Ladbrokes Review

Ladbrokes is one of the biggest names on the UK gambling scene, and their distinctive red and white branding is instantly recognisable to both gamblers and non-gamblers alike.

One of the key factors behind Ladbrokes success in the online world is the fact that they already had a strong high street presence throughout the UK. With hundreds of stores lining the countries streets they’ve become something of a household name, and their TV and web advertising campaigns have only strengthened the sites’ reputation. If you’re looking for a trusted, and reliable online gambling site, you won’t go far wrong signing up with Ladbrokes.

One of the biggest attractions to betting at Ladbrokes is the sheer number of markets they offer, and you’ll struggle to find another bookmaker with more on offer.

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THE LADBROKES WEBSITE

Like many of the world’s biggest bookmakers, Ladbrokes have opted to focus less on making their website design look pretty and more on the usability and available markets; and while it would definitely be nice to see a slightly more individuality (it’s exactly the same as Coral’s site), the site is incredibly fast and offers a host of perks and features.

Events already in-play or about to start are given priority on the home screen so anyone a little late to the party can get straight down to business, and the full A-Z sports list is located on the left of the page opening the door to all of the other available markets. It’s nice and simple and works like a charm.

There are also quick links along the top to major sports as well as to some betting features and popular long running offers and promotions, of which Ladbrokes have many.

For such a big site they have done a great job of making things uncomplicated, and although they could improve on this further it would be a surprise to hear anyone had any real problems with the interface.

LADBROKES APP

Ladbrokes offer all players the option to bet on the move with their mobile app, which is available to download to both iOS and Android players.

There is a fully functional mobile website too if you would rather save space on your phone.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll find as comprehensive a betting experience as you would using the desktop site.

The design puts everything just where you would expect it to be. Like a lot of things at Ladbrokes, they haven’t tried to show off or stand out with their app, they have simply made sure it is robust enough to handle everything thrown at it, and that it is as user friendly as possible. What’s more, speed is not an issue here, there should be no lag or frustrating slow loading times for the most part.

There are a few impressive little design features though, such as the top menu bar that disappears until you want to use it, freeing up screen space to look at the markets. It’s an intelligent product in many ways.

It could be a little more responsive if we were looking for improvement points, and the betslip takes over the screen when being used rather than becoming part of the interface, but while these are things we would like to see changed they are not serious enough to make the Ladbrokes mobile experience any less enjoyable.

Sports Betting at Ladbrokes

The ongoing success of Ladbrokes has undoubtedly been partly to do with their comprehensive range of sports markets, and of all the bookmakers covering the UK Ladbrokes offer one of the busiest books.

It’s immediately apparent how broad and diverse their bet selection is, and although Horse Racing and Football make up the bulk of the sites offerings, although there is much more to choose from than this.

When it comes to Football, there is so much choice and variety that it has its own dedicated tab on the main navigation bar. Similarly, right next door you will find Horse Racing and Tennis, so we can assume these are the most popular markets at the bookie.

You are looking at a healthy 200ish markets for top football games and around 30 or more even for games between teams you have never heard of.

Smaller markets like Fishing won’t be anywhere near as busy, but the fact that you can bet on it at all is a benefit.

The A-Z can be frustrating at times though, because even when a market is empty it will still show up, so you might go to explore it only to find there is nothing there to bet on.

Unusual Markets

When it comes to special bets, Ladbrokes are one of the best around, and some of the oddest markets you could imagine can be found here.

The current specials page displays a number of markets, but the one that really caught our eye was the ‘UK City of Culture’ bet, which allows you to bet on which City in the United Kingdom will win this sought-after accolade in 2021.

These specials will obviously change over time, but you can expect things based on the Royals, the next James Bond, etc.

In terms of unusual sports there is plenty of choice too. Bandy sticks out along with Bowls, Chess, and even Poker. Again, these are not all available all of the time, but there will always be something a bit left field to tickle your fancy.

