Oddschecker| Betbrain| Oddsexplorer| Tipex
If anything converts a diehard betting-shop dweller into an Internet punter it's the existence of odds comparison sites. Who would want to spend the afternoon trudging from Hills to Corals and back again when, with a few flicks of the wrist, you can access constantly updated odds on upcoming games? It's one of the joys of Internet betting and once you've discovered them you wonder how you ever managed without.
"We took four of the top odds comparison services Betbrain, Tipex, Oddschecker and Oddsexplorer
and put them through their paces"
Naturally, you will have a few odds comparison sites in your bookmarks - no room for brand loyalty here. But if someone were giving out awards for football odds comparison who would get the gong?
We took four of the top odds comparison services Betbrain, Tipex, Oddschecker and Oddsexplorer and put them through their paces, rating them out of five in four different categories.
The categories were as follows: market range, bookmaker selection, customisability and added extras.
The findings
Market range: Time is of the essence when you're placing bets so you don't want be flitting from one comparison site to the next. That's why market range is important. Betbrain and Oddschecker score well with their comprehensive coverage of countries and Asians, HT-FT, double chance and under/over markets while Tipex cover some pretty obscure European leagues. Odds Explorer do a decent range also and come above Tipex due to their superior navigation which is one thing Tipex really need to work on.
Betbrain: 4
Tipex: 2.5
Oddschecker: 4
Oddsexplorer: 3
Bookmaker selection: Once again, you can't fault Betbrain or Oddschecker who provide all the names you'd expect along with a few others you wouldn't. Tipex save most of their bookmakers for their subscription service which is disappointing. Odds Explorer certainly provide some bookmakers you won't find on the other sites but alittle research tells you that some of these names are really best avoided.
Betbrain: 4.5
Tipex: 2
Oddschecker: 4
Oddsexplorer: 3
Customisability: The football punter is a creature of habit and each one has a unique modus operandi. That's why customisability is key. This is where Betbrain really comes into its own. The site allows you to create a personalised football coupon of the games you're tracking. You can even personalise the list of bookmakers to remove those you don't have an account with.
"The football punter is a creature of habit and each one has a unique modus operandi. That's why customisability is key."
Oddschecker allows you to switch from decimal, fractional and American odds though for football they come up a little short and have nothing like the Betbrain coupon feature. And while you can change language on Tipex neither they or Oddsexplorer offer much customisation.
Betbrain: 5
Tipex: 2
Oddschecker: 2.5
Oddsexplorer: 2
Added extras: Betbrain uniquely has a profile of each of the bookmakers they list with information on withdrawal and deposit charges. Odds Explorer offers sure bets and arbs and Oddschecker has great staking calculators plus a gambling guide. Tipex expect you to pay for anything extra on their site which again is a disappointment.
Betbrain: 5
Tipex: 1.5
Oddschecker: 4
Oddsexplorer: 2
Overall: It proved to be a good tussle in the end but Betbrain emerged victorious. All of the sites had good points going for them but it was customisability that landed the knockout blow for Betbrain. No two bettors are alike and their recognition of this fact means they get the prestigious Punters' Paradise Best of the Web award.
Betbrain: 18.5
Oddschecker: 14.5
Oddsexplorer: 10
Tipex: 8
Congratulations Betbrain!
BBC
