Virgin Bet UK Review 2024

Virgin Bet is a relatively new name in the UK betting industry and although we have seen plenty of new bookmakers struggle to get a foothold in this competitive sphere, Virgin Bet already benefits from having solid reputation. With a free £20 bet up for grabs, make sure you keep reading our Virgin Bet review to find out how to sign up and get started

Although the majority of new betting sites will aim to appeal to as many UK punters as possible, it’s virtually impossible to keep everyone happy. Virgin Bet have created a highly efficient online sportsbook, however, there are still a number of pros and cons to consider before signing up.

✔️ Virgin Bet Strengths

• Vast Array of Betting Markets – When it comes to unearthing potential bets, Virgin Bet offers a wide range of sports betting markets. Although horse racing and football still tend to dominate (and there are quick links to these markets listed down the left-hand side of the home page), there are also several lower-profile sports such as GAA, Futsal, Chess and Surfing. Within each of these categories, there are plenty of markets and betting opportunities to keep the majority of punters satisfied.
• Excellent Live In-Play Betting Opportunities – If you’d rather wait until an event gets underway before placing a wager, then you’re in luck! Virgin Bet offer copious in-play markets across hundreds of events. Although football and tennis remain the most popular in-play options, snooker, volleyball, darts and table tennis also feature on a regular basis. Virgin Bet UK also provide the opportunity to live stream some of these events.
• Slick Interface and Easy Navigation – Here at Mansion Bet, we’ve reviewed a number of betting sites and betting apps with mixed results. Some bookmakers have proven difficult to use, whereas others tend to regularly crash and restart without any warning. Thankfully, none of this occurred whilst conducting our Virgin Bet review. We’re pleased to report that we had very few technical issues and found it incredibly simply to move between markets on both the desktop site and the Virgin Bet app.
• Decent Range of Games and Promotions – Free-to-play daily and weekly games have become part and parcel of the online betting experience in recent years and we’re pleased to report that Virgin Bet offer punters the chance to get involved in these exciting additions. Search for the Phoenix is a free-to-play game whereas Virgin FIVES is a great way to earn cash for each goal scored in a selected match.

❌ Virgin Bet Weaknesses

• Limited Live Streaming – Although live streaming is undoubtedly a positive addition, the current list of events is limited and could potentially be expanded in the future. The majority of live streaming events tend to be lower-level tennis matches, however, we’ll give Virgin Bet UK the benefit of the doubt as they are still establishing themselves in this crowded market.
• Slow Payouts – Although we did eventually receive our winnings, we were left a little frustrated by the speed of the transaction. We were asked to provide documentation and proof of address, however, it took several days for these to be verified and when we finally received our payout, we had been waiting for around 5-6 days.
• Live Chat was Slow – We found that the live chat operators were extremely helpful and friendly, however, they weren’t necessarily the quickest. Several conversations lasted far too long and we waited a number of minutes to receive answers to our questions. Nevertheless, it was still probably quicker than waiting for a response via email!

Conclusion

Overall, we were pleased with our first experience of using Virgin Bet UK. The positives firmly outweighed the negatives and we found that although we were left a little frustrated by the pace of the withdrawals/live chat, our overall experience wasn’t tarnished by Virgin Bet’s lack of urgency in this department.

Prior to conducting this Virgin Bet review, I had some experience of using other SBTECH-operated bookmakers, therefore I was expecting yet another polished and professional layout. Thankfully this proved to be the case and I wasn’t left disappointed by the Virgin Bet UK sportsbook.

My initial impressions were positive and I was pleased with the lack of clutter on the home page. I spent a few minutes navigating between markets and familiarising myself with the layout, however, this process didn’t take long.

I also downloaded the Virgin Bet app for iOS and was able to install this fairly quickly. The app mirrors the desktop site and was pleasingly clean and efficient. I alternated between the desktop site and app when placing my bets and taking advantage of their free-to-play games.

Signing up for a Virgin Bet account was simple enough and there were no major hurdles to overcome during this process. I found that I was able to easily claim a £20 free bet, and this arrived in my account within 30 minutes of my bet being settled. The welcome bonus isn’t overly fussy and it’s always good to claim a free bet without jumping through several hoops.

