500.com

About 500.com

A staple of Chinese sports betting, 500 is a brand to be reckoned with in the Far East. Starting off as 500 Lottery in 2001, they eventually got into the lucrative business of sports betting. Currently, they claim to have 60 million people playing at the site, which is more than most European brands can ever dream of.

But is this popularity warranted? Do they have what it takes to become your mainstay bookmaker? Honestly, they do have some compelling arguments. In the next few sections, we’ll delve into the inner workings of 500 and see what’s they’re good at and what they fail at.

One thing which bothers us about this bookmaker is the fact that the background is white. Other than that, they offer a plethora of great features. One thing which struck us immediately was the effort put into the visualization of each fixture. They have dedicated sub-sections for almost every sports league you can imagine.

For beginners, this is an incredibly useful feature, as it gives every user the opportunity to inform themselves about the bets that they’re interested in. There are even detailed descriptions about teams, leagues, coupled with large amounts of historical data. It’s basically a novice’s wet dream.

Surprisingly, the mobile browser version is decent. They obviously omitted some features from the desktop site. It turned out to be a good decision, one which could have been applied to the regular format. Apps are decent too, so we would recommend this route if you’re willing to try your hand at.

Customer support speaks only Chinese and they’re pretty polite and knowledgeable. As they have a plethora of customers, different departments exist to tackle various issues and disputes that may arise. Very efficient and organized - an overall positive experience.

Payments can only be made using cards, Qiwi, and other local providers. While this may seem perspective to those not from China, 500.com actually fulfills all the needs of their target group. Withdrawal times can be quite fast, with no additional fees and extra steps involved. Clean and simple, believe it or not.

Now, if only they were to do something about the ugly UI. If you don’t mind the ugly design, go for it. Funnily, even their job recruitment page has a more compelling layout.

Sports and Betting Odds

Users can bet on a variety of sporting events that are available on the 500.com website. Among the covered sports are: Football, Tennis, Formula 1, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Handball, Table Tennis, Darts, American Football, Baseball, Beach volleyball, Biathlon, Boxing, Chess, Cricket, Cycling, Formula E, Gaelic Football, Gaelic Hurling, Golf, Mixed Martial Arts, Motorbike, Motorsport, Pesäpallo, Pool, Rugby, Snooker, Speedway, eSports. Betting odds at 500.com are competitive overall. Soccer betting margin is 5.2%, tennis betting margin is 7.5%, ice hockey betting margin is 7.6%, basketball with 5.6% and so on. The overall betting margin is 6.5%. These betting margins have been calculated using odds from different events in each sport. Please note that margins may be different from a sport to another, and even from a league to other.

Betting Features

Expectedly, 500.com has put a significant emphasis on football fixtures. They cover matches from all over the globe, regardless of the popularity of the league. Basketball and hockey are also prominent, with volleyball and golf also receiving more coverage than ever before.

What you’ll love about 500.com is the abundance of special bets and visual representations of every outcome. Live bets are also a joy to place, as you can follow the action through the ‘match pulse’ tool.

Security and Fairness

500.com is certified as secure by Qualys, with the Chinese Government giving this sports betting giant the permission to serve customers both within the country and abroad. They are deemed safe, secure, and have a clean report card. Try them out if you’re looking for something different.