Football
Tennis
Darts
Cricket
Golf
Horse Racing
F1
Boxing
MMA
Any
Yes
No
Cash Out
Not Needed
Debit card
Paypal
Neteller
Skrill
Apple Pay
PaysafeCard
Trustly
MuchBetter
Deposit match
Enhanced odds
Free Bets
Don't want a bonus
| Min. Deposit | Fees | |
|---|---|---|
Debit cards
|
£5 | Free |
Paypal
|
£5 | Free |
| Min. Withdrawal | Time | |
|---|---|---|
|
Debit cards
|
£10 | 0 – 3 Days |
|
Paypal
|
£10 | 0 – 2 Days |
The Pools Betting UK Review 2024 - Sign Up to Get £20 Free Bet
Overview
The Pools betting site, owned by the company The Football Pools, was developed to provide the type of football pool betting services that were immensely popular from the 1950s until the 1990s. Today, it is a widely appreciated sports betting and casino gambling site that provides a myriad of services including pool betting, casino games and lotto.
This detailed The Pools review breaks down all there is to know about this sports betting site. Learn about the gambling options available including their exclusive football prediction game Footie5. You will also learn how to create an account, plus The Pools sign-up offer and other bonuses you can take advantage if.
The Pools Review: Overview of the Welcome Offer
If you’re creating an account for the first time on this betting site, make sure not to miss out on The Pools sign-up offer. Although The Pools no deposit bonus is no longer on offer, the welcome bonus available can still earn you some extra cash in the form of free bets that can be used to bet on any sports event of your choice. The Pools welcome offer is a great bonus that can be used by new punters to test out the site and make low-risk bets on The Pools sporting markets.
To qualify for this bonus, you have to create an account and place a cash bet worth £10 or more at minimum odds of Evens. In this The Polls review, we’ll show you how to open an account and verify it so that you can qualify for this welcome offer. Once you place your £10 bet, you get four £5-worth free bets. This amounts to a total of £20 in free bets.
Of course, like all sports betting bonuses, The Pools sign-up offer comes with terms and conditions. Take a look at them below.
The Pools Betting Welcome Bonus Terms and Conditions
All UK players above the age of 18 are qualified for this bonus. The welcome bonus expires in seven days and must be used in full. You cannot use this welcome offer together with other promotions offered on The Pools betting site. The bonus can only be redeemed once; on the first cash bet placed. To qualify for the bonus, your bet must be the very first bet you place on the site (minimum stake £10) and at single or accumulated odds of Evens (2.00) or higher. It must also not be a cashed out, void, or draw no bet wager.
If your first The Pools bet meets the above criteria, you will be given four £5 bets which can be used on any sporting market, minimum odds 1/2 (1.50). Note that you cannot withdraw this bonus. You have to wager it in full and then withdraw the returns from it.
| Minimum Bet | Qualified Markets | Expiry Date | Minimum Odds | Withdrawable? |
| £10 on a single bet | All real events | 7 days | Evens (2.00) | No |
Who Can Claim The Pools Welcome Offer?
Only new players residing in the UK can claim The Pools sports betting bonus. As mentioned earlier, you also have to be over the age of 18 to be eligible for the bonus. The Pools UK welcome offer is only applicable once per household or IP address, so existing players or players who have had an account at The Pools are ineligible, but there are plenty of ongoing bonuses instead.
The Football Pools does not tolerate any form of IP address masking such as the use of VPNs. Using these services can disqualify you from claiming the welcome offer. It is also not permissible to open multiple accounts to try and get the welcome bonus multiple times.
How to Get Started and Enjoy The Pools Welcome Bonus
Creating an account and enjoying this special £10 welcome offer from The Pools is a remarkably easy process. You can get started by following these simple steps:
- Open The Pools betting site and click on ‘Sign Up’ in the top right corner.
- Fill out the 3-stage sign-up form to create an account.
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- First, you will need to supply your email address and password.
- Next, add your first name, last name, and date of birth. Be sure the information you provided is the same on your government-issued documents to prevent issues with verification.
- Lastly, add your username, phone number, and address.
- First, you will need to supply your email address and password.
- Navigate to the cashier page and deposit at least £10
- Make a bet worth £10 or more that satisfies the terms and conditions
- Once the qualifying bet settles, The Pools online bookie will add four £5 free bets to your sports betting account.
