Star Sports Review 2024 in UK

Star Sports describe themselves as offering “a range of boutique bookmaking services to its discerning clients”. They have a wide portfolio of services for gamblers and sports bettors and also operate a comprehensive all round betting website.

Star Sports UK Review  – How does Star Sports compare to the leading bookmakers?

Star Sports prides itself on its status as a luxury bookmaker and providing an individual service to its clients. It also boasts a user-friendly website, a social media presence, a sound range of betting markets, both live and pre-match, solid odds and a number of interesting features which mix the traditional with the contemporary.

The best betting sites in the UK will offer a good range of leagues and markets, giving you plenty of scope for wagers, the odds will be competitive in order to give the punter good returns when their bets come home, there will be plenty of promotions to add value and interest, and good quality customer support. This is the all round level of service Star Sports are looking to match.

Alongside this they offer both credit and debit telephone betting and a hedging service.

I have analysed everything about Star Sports, from betting opportunities, pre-match and in-play, to odds, promotions to customer support, to give my verdict on their service. Read on to see what they have to offer for novice and experienced bettors alike.

What I analysed on Star Sports

At Betting.com, our bookmaker reviews are in-depth and thorough. This Star Sports review investigates every factor that matters to punters, from security systems through to promotions and payment methods.

Through this process, we checked out their odds, compared prices and looked into the sports and leagues they offer. Here are the main categories we covered with our Star Sports review: 

1. Licensing 
2. Sports and leagues covered
3. Value of odds
4. Options for bettors
5. Promotions and bonuses
6. Overall user experience
7. Registration and verification process
8. Depositing money
9. Withdrawing your winnings
10. Customer support and help centre

Star Sports licensing, safety and trustworthiness

Star Sports is a safe and fully licensed bookmaker. They are operated by Star Racing Ltd (06475105) and are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (licence number 009177). Unlike a lot of online bookmakers, Star Sports operate out of the UK, from an address in Hove, East Sussex. They have all of the licences required to reassure customers in the UK that it is a safe place to bet online.

Star Sports complete list of licences

UK: UK Gambling Commission (009177)

What makes Star Sports safe

Safety is paramount for all bookmakers. Betting sites handle a huge amount of personal information, and have a duty to keep your data and money protected. Responsible gambling must also be emphasised. Policies need to be in place to help punters control their betting.

What makes a betting site safe

1. Security of your funds
2. Keeping personal data protected
3. Current and applicable licences
4. Responsible Gambling
5. Easily accessible terms and conditions
6. Additional information on staying safe

With a licence in the UK from the UK Gambling Commission, punters can feel comfortable using Star Sports for sports betting. Further details are available in their terms and conditions. 

They have a thorough privacy policy and use encryption technology to keep players’ details safe.

Their commitment to Responsible Gambling is clear. The tab is at the bottom of the page. There are a number of tools to help players, including self-assessment, self-exclusion, deposit limits, reference to underage gambling, plus links to outside agencies.

Welcome offers and promos – No welcome bonus at Star Sports but several promos available

Star Sports, unfortunately, do not offer an incentive for users who sign up. This is consistent with other betting sites under the Star Racing umbrella. There are, however, a number of promotions for new and existing customers to take advantage of.

Star Sports New Player Bonus

While Star Sports have, in the past, included a specific welcome bonus at the time of writing this is not the case.

Best Odds Guaranteed on UK and Irish Horse Racing at Star Sports

Star Sports offer Best Odds Guaranteed on UK and Irish Horse racing and Greyhound racing. Check out Terms and Conditions.

“2 Up-Set” – in Tennis at Star Sports

For major tennis events Star Sports will offer the “2 Up-Set” offer. For example, for the Australian Open, to take advantage of this punters must place a single bet in the match winner market of the Men’s Australian Open and if their player goes two sets ahead but loses the bookie will give you your stake back as a Free Bet.

Added Insurance at Star Sports

The Added Insurance promotion is for both new and existing customers. If punters place a correct score bet, in selected leagues and the score is correct at 90 minutes, the bookie will give you 50% of your stake back as a free bet.

Build a Bet Bonus at Star Sports

If punters place a Build a Bet wager with four selections or more the bookie will give a 10% bonus if it is successful.

Second Chance goalscorer promo at Star Sports

If punters back a player to score the first goal the bookie will return 50% of your stake as a free bet if the player fails to score first but scores second.

NBA Extra promotion at Star Sports

Pick 5+ NBA teams to win and if all your selections score 110+ points, Star Sports will give you 50% of your stake as a FREE BET, win or lose.

