We no longer recommend Sky Bet Mobile due to slow withdrawals and glitchy software.
Sky Bet App Review
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RATING ****
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SKY BET MOBILE SUMMARY
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INTRODUCTION
SkyBet’s mobile betting application is available as a free download in markets where such betting is legal – a version exists for iOS users, Android fans, and a few other popular mobile operating systems. SkyBet is home to more than 4,000 weekly sporting events for wagers, and has covered thousands of different betting markets from all over the world. SkyBet’s mobile presence is the fastest way to access the site’s sports betting options, built on the same secure platform as the traditional Web-based sportsbook system. SkyBet now also offers a mobile website (accessible via mobile browser) that gives access to the site’s sports wagering services for any customer using any mobile Web-capable gadget. |
Headquartered in Leeds, England, and licensed by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, SkyBet has been operating online since 2002 and in the mobile market since 2011.
INSTALL & WELCOME BONUS
SkyBet offers a set of bonuses and promotions that are specific for mobile customers. For example, new registrants via the mobile sports betting app can earn a free wager (value of $10) for signing up, according to a few terms and conditions. A weekly free-bet program offers mobile customers a free $5 wager every week, provided they place a bet of $5 on a valid sporting event. These $5-per-week offers vary by sport and season, so check the site for details.
All sportsbook customer, including those who join via mobile, are eligible for a first-bet match bonus worth up to $30. This cash can’t be withdrawn; it has to be wagered back into the system. Other conditions apply to, especially concerning the odds of the wager placed to earn the free bet. Combined with the welcome bonus worth up to $10, new members can earn $40 quickly with a few limitations as spelled out by the site’s terms and conditions information.
A customer loyalty program makes up the other major arm of this sportsbook’s bonuses and promos – through this fairly standard reward system, punters can earn either free wagers or the cash value of their points. Customers who want to join the loyalty program must opt in (through the traditional website, not the mobile app) and begin to earn rewards points The system is based on what the site calls “loyalty stamps,” handed out to customers who place wagers equal to $10 or more. Stamps are added up on a monthly basis, and every five stamps per month is worth $5 in free wagers or as cash value added to your account. This bonus is limited to $20 (or 20 stamps) per customer per month.
INSTALL & WELCOME BONUS
SkyBet offers a set of bonuses and promotions that are specific for mobile customers. For example, new registrants via the mobile sports betting app can earn a free wager (value of $10) for signing up, according to a few terms and conditions. A weekly free-bet program offers mobile customers a free $5 wager every week, provided they place a bet of $5 on a valid sporting event. These $5-per-week offers vary by sport and season, so check the site for details.
All sportsbook customer, including those who join via mobile, are eligible for a first-bet match bonus worth up to $30. This cash can’t be withdrawn; it has to be wagered back into the system. Other conditions apply to, especially concerning the odds of the wager placed to earn the free bet. Combined with the welcome bonus worth up to $10, new members can earn $40 quickly with a few limitations as spelled out by the site’s terms and conditions information.
A customer loyalty program makes up the other major arm of this sportsbook’s bonuses and promos – through this fairly standard reward system, punters can earn either free wagers or the cash value of their points. Customers who want to join the loyalty program must opt in (through the traditional website, not the mobile app) and begin to earn rewards points The system is based on what the site calls “loyalty stamps,” handed out to customers who place wagers equal to $10 or more. Stamps are added up on a monthly basis, and every five stamps per month is worth $5 in free wagers or as cash value added to your account. This bonus is limited to $20 (or 20 stamps) per customer per month.
FEATURES
A recent update to the app run by SkyBet makes an already-solid piece of software even more user-friendly. As quick to respond as any app produced by a big-name online sportsbook, this app is also easy on the eyes, intuitively designed, and comes with advanced search features that make locating contests and odds as easy as it can get. The bSkyb group, parent company of SkyBet, has invested an awful lot of time and energy into developing this system, and it shows in the design and functionality. Very little lag has been reported by reviewers.
BETTING MARKETS
All the site’s available bets are laid out (in categories) on the homepage, which is beset with other search features to help customers find the game they want to wager on. A special “A to Z” feature, nearly at the top of the homepage, gives quick access to small markets, obscure sport, and amateur leagues by rolling through a literal A to Z list of all games available.
As far as bet variety, this is one area in which SkyBet sportsbook has some improving to do. 28 different sports are listed on their standard menu, which is a smaller number than other big names in the business, but still impressive. Some obscure contests are available, like UFC, pro volleyball, and snooker. SkyBet also offer excellent coverage of sports betting markets in Australia.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Contacting customer support at SkyBet is simple – the site offers a variety of ways to do so. Live chat is advertised as being available 24/7, an impressive feat that some other big names in the business haven’t been able to replicate. Besides that feature (only available through the traditional website, not the mobile app), customers can use an online form which will steer them to the correct customer service phone number. This is based on a series of questions about the customer’s needs. See the website for more details.
VERDICT
SkyBet is earning a reputation as a world-class sportsbook. Thanks to the 2011 release of their betting app for handheld devices, the company has a growing customer base. Their famous free live streams of La Liga soccer, access to betting tips and sports news directly from the site, and easy-to-navigate “tube-style” layout combine for a set of features that is competitive with online sportsbooks open for twice as long. If a more robust bonus program were in place, and after a few more years’ customer service experience, it’s likely that SkyBet would own an even larger share of the burgeoning online and mobile sports betting market.
A recent update to the app run by SkyBet makes an already-solid piece of software even more user-friendly. As quick to respond as any app produced by a big-name online sportsbook, this app is also easy on the eyes, intuitively designed, and comes with advanced search features that make locating contests and odds as easy as it can get. The bSkyb group, parent company of SkyBet, has invested an awful lot of time and energy into developing this system, and it shows in the design and functionality. Very little lag has been reported by reviewers.
BETTING MARKETS
All the site’s available bets are laid out (in categories) on the homepage, which is beset with other search features to help customers find the game they want to wager on. A special “A to Z” feature, nearly at the top of the homepage, gives quick access to small markets, obscure sport, and amateur leagues by rolling through a literal A to Z list of all games available.
As far as bet variety, this is one area in which SkyBet sportsbook has some improving to do. 28 different sports are listed on their standard menu, which is a smaller number than other big names in the business, but still impressive. Some obscure contests are available, like UFC, pro volleyball, and snooker. SkyBet also offer excellent coverage of sports betting markets in Australia.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Contacting customer support at SkyBet is simple – the site offers a variety of ways to do so. Live chat is advertised as being available 24/7, an impressive feat that some other big names in the business haven’t been able to replicate. Besides that feature (only available through the traditional website, not the mobile app), customers can use an online form which will steer them to the correct customer service phone number. This is based on a series of questions about the customer’s needs. See the website for more details.
VERDICT
SkyBet is earning a reputation as a world-class sportsbook. Thanks to the 2011 release of their betting app for handheld devices, the company has a growing customer base. Their famous free live streams of La Liga soccer, access to betting tips and sports news directly from the site, and easy-to-navigate “tube-style” layout combine for a set of features that is competitive with online sportsbooks open for twice as long. If a more robust bonus program were in place, and after a few more years’ customer service experience, it’s likely that SkyBet would own an even larger share of the burgeoning online and mobile sports betting market.
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