2003 Bet365 Homepage

Bet365 began in 1974 with the acquisition of a number of high street betting shops by Peter Coates, although the online company as it stands today is the brainchild of his daughter, Denise. She bought the bet365.com domain in 2000 with a vision of turning her father’s business into a major online sports betting destination. The site went live one year later and from the outset, offered a variety of sports events on which to place a wager alongside bonus code offers to incentivise customer registration. Sports ranged from prime-time showcase events such as the Grand National and the Champions League to minor tournaments like the Football League Trophy. The variety of sports on offer allowed bets to be placed on events outside of peak hours and this advantage over competing betting sites helped to establish the company as a trustworthy and popular destination. With the sale of their high street branches to Coral in 2005, Bet365 was able to fully commit to its online presence and has steadily grown its customer base to 18 million people who between them wagered (in 2012) a total of £12.2 billion on sports alone. Bet365 placed third in ‘The Sunday Times Profit Track 100’ league table based on its profit growth rate in comparison to other UK private companies. The business employs 3,000+ staff to manage the running of the site and is the largest private employer in Stoke-on-Trent, England.

Bet365 has won numerous awards, including winning the EGR ‘In-Play Sports Operator of the Year’ four years in a row, and the EGR ‘Sports Betting Operator of the Year’ in 2010, 2013 and 2014, which is testament to its leading position in the online sports betting world.

Bet365 pride themselves for offering the most markets on more sports than anyone else and even a cursory look at their website shows offerings from horse racing and football to the more unusual sports such as darts and cycling. To extend the possibilities on all these sports, they offer odds on national and international events, men’s and women’s events, major and minor leagues, and even provide virtual sports where computer-generated horses, dogs and people play for title hopes in a simulated world.

In-play betting, where bets can be placed during the event with continually updated odds, is increasingly becoming popular due to advancing technology and the widespread use of smartphones by potential customers. The capability to bet on an event when you’re out and about has not only improved play for existing customers, but it has opened up the betting world to a brand new set of potential punters. These people may not necessarily want to visit a betting shop or actively think about betting prior to a major event, but instead impulsively place a ‘cheeky’ bet at the pub or when out with friends. The ability to live-stream a variety of events creates a whole new source of entertainment to a multitude of people. Whilst there is a mobile site accessible via a smartphone browser, there is also a Bet365 mobile app specifically designed for Android or Apple devices. The app is widely thought to be one of the best available due partly to its ease of use and friendly layout. Once logged on, the app is similar in design to the website, with a list of sports to choose from, a constant view of the balance and instant access to bet on live events.