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Parimatch – Overview & Rating
Parimatch operates in 2 languages: English and Russian.
Parimatch is a relative newcomer on the British betting scene, but it has a long history in Ukraine, Russia and the former Soviet Union. Founded in Kyiv in 1994 as a chain of betting shops, Parimatch soon crossed the border into Russia. In 2000 Parimatch went online, becoming one of the first in the region to do so. However, it was following the appointment of British-trained CEO Sergey Portnov that the company really started to make its mark. Expansions into new markets as diverse as Tanzania, Cyprus, India and Kazakhstan soon followed and Portnov was named ‘Leader of the Year’ in the 2018 Sports Betting Industry awards. So Parimatch is going places fast, but will punters’ profits enjoy a similar boost after signing up?
The Parimatch website looks and feels familiar – and that’s because it is operated by one of the biggest names in British online betting, BetVictor. For a company with its roots in Ukraine and based for a long time in Limassol, Cyprus, this might be an important step towards securing credibility in a new market. Today, Parimatch’s gambling operations are registered and regulated in Britain, Ireland and Gibraltar (which handles its international operations). The firm now operates in more than 10 countries around the world, with a strong emphasis on the former Soviet Union. It offers a full range of sportsbook, live betting, casino, slots and lotto action.
However, there is a significant caveat. Because Parimatch’s online betting in the UK is operated by BetVictor, anyone who holds an active account with that company will be unable to open one with Parimatch. I attempted to join a month or so after creating a BetVictor account, and Parimatch closed my new account in a matter of minutes, promptly refunding my initial deposit. For the purposes of this process, ‘active’ is defined as any BetVictor account that has been used since Jan. 1, 2020, or has one or more outstanding unsettled bets. As a result, it’s not easy to attract experienced punters to the Parimtch brand because they are likely to have an existing BetVictor account that will lock them out of these services.
Parimatch is looking to establish its reputation beyond its core markets and part of that process sees the company entering partnerships with some blue-chip names including Everton and Leicester City in the English Premier League and Juventus in Serie A. There are also deep links with sport in Ukraine – tie-ups with Shakhtar Donetsk and the country’s national football and basketball teams, among others. In addition, Parimatch has strong connections with eSports and has invested heavily in the Ultimate Fighting and MMA scene.
Layout
For anyone familiar with the BetVictor site, Parimatch will immediately feel like a home from home. Apart from a change in colour scheme, with BV’s blue and white replaced by Parimatch’s Black and Yellows, there’s almost no difference to be seen.
So that means a simple, minimalist look giving an uncluttered approach to displaying the site’s wares. Parimatch scrolls its offers and enhanced odds across the top of the screen, followed by the key in-play markets and a quick scroll down to look at the big upcoming races or football matches. However, the major gripe from BetVictor is also transferred to Parimatch: the left-hand sidebar, frustratingly, does not offer a list of all sports, nor even the most popular ones. Instead, it’s a case of clicking on a pull-out A-Z menu to help you steer towards the markets you want. That’s not the biggest deal ever, but it is, nonetheless, a touch irritating. On BetVictor, the process is eased by the ‘my popular sports’ section which appears after placing a couple of bets; it’s likely that Parimatch will do the same, but since it’s impossible to run accounts on both platforms at once, this could not be verified at the time of writing.
For access to slots and casino services, customers can use either the left-hand sidebar or the menu bar at the top of the central column. Parimatch punters can also go straight to selected games – slots and roulette – from the colourful right-hand sidebar. The same area houses bet slips once you’ve picked your wager.
The Parimatch App, available for Android and iOS, offers much the same in a phone-friendly format. Parimatch App is said to be faster than the desktop version and can be downloaded simply by scanning a QR code on the screen.
Services
Increasingly, eSports is the Parimatch USP. In December 2019, following the announcement of an extension to Parimatch’s sponsorship of Russian eSports team Virtus Pro, the influential esportsinsider.com commented: “The partnership extension at hand will drive Parimatch further into a group of household names in esports betting. While Betway has far-and-away established itself as a market leader in the space, Parimatch’s movement this year alone is enough to bring the bookmaker into the conversation.”
In addition to extensive betting opportunities in that fast-growing sector, Parimatch also offers all the usual sports betting markets – 40 different sports on offer – and a solid in-play selection. It’s true that a wider range of event streaming would boost the value of this offer and while the live stats and game information tick all the standard boxes, there aren’t many bells and whistles to be found. Depending on your point of view, that’s either a welcome lack of distractions or a short-coming best addressed on other sites.