In Play Betting

Ladbrokes are unique when it comes to in-play betting and live streaming, in that they’re one of the only bookies who allow you to stream events that you haven’t placed a wager on. In order to stream live events you just need a positive account balance – meaning anything more than £0.01 – and away you go. Bonus funds don’t count though, sorry.

In terms of the in-play markets themselves, Ladbrokes offer a better than average selection, with everything from Football, Tennis, and Basketball; to Ice Hockey, Rugby (league and union), as well as some smaller and less common markets.

One of the best plus points for Ladbrokes in-play betting is that markets and prices update almost instantly, so unlike some of the smaller bookies you don’t have that delay as prices catch up.

There is an awful lot of cashout availability here too, and they don’t just throw token betting lines at less prominent sports, always offering a good number of interesting markets that are easy to filter and search through.

The only downside is the game visualisation when live streaming is not available. It’s perfectly fine but not a patch on some other bookies’ offerings. The availability of live stats is limited and the graphic itself is very bland. It does the job, but not with any style.

How Good are the Odds?

While Ladbrokes offer some of the most attractive odds in the industry on the face of things – it should be taken into consideration that in many cases the back-end odds are far worse than at other sites.

If you’re sat there wondering what the heck we’re talking about, think of it like this:

The supermarket generally offers very cheap alcohol, but if a local off license has a deal on a bottle of Vodka that is significantly cheaper than said supermarket, you would understandably go there to buy it instead. However, all the other products apart from the Vodka are still more expensive at the off license; so, while you save money on the Vodka you actually end up spending more in total, assuming you also purchase some snacks and food and so on.

That may be a slightly long-winded example, but it highlights a practice that Ladbrokes have been accused of implementing, and that is often utilised elsewhere in the gambling world as well. So you may well find that Ladbrokes offer very generous odds on Premier League football games to attract customers, but then the odds on lower leagues and other markets will be far worse than elsewhere.

While this shouldn’t be a deal breaker when choosing whether or not to bet with Ladbrokes, it’s worth bearing in mind. Always do your due diligence when placing bets to ensure you’re getting the best prices possible.

Then again, they offer daily odds boosts – and these are often controlled by the customer – as well as promotions to make things more appealing.

Best Features

BETTING EXCHANGE

While initially displaying fury at Betfair for “fuelling corruption in sport” by operating an exchange, Ladbrokes had a sudden change of heart a few years back when they teamed up with BetDaq, one of Betfair’s competitors. It’s become one of the most popular exchanges around, although of course it’s nowhere near as big as Betfair’s, and having it built into their site has given Ladbrokes a real edge.

Ladbroke’s exchange allows punters to place bets and lay bets, which means you can act as the bookie and take bets from other players if you want to.

This allows you to find better odds than you would be offered from the bookmaker themselves, and is particularly useful for players who win frequently and have their maximum bet limit capped by Ladbrokes.

The exchange can be accessed via the ‘Exchange’ tab on the navigation menu of the website. If you already have a Ladbrokes account online then you won’t have to open a separate account to access the exchange, which is a perk for sure.

THE GRID

The Grid is Ladbroke’s name for their loyalty card. It offers punters and casino players a number of beneficial promotions and bonuses, and below we’ll look at some of the main perks. First though, let’s look at exactly what the Grid card actually is.

The Grid is not dissimilar to the Coral Connect card in that it allows you to share your balance between your online account and your in-store betting funds (i.e. the cash in your wallet); although The Grid has one main difference – it’s not a physical card. Instead, Ladbrokes offer it in the form of an app that features just like a plastic card would, the plus side being that it lives in your phone and doesn’t take up space in your wallet.

It functions as more than just a virtual debit card, however. Another cool function is that you can check the current status of any bets placed in store by opening the Grid app and inputting the long number found at the bottom of each bet slip. The app will then tell you whether the bet won or lost, and also give you the opportunity to cash out if it’s still in-play.

It also lets you track your accumulators, and if you place your bets online or through the app, you’ll have a quick overview of how your acca’s are going wherever you are.

