Coral is one of the most established betting sites in the UK, with a long history dating back to 1926.
And with such a renowned legacy in the industry, you may be considering giving this traditional bookmaker a try.
In this review, we will help you decide whether or not Coral is right for you by showing you our personal experience with the platform.
We’ll highlight the biggest pros and cons, unique features and user-friendliness, so you can make an informed decision as to whether this old-school bookie is fit for your goals.
Throughout this Coral review, we will evaluate the platform’s primary features using a qualitative, points-based scale. These points will be converted into star ratings.
For more information on how we test view here.
Overall Rating – 4 stars
Overall, we give Coral a rating of 4 stars, based on an overall score of 75 and an average of 83%.
Coral is a very solid and reliable UK betting platform. The Coral app provides a safe and secure environment for sports betting. It offers strong pre-match betting and great customer service.
The app covers major sports adequately but has fewer niche league options than some competitors. Expanding into more niche sports markets could attract additional customers.
Improving their website’s usability through a more seamless user interface and extra features would also upgrade the user experience for the current customer base.
However, given its strengths in key areas like security, betting markets, and customer support, these minor shortcomings barely lessen the overall quality.
We would gladly recommend Coral to any UK bettor seeking a reputable, high-performing platform that excels at the fundamentals.
Its trustworthiness, intuitive interface, competitive odds, and stellar service cement its status as an industry frontrunner.
Here’s a breakdown of how Coral performed:
Category | Points | Star Rating |
|---|---|---|
Safety | 10 | 5 stars |
Mobile betting app | 8 | 4 stars |
Website | 7 | 3.5 stars |
Deposits & withdrawals | 8 | 4 stars |
Markets | 8 | 4 stars |
Pre-match betting | 10 | 5 stars |
In-play betting | 8 | 4 stars |
Welcome incentive | 8 | 4 stars |
Customer service | 8 | 4 stars |
Here’s a rundown of the overall pros and cons of Coral:
Pros
Renowned and reputable, established in 1926
Licensed with stringent security measures
Comprehensive pre-match betting and excellent customer service
User-friendly interface
Diverse payment options with low fees
Adequate coverage of major sports
Cons
Limited selection in niche sports
Basic website design
No cryptocurrency transactions
Some withdrawal methods are slow
Safety – 5 stars
When it comes to betting online, Coral offers UK bettors a trustworthy and secure platform. You can feel confident knowing that your information and transactions are safe and protected.
Licences
Coral holds licences with the UK Gambling Commission and the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.
These strict regulatory bodies ensure that Coral complies with all regulations related to safety, security, and responsible gambling.
As a licensed operator, Coral undergoes regular audits to guarantee the integrity of its operations.
Security
When it comes to security, Coral utilises cutting-edge encryption technology and firewalls to protect user data and financial information.
User passwords are hashed and sensitive data is transmitted through secure channels using SSL technology.
Coral also provides safe payment methods and implements KYC checks to prevent fraud and verify user identities.
Track Record
With close to a century of experience as a major UK betting operator, Coral has proven its reliability over time.
Its long-standing presence on UK high streets and more recently as a popular online UK betting site demonstrate Coral’s trustworthiness.
Pros
Long-established UK betting operator since 1926
Strict licensing from UKGC and Gibraltar
Robust data protection and encryption
Cons
None
Mobile Betting App – 4 stars
As one of the most recognisable names in UK betting, we were eager to try out Coral’s mobile sports betting app.
With its long history and huge high-street presence, we expected a polished user experience, and the app largely delivers.
Look and Feel
The Coral mobile app instantly evokes the brand’s signature blue colour scheme. The layout is clean and minimalist, with the main sports and promotions easy to access.
There’s no clutter. The app is fast and smooth even when live betting. Easy account management and deposit/withdrawal links are conveniently located.
While the design lacks some visual flair compared to flashier competitors, the no-fuss approach makes finding events and odds simple.
It won’t win awards for aesthetics but puts function over form.
Making a Bet
Placing wagers is straightforward. The odds are displayed for each event, and the bet slip sidebar lets you easily tweak your bet type and amount.
You can build multiples and cash out early too.
User Experience
In terms of features and usability, the Coral app ticks all the boxes.
In addition to an extensive selection of sports and betting markets, the app includes live streaming, cash-out options, promotions, easy account management, and more.
We also appreciate small quality-of-life touches like fast bet placement and touch ID login that enhance the overall user experience.
Check out our roundup of the best betting apps in the UK to see how Coral compares.
Pros
Intuitive, rapid navigation
Prominent odds and markets
Slick bet placement
Solid in-play performance
Cons
Basic aesthetics
Website – 3.5 stars
Coral’s website offers a smooth user experience for sports bettors.
The interface strikes a balance between the depth of markets and ease of navigation.
While lacking some features of rivals, Coral still provides a solid platform.
