Betcity Bookmaker Review: Service Check and Trust Rating

Betcity — a bookmaker that was at the forefront of establishing the domestic sports betting industry. The company has been in the market since 2003, which means it has survived several crises, trend changes, and even a couple of football eras. It was founded by successful entrepreneur and millionaire Sergey Samsonenko in Rostov-on-Don purely as a regional retail. However, by now, the organization has grown to the level of industry leaders in sports betting, achieving significance on a federal scale.

The company is among the TOP 5 most profitable bookmakers in Russia and is almost the only one to occupy a position in the "Fortune Global 500" ranking by revenue. Among the strategic partners and brand ambassadors are major media figures such as:

● FC "Liverpool", "Arsenal", and "Rostov";

● Russian Cup in football;

● All-Russian Volleyball Federation;

● Famous hockey and football commentator Alexander Netsenko.

It's no surprise that in 2021, the bookmaker won the RB award in the "Best Sports Partnership" category. By the way, this is not the only prestigious award. A year later, at the same ceremony, Betcity took the grand prize in the categories "Best Odds" and "Best Welcome Bonus". They also won BR Awards titles in the nominations

"Best Customer Service" and "Best Line." Today, the Betcity betting company accepts bets in land-based gaming clubs across the country, serving 84 betting points in 38 cities of Russia. The official website betcity.ru operates on the Internet. There are mobile applications for devices on iOS and Android operating systems. Customers are promised a rich selection of online bets on various sports events, high odds, convenient methods for depositing and withdrawing funds, round-the-clock support service, and fair payouts. Let's check if Betcity is as good as its marketers describe. We will visit the site, explore the line, estimate the odds, and look at reviews from real clients. We will examine whether the margin hits the players' wallets, how easily bonuses are played out, how registration is completed, and how substantial winnings are withdrawn. License and Reliability Betcity is a legal Russian betting company. In 2009, it was one of the first to receive a license from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation No. L027-00108-61/00395481. In 2017, it began cooperation with the Unified Gambling Regulator (ERA), which replaced the SRO, membership in which was an unconditional requirement for all legal betting companies in the Russian Federation. The bookmaker conducts transparent activities, making all payments through TSUPIS (NCO "Mobile Card"), and has no open legal proceedings. As for the reputational history, compared to the legal part, not everything is so clear-cut. Betcity positions itself as an honest service provider, but like any other betting company, she has her own skeletons in the closet. Alas, upon closer inspection, there were more than one would like. After digging through forums and reviewing bookmaker ratings, we found that on average, users rate Betcity at 3.2-4.0 stars out of 5. It's not exactly a "wow," but it's far from a failure. Reviews are subjective, but many dissatisfied users express their arguments in surprisingly similar tones, mainly complaining about three key reasons: 1. Account restrictions (reducing the maximum bet amount) for professional bettors who beat the bookmaker's line, i.e., consistently come out ahead. Such players have not only their limits restricted but also their withdrawals, allowing transactions only via bank cards. 2. Misunderstandings with customer support consultants. 3. Delays in cashing out winnings. It's worth noting that each of these issues, to some extent, affects all major bookmakers. Offering a wide line and deep coverage, they cannot physically calculate odds for all outcomes to balance the money and profit regardless of the event's result. That's why skillful speculators, especially those involved in value betting and arbitrage, regularly face account restrictions and blocks. Low-margin bookmakers will gladly accept them, but there's another "problem" here — dead live betting, extremely narrow coverage, and a terribly neglected loyalty program (they won't even give you sign-up bonuses). We are by no means trying to justify the shortcomings of the Betcity bookmaker, but this is an important remark. rk. After all, the brand is indeed significant by Russian standards, fundamental, with hundreds of thousands of registered players. And the larger the client base, the more professionals are found, and the more negative reviews appear, as absolutely all top bookmakers "cut" profitable bettors.

Official Website

The official website www.betcity.ru looks fine. In terms of design, that's about all the impression it leaves, as it resembles the USSR national hockey team's gear from 1980: angular, somewhat old-fashioned, but reliable and time-tested. On the other hand, its simplicity has its advantages. Nothing unnecessary, everything is in its place, like on a chessboard. It's easy to find the "Login" and "Register" buttons, navigate to the desired section, place a bet on a match from the line, and follow the game live.

The portal is available in Russian and English. It supports advanced interface settings, allowing you to change the display of categories in the sidebar on the main page, the color scheme, and the time zone. Odds can be converted from the usual decimal to fractional English or American with a -/+ sign.