The Pools Free Bet and Other Promotions
If you’re an existing user or otherwise ineligible for The Pools welcome bonus, there are other bonuses you can enjoy on the site. These promotions are offered pretty consistently, with most of them available daily. Some of these added bonuses include:
ACCA Boost
The Pools UK bookie gives you a 50 percent bonus on all your winnings from an accumulator bet with five legs or more, with a stake worth £10 or higher. You can use this bonus to bet on any sports events of your choice.
Best Odds Guaranteed
This promotion is pretty straightforward. If the starting price of a UK or Irish horse race or greyhound race winning selection is more beneficial than the price you have taken, The Pools UK promises to always settle your bet at the more beneficial price.
Free Bets
The Pools betting platform offers you different ways of winning free bets from time to time. Every day, new and existing players are eligible for free UK horse racing bets. You can also win free bets by participating in the ‘Free Bet Grabber’ promotion where you answer sports-related questions correctly and win a free bet the next day. Always check the site for the latest free bet offers.
Sports Plus
Bet £30 on more at The Pools site during the week, and you will be rewarded with £5 in free bets the following Monday. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of Evens/2.00. You must use your free bet within seven days of its award, and the stake is not returned along with any winnings.
How to Redeem The Pools Bonus Code
There is no code currently available for any of the promotions offered at The Pools UK. If, in future, The Pools free bet voucher code should surface, rest assured that we will include it in our review and elsewhere on this site. For now, however, you can enjoy the bonuses offered by simply meeting the requirements.
The Pools Review: An In-Depth Analysis
Without further ado, we’ll dive deep into the details of how The Pools betting site functions and the quality of the services they offer to UK players.
What sports can I bet on with The Pools?
When interacting with this sports betting site, it doesn’t take long to detect that their main focus is on football, which is not surprising given the site’s association with the football pools of yore. The Pools football section contains way more events than the other sports, but plenty of markets beside football are available at the site.
In total, The Pools betting site offers around thirty different sports for players to place bets on. These sports include:
- Football
- Tennis
- Table Tennis
- Cricket
- American Football
- Australian Rules
- Badminton
- Greyhounds
- Handball
- Horse Racing
- MMA
- Ice Hockey
- Volleyball
- Motorsports
- eSports
- Darts
- Cycling
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Badminton
- Golf
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- GAA Hurling
- GAA Football
- Snooker
- Politics
- Specials
- Pool
The Pools Odds and Value
Being a reasonably prominent figure in the field of sports betting, The Pools betting platform prides itself on providing some of the most competitive sets of odds available in the market. The odds also stay fairly consistent, giving players a bit more confidence when settling their bets.
In addition, for all UK/Irish horse racing and greyhounds events, The Pools gives you the ‘best odds guaranteed‘, meaning they pay out your bets according to the starting price when it’s more beneficial to you than the price you have taken.
Bet Limits
Except when a pools-based game jackpot exceeds £250,000, the maximum any player using this online bookie can win within a single day is £250,000. The minimum bet permissible is £1, and the minimum amount you can deposit is £5. These bet limits seem reasonably fair to us, considering the value of the odds provided on this site.
In-Play Betting
There aren’t only a handful of sports available for in-play betting. Of course, The Pools football is the primary market in its in-play betting with many dozens of events to be bet on live at any given time. Tennis is another sport with plenty of live markets. The other games available for in-play betting at the moment are table tennis, cricket, snooker and ice hockey.
The in-play section of the site has interactive odds which flash green or red as they change, as well as helpful statistics about the event.
Live Streaming
Sadly, The Pools betting site does not offer live streaming. This is indeed a shame because one of the many reasons UK football fans flock to online sports betting sites is to be able to live stream important matches while placing their bets. There is, however, still much we can expect from this sports betting site, as it was only set up about five years ago and though it has ‘legacy’ existed offline for many decades, it is just finding its feet in the online scene.
Other Functionality at The Pools
The Pools sports wagering platform has a couple of other features that improve the experience of players. These are:
- Bet Management
The Pools allow you full control over your bets through the full/partial cash-out feature and the bet builder feature. You can access the cash-out feature by finding the ‘open bet’ part of the site by clicking on your account. The bet builder feature, called ‘Create a Bet’ is quite effective in allowing you to customise your bets in whichever way you see fit. To access it, click on the match you would like to bet on. The ‘Create a Bet’ button will appear at the top and you can click it to select bets from different markets, on different events on the match and combine them all into one bet slip. - Virtual Sports
The number of real sports and sports events available to bet on using this sports betting site is already pretty extensive, but The Pools thought to take it one step further by introducing virtual sports. Virtual sports are more fast-paced than real sports and they cut out all the anticipation and speculation, presenting you with an authentic if fake betting experience. The virtual sports available on The Pools sports betting site include:- Horse racing
- Football
- Greyhounds
- Motor racing
- Cycling
The Pools Review: Customer Support
The Pools shows its commitment to the satisfaction of every punter through the broad range of available support channels. The FAQs section contains an exhaustive list covering most of the questions that new and existing bettors often have when visiting and using the site. All the questions you might have about the sign-up and verification process and the payment process are answered in detail on that page.