Look and Feel
The Coral site uses a modern, minimalist design in blue and white shades. Menus and links are clearly labelled, so navigating between different sports and markets is seamless.
Live betting opportunities are prominently featured. The layout is responsive, adapting well across desktop and mobile.
Occasional promotional banners add visual interest without being too intrusive.
While functional, the site lacks some personality compared to flashier competitors. The colour scheme and fonts are fairly generic.
More graphics highlighting current promotions could make the site more engaging.
User Experience
Placing pre-match and live wagers is smooth and snag-free at Coral. Markets load rapidly without lag or glitches.
The bet slip interface is intuitive, allowing punters to easily enter stakes and combine selections. Registration only takes a few minutes.
However, the lack of a search function is an inconvenience. With so many markets across different sports, manually locating more obscure leagues or exotic prop bets can be tedious.
The site also lacks some customisation options offered by other bookies.
Pros
Fast loading times
Easy-to-navigate interface
Prominent live betting section
Mobile-friendly responsive design
Cons
Generic look and feel
No search bar functionality
Lack of personalisation options
Deposits and Withdrawals – 4 stars
Coral Sports Betting provides a secure and efficient system for managing funds, ensuring that UK users can deposit and withdraw with ease and confidence.
Deposits
Coral facilitates a range of deposit options:
Debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro)
E-wallets (PayPal, NETELLER)
Paysafecard
Bank Transfer (withdrawals only)
Coral Connect
For debit cards, the minimum deposit is £5, and the maximum is £20,000. E-wallet users must deposit at least £10, with NETELLER imposing a 2.5% fee.
Paysafecard has a minimum deposit of £5 and a maximum of £770, but it cannot be used for withdrawals.
Coral Connect offers instant fund access with a minimum deposit of £5.
Unfortunately, Coral does not accept cryptocurrency transactions.
Making a Deposit
Select the ‘Deposit’ icon on the homepage
Choose your preferred deposit method
Enter the amount and confirm the transaction
Funds are credited instantly to your Coral account
Withdrawals
Withdrawals to debit cards take three to five banking days, but Visa Fast Funds can expedite this to within four hours.
The minimum withdrawal is £5.
E-wallet withdrawals are processed within eight hours for PayPal and two to six hours for NETELLER.
The minimum withdrawals are £5 for PayPal and £10 for NETELLER, with a maximum limit of £50,000.
Bank transfers take two to four days to process, with a £5 minimum withdrawal. Coral Connect users enjoy instant withdrawals.
Making a Withdrawal
Navigate to the ‘Withdraw’ section in your account
Select the withdrawal method and amount
Confirm the transaction
Funds will enter the pending stage before being processed
Pros
A wide array of deposit and withdrawal methods
Competitive minimum deposit and withdrawal amounts
Quick processing times for e-wallets
No fees for most transactions
Cons
No cryptocurrency options
Some withdrawal methods have longer processing times
Markets – 4 stars
Coral offers betting on a wide variety of major and minor sports.
However, they lack some of the more niche sports and obscure leagues that other UK bookmakers offer.
So while breadth is good, depth in less mainstream sports could be improved.
Sports
Football leads the way in terms of volume of markets, as is the case with most bookmakers.
All major European leagues are covered extensively, with a massive range of game, player, and novelty prop bets on offer.
Tennis, horse racing, golf, cricket and rugby also see plenty of markets.
While the major sports are more than adequately catered for, some improvements could still be made to cover more niche competitions.
The smaller football leagues, lower division basketball and baseball, for example, don’t get as much attention.
Odds
In general Coral’s odds are very competitive, particularly for UK and Irish sports like football, horse racing, and rugby.
Odds will regularly be among the best prices you can find. International sports like US leagues can be slightly weaker comparatively but are still solid.
One area where the odds are noticeably poorer is on the outright tournament and competition winners before the event starts.
The margins seem higher on these types of longer-term bets.
Pros
Huge range of markets for major sports
Great odds
Innovative bet types and bundles
Cons
Less extensive coverage of niche sports
Pre-event outright odds could be better
Pre-Match Betting – 5 stars
Coral offers an exceptionally strong pre-match betting experience for UK punters.
With a vast array of markets across dozens of sports and an easy-to-use interface, they have cemented themselves as a top choice for pre-game wagers.
Coverage
When it comes to the number of markets available, Coral competes favourably with any UK bookmaker.
They offer pre-match odds on all major sports like football, horse racing, tennis and cricket as well as more niche competitions.
Within each sport, the granularity is immense – wagers can be placed on outcomes, totals, spreads, props and more with ample liquidity.
The depth of football betting deserves particular praise. Leagues across the UK, Europe and beyond are covered extensively.
Coral also facilitates betting on political events, novelty wagers and entertainment awards when applicable.
