Ladbrokes is one of the oldest betting sites in the world but they now offer a whole lot more than standard sports betting.
As well as their online casino, live casino, poker, bingo and lotteries, Ladbrokes also have a top class betting exchange. A betting exchange is similar to a normal bookie but gives you a lot more options and often gives you higher odds too.
What is an Exchange?
The most famous and arguably first betting exchange is Betfair but times have moved on and you now have lots of choices in terms of rival exchanges. A betting exchange is essentially peer to peer betting, meaning you are actually betting against other punters, rather than a bookie.
The exchange, in this case Ladbrokes, simply acts as a third party, holding the funds on both sides of the wager. They take a small commission on winning bets but because they have very low overheads and no real risk, the odds are often much higher than provided by “normal” betting sites.
Whilst a bookie has to have a substantial team of staff and allow a decent profit margin to cover potential losses, an exchange works on high volume with no risk. As such, even after you pay their commission (which, as said, is only on winning bets) you will often come out better off.
On top of that, a betting exchange gives you great flexibility. As well as backing a selection you can lay it, in other words acting as the bookmaker and accepting other people’s bets on it. On top of that, trading, hedging, taking profits and cashing out are available and all of them are quick, easy and totally flexible.
Is the Ladbrokes Exchange Any Good?
Ladbrokes essentially took over the Betdaq exchange when they bought the company back in 2013. There have been various buyouts since then and corporate changes but Ladbrokes have improved what was already by far the second biggest – and probably second best – exchange out there.
Ladbrokes brought their betting experience and extra finances to the project and the exchange has got a lot better over the past five years or so. Liquidity (enough people wanting to both back and lay markets) is the biggest issue an exchange faces and Ladbrokes have improved that a lot.
That means it is easier to get the bets you want at prices you like. The exchange functionality is good and largely similar to Betfair’s. For the average punter there are more than enough markets and sports covered and there is no doubt this is a decent option to have up your sleeve.
Betting exchanges tend to be used by people who are price-sensitive – in other words looking for the best odds. If that’s you, it makes sense not to just rely on Betfair but to have all exchanges at your disposal. Ladbrokes is an excellent additional string to your betting bow and does sometimes have bigger odds than Betfair so give them a try.
Can I get a Bonus at the Ladbrokes Exchange?
At the time of writing there isn’t a welcome offer at the exchange but that may well change. That means the best bet is to simply join Ladbrokes via their sports betting site. This gives you a bet £5, get £20 free bet and is a really nice way to hopefully build your balance before checking out the Ladbrokes exchange.
The terms and conditions of the offer are detailed in the article linked to above. Essentially though it’s 18+, new customers only and subject to minimum odds, with the £20 of free bets being time-limited and stake not returned.
Get the full details in our post about the freebie or head to Ladbrokes now and claim your free bet!
Sister company Coral also offer a great free bet when you join and you can check out the details in our Coral free bet feature.