New customers only. Sign up today using bonus code MATCHBOOK30. Place your first bet. If it loses, we will refund your first bet stake as a free bet. The first bet must be placed within 7 days of registration and at odds of 1.8 or more to be eligible. The max refund is a single £30 free bet and it will be applied to your account within 72 hours of the qualifying bet being settled. T's and C's apply. 18+. Be Gamble Aware
New customers only. Sign up today using bonus code MATCHBOOK30. Place your first bet. If it loses, we will refund your first bet stake as a free bet. The first bet must be placed within 7 days of registration and at odds of 1.8 or more to be eligible. The max refund is a single £30 free bet and it will be applied to your account within 72 hours of the qualifying bet being settled. T's and C's apply. 18+. Be Gamble Aware
Founded in 2004, Matchbook is a well-known betting exchange providing bettors in the UK with access to a wide range of worldwide sports, political and current affairs markets. In line with its close competitors including Smarkets, Betfair and Betdaq, Matchbook charges a flat 2% commission on all winnings making it a very competitive offering in the betting exchange world!
With the core betting exchange functionality aside, Matchbook excels in bringing plenty of additional features to the table including the syndicate-based Colossus Jackpots betting service, virtual sports, live casino games and access to regular promotions for active customers.
In this Matchbook review I am going to look deeper into what Matchbook offers and see how this platform could help you get the most from your betting. We'll being with probably one of the best reasons to join Matchbook, the sign-up offer, which can see new customers gaining a £10 free bet to use on Greyhounds after betting £10 themselves or, alternatively, gaining access to 0% commission for 30 days on any winnings gained on the exchange!
New customers only. Sign up today using bonus code MATCHBOOK30. Place your first bet. If it loses, we will refund your first bet stake as a free bet. The first bet must be placed within 7 days of registration and at odds of 1.8 or more to be eligible. The max refund is a single £30 free bet and it will be applied to your account within 72 hours of the qualifying bet being settled. T's and C's apply. 18+. Be Gamble Aware
Welcome Offer
Matchbook change their welcome offer more frequently than other bookies and betting exchanges but currently, they have a very generous promotion available to all new customers.
Create an account with Matchbook, place your first bet and if it loses, you'll receive your stake back as a free bet up to £30!
To claim the signup offer, the first step is to open an account which you can do by clicking here.
Matchbook Promo Code
When creating your account, you must enter the bonus code MATCHBOOK30 on the registration form in order to be eligible for the refund should your first bet lose.
Once your account is open, make a deposit using a valid debit card.
Next, find a bet to place at odds of 4/5 (1.80) or greater and place your bet.
If your bet loses, your stake will be refunded within 72 hours of it settling.
This is a great offer from one of the top online betting exchanges that offers low commission on all bets.
Visit Matchbook today and get a refund up to £30 if your first bet loses.
Alternatively, you can get 90 days of 0% commission across all of your bets when registering using bonus code COMMFREE90.
Matchbook Commissions
When using Matchbook, instead of a standard bookmaker, you will need to pay a small commission on any winning bets. Matchbook currently charge a commission rate of 2% on all sports markets thus putting it in line with both Smarkets, Betdaq and (on the lowest rewards tier) market leaders Betfair!
It is important to understand that losing bets incur no commission charges at Matchbook and that, whilst such a commission might seem like a negative at first, the enhanced odds available on betting exchanges mean you could still (often) end up winning more on an exchange, even after commission has been taken away!
Matchbook Sports
One of the biggest attractions of using a betting exchange, alongside the much higher odds which are usually on offer, is the huge range of sports and selections to bet on.
Matchbook are no exception and provide betting options on a huge selection of sports and markets from top-flight soccer matches through to rugby, tennis, golf, motorsports and more.
Even if your sport of choice is a little further afield, popular world sports including Aussie Rules, MLB Baseball, NBA Basketball, Gaelic Football, NHL Hockey and NFL American Football among many others are readily available to bet on with Matchbook!
