thadeus 23. March 2020 | UPDATED ON: 19. December 2022 The online betting industry has grown tremendously in the past decade. Part of the growth includes availing a bunch of payment options for various customers around the world. And though all of the payment options are great, PayPal stands out like a sore thumb. However, worry you not, this review brings the best PayPal betting sites for you to choose from For some time, punters were not for adding e-wallet payment systems on their platforms. But with the added security and improved technology associated with e-wallets, they have had a change of heart. No, PayPal is one of the most used e-wallet platforms in the world. The company has a reputation for being reliable and trustworthy. But despite their safety, reliability, and trustworthiness, not all betting platforms have incorporated them onto their platforms. And if PayPal is your preferred or only payment method, you need to sign up to an account that accepts PayPal payments and even offers bonuses for making deposits through the e-wallet. But before we get to the betting sites that accept PayPal, below is a quick breakdown of what PayPal is and what you should expect. Top 3 PayPal Sports Betting Sites of 2024 If you don’t have time to read our guide in full, here’s a list of our top-rated online bookmakers with PayPal payments: Bet365 – Leading Online Sportsbook LeoVegas – One of the best mobile betting platform Betfair – A Reputable Betting Site Our Recommended PayPal Betting Site 2021 Our Rating Offers Up To $/£100 Bet Credits Upon Registration Supports Ten Payment Methods, Including PayPal Available On Android, iOS, Windows And BlackBerry Devices Best In Class Sportsbook With Wide Range of Betting Markets Claim Your Bonus Now Note:in 2003, PayPal made a conscious decision to withdraw from gambling platforms as a payment method. Their hand was forced by the fact that many gambling platforms were illegal at the time and were hurting its reputation. And when it lifted the ‘ban,’ it only chose to work with legal and regulated betting platforms. Best PayPal Betting Sites in the UK 1. Bet365 – an experienced platform This is one of the largest betting sites in the UK. It has a beautiful website that is simple to navigate. It also boasts of some of the best bonuses and promotions coupled with some achievable playthrough requirements. It has a license from the government of Gibraltar and the UKGC. Promotions and bonus After creating an account, you will get a 15% bet discount up to $60 for the first deposit you make. To redeem this bonus, you have to make a $10 minimum deposit. This reward comes with a 12x playthrough requirement. In addition to the bonus offer, Bet365 comes with promotions for faithful punters too. These promotions include the Parlay Bonus (up to 70% on US sports). To get this promotion bonus, you will have to place a pre-game parlay of not less than to games in the NL, NBA, NFL, and the MLB. As for the market, Bet365 covers a wide range of sports markets, including the EPL, League One, Championship, and more. You can also place bets on sports, including Cycling, golf, Volleyball, Tennis, Rugby Leagues, and Esports. If you love betting on live matches, you will be right at home at Bet365. When you click on the ‘In-Play’ button, you will see all the live events available at the time. And as if that’s not enough, Bet365 also comes with a casino option. Here you can play exciting games like 8 Immortals, Boo of Dead, Starburst and more. Bet365 supports ten payment methods, including PayPal. Using PayPal is free, and you have to be between £10 and £5,500 for deposits and withdrawals, respectively. Other payment methods include Visa, MasterCard, Bank Wire, and Paysafecard. If you get stumped by anything on the platform, call the customer support through +44-1742-6842-757 or shoot them an email through support-eng@customerservices365.com. Pros: Customer support is 24/7 Has robust banking methods It as a casino Cons: It doesn’t accept players from the US It imposes betting limits Visit Bet365 Now 2. LeoVegas – one of the best mobile betting platform This is a popular Swedish mobile betting platform that started a decade ago. It has licenses from the MGA and the UKGC. Aside from being safe and supporting PayPal, what else does the platform have to offer? For new players, LeoVegas offers a £100 bonus on the first bet. To get this bonus, you have to deposit £10, and LeoVegas will impose a 10x match on your deposit. Note: this bonus is valid for 30 days. And if you are into casinos, you will benefit from a 100% match bonus capped at £400. Moreover, you will get 30 free spins on selected casino games. The offer has a 35x playthrough and lasts for 14 days after claiming it. Though most of its success is from the Casino side, it doesn’t mean the sportsbook side is not