The Pools, with roots tracing back to 1923, stands as a decent online bookmaker in the UK. The platform boasts features like Live betting, Cash Out, Create-a-Bet, and Price Boosts for horse racing. However, there are areas that need to be improved. The Android-exclusive app has faced accessibility issues, and the absence of live streaming is a notable shortcoming. While their customer support is efficient, with multiple contact methods, the limited payment options might deter some.
The Pools Pros & Cons
- Create-a-Bet (Bet Builder)
- Regular bonuses for horse racing
- Loyalty programme
- Perfect customer support
- No live streaming
- Mobile app limitations
The Pools: Editorial Rating
The Pools Free Bets & Promotions
Get £10 in Free bets & 100 Free spins
The Pools Security
The Pools operates under the regulations set by the UK Gambling Commission, holding a licence with account number 48272. This ensures that players have a reliable authority to approach for external assistance if required. The Pools employ advanced measures to safeguard personal data. The use of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology ensures that all data transactions remain confidential and protected from unauthorised access.
The Pools Sports and Markets
At The Pools, punters are presented with a pretty good range of betting options, including across 30 distinct sports. There is also something for UK players to choose:
- Football: The Pools covering everything from top-tier leagues like the English Premier League with 1500+ outcomes to lesser-known competitions such as the Vietnam V-League 2.
- Golf: Golf fans can place wagers on major tournaments, including the BMW Championship 2023, The US Open 2024, and the Ryder Cup 2023.
- Horse Racing: Good betting line. The Pools offers betting opportunities on races from various countries including Great Britain, Ireland, France, the USA, Australia, Chile, and Japan.
- Cricket: Cricket coverage is decent, featuring tournaments like the International Twenty20, The Hundred, and the ICC World Cup 2023.
- Tennis: Tennis bettors have access to all major tournaments, encompassing the ATP, WTA, ITF, and the US Open.
- Snooker: A pretty good selection of snooker matches is available, catering especially to UK players.
Football Pools. One of the main highlights of The Pools is the “Football Pools”, specifically the Classic Pools. Established in 1923, the Classic Pools is the longest-running football betting game globally. The primary objective is to accurately predict Score Draws from a predefined list of 49 matches. Each Classic Pools competition attracts over 100,000 players.
The Pools Payment Methods
The bookmaker only offers two payment options. You can use debit cards and PayPal for transactions. This leaves out owners of other e-wallets, prepaid vouchers and the rest. Plus, you can fund your account with as little as £5, although the minimum payout is higher at £10.
All deposits are credited instantly; the payout time depends on your chosen method. You can expect to receive your winnings by bank card within 2-5 days and by PayPal within 24 hours.
How to Make a Deposit to The Pools
Depositing at The Pools is simple. Follow these steps to add funds to your account:
- Log into your account on The Pools website.
- Select the ‘Quick Deposit’ option.
- Choose a pre-set amount or manually enter your desired deposit amount.
- Confirm your banking details.
- Click the ‘Deposit’ button to finalise the transaction.
How to Withdraw from The Pools
Withdrawing your winnings or available balance from The Pools is a easy too:
- Ensure you have a card registered to your account.
- If it’s your first withdrawal, deposit £5 to validate your card.
- Once your card is validated and the deposit is received, navigate to your account.
- Select the ‘Withdraw’ option.
- Enter the amount you wish to withdraw.
- Click the ‘Withdrawal’ button to process your request.
The Pools Odds
The bookmaker offers below-average odds, with margins of around 6% for most major sports. Football, one of the platform’s main attractions, has disappointing prices. For events such as the EPL and Championship, the margin is 6.50%, which is not competitive. Lesser leagues, such as the Scottish Premiership, fare even worse, with commissions as high as 9.40%.
Tennis follows a similar trend, with high margins of around 6.70% on top matches. Surprisingly, basketball makes an exception. The Pools offers competitive odds on NBA games, with commissions as low as 4.60%.
The Pools In Play Betting
The Pools offers its users the feature of in-play betting, allowing them to place wagers as the action unfolds in real-time. Key features of their in-play betting include:
- In-Play Betting. Players can adjust their strategies and place bets as the game progresses, however detailed statistics during the game are not provided, which may affect real-time betting decisions.
- Cash Out. For those uncertain about the outcome, The Pools offers the option to cash out, allowing players to withdraw their stakes during the game.
The Pools Streaming
Currently, The Pools does not support live-streaming of sports events. This means that while users can engage in In-Play betting, they won’t be able to watch the live action directly on the platform.
The Pools App
The Pools mobile app is currently available exclusively for Android devices. However, upon downloading and attempting to use the app, it presented issues. Specifically, the app remained stuck on the loading screen, indicating that it might not be functioning as intended at this time.
| App name | The Pools Sports Betting & Cas |
| Developer | The Football Pools |
| Software | Android |
| Age Limit | 18+ |
| Currencies | GBP |
| Depositing methods | Visa, Mastercard, PayPal |
| Withdrawal methods | Visa, Mastercard, PayPal |
Conclusion
The Pools offers players sports betting, football pools, lotto bets, and casinos.
The bookmaker gives wide coverage of major football championships with more than 1500 outcomes, and also less popular tournaments are here. The horse racing line is also detailed, giving the punter the opportunity to bet on 7 different countries where horse racing events are held. Additionally, major tournaments in tennis, basketball, esports, golf, snooker, and hockey can be bet on.
There’s room for improvement too. Their mobile application, exclusive to Android, has faced accessibility issues at least for us, which is kind of disappointing. The absence of live streaming is a big setback too. Payment methods are limited to Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal, which isn’t expansive by any means. The welcome bonus average in comparison with competitors. Offers for existing clients fare slightly better.
Yet, where The Pools truly shines is its customer support. The live chat feature is efficient, and the multiple contact methods available should be noticed too. The betting features such as Live betting, Cash Out, Create-a-Bet, and Price Boosts for horse racing are also good.
Thus, UK bettors can consider The Pools as a bookmaker with which to bet, but there are drawbacks as well.
The Pools Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Pools Trustworthy?
The Pools UK bookmaker is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. They use of Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption technology ensures that all data transactions remain confidential and protected from unauthorised access.
How To Place A Bet at The Pools?
First, log into your account. Navigate to the ‘Sports’ section, select the sport and event you wish to bet on, choose your desired outcome, and the selection will be added to your bet slip. Input the amount you want to wager and click on ‘BET NOW’.
Does The Pools Provide Create-a-Bet Feature?
Yes, The Pools offers the Create-a-Bet feature. This tool allows users to combine different outcomes in a single event to form a personalised bet. To use this feature, users need to log in, select the “Sports” button, choose a sport and match, and then click on the “Create a Bet” option. From there, they can select multiple outcomes and add them to the betslip. After specifying the desired amount, they can finalise their bet by clicking “BET NOW”.
Is There A The Pools app?
At the moment, The Pools offers a mobile application for Android devices. However, we personally encountered issues when trying to access it. It’s advisable to await further updates and keep an eye on the situation.