Time and a half promotion for major US Sports at Star Sports

Fans of the big US sports can take advantage of this promotion for wagers placed on the NFL, NBA and NHL. If your Money Line selection loses in overtime the bookie will give you 50% of your stake back as a Free Bet.

Star Sports VIP program/loyalty program

Star Sports run a number of what they describe as boutique bookmaker services where bettors are treated as individuals. This includes debit and credit telephone betting along with Hedging. Their telephone betting service is staffed by experienced traders and customers are given personal treatment. The bookmaker states that regular customers are rewarded for their loyalty.

Sports and leagues you can bet on at Star Sports

At Star Sports there are over 20 sports which you can wager on. As is befitting of a betting site who started out as an on-course bookmaker, horse racing is the main sport on the site.It offers a great range of UK, Irish and international race meetings. There is a graphic to monitor price movement, which is a feature not available at every online betting site. Live streaming has also been recently introduced. 

Greyhound racing is also covered really well and also benefits from live streaming.

Football betting is a major focus for the bookie too. For a typical Premier League match, Star Sports offers a variety of markets including everything from the time of the first goal and the number of corners to be awarded to if there will be a red card or even a penalty. Football punters can utilise the bet builder tool to create their own unique wagers. 

Other sports available include basketball, baseball, ice hockey, darts, Formula One, tennis, cricket, golf and snooker. There are opportunities to bet on politics, along with TV shows, award ceremonies and other novelties.

Star Sports odds offers

Star Sports offer fair odds. For a horse race, from Chepstow, the bookie’s payout percentage was 83.2%, which was in line with many other UK sportsbooks. We looked at three football matches from the Premier League and Star Sports came out with a 93.6% payout margin. This cannot match the industry leaders for odds, however, it is more than fair and represents better value than a number of high profile betting sites.

This, generally, is the case across other sports too.

Star Sports betting options & features

Star Sports have various features for punters to try out.

Outright / Ante-Post betting

Star Sports offer the chance to bet on the winners of major events well in advance. Ahead of major sporting events such World Cups in football, rugby or cricket and the majors in golf and tennis, sports bettors always look to predict the overall winner well in advance, and to take advantage of extra places with each-way wagers .Ante-Post betting is also a major part of horse racing betting. Star Sports and offer early betting opportunities on high-profile upcoming races and festivals such as Cheltenham, Aintree and Royal Ascot.

Live betting at Star Sports

Star Sports have a sound live betting section. The In-Play tab is very prominent at the top of the page, situated next to the “Sports” section. You will be able to choose from various sports, including football, tennis and golf. The Live betting section provides odds that change with the game’s progression, depending on the likely outcome. There are some stats and updates available to keep you up to date with the action.

Live Streaming

At the time of writing, Star Sports only offer live streaming of horse racing and greyhound racing. 

Accumulator/Multiple Betting

Accumulators can be assembled using a variety of different markets and they can consist of a range of different sports and competitions. 

Cash Out 

Like many online betting sites, Cash Out is available to Star Sports customers with the feature being available on selected sports and markets. When cash out is available, you’ll be able to end your bet early for an agreed return to either lock in a guaranteed profit or cut your losses if it looks like your bet is not going to win. There is, however, no partial cash out.

This is available both through the Star Sports website and through the app.

Bet Builder

Like most UK bookmakers, Star Sports allow players to construct their own unique bet by adding various markets and odds to a single bet with their Bet Builder. This is, at the time of writing, only available for football. The feature boasts a good range of markets

Telephone Betting

A former on course bookie, Star Sports also offer punters the chance to bet on the phone. This looks like a bit of a throwback, however, it shows that the bookie can be in touch with the modern world of betting through its online sportsbook and can give punters a more traditional medium to place wagers.

Credit Betting and Debit Betting

Experience a high quality fixed-odds telephone betting service with a credit or debit account at Star Sports. 

Hedging

Star Sports pride themselves on accommodating some of the largest bets in the industry and offer an exclusive hedging facility, aimed at bookies looking to cover their exposure. Call 08000 521 321 to enquire about a hedging account.

Blog

Star Sports offer an informative gambling blog.

Social Media Presence

Star Sports are very active on X (formally known as Twitter) at twitter.com/StarSports_Bet. There are regular competitions and occasional free bets for punters.

How easy do I find it to use Star Sports’ site?

To begin with, I created an account and deposited funds. Once I had looked into their different features, I placed a few wagers, checked out their live streaming of horse racing and contacted customer service. 

• Desktop: The website is functional and user friendly. Navigation is usually easy and you can generally find everything that you need.
• Mobile on the web: The desktop version of the site can be accessed on mobile devices and customers can enjoy all that the desktop site offers on a pc.
• Mobile app: You can download the Star Sports app for free for both iOS and Android devices. The app is excellent with a user-friendly layout, fast-loading pages and a design which is pleasing to the eye. This makes betting on the move much easier and punters can rapidly get wagers on via the app.

