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A Tradition of Excellence:
bet365.com
by J. Phillip Vogel
Some people argue that when it comes to online sportsbetting, it doesn't
matter which site you choose. "They're all the same," they say over and
over again. "They can't fix the games, so it doesn't matter where you
bet."
Other players like to play follow the leader – that is, they keep
switching from site to site, betting with whichever one has the latest
graphics and newest “look”.
For my money, however, I want to find a site that has an established
land-based counterpart backing its efforts. Someone whom I know is going
to be around next week when I go to cash in my winnings. Gambling is
risky enough; I want the added security of knowing that my money has at
least a chance of coming back to me. Enter bet365.com.
One of the oldest and most reliable sportsbooks, bet365 Group Limited
has been one of the UK’s foremost betting and gambling groups since
1974. Fully licensed and regulated, this company’s 500+ employees handle
an incredible 250,000 bets each week from customers in over 120
different countries. Since expanding their horizons to include the
online gambling forum, bet365 Group has continued to affirm its
reputation for professionalism, industry savvy and great gaming action.
Just one look at bet365.com’s site (www.bet365.com) speaks volumes.
Right from the start, bettors are treated to a tasteful barrage of
highlighted information. From links to their latest promotional
incentives to the vast array of current events ready to be wagered on,
this site is a nice, tight package of gambling goodies.
Of course, even the most appealing looking site falls flat if it doesn’t
have an ample selection, right? No problem here. bet365.com features an
almost intriguing selection of both favorite and obscure wagering
possibilities. These include the big three, football, baseball and
basketball as well as boxing, cricket, cycling, darts, pool,
horseracing, ice hockey, tennis and rugby – just to mention a few.
Should your betting tastes run to the extreme, they even offer a
“Special” category based on current events. As of the time of this
writing, their current special is for the winners of the 2003 Oscars.
So, if you think you know who’s going to walk away with the award for
“Best Supporting Actress”, now’s your chance to put your money where
your mouth is.
But as the old saying goes, man cannot live on bread alone. And so,
sportsbettors who fancy the occasional jaunt to the casino side of the
betting industry can take full advantage of bet365.com’s fully loaded
casino. The games, which include numerous table, slot and video poker
machines are available in multiple platforms – you can either download
the software onto your system or play through your browser in the JAVA
version. Either way, though, the graphics are great, access is simple,
and the gaming is both realistic and profitable with verified payouts
routinely exceeding 97%. Of course, that value is always subject to
change, but thankfully players can check that out for themselves at any
point – bet365.com provides a link to PricewaterhouseCoopers right at
the bottom of the Casino365.com home page. (www.casino365.com)
Depending on your gaming preferences, getting started is either quick or
really quick. For sportsbettors, it involves simply filling out a form
online – name, address, personal preference, that sort of thing –
followed by a deposit (via credit card, NETeller, FirePay, bank wire,
FedEx, or Western Union) to establish a bankroll, and that’s it. If you
prefer to start off on the casino side of the tracks, things might take
a bit longer if you opt to download the software instead of playing
through your browser. But even if you do go that route, the whole
process should still take you only about 20 minutes, depending on your
technical agility and the speed of your connection.
As always, before you take the plunge into any site I recommend that you
review the customer support services that are available, and decide
ahead of time which option you prefer. The last thing you need if
something traumatic happens is to fumble around on the site, trying to
find out how to get help.
Personal experiences with bet365.com aside (which have been, I might
add, nothing but helpful) it’s obvious to even a casual visitor that
this site takes pride in keeping their players happy, at ease, and free
to bet. Their customer services staff is always on hand to answer any
questions or promptly handle any problems that might arise. These
include (but are not limited to) information about the company, requests
for ante-post odds, access to your personal account information, or
technical matters concerning the site. You are even free to contact them
simply to pass on any good ideas you might have to improve the overall
betting experience. They’re friendly and receptive to any good
suggestions.
While personally I always prefer the more direct approach – calling the
representative myself via the toll-free numbers – there are many other
convenient methods available for gamblers who shy away from the
telephone or who aren’t sure which department they should contact. These
include e-mail, snail mail and the ever-popular “call back” service. In
case you’re unfamiliar with this type of support structure, with the
“call back” service, basically you just send them an e-mail listing your
name, phone number and which department you’d like to hear from and
they’ll call you back to discuss the problem, usually in under an hour.
To round out our discussion of bet365.com’s many attributes, we’ll
conclude with the comp offerings. While they are not as extensive in the
comps division as some other popular sites, nonetheless they do offer
enough to make it worth your while. Right now, sportsbettors have the
option of getting $25 worth of free action after initially opening their
account. With this comp, bettors open their account, make a bet and then
place a second bet – a win treble/three-team parlay equal to the same
value as bet #1 (up to $25). If the second bet is a loser, just e-mail
the customer services department to claim your stake refund and they
will credit your account. Casino patrons are also entitled to a $25 comp
provided they deposit a minimum of $25 on their initial deposit.
If that type of comp doesn’t appeal to you, they also offer bettors the
option of selecting a 15% initial deposit bonus with a maximum possible
bonus of $200. However, to receive this comp, players must deposit a
minimum of $100 using one of bet365.com’s preferred payment methods (NETeller,
FirePay, Western Union, bank wire, bank draft, or cashier’s check via
FedEx.)
Finally, while not EXACTLY a comp, bet365.com players do have the option
of joining the affiliate program (www.affiliate365.com) which allows
happy customers the opportunity to post a referral link on their own web
site and get 30% of the revenue generated by players they refer. Unless
you actively promote this link, however, don’t expect to be rolling in
the green stuff anytime too soon. But even with minimal effort, many
affiliates enjoy at least marginal success – which is all anyone can
really ask for.
Well, there you have it, a brief glimpse into what I consider to be one
of the best sportsbook/casino sites on the ‘Net. As I stated when this
review began, I prefer to protect my gambling investment by sticking
with the sites that have proven themselves to be not only comprehensive
and compelling, but also backed by an established industry leader. When
all is said and done, bet365.com is nothing short of a continuation of
the excellence their land-based counterpart started over 25 years ago
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