Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes Sports – A Grand Tradition of Bookmaking

With over 2,800 retail outlets in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ireland, Australia, Belgium and Spain, Ladbrokes plc. is the largest bookmaking franchise in the world. The company employs a massive 13,000 staff in the UK and another thousand across the globe. Founded by Messrs Schwind and Pennington in 1886, it could also be named one of the oldest still trading today.

The company ventured online at the turn of the century (2000) though Ladbrokes have been the first to admit that their transition from local high-street bookies to online betting phenomenon has been less than impressive. In a statement on their 'About Ladbrokes' webpage, the bookmakers described their efforts as having 'underperformed'. 'Ladbrokes has underperformed in the digital space in recent years, particularly given the ongoing strength of its brand.' The message reads.

But will their new-look sportsbook, launched in 2013, be an improvement on their old style, or will it mark a further low for the stalwart name in sports betting who are reportedly suffering from their lowest finances in three decades?

Betting Markets

Accessing the homepage will see the registered customer greeted with odds for a number of different sports. An in-play panel is placed prominently and is surrounded by these odds for future events of interest. This homepage dedicates space to a number sports including tennis, golf, rugby union and baseball, the more niche interests being the furthest down the page. Whilst reaching the bottom takes effort in scrolling, punters can easily be taken back to the top of the sportsbook by pressing the handy 'Back To Top' icon.

Up the left hand side are 'Quick Links' to the website's most popular markets and on-going events, useful for efficiently betting without the hassle of scrolling. It should be said that hovering over the horse racing link reveals a rather too detailed list of meetings, early prices and other extras. Over-facing for the more casual, or inexperienced, punter.

These links are situated above a decent-sized list of all the markets that can currently be bet on. Wrongly entitled 'All Sports' - the list is comprised of such categories as politics, television and weather - the selection clearly displays the 40 different markets on which money can be placed. Whilst this is not the biggest array of choice, it certainly shouldn't be sniffed at. By clicking on their preferred 'sport' the punter is then taken to that particular homepage, selecting their favoured tie or race by, as usual, selecting its name.

Though their selection of sports might be admirable, the number of variables that can be bet on in a football game, for example, certainly isn't. At the time of writing, there were only 30 open markets for a home nation's international fixture. This is well below the expected average. The presentation of these bets also leaves a lot to be desired; grey font bleeding into the white background when scrolled at speed. Indeed, whilst the most popular bets are displayed openly, others are hidden in drop-down menus as a way of trying to de-clutter the interface.

Ladbrokes' horse racing coverage is preferable. Registered users can select 'Overview' to see a preview of their selected race, including a summary of the runners and a visual representation of the track; 'Form' to read up on their tip's form and pedigree; 'Results' to see how they have fared previously and/or 'Commentary' to listen to the race as it happens. All these services are provided by the Racing Post.

Betting on a fancy is easy thanks to the simplicity of the lay-out. A table of runners includes their names and silk colours, their official ratings and odds. Clearly marked icons are available at the top of the page for those concerned with betting on a forecast/ tri-cast or via the Tote.

Lovers of more niche sports will be impressed with the company's efforts to keep these markets updated. At the time of writing, both floorball and handball especially were unexpectedly lively hotspots of odds.

Customer Service

Ladbrokes provide a number of services to their customers including such things as daily promotions and offers. All promotions can be accessed in the 'Quick Links' section of the website up the left hand side of the homepage, or by clicking the corresponding adverts up the right hand side.

Like many other bookmakers, it is possible for punters to watch horse racing through the Ladbrokes live stream on laptops, on mobiles and on tablets. The difference, however, is that whilst many other service providers limit their coverage to races in the UK and Ireland, Ladbrokes also allows registered users to watch the action from South Africa and the United Arab Emirates. To be eligible for the service, one must simply bet on the race that they would like to stream live.

Sticking with the nags, the bookmaker also guarantees to give their customers the best odds, should the odds they are given at the time of purchase be smaller than the starting price. This offer covers both singles and multiples. Punters should be aware that this only applies to bets placed after 9AM on the day of the race.

The 'Breaking Bets' promotion concerns the up to the minute breaking of football specials. In other words, Ladbrokes consider themselves to be the first to offer some particularly obscure markets in these specials. This offer is a excellent way of being able to bet on unique markets such as a club changing a manager more than once in a season, or a boss receiving a touchline ban.

Fans of football accumulators will spend many a happy hour studying Ladbrokes' 'Daily Bet Bundles' deals. Quite simply, these bundles are the bookmaker putting together their own packages for punters to take advantage of, whether it's their 'Daily Big Price Trebles', their 'Daily Big Price Fourfolds' or another of their accas.

Ladbrokes also offer their customers the opportunity to bet via text. To do so, users just have to text their stake, their bet type and their selection to 60043. Easy.

In Summary

There is plenty in here to suit casual punter and experienced gambler alike. Though the sportsbook is concerned with a decent number of niche markets, the services provided by Ladbrokes will appeal most to those with an interest in either football or horse racing, or indeed, both. It should be said however, that the lay-out of the racing betting page is far superior to its football counterpart.

Registered users will be pleased with the amount of promotions and deals at their disposal, with the text betting service and 'Breaking Bets' feature our personal highlights. Punters who prefer to bet on races they can watch themselves will also be pleased with the coverage of Ladbrokes' live stream service.

Important Terms and Conditions - Multi Sports Offer

18+. New customers only. Promo code 'F50' required. Certain deposit methods excluded. Min £/€5 on win or each-way bet excluding Tote or pools = match max £/€50 free bet. Min odds 1/2 (1.5). Bet must be made within 14 days. Free bet valid for 4 days. Free bet stake not returned. Single bets only. Free bet cannot be used on certain markets. T&Cs apply.

Terms and Conditions Apply - Age restricted to 18+ Please see site for full details