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Western Union

Western Union is a well-established firm, and they have been in operation in one form or another for well over 100 years.

In this payment review, we take a look at just how Western Union works for online bettors, assessing the process, the benefits and drawbacks of the service.

Top Bookmakers That Accept Western Union

4.6/5
Rated by 219 users
Claimed by 645 people this week
Get up to €50 in Bet Credits
Terms and conditions: Terms and Conditions apply. – Terms apply
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Payment Options

VISA
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Maestro

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • EUR
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  • SEK
  • World's favourite online betting company
  • 24/7 chat and phone support
  • Mobile app for both iOS and Android
  • Large selection of banking options
  • Wide range of sports to choose from
  • Few promotions for existing users
4.6/5
Rated by 312 users
Claimed by 555 people this week
Welcome Bonus up to €50
Terms and conditions: New Customers only; Min. deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Bonus amount is 100% of deposit up to £50; Welcome offers are limited to one per person, family, household address, email address, telephone number, same payment account number (e.g. debit or credit card, Skrill and etc.), shared electronic device (e.g. school, public library, workplace, mobile phone) and shared IP; Wager the qualifying deposit and bonus amount 8x within 30 days to convert bonus winnings into real money; Wagers must be on min. odds of 4/5 on singles or acca bets with min. odds of 2/5 per selection to qualify; Max. stake contribution to wagering requirement is the value of your bonus; Certain bet types are excluded; See full terms; Terms apply; 18+ – Terms apply
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Bank Wire
EcoPayz
Master Card
Neteller
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Skrill
Ukash
+1

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • EUR
  • GBP
  • NOK
  • UKGC, MGA and SGA gaming licenses
  • No deposit/withdrawal fees whatsoever
  • Incredible VIP program (The Ten Club)
  • Standalone app for iOS and Android
  • 24/7 customer support via live chat
  • No live streaming service
4.6/5
Rated by 143 users
Claimed by 445 people this week
Bet €10 Get €30 + €10 Casino Bonus
Terms and conditions: Min deposit €10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least €10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets are credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes are not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days, wins are capped at €500 • To withdraw bonus/related wins, you must wager the bonus amount up to 40 times its value within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Casino Bonus can be used on selected games in casino only • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods & countries – Terms apply
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VISA
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Bitcoin
Citadel
Instadebit
+8

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • CAD
  • EUR
  • GBP
  • Best odds guaranteed on horse racing
  • Regular promotions and free bets
  • One of the most trusted betting sites
  • Live in-play betting and cash-out feature
  • Competitive odds and fast payouts
  • Drastically lowers limits on sharp bettors
4.5/5
Rated by 413 users
Claimed by 484 people this week
28% Up to 988MYR
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Bank Transfer
Delta
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Neteller
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VISA
Visa Electron

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • USD
  • Various Asian languages and currencies
  • Huge range of football betting markets
  • Competitive odds for all sporting events
  • Nice welcome bonuses and loyalty offers
  • Numerous country restrictions
  • No live streaming service
4.8/5
Rated by 671 users
Claimed by 374 people this week
100% up to €122
Terms and conditions: Register and deposit at least €1. Get 100% matched bonus, up to €122. Bonus amount must be wagered 5x via accumulator bets. Min 3+ selection, min odds 1.40. Rollover must be completed within seven days. Withdrawals unavailable until rollover completed. – Terms apply
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Neteller
Skrill
Siru

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • EUR
  • USD
  • AED
  • Available in over 30 languages
  • Over 1000 events offered every day
  • Extensive list of banking methods
  • 24/7 customer service support
  • Cryptocurrency accepted
  • Lack of live streaming
4.5/5
Rated by 413 users
Claimed by 252 people this week
50% Up To $1000
Terms and conditions: Terms and Conditions apply. – Terms apply
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Payment Options

Bank Wire
Bitcoin
Cheque
Discover
Master Card
Neteller
Skrill
+1

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • USD
  • Accepts players from all over the world
  • Known for their live betting offers
  • Lots of secure banking options
  • Great bonuses and promotions
  • High fees for some deposit options
  • Support agents are often slow to reply
4.5/5
Rated by 215 users
Claimed by 232 people this week
Get up to €/$30 in Free Bets
Terms and conditions: Min Deposit: €/$10; First deposit matched up to €/$30; 1x wagering at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet; Credit Card, Debit Card & PayPal deposits only. – Terms apply
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Payment Options

Neteller
Skrill
EcoPayz

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • USD
  • GBP
  • CAD
  • Licenced in both the UK and Malta
  • Generous welcome bonus for new users
  • Promotions for major sporting events
  • Free-to-play prediction games
  • Excellent customer service and security
  • Limited payment options
4.5/5
Rated by 232 users
Claimed by 329 people this week
15% up to $600
Terms and conditions: Terms and Conditions apply. – Terms apply
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Payment Options