Football / Soccer
Football is one of the biggest sports to bet on in the UK and a firm favourite when it comes to betting on everything from the winner of a game through to the correct score, BTTS, over/under goals, first goalscorer and plenty of other options in between.
Given this popularity, it is great to see that Matchbook are clearly taking football betting seriously and offering excellent coverage of many popular leagues such as the English Premier League, the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga as well as leagues and competitions further afield like COPA America.
Whilst looking at any given football event, we often see many available markets to bet on, these include:
Whilst liquidity on many football markets are usually down slightly on bigger exchanges such as Betfair, Matchbook does feature a very handy “popular markets” section which makes accessing the most popular football markets featuring better liquidity very quick and easy.
In-play football betting is also a great feature within Matchbook with many markets available right up to the very end of any given fixture (and Matchbook don't simply remove the cash-out option to suit themselves, like some traditional bookies might do). As such, anyone taking in-play football betting seriously and potentially wanting to cash-out any bets mid-game should seriously consider Matchbook!
Horse Racing
Next to football, horse racing is also hugely popular in the UK and one in which it is clear Matchbook have worked very hard to deliver first class coverage. This means easy access is provided to all popular UK and Irish horse racing events alongside many other mainstream racing events from around the world, this includes South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, the USA and others.
Navigating between races is very simple due to Matchbook's user-friendly and well thought out racing section on the main Matchbook website. Races for the next day are also easy to find by simply changing the date on the main racecard section to “tomorrow” (see below).
Finding races for the next day is also very easy at Matchbook,. Another point to note is that Matchbook usually have horse races priced up the evening before or earlier making them ideal for placing early bets on horse racing at fixed odds (more traditional bookies might limit you to only SP the evening before if anything at all).
Motorsports
If you enjoy betting in F1 and other motorsports then Matchbook has you covered with common markets including:
Race winner
Winner of Qualifying
Top 3 / 5 / 10 finish
Unfortunately, Matchbook does fall behind one of their closest competitors, Smarkets, when it comes to F1 betting, especially when looking at the overall drivers championship market which can be seen below:
As shown above (mid F1 season), whilst Matchbook does offer a market for the F1 drivers champion there is no liquidity nor any market depth whatsoever currently available! Comparing this to Smarkets at the same time and we see the following:
Matchbook only offers a market for the F1 drivers championship. Comparing this again to Smarkets and we see additional F1 championship markets including the drivers championship without Hamilton, the constructors championship without Ferrari / Mercedes / Red Bull and well as several supplementary, season-long markets such as the number of driver and team wins for the current season.
Overall, whilst Matchbook are developing some good markets (especially in football and horse racing), it is clear that their motorsports offering is slightly underwhelming at present!
Matchbook Liquidity
Whenever betting with an exchange rather than a bookmaker, the issue of liquidity needs to be considered carefully.
Liquidity is the amount of money in bets which have been matched between those placing back bets and those placing lay bets, a very useful figure which will help betting exchange users determine how easily a bet can be placed and subsequently matched on any given event.
It's also worth considering the market depth at the current best odds as well as the spread in those current odds on offer (which is basically how far apart those backing are with those laying selections on any given event). These values will differ between different events from those with a lot of liquidity and market depth, such as mainstream football, through to events with potentially very little liquidity and market depth such as volleyball, cycling and less mainstream sports.
Starting with a look at the Czech Republic vs England fixture in the Euro 2020 tournament (pictured above, about 8 hours before kick off) we can see that £794,720 of bets have currently been matched on the 1x2 market. Add on to this total liquidity the market depth which sees £23 available for backing England at odds of 1.571 and then a further £174 available at the next odds down of 1.564.
The Czech Republic are clearly outsiders in the above match with £760 available for backing at odds of 8.8 and then £363 available at 8.6, the next odds level down.
NB- Whilst betting exchanges such as Matchbook won't enforce a “max bet” limit like many bookies do, we are still somewhat limited by these amounts of money mentioned above. For example, to get £100 on England above would mean taking some of the money at slightly lower odds (1.564 instead of 1.571 in this case)!