Otherwise, the official Betcity bookmaker website is simply familiar, and that's a good thing:

● On the left panel, sports types, popular leagues, and tournaments are displayed. The line is divided into pre-match and live, there is a quick search, and a favorites tab. You can sort the event output by the start time of matches that will take place in the next hour, 2-4-6-12 hours, day, 2 or 3 days. Matches with broadcasts, special bets, and outrights (long-term bets) are shown separately;

● On the right, we see the Basket — this is an electronic coupon where all the outcomes selected by the user are added, allowing for single, express, or system bets (depending on the number of results and the bettor's personal preference). Below the ticket, there is a technical support window and an advertising banner;

● At the top are links to the main sections of the resource, statistics, results, mobile applications, and the loyalty program.

Overall, we liked the official Betcity website, except for the plain design. It is simple, without frills, but functional. Navigation is intuitively understandable, so even a newcomer won't get lost, no matter how hard they try.

Betcity App and Mobile Version

The mobile site of Betcity is located at the domain m.betcity.ru. It automatically adapts to the screen resolution of a portable device, whether it's a smartphone or a tablet. It offers the same set of features as the desktop version.

The official application of the Betcity bookmaker, designed with maximum user convenience in mind, is available for download directly from the company's website. A link for free download can be found in the top menu of the interface or in the "Information" section. The downloadable client is compatible with devices based on iOS and Android. roid and boasts rich functionality.

The authors equipped the Betcity app with an extended set of tools for placing interactive bets, including the ability to watch live video broadcasts of sports events, access to 24/7 customer support, and customization of personal sections such as "Favorites" and "Popular". Additionally, the program helps keep up with the latest match results, provides access to comprehensive analysis of championship statistics and completed competitions.

The Betcity mobile app was warmly received in the gaming community. On the App Store online platform, it has gathered 18.4 thousand ratings with an overall score of 4.5 out of 5.

Account Registration and Verification

To start playing on the Betcity platform, making deposits, activating bonuses, and cashing out winnings, you need to register and verify your account. This is done in the standard way by opening the corresponding section and performing a series of simple actions:

1. 1. Enter your phone number and email.
   2. Specify your date of birth.
   3. Create a memorable password.
   4. Enter a promo code (if available).
   5. Confirm your age and consent to the processing of personal data.

After completing the procedure, entry into the system is possible.

d into the system will be performed automatically, authorization keys will not need to be entered. The next logical step is identification.

Identity confirmation is offered in the following ways:

● Remote authentication — send the requested documents in your personal account by going to the "Account History" section and opening the "Details" item. According to the regulations, verification approval takes no longer than 24 hours;

● Physical verification — possible at any Betcity land-based betting point, requiring an identity document and the account number in the bookmaker, which is assigned during online registration;

● Through the "Gosuslugi" portal. By choosing this option, the player will be redirected to the Unified TSUPIS website 1cupis.ru for registration and authorization. This method imposes certain limits when betting. In particular, the maximum amount of a single transaction (deposit/withdrawal) does not exceed 60,000 rubles. The total turnover on the account for a calendar month is limited to a ceiling of 200,000 rubles.

Bettors who have an authorized user profile in the Unified TSUPIS do not need to undergo verification.

Selection of Bets and Odds of the Bookmaker

The official website of the bookmaker Betcity states that online bets are accepted for 65 sports. The number is impressive, no doubt, but an attentive fan can easily count only 34. Perhaps, during the season, they additionally open prediction lines for Quidditch, motorball, or unicorn croquet, which explains where the other 31 disciplines outside the magical world disappear. However, 34 is also an excellent indicator.

Speaking seriously, Betcity is one of the best bookmakers in Russia in terms of the diversity of its line and the depth of its coverage. The choice of bets is equally vast for upcoming matches, current games, and long-term tournament outcomes. In pre-match, the number of quotes for a single event can exceed 1500 markets, and in real-time mode, it reaches up to 500 options.

In addition to big markets, the bookmaker is distinguished by its quality coverage of the statistics market, offering bets on:

● In football — shots on goal (on target, off target), goals, assists, fouls, offsides, cards, minutes on the field, saves (for goalkeepers), corners, comparison of results by halves, intervals, exact score, etc.;

● In hockey — shots on goal, penalty time, +/−, face-offs, saves;

● In tennis — aces, double faults, first serve percentage, break points, games won/lost, sets, etc.;

● In basketball — total points by quarters and overall, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers

and 3-pointers;

● In esports — kills, deaths, assists, destroyed towers, dragons, barons, individual player stats, etc.

