Novibet is a traditional bookmaker with Greek origins and one of their sites has a domain registered in Greece. The operator has expanded into other parts of Europe but their main license and regulatory partnership is with the UK Gambling Commission. The brand was established in 2011 under the ownership of Novigroup Ltd, based in the Isle of Man.
Novibet allows customers to bank in four currencies including the GB Pound and Euro. The site can be reads in English and Greek. The operation supports desktop computers and mobile devices. Unlike many established brands in the UK, Novibet does not have a retail division so can focus all their resources on the online betting service which is based on an in-house software platform.
At Novibet, new customers placing an opening bet of £10+ will earn themselves £20 worth of free bets. Free bets are paid out in the form of 2x £10 tokens, with the full amount being delivered upon losing first bets settling. Only winnings made will be available to withdraw, with the stake being returned to the bookie.
The simplicity of this offer is likely to appeal to many. However, the following terms and conditions do make qualifying a little more difficult:
Some bookmakers focus entirely on new customers with their promotional activity. Novibet offers a package of ongoing promotions for existing customers that complements the welcome offer. The full range of promotions for all customers provide the incentive to open an account, make a deposit and place the first bet which activates the welcome bonus. At any time there is a range of ongoing promotions for current players. These change from time to time but at the time of writing, existing customers with Novibet can enjoy the following promotions:
Novibet boosts winning multiple bets with 4 to 14 or more selections. The percentage boosts increases as more selections are added to the bet. The acca price boost ranges from 5 to 100%. There are no restrictions on the sports and leagues and pre0match and in-play bets are allowed. Each selection in the accumulator must be placed at odds of 1.50 or bigger. The boost applies to certain markets and the maximum increased winnings is £1500. If one leg is void the bonus is reduced in line with the number of selections that played.
In-play bettors with Novibet will have stakes returned for any bet placed before the 70th minute that become losing bets after the 88th minute. This refund applies to selected markets in football matches. The maximum refund is £50 and customers are only eligible for one refund each day. The offer applies to single bets only and the refund appears within 24 hours. The offer does not extend beyond the 4th minute of added time at the end of a match.
‘Sports’ is the first option on the main menu of the Novibet Home Page. The main sports page displays the current major in-play events and the upcoming betting highlights for the day. There are also banner links to the current promotions and betting services. The Sports page is a good summary of sports betting the service on the day. The top bets for football, tennis and basketball are highlighted.
The sports betting markets are listed in a menu of popular events, which includes some betting services and the main leagues for betting of the day. The full range of betting sports are listed in order of popularity. In addition to the regular sports, customers with Novibet can place wagers on Esports, Politics and Entertainment. The list of sports indicates that the most bet on are football, horse racing and tennis:
Football is by far the most popular betting sport with Novibet. Customers in the UK are huge bettors on the sport and turnover is always increasing in other parts of Europe. Novibet offers pre-match betting on many leagues from all around the world. The site features most leagues in England and the most popular betting league is the Premier League. The UEFA Champions League generates a great deal of betting activity. Football betting with Novibet receives a boost every two summers when there is a World Cup or finals of the European Championship.
Novibet displays the three-way match result after 90 minutes (Home Win, Draw, Away Win) and the Over/Under total goals for each fixture. There is a link to the additional betting options. Customers can select from about 175 markets at most which appear in the following categories:
The match result market is compiled with a margin of 4% which is about average for the UK online betting industry. Customers can place ante-post bets on the outright winner of many leagues and Cups. The English Premier League and Champions League generate most betting turnover and the top scorer market in the EPL is also very popular. There is also ante-post betting on upcoming international tournaments.
Horse racing is a relatively recent addition to Novibet’s range of betting sports. This development coincides with the operator’s efforts to gain market share in the UK where racing is still the core betting sport in retail premises that mainly take cash bets. Initially, Novibet only offers betting on meetings in the UK and Ireland and there is very little ante-post betting. Customers are not offered international racing and unlike many competitors in the UK, the operator does not promise Best Odds Guaranteed.
