Reviews

SportPesa Review

*This is one of the brands we used to feature on the site, however for whatever reason we no longer recommend it. We kept this old review but removed any direct links to the site and advise you to pick another brand from here.

SportPesa have been around for some time as a bookmaker with its origins in Africa but it’s only recently that the company have expanded around the world. SportPesa is powered by TGP Europe Ltd of Douglas, Isle of Man. Players in the UK may have been made aware of this brand through sponsor deals involving the likes of Hull City and Everton but why should you look into adding them to your own sportsbook list?

There is value here and although this site may be targeted more at the regular gambler than the occasional punter, there is plenty to enjoy from a British perspective. Let’s see more in this SportPesa UK review!

SportPesa Promotions

It seems there is a great team in the background creating promotions. As of April 2019 there are several promos (like a SportPesa sign up offer or free bet) related to teams supported by SportPesa. For the latest offers visit the dedicated page.

Sporting Markets and Odds Value

Things really start to pick up when you cross to the list of available sporting markets. This has all the popular events to bet on, plus some really obscure niches and overall, this is a roster that will definitely appeal to UK customers.

Football, Horse Racing, Golf, Tennis, American Football, Aussie Rules Football, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Chess, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Futsal, Handball, Ice Hockey, MMA, Motor Racing, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Snooker, Pool, Speedway, Surfing, Table Tennis, Volleyball, Water Polo, Winter Sports.

It’s good to see that you can bet on horse racing at a time when a lot of bookies are excluding ‘anything on four legs’ and it’s a good and varied list. eSports and politics / entertainment markets are also present for those that like to head away from conventional sport like the Premier League.

As for value, while it’s unlikely that we will see SportPesa appear on the odds comparison sites for some time, early signs are good and suggest that, over the long term, the excellent prices here can compensate for the absence of a welcome offer.

Banking

SportPesa UK Players will find that they have most of the funding options that they will need. Arguably, the list could be wider but it starts with debit cards which is our main preference while you can also use Skrill and Neteller.

That should be the minimum requirement for any sportsbook and while there is scope to add some more eWallet providers in the future, this is an adequate start.

Payment Methods, Deposit and Withdrawal Fees

The SportPesa betting platform has just four options for deposits and withdrawals and while that’s relatively low in comparison with other sportsbooks, there should be enough for most players. The list starts with all regular VISA and Mastercards and there are two eWallets – Skrill and Neteller.

There are some differences in regards to terms and conditions and they start with the minimum deposit and withdrawals required. With VISA and Mastercard, this is a low level at £10.00 but for Skrill and Neteller, this doubles to £20.00.

In terms of transaction times, deposits should be instant while withdrawals could take up to 48 hours. Note that SportPesa will not apply any fees to either deposits or withdrawals but customers should check with their payment methods provider to see whether any charges are made at their end. Also bear in mind, that the SportPesa welcome offer usually excludes deposits made via E-Wallets such as Neteller or Skrill from any bonus, with bonus tokens valid for 5 days. Be sure to read the small print!

Customer Service

The demand for instant support means that having a live chat operator is likely to appeal to all players who want to bet, so it’s good to see that SportPesa have provided one. It’s easy to find the chat service too and it’s the fastest and most effective way to find an answer to your queries.

Alternatives are available in what is another positive side to the SportPesa operation and you can also get in touch with customer service via email, or you can take a look at the frequently asked questions which are comprehensive and laid out in a logical fashion.

Live Chat Function

The SportPesa betting service has been enhanced in recent times with the addition of a live chat facility. This is a preferred option when it comes to customer support for many bettors in the present day and it promises to answer any queries in the shortest possible space of time.

A point to note is the fact that this service is not open 24/7 but it will be online from 7am to 11pm every day of the week so the live chat covers the majority of our waking hours. It’s fast and effective and it’s good to see this being introduced alongside the other customer support options.

Active Social Media Presence

Some operators have been slow to catch on to the potential of social media while others already run effective customer service through these platforms. It’s therefore good to see that you can ask questions about the SportPesa betting service through either Twitter or Facebook from their customer support.

To access either of these options, set up an account on Twitter and/or Facebook if you don’t already have one. It’s very easy to do this and you should be up and running in a couple of minutes or so. Once complete, search for SportPesa and then follow their account.

Ask a question on either of those two platforms and you should find that you get a fast and effective answer.

FAQs About SportPesa Betting

How to Register at the SportPesa Betting Site?

The SportPesa registration process is a fast one and it’s designed to get you up and playing in just a few minutes time. To kick things off, just call up the main site and towards the top right edge of the homepage, you will find a button marked ‘join’.

Click on that link and there is a simple three step procedure. If you’ve ever registered with a bookmaker before then you might have already seen these forms but don’t worry if you haven’t as it’s really very straightforward.

On the first form, you will be asked for some very basic details including name, date of birth and an email address. Stage two involves filling in your physical address and your preferred contact telephone number. Finally, new customers will be asked to set up a username and password and to set account preferences such as required currency.

