Introduction
are not traditional or conventional, yet they are one of the leading players in the UK market and are probably the biggest for turnover in their native Ireland. Established in 1998, the Irish firm built up a series of licensed betting offices and a telephone betting operation before launching their website. It has been listed on the London Stock Exchange for several years and the current number of retail outlets stands at 258, with the vast majority in Ireland.
It was in 2002 that Paddy decided to launch in the UK with a series of controversial adverts. While they weren't to everyone's tastes, it got people talking, with the firm following their campaigns up with some huge early pay-outs which prompts more and more customers to take their business to this company.
Brand
The Paddy Power brand is a maverick one, although don't be fooled that these guys are a bunch of cowboys. They cleverly convey a happy-go-lucky attitude to laying bets, but they have done very well to enter the UK market relatively late and get a decent slice of the pie. They are very much proud of their Irish roots, with patriotism extending to Irish runners at Cheltenham and Irish sporting teams, with the next crazy publicity stunt only around the corner.
Website
This is one of our favourite websites, which has developed over time to hit all the right notes. There's a search facility on the homepage if you know what you're looking for, while the most popular sports and live betting are included in quick links. Then we have the full hit of sports listed A-Z in the left-hand margin, with the main highlights dominating the middle of the homepage. Paddy Power are one of the few bookies that are heavy with content promoting each event, although it's certainly one way of drawing in the customer.
The site's In-Play offering is probably in the top five out of every bookmaker in the industry. The only drawback is that you can't tell from the console how much of a match has been played, although there is an excellent range of various sporting events covered. Placing a bet runs like clockwork, with the user simply needing to click on the odds and a neat little bet slip pops up alongside where the click has been made. Although Paddy have a decent gaming offering, it's nice to see so much of the sportsbook site devoted to sportsbook bets.
Free Bets
There are £30 of free bets up for grabs when you register. Deposit and stake £30 and receive a free £10 bet for the next three weeks.
Odds
With a reputation for being fearless, it's no surprise to see Paddy Power often going best price about the top teams in the Premier League, Primera Liga and the Champions League. It's especially worth noting that they nearly always have the best odds about a favourite winning at half-time and full-time.
If other bookmakers are offering Best Odds Guaranteed, then it's no surprise to see Ireland's finest doing the same, with the promotion covering UK and Irish racing. While their prices are solid rather than spectacular, there's often a money back special involving an Irish-trained horse which essentially makes the price more attractive with these boys than anywhere else.
Markets
Paddy Power are right up there when it comes to offering a plethora of markets on the top football matches, and it should also be noted that they don't always follow the crowd. You will regularly get unique propositions from this bookmaker, such as Insurebet First Goalscorer, where you get your money back if your selection scores at any time after failing to score first. They have a cracking range of Total Goals bets, not to mention some imaginative match specials. The traders in Dublin clearly have some flair with these markets, even if the turnover must be low on some of them.
The same applies with the horse racing, where you will often find a bunch of specials accompanying the regular prices. As you might expect, Paddy provide excellent coverage of several Irish sports, including Gaelic Football and Hurling. It should also be noted that they have just about the best financial betting product out of any leading sportsbook player in the UK and Ireland. Paddy Power Trader is a great way for any novices to have a punt on closing prices of the FTSE and such like.
Finally, we should mention the excellent each-way terms being offered for events like the Grand National and the British Open golf. When it comes to big fields, these guys often stretch down to seven places and it's to their credit.
Promotions
This is where PP really come into their own. We should firstly mention the early payouts on teams to win the league, with a notable example being when Arsenal were cruising at the top of the Premier League a few seasons ago only for Manchester United to snatch the honours. Paddy also paid out on Ireland qualifying for the World Cup after the infamous Thierry Henry handball.
In addition, there are nearly always money back specials on the big matches, eg if Didier Drogba scores last for Chelsea, then all losing correct score bets are refunded. The same applies for horse racing, eg if your horse finishes second to Cousin Vinny, you will be refunded.
Customer Service
Lots going on as far as customer service is concerned. Full marks for having live support, but some taken away for only being available between 8am and midnight. However, it's a good overall package with a well-constructed online form available along with email and phone options. There's also a dynamic help centre available.
- A bookmaker who's not afraid to take risks
- Potential cashback on unexpected losing bets
- Early pay-outs on the antepost betting
- A strong In-Play betting service which dynamically updates the odds
- Best Odds Guaranteed
- One of the best financial betting products
- The most entertaining customer emails
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