If we are to compare this above market to Betfair, we would see the following:
This shows that Betfair has better liquidity than Matchbook (at around £800k matched at Matchbook compared to over £1.3M at Betfair).
Comparing the above Czech Republic vs England game at Matchbook to Smarkets (below) and there is clearly more liquidity at Smarkets with £1.1M+ in matched bets compared to £794k at Matchbook.
Finally, comparing this same Czech Republic vs England fixture with Betdaq, we get the following:
With only £145,701 matched at Betdaq compared to £794,720 at Matchbook, it looks as though Matchbook is a more popular option for top-level football matches.
Unfortunately, it does seem as though Matchbook lacks in liquidity with the not so popular sports to bet on such as F1.
Despite this, it is worth noting that Matchbook does compare well when checking some other smaller, less mainstream events. This is most noticeable with international football, for example, here is the Kobe vs Yokohama FC game at Matchbook approximately 20 hours before kick-off:
Naturally, with this generally being a less popular league for betting on, we see much less liquidity, market depth and a higher odds spread compared with the Euro 2020 game we looked at earlier on.
Comparing Betfair's market:
Interestingly there has not only been more money matched at Matchbook in this instance (more liquidity) but also more market depth at all of the given odds currently available for the fixture. Given that Betfair is the market leading exchange, this is a very similar market in terms of liquidity and market depth and helps highlight that Matchbook are building a very good football offering across both mainstream European games and those much further afield as well!
NB When we refer to the odds spread we are looking at the gap between the best price for backing a selection (in blue at Matchbook) with the best price for laying the same selection (in red at Matchbook). The larger the gap between these two prices then, generally speaking the poorer the value on offer usually is, this might also be an indication of a fixture which will be hard to cash-out of later on given such a function requires a good amount of liquidity on either side to work effectively!
Placing Multiples
One area in which it could be argued that all exchanges fall behind standard bookies is when placing multiples, system or accumulator bets! As can be seen below, however, Matchbook does offer exchange based multiples and system bets.
To build a multiple, add your selections to your bet slip and ensure that the “Multiples” tab on the bet slip is selected prior to finally placing the bet (this red tab can be seen above and will treat all eligible selections as a single multiple bet once active).
Unfortunately, Matchbook multiples do have a major limitation in that only one selection per event can be added to the bet (as per the screenshot below, the betslip will warn us if we try and add multiple selections from the same event):
This does, of course, put it on the back foot versus the modern “bet builder” systems offered by many bookies, systems whereby multiple selections from the same or different events can be built up into virtually any multiple you can think of. If, however, your multiple requirements are a little more down to earth, perhaps picking a series of winning teams from a single day's play, then the Matchbook multiples offering should still suffice very nicely.
At this point, with a valid multiples bet in the betslip and ready to go, we can place the bet in the same way that we would any other multiples bet, simply select the type of multiple required (a straight treble, for example, form the choices below) and then click submit to place the bet:
Comparing Multiples to Other Betting Exchanges
We'll start with the leading betting exchange, Betfair, where we can make use of the integrated Betfair Sportsbook product to place multiples bets.
When placing the same accumulator at Betfair (Spain / Germany / Portugal) we are offered odds of 5.32 versus just 5.28 at Matchbook (although, as was mentioned earlier on, Matchbook multiples can have varying payouts versus the odds on offer from a bookie / sportsbook product which will be fixed at time of placing the bet).
One area in which Betfair does provide some support for exchange multiples is in certain markets where they offer pre-made multiples which are listed on the exchange (for example, above is a collection of 4 pre-made multiples for a specified day of the Euro 2020 tournament). Whilst this clearly has much less flexibility than the Matchbook multiples offering, it does at least let exchanges users have some multiples exposure whilst using the Betfair exchange (as well as being able to lay any of these pre-made accumulators).
Moving on to one of Matchbook’s main competitors, Smarkets, we can see the same accumulator as below:
With odds of 5.6 versus 5.28 at Matchbook, Smarkets appear to offer much more value on the surface when it comes to this particular multiple.
