The Pools Review – Established Brand Now Offering Sports Betting

Last updated: by Leon Marshal

The Pools is an iconic name in UK sports wagering, having been around for over 100 years. But how does the online betting site fare in such a competitive arena? Find out with our in-depth The Pools review, covering the sign-up offer, markets and odds, plus the overall experience.

🥇 Betting Site
Rating4.4 / 5.0
Number of Sports27+
📈 Average Markets (EPL):136+
🎁 Welcome BonusGet £10 to use on Accas
⚖️ Regulation
🏆 The PoolsVisit Site!
Full T&Cs Apply! 18+, UK only. Min odds and selections apply per offer. Cashed out bets and bets on non-runners do not qualify. Free bets are credited at bet settlement and will expire 7 days after being credited. Full terms apply per offer. 

The Pools Sign-Up Offer: Get £10 to Use on Accas

The Pools doesn’t currently offer any welcome bonus, although they do feature a wide selection of continual promotions across the sports betting site, The Football Pools, and their online casino. For us, an opportunity to get £10 to use on accas was the most appealing. This basically equates to one free accumulator bet per week.

How to Claim The Pools Welcome Bonus

The Pools signup pageThe Pools Signup Page

The Pools payment optionsThe Pools Payment Methods

The Pools sports betting siteEnjoy Placing Your Bets

As with any kind of betting bonus, there are terms and conditions attached, so you should always read through these. To claim The Pools bonus weekly acca offer, punters need to place a minimum of 2x £10 acca bets with 4 or more legs, and with accumulated odds valued 2/1 (3.0) or higher. This triggers the £10 in bonus funds credited to your account each following Monday.

Various new and ongoing promotions are available weekly at The Pools, including new offers tied to different sporting events and competitions, therefore it’s worth following those. Likewise, alternative promotions are available for the iconic Football Pools and the online casino, all of which can be accessed through the same website once you have an account.


The Pools Features – Diverse Sports Coverage

While in the process of compiling The Pools review, our team was impressed by the depth of and range of sports betting markets to choose from. All the most popular UK markets are covered with a wide variety of betting options, particularly those involving football, cricket, and horse racing.

But what made The Pools even more appealing was the diversity of sports available, from top Irish competitions like GAA Football and GAA Hurling, right through to MMA and a superb focus on Esports. Adding to the fine array of markets, punters can also explore dedicated sections for specials and price boosts. There’s even a section for politics, featuring odds for UK and US electoral races.

THE POOLS SUMMARY
A look at The Pools websiteSports Market Coverage
American Football, Athletics, Australian Rules, Badminton, Baseball, Basketball, Boxing, Cricket, Cycling, Darts, Esports, Football, GAA Football, GAA Hurling, Golf, Greyhounds, Handball, Horse Racing, Ice Hockey, MMA, Motor Sports, Politics, Pool, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Snooker, Specials, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball
Mobile app. . N/A
Bet ExchangeNo
In-Play ConsoleYes
Live StreamingNo
Live Streaming RequirementsN/A
In-Play CashoutYes
Other FeaturesLive Statistics
Minimum Bet£0.01

For anyone who is quite frugal with their wagering, we liked the minimum bets of just one penny when testing The Pools betting options. However, while the scope of in-play markets available is pleasing, there is no live streaming content at present. But akin to the best live betting sites, there are detailed live statistics available to view.

Overall, we felt satisfied with the excellent variety of sports betting options, especially the broadness and volume of sports markspets offered by The Pools. Indeed, since launching their online sportsbook in 2018, The Pools has a positive track record of constant improvement, frequently adding new features and more sports betting markets.


Payment Options at The Pools

Compared to many other sports betting sites, deposit and withdrawal options are quite limited at The Pools, and there are only three methods available. Choices include VISA or Mastercard debit card and just the one e-wallet option via PayPal. Check the table below for key information about each option.

THE POOLS ACCEPTS THE FOLLOWING PAYMENT METHODS
Payment MethodDepositWithdrawal – Processing
minimummaximumtimefee
.£5N/AInstantNo3 – 5 Days
.£5N/AInstantNo3 – 5 Days
.£5N/AInstantNo3 – 5 Days

Even with the limited options, deposits are instantly processed and there are no fees. Likewise, having a minimum deposit of just £5 at The Pools is favourable. Many of the leading online bookies require minimum deposits of £10 or more.

Another plus is for The Pools to feature among the growing list of PayPal betting sites. Despite stating in the Terms & Conditions that processing withdrawals can take 3–5 days, we typically find PayPal transactions usually take less time to process. All deposits and withdrawals are displayed in pound sterling, and no other currencies are available.


