Virgin Bet

Virgin Bet UK Review (2023)

Virgin Bet is an online betting site and casino that is branded under one of the biggest business names in the world - Richard Branston’s Virgin brand. Virgin is a highly-respected brand that makes you think of quality products and great customer service. 

Does the Virgin Bet online sports betting site and casino deliver everything you would expect of the Virgin name? This unbiased and detailed review will help you decide for yourself.

A Brief History of Virgin Bet

Virgin Bet is a new online betting site that was launched in June 2019 offering a fresh sportsbook and casino under the Virgin Group branding but owned and operated by Gamesys Group PLC.

The site has quickly grown into a popular destination for UK punters to try their luck on a sports wager, a few spins on the roulette table, a hand or two of blackjack, or some fun and frantic slots action.

Virgin Bet is fully licensed and regulated by the UKGC. This means the site has passed audits for fairness and complies with rules about how the company conducts its business and handles customer funds.

Virgin Bet Sports Betting Site Review

Let’s kick off by taking a good look at the Virgin Bet sports betting site. We’ll take a look at the strengths and weaknesses of the site and give you the low-down on all its features and bonuses.  

Range of Sports Available

Virgin Bet has more than 25 sports available to wager on, which is a good selection, even when compared to some of the bigger name bookies in the online sports betting world. You can find major and minor events to bet on for a wide variety of sports, including football, rugby, tennis, cricket, darts, American football, MMA, ice hockey, and more. 

At Virgin Bet, you can also place wagers on political events and other “special” events, such as the result of Britain’s Got Talent or other reality TV shows.

Betting Markets 

Virgin Bet has a lively selection of betting markets on most sports. The Premier League football markets have more than 100 betting markets and options for each match, for instance. Other sports that are very well covered with dozens of markets in each are tennis, darts, NFL football, NBA basketball, and NHL ice hockey.

The one let-down at Virgin Bet in terms of betting markets is horse racing. The number of markets and bet types on offer are minimal compared to other big brand online bookmakers. You can place bets to win, each way, tricast, and forecast, but not much else. Let’s hope that it’s just due to the fact that Virgin Bet is a relatively new online sportsbook and will expand its range in the future.

Live In-play Betting

The live betting section of Virgin Bet is excellent, with in-play bets available for football, tennis, cricket, ice hockey, basketball, darts, etc. In fact, the region of in-play betting that’s on offer is one of the strongest of all the new breed of online sports betting sites in the UK.

Alongside each sporting event, you can find detailed stats that let you see things like team performance over the past five events, head-to-head history, and live stats from the event such as team possession for football and number of served aces for tennis, for example.

Virgin Bet offers a limited number of live streams, which only cover tennis matches and horse races at the moment. The broadcast quality is excellent, but the range of sports covered could do with being a bit bigger.

Promotions and Special Offers

Virgin Bet has a decent welcome bonus in place for new customers and the wagering requirements shouldn’t take too long to meet for most punters. To activate the welcome bonus, you simply type in a code when you sign up and bet the required amount.

Virgin Bet also runs regular promotions, including price boosts that increase the winnings on certain events or matches. They also offer a price match guarantee for a win or each-way bets on UK and Irish horse racing. If you can find a starting price elsewhere that offers a better return than the one placed at Virgin Bet, they guarantee to match the higher return.

Loyalty Rewards Scheme

At the moment there is no loyalty reward scheme at Virgin Bet, but as they are a relative newcomer to online sports betting, this may be added in the future.

Virgin Bet Sports Betting Mobile App

The Virgin Bet mobile app for sports betting is available for both Android and iOS devices. The mobile app is similar in appearance and design to the mobile betting site, but the structure differs slightly. On the app, the menu sidebar and tabs are replaced with a sticky menu that makes it easier to navigate between features on a touch screen device. 

Pretty much all the features that you can get on the main website are also available in the betting apps. You can even set your preferences for things like deposit limits, betting options, and reality check notifications which is a good way to encourage responsible gambling.