any good. You can place hundreds of bets on a variety of games courtesy of Kambi software. Even better, the bets can be as low as £0.01. They can be on American Football, horseracing, greyhound, boxing, and football. You can also place bets in the LIVE section. As for payments, you can make deposits and withdrawals through PayPal, Trustly, Neteller, MasterCard, Visa, Bank Wire, and more. And if you run into problems, you can reach customer support through supports@leovegs.com. Pros: It has numerous banking options It has a great casino The customer support is available 24/7 Cons: It doesn’t have live streaming Many countries are restricted It should add customer support avenues Visit LeoVegas Now 3. Betfair – An Experienced Betting Site It was established in 2000 and has a license from MGA and the UK Gambling Commission. Betway has a lot to offer, including online poker, sportsbook, and online bingo. Its bonuses and promotions are applicable to both new and loyal punters. When you first sign up to the platform and deposit £30 through a credit or debit card, you will get a £60 bonus with a 10x playthrough requirement, and that expires in 3 months. To claim the bonus, you also need to use a promotion code ZSKABY. The sportsbook side of the platform offers more than 29 sports ranging from tennis to golf to American football and football. Even better, you do not pay the betting tax when you use the platform. When you are on the road, you can use the lightweight betting app available for both iOS and Android. Al Betfair features and services are available on the app as well. Since it’s on the list, you are sure it has a PayPal as a payment method. Other payment methods include Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard, debit and credit cards, and more. Depending on the payment option you choose, you will deposit a minimum of £5 to £12. And the witdrawals will take between 2 and 5 days for debit and credit cards and between 12 and 24 hours for e-wallets, including PayPal. If you ever find yourself in a fix using the platform, you can reach the support team through live chat, email, or phone. Pros: It has a casino It has a great customer support It has a variety of payment methods Cons: The casino could use some more work It doesn’t have a search function Not such a generous bonus Visit Betfair Now What is PayPal? If you are hearing about this platform for the first time, you must be very confused. Well, so that we are on the same page, PayPal is an e-wallet, an online/electronic payment method. It allows you to make purchases online with great ease without putting your financial details at risk. The company was founded in 1999, and the famous Elon Musk was among the founding team. You can link your bank account to your PayPal account to withdraw and deposit money directly. PayPal is regulated and licensed with a high-end encryption technology which ensures all transactions are secure PayPal transactions are fast (among the fastest there are in the world). This feature makes them a preferred choice by many punters History of PayPal PayPal was founded just before we got into the 21st century. Since then, it has grown into a successful company in its category. In the beginning, it was more of a software for mobile devices, and its functions were highly limited. However, with the founders constantly pushing the boundaries of technology and the internet becoming more and more popular over the years, PayPal is making huge moves across all industries. PayPal went public in 2002 as a money transfer company. In the same year, PayPal acquired eBay for a little over $1.5 million (this was a few months after it went public). Currently, PayPal has more than 200 million active users from all over the world. But in 2015, it reverted back to being an independent company with its bae in Luxembourg, Singapore, and the US. Note: in 2007, PayPal got a banking license in Luxembourg. They also received banking licenses in the European Union. This increased its credibility and trust in other parts of the world. PayPal is regulated as a financial institution by the relevant banking bodies. In Luxembourg, it’s the banking supervisory authority of Luxembourg. How PayPal Works Understanding the technology behind PayPal might be tricky, especially if you are not a techie. Luckily, as a gambler, you don’t need to know or understand all that technical jargon. Below is a simplified version of its workings. PayPal offers bettors an easy and efficient method of requesting and sending money online. It is ideal for punters who sign up for a platform that supports PayPal. Though PayPal is considered a bank in many parts of the world, there is a world of difference in the information it requests when opening an account. Unlike most banks, PayPal only requests for your email address, a credit card you