The Pools UK Review: Our Expert The Pools Rating For 2023

The best UK bookmakers tend to offer welcome bonuses, designed to attract new bettors to their site. The Pools UK is no different.

The sportsbook bonus

Their current welcome bonus is a ‘Bet £10, Get £10’ free bet offer. This offer works that when a new customer first opens their account if they place as their first-ever wager, a £10 single bet or single accumulator bet at odds of 1/1 or higher, they will receive £10 back in the form of free bets.

It is not that simple, however, and does have some terms that you need to know. The £10 in free bets is credited as two £5 free bets, one of which can be used on all sports whilst the other must be used on virtual sports. The free bets must be used within a week and are not included in any returns.

The casino bonus

For casino players at The Pools UK, new bettors who deposit and stake £20 will get a £30 casino bonus to use on the Reel Linking slot game. The bonus comes with a 15x wagering requirement which must be played through within 7 days of receiving the bonus funds.

If you are betting on both sports and casino games, then you should know that you can only access one of these welcome bonuses and the claim of either bonus disqualifies you from the other bonus. So choose wisely!

Sports Bonus

Bet £10 Get £20 Acca bonus

Free Bet

Get Bonus

T&Cs apply, 18+

18+, UK only. Deposit and place a £10 cash bet on a double or a treble or accumulated odds of 2/1 or greater and get a £20 sports bonus (no wagering requirements) to use on Accas. Applies to first cash bet only. Bonus credited to use on multiples (min. 4 selections, min odds per selection 1.5). Cashed out, Void or ‘Draw No Bet’ wagers do not qualify for this promotion. Bonus credited by midday the day after bet settlement. 7-day bonus expiry. Available once per customer. Full T&Cs apply.

Casino Bonus

Stake £20 Get 300 Free Spins

Welcome Bonus

Get Bonus

T&Cs apply, 18+

DEPOSIT & STAKE £20 IN THE CASINO & GET A £30 CASINO BONUS WITH 15X WAGERING REQUIREMENTS (CREDITED THE NEXT DAY) TO USE ON REEL LINKING. 18+ UK Only. Full T&Cs apply.

Lotto Bonus

Exclusive Lotto Games at The Pools

Welcome Bonus

Get Bonus

T&Cs apply, 18+

As a whole, The Pools UK website is solid without being spectacular. The light colour scheme is clean with blue and black accents fitting into their branding.

The website has a simple approach to its design. With a plain and simple user interface, the website is easy to read, is clear to navigate and has its odds very clearly listed.

The betting slip is pinned to the side of the page, with your bets always clearly displayed with your stake and potential returns.

The Pools UK website functions well on both desktop and mobile devices with their app sharing a similar appearance. However, there is very little that makes The Pools’ website stand out when compared to others, with no special touches like stats visuals or logos incorporated into their list of markets.

Finally, finding bonuses and customer service options are easy with clear links, and the website gives you the option to customise how odds are displayed, which increases The Pools ratings. For comparison, you can also check out our Matchbook UK and Rhino Bet UK reviews to see how they compare to our The Pools reviews.

Making deposits into your Pools UK account is easy with clear instructions available and an unmissable green button. The only payment methods accepted are debit cards with even these restricted to MasterCard and VISA cards. There is a minimum deposit of £5 and there is no maximum either. The Pools do offer deposit limits to allow for more responsible gambling if needed.

Withdrawals are more complex than deposits but it is still a standard process compared to other bookies. Withdrawals are limited to the payment method linked to your account. This method must have also been used to deposit at least £5. The withdrawal will then take two to five working days to process. The minimum withdrawal limit is higher than deposits with a £10 minimum withdrawal.

There are three ways to get in touch with The Pools’ customer service team. The site offers a live chat function, an email address and a postal address.

All of their customer support options are available Monday-Saturday between 8:30 and 10:00 pm as well as between 12:00 pm and 10:00 pm on Sunday.  Whilst these are the times listed on their website, it’s worth noting when we tried to access their line at 1:30 pm on a Saturday, their live chat was showing as not online, instead asking us to leave a message.

The customer reviews of their support offerings are a mixed bag. Whilst it seems some customers have had bad experiences, there are also plenty of good reviews about customer service which also seem to be the more recent of the reviews.

Knowing if your data is safe and secure is a key concern which is why we asked ourselves is The Pools reliable?

The Pools holds a valid encryption certificate and therefore protects your data and payment information. The Pools is also a fully licensed and regulated sportsbook falling under the governance of the UK Gambling Commission.

The Pools also takes a hard-line approach to underage gambling with new accounts needing to undertake several checks. These include address checks and they may also request further details if necessary.

The Pools also includes tough penalties for anyone trying to get around their age restrictions including forfeiting prizes and the possibility of civil proceedings and criminal prosecutions. In our experience, an operator that has taken their responsibilities seriously and commits to offering sports betting done the right way only adds to The Pools rating.

The Pools UK opts not to provide a loyalty club or VIP programme. Instead, their version works more like a stamp card, similar to the bonus we found in our Tote Reviews.

The bonus works that if the customer places 10, £5 bets they then receive a free £5 bet, this then repeats for every set of bets placed. The bets made to qualify for the free bets must have odds of evens or more and horse racing bets are not included at all. Any bet that is cashed out or voided will not count.

There is a cap on seven free bets a week, with the limit set as one a day, although this is unlikely to be reached by most bettors.