William Hill Sports Review:

Britain’s biggest bookmaker needs no introduction, but it’s going to get one anyway. William Hill may be a symbol of the traditional British high street bookmaker yet it could never be accused of resting on its laurels or falling behind the times.

Indeed, this bold and dynamic company took a punt on professional bookmaking back in 1934, when legal high street betting shops were still decades off, and then jumped into the brave new world of online betting long before any of its rivals.

Now, with nearly 20 years of online betting experience under its belt, is William Hill still ahead of the game, or has it settled into comfortable old age?

We could probably skip this section all together, as far as most British punters are concerned anyway. William Hill is an institution, and there probably aren’t too many potential customers sitting on the fence wondering whether it’s really safe to trust them with their money. You only need to catch a glimpse of that famous old-school logo at the top of the homepage for all the reassurance you need.

William Hill has built up a lot of goodwill and trust during its long history (both on the high street and online), and its reputation among punters hasn’t been sullied by any major controversies.

If you insist on inspecting papers, you’ll be pleased to know that the site, which is operated by WHG (International) Limited, has licenses from both the UK Gambling Commission and the Gibraltar Gambling Commission. It is also a member of the European Sports Security Association (ESSA), which guards against corruption in sports betting.

William Hill is as close to a no-risk bookie as it gets: A FTSE-250 company with a sterling reputation and nearly 20 controversy-free years at the forefront of online betting.

Compared to rival sportsbooks, William Hill has perhaps the most comprehensive range of payment methods available. The minimum deposit you can make is £5, while the maximum goes up to £99,000. For more bookmakers offering a low minimum deposit visit our low deposit betting sites list. Low deposit are acceptable even with cash in store bets and it’s super fast and easy.

We’re really trying not to harp on about the less than lovely site design, but sadly, the news isn’t any better on the mobile front.

Working on all iOS and Android handheld devices, William Hill’s mobile app is at least accessible, but in terms of user experience it lacks any real flair like its desktop counterpart. It’s a shame, as it comes packed wall-to-wall with markets (over 20 in total). It also benefits from speedy navigation that means that players can lay down a wager in a flash here.

Navigation and ease of use is clearly the big selling point of William Hill’s portable offering, with this being complemented by a smattering of live streaming options. Admittedly, despite our reservations about the design, it’ll do the job for anyone who wants a stats-loaded sports betting experience on the go.

You can get your hands on the iOS version in the App Store, but you’ll have to visit the William Hill website on your phone to get to the download link for the Android version.

William Hill isn’t known for offering incredible promotions, but its current new player offer, which rewards punters with £30 of free bets once they’ve made an initial bet of at least £10, is pitched perfectly for the average punter. Just remember to enter the code, C30, during registration to avoid disappointment.

To get your hands on the three £10 bets, you first have to place a bet at odds greater than 1/2 (1.5), which seems perfectly reasonable. The stake from your free bet isn’t paid back with your winnings, but you do get to keep anything you win from your free bets, subject to meeting the terms of the promotion. No wagering requirements just adds to the goodness.

In case you can’t tell, we like this offer a lot, and what’s even better is that it’s just one of many promotions and special bets William Hill makes available for both new and existing gamblers alike.

William Hill boasts a decent selection of evergreen promotions, which includes things like best price guaranteed on horse and greyhound racing, Acca Insurance, non-runner insurance, and more.

There’s some innovation here, too. William Hill Offer Club gives a free £5 bet every week to customers who spend £20 or more on football Accas with four or more selections. If you’re more of a racing fan, then the High 5 offer might work for you. It rewards you with a 25% bonus on your winnings if your horse wins by 5 or more lengths (jumps racing only).

The promotions page is certainly not overstuffed, which might disappoint some players shopping around for a new bookie in a market where the eye-catching special offer is king.

There are around 30 sports to bet on at William Hill. That certainly doesn’t set it apart from any of the leading pack of online bookies, but there’s good depth here. Even for sports that are relatively unpopular in the UK, like ice hockey, you’ll find betting markets for the native competitions of pretty much every ice hockey-playing nation on Earth. If you can’t find the sport you want to bet on, you can try your luck with requesting odds.

Football is, of course, heavily represented, with a seemingly constant roster of obscure leagues and competitions from around the world, with plenty of in-play markets to get stuck into no matter the day or the hour. Horse race betting and greyhounds are this traditional bookie’s other big strengths, and you can expect to find every meeting and race in the UK and Ireland, as well as plenty from around the globe.

Odds are by and large competitive. Not in the top rank alongside Bet365 and BoyleSports maybe, but certainly sitting ahead of the chasing pack of Betfair, Ladbrokes and 888Sports.

On a less happy note, the site itself is a bit of a horror show. Having jumped straight over from a quick check-in on Titanbet it was an almost visceral shock. If this really is the “home of betting”, then it could do with a lick of paint. It looks outdated, gloomy, and very text-heavy. At least everything is relatively easy to find, with the latest in-play markets and the big upcoming football matches front-and-centre on the homepage.

You can also access the sister sites, including casino, live casino, bingo and poker from the main menu running along the top of the page.

William Hill’s site certainly has an old fashioned look to it, but when it comes to features and execution it’s ahead of most of its rivals. Where this stands out in particular is when it comes to in-play betting, as William Hill can rightfully rub shoulder-to-shoulder with industry big guns in Bet365 and Ladbrokes on this front.

Kicking open the door to live betting, William Hill goes big on both markets and features. The site really does throw you into the action and gives you the chance to bet on the fly with statistics on your side. As you enter the ‘In Play’ betting panel, you’re able to see what’s happening in any given game through a number of useful graphics. While it’s not the prettiest looking interface we’ve used, that’s just the nature of the beast with William Hill. Besides, you can’t complain about the excellent all-around experience it offers up on both desktop and mobile platforms.

Another aspect of the William Hill in-play betting platform that is certainly worth mentioning is the WHTV live streaming, which showcases some of the world’s biggest sporting events completely free of charge. On an average day, everything from top-level football to NHL Ice Hockey is available for customers to stream while they bet.