Amex
Bank Wire
Bitcoin
Cheque
Master Card
Neteller
VISA

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • BPS
  • CAD
  • EUR
  • Popular book that accepts large max bets
  • Huge focus on football and basketball
  • High-spec live in-play platform available
  • Downloadable client for Windows & Mac
  • Odds are not amazing on non-US sports
  • User interface could be improved
4.4/5
Rated by 289 users
Claimed by 200 people this week
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
Terms and conditions: New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Payment method restrictions. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+.  – Terms apply
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Payment Options

Cheque
Clickandbuy
Ekonto
Euteller
Giropay
Ideal
Instadebit
+12

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • CZK
  • EUR
  • NOK
  • High-street bookmaker in Ireland
  • Nice site with very easy navigation
  • Popular for horse racing and greyhounds
  • Great range of Gaelic games markets
  • Site can be buggy on some browsers
  • Customer support is poor
4.8/5
Rated by 415 users
Claimed by 155 people this week
100% up to €100
Terms and conditions: Terms and Conditions apply. – Terms apply
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Payment Options

VISA
Master Card
Skrill
Neteller

Average Payout Speed

0 – 24 Hours

Currencies

  • Get big cash prizes as a VIP customer
  • Access the site in 17 languages
  • Live odds change via colour-coded boxes
  • Explore in-depth sports rules on the site
  • No live streaming service
  • Long list of restricted countries

Is It Safe to Bet With Western Union?

Absolutely! Western Union are trusted by millions around the world and offer both personal and commercial services. As a long standing money transfer service, Western Union were one of the first companies to be used by online bookmakers, and have been providing their services to bettors for over the past decade.

The company’s services can be access online, by phone, from more than 100,000 ATM’s and through over 500,000 agent locations around the world – an indication of the pure scale of their operation.

Western Union logo

Western Union History

Western Union was initially founded as the New-York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company all the way back in 1851. The company changed their name to Western Union 5 years after inception and introduced a money transfer service in 1871. Over the next century, Western Union achieved a number of landmarks, including introducing the first customer charge card, delivering the first singing telegram and introducing the first commercial satellite in the USA.

The company launched their website in the year 2000 with the aim of providing consumers with fast, convenient ways to send money online. As technology improved, Western Union moved with the times and have improved their business solutions and introduced pre-paid cards (although most betting deposits are still made through payment at agent locations).

When the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2005 (UIGEA) came into effect in the USA, Western Union provided an avenue for US citizens to fund their betting accounts. Unfortunately for these bettors, in recent years, Western Union and the authorities have cracked down on the illegal wagering.

In their rules, Western Union state that ”You and Receiver represent that your use of Services does not violate: (a) any law, including, without limit, laws relating to money laundering, illegal gambling activities, support for terrorist activities or fraud”. There are however still a few firms that circumvent the laws by enabling bettors to send the funds to a representative of the bookmaker who then credits the account for the customer.

How Western Union Works

Customers can fund their betting accounts using the Western Union Quick Pay service. The funds can be uploaded by visiting one of the participating Western Union locations and filling out a Payment Services form. Each bookmaker will give their own instructions, but typically they require the Company Name, Company Code and Account Number (which is usually the customer’s username).

After sending the money, individuals receive a Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN), which serves the same purpose as a tracking number for a package, and should be passed on to the customer services agent of the bookmaker.

Deposit times can vary by bookmaker but the money should be available within 2-48 hours. Just be sure to try and get the best deposit bonus available when lodging money for the first time.

Western Union logo on smartphone beside earphones

Pros and Cons of Western Union Betting

There are a few advantages and some disadvantages for customers who use Western Union to fund their betting account.

Pros

Reputation

Reputation

As you can probably tell from reading our payment review, Western Union have a very strong reputation and have been established as a legitimate money transfer service for over a century. Therefore customers can rest assured that their funds are secure when using Western Union to fund their betting account.

Privacy

Privacy

Some individuals do not like to input their financial details online, and Western Union enables bettors to deposit funds without ever having to pass over their credit/debit card details. By visiting a Western Union branch, the customer can top up their betting balance in cash.

Retail Locations

Retail Locations

Western Union shops are everywhere – with hundreds of thousands around the world, most bettors will never be far away from a location where they can upload funds into their betting account.

Cons

Limited Options

Limited Options

The number of bookmakers who offer Western Union has decreased significantly in recent years, with only a handful of the major operators still accepting transfers from the company.

One of the reasons for this is the increasing number of alternatives which offer cheaper fees.

Western Union also oppose ‘illegal gambling’ and in some countries where the laws are cloudy, the company have erred on the side of caution.

Large Fees

Large Fees

There are large fees associated with Western Union deposits relative to other methods. Some bookmakers are willing to absorb the fees, but impose a high minimum deposit limit in order to make it worth their while (£100+ in some instances).

No Withdrawals

No Withdrawals

Due to the high costs associated with the withdrawals, most bookmakers who offer Western Union for deposits, do not allow bettors to withdraw through the same method. This means that customers have to use cheques or bank transfer and may need to go through some additional security.