When it comes to promotions, Virgin Bet punters won’t be overawed by the quantity, however, there are some decent incentives available such as the free-to-play weekly games FIVES. You’ll be given five players each weekend and if any of your squad members score a goal, you’ll receive free bets accordingly. Your players will be revealed throughout the week and although this isn’t as simple as it sounds, the more players that you have at your disposal, the better your chances of winning cash!

There is also a Weekly Acca Club and this is an excellent way of earning a £10 free bet every seven days. Pleasingly, the qualifying threshold of £10+ isn’t overly taxing and the majority of Virgin Bet punters have a realistic chance of claiming this bonus.

When it came to funding our account, Virgin Bet UK made the process fairly straightforward. There are a limited number of payment options and this could potentially be expanded. Punters would benefit from a slightly larger selection of deposit and withdrawal methods.

One of my favourite things about Virgin Bet is the sheer quantity of betting markets. As a football fanatic, I was delighted with the range of obscure competitions and leagues from around Europe whereas hundreds of ITF and Challenger tennis events were also priced up too. Horse racing and greyhound racing fans won’t feel left out either with every UK and Irish meeting priced up on the desktop site and app. 

The odds weren’t particularly standout, however, they were competitive enough and I was rarely left feeling shortchanged by this operator. 

Finally, if you need to get in touch with Virgin Bet, there are numerous ways to contact them. I opted for the live chat and although I was left frustrated by the time it took to receive answers to my queries, I found that the operatives were friendly and professional throughout. I may have spoken to them at a busy time (Saturday lunchtime), so there are potential excuses for the delays.

Virgin Bet do respond to queries on their social media and there is an email address too.

Overall, I was extremely satisfied with my experience. There are areas of improvement, however, this online bookmaker has only been serving the UK market for a short period of time and some of the biggest names in the industry were far from the finished article at this stage of their development. Virgin Bet has the potential to establish itself as one of the biggest and most popular betting sites in the UK, however, it needs to continue improving its product in order to reach the top.

Bonuses & Offers ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Virgin Bet offers are decent and the free bet is undoubtedly worth claiming upon signing up for an account. The promotions are easy to understand and simple to follow. 

Betting Variety ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was suitably impressed by the range of markets offered by Virgin Bet. Whether you’re searching for second tier Portuguese football or upcoming races in South Africa, there is something for everyone. 

Banking Options ⭐⭐⭐

There are limited payment options and Virgin Bet could easily expand the number of methods available. 

Mobile experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Virgin Bet UK have ensured that their mobile app is one of the best on the market. Their app reflects the desktop site and rarely crashes.  

Payout Speed ⭐⭐

Unfortunately, our experience of receiving our winnings was a frustrating one. Nevertheless, our second and third withdrawals were much quicker. Once you’ve overcome this first hurdle, Virgin Bet tend to speed up the process. 

Security ⭐⭐⭐⭐

SBTech are a trusted name whereas Virgin is a brand that resonates with the UK public. They have used the latest technology to help protect player details and are fully licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. 

Software & Games ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The software is excellent and they have put together a slick and easy-to-navigate site and app. The Virgin Bet casino is equally as pleasing to browse and although the range of games could potentially be expanded, there is more than enough to keep the majority of players satisfied. 

Betting Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was pleased with the overall betting experience at Virgin Bet. There are undoubtedly areas that need to be improved, however, I enjoyed the experience. 

Customer Support ⭐⭐⭐

Although the customer support operatives were friendly and professional throughout, my live chat experience took a little longer than expected.

It is perfectly legal to sign up for an account and begin wagering with Virgin Bet UK. They are fully licensed both in Gibraltar and most importantly by the UK Gambling Commission. This means that they have a duty to treat players fairly. Furthermore, they use the latest encryption technology to ensure that player details are stored safely. 

Welcome bonuses are part and parcel of signing up for an online bookmaker. They offer new players a terrific way of getting started and give punters a bit of extra cash to play with. We’ve taken a closer look at Virgin Bet’s current welcome package. 

Virgin Bet Welcome Bonus

Bet £10 and Get a £20 Free Bet (paid out as 2x £10 bets)

How to Claim Virgin Bet’s Welcome Bonus

• Click on the red ‘join now’ button. This is located on the right hand side of the home page.
• Follow the steps and submit your details to sign up for a Virgin Bet account.
• Once you have registered with Virgin Bet, make a deposit of at least £10
• Place a £10 on any sports betting market at odds of 1.50 (1/2) or greater. If you are having an each-way bet, you must wager £10 e/w in order to receive the maximum bonus.
• Once your bet has settled, your account will be funded with 2x £10 free bets. These will appear whenever you add a selection into your betting slip.

