Betcity Bookmaker Review: Service Check and Trust Rating

Betcity — a bookmaker that was at the forefront of the creation of the domestic sports betting industry. The company has been in the market since 2003, which means it has survived not one crisis, changes in trends, and even a couple of football eras. It was founded by successful entrepreneur and millionaire Sergey Samsonenko in Rostov-on-Don strictly as a regional retail operation. However, by now, the organization has grown to the level of industry leaders in sports betting, achieving federal significance.

The company is in the TOP 5 most profitable bookmakers in Russia and is arguably the only one among them that occupies a position in the "Fortune Global 500" ranking by revenue. Among its strategic partners and brand ambassadors are major media personalities such as:

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

● Russian Football Cup;

● All-Russian Volleyball Federation;

● And famous hockey and football commentator Alexander Netsenko.

It is not surprising 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 "Best Odds" and "Best Welcome Bonus" categories. There were also titles from the BR Awards in the "Best Customer Service" and "Best Line" nominations.

Today, the Betcity bookmaker accepts bets in land-based gaming clubs across the country, servicing 84 betting shops in 38 cities of Russia. The official website betcity.ru operates on the Internet. There are applications for mobile devices on iOS and Android operating systems. Clients are promised a wide selection of online bets on various sporting events, high odds, convenient methods for depositing and withdrawing funds, 24/7 support service, and fair payouts.

Let's check if Betcity is as good as its marketers describe. We'll visit the website, explore the line, estimate the odds, and look at reviews from real clients. We'll study whether the margin hits players' pockets, how easy it is to roll over bonuses, how registration goes, and whether substantial winnings can be withdrawn.

License and Reliability

Betcity is a legal Russian bookmaker. In 2009, it was one of the first to receive the license from the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation No. L027-00108-61/00395481. In 2017, it began cooperation with the Unified Regulator of Gambling (ERAI), which replaced the self-regulatory organizations, membership in which was an unconditional requirement for all legal bookmakers on the territory of the Russian Federation. The bookmaker conducts transparent activities, making all payments through the TSUPIS (Non-profit organization "Mobile Card"), and has no open court proceedings.

As for its reputation, compared to the legal aspect, things are not so straightforward. Betcity positions itself as an honest service provider, but like any other bookmaker, it has its skeletons in the closet. Unfortunately, upon closer inspection, there turned out to be 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. This is not exactly "wow," but it is far from a failure. Reviews are subjective, but many dissatisfied customers express their arguments in surprisingly similar tones, mainly citing three main reasons:

1. 1. Account cuts (reduction of the maximum bet amount) concerning professional bettors who beat the bookmaker's line, i.e., consistently come out ahead. Such players are restricted not only in limits but also in withdrawals, being allowed to make withdrawals exclusively via bank cards.
   2. Misunderstandings with support consultants.
   3. Delays in cashing out winnings.

It is worth noting that each of the mentioned problems affects all fundamental bookmakers to some extent. By offering an extensive line and deep coverage, they cannot afford to physically calculate odds for all outcomes in a way that balances the money on them and earns regardless of the event's result. This is why virtuoso speculators, especially those engaged in value betting and arbitrage, regularly face account cuts and blocks. They are gladly accepted by low-margin bookmakers, but here lies another "trouble" — dead live betting, extremely narrow coverage, and a terribly neglected loyalty program (they won't even give you signup bonuses).

We are by no means trying to justify the shortcomings of the Betcity bookmaker, but this is an important remark. After all, the brand is indeed significant by Russian standards, fundamental, and has hundreds of thousands of registered players. And the more extensive 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 normal. Perhaps, in terms of design, this is all the impressions, as it resembles the equipment of the USSR hockey team from 1980: angular, a bit old-fashioned, but reliable and time-tested. On the other hand, simplicity has its advantages. Nothing superfluous, everything in its place, like on a chessboard. It is easy to find the "Login" and "Registration" 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 users 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 familiar decimal to fractional English or American with a +/- sign.

In other respects, the official website of the Betcity bookmaker is simply familiar, and that is good:

● 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 events by the time the matches will start in the next hour, 2-4-6-12 hours, a day, 2 or 3 days. Matches with broadcasts, special bets, and outrights (long-term bets) are shown separately;

● On the right, we see the Cart — this is an electronic coupon where all selected outcomes that the user can bet on, such as single, express, or system bets (depending on the number of results and personal desire of the bettor), are entered. Below the ticket is a technical support window and an advertising banner;

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

Overall, we liked the official Betcity website, except for its unremarkable design. It is simple, without frills, but functional. The navigation is intuitive, so even a beginner won't get lost, no matter how hard they try.

