Following our latest article on matched bets review, we bring you the top 5 betting sites for beginners.

Paddy Power

Paddy Power was started in 1988 by a few Irish bookmakers. Since then, it has become one of the foremost bookmakers in the online betting industry. Although the reputation of Paddy Power is quite solid, it has faced a few questionable commercials and bets pinned to its name in its three decades of operations.

Today, however, Paddy Power is considered to be one of the most famous and reliable bookies with a highly inclusive sportsbook offering a wide range of markets, streaming, live betting, attractive bonuses, and a mobile app. Few other globally renowned bookmakers can rival it.

Paddy Power has a keen focus in offering the best possible deals for clients as well as keeping up with modern day trends. It also offers impeccable customer service and a mobile app.

Betting markets

Paddy Power’s betting markets are incredibly diverse, covering popular sports like soccer and cricket as well as more specialized markets such as politics and weightlifting. Traditional markets are included as well; from boxing to baseball, cycling, motor racing, greyhound racing, snooker, volleyball, and rugby. Even Irish domestic sports have not been overlooked. Such a dynamic selection of markets does mean that there is something for everyone at the Paddy Power betting markets, and all this can be accessed from a single account.

But is that too much variety for a single account? Paddy Power gets around this problem by providing a Quick Links menu located on the central panel. It will direct you straight to the home page of a given option so you do not have to search for it.

Another thing to appreciate about the Paddy Power markets is their consistency with presenting good odds. In soccer, for instance, betting margins are one of the lowest found anywhere, which of course translates to great value for betters.

The Paddy Power website

Paddy Power maintains a comprehensive website that also manages to be user-friendly and easy to navigate. The interface is equipped with several useful features that allow you to move around unhindered between different areas. The bet slip software is brilliantly configured, remaining in full view even when you scroll up and down the page. You may also drag it to a different place or set it on the sidebar.

To deposit funds, use the quick deposit function and go to the account management page to personalize your settings. You can decide which functions should appear upon logging in as well as manage your balance and browse through your betting history.

The mobile app

In 2010, Paddy Power launched its mobile app for the iPhone, the first bookmaker to do so. Soon, there were apps being developed for Android smartphones as well. The app allows you to access your account, provides a fast touch ID login, pre-play & in-play betting, instant cash withdrawals, and insider tips. Like the website, the app is comprehensively detailed and intuitive but remains resolutely simple to use. It is ideal for when you spot some great odds while you are out shopping.

Available bonuses

• Sign up offers

• Free bets (50 euro or 50 pounds sterling/through voucher codes)

• Money back specials

• Keep in the loop

Security

Paddy Power values the privacy of its customers and does not dole out personal information to any third parties. The site is kept safe by a full-time Customer Security Team that constantly monitors its activities and regularly performs virus checks. In any case, customers are advised to consult the security team via email regarding any security concerns or personal log in details. Their email address is [email protected].

Secret Betting Club

The Secret Betting Club was founded in 2006, with the main focus on assisting people with making long-term profits out of sports betting. However, it also deals with matters concerning betting brokers, exchanges, account restrictions – just about anything to do with the money-making, and has been delivering independent tipster reviews for the past 12 years.

Why choose the Secret Betting Club?

The official website contains an ample amount of information that is freely available upon visiting; free, that is, only after you have subscribed. In fairness though, subscribing to the service does grant you more benefits than all that free information. You also get to access a magazine issued monthly, reports on tipster profits, tipsters discounts, free tipsters etc. What’s more, with a paid subscription, you will be able to access the back catalogues which goes right back to ’06.

Magazine and tipster reports

The Secret Betting Club has a magazine issued every month featuring various articles about sports betting, and interviews with skilled bettors. The real stand out feature, however, are the reviews on betting tipsters. They are among some of the most comprehensive and detailed reviews of tipster services you will ever find online.

The reviews do not merely focus on measuring the profit to loss ratio with a tipster. They also focus on other important subjects such as the rate at which odds may drop, timing a bet, bookmakers used, and the logistics of being a member.

Aside from the monthly magazine issue, the Secret Betting Club also releases tipster profit reports which contain information on the performance of certain services in the last 12 months. Similar to the reviews in the magazine, these reports highly comprehensive taking into account many different factors.

Bet diary

The bet diary refers to a blog written and maintained by one Rowan Day. In it, he talks of how he attempts to bring in annual returns out of sports betting. His perspective is valuable to many bettors as it really opens you up to what it is like to invest in sports betting. The reality is that it is not that easy and there are plenty of challenges to face in order to make money off it. The blog digs deep into the whole process and brings out this vital information to the surface.

The diary is freely available on the official website. However, only premium subscribers will be able to learn which tipsters are being used by Rowan.

Free tipsters/discounts

If you are a gold or platinum membership holder, you may obtain a discounted rate on numerous profitable tipsters. And if you are wondering how much these are worth, some are more than enough to pay for full year’s subscription.