Odds-wise, Parimatch is, unsurprisingly, exactly the same as BetVictor. That makes for consistently competitive prices without ever being world-beating. For the Turkey vs Russia UEFA Nation’s League game on Nov. 15, the match prices were in line with most rivals: 29/20 about Turkey was as good a price as could be found 15 minutes before kick-off, although 19/10 about the draw was a touch underpowered. The first goalscorer markets for the same game were a bit disappointing: where Parimatch had market-leading odds, it tended to be on fringe players unlikely to have an impact on this market. Prices for the favourites were run of the mill.
For the same day’s Belgium vs England game, it was a similar story. Parimatch’s win market prices were good, bettered only by Novibet’s seemingly enhanced odds. But the first goalscorer market was ordinary for the top candidates and only offered longer odds on the outsiders for both teams.
Bonuses and offers
For new punters, Parimatch has a welcome offer that is easy to use. Bet £5 – at even money or longer odds – and, win or lose, you’ll get £30 in free bets. That’s divided into three parts: £10 as a single on any sport, a £10 sports acca and a further tenner to flutter in the casino. During big events, there may also be specific welcome offers that target that sport or event – such as the November race meeting at Cheltenham.
On joining BetVictor, I became aware of additional bonuses based on the results of Fulham – the Premier League team sponsored by the company. It’s possible that similar offers are in place here, but without being able to run an account with Parimatch, this cannot be confirmed.
Customer care
Access to customer care is easy enough to find on the website – just scroll down that left-hand menu for the ‘Contact us’ box. The Parimatch help centre is a searchable FAQ that can handle a lot of basic queries, but if you need to speak to someone there are a few options – from live chat on the site to social media links.
The Parimatch on-site live chat works efficiently, at least for simple matters. On posing a query, punters are allocated a place in the queue. Normally, within a few minutes, an operator will be available to talk and – hopefully – tell you what you need to know.
Registration in Parimatch
Signing up for Parimatch is a simple affair. For most customers, it will take just a couple of minutes to answer a few questions about your name, address and DoB. Unlike BetVictor, though, there is no requirement to add a security question – a curious oversight, perhaps?
The set-up procedure also allows punters to set deposit limits – daily, weekly or monthly – and invites new customers to opt into an introductory offer. At the time of signing up (or attempting to) on Parimatch, there were two offers available. Both offered £30 worth of free bets after staking £5 at even money or more, but one was focused specifically on the week’s horse-racing at Cheltenham while the other was available across most events in the sportsbook.
Most users will need nothing more than the standard sign-in process, but in some cases, Parimatch will seek additional information about new customers. If this happens, you will need to supply scans of your ID and proof of address, ideally within 72 hours, in order to continue using the site and, crucially, to withdraw your winnings.
Financial information
When you open an account with Parimatch, you’ll be asked to specify your preferred currency. There is a choice of 10 – Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, Euros, NZ dollars, Norwegian krone, Pounds sterling, SA rand, Swedish krone, Swiss francs and US dollars. After selecting a currency for your account, it cannot usually be changed.
Deposits in Parimatch can be made using debit cards and also via a variety of payment schemes. The Parimatch online help desk explains that the precise options will vary according to your location and choice of currency, but you will be presented with a full range of choices when you wish to make a deposit. There is a £5 minimum for deposits and withdrawals, and typically you’ll be expected to use the same financial service to put money in and take it out.
Minimum stakes are set at 5p, and maximum pay-outs can reach £500,000.
Reliability and security
With Parimatch being a fairly new name on the internet betting scene, at least in the UK, it’s understandable that some punters may be cautious about trusting the company. The reputation of the former USSR as something of a ‘wild East’ of dubious business practices could also ring alarm bells. Happily, though, the company is regulated to the same standards you would expect from any other working the British market.
Parimatch meets the UK Gambling Commission’s High Protection requirements when it comes to segregating customer funds. All punters’ deposits are held in an independent trust account, meaning it will always be available to customers even if Parimatch is insolvent.
In an attempt to offset some of the criticism of the gambling industry as a whole, Parimatch runs an active social programme via the PM Foundation. This supports a range of educational initiatives, many related to the sport but others encouraging youngsters to explore the STEM subjects. Parimatch is also working with organizations that try to combat problem gambling and offer professional support 24/7 for anyone concerned that their betting might become damaging.
What’s missing?
It’s clear from even a casual glance that Parimatch and BetVictor have much in common. And, like BV, Parimatch offers a strong and appealing sportsbook on a website that is user-friendly. True, it’s a bit odd that customers on one cannot open an account with the other – the various brands grouped under the GVC banner, for example, do not have a similar requirement.
The main worry for a new customer would be the simple fact that Parimatch is a new player without a proven reputation. However, the company jumps through all the necessary regulatory hoops and has established partnerships with big-name teams in several countries – not the kind of thing a fly-by-night operation can easily achieve.
