WhichBookmakerHead to head · Ireland · verified August 2026
bet365 vs Betfair Exchange
A close call — 0.2 points apart. Which one wins depends on what you bet.
Pillar scores
Side by side
| Criterion | bet365 | Betfair Exchange |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 9.0 | 8.8 |
| Typical margin | Around 4–5% on major football match odds — competitive but not the sharpest | No margin — a 2–5% commission on net winnings replaces the bookmaker edge |
| Licences | UKGC (UK), iGaming Ontario (CA), MGA (Malta), multiple national licences | UKGC (UK), Irish licence, multiple European licences |
| Min. deposit | £5 / €10 equivalent | £5 |
| Sports | 30+ sports, with exceptional depth on football, tennis and horse racing | 30+ sports; liquidity concentrated in football, horse racing and tennis |
| Features | Live streaming, Cash Out, Bet Builder, Edit Bet, Early payout | Peer-to-peer exchange, Lay betting, Cash Out, API, Commission tiers |
| Founded | 2000 | 2000 |
| Best for | In-play betting, Market depth, Live streaming | Best prices, Lay betting, No restrictions |
What the price difference actually costs
bet365 builds about 4.5% into its prices; Betfair Exchange about 3.5%. That gap of 1.0 percentage points is not an abstraction — it is money that leaves your account on every settled bet, win or lose.
Indicative cost of the gap
Stake €5,000 across a season and the difference between them is roughly €50 — in Betfair Exchange's favour.
A simplified illustration on total turnover, not a prediction. It ignores which bets you win, because the margin is charged either way — that is precisely the point.
A welcome offer is paid once. This gap is paid every time you bet, which is why we weight price at 30% of the score and most comparison sites do not weight it at all.
Our verdict
Choose bet365 if you want in-play betting · market depth · live streaming. It comes out ahead on trust, markets, platform, payouts in our scoring, and its licensing position in Ireland is UKGC (UK).
Choose Betfair Exchange if you want best prices · lay betting · no restrictions. It comes out ahead on odds in our scoring, and its licensing position in Ireland is UKGC (UK).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, bet365 or Betfair Exchange?
It is close: bet365 scores 9.0/10 and Betfair Exchange scores 8.8/10 in our methodology. bet365 is strongest for in-play betting, while Betfair Exchange leads for best prices.
Is bet365 safe and licensed?
bet365 holds these licences: UKGC (UK), iGaming Ontario (CA), MGA (Malta), multiple national licences. Our trust score for it is 9.5/10 — the full review explains the reasoning.
Is Betfair Exchange safe and licensed?
Betfair Exchange holds these licences: UKGC (UK), Irish licence, multiple European licences. Our trust score for it is 9.2/10 — the full review explains the reasoning.