Virgin Bet Welcome Bonus Terms and Conditions

In order to take full advantage of a bookmaker’s welcome bonus, you must adhere to their terms and conditions. Every betting site will have Ts and Cs and these are stated clearly on the promotions page. 

Available to new players ONLY. Players must place a single qualifying bet of £10 at odds of ½ (1.50) or greater. Free bet will be paid as 2x £10 bets. Qualifying bets must be placed with 14 days of signing up for an account. Free bets will not be awarded to any cashed out or voided bets.

Free bet tokens must be used within 7 days of the settlement of the qualifying bet.

• In Play Betting
• Live Streaming 
• Free Daily Game
• Free Weekly Game
• Cash Out
• Odds Boosts
• 30+ Sports
• Live Chat
• Online / Live Casino
• Virtual Sports and Virtual Racing
• Novelty and TV specials
• Speedy Sign-Up Process
• Generous Welcome Bonus
• Weekly Acca Club
• Competitive Odds 

Features are integral to the enjoyment of betting and they play a significant role in tempting punters to sign up for an account. We’ve highlighted some of the key featured currently offered by Virgin Bet. 

• Virgin Bet Live Streaming: Live streaming isn’t available with all UK bookmakers, however, Virgin Bet does offer punters the chance to watch selected sporting events. This is the perfect accompaniment to the ever-changing live betting markets. It enables viewers to keep across any potential changes in momentum and make sure bets are placed before the odds change.
• Virgin Bet Cash Out: If your bet is in a winning position and the nerves begin to kick in, then Virgin Bet’s Cash Out provides the perfect solution to guarantee at least some of your winnings will be collected. Your Cash Out value is available in the ‘My Bets’ sections of the site.
• Virgin Bet Daily/Weekly Free-to-Play Games: If you’re looking for an opportunity to potentially claim free bets, then Virgin Bet’s free-to-play games are a great way to do this. Search for the Phoenix can be played on a daily basis, although users are required to have a positive balance in order to gain access. FIVES is another free-to-play game in which users must log into their account and unlock players. Once you’ve assembled your five-a-side team, you’ll receive cash winnings if your players manage to find the net in the weekend’s fixtures. 

Whether you prefer to bet on high-profile events such as the Champions League or perhaps your interests are a little more niche, it’s always good to know that your chosen bookmaker is able to provide you with an adequate selection on a daily basis. This is something which we consider to be vitally important when it comes to the selection process and we’ve taken a closer look at Virgin Bet’s current offerings.

Virgin Bet Football 

Football is big business in the UK and when there is a big game on the TV, Virgin Bet have it covered. The majority of their daily boosts tend to focus on upcoming matches and there is an exhaustive list of fixtures priced up each and every day.

The vast majority of these games are available live in-play and there is also live streaming available on a limited number of fixtures.

There are plenty of football betting sites available online, however, Virgin Bet are more than a match for the majority of these operators. 

Virgin Bet Horse Racing 

When it comes to betting on horse racing, Virgin Bet UK are one of the options on the market. They have all UK and Irish races priced up and these sit alongside French, South African, South American and North American tracks. 

Virgin Bet also have ample future racing markets with standout races from the next seven days and beyond priced up alongside a smattering of specials.

Virgin Bet Tennis 

Tennis bettors will find plenty of markets priced up. During Grand Slam tournaments, this bookmaker offers plenty of enhancements and boosts on high-profile matches and these can be easily accessed from the home page.

There are also ample betting markets for ongoing ITF and Challenger Tour tournaments too.

As our Virgin Bet review has already highlighted, it’s vitally important that punters are offered plenty of choice when it comes to browsing markets and odds. Furthermore, it’s also vital that bettors are able to choose from a range of different bets and permutations. 

Virgin Bet Betting Markets:

• Ante-Post / Outright – If you think you’ve spotted a horse with potential or a player with a bright future, you may wish to explore the copious ante-post markets offered by Virgin Bet. These markets offer you an opportunity to get ahead of the crowd and potentially take a bigger price before the odds begin to shorten.
• In-Play / Live Betting – In-Play betting has become increasingly popular over the last decade and those who are watching a live event often enjoy putting their money where their mouth is. As a punter, you may also struggle to find a suitable pre-match market, therefore waiting until you can access some stats and take a closer look at each team/player.
• Match Specials / Player Specials – These markets are available on high-profile televised sporting events, although Virgin Bet have increased the number of special bets available each week. These usually consists of a mix of pre-selected markets that have been bundled together and placed towards the top of the match page.

