Matchbook was founded in 2004 and has quickly become established as one of the leading betting exchanges. In 2011 it was bought by Triplebet Ltd, a move which forced Matchbook to close all US accounts.
Matchbook is a betting exchange where the odds are set by its members and the service takes a commission. The appeal of Matchbook is that they charge a flat rate of 1% commission on all bets. This compares very favourably with Betfair who take up to 5% on winning bets in the UK and as high as 6.5% in Australia.
As well as their outstanding commission rates, Matchbook.com also suffers less downtime than most other betting exchanges. For punters betting on live sports, this can make a big difference to their profit/loss account over a period of time.
For special events such as Wimbledon or the World Cup, commission rates were dropped even further to 0.5%. Look out for similar promotions throughout the year.
Matchbook also runs regular competitions through Twitter with prizes of £/€100! These are awarded as bonus funds to your Matchbook account so it is well worth taking the time to enter.
Although Matchbook has improved considerably over the past 18 months, their range of sports coverage is significantly smaller than most bookmakers. If you’re a soccer fan, then you can’t quibble at the service for the major leagues but there is no horse racing coverage whatsoever.
The depth of football league coverage is not as good as you will find elsewhere but the Premier League, Championship and major European competitions are all featured. Matchbook also has markets on Tennis, MLB, NBA, NHL, rugby union, golf, ice hockey, darts, boxing and occasional special events. There is no coverage at present for AFL and NRL.
Matchbook’s website underwent a complete overhaul in 2013 and it now compares very favourably with those of their exchange betting rivals.
Matchbook.com has the traditional navigation panel down the left-hand side for easy access to your chosen sport with the most popular markets displayed in the main body of the screen. A simple icon on the top right of screen enables you to view your betslip at any time.
The odds are displayed in back/lay format, as on Betfair, with the best three current offers displayed. For those of you familiar with other exchange sites, Matchbook will be a breeze to navigate.
Matchbook also supports live or in-play betting on selected events and liquidity is improving all the time, particularly in the soccer markets.
The Matchbook mobile betting application can be used with the iPhone, iPad and all Android mobile and tablets. There is a direct link to enable you to download the app under “Help & Learning” at the top of the page. Matchbook mobile users receive exclusive enhanced prices and can watch the featured live events by placing a bet of just £/€1!
Matchbook accepts all major Credit card payments, bank wire transfer, Skrill/Moneybookers and Neteller. They also accept Interbook which allows you to transfer funds between Matchbook and Pinnacle Sports.
Open an account with Matchbook and they will provide you with a risk free bet up to £/€25! Place your first bet through a special Neteller promotion and this is increased to £/€30! Should your first bet lose, your stake will be refunded to your account to be used as bonus funds. Full terms and conditions can be found on the website.
The standard 1% commission rate is dropped even further for special events such as the World Cup. A rate of just 0.5% was offered on Premier League matches in 2014 and that rate currently applies to all Soccer Asian Handicap betting.
Matchbook provides extensive help and tutorial guides on the site under “Help & Learning”. Even a complete novice can soon pick up the basics and there is a comprehensive list of FAQs plus a 24/7 help desk. There is also an excellent live chat facility plus email support.
0.5% commission on all Asian Handicap betting
FREE TO ENTER COMPETITIONS – Follow the Matchbook Twitter feed for all the latest competitions with regular prizes of £100!
– Bet live on a range of sports and watch the action on selected events by placing a bet of just £/€1!
Bet from just $0.01 compared to $5.00 elsewhere!
– 24/7 support by Live Chat or email!
Betfair:
Bet on Henrik Stenson to become the BMW PGA Championship Winner.
Paddypower:
Back Australia to take the Ashes home with them.
Betway:
Back Rafael Nadal to become the Mens French Open Winner.
Coral:
Back One For Arthur to win the Grand National.
Bet365:
Back Mexico to win the Confederations Cup.