In addition, The Pools live chat support is available at all times. Unlike with many sports betting sites, the chat is manned by real staff members of the establishment who are willing to tackle your issues in a friendly and efficient manner at all times. You can also reach The Pools betting group through the email address [email protected], or write to them directly at the address: Customer Support, The Pools, Walton House, 55 Charnock Road, Liverpool, L67 1AA.
If you would like to lodge a complaint, you can contact the customer support team at 0800 093 3013 or 0800 500 000. They also have an international line for non-UK residents at +441512347223.
Try The Pools Mobile App
The Pools app contains all of the functionality of the desktop site packed into a compact mobile app without any sacrifices in usability. Once you open the app, it presents you with live trading matches alongside interactive odds and several other statistics. If you decide that you’re not interested in these games, you can select the match of your choice from the menu and create a bet slip with just a few clicks.
You used to be able to download and install an app from the App Store if you were on an iOS device or the Google Play Store if you were on Android, but those apps seem to have been withdrawn. The Pools betting site still has a Footie5 mobile app for Android users. You can use all the functions of The Pool site on mobile via a browser anyhow.
Pools Betting: How It All Began
The classic football pools are an old form of sports betting that involves predicting the outcomes of upcoming football matches. Interestingly, The Pools betting site is owned by The Football Pools Limited, formerly known as Littlewoods Pools, the first group in the UK to offer this type of service. This makes The Pools stand out among other UK brands offering the same service, as it has about a full century of experience under its belt.
To play pool football, click on the menu on the official site and then navigate to the classic pools section of the page. There, you will find the age-old pools game that involves choosing 10 matches you think will end in a draw and accumulating points for any you get correctly. You will also find modern, innovative spins on the game such as Goal Rush, Premier 6, 10, and 12, and Lucky Clover.
Footie5: What It Is and How Your Can Win
Footie5 is a simple football betting opportunity offered by The Pools. To participate, you have to be over 18 years old and reside in The United Kingdom, The Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. When you create an account and visit the Footie5 page either through the website or The Pools app, you will be asked to select any five upcoming games from the Footie5 fixture list and predict the scores of the games.
If you are the only player that gets all the scores correct, you will be awarded a jaw-dropping £25,000. If you and a few other players succeed in predicting the scores correctly, this prize pool is shared among the winners. If you’re not able to predict all five sets of scores correctly, you can still enjoy some consolation cash prizes and free bets.
One of the main tools that can help you to win Footie5 is understanding data and statistics. This can often tell you a lot about a team’s strengths and weaknesses and how that all translates on the pitch. Additionally, you can examine the odds set by bookmakers, as they can give you an idea of what experts think of the upcoming games.
It Doesn’t Stop at Sports – Other Games to Try Out at The Pools
While it is true that The Pools betting program came to be purely through football sports betting, the company has long since expanded their horizons to include other forms of gambling. On this site, you can not only wager on the top sports matches of the week but also spin the reels at the casino or play the lotto and hopefully enjoy some delicious winnings!
The Pools casino
Although The Pools casino exists on a different section of the site, it sometimes intersects with the sports betting section. The Pools Plus Extra promotion, for instance, requires that you wager £30 in the casino in addition to spending £30 or more on a pools game to qualify and win The Pools free spins.
The casino section itself is filled with a diversity of games from top software providers such as Blueprint, Big Time Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Habanero, Hacksaw, 1X2, ELK and more. In this lobby, you have access to the common five-reel modern video slots, the classic three-reel slots, sports and game show-themed slots, Slingo and scratch cards to mention but a few.
All the games in Pragmatic Play’s Drops & Wins are also available for you to enjoy with just a single click. Table games such as blackjack, roulette and poker are also provided by The Football Pools. If you’d like to check out the casino section, we encourage you to take advantage of The Pools welcome bonus which includes 100 free spins.
Live Casino
The live casino section of the site completes The Pools betting experience by providing live games that are high in demand such as Dream Catcher and Lightning Roulette. These games are made by software providers who use state-of-the-art equipment to provide you with audio-visual content that is crisp and of high quality. Although you cannot use The Pools casino promo code for live games, you can still enjoy the low betting limits and innovative variants of classic table games.
