euros. We must honestly here tell you that there are a multitude of bookmakers who currently take on the liability of the betting tax themselves, and deduct nothing from your stakes or your winnings.

Licence and Safety:
This provider is 100% reliable and safe! (10/10)

One of the questions we most frequently get asked, from players who are still finding their feet in the sports betting arena, is how safe offers on the net can be evaluated as. What is important for you, is that the bookmaker is in possession of a valid licence and is overseen by an official control authority. These requirements are met by bet365. The bookmaker is validly licenced in Gibraltar, and is supervised by the local control body. In the entire history of the company, there has not been a single incidence of fraud. Winnings are always paid out timeously and accurately. You need to have absolutely no worries that you have not landed here with a reputable provider. We guarantee you that bet365 can be considered entirely reliable.

Additionally, the website also has a number of safety provisions. Amongst other things, it is secured by a Thawte certificate.

Important Questions regarding the bookmaker bet365 and eSports betting:

✪ What level of Bonus should I choose?

A good question, often asked by beginners. And instead of making a sweeping statement in reply, instead let us give you a sample calculation, with which you can figure out which bonus is best for you. For this, adhere to the following steps: Firstly, determine how much money you want to invest in sports betting in 90 days (the rollover period). We work on the basis that in three months, you can realise a profit of 200 Euros. It sounds like a small amount, but for beginners it is absolutely in an acceptable range. Now you divide this 200 Euro profit by a conversion factor of 6. The result is 33 Euro. When you limit your instalment to 33 Euros, thereby `only` getting an additional bonus of 33 Euros, then your required profit ´, which you have to achieve in three months, amounts to (33 Euro + 33 Euro) X 3 = 200 Euro. This means that with this instalment and the corresponding level of bonus you must `only´ realise a turnover which you can realistically achieve.

✪ Can I pay-out before the rollover is fulfilled?

No. If you pay out before the rollover is met, then all your bonus played winnings are forfeited. It is approximately the same as when you prematurely drop out of a League of Legends map or a Call of Duty game. Giving up means loosing. That is why it is so important that you consider initially, what rollover you can realistically achieve, and be led by reason, rather than greed, when laying claim to your bonus.

✪ Where can I find explanations of game concepts / betting options?

This is also a very good question, primarily asked by players who are in the beginning stages of their investigation of eSport betting. When you cast your eye over an actual livestream, which are moderated by commentators, you will probably be confronted with a lot of jargon. Rush, MapPoint or Erange-Quit – these terms should say something to you, if you have a hope of understanding the commentator. Especially if you intend placing a live bet before the end of the contest, commentators sometimes provide inside information that you can implement.

✪ Why can’t I place System or Combination bets with eSports?

Not so: occasionally it is absolutely possible to play combination bets in the eSport arena. However, you need to fall back on different betting markets and combine them with each other. Sophisticated system betting within an event however, is rather rare in eSport betting. As eSport continues to grow in stature in the betting world, so more combination and system betting opportunities will become available.

✪ Is eSport betting with bet365 even legal?

We often get asked this question. And to give a direct answer: Yes! In Germany it is permitted to bet on eSports. On the condition of course that you limit yourself to a bookmaker with a license, which pays betting tax revenues to German tax authorities.

Conclusion: The industry leader get top marks in the eSport category!

Finally, it remains only to confirm that we can highly recommend this bookmaker for your eSport sports betting. The portal and corresponding responsible gambling group belong to the current largest online provider worldwide. This aspect alone is reason enough to use bet365 in the future for your betting activities. This provider offers an extensive range of additional offerings, should you sometimes want a change from eSport betting.

We expect that this book maker will continue to upgrade and expand its eSporting markets and offer additional betting opportunities. Even though eSport betting is still in its infancy, at bet365 you will already find a relatively comprehensive betting portfolio, with which eSport fans will be able to gather positive experiences. So our final recommendation, is that you register with bet365 as soon as you can, make an instalment, and then get going with your eSport betting with your sports betting bonus![/box]