Recent updates have made the Ladbrokes app unusable. Paddy Power is now the top mobile bookie.
New Customers Only. 18+. T&Cs Apply
Ladbrokes App Review
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RATING ****
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LADBROKES MOBILE SUMMARY
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INTRODUCTION
Ladbrokes is a famous British bookmaker founded in 1886 as a commission agent for racing horses. 125 years after its founding, Ladbrokes is a huge success story in several segments of the bookmaking industry. Ladbrokes boasts some 3,000 betting shops in the UK, Ireland, and Belgium, millions of Web-based customers, and one of the most popular mobile sports betting apps. This bookmaker is known for embracing new technology, being one of the first to host both in-play wagers and live streaming games. Ladbrokes’ iPhone betting app appeared in October of 2010, making the service among the first to produce an application for a mobile device. |
INSTALL & WELCOME BONUS
The welcome bonus at Ladbrokes takes the form of a bet match. New members (first-time depositors) that meet certain requirements according to the app’s terms and conditions can earn a free bet. To earn this bonus, new members must deposit a minimum of $5 and place a wager of at least $5. This bonus is limited to $100. Access to this bonus requires the use of a specific bonus code found at the Ladbrokes website.
This bet-match bonus is the only one that applies to all bookmaker customers – the rest of Ladbrokes’ promotional program is available on specific wagers on specific sports or leagues. For example, at the time of this review, Ladbrokes is offering a money back offer on all wagers against the US in the upcoming Ryder Cup. This bonus is paid out as a free wager the size of the bonus, and carries its own terms and conditions for use.
One last detail on Ladbrokes bonuses and promos – the service offers a Best Odds Guaranteed program that acts as a sort of rebate. Under this program, all wagers after 9 AM on a given day are eligible for a bonus if the starting returns greater than the price they bought in at. Ladbrokes offers this example – “. . . if a player buys in at 3/1 and the selection wins with a Starting Price of 4/1, we pay you 4/1.” Again, terms and conditions apply and can be found at Ladbrokes sportsbook website.
The welcome bonus at Ladbrokes takes the form of a bet match. New members (first-time depositors) that meet certain requirements according to the app’s terms and conditions can earn a free bet. To earn this bonus, new members must deposit a minimum of $5 and place a wager of at least $5. This bonus is limited to $100. Access to this bonus requires the use of a specific bonus code found at the Ladbrokes website.
This bet-match bonus is the only one that applies to all bookmaker customers – the rest of Ladbrokes’ promotional program is available on specific wagers on specific sports or leagues. For example, at the time of this review, Ladbrokes is offering a money back offer on all wagers against the US in the upcoming Ryder Cup. This bonus is paid out as a free wager the size of the bonus, and carries its own terms and conditions for use.
One last detail on Ladbrokes bonuses and promos – the service offers a Best Odds Guaranteed program that acts as a sort of rebate. Under this program, all wagers after 9 AM on a given day are eligible for a bonus if the starting returns greater than the price they bought in at. Ladbrokes offers this example – “. . . if a player buys in at 3/1 and the selection wins with a Starting Price of 4/1, we pay you 4/1.” Again, terms and conditions apply and can be found at Ladbrokes sportsbook website.
FEATURES
Bookmaker apps for iPhone and Android are more than just convenience products designed solely to allow customers to place wagers on their smartphone or tablet. The best of these apps provide extra features that make the app a valuable product for sports bettors regardless of its convenience.
One of the features that stands out on the Ladbrokes app for iPhone is the wide variety of betting markets, offering wages on 45 different sports, depending on the season. Obviously there is a focus on English sports (primarily football), but also included are wagers on obscure sports, politics, and entertainment. More on the betting markets below.
Like all the top-rated bookmaker apps, Ladbrokes offers in-play wagering. This is just what the name implies, a series of wagers available on odds for games as they play out. Ladbrokes’ in-play betting feature also displays a graphical representation of the contest. These graphics are simple – soccer statistics and game updates floating over an animated pitch – but effective in terms of delivering necessary information.
Live streaming sports available through the Ladbrokes iPhone app is focused on UK horse racing and a select few international sports leagues from the United States and Australia. NBA bettors can watch hundreds of live streaming US pro basketball games through the app, and UK horse racing bettors have a huge selection of streaming events as well. But fans of football, baseball, and other sports besides minor league soccer, pro tennis, and the aforementioned horse races and basketball can’t yet use the app to watch live streams. An Australian version of the app is also available for mobile sports betting in Australia.
DESIGN & NAVIGATION
Credit the Ladbrokes app for choosing a unique color scheme – so many of today’s apps rely on muted blues and greys no doubt influenced by the stripped-down look of iOS itself. Ladbrokes’ iPhone application is all reds and blacks, with flashes of green used to highlight important features, such as the “Place Bet” button. The red color is a strong choice, similar to the color used on fast food restaurant signs to entice hunger.
A useful feature of the app’s design and layout is its combination of automatic login and a customizable landing page. With automatic login, bettors can elect to skip the standard password requirement for each time the app loads. That means accessing Ladbrokes’ bookmaker services requires just a single press of a finger. Thanks to the customization options, users can choose (within limitations) what appears when they open the app. This includes options that show headlines and news for specific sports or leagues or one-push access to different betting markets.