There are numerous free trials to sample as well. One can sign up to receive some of these via email. The tips come from members of the Secret Betting Club as well as commercial services.

Summary

For all the talk of premium memberships and their benefits, the Secret Betting Club still offers great value for money. Even its most expensive type of membership – the platinum level – will only cost you 9 pounds sterling. Meanwhile, the silver service membership is almost half that at 5 pounds and 50 cents.

However, not everything about this service can be described as perfect. The forum for example, without the publishing of tips, is a rather uneventful space. Given the dozen or so years that the site has been around, it only seems natural that there should be more active participation from the betting community, particularly since there are bound to be some experienced bettors among the members.

Tipster Street

If you are going to talk about one of the leading tipster platforms in the United Kingdom, it would be pretty hard to leave out Tipster Street. After all, it was started by an actual horse racing aficionado, Neil Stevens-Wood.

Neil has maintained a keen interest in betting at a very young age and was already formulating his own strategies at a time when most other kids were preparing for their O/L exams. After more than a few rough bets with some rather terrible tipster services, he decided to start his own. It was not long before it developed a reputation in the online betting community as one of the better services.

Up until around 2014, Neil worked continually as co-owner of the Tipster Warehouse betting platform. However, he and his business partner split over irreconcilable differences which consequently gave rise to Tipster Street.

Main features

As a tipster platform, Tipster Street is all about dishing out the best value for money, a policy adopted by founder Neil Steven-Wood as a direct result of past experiences with bad tipsters. The problem was that, back in the day, finding a profitable tipster was rather difficult and even if you did find one, it was simply too pricey to follow. In this regard, Tipster Street was a breakthrough platform when it came around as it is immensely profitable without too much expense involved.

How cheap is Tipster Street exactly? Think of some of the high profile tipster services such as BetAdvisor, Betfan, Sportsworld Publishing, and Winners Information Network, all of which offer a wide range of tipster services. However, any one of these platforms can easily set you at least 100 pounds on a monthly basis. Compare that with Tipster Street whose services even at their most premium level, would not exceed that amount. Most Tipster products are available for less than 20 pounds a month. Just a select few are priced over 24.95 pounds.

What’s more, all tipsters have been announced to be priced at under 20 pounds very soon with even better savings to obtain by purchasing its quarterly subscription.

Free tips

There are dual sets of free tips on offer, the first of which allows you to access tips from Pro tipsters for free. Every day, the Pro Platform releases a tipster from whom their assorted tips of the day are collected.

The second free tips option is to freely follow trialist tipsters. Every year, hundreds of tipsters get in touch with the platform in the hope of tipping it and then turning out a decent profit. However, a very strict proofing policy means that a larger proportion of these tipsters are not taken up by the platform. However, those applicants that were successful are allowed to be a part of the platform’s free trialist area where their tips can be openly proofed to the betting community.

This allows tipsters to gain more followers while simultaneously providing bettors with more profitable tips. Every tipster has to go through a relentless proofing period which can sometimes last for up to six months or even a year.

VIP Club

Finally, there is the VIP club, which according to Neil Steven-Wood offers exceptional value for money. Being part of the VIP club means you have access to all Pro tipsters on the platform for just 35 pounds a month. That is a significantly cheaper rate than what is offered by almost every other competing platform. What’s more, these tipsters cover almost every sport making them profitable to just about anyone.

And if all these near- irresistible features were not enough, the platform also takes 75% out of subscriptions to any tipster for the first month. Who knew that all you needed to get started was just 2 pounds 79?

Comparison table

	Paddy Power	Secret Betting Club	Tipster street
Free trials (offers/free bet value)	Yes	Yes	Yes
Mobile optimized	Yes	No	No
Licensed bookmakers	Yes	No	Yes
Exchange bookmakers	Yes	No	Yes
Free tipsters	No	Yes	Yes
News/Reports/Blog	News	Blog, report	Blog
Support	Yes	Yes	Yes
Text guides	Yes	Yes	No
Live Chat	Yes	No	No
Forum	Yes	Yes	Yes
Email	No	Yes	Yes
Phone	Yes	No	Yes

Conclusion

There is nothing particularly negative to say about any one of these betting platforms. While each one is undoubtedly unique, a common feature is that they are established players at the top of the online betting industry, offering high-quality services. Thus, bettors will have a hard time choosing between them.

Fortunately, there are a number of reference points which you, as a better, can use to cipher down on the platform that promises you the most success. In terms of diversity, Paddy Power is an obvious favorite whereas, in the field of information, the Secret Betting Club edges ahead. However, if value for money is your primary incentive, then it is no contest, you will be signing up with Tipster Street. And yet, your decision still may not be that simple. As you continue your research, you will inevitably come across the unique features, bonuses, and tips that each platform has to offer and find yourself conflicted between which one will bring in more green. The only conclusion one can draw here is the sobering reality that perhaps experience is your greatest teacher. Sometimes, a few less-than-ideal investments are what you need to zero in on your ideal betting platform. But that is all just part of the game.