Betcity Mobile App and Version

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

The official application of the Betcity bookmaker, developed with maximum user convenience in mind, is available for download directly from the company's website. The 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 and has a rich functionality.

The authors equipped the Betcity app with an extended set of tools for placing interactive bets, including the ability to watch live broadcasts of sporting events, access to 24/7 support service, and settings for personal sections such as "Favorites" and "Popular." Additionally, the program helps users stay updated on the latest match results and provides access to comprehensive analysis of statistics from championships and completed competitions.

The Betcity mobile app has been warmly received in the gaming community. On the App Store online store 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 a standard way by first 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. Come up with a memorable password.
   4. Enter a promo code (if any).
   5. Confirm your age and consent to the processing of personal data.

After completing the procedure, logging into the system will be done automatically, and you won't have to enter authorization keys. The next logical step is identification.

You can confirm your identity 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 land-based Betcity betting point, requiring an identity document and the account number assigned during online registration;

● Through the "Gosuslugi" portal. Choosing this option will redirect the player to the website of the Unified TSUPIS 1cupis.ru for registration and authorization. This method imposes certain limits when playing on bets. In particular, the maximum amount for a single transaction (deposit/withdrawal) does not exceed 60,000 rubles. The total monetary turnover on the account for the 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.

Betting Options and Odds of the Bookmaker

The official Betcity website states that online bets are accepted on 65 sports. The number is nice, no doubt, but a careful fan can easily count only 34. Perhaps during the season, they additionally open lines for predictions on quidditch, motorball, or croquet on unicorns, which explains where the other 31 disciplines disappear outside the magical world. However, 34 is still an excellent indicator.

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 selection of bets is equally vast for upcoming matches, current games, and long-term outcomes in tournaments. In pre-match betting, the number of odds for a single event can exceed 1500 markets, while in real-time it reaches up to 500 options.

In addition to big markets, the bookmaker stands out for its quality coverage of statistical markets, allowing for 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, +/- ratings, face-offs, saves;

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

● In basketball — total points by quarters and overall, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, 3-pointers;

● In esports — kills, deaths, assists, destroyed towers, dragons, barons, ratios of individual players, etc.

The bookmaker also has a decent, but still not the best live betting. The company's analytical department quickly reacts to any significant events and correctly adjusts the movement of odds. At the same time, the bookmaker lags behind competitors in the variability of the prime-time line, 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 decent. The odds are above average, especially in football, where in matches of the Champions League or RPL, the margin is no more than 3.5%.

Payment Methods

Instant deposits and withdrawals using convenient methods are a hallmark of successful bookmakers. Let's check if Betcity has this feature.

Account Funding

To fund your gaming balance at Betcity, you can use the following financial instruments:

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

For all methods except Tele2, payments are made without commission. Funds are credited instantly, and delays are virtually excluded.

The minimum deposit amount is 100 rubles, and the maximum is 595,000 rubles.

Withdrawal of Funds

Winnings are paid out to cards, e-wallets, and also via bank transfer according to the 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 arrive ranges from instantly to 5 working days. No commission is charged.

Taxation of Winnings

The betting company Betcity does not exempt clients from paying income tax. Every user who requests a withdrawal of funds over 15,000 rubles is informed that 13% of personal income tax will be withheld from it. If the withdrawal amount is less than the specified sum, the obligation to calculate and pay the duty falls on the client.

Promotions and Bonuses at Betcity

Among the permanent bonuses available at Betcity are cash credits 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 certainly cool, but judging by player reviews, the rollover can be more troublesome than the Olympic application of the Russian team. Sometimes verification takes too long, sometimes the odds are not right, or the bookmaker decides that you are betting with arbitrage, even though you are 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 rub you the wrong way if you don't know how to handle it.

Bookmaker Support Contacts

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

In reviews, the bookmaker's support has been rated as not always adequate, but recently opinions about it have 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 that for Android, you may need to allow installation of apps from unknown sources in your smartphone's security settings.

● Does Betcity offer free bets for registration?

○ No, but a free bet can be obtained for other actions, such as depositing funds, being active on the brand's social media, or participating in promotions.

● Can you access the old version of the bookmaker's website?

○ In 2024, no. The old version of the Betcity website was replaced with a new one back in 2016, so the option to return to the previous design and interface is no longer provided.

TEXT CHECK FOR UNIQUENESS: 100%

Ratings

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