Matchbook Review - Latest Sign Up Offer & Brand Features
Craig Jones 
Matchbook Review
A household name in the betting exchange arena, Matchbook has been moving the needle for over 20 years. With one of the lowest commission rates around, Matchbook customers are bound to extract value from the markets they tackle.
It was at the start of the 21st Century where betting exchanges made inroads. Betfair was first off the mark, launching in 2000, but others followed suit in the intervening years, realising how they could reimagine the traditional sports betting experience.
Brentford and FC Midtjylland Matthew Benham was the brainchild behind Matchbook which emerged in 2004. Over the past few months, he has been expanding his portfolio including acquiring Spanish third division side Merida AD, but Matchbook has a rich history.
Joining a betting exchange might seem a little scary at first given their distinct differences to traditional bookmakers, but Matchbook has taken a leaf out of Betfair and Smarkets' books with their user-friendly site. A raft of education tools are available, so you can get to grips with the concepts of back betting and lay betting. The back bet element entails wagering on something to happen, while the lay part represents betting against something NOT to happen. Typically, Matchbook charges 2% commission on winning bets which ranks well alongside Betfair, and there are no charges incurred for losses accrued.
Owned by Triple Bet, which formed a white label deal with easyBet, the Matchbook exchange is licensed and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) under the account number 39504. As you might expect, Matchbook takes security very seriously, adhering to the latest protocols, and there is 2FA available for the Matchbook app, which I have touched on in a bit more detail later in the guide.
Extremely user-friendly, Matchbook tries to set itself apart from a standard betting exchange, and it is easy to toggle between sports markets. It has flourished in the world of football, establishing front-of-shirt sponsorship deals with Brentford, but Benham must take the credit for that. Meanwhile, Matchbook has been nominated for prizes, including being shortlisted for "Innovation in Sports Betting" at the EGR Operator Awards in 2024.
My Matchbook review is scrupulous. I have unpacked the key elements of the operation, including discussing the quality of the bet builders, betting promotions, and the overall Matchbook website UX. There is plenty to get through, so let's not waste any time!
User Experience - My Personal View
Sleek and cutting-edge, Matchbook has gone for a distinctive red and black hue to invite new bettors. My first impressions of Matchbook were positive, and this compared well to Betfair which is supposedly the best betting exchange in the business. Matchbook's font might be small, but it doesn't seem like it is crammed with odds, a criticism that can be levelled at Betfair.
Rather than overextending itself, Matchbook has tried to streamline the operation, and as mentioned, it is easy to navigate to your preferred areas of the site. Most importantly, I didn't experience any lagging or technical issues which I found to be the case at more established betting sites. Here, I noticed pages would freeze or there would be the odd pop-up advert which slowed me down.
Matchbook doesn't leave anything to chance, and while there aren't favourites, which was slightly disappointing, this exchange makes up for it in other ways. There are a range of enhanced specials offered across a variety of sports, including football, and these are complete with competitive odds. While the price boosts might not be as deep as Paddy Power or Betfred, they aren't anything to be scoffed at. There is a daily supply of them, so organise yourself and capitalise on them.
One thing that grabbed my attention were the Colossus Jackpots. This free-to-play predictor game requires guessing 10 correct results, and you could stand to win up to £33,000 which is decent.
Okay, Sky Bet offers up to £250,000 for accurately predicting six football results in the 'Super Six', so more lucrative, but such incentives attracts players.
There were other neat touches supplied by Matchbook that resonated with me. I loved the betting insights page. It looked like it had been frequently updated with the latest football and horse racing betting tips, so I could extract useful nuggets of information before placing bets. Oh, and there was even a podcast where I could listen to shows on Soundcloud and Spotify. While the likes of bet365 and Betfred provide audio commentary, podcasts are still relatively untouched.
My only major complaint here was that a Request a Bet feature like the one found at Coral would have been handy, especially in trying to unlock niche markets, but Matchbook has carved out its own path.
Mobile Betting Experience
The Matchbook mobile website resembled all the core features of the desktop experience, and again, there were no bugs or glitches to report. Trustpilot holds Matchbook in high regard with an average rating of 4.1 stars out of 5. Everything is also neatly tied up with the robust Matchbook mobile betting app which is compatible with iOS and Android users.
Matchbook is one of those trusted betting exchanges given its solid 4.8 score out of 5, and over 1,500 ratings have been shared. Many punters saw it as being a great alternative to Betfair or Smarkets, while others found it very user friendly. Indeed, creating a Matchbook account is seamless, and it is equipped with top security tools, such as 2FA (2-Factor Authentication) which gives an extra layer of protection when logging on, offering one-time pass codes.
I could place bets at Matchbook with minimal fuss, and while Cash Out is available, it can often be affected by the level of liquidity in a market. Remember, peer-to-peer betting exchange operators pit punters against each other, so this is worth paying attention to. However, the Matchbook Zero Commission arm of the site enhances value for users wishing to wager on horse racing or football, where there's no limits on the bets that can be placed, but the maximum payout is £200.
Matchbook also notes there can be a delay on live betting markets of up to 10 seconds which is frustrating. Perhaps the one thing letting this betting exchange down here is the lack of immersive in-play graphics. Instead, you just have to settle for blocks of blue and pink on the site reflecting the fluctuating odds for back and lay bets.
