BetAnsells was founded in 1920 and our betting experts have prepared a guide to this independent bookmaker.
Who are BetAnsells?
BetAnsells is a fourth-generation, family-owned independent bookmaker. Founded in Hertfordshire over 100 years ago, the company has 6 brick-and-mortar stores in the UK across Bournemouth, South Oxhey, Watford and Abbots Langley, with the latest upgrades to their stores introducing gaming machines, self-service betting terminals, automatic betting systems and screen technology. The improvements have even included the launch of a ‘cash out’ app designed to streamline in-store self-service terminal usage.
In addition to this, the company has recently expanded their business to offer online customers their services through their brand-new website. According to their site, BetAnsells aim is “…to offer a personal, professional and competitive independent betting service…” to their clientele. But with the market dominated by giant corporations such as bet365, Ladbrokes and PaddyPower, how do BetAnsells offerings stack up?
Offer terms
18+ New customers only. GB & ROI customers only. Promo code NEWWELCOME60 must be used. Certain bet types are excluded. 3 qualifying bets of £10 or more required within 3 calendar days of registration. Bets must be placed and settled on the same day as the event. 50% back based on net losses after 3 calendar days or if you reach £120 of net losses before 3 days is up, you will receive your Free Bet the following day. Your Free Bet will expire after 7 days. Free Bet is £1min, capped at £60. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
18+ New customers only. GB & ROI customers only. Promo code NEWWELCOME60 must be used. Certain bet types are excluded. 3 qualifying bets of £10 or more required within 3 calendar days of registration. Bets must be placed and settled on the same day as the event. 50% back based on net losses after 3 calendar days or if you reach £120 of net losses before 3 days is up, you will receive your Free Bet the following day. Your Free Bet will expire after 7 days. Free Bet is £1min, capped at £60. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. | T&C apply
New Accounts Only. Min of 3 bets of £10 at odds of evens (2.0+), Valid for 7 days. UK only. Full T&C's apply. | T&C apply
Offer terms
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £/€10. Qualifying real money bet of £/€10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer credited within 48 hours. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly
New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £/€10. Qualifying real money bet of £/€10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer credited within 48 hours. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly | T&C apply
Offer terms
Star Sports are offering Best Odds Guaranteed on UK/Irish Horseracing & Greyhound racing – From 9am on the day of the race. Max £1000 enhancement per bet. Applies to singles & multiple bets. Further T&C’s apply.
Star Sports are offering Best Odds Guaranteed on UK/Irish Horseracing & Greyhound racing – From 9am on the day of the race. Max £1000 enhancement per bet. Applies to singles & multiple bets. Further T&C’s apply. | T&C apply
The odds on BetAnsells’ page are highly competitive. However, where they really shine is with the odds offered on horse racing. The platform prominently displays horse racing figures right at the top of the homepage, so you don’t have to look very far to pick your runners for the day.
BetAnsells guarantee that they have the best odds on all UK and Irish horse racing on event day, so for horse racing enthusiasts it’s a no-brainer to consider using BetAnsells for betting on domestic competitions. This guarantee is part of the company’s Happy Hours promotion, which runs from 11 am to 2 pm daily.
If that wasn’t enough, BetAnsells will pay out on disqualified winners, as well as new results, for all races in the UK and Ireland. This means that consumers can still benefit from a first past the post policy as well as maximising their winnings with great odds.
As well as their brilliant offers on horseracing BetAnsells offers enhanced odds and specials for members, in line with their aim to provide a personal and competitive service. For any member who stakes £5 or more, the bookmakers offer a price match on odds from a number of well-known competitors, such as Paddy Power, Ladbrokes, Coral or Betfred.
This is great news for customers who prefer to play with smaller amounts of cash. BetAnsells still enable them to take advantage of their offers – something which is not always the norm with other, larger brands.
Well designed site
BetAnsells have done a great job with their new website. From the easy to remember domain betansells.bet , to the thoughtful and visually appealing design, the site is a triumph.
The biggest draw of the site is that it’s laid out in a clear and intuitive manner; it’s incredibly straightforward to access all of the information required to place a bet. On the left-hand side of the homepage, you can find the list of available sports, linking to their respective pages on the site. The centre of each page is reserved for odds, with the homepage featuring horse racing at the top, followed by the biggest football matches of the day. There’s no need to hunt around for your betting slip either, as this is displayed very clearly on the right-hand side of the page, unlike other sites.