Virgin Bet Types of Bets Available

• Bet Builders – These aren’t too dissimilar to the aforementioned match specials, however, they give punters the opportunity to mix and match a number of different markets. You can add a range of different markets into your Bet Builder as well as check the odds of your selections.
• Accumulators – Accumulators are particularly popular at the weekend and they offer punters an opportunity to win potentially life-changing sums for a small outlay. All selections in an accumulator must win in order to receive a payout. 

The Virgin Bet app was a little glitchy and basic when it launched three years ago, however, it has improved exponentially over the last three years. The app can be downloaded onto iOS or Android devices. 

The app mirrors the desktop site with a fantastic live in-play betting section. This is the ideal companion for those who aren’t able to follow the latest scores from the comfort of their own home. You can also live stream several sporting events using the Virgin Bet app. We’re hoping that they add further live streaming events to the schedule over the coming months.

The usability of the app is superb and it’s extremely easy to navigate. It’s ridiculously easy to create a Bet Builder or accumulator using the Virgin Bet app and although there aren’t any app-specific betting offers currently available, you can still take advantage of their generous welcome offer whilst using your handheld device.

As we’ve already covered in Virgin Bet review, this welcome offer is delightfully simple with new players able to claim a £20 free bet when they sign up and place a £10 qualifying wager.

They have created a dedicated promotions page which lists a handful of Virgin Bet offers available to existing players. These include the weekly Acca Club which rewards regular punters with a free £10 on a weekly basis. You will need to place £10+ on accumulators throughout the course of the week in order to qualify for this offer.

There is a free-to-play daily game; Search for the Phoenix and a weekly game; FIVES, which is completely free to enter.

Finally, Virgin Bet host infrequent prize draws which often give away tickets to upcoming race meetings and sporting events.

Alongside their comprehensive sportsbook, Virgin Bet also possess a high quality online casino. If you’re searching for depth, then this casino is unlikely to keep you satisfied, however, it does offer a decent variety of high quality games from some of the more recognisable software developers.

There are multiple categories to explore and these are located towards the top of the home page. You can choose from Virgin Bet’s ‘New and Exclusive’ slots, ‘UK Favourites’ and ‘Pub Fruits’. In addition to these, there is a ‘Virgin Selects’, which at the time of writing consists of 21 hand-picked slots, many of which are firm crowd favourites.

There are around 250 slots at Virgin Bet Casino with a number of progressive jackpots to be given away. Fans of casino classics such as Roulette and Blackjack can choose from a number of variants including Raceday Roulette, Fusion Roulette and Down Town Blackjack.

If you’re searching for something a little different, the Virgin Bet Casino offers Instant Win games and scratch cards which sit happily alongside Baccarat and Craps.

Virtual games have also been relocated from the Virgin Bet Sportsbook to the Casino and you can now wager on a variety of virtual sports including football, horse racing and darts.

The Virgin Bet Casino is easy to navigate and I found that I was able to move between categories without any issues. Everything is laid out in a logical manner and I had very few issues with glitches or loading times.

There are numerous promotions available with plenty of Virgin Bet free spins up for grabs. At the time of writing (January 2023), there are five Virgin Bet free spins available on a daily basis when you wager £5+ on Lightning Strike Megaways and there’s a chance to earn further free spins by playing the free-to-play daily game; Search for Phoenix. As long as you have a funded account, you will be eligible to take part. 

Although there isn’t a specific Virgin Bet Casino welcome bonus, you can use any funds accrued on the sportsbook and there are plenty of incentives and casino bonuses available to existing players.

We may have had issues with receiving payouts using the sportsbook, however, we found it far simpler to collect our winnings and make a withdrawal using the Virgin Bet Casino. We received our money within 48 hours of making a request.

I have very few complaints about the Virgin Bet Casino. It was fast and fun and crucially, there was a wide enough variety of games to keep me interested. The unique titles were high quality and the mix of instant win and virtual events kept things interesting. A few more promotions wouldn’t go amiss and likewise, additional payment methods would also be welcomed by the majority of players, however, they have created and developed a product which is more than a match for the majority online casino sites. 