There has been a massive growth in tennis betting over the last 15 years and the Novibet tennis service reflects the interest in the sport. Tennis is rare in the matches attract more in-play betting than wagers before the action begins. The most popular market is the two-way match result (Player 1, Player 2). This market is compiled with a margin of 7% which is better than average. The other most bet on options are handicaps and totals. |Novibet covers matches on the ATP and WTA tours and other minor tours further down the pyramid. The operator offers ante-post betting on the upcoming Grand Slam tournaments and international team events.
Novibet does not offer any downloadable mobile betting apps for Android and iOS devices. However, users of smart phones and tablets can access a mobile version of the site. The mobile site is available on a mobile-optimised browser where there is a good connection. Novibet has not introduced any mobile-specific offers. However, the mobile site is fully functional which means mo-bile users can claim the welcome bonus and enjoy the benefits of ongoing promotions for existing customers.
Novibet is a fixed-odds bookmaker so does not offer exchange or spread betting. The following features enhance the traditional online betting experience:
‘In-Play’ is the second option on the main menu on the Novibet Home Page. The most popular sports for in-play betting are football and tennis. There is no live streaming with Novibet but customers can view a graphical display of the play. Customers can also refer to live match data before placing a bet. There are about 30 in-play betting options for a live football match and somewhat fewer for a live tennis event. Betting markets are taken down for a few seconds after a key incident, such as a goal in football or a break of serve in tennis. The markets soon reappear with updated odds.
Customers with Novibet can close bets before the final outcome is known. Cash out betting is allowed during an in-play bet and pre-match and live bets during the event count. Free bets cannot be cashed out and the facility is available on selected sports and markets. Cash out is not possible when a betting market is suspended. The cash out value depends on the stake and odds of the original bet and the odds at the time of the cash out request. The offer can be accepted or rejected in which case the bets remain open until the next cash out request or final settlement.
Customers with Novibet can transfer funds using debit cards, e-Wallets such as PayPal and prepaid cards. Funds can be deposit and withdrawn using several currencies. Deposits are instant and do not carry a charge. Withdrawals are subject to standard delays up to 5 working days and are generally free. There are no monthly withdrawal limits which is a good feature of the Novibet banking system.
Potential new customers with Novibet visit the Home Page and click ‘REGISTER’. The registration screen displays required field for contact, personal and account information. The registration process involves specifying a unique Username and Password. When all the fields have been populated customers again click ‘REGISTER’ to create a new account.
Once a new customer is registered, a prompt appears to make an initial deposit. Customers choose the deposit amount and payment method. Most deposits are accepted if they are within the limits. The betting funds are immediately available and the account balance is updated accordingly.
New players navigate to the chosen market through the Popular list or list of sports. Customers click on the odds for the selected option and the Bet Slip appears. As more selections are added, the bet types are displayed. Bettors confirm the odds and enter the stake. Most bets are accepted and the account balance reflects the bet.
One of the strengths of Novibet is the level of customer support. Players can get in touch with support staff by Live Chat, email and telephone. Novibet takes things further by offering support using Skype. The operator is a member of the Independent Betting Arbitration Service (IBAS) that resolves disputes between UK bookmakers and customers. Novibet is committed to promoting responsible gambling. There are measures available to limit gambling and links to support bodies.
Novibet is a betting brand that first appeared in the Greek market that is now expanding into other parts of Europe. The most lucrative market is the UK and the introduction of horse racing suggests that is a target market for Novibet. The range of sports and markets is decent and the betting margins are below average. The site features a good package of promotions for new and existing customers. All the key account management and betting functions work well with Novibet.
The UK market is dominated by the established betting brands and several also have a retail division. Other prominent services that only have an internet product can afford to invest heavily in advertising and promotions. Novibet are not well known in the UK so must offer something unique to attract new customers. The odds margins offer some value and the welcome bonus is transparent and achievable. The brand does have potential but it will have to work harder for recognition in a crowded market