The bookmaker also has a decent, though not the best, live section. The company's analytical department promptly responds to any important events and skillfully adjusts the movement of odds. At the same time, the bookmaker lags behind competitors in the variety of prime-time lines, usually offering only TOP championships and significant leagues. Lower and youth divisions, secondary, exotic, and unpopular championships are mostly ignored.

Considering Betcity's odds, we wouldn't say they are the best, but they are quite respectable. The odds are above average, with a particularly favorable situation in football, where in matches of the Champions League or RPL level, the margin is no more than 3.5%.

Payment Methods

Instant deposits and withdrawals through convenient methods are a hallmark of successful bookmakers. Let's check if Betcity possesses this trait.

Account Replenishment

Betcity offers the following financial instruments to deposit funds into the gaming balance:

1. 1. Bank cards — VISA, MASTERCARD, MIR.
   2. Services SBERPAY and SBP.
   3. Electronic wallets YOOMONEY, TSUPIS.
   4. From mobile accounts MTS, MEGAFON, BEELINE, TELE2.
   5. ELEKSNET terminals — for cash payments.

For all directions except Tele2, payments are made without commission. Funds are credited instantly, delays are practically excluded.

The minimum top-up amount is 100 rubles, and the maximum is 595,000 rubles.

Withdrawals

Winnings are paid to cards, e-wallets, and also by bank transfer according to details. Depending on the chosen payment method, the minimum withdrawal amount from the Betcity account varies. For cards, it is 1,000 rubles, for wallets 100 rubles, and for bank transactions 500 rubles. The time for funds to be received ranges from instantly to 5 business days. No commission is charged.

Taxation of Winnings

The betting company Betcity does not relieve clients from paying income tax. Each user, when requesting a withdrawal of more than 15,000 rubles, is informed that 13% personal income tax will be deducted. If the amount is less than the specified amount, the responsibility for calculating and paying the fee lies with the client.

Betcity Promotions and Bonuses

">Among the constant bonuses available at Betcity are cash rewards on the first deposit, a welcome free bet, and a loyalty program with increasing cashback. The total amount of all rewards reaches 300,000 rubles. This is, of course, cool, but judging by the reviews of players, redeeming them can be more troublesome than the Russian national team's Olympic bid. Sometimes verification drags on, sometimes the odds aren't right, or the bookmaker decides you're arbitraging, even though you're just rooting for both teams.

In general, bonuses at Betcity are like a medal: on one side it shines and warms the soul, but on the other, it can chafe if you don't know how to handle it.

Bookmaker's Support Contacts

To resolve conflicts and receive consultations, Betcity's website has organized a 24/7 support service. A live chat is available on the official website and in the bookmaker's app. Other communication channels: call center — 88001007475, email — [email protected], Telegram — @betcityru_support_bot.

In reviews, the bookmaker's support was rated as not always adequate, but recently the opinion about it has improved. This is a good sign.

FAQ

● How to download Betcity for free on your phone?

○ To install the bookmaker's app, go to its official website from your mobile device. On the main page at the top, there are links to download programs for Android and iOS. Note, for Android, you may need to allow the installation of apps from unknown sources.

settings of the smartphone's security.

● Does Betcity offer free bets for registration?

○ No, but a free bet can be obtained for other actions, such as account replenishment, activity on the brand's social networks, participation in promotions.

● Is it possible to access the old version of the bookmaker's website?

○ Not in 2024. The old version of the Betcity site was replaced with a new one back in 2016, so the option to revert to the previous design and interface is no longer available.

TEXT UNIQUENESS CHECK: 100%

Ratings

1. Reliability — 4.1.
2. Bonuses and promotions — 4.
3. Payment convenience — 4.6.
4. Live line — 4.
5. Prematch line — 4.5.
6. Support service — 3.9.
7. Odds — 4.5.

Pros	Cons
Operates in accordance with Russian Federation legislation.	There is a risk of limit restrictions for winning players.
Bets on 30+ sports types.	Customer support is lacking.
1000+ events daily.	Tax on winnings.
In-depth coverage of popular matches.
Low margin on top events.
Generous welcome bonus.
Free bets, cashbacks, bet insurance.
VIP rate is offered.
There are stationary PPS.