That said, though, it’s not clear why anybody would choose to come to Parimatch rather than using the familiar and long-established BetVictor brand, given that the two experiences are, to all practical purposes, identical.
The Parimatch App, available for Android and iOS platforms. The App offers the same services in a phone-friendly format. It is said to be faster than the desktop version and can be downloaded simply by scanning a QR code on the screen.
Deposit
You can fund deposits via VISA, Mastercard cards, Masterpass, Google Pay, Alfa-Bank, Promsvyazbank, Apple Pay, Skrill, Neteller, Qiwi Wallet, WebMoney, Perfect Money, advcash, Android Bozor, Bitcoin, ecoPayz, Jeton, Kyivstar, MTS, Megafon, Beeline, Tele2, TelePay and Qiwi terminals.
The minimum deposit is €10 for VISA, Mastercard cards; 25 UAH for Masterpass, Google Pat and Apple Pay; 1 RUB for Alfa-Bank. Promsvyazbank, MTS, Megafon, Beeline, Tele2 and Qiw terminal; $1 for Skrill, $35 for Neteller; €1 for Qiwi Wallet, WebMoney, Perfect Money, advcash and Jeton; €2 for Bitcoin; €5 for ecoPayz; 5 UAH for Kyivstar; 10 RUB for TelePay; 45 000 UZS for Android Bozor. The maximum deposit sum is unlimited for Masterpass, Google Pay, Apple Pay, Skrill, Neteller, WebMoney, Perfect Money, advcash, Bitcoin and ecoPayz; €5 000 for VISA and Mastercard; 60,000 RUB for Alfa-Bank and Promsvyazbank; €350 for Qiwi Wallet; €100,000 for Jeton; 15,000 RUB for Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, TelePay and Qiwi Terminals; 14,999 RUB for MTS; 3,000 UAH for Kyivstar; 9 000 000 UZS for Android Bozor. The processing time is instant for all methods. No commission is held by the bookmaker for deposits.
Withdrawal
The withdrawal can be made through VISA, Mastercard cards, Skrill, Neteller, Qiwi Wallet, WebMoney, Perfect Money, advcash, Bitcoin, ecoPayz, Jeton, Kyivstar, lifecell, Vodafone, MTS, Megafon and Tele2.
The minimum withdrawal sum is €20 for VISA and Mastercard; $10 for Skrill and Neteller; €10 for Qiwi Wallet; €10 for Perfect Money and advcash; €15 for Bitcoin; €1 for ecoPayz and Jeton; 10 UAH for Kyivstar. lifecell and Vodafone; 100 RUB for MTS, Megafon and Tele2; unlimited for WebMoney. The maximum withdrawal sum is unlimited for VISA, Mastercard, Skrill, WebMoney, Perfect Money, advcash, Bitcoin; $2,500 for Neteller; €350 for Qiwi Wallet; €10,000 for ecoPayz; €100,000 for Jeton; 3,000 UAH for Kyivstar; 1,000 UAH for lifecell; 2,800 UAH for Vodafone; 15,000 RUB for MTS, Megafon and Tele2. The processing time is from 15 minutes to 12 hours for all methods except cards (from 12 hours to 3 business days). No commission is held by the bookmaker for withdrawals except for Kyivstar, lifecell and Vodafone (1% >1UAH).
Deposit | Withdrawal | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sum | Time | Commission | Sum | Time | Commission | |
from €10 to €5 000 | instant | 0% | from €20 to unlimited | 12 h. - 3 business d. | 0% | |
from €10 to €5 000 | instant | 0% | from €20 to unlimited | 12 h. - 3 business d. | 0% | |
from 25 UAH to unlimited | instant | 0% | - | - | - |
Parimatch accepts 13 currencies including Euro and US dollars. Most of the accepted currencies are ones of post-Soviet countries such as Uzbek Som or Turkmenistan Manat. Parimatch doesn’t accept British pounds.
as an arbitrator
Lower the maximums
Parimatch offers standard options for support service: call centre, email and live chat. There are different phone numbers for some countries: 0-800-210-410 for Ukraine; 8-800-350-6016 for Russia; 8-820-0321-0505 for Belorus; 0-800-600-20 for Moldova; 992-00-199-1777 for Tajikistan; 998-94-9462325 for Uzbekistan. Live chat is quickly available on the main page and very quick to answer.
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Parimatch has its headquarters in Limassol, Cyprus as do many bookmakers. The bookmaker also has operations in Russia and Ukraine and a central office in London.
Parimatch is an online sports betting company sent up in 1994 in Kyiv. The company now has over 2000 employees and has a tech division which focusses on synergizing technology, business and sport.
Yes, the app is available both for Android and iOS platforms.