Also important to note is that Smarkets also allow exchange users to both back and lay multiples whereas with Matchbook we can only place back bets at this time. Both exchanges do, however, suffer many of the same limitations versus a traditional bookie with only a single selection per event and a maximum of 10 selections per multiple allowed.
Finally, when comparing this multiple to the same at Betdaq, we get the following for the Portugal / Germany / Spain Acca:
At odds of just 4.96, a noticeably lower figure than at any of the other exchanges including Matchbook, Betdaq appears to be poor value in comparison (although, like Matchbook, this is only a current estimate and the final payout could be higher or lower if any odds change between legs).
When comparing Betdaq to Matchbook we still see many of the same accumulator limitations including no ability to lay multiples and a maximum limit of only one selection allowed per event amongst other things.
Comparing Matchbook Multiples to Bookies
Whilst having the option to make multiples and system bets at an exchange is undoubtedly very handy, here I am going to look at how this offering, specifically at Matchbook, compares to that of a traditional bookie.
Just as a quick reminder, here is our Spain / Germany / Portugal accumulator with odds of 5.28 at Matchbook:
Looking at this same accumulator bet at one of the leading UK bookmakers, Coral, we see that the odds are (predictably) lower than they are at Matchbook at just 5.04 overall:
Of course, the big advantage to a multiples service like that offered by Coral, is that the odds are fixed at the point of placing the bet (we know exactly what we might be winning) and a cash out feature will also be available for the most part whilst the bet is still active (but be aware that bookies always maintain the right to remove such cash-out functionality at their own discretion).
Comparing things to one of the leading online bookmakers, Bet365, we now see the following odds for this same accumulator:
Noticeably better odds than Coral in this instance and not far behind the Matchbook offering itself! Bet365 does offer a cash-out button as well so could prove a very close alternative for multiples betting versus Matchbook!
It would be fair to say that Smarkets, thanks to allowing their customers to also lay exchange based accumulators are slightly further ahead of Matchbook in terms of total functionality offered. Matchbook does, however, seem to offer good multiples odds on the whole and if cashing out is not an important consideration then this could be a good multiples betting platform!
Live Streaming and Match Stats
Unfortunately, as of writing this review, Matchbook has very limited live streaming options covering the UK greyhound racing circuit only. Live streaming is currently available for selected greyhound tracks, including Central Park, Crayford, Doncaster, Harlow, Henlow, Hove, Monmore and Romford.
To stream a greyhound race live, you must place a bet of £2 / €2 / $2 or more on the race. You can qualify by placing both back and lay bets.
Whilst this limited streaming set-up doesn't necessarily distract from the great odds or the quality of the service on offer from Matchbook, it does mean that if you usually rely on your bookie for watching the events you bet on (such as European football for example) then this exchange might not be ideal for you (Betfair, on the other hand, have extensive live event streaming coverage which might make it a better choice of exchange in such cases).
One area which does help make up for the limited live streaming is the live stats feature that is available on most football matches.
As shown above, these boxes provide live statistics for the game in question and as well as live updates as to what is happening on the pitch (attacks, corners, saves etc.). Whilst not quite a substitute for live streaming in itself, these live stats can be very useful for those wanting to bet live as well as a great accompaniment when watching a live game via other means!
Colossus Jackpots
Colossus Jackpots is a pools based (tote) betting service that is integrated directly into the main Matchbook website itself.
Offering either solo based play or betting as part of a syndicate, players can choose between various pools-based games that cost from just 20p.
Football Pick 4 (Correct Scores):
This game (shown in the screenshot above) involves picking the correct score for 4 pre-chosen football games, should all four of your selections in any given line win then you will be awarded a share of the jackpot!
Football Pick 8 (Match Predictor):
The Pick 8 game involves picking the correct outcome for 8 individual selections within a given football match. This group of selection can include the correct score, a penalty to be taken, a player to be sent off plus several other options like those seen below:
Racing Pick 4 / 6 (Wins):
The Racing Wins jackpot involves picking 4 or 6 winning horses from a selection of pre-selected horse races. Similar to the football based games these can be played from just 20p per line and offer a share of the pool for correctly selecting 4 or 6 winning horses:
Racing Pick 4 / 6 (Places):
Similar to the above, the Racing Places jackpot is awarded for selecting 4 or 6 placed horses from a series of preselected races.
