Year established: 2004
Mobile compatible: Yes
Jurisdiction: Alderney & UK
Overall rating: B+
Recommended: For professional players (Betting Exchange)
Matchbook Betting Exchange Review
Matchbook is owned by TripleBet Ltd. The company acquired Matchbook in 2011, the online only betting exchange was first established in 2004. Matchbook provides a betting exchange platform that allows customers to match bets against each other, rather than against the house as would happen if you were betting with a traditional bookie. This results in better odds for you, and for this service they charge a small commission on every matched bet.
There are currently five major betting exchanges, of which Matchbook is undoubtedly one whilst the others include Betfair, Betdaq, Smarkets and Fairlay. Matchbook is both licensed and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC) and the UK Gambling Commission.
One way in which exchanges differ, and compete, is commission rate and Matchbook charges a fairly low commission in the market. So, they charges United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man residents a 2% commission only on net profit on a market. Customers residing outside of these regions will be charged a 4% commission only on net profit on a market.
Matchbook does not charge commission on losing bets.
There is a very inviting Matchbook sign up offer which rewards customers that deposit and wager £30 with a matched free bet in the form of a £15 back bet and a £15 lay bet.
Matchbook is big on football and sponsors Brentford FC. The Matchbook logo can be seen on the roof of the club’s Griffin Park home, and the partnership terms were increased at the commencement of the 2015 season which saw the online exchange become the official shirt sponsor of the club!
Social media wise there is a Matchbook Twitter (@TeamMatchbook) which boasts a decent following in excess of 23,000. It promotes the site’s preview blogs, promotions and sporting news. There’s also a Matchbook Facebook which has over 25,000 Likes.
Betting Markets
Matchbook puts many of its markets up only 48 hours in advance which can make it seem a little bare upon visiting the site, but this also makes it a cleaner experience if you’re a casual bettor. The full list of sports it offers is therefore very helpful and can be seen here:
American Football, Aussie Rules, Basketball, Baseball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Esports, Gaelic Football, Golf, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, MMA, Motor Racing, Rugby Union, Rugby League, Snooker, Soccer and Tennis.
Matchbook Horse Racing currently offers UK, Irish and South African racing. They also offer select big events from UAE, France, USA and Australia. More International racing is planned for release in the near future. Matchbook also offers some Politics markets.
In-Play Betting
Matchbook offers great live betting. The site states that the time delay on live betting events ranges from one to ten seconds. This delay is in place to protect customers who are betting in the market and allows customers to cancel their unmatched orders if there is a change in the market conditions.
Punters are able to back or lay bets in-play and there is Matchbook live streaming which makes all the difference! Using a single click you can Cash Out of all bets placed on a runner. The amount available is calculated in real-time based on the liquidity available in the market.
Usability of the site
The Matchbook site is well designed, aimed first and foremost at simplicity and a clean betting experience. There’s a search bar too for speedy, direct navigation.
The site’s main tabs include Lounge, Help & Learning, Partner Program and Account. These are handy and under Help & Learning there’s lots of helpful information to help you feel at ease using an exchange. The Lounge aspect, and forum, also makes it feel more like the betting ‘community’ it markets itself as.
There’s the option to include favourites with the Matchbook Shortlist feature which personalises it a fair degree. One negative is that Matchbook currently doesn’t offer a single wallet system but a dual wallet with a separate wallet for horse racing bets. This is clearly indicated under the Account section but is frustrating.
Matchbook mobile is tiptop and there are Android and iOS apps including a Matchbook Apple Watch app. This makes it a perfect exchange for on the go betting, and the mobile product sticks to the main site’s ethos of simplicity as number one.
Matchbook customer support is very good, there’s email (accounts@matchbook.com), phone and live chat options, with live chat operators available between 9am and 3am GMT. Response times are fast but frankly the quality of the help is not always too helpful.
Conclusion
Matchbook needs to extend its horse racing options if it’s to compete with Betfair or tempt punters away from their classic sportsbooks. The design is great and well aimed at casual bettors, and it’s especially good for getting people started on betting exchanges with the combination of layout and great, educational articles. The Matchbook blog is also a good place to come for sporting previews. The Matchbook sign up offer is fantastic too making it well worth a visit!
General FAQs
What is a ‘back’ bet?
To ‘back’ a selection in a market is to place a bet for something to happen. This is like a bet that you would place with a traditional bookie. For example, ‘backing’ Barcelona is placing a bet for them to win their match or their league.
What is a ‘lay’ bet?
To ‘lay’ a selection in a market is to place a bet for something NOT to happen, or in other words, bet against something happening. For example, laying Barcelona is placing a bet for them NOT to win their match or NOT to win their league.
What is an unmatched bet?
For a bet to be struck, another customer, with an opposing opinion, must match against your bet. An unmatched bet is one where, for whatever reason, there is no customer willing to match against your bet. Unmatched bets will remain in the market, as offers, until they get matched, you decide to cancel them, or the market closes.
What does ‘Market Exposure’ mean?
Your market exposure at any given time is the amount of money set aside from your balance to cover your current matched and unmatched bets. Your free funds is the amount you currently have available to bet and is calculated by subtracting your current exposure from your balance.
How do I cancel a bet?
Because you are betting against another customer, matched bets cannot be cancelled by Matchbook. Depending on the market conditions, you do have the option of placing the opposite bet to reverse out of your position. Unmatched bets can be cancelled at any time by opening your betslip and selecting the cancel option in the Unmatched Bets pane.
Advantages:
– One of the leading betting exchange;
– Good reputation within the online sports betting industry;
– Low commission charged;
– High odds;
– High limits;
– Regular promotions;
– Excellent liquidity for football and tennis;
– Superior liquidity for US sports;
– Frequent commission-reducing offers all year round;
– Good betting interface with easy navigation;
– Excellent customer support.
Disadvantages:
– Low market liquidity, particularly during in-play betting;
– Narrow range of sports and leagues covered;
– Few futures markets offered;
– No a lot of payment options.
Payments:
Visa/Mastercard, Skrill, Neteller, Bank Transfer
*Keep in mind to double check information. Be prepared for changes to restricted countries, bonuses, currencies, deposit and payment options, languages, contact info.
New Customers Only. 18+. T&Cs Apply.