How to register a new account with Star Sports

Registering for an account with Star Sports is an easy process. Upon entering the website simply hit the orange “Sign Up” button.  Once you have submitted the required information you are ready to start betting.

Here are the steps to register for your account:

1. Click the yellow ‘Sign Up’ button which can be found at the top of the homepage on the  right-hand side.
2. Submit your personal details including name and home address when prompted
3. Create a memorable password.  
4. Upon receiving your confirmation email, click the link to be directed back to the main home page in order to confirm your account.  
5. You are now ready to make an initial deposit and begin wagering.

Documents and information you need to share with Star Sports to open an account

Star Sports have a Know Your Customer (KYC), process in place to verify the account of new users. However, even after making a deposit, users may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify their identity. Accepted documents for this include:

• Bank statement with address displayed
• Payslip with address displayed
• Certification from bank
• HM Revenue and Customs letter
• Contract or bill from a utility supplier with address displayed
• Passport
• Drivers Licence

The bookie may also require proof of funds. They may request documents such as:

• Proof of earnings – Payslip/Director remuneration/Dividends/Pension
• A bank statement/savings account that clearly shows consistent incoming values from an identifiable source
• A Trust deed clearly showing a consistent entitlement to funds
• An account statement showing funds recently won from another company
• Dated proof of a payment made to you
• Other clear evidence that would support “affordability” in relation to your business with us

How reliable are Star Sports’ payment methods?

Star Sports have a small range of payment methods, which are generally reliable.

Debit card withdrawal takes 1-5 banking days to reach you.  

Cryptocurrency available at Star Sports

Star Sports does not enable bettors to deposit or withdraw funds using cryptocurrency. 

Time to collect your winnings? Here’s how to withdraw your winnings from Star Sports

It will take between two and five working days to process withdrawals at Star Sports.

Here are the steps to withdraw your winnings:

Step by step guide on how to withdraw from Star Sports

Follow these steps to withdraw from Star Sports:

1. Click on your account and then select ‘make a withdrawal’ by clicking on the yellow balance icon 
2. Confirm the amount that you would  like to withdraw and your chosen payment method. 
3. Check over the details and click to confirm the transaction.  
4. You may be asked for additional documentation at this stage, if it is your first time making a withdrawal.
5. You will receive your winnings within 2-5 working days.

Other information to know when withdrawing

You will have your winnings with you within five working days at the latest with debit cards. You may be asked for additional documentation at times.

Is Star Sports’ customer service helpful?

Star Sports have plenty of info on the site through their FAQs and in their Terms and Conditions. There is email support and responses from this service are usually satisfactory.

Responsible gambling

Star Sports have a number of tools aimed at promoting responsible gambling and ensuring that its users can enjoy betting safely. There is a page dedicated to the subject, where customers can undergo a self-assessment. Furthermore, contact information for the major gambling counselling organisations and other outside agencies is available for punters who require external support. Further tools include a deposit limit, as well as Self-exclusion. This section can be found at the bottom of the page.

Betting.com Verdict – How does Star Sports function as an all round betting site?

Star Sports have been involved in the UK betting scene for 25 years. They have a wide range of services available to bettors, including their online betting site and mobile app. Through this, other services and features can be reached.

Their coverage of horse racing is excellent, with features such as their price movement graphic, and they have a number of other positives, such as their coverage of greyhounds, where they sponsor the English Greyhound Derby,  football, tennis, golf, cricket and the big US Sports. Their odds are fair and can be competitive and they cover a decent range of sports and markets. 

Their social media presence and interaction with customers, betting blog and telephone betting service are all plus points. They offer a great service as a luxury bookmaker through their telephone service and for punters who like to wager large amounts they are an excellent choice.

Their website and app are generally very good, and customers can enjoy all that the site has to offer on a pc or a mobile device.

They have a number of interesting promotions where you can get free bets, where bets which are near misses are in some ways compensated and where potential winnings can be boosted.

Adding a few more sports, expanding some of their betting markets, developing their live streaming service and adding a few more payment methods would improve matters further. The customer support contact methods could be expanded upon too to include live chat.

However, the lack of a welcome offer may put some punters off signing up in the first place. However, it is clear that the company are intent on focussing on other areas and there are other benefits to this bookmaker outside welcome bonuses.

Overall Star Sports  is a good place to enjoy a wager and is suitable for those new to sports betting and to experienced punters.

Other betting sites to consider

BetVictor

(4.5/5)

Ladbrokes

(4.5/5)

Fafabet

(4.2/5)