The Pools Lotto
In the Lotto section of The Pools site, you will find interesting speciality games such as Keno, Scratch cards, Lucky Clover (a special Irish Lotto), Rainbow Riches, and Yahtzee among others. These games are kept in a separate part of the site to distinguish them from the other games, but some of them can also be found in the pools games section or the casino section.
The Pools Review UK: Payments
The payment options available on The Pools cashier page are a little disappointing when it come to options. You can only fund your account and process withdrawals using debit cards or PayPal. On the brighter side debit card payments are ubiquitous, so this shouldn’t pose a problem for any punters, and there is always PayPal as a fall-back.
| Payment Method | Fees | Minimum Deposit | Minimum Withdrawal | Processing Time |
| Visa/MasterCard | Free | £5 | £10 | 2 – 5 Banking Days |
| Maestro | Free | £5 | £10 | 2 – 5 Banking Days |
| PayPal | Free | £5 | £10 | 2 – 5 Banking Days |
The Pools Withdrawal Time
All payment methods take approximately the same amount of time to be processed and paid out. Withdrawals at The Pools bet are fairly fast. You should receive your winnings in your bank account within five working days of submitting the withdrawal request, although you should not usually have to wait more than two working days.
Who are The Pools and is this Bookie Safe?
In 1923, a group of friends in Liverpool got together and decided to invest their money into creating a football pool betting business and thus, The Football Pools was born. Initially, though, it was called the Littlewoods Pools. It shot to popularity remarkably quickly and before the mid 1940s, up to 14 million people were playing the pools every single week. There is an entire generation of people who grew up watching their parents meticulously check the results and mark their coupon, hoping for the legendary eight score draws to win the big jackpot.
Today, The Football Pools has evolved into something much bigger, providing online services and catering to casino gamblers as well. Yet, despite their sustained fame and success, they make it an obvious priority to ensure the safety and satisfaction of UK gamblers.
The Pools betting establishment is licensed by the UKGC and works closely with BeGambleAware, GamStop, and GamCare, putting several responsible gambling tools to protect players. It is also signed up with the Independent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS) to streamline the process of receiving complaints and disputes from players.
- Date founded: 2018 (1923 as Littlewoods)
- Ownership: Football Pools Limited
- Headquarters: Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Address: Walton House, 55 Charnock Road, Liverpool, L67 1AA, United Kingdom
- UKGC license: 48272
The Pools Sponsorship
For decades, The Football Pools has put a lot of effort and finances into giving back to the football community, particularly the one in England. Through The Football Trust, they sponsored, and continue to sponsor, the development of several football fields around England and the promotion of player and fan safety within these football grounds.
The Pools Pros & Cons
While there are many things we like and admire about The Pools betting establishment, there are also a few things we would love to see done differently.
- Best in the UK for football pools games
- Pays out the best odds even if the price you take is lower (horse racing/greyhounds)
- Seamless UI/UX design with heightened security
- You can win big for free with Footie5
- Hundreds of games in the casino section
- You cannot live stream any matches
- Only debit cards and PayPal can be used as payment methods
Our Final Verdict
Although the official website was only created in 2018, The Pools betting platform is one of those bookies that are loved and trusted by UK players for its long and storied history in football betting. It offers some of the best odds we’ve come across in the market, and a range of services so wide it’s almost impossible to get bored. What’s more, you could even win up to £25k in their Footie5 promotion which is always ongoing.
So what are you waiting for? Hurry and take advantage of this fantastic sports betting site with its great odds and superb bonuses!
The Pools FAQs
How can I bet on Footie5?
Can I live stream matches on this site?
How do I get free bets on The Pools UK?
How do I contact The Football Pools?
Can I place in-play bets at The Pools?
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Football
Tennis
Darts
Cricket
Golf
Horse Racing
F1
Boxing
MMA
Any
Yes
No
Cash Out
Not Needed
Debit card
Paypal
Neteller
Skrill
Apple Pay
PaysafeCard
Trustly
MuchBetter
Deposit match
Enhanced odds
Free Bets
Don't want a bonus
The Pools Verified User Reviews
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Leaving a review helps fellow bettors make informed choices
“Love Them”
The site looks old but apart from that I love them. Deposited 20 and doubled that on my first bet. No nonsense bookie with good odds and with history in Britain.
“Love Them”
The site looks old but apart from that I love them. Deposited 20 and doubled that on my first bet. No nonsense bookie with good odds and with history in Britain.