Matchbook Betting Markets & Odds
Matchbook isn't flooded with sports to bet on, and currently, there are only 14 available in its roster. One oversight was the lack of eSports, whereas Betfair was flooded with lines covering the biggest League of Legends and CS2 markets worldwide.
The horse racing betting markets, however, are a bit more extensive. Okay, don't expect to find extra place deals, but here, you can place win or place bets, or even make a reverse forecast wager, which essentially entails predicting which horses will finish first or second (in any order).
The Matchbook commission is pretty robust, and odds across the board are generally competitive. You can tap into zero commission even if there are win caps, and zero commission is offered as a promotion, but check out the next section for more details.
Anyway, the bet builder feature garnered a few brownie points. There was a popular bet builder which served as a source of inspiration, and bet builders could be compiled using a mix of corners, total goals, and team corners, as I discovered for the Super Cup between PSG and Tottenham.
Apart from the meagre range of TV specials, I feel the bet builder could have been added with a few extra lines to engage more with punters.
Also, live streaming is currently restricted to horse racing and greyhound betting, but if Matchbook wants to be considered a serious player, it needs to roll out the service for more sports.
Matchbook Sign Up Offer and Promotions
Matchbook are far from slouches when it comes to promotions. Free bets and money back deals across sports such as golf are crowd-pleasers, but the Zero Commission deal packs a punch.
Yes, players can earn 0% commission on Matchbook markets for up to 110 days using the promo code COMMFREE110. There aren't any designated loyalty programs, but don't worry, there are enough deals here to keep you entertained.
Matchbook Welcome Bonus Review – £30 in Free Bets when you Bet £20
New customers are entitled to £30 in free bets when making a qualifying bet of £20 on the exchange. The minimum odds required are 2.00 or greater, and you can apply a multiple bet or bet builder at odds of 3.00 which isn't too bad.
Free bets are paid out within 72 hours of settling a qualifying bet, and players can grab a free bet builder wager. Just remember that Skrill and Neteller deposits are exempt from the deal.
What is the Matchbook Betting Promo Code?
Matchbook's promo code for the welcome deal is NEW30, and this must be entered during the registration process.
Matchbook payment Details
We've drawn your attention to the betting payment methods you can use to bankroll your account at Matchbook.
Deposit Methods
| Payment Method | Minimum Amount | Maximum Amount | Processing Time |
| Debit cards | £10 | Not stated | Instant |
| Neteller | £10 | Not stated | Instant |
| Skrill | £10 | Not stated | Instant |
| Apple Pay | £10 | Not stated | Instant |
| Google Pay | £10 | Not stated | Instant |
Withdrawal Methods
| Payment Method | Minimum Amount | Maximum Amount | Processing Time |
| Debit cards | £10 | Not stated | 1-3 Days |
| Neteller | £10 | Not stated | 1-3 Days |
| Skrill | £10 | Not stated | 1-3 Days |
| Apple Pay | £10 | Not stated | 1-3 Days |
| Google Pay | £10 | Not stated | 1-3 Days |
Customer Service at Matchbook
The two main avenues of customer support at Matchbook are the live chat facility and email.
The live chat facility can be found in the bottom right-hand corner, and after submitting a message form, I was speaking straight away with a member of the team. I found them to be extremely helpful and competent in dealing with my query.
I could also send an email to the following address - support@matchbook.com, and responses were dealt with efficiently. Oh, and there are also direct links to Facebook and X, where Matchbook has a growing presence, and you can fire across DMs.
Meanwhile, the FAQs section is pretty in-depth, and split into popular areas such as bet builders, the Zero component, and much more, so I didn't have any qualms with that.
Responsible Gambling at Matchbook
Matchbook, like most traditional sports betting operators, takes responsible gambling seriously, and there is a raft of tools at a punter's disposal, including:
- Deposit Limits - You won't have to worry about overspending, as you can restrict the amount of money you wish to deposit on a weekly or monthly basis. This is a popular tool.
- Time-Out - If you want a short break from gambling and re-evaluate things, you can do so for up to six weeks.
- Self-exclusion - For those who need a longer break, Matchbook allows bettors to restrict themselves from gambling for up to six months.
Matchbook works with a variety of recognised organisations to help gamblers get on top of their habits, including GamCare, and you can use the self-assessment questionnaire, which will flag any underlying issues.
Utilising the latest SSL protocols, Matchbook does its utmost to protect its players. Matchbook is transparent about the type of product it offers, especially its industry-leading commissions, but if there are any issues, players can fill in a complaints form.
My Verdict
Overall, Matchbook boasts many strengths, not least the fact that it is extremely user-friendly, and the app is robust.
Okay, there are limited live streaming options and the in-play area is basic, but don't let that deter you. Joining an exchange might seem daunting, but Matchbook is a great starting point.
Those bettors who are looking to deviate from the norm and are looking for a sharper experience will benefit from registering with Matchbook.
FAQs
What is a betting exchange?
What is the Matchbook sign-up offer?
How much commission does Matchbook charge?
How long do withdrawals take at Matchbook?