Overall, Colossus Jackpots provides a nice addition to the Matchbook offering and at just 20p / line is considerably cheaper than many other providers offering similar tote style games (typically at £1+ per line with many other providers).
The Matchbook Website & Smartphone Apps
A well designed website and app are essential for any bookie or exchange operator and a key part of delivering a great betting experience to their customers!
Thankfully, as can be seen above, Matchbook are very much ahead of the curve in this regard with a very nicely designed and easy to use website supported by an equally well designed and user friendly smartphone app for iOS and Android:
In our recent review of the Smarkets exchange, I looked at the bold design and user interface choices that have been worked into that particular exchange offering. If your preference is for a Betfair alternative which still retains much of the same look and feel of Betfair, then Matchbook might be a better choice and will, most likely, have a smaller learning curve for many new customers.
All in all, a very nice and very usable design across both the desktop and smartphone apps, a great job from Matchbook here!
Matchbook Casino
In addition to their full exchange betting service, Matchbook also provides a good selection of casino, live casino and slots based games direct from the main Matchbook website and apps:
Favourite franchises including Monopoly, Deal or No Deal and Megaways are available alongside dozens of slots, video poker, jackpot games and many live casino games including:
Live Roulette (European and American)
Live Double Ball Roulette
Live Blackjack
Live Poker (Dealer Poker)
Live Baccarat
Mega Ball
Monopoly Live
Dream Catcher
Plus many other live games...
Whilst exchange betting is clearly the main focus at Matchbook, it is great to see that an extensive casino offering with many popular and well known games is also within reach should it be required!
Managing Your Betting at Matchbook
Like other big exchanges including Betfair and Smarkets, Matchbook has a very good system for keeping track of both current bets as well as reporting on betting history and any potential profits and losses:
This reporting section allows easy retrieval and filtering of any bets depending upon their current status (matched, unmatched, settled, multiples) and filtering by individual sports is also offered should you have a lot of bets to manage.
Most bookies do offer some basic reports for seeing betting history, Matchbook have gone much further than most in this regard and built a very good reporting screen which makes it easy to see any active or settled bets and what potential winnings or losses might be expected (both for a certain timeframe or a certain sport).
Overall a great reporting system and one of the main advantages of using an exchange for anyone who takes the managing of their betting activity seriously.
Matchbook Deposit and Withdrawal Options
Deposits
You can deposit into Matchbook in multiple different supported currencies, these currently include:
GBP (British Pound)
EUR (Euro)
US Dollar
AUS Dollar
HKD Dollar
Matchbook currently supports the following payment methods for making deposits:
Debit card
Neteller
Skrill
Paysafe
All depositing methods are free to use at Matchbook and all carry a £/€10 minimum deposit amount.
Withdrawals
You can withdraw money from Smarkets via several different methods:
Debit card
Neteller
Skrill
Bank transfer*
* Bank transfer is available via request only, has a minimum requirement of $500+ USD and may be subject to applicable banking fees.
All withdrawal methods carry a £/€10 minimum amount and are fee free to use (with the exception of the bank transfer option mentioned above).
Help and Support
Matchbook has a good help section on their website featuring numerous articles on using the betting exchange and managing an account. If you need further support from the help team then contact can be made via several methods:
Phone: 0203 6426867
Email: support@matchbook.com
Live Chat: Available 24 hours a day via the website & app
New customers only. Sign up today using bonus code MATCHBOOK30. Place your first bet. If it loses, we will refund your first bet stake as a free bet. The first bet must be placed within 7 days of registration and at odds of 1.8 or more to be eligible. The max refund is a single £30 free bet and it will be applied to your account within 72 hours of the qualifying bet being settled. T's and C's apply. 18+. Be Gamble Aware
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