Possibly our favourite feature, however, is the ‘Transfer Cash’ feature. Say you place a bet in store and get a physical bet slip, if the bet wins you can use the app to transfer the winnings from the slip itself to your online account, instead of having to go to the store to collect your winnings. You can also collect online winnings in cash.

High Street Betting

Ladbrokes have a very strong high street presence throughout the UK – they are hard to miss as they currently have over 1000 stores.

The red and white iconic branding is well known amongst bettors and the non-gambling community alike, and the company is one of the largest businesses within the sports and culture sector in the UK. They employ thousands of staff both in their branches and behind the scenes, running the online side of their operation.

In store, punters enjoy state of the art gaming technology, with Ladbrokes being the first major UK bookie to implement hands free betting terminals; essentially giving customers the ability to place bets without needing to go to the cashier.

Much like a vending machine, you simply insert notes into the terminal, choose your selections on screen and confirm that you want to place the bet. The terminal then issues you a printed ticket which acts as your bet slip.

This technology – along with a number of gambling terminals offering casino games and slots – has helped Ladbrokes cement its place among the UK’s leading bookies; and a strong TV and media presence has contributed to the brands’ continued growth, particularly in recent years with the help of good old Chris Kamara.

BANKING

Ladbrokes certainly aren’t holding back when it comes to their deposit and withdrawal methods, and offer one of the largest selections around.

Of course, this includes the common options like Visa and Mastercard Debit cards and Maestro cards, plus a selection of less well known EWallets and pre-paid cards; but Ladbrokes also offer PayPal to punters from the UK, ensuring you can get instant access to your cash when making a withdrawal.

Ladbroke’s aim to process all withdrawal requests within 24 hours, although during weekends and on Bank Holidays this may increase.

Once the bookie has processed your withdrawal you can expect to see it back in your chosen account within 1-5 days depending on which payment method you’ve opted to use. Remember though, if you want instant access to your cash you can use the Grid to take it out in store, just minutes after winning the cash in the first place.

Ladbrokes actually provide a really comprehensive well laid out FAQ section on their banking operations, and if you want to know more about the payment methods available to you or what the minimum/maximum limits are, just check the page and you’ll get in-depth answers to any of your queries right away.

History & About

Ladbrokes is one of the most recognisable brands in the UK. Quite simply, they are a titan in the gambling arena.

First founded in 1886, the bookmaker initially acted as a commission agent for horses trained at Ladbroke Hall (hence the name), although it wasn’t until 1902 that the name Ladbrokes was first introduced.

Founded by Mr. Schwind and Mr. Pennington, it’s one of Britain’s oldest companies and one of the most successful, and thanks to a change in the law in 1961 allowing betting shops to operate under the Betting and Gambling Act, the company opened their first betting shop using the profits from their previous business.

Things took a turn for the worse for the company, when, on the last Saturday of 1963 the football results cost Ladbrokes over £1 Million in today’s money. This was a ground-breaking moment for them as it put them firmly in the spotlight, and thanks to a media frenzy the general public became more informed about gambling, and more aware of Ladbrokes and their presence on the high street.

Fast forward to the present day and Ladbrokes enjoy a significant share of the online gambling industry, offering a wide range of products to players including a sports book, a casino, poker games, bingo, and more.

The company has enjoyed a mainly positive reputation, although there has been the odd scandal during their lifetime. Perhaps most notable are the continual fines from both the UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission), and the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) for breaching UK law on gambling adverts. Tut-tut.

Still, Ladbrokes have pulled their socks up and regained their position on the top of both the online and the offline gambling ladders, so to speak, and as of today are valued at over £2 Billion. They have even employed Chris Kamara and had a bit of fun with him, see below for what we mean:

2016 saw Ladbrokes begin a merger with the Gala Coral Group, and after the merger was completed in November, Ladbrokes changed its name from Ladbrokes plc to Ladbrokes Coral Group plc, amalgamating two already gargantuan players at the table into an unstoppable force.

So powerful was this new partnership, that GVC Holdings paid £4 billion for it in 2018. Both firms operate under their individual brands but are now part of the GVC group of companies.