In the U.S., Betfred might not be the first name you think of when it comes to sports betting. But the brand is one of the most storied and respected bookmakers in the UK, with roots dating back over 50 years.
Betfred, which began expanding its global footprint into the U.S. market in 2019, is now set on Ohio. Betfred is among the first crop of sportsbook apps to be fully licensed to operate once Ohio sports betting goes live on Jan. 1, 2023.
Betfred has partnered with the Cincinnati Bengals for access to the Ohio online sportsbook market. There are currently no plans to open a retail sportsbook at Paycor Stadium, but that could change in the future.
For now, here’s everything to know about Betfred Sportsbook.
Betfred Ohio among several online sportsbooks partnering with pro teams
Betfred Sportsbook Ohio is one of several sportsbooks to team up with Ohio pro sports franchises, joining the likes of:
- Bally Bet (partnered with the Cleveland Browns)
- Fubo (Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Bet 365 (Cleveland Guardians)
- Fanatics (Columbus Blue Jackets – first skin)
- Prophet Exchange (Columbus Blue Jackets – second skin)
- Tipico (Columbus Crew)
- Underdog (Cincinnati Reds)
- Superbook (FC Cincinnati)
Betfred is no stranger to pro sports partnerships. In the U.S., Betfred is currently the betting sponsor of MLB’s Colorado Rockies and the NFL’s Denver Broncos.
At the Bengals’ 2022 season home opener on Sept. 11 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Betfred signage was evident at the team’s newly named Paycor Stadium. One of the stadium’s entry gates has been renamed the Betfred Northeast Gate.
While cross-state rivals the Cleveland Browns have announced plans for a sports gaming lounge at its FirstEnergy Stadium as part of its partnership with Bally’s, so far the Bengals and Betfred have not applied for a license to host a retail sportsbook at Paycor Stadium or elsewhere. Nor are there plans for a lounge or bar with Betfred branding.
The Bengals recently told the Ohio Casino Control Commission that they were passing on the retail license due to the NFL’s rules against in-person, in-game betting. The team and Betfred could pursue a license and open a retail sportsbook off-site, or things could change if the NFL updates its stance on on-site retail sportsbooks taking bets at NFL stadiums during games.
It’s worth noting that Betfred’s partnership with the Denver Broncos resulted in a sports betting lounge at Empower Field at Mile High.
Betfred releases Ohio sign-up bonus
Betfred Sportsbook Ohio has released its Ohio pre-launch offer of $200 in bet credits. The credits will be disbursed in $50 increments on a weekly basis for four weeks.
Betfred’s offer includes up to $500 in bet credits over a five-day period — $100 per day — for fixed odds cash bets that lose.
For the bet credits, all you have to do is sign up for the Betfred app, and the credits will appear in the account as an option when placing a bet of $50 weekly.
The $100 disbursement of bet credits works a little bit differently. These bet credits are only awarded for those who fund their account and place a losing fixed odds bet. They are only offered during a five-day period (up to $100 per day). Any bet credits would be awarded like the first $50 credits of the offer — sitting in the account as an option for future bets.
Betfred was listed among the first collection of sportsbooks fully licensed to begin operating in Ohio on Jan. 1. The company currently offers state-specific sports betting apps for Iowa, Colorado and Arizona.
Betfred’s ongoing promos for online bettors in other markets include “Betfred Boosts,” boosting odds on certain events daily for increased payouts, and an “Early Bird Special” on certain NFL games, whereby users can earn 15%-20% of their stake back by placing bets several days ahead of the game. Betfred also has an “Overtime Insurance Payout” promo, allowing bettors to receive 50% of their stake back (up to $25) if their NFL team loses the game in overtime.
Betfred betting app is easy to use
The Betfred Sports app is available for free for Android and iOS users. Betfred’s app is easy to navigate, with a clean blue and white design and familiar layout and interface. The browser version of Betfred’s mimics the mobile app’s uncluttered design; it’s identical to the app on a mobile browser, but the desktop version, visually, is a little clunky.
The home tab on the Betfred app features a rundown of the day’s popular events, with moneyline, spread and game total odds clearly displayed for each event. A scroll bar at the top of the screen takes users to dedicated pages for their sport of choice — everything from football, basketball and baseball to boxing, MMA, table tennis, motor sports and a plethora of worldwide soccer games and tournaments.
Across the bottom of the app’s home page, users can click to pages dedicated to events happening live at that moment (bettors can place in-play wagers as the event is happening) and also keep track of all of their bets in the “Betslip” section.
The types of bets Betfred offers through its app include straight bets, proposition bets, in-play wagers and a variety of parlay options. Betfred also has extensive futures offerings for those eager to bet on championship or other events well in advance.
Reviews of the Betfred mobile apps have been generally positive, earning high marks for its welcome bonuses and daily Betfred odds boosts, in particular. While Betfred doesn’t offer 24-hour customer support (which could change as the company grows), users report that customer service has been very responsive and helpful when issues arise.
Betfred offers fairly standard banking options for deposits and withdrawals, though it could use more. For example, Betfred currently does not allow bettors to use PayPal for deposits or withdrawals.
Betfred: From England to Ohio
Betfred’s origins can be traced back to 1967, when brothers Fred and Peter Done (rhymes with “bone”) used the winnings from a bet on England to win the 1966 World Cup to open a betting shop in the Greater Manchester area.
The company, which today operates more than 1,400 betting shops in the UK, adopted the Betfred name in 2004, the same year it launched its digital presence. Since then Betfred has emerged as a leader in the digital betting industry in the UK and Spain.
With the expansion of legal sports betting in the U.S., the Betfred Group created the Las Vegas-based Betfred USA in 2019. Betfred is currently operating in Colorado, Arizona, Louisiana, Iowa, Washington and Pennsylvania, and is coming soon to the Ohio, Nevada, Maryland and Virginia markets.
Ohio is expected to quickly grow into one of the biggest U.S. sports betting markets. PlayOhio estimates that Ohioans will bet between $9 billion and $12 billion per year after an initial acquisition period of 12-18 months. Annual revenue should fall between $650 million and $850 million within the same timeframe.
Ohio’s market will offer a wide-ranging collection of betting options, including retail and online sportsbooks, along with betting kiosks inside hundreds of local businesses throughout the state.