Overall, the design of BetAnsells’ website is vibrant and eye-catching, making navigation an absolute doddle. With a site so simple to use, it’s plain to see that the company provides a straightforward and comfortable experience for both new and seasoned online gamblers.
Transparency seems to be a running theme with BetAnsells. Unlike many larger companies, BetAnsells prominently displays their customer service number in the top right-hand corner of their website’s homepage. Moreover, it’s extremely simple to find contact details for their head office in Hertfordshire.
The accessibility of customer service resources makes it easy for users to quickly get in touch with a representative to address any concerns they may have – a stark contrast to larger bookmakers, who tend to make it incredibly difficult for customers to resolve issues with their services.
From the first paragraph of their about page, BetAnsells makes their stance on responsible gambling patently clear. Their aim clearly states that they help customers to bet “… within their means…” and the measures they employ to ensure that are confirmation.
The platform does not accept credit cards or offer credit for deposits and, to help users manage their spending, deposit limits can be put in place.
Additionally, there is a dedicated page on the BetAnsells website with links to relevant resources on safe gambling practices, along with support options for problem gamblers. The company even utilises their social media to promote responsible betting, tweeting content from organisations such as Gamble Aware on a fairly regular basis.
For those looking for a platform that prioritises social responsibility, BetAnsells appears to be a good choice.
The longevity of BetAnsells is another huge draw. The company was founded in 1920, and has been running betting offices since 1961.
Not only that, the company is still owned and run by the fourth generation of the Ansell family. It’s clear that the family ethos is at the heart of their business practices. A quick search shows that the company even has great reviews from former employees on job-hunting websites.
Customers hoping for a more personal and authentic betting experience can rest assured that their money does not support large, unethical corporations or chains. If you prefer to support smaller businesses BetAnsells is a solid option with the experience to match.
Compared with some of their major competitors BetAnsells offers much less variety, with markets available for only 15 sports. By comparison, industry giants Bet365 offer over 35 sports markets with multiple leagues available in each.
However, the BestAnsells platform is well-tailored to the British market, as it does cater to the most popular sports in the UK. Their thoughtfully curated selection of sports markets means that users can still expect to bet on their favourite competitions at home and abroad – such as La Liga – but niche and special events interests are unlikely to be available.
Another area in which BetAnsells falls short of their market rivals is live streaming. The platform does not currently offer live streaming options, which means that players may find it more difficult to follow their bets in real time.
While the simple user interface is a huge positive for many customers, the unfortunate trade-off is that it lacks some of the more advanced features found on other sites. This may be off-putting to some, who do not wish to use multiple resources to monitor their betting results.
Arguably, the biggest drawback of BetAnsells is that the company does not currently offer a welcome bonus for new customers. Other big names, such as Bet 10, Ladbrokes and 888 Sport offer incredibly enticing welcome offers for new users and the lack of such an option from BetAnsells dims the appeal of their platform somewhat.
Despite this, the company does offer an incentive for continuing users. Those who have placed and settled their first five bets of £10 or more can receive a £20 bonus – a nice perk for those who plan to keep using the platform.
The lack of traditional welcome offers is a definite disadvantage, but the platform’s focus on rewarding loyal customers and providing excellent odds may be a worthwhile trade off if you are seeking a long-term betting option.
As previously mentioned, BetAnsells now has a mobile application that can be used alongside the in-store self-service machines. Unfortunately, the app currently has a one-star rating on the Apple App Store, with several negative reviews reporting issues with functionality and major difficulties cashing out.
Moreover, the app doesn’t provide the versatility of betting on the go like many of its industry counterparts.
While it’s important to remember that reviews are subjective and individual experiences may vary, the near perfect App Store ratings of competitors like SkyBet only highlight the fact that BetAnsells falls extremely short in this arena.
On the whole BetAnsells is a fantastic option for players participating in the regulated gambling industry. Although customers may run into issues with their concise offerings and lack of cutting-edge technologies, such as livestreaming and mobile betting, the pros of the independent bookmaker really outweigh the cons.
Thanks to their well-established history, socially responsible ethos and boutique level customer service, BetAnsells patrons can expect an exceptional experience with the family-run, British company.
In addition to this, the simple design of their website makes it easy for online gamblers of any background to get on with what they enjoy, instead of wasting time navigating a complicated user interface.
Their excellent offerings on odds, particularly for horse racing, make the company a great option for racing enthusiasts looking to maximise their wins and with regular specials for existing members, BetAnsells is a solid choice for anyone wanting straightforward, long-term betting.