Bet Builder
An excellent feature offered by Coral is their bet builder, which lets you combine selections from a single event into one custom wager.
If you have multiple outcomes in mind for a football match or horse race, this allows you to bundle them together at an automatically calculated price.
It’s a quick and intuitive way to create the exact bet you want.
Pros
An astounding range of pre-match betting markets and sports covered
Great features like bet builder to customise wagers
Cons
None
In-Play Betting – 4 stars
As an avid sports fan, having the ability to place bets while a game is in action adds an extra layer of excitement.
Coral offers a robust in-play betting platform that provides plenty of markets to keep enthusiasts engaged.
Markets
Coral has in-play markets available across dozens of sports.
Popular options like football, tennis, cricket, and horse racing see a plethora of betting opportunities once the action is underway.
For football matches, you’ll find updated odds on outcomes like match results, next goalscorer, corners, cards, and more.
The availability of cash-out options on certain markets also allows you to lock in profits or minimise losses before the final whistle.
While mainstream sports make up the bulk of Coral’s in-play offerings, they also cater to fans of more niche competitions.
From table tennis to MMA and esports, you’ll discover ample markets with fluctuating odds that reflect real-time events.
Live streaming complements the in-play experience nicely for several sports too.
Bet & Watch
Coral provides live streams for thousands of in-play events every week.
While most streaming tends to focus on tennis, football, basketball, and other staples, you can also watch sports like cricket, snooker, and darts in action alongside your bets.
Picture quality ranges from HD to more grainy feeds depending on the sport and league.
The streams embed directly into the in-play interface, allowing you to watch events, analyse updated stats, and place wagers seamlessly without having to toggle between screens.
This creates a smooth user experience. Live Scores and Match Stats in-play betting relies heavily on reacting to what’s transpiring in real-time during a live event.
Coral supplies the tools needed to make informed betting decisions mid-match.
Beyond monitoring live streams, you can track detailed stats and scores directly next to available markets.
These include summaries of possession, shots on goal, corners, cards issued, service percentages for tennis, and much more.
Having key numbers and metrics refresh in real time allows you to spot trends and capitalise on live betting opportunities as the action unfolds.
Pros
Huge variety of in-play markets across dozens of sports
Live streaming available for popular events
Cash-out option on certain markets
Real-time match stats and scoring
Cons
Less time for pre-match research and analysis
Welcome Incentive – 4 stars
Coral offers an effective welcome bonus for new UK customers in the form of a £20 free bet credited as 4x £5 free bets.
This incentive helps ease players into Coral’s platform.
2024 Bonus
The welcome bonus allows new UK customers to claim a £20 free bet when they place their first £5 bet.
To qualify, the first bet must be placed at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.50) within 14 days of opening the account.
The £20 free bet will then be credited to the player’s account as four £5 free bets valid for 7 days.
How to Redeem
To redeem the welcome bonus, new customers simply need to:
Join Coral and opt-in to the bonus
Place a £5 bet at minimum 1/2 odds within 14 days
Receive 4x £5 free bets in account
Comparative Offers
Compared to other UK bookmakers, Coral’s welcome bonus stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness.
While some operators offer higher headline bonus amounts, Coral’s offer is clear, achievable, and provides a 400% boost on a new customer’s first real-money bet.
Pros
Generous 400% bonus on first bet
Credited as 4x £5 free bets
Easy-to-understand terms
Cons
Short 7-day expiry on free bets
Customer Service – 4 stars
Coral offers users several convenient ways to get assistance with any issues that may arise.
Their customer support channels allow quick access to helpful agents.
Live Chat and Facebook
The live chat feature on Coral’s website connects users directly to support staff for real-time assistance.
Queries are typically addressed within seconds. Although, live chat isn’t available 24/7.
Their Facebook team also responds to messages promptly.
Coral’s Twitter support regularly interacts with users. They provide swift responses and helpful information via tweets and direct messages.
For less urgent inquiries, Coral’s email support team replies within 24 hours in most cases. Their responses are personalised and detailed.
Phone Support
Agents are available over the phone. They are friendly and able to resolve most problems right away. Minimal wait times make this channel efficient.
Pros
Quick response times across all channels
Knowledgeable and polite agents
Cons
Occasional busy signals when phoning
Email replies can sometimes take over 24 hours
Final Thoughts
Coral stands out as a premier choice for UK bettors, blending a rich history with modern betting features.
Its strengths in security, market variety, user interface, and customer service make it a solid and reliable platform for both new and experienced bettors.
While there’s room for improvement in niche sports coverage and website aesthetics, these are minor compared to the overall betting experience Coral offers.
We recommend Coral to anyone in the UK looking for a trustworthy and high-performing betting site that excels in the fundamentals.
Its legacy, competitive odds, and user-friendly platforms solidify its position as an industry leader.