It really is that simple but do be prepared to provide some ID documentation if SportPesa betting cannot verify your identity. A scan of your passport and driving licence will be sufficient along with a utility bill which will confirm your physical address.

And that really is all that there is to the SportPesa registration process. Once it’s been completed and you’ve made a deposit using one of the four available methods, you can carry out the SportPesa login and be playing in a matter of minutes, and bet.

What Restricted Countries are Banned from Using SportPesa?

This operator has worked hard to make itself available in some difficult territories but there are some countries that cannot access the SportPesa betting platform. Here is the blocked list in full:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cayman Islands, Central Africa Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, DPR of Korea (North), Denmark, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, all French territories (Metropolitan, Guiana, Polynesia, Southern and Antarctic Lands), Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Guernsey, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Lao/Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Macao, Macedonia, Mali, Martinique, Mayotte, Mexico, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Territory, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Reunion, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Sao Tome & Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, The Netherlands, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Uruguay, USA, all US territories (American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands), Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

While that may seem like an extensive list, the countries listed above are ones that tend to have a blanket ban on online gambling. In the main, these are locations that will be on any operator’s banned list so while there are many on there, there are far more countries that are open to the SportPesa betting platform.

Is there a SportPesa In-play Betting Option?

There is a live SportPesa betting option and the fact that this operator has reserved a separate section of their website means that they take it very seriously. The area is easily accessible from the top left of the homepage and once it’s been accessed, players can get involved with all the in play options that SportPesa have to offer.

There will always be something listed but naturally, certain times are going to be busier than others depending on what is listed on the sporting calendar. The focus can often be on the core sports such as football and tennis but the vast majority of markets on the SportPesa betting platform can be accessed at any specific point.

The range of betting options is also impressive: SportPesa tend to offer a good set of bets starting with the straight result and players can usually find a lot of props here too.

Also available on the live betting platform are the best odds that we have come to associate with this sportsbook. By checking the odds comparison sites, we’ve seen that this bookie is often up there with the best of them and they are rarely out of step with the rest of the industry.

To summarise, the live betting section at SportPesa really is an impressive part of the website and it’s another positive to add. For those that are looking to get involved, having the SportPesa app installed on their device is definitely going to help.

Is there a SportPesa App Available for Mobile Phones (Android / iPhone?)

There is a SportPesa app and it is available across both of the main platforms. Irrespective of whether you have an iPhone or an Android device, this can be set up and used on either although the download processes will work in slightly different ways.

For iOS users, things are really very simple and they will work in the same way as any app. Firstly, the task is to head to the app store and type in SportPesa as a search phrase. In all probability, there will be a promoted app showing first but it shouldn’t take too long before your request is found. Once located, simply click on the ‘get’ button and the SportPesa app should be installed on your device in a matter of seconds.

For those that have an Android device, the method works a little differently. This is because Google are not too comfortable with betting apps and that means that SportPesa are unlikely to be found directly in the app store. It’s easy to get around this and to proceed, players simply have to go to the main SportPesa betting site while using their mobile. Locate your browser and head to that site or, search for SportPesa app by typing this into the search engine.

From there, players will be presented with a link and it’s simply a case of clicking on this to download it onto their device. Once again, the process is free and while it may take a fraction longer in this instance, you should still be up and running and ready to bet on mobile in just a few minutes.

Once the app has been installed, you can use the same SportPesa login as you have for the main site – there are no separate passwords to remember and once you have logged in, one click of the app will take you to the platform in future. If you aren’t a customer as yet, you can even complete the SportPesa registration at this point so it really is a flexible app and a useful component as you continue to play with this impressive bookmaker.

Conclusion

In such a crowded market it takes something special for UK players to add yet another bookmaker to their portfolio and with SportPesa, the benefit comes with long term value. The choice of sports markets odds is a seriously extensive one and if you are a regular player, the competitive prices are the key to a good relationship over time.

It would be good to see some offers come in but if you look beyond that, you will find the best odds and great choice and really, those are the main criteria that we look for when choosing a new bookie. Hope this review has been helpful!

Pros (+):

  • Excellent choice of sports markets and odds including plenty for UK players to enjoy and bet.
  • Good prices across the board, particularly for football and horse racing
  • Effective customer service with lots of options available for getting in touch

Cons (-):

  • Do you know something? Please let us know!
Matthew

Matt Harris has worked as a freelance sports writer since 1990 and the ‘good old days’ of print journalism. In those pre-digital times, he worked for a number of football fanzines and also covered sport in local county publications. From there, Matt worked for Sky Sports’ teletext service in 1992 at the birth of the new Premier League. Since the online revolution, he has also covered cricket and football for operators including Unibet, Betfair, Cloudbet, BetVictor and 888Sport. Matt’s expertise lies in cricket, football and golf and he is our chief writer at ukbookmakers.info. As a Tottenham Hotspurs fan, Matt also writes for www.thelilywhites.co.uk. This fansite has been launched in 2019 and every important Spurs news are covered there. Twitter: https://twitter.com/matt_writer Linkedin: View Matt's Profile

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