If you’re thinking of signing up and making a deposit with Virgin Bet UK, you’ll want to ensure that they have an appropriate payment method for you. Although they accept VISA, PayPal and Mastercard Debit, this selection is fairly weak compared to many of its rivals.

We would like to see other e-wallets added to this list whereas the addition of popular methods such as PaysafeCard would be a welcome addition.

Nevertheless, we found the depositing process extremely straightforward. When it came to withdrawing, we had some issues getting our documentation rubberstamped, however, we found future withdrawals to be relatively stress-free.

Should you encounter a problem whilst wagering with Virgin Bet, then there are numerous ways to get in touch. Live Chat is the most popular way to speak directly to an operative, however, there were a few delays when we opted to use it. We may have simply spoken to them during a busy period, so picking your time is essential.

Once we were connected, we found all of the operatives to be courteous and friendly throughout. They were fairly professional in their approach and although my query took a while to resolve, I can’t have too complaints with the level of service that I received.

Although the FAQ section can be tricky to locate, it does tend to be a fairly helpful resource. You can also contact Virgin Bet via a dedicated email address and they do tend to answer queries on social media too. This is a fairly reliable way to get in touch with a non-urgent query.

Now that you’ve almost finished reading our Virgin Bet review, you’ll hopefully be keen to sign up and claim their £20 free bet. We’ve put together a comprehensive guide on how to get started with Virgin Bet.

How to Open an Account with Virgin Bet

If you’re thinking of signing up for an account with Virgin Bet, you’ll be pleased to hear that it’s incredibly straightforward to get the ball rolling. It is possible to sign up for an account on both the desktop site and mobile app, and it takes less than five minutes to complete the process.

If you follow our simple steps, you’ll be able to get started and begin placing wagers with Virgin Bet in a matter of minutes.

• Visit virginbet.com and click the ‘Join Now’ button. This is located on the right hand side of the home page.
• Follow each of the steps and submit your personal details. You will also be asked to create a memorable password. 
• Await email confirmation. Once this has been received, click the verification link.
• Your Virgin Bet account will be activated. 

How to Place a Bet with Virgin Bet

If you wish to claim Virgin Bet’s free £20 welcome offer, then you’ll be required to place a £10 qualifying bet. Luckily, it’s very simple to do this, and it won’t be long until your account will be topped up by 2 x £10 free bets courtesy of Virgin Bet.

• Browse each of the markets and select your favourite sports and competitions.
• Once you’ve found your preferred bet, click on the odds. Your selection will be added straight to your betting slip.
• If you’d prefer a multiple (double, treble or accumulator) then you must continue to add each of the selections to your betting slip.
• Your betting slip will appear on the right-hand side of the home page. Your returns will be automatically calculated by Virgin Bet.
• Double check your selections and click the red ‘Place Bet’ button to confirm your wager. 

How to Deposit Money from Virgin Bet

Once you’ve signed up for a Virgin Bet account, you’ll be keen to fund your account. It’s extremely easy to make a deposit and we’ve put together a handy guide.

• Log in to your Virgin Bet account and click on your account.
• Click on the ‘Deposit’ button and this will take you to a banking screen. Here you’ll be able to add your chosen amount and select your preferred payment method.
• Once you are satisfied, click ‘confirm deposit’. Your account will be funded instantly. 

How to Withdraw Money from Virgin Bet

If you’ve managed to pick a few winners or you’ve managed to assemble a winning accumulator, then you’ll undoubtedly be keen to withdraw your winnings.  

• Click on your account icon and click on ‘withdraw’
• Choose the amount that you’d like to withdraw and your preferred payment method.
• If it is your first time withdrawing, you will be asked for additional documentation before receiving your winnings.
• Once this has been completed, click on ‘Complete withdrawal’. You will receive your winnings within 5 working days. 

How to Claim Your Free £20 Bet with Virgin Bet

Once you’ve signed up for an account, you’ll be eligible to claim a free £20 sportsbook bet. It’s ridiculously easy to get started.  

• Sign up for an account and make an initial deposit of at least £10.
• Place a qualifying bet of £10. This must be placed at odds of 1/2 (1.50) or greater.
• Once your bet has been settled, you will receive your free bet (paid out as 2x £10 bets).
• Your bonus money can be used on any sports market.