BetStars

About BetStars

BetStars came to life in 2016, as the latest sub-brand of PokerStars, one of the biggest names in the entire iGaming industry. When it comes to cases like this, it’s best to remain rational and tone it down with the expectations. We started analyzing BetStars without any particular predictions but ended up being pleasantly surprised with the offer at hand.

Of course, there are still some hiccups typical for all newcomers. Given the fact that we’re talking about a PokerStars subsidiary here, we wholeheartedly believe most existing issues will be addressed in the near future.

It’s relatively unusual for “younger” bookmakers to roll out multiple forms of customer support at once. Such a notion somewhat explains the absence of live chat. This would usually be a big downside, regardless of the situation, but there’s no point in looking at sportsbooks in a vacuum. While there is no live chat, phone and email support are available 24/7. In contrast to our initial disappointment, we were delighted by the skill level and politeness of all the agents we’ve talked to. They are always willing to go the extra mile and provide crisp and concise answers.

BetStars aced the Banking section, with a multitude of popular and coveted payment platforms. Available options include PayPal, Paysafecard, Skrill, Neteller and EntroPay, in addition to the default credit card and bank transfer options. There is also the option of making a fast deposit, but this requires you to create a fast deposit account. Processing fees are nonexistent and you usually have to wait no more than 24 hours. Impressive, without a doubt.

The design department is where BetStars needs to invest more effort. First and foremost, the Arial font just won’t cut it if you’re looking to create an aesthetically pleasing website. The theme for this section is definitely the following - good ideas, bad execution. Everything seems to be haphazardly put together, without any additional thinking. There are some good things, such as an indicator that shows how many markets are there for each event.

Mobile apps for both iOS and Android are smooth and extremely responsive. The experience is much akin to the desktop version with several perks that make use of your phone’s touchscreen.

Sports and Betting Odds

Betstars offers many sporting events for users to place bets on. Among the covered sports are: American football, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, biathlon, bowls, boxing/MMA, cricket, cycling, eSports, football, golf, handball, horse racing, ice hockey, motor sport, Rugby League, Rugby Union, sky jumping, snooker, specials, table tennis, tennis, virtuals, volleyball, water polo. Betting odds at Betstars are competitive overall. Soccer betting margin is 4.3%, tennis betting margin is 8.1%, ice hockey betting margin is 7.5%, basketball with 3.4% and so on. The overall betting margin is 4.3%. 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

In the BetStars sportsbook, you will find a who’s who of all the popular sports, highlighted by a wide array of special bets. One thing we don’t like is the variation between, for instance, Premier League matches and other sports. We understand that equal coverage is virtually impossible, but the disparity is sometimes too big for our taste. Live betting for niche sports is abundant, which isn’t something you see every day.

Security and Fairness

Licenses from both the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) make up one hell of a portfolio. We also adore the fact that Rational Group, the owners of PokerStars, has a trust account that’s always equivalent to the liabilities they owe to their customers. When you add SSL encryption and several firewalls to the mix, you get one of the most secure bookmakers out there.