need to link, and proof of identity (through a banking slip or a utility bill – anything that has your address). Generally, using PayPal is a fast and safe option. But when using it for the first time, you will go through a verification process, which includes depositing money into your account from your bank account. These funds will be refunded once the verification process is done. PayPal in the Betting World Over the years, the number of platforms accepting PayPal as a payment method has increased. This is owing to the fact that PayPal is easy to use and efficient for both withdrawals and deposits. PayPal in the UK We’ve mentioned PayPal has a banking license from Luxembourg. As a result of this license, UK punters can take advantage of PayPal. After getting the license as an electronic money transfer company from the Financial Services Authority in the UK, European PayPal accounts were moved to the Luxembourg based banks. Advantages and Disadvantages of using PayPal in Betting Pros: Betting with PayPal is available even on mobile PayPal is reliable and secure PayPal has a friendly and efficient customer support staff. However, they are not available 24/7 Cons: You will incur withdrawal fees. A percentage is charged by the bank and another by PayPal All PayPal transactions are documented, and as such, the financial authority in the UK can track your betting activities. Though some platforms support PayPal as a payment platform, not all offer deposit bonuses made through PayPal How to deposit and withdraw from PayPal As a deposit method, PayPal is ideal since the process is easy and fast. Note: like most payment methods, PayPal has a minimum deposit as well. It’s usually £10. There are two methods you can deposit funds. The method you use depends on whether you have a PayPal account or not. Also, every betting site has PayPal set up a little differently, but the idea is the same. When you do have a PayPal account You log into your betting site account and navigate to the deposit page Pick PayPal as you payment method Enter an amount to deposit – it should be above the minimum limit Click deposit You will then be redirected to the PayPal account through a pop-up window. If you have this function disabled on your browser, make sure you allow it. Authorize the payment And you are done When you don’t have a PayPal account When you log into your betting account, navigate to the deposit page Choose PayPal as your deposit option Enter the amount you want to deposit Click on deposit A pop up will appear prompting you to open an account with PayPal Once you complete the registration process, authorize your deposit payment You are done Withdrawing through PayPal It is highly unlikely that a betting platform will allow you to make a deposit through PayPal only to deny your withdrawal through the same platform. Betting sites usually prefer if you deposit and withdraw through the same platform since it makes it easier for them to track, flag, and control money laundering on their platform. If you are withdrawing to a PayPal account, it only means you already have an account. Therefore the withdrawal process will be a breeze. Below are the steps to follow. Go to your betting account and navigate to the withdraw page Choose PayPal as your withdrawal method Enter the amount you want to withdraw (make sure the amount you enter is available for withdrawal) Click withdraw The money is on its way to your account Note: if the money you wish to withdraw includes winnings from a bonus, the withdrawal will only fall through if you have met the playthrough requirements attached to the bonus. Also, the amount you withdraw from your bonus wins is less the bonus amount. How long with the withdrawal take? With deposits, money reflects into your account almost immediately. But with withdrawals, the case is a little different. Here is some back story to help you appreciate PayPal more. One of the main problems punters face with other withdrawal methods is that they take a little too long for the funds to reflect in your bank account. Of all the options, bank transfers are the worst as they take about five days. Credit and debit cards are not any good either. The good thing about PayPal is that they reduce your waiting time. Betting sites love to advertise the fact that PayPal is among the fastest withdrawal option. Though the time taken varies from one betting site to the next, the time taken is never more than 48 hours. Mobile Betting With PayPal Another big advantage of using PayPal to bet is that they have a fully functional mobile app. The app is a sign that they are all about offering convenience to all their users. And even better, the deposit and withdrawal process is similar to that of the desktop site. The privacy and security of PayPal Aside from speed, privacy, and safety are the other important advantages of using PayPal for betting. Your bank and card details are held by PayPal, and it doesn’t share them with the betting sites. Moreover, PayPal is always on top of fraud cases and work overtime to ensure your money is safe with them. And that’s not all, PayPal gives you complete control of your account on both the mobile and desktop platforms. You can view your balance and all other transactions done in close to ‘real-time.’ This will put your mind at ease. Countries where PayPal is accepted in betting sites PayPal is available in over 200 countries around the world. However, it’s not available in betting and gambling platforms in all of these countries. Below is a shortlist of countries where PayPal betting is accepted. UK Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France Greece Ireland Italy Portugal Spain Sweden The Process of Ranking the Best PayPal Betting Sites in the UK We know that you are anxious to find a good PayPal betting platform. And quite frankly, getting one can take a lot of time. To help you through the process, we’ve prepared a shortlist to consider. We used the following criteria to come up with the list. Security – The security of data is important. The betting platform should have a license from a reputable body and use SSL encryption Betting odds – the odds should be competitive. But on the other hand, if the deal is too good, think twice. Betting markets – how many sports does the betting site offer? And does it have a variety of markets? Customer service – the betting site should be available when you need them to solve a problem Promotions and bonuses – does the betting site offer bonuses? If yes, do they apply to PayPal deposits as well? Are the playthrough requirements harsh? Verdict We believe PayPal is, by far, one of the best betting payment methods you can use. However, if it’s not available in your country, you can use its alternatives, which include Skrill, PaySafeCard, Neteller, and others. These options have their fair share of pros and cons, including fees. But we find PayPal to be the most user-friendly and most accessible. Our Recommended PayPal Betting Site 2021 Our Rating Offers Up To $/£100 Bet Credits Upon Registration Supports Ten Payment Methods, Including PayPal Available On Android, iOS, Windows And BlackBerry Devices Best In Class Sportsbook With Wide Range of Betting Markets Claim Your Bonus Now FAQs Is PayPal safe to use when betting? Depositing and withdrawing money through your PayPal account is safe. PayPal has a good reputation owing to its security and reliability features and efforts. Do I need to verify my account when using PayPal? Yes, you need to. Part of PayPal’s safety measures includes ensuring they know who they are dealing with. While it might seem like an unnecessary process, think about it this way – a scammer gets a hold of your account and tries to get some cash. How will PayPal know it is not you if you did not provide some verification documentation? Luckily, the process doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. Are there costs of using PayPal? Of course, there are. After all, PayPal is a business, and it needs to make a profit to remain afloat. PayPal charges a processing fee. But this depends on the method you choose to load funds into your account. What should I do in the event my payment doesn’t go through? If PayPal doesn’t work for you, even after seeking help from customer support (probably because it is not supported in your country), you should try other e-wallet options available on your betting site. How long will it take for the deposits to reflect into my betting site account? PayPal deposits reflect immediately. This is a crucial advantage since punters can leverage this speed when placing bets on time-sensitive markets. How long will my withdrawal take? Withdrawals through PayPal take about 48 hours. However, in some situations, the process might take even five days to complete. Can I claim the sign-up bonuses and free bets with my PayPal deposits? In most cases, this is not an option. Because of this, you should always read the T&Cs associated with the bonus offer. Some betting sites disqualify Neteller and Skrill deposits but offer bonuses for PayPal. But this is never a guarantee, so you should always confirm from the fine print. What types of betting sites accept PayPal? Licensed betting sites usually accept PayPal. If you live in the UK, this means that if the betting site has a UKGC license, then there are high chances it supports PayPal. About thadeus Thadeus G has eyes glued on the casino industry, making sure gamblers and those interested in gambling are fully informed. He covers everything that’s going on in the dynamic and wild world of iGaming. So, what’s new? What games or casinos does he recommend? Find out. View all posts by thadeus →
