Star Sports Free Bet Offer & Review
Introduction
Star Sports, originally Star Racing, was incorporated in the UK in 1999 and with the acquisition of Waldron, Vickers and Turner & Kendrick, quickly grew to become a prominent bookmaker.
In 2009, Star Racing was rebranded as Star Sports to more accurately reflect the range of betting lines across different sports that the bookie offered.
Across the Irish Sea, Star Sports holds a remote bookmaker license, enabling punters across the Emerald Isle to gain a slice of the action.
This article summarizes the pros and cons of Star Sports and goes deeper into the details regarding its whole-site offering, usability, support channels and more.
Pros and Cons Summary
Pros | Cons |
➕ 30+ sports to bet on | ❌ No live stream option |
➕ Competitive odds, particularly for horse racing | ❌ No VIP Scheme |
➕ Live chat | ❌ Lack of GAA markets |
➕ Great mobile betting experience |
What Sports do Star Sports cover?
Since being an on-track bookmaker in England back in 1999, Star Sports has evolved to offer a respectable array of sporting markets for customers in both Ireland and the UK.
At the time of writing, their A-Z of betting lines are as follows:
American Football | Athletics | Australian Rules | Baseball | Basketball |
Boxing | Cricket | Cycling | Darts | Equestrian |
Football | Formula 1 | Golf | Greyhound Racing | Handball |
Hockey | Horse Racing | Ice Hockey | MMA | Motor Sport |
Olympics | Politics | Rowing | Rugby League | Rugby Union |
Snooker | Swimming | Tennis | Triathlon | Volleyball |
Wrestling |
In-Play Betting
Like many other modern betting sites, Star Sports recognises the added thrill that comes with in-play betting and has a dedicated part of their website for bettors looking for a flutter on live sports events.
Whilst a stats graphic/match tracker exists for in-play markets, the website appears to fall short of offering live streams for sporting events.
Bet-Types & Pricing
Star Sports features a build-your-bet offering where players can customize their betting selection based on winning margin, match result and a wealth of statistical permutations across different sports.
Popular accumulators also exist across various sports and range from simple triples, four-ways and five-ways all the way to lottery-like Yankees, Canadians and Lucky 31s.
Regardless of whether punters want to bet on specific outcomes, complex multiples or tournament/league outrights, this bookmaker will probably please most when it comes to bet-types.
As for the odds, research suggests that Star Sports’ odds are both competitive and consistent, with a relatively fair over-round applied to most selections.
As always, the use of odds-checking websites and services is recommended if one wants to get the most value for every bet.
Player Promotions
Starsports have enticing promotions on offer for both new and existing players across a variety of sports markets and events.
At the time of writing, notable offers include:
50% back as a free bet + 25 free spins
As a new customer, get 50% (up to 25 EUR) back as a free bet if your first wager loses, plus 25 free spins on Gold Horsey Winner
Key terms: Minimum stake 10 EUR, minimum odds 2.0, qualifying bet must settle the same day as registration, free bet must be used within 7 days.
Best odds guaranteed
Get horseracing/greyhound odds at the starting price if higher than the odds originally bet.
Key terms: Applies to UK/Ireland racing only, winner markets only, only applies to same-day bets after 9 am
Tie-break refund
Get 50% of your steak back up to 50 EUR if your player is beaten in a final set tiebreak.
Key terms: Applies to ATP singles events only, bets must be played on the same day as the event and before the first point is played, free bet must be used within 7 days.
User interface
At first glance, Star Sports’ site appears basic and outdated.
The flip side is that it’s extremely simple and easy to use with a well laid-out navigation and prominent betting markets available at the click of a button.
One interesting feature is that Star Sports appears to show odds like a betting exchange, whereby odds are coloured accordingly as to whether they’re drifting or shortening in price.
As well as a responsive website that’s highly functional across any device, Star Sports has an app that can be downloaded on both Apple and Android. This can be useful if you’re a frequent user and want quick access to the platform, but due to the responsive design of the website, isn’t essential for mobile betting.
Other Features
As well as sports lines, Star Sports has a live casino, gaming, bingo and virtual sports selection which means that whatever time of day, it’s possible to have a wager.
As well as games, Star Sports has a highly reputable news blog offering expert tips, notably in horse racing and football.
When the fun stops
Any betting site must demonstrate responsibility when it comes to tackling harmful gambling addiction.
Star Sports claims that they’re committed to endorsing responsible gaming as a policy of customer care and social responsibility.
As well as serving some guidance on harmful gambling, tools include:
- Deposit limits: set daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits
- Play breaks: temporarily self-exclude when you’ve hit a tough run
- Self-exclusion: self-exclude from 6 months to permanently
- Reality check: notify how long you’re spending on the platform
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Star Sports offers deposits with debit cards through Visa, Mastercard, or Maestro.
According to their FAQs, it’s also possible to deposit via cheque or wire transfer but doesn’t appear to offer the possibility of depositing via e-wallets such as Paypal.
When depositing, you’ll see a message saying that funds are stored in separate business accounts. Although this appears positive, small print suggests that customer deposits would form as business assets in the event of insolvency and thus are deemed as “not protected” via the Gambling Commission.
Unlike most betting sites, a minimum withdrawal does not appear to exist; however, it can take up to 5-6 working days for funds to land back in your bank account.
As always, it’s important to ensure your account and payment mechanisms are fully verified so as not to introduce any further delays.
Star Sports Support
Star Sports has a multitude of customer support options and as well as a 24/7 live chat option, players can also submit requests via email, X/Twitter, or by telephone.
Initial usability testing suggests a swift turnaround for support requests on the live chat so there is a high degree of confidence that queries and issues will be quickly responded to through this bookmaker.
Additionally, the website offers a list of frequently asked questions should players seek information on common queries such as withdrawal limits, verification mechanisms and the complaints procedure regarding bet settlement.
Conclusion
Star Sports has consistent, competitive odds and with a good selection of player promotions, this is a decent option for Irish punters looking for a platform to bet across horse racing, football and other prominent sports markets.
Whilst their website doesn’t have a cutting-edge design, it undoubtedly does the job and is a decent platform for players looking for simplicity and a sportsbook that provides good value.
Coupled with this and their ongoing promotions, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add Star Sports to a portfolio of Irish betting websites. welcome offer and put them to the test.