Fans of English Premier League club Watford F.C. may be familiar with 138 — the betting site was formerly one of its kit sponsors. That move greatly helped 138 carve out a name for itself in the UK betting scene.
Unfortunately, 138 has closed its door. It’s best to check out our other sportsbook reviews if you are looking to sign up somewhere.
138’s sign-up process was not out of the ordinary. It was a three-step process where you’d fill in basic details about yourself such as name, address, email, password, currency choice, etc. It took just minutes to complete and afterward, you’re off to the races.
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“Free bets” are great, until they’re not — that’s how we felt about 138’s new player bonus. It was worth a whole €10 and attainable only after placing five wagers of at least €20 each. So in theory, €100 worth of wagers were credited at a measly 10 percent by 138. That pales in comparison to competitors.
All bettors crave options whether that’s in their betting selection or options to deposit money into their account. When it comes to the latter, 138 definitely provided it for players. Multiple methods were readily available from credit card to e-money services like NETELLER, Skrill, or Ukash.
To be blunt, 138 completely missed the mark in not supporting Bitcoin, nor any other cryptocurrency, as a deposit method. In today’s betting climate, that lack of crypto support is almost unheard of.
If you’re a Mastercard or VISA card user, whether that’s debit or credit, you’d have been able to use it to add funds to your 138 playing account. However, those were the only two card carriers accepted on the platform, which is par for the course across the industry.
At 138, the way you got paid out is the way you initially deposited. For instance, if you first funded your playing account using NETELLER, then 138 would only support the following withdrawal via the same method. This was definitely restrictive, but then again, it’s not uncommon throughout the industry.
Hundreds of wagers were available on any given day at 138. Yet, it was not difficult whatsoever to find the one you’re looking for. The sportsbook was well-organized by sport and subsequently, the league.
Betting odds revolving around politics were not a common occurrence at 138. They used the word “sportsbook” in a very literal sense with little to no non-sport betting available on the platform.
Counter-Strike, Dota, League of Legends, Warcraft — these were the type of video game leagues that make up the bulk of 138’s eSports betting catalog. That should suffice for most casual video game bettors as these games are some of the most-followed in all of eSports.
At 138, its virtual sports menu consisted of actual games that live on the platform — not licensed video games like FIFA or Madden. Simulated sports carried included soccer, greyhound, and horse racing, among others. 138 had a countdown ticker to signal when the next simulation would happen. Due to the virtual nature of the sport, there were betting opportunities throughout the day consistently.
138 did not miss with its NBA wagering presence. Whether you’re looking for spreads or in-play betting or free agency props, it was virtually all offered by the platform.
While the Grand Slam tournaments — Australian Open, French Open, US Open, Wimbledon — draw the most attention in the sport, they’re far from the only tennis events. That was clear when browsing through 138’s tennis catalogue, which went year-round with tourneys from all over the world.
Sure, 138 was less about American sports and more about international ones, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t support the most popular league in the United States. This continent-to-continent betting coverage was 138’s strong suit.
Prop bet lovers need to feast their eyes on MLB. This league is jam-packed with wagering opportunities — both prop and regular — while the season is in session, at least that was the case at 138. MLB betting is a great way to pass the summer months when there’s less sports running.
Given its market foothold and sponsorship history, it should come as no surprise that soccer dominated the 138 betting menu. Even less surprisingly, the EPL got the most wagering attention. Still, leagues throughout Europe and elsewhere in the world also had a home on 138.
There was no shortage of games inside the 138 casino. Between the slew of game providers, there were more than a hundred available for the taking. That selection as slot heavy, but also had a solid mix of table games like baccarat, blackjack, roulette, and other favorites of Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, 138’s casino never supported live dealer games. Still, many variations of poker did exist such as Jacks or Better, 3-card, Carribean Stud, among others.
These days, bettors want to bet on a fixture at any time — not just before it starts or halftime. Of course, we’re referring to in-play betting, which has taken the industry by storm. 138 definitely supported the feature, and it was widely available across multiple sports. Soccer again got the lion share of attention, but most marquee events carried the live betting option.
Winning a single sports bet is hard enough as it is, now imagine hitting on at least two bets, if not more? Yep, it’s not easy at all, but the hefty payout is worth it in the event that you can achieve the feat. Place parlays at your own risk — pun fully intended — but 138 supported the option.
If you’re betting for the first time ever, it might take some time to “learn the ropes” of online wagering. A detailed blog would be a great resource to learn just that. Unfortunately, 138 did not maintain one. If you’re in need of betting info and advice, you’ll have to look for it elsewhere.
For starters, 138’s help center was pretty in-depth. Inside it, you’d find FAQ’s for a range of topics including sportsbook features, payment, technical support, etc. But in the event you got hung up and needed assistance from an actual human, 138 also handled support via email (help@138.com) or live chat. The latter was open daily between 7 am and 11 pm BST.
This sportsbook has closed. It was an ok option for UK bettors, but now they will have to look elsewhere. Check our reviews to find your new sportsbooks.
138 may have been good for you when it was up and running. Unfortunately, it has closed its doors. Check out our other sportsbook reviews for other options.
About the Author
Trent's your man when it comes to all things sports. He covers a wide range of sports for Sports Betting Sites, and has been published in some pretty reputable outlets, such as USA Today Sports, Vice, Bloody Elbow, Fight! Magazine, UFC 360, and Narratively. Trent's got the inside track on all the happenings in the world of sports.
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