To download the Android version of the Virgin Bet sports betting mobile app, head to the Google Play Store and search for "Virgin Bet Sports Betting". The app has a rating of 3.8 stars out of 5, with 1,267 votes at the time of writing.

To download the iOS version of the Virgin Bet sports betting mobile app, head to the Apple App Store and search for "Virgin Bet Sports Betting". The app has a rating of 4.8 stars out of 5, with 3,656 votes at the time of writing.

Virgin Games Casino Review

Virgin Games Casino is the branding used for Virgin’s online casino site and mobile casino app. The casino offers a good choice of games, some generous promotions, and a well-designed and reliable app.

Virgin Games Casino is owned by the Virgin Group but is operated by Gamesys which means that the slots are particularly good. The casino is aimed at casual gamblers who like to bet at low to medium stakes, but there are some high stakes tables for more serious gamblers too.

Range of Casino Games

Virgin Games Casino has a decent range of games available, but not the biggest compared to other online casinos. You can get all your favourite traditional casino games such as roulette and blackjack, with a few different varieties that add a new twist to the games. You can also bet on other classic games like video poker, craps, and baccarat.

There are over 100 slots available to play at Virgin Games from providers such as NetEnt, Eyecon, and IGT, with several progressive jackpots on offer too.

The bingo section of Virgin Games Casino is popular with various stakes available and plenty of fun action with decent sized jackpots.

Live Dealer Casino Games at Virgin Games Casino

Virgin Games Casino has live dealer games on offer in the Signature Live Casino section. With slick HD video streaming, you can interact directly with real dealers and croupiers to make the experience feel more real. You can also place “side bets” such as “betting behind” another player, so you don’t have to wait for a seat and can get straight in on the action.

There are also plenty of special offers and exclusive deals for live casino players in the Signature Live Casino, so don’t miss out.

Bonuses and Promotions at Virgin Games Casino

Virgin Game Casino offers a generous welcome bonus, but has relatively high wagering requirements so it may take a while to clear the bonus funds into withdrawable cash. Also, be careful, as not all table games and slots count towards the bonus, so make sure you read the terms and conditions carefully.

The loyalty rewards program at Virgin Games Casino is pretty good, awarding “V Points” as you play games at the site. V Points can be exchanged for cash or for Virgin Atlantic flights.

The site also runs a frequent promotion on slots games called “Red Hot Play”. If the slots game you’re playing at the time turns red, you will get cashback on any losses during that period.  

Payout Percentages

The average payout percentage or return to player rate (RTP) at Virgin Games Casino is 95.15%, which is around the industry average. The Live Roulette tables are probably the best value, with a 97.3% RTP rate, which is higher than average.

The RTP or payout percentages for slots range between 90% and 98%, depending on the type and game. Progressive jackpot slots have a lower RTP as a small percentage is kept back to fund the jackpot.

Virgin Games Casino Mobile App

The downloadable mobile casino app version of Virgin Games Casino is a high-quality app that’s available for both iOS and Android devices. The app is well-designed and easy to navigate, and you can be up and running playing your favourite casino games within minutes of downloading.

To download the Android version of the Virgin Game Casino mobile app, head to the Google Play Store and search for Virgin Games Casino. The app has a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5, with 10,458 votes at the time of writing.

To download the iOS version of the Virgin Game Casino mobile app, head to the Apple App Store and search for Virgin Games Casino. The app has a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, with 14,065 votes at the time of writing.

Virgin Bet Customer Support

The customer support at Virgin Bet and Virgin Games is good, with 24/7 communication available. You can reach the customer support agents by email, telephone, or through an online contact form. The response time is fast and queries get handled quickly and efficiently.

Payment & Withdrawal Methods

Virgin Bet and Virgin Games accept most major payment methods, including Visa Debit, Mastercard, and PayPal, as well as some other eWallets such as Neteller and Skrill. The minimum deposit limit is £10 and the maximum limit is £10,000.

Deposits are normally credited to your account instantly and withdrawals are quick, usually taking one to five working days, depending on the payment method selected.