Customer Service

Focusing on one of the key areas of The Pools review, checking the quality and efficiency of customer support is always an important consideration for punters. We were pleased to see that freephone support is available, which isn’t always the case these days at many betting sites. There’s also live chat, plus email and even the option for old-fashioned postal correspondence.

THE POOLS CUSTOMER SUPPORT DETAILS
The Pools offers freephone customer support, live chat, email, and even traditional postal correspondence, all of which are easy to use and responsive.
.Telephone number0800 500 000
AddressThe Football Pools, Walton House, 55 Charnock Road, Liverpool
Post CodeL67 1AA
Emailsupport@thepools.com
Live chatYes
Open HoursMonday to Saturday 8:30am – 10pm
Sunday 12pm – 10pm

When our team tested and evaluated each of the customer service options, all methods were simple to access and easy to use, while the responsiveness to queries by genuine human staff at The Pools added to our confidence. Nevertheless, we did feel the lack of 24/7 support was a minor drawback, particularly for such a large and famous company.


The Pools Company Info

As we mentioned in our introduction to this review, few companies boast the history and reputation of The Pools, which dates all the way back to 1923, when the Littlewoods Football Pool was first launched. Today, the company employs more than 150 people and remains based in Liverpool, albeit owned by private equity firm OpCapita since 2017.

AT A GLANCE – THE POOLS COMPANY INFORMATION
Name of OperatorFootball Pools Limited
Sportsbook Websitewww.thepools.com
Chief Executive OfficerJames Arnold
Licence InformationLicensed by the UK Gambling Commission – 48272
Testing AgencyIndependent Betting Adjudication Service (IBAS)
FTSE Listed and FTSE NameN/A
Revenue£25 million +
Betting ShopsOnline Only
Number of Customers100k +
Owner InformationOpCapita
Employees150
Sister Siteswww.footballpools.com, www.footie5.com, www.rangerspools.com
N/A

The Pools was launched as a new brand in 2018, bringing forth a new era for the company, venturing into both sports betting and online casino activities. Fully licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and compliant with the latest regulations, these operations now contribute to reported annual revenues £25 million, ensuring The Football Pools Limited reaches a much bigger digital audience.


Conclusion: Historic Brand & Quality Sports Betting Options

When you have such an iconic brand, familiar to generations of British sports betting fans, it’s hard to ignore what The Pools has to offer within the modern online gambling scene. Nevertheless, while our overall verdict is positive, there is the need to keep improving. But given the existing quality we found, an exciting platform is already there upon which to keep building and growing.

OUR OVERALL CONCLUSION ON THE SPORSTBOOK
MarketsSupportLive BettingMobile AppBonusOverall
5.0/5Excellent4.0/5Very Good!4.0/5Very Good!4.0/5Very Good!4.0/5Very Good!.

The diversity of markets and betting options impressed our team of reviewers. Meanwhile, compared to the best betting sites The Pools is now competing against, site features are clear and simple to use. We see lots of potential, which certainly makes The Pools one to try and keep following with interest, both now and in the years to come.

The Pools The Pools homepage screenshot Iconic & Historic Brand High-Quality Sports
Betting Platform
Visit Site! Full T&Cs Apply! 18+, UK only. Min odds and selections apply per offer. Cashed out bets and bets on non-runners do not qualify. Free bets are credited at bet settlement and will expire 7 days after being credited. Full terms apply per offer. 


Frequently Asked Questions

Just in case you need answers to the most popular questions about The Pools, our FAQ section provides further information and clarity. If you want to know more about bonus offers and availability in the UK, our level of trust and how quick withdrawals are, we’ve got you covered.

What is the best offer at The Pools?

Although there’s no such thing as The Pools sign-up bonus and welcome bonuses don’t exist, we found plenty of good offers for punters once registered. Using the best sports betting offer at The Pools, you can get £10 to use on accas. This is essentially a free bet offer involving bonus funds, triggered when you spend 2x £10 on accumulator betting within the space of a week.

Are offers at The Pools available for UK customers?

Yes, all the promotions and offers published by The Pools are available to UK customers. Likewise, GBP is the only currency available. While there is no specific sign-up or welcome bonus, The Pools does have a wide selection of new and ongoing offers , which you can choose from once registered at the site and having made your first minimum £5 deposit.

Is The Pools trustworthy?

The Pools is a completely trustworthy and legitimate online bookmaker, fully licenced by the UK Gambling Commission. Registered as Football Pools Limited and under licence number 48272, this operator is compliant with all the latest regulations, ensuring the safety and fairness of betting at the site.

How long are withdrawal times at The Pools?

Per the Terms & Conditions published at The Pools, withdrawal times for each banking method are processed within 3-5 days. Withdrawal methods include VISA or Mastercard debit cards, along with the PayPal e-wallet. Such an estimation of withdrawal times is fairly standard in our experience, although they can sometimes be processed quicker than stated.