While on the subject of customization, the app’s Push Notifications settings can be tailored a little to meet each user’s preferences. Bettors can elect to turn off notifications altogether, or change the kind of alerts that appear, their frequency, or even the way the notification looks and sounds on their device.
BETTING MARKETS
At the time of this review, 36 different markets are available for wagers through the Ladbrokes iPhone bookmaker app. Depending on the time of year, and any special sporting events on the schedule, this number may float up or down. In years where Olympic events are held, Ladbrokes has some of the most comprehensive Olympics wagering on the market.
Of the 36 markets available at this time, 8 are outside the realm of traditional sports entirely (wagers on events in the Royal family), while others are truly obscure. Customers at Ladbrokes can wager on who will win in the Golden Globe Awards as well as place traditional bets on soccer and other major world sports. A wide range of United States betting markets are also covered.
VERDICT
In terms of overall design and functionality, Ladbrokes’ mobile app earns high marks. Offering in-play and live streaming events is a big deal in today’s market, and this company was a pioneer in both. The availability of the application on two major iOS devices – the iPhone as well as the iPad – makes it more accessible for fans of Apple gadgets. Ladbrokes is one of just two bookmakers with an iPad-specific application on the market. Featuring a large variety of betting markets (including the most UK football options and coverage in the industry), a simple instant bet process, and a customizable app “home page,” Ladbrokes is as user-friendly as any application available. Where Ladbrokes could improve is the anemic bonus program and small selection of live streaming games compared to other bookmaker apps.
Bookmaker apps for iPhone and Android are more than just convenience products designed solely to allow customers to place wagers on their smartphone or tablet. The best of these apps provide extra features that make the app a valuable product for sports bettors regardless of its convenience.
One of the features that stands out on the Ladbrokes app for iPhone is the wide variety of betting markets, offering wages on 45 different sports, depending on the season. Obviously there is a focus on English sports (primarily football), but also included are wagers on obscure sports, politics, and entertainment. More on the betting markets below.
Like all the top-rated bookmaker apps, Ladbrokes offers in-play wagering. This is just what the name implies, a series of wagers available on odds for games as they play out. Ladbrokes’ in-play betting feature also displays a graphical representation of the contest. These graphics are simple – soccer statistics and game updates floating over an animated pitch – but effective in terms of delivering necessary information.
Live streaming sports available through the Ladbrokes iPhone app is focused on UK horse racing and a select few international sports leagues from the United States and Australia. NBA bettors can watch hundreds of live streaming US pro basketball games through the app, and UK horse racing bettors have a huge selection of streaming events as well. But fans of football, baseball, and other sports besides minor league soccer, pro tennis, and the aforementioned horse races and basketball can’t yet use the app to watch live streams. An Australian version of the app is also available for mobile sports betting in Australia.
DESIGN & NAVIGATION
Credit the Ladbrokes app for choosing a unique color scheme – so many of today’s apps rely on muted blues and greys no doubt influenced by the stripped-down look of iOS itself. Ladbrokes’ iPhone application is all reds and blacks, with flashes of green used to highlight important features, such as the “Place Bet” button. The red color is a strong choice, similar to the color used on fast food restaurant signs to entice hunger.
A useful feature of the app’s design and layout is its combination of automatic login and a customizable landing page. With automatic login, bettors can elect to skip the standard password requirement for each time the app loads. That means accessing Ladbrokes’ bookmaker services requires just a single press of a finger. Thanks to the customization options, users can choose (within limitations) what appears when they open the app. This includes options that show headlines and news for specific sports or leagues or one-push access to different betting markets.
While on the subject of customization, the app’s Push Notifications settings can be tailored a little to meet each user’s preferences. Bettors can elect to turn off notifications altogether, or change the kind of alerts that appear, their frequency, or even the way the notification looks and sounds on their device.
BETTING MARKETS
At the time of this review, 36 different markets are available for wagers through the Ladbrokes iPhone bookmaker app. Depending on the time of year, and any special sporting events on the schedule, this number may float up or down. In years where Olympic events are held, Ladbrokes has some of the most comprehensive Olympics wagering on the market.
Of the 36 markets available at this time, 8 are outside the realm of traditional sports entirely (wagers on events in the Royal family), while others are truly obscure. Customers at Ladbrokes can wager on who will win in the Golden Globe Awards as well as place traditional bets on soccer and other major world sports. A wide range of United States betting markets are also covered.
VERDICT
In terms of overall design and functionality, Ladbrokes’ mobile app earns high marks. Offering in-play and live streaming events is a big deal in today’s market, and this company was a pioneer in both. The availability of the application on two major iOS devices – the iPhone as well as the iPad – makes it more accessible for fans of Apple gadgets. Ladbrokes is one of just two bookmakers with an iPad-specific application on the market. Featuring a large variety of betting markets (including the most UK football options and coverage in the industry), a simple instant bet process, and a customizable app “home page,” Ladbrokes is as user-friendly as any application available. Where Ladbrokes could improve is the anemic bonus program and small selection of live streaming games compared to other bookmaker apps.
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