In my review of The Pools, I’ll take you through my full experience with this unique UK gambling and lottery site. Overall, I must say that I was impressed with everything that the site had to offer.
This site combines classic football pools with sports betting, online casino gaming and the Irish Lottery. The main way to join is by taking one of the three subscription-based pool memberships. Alternatively, you can simply register and deposit £20 to get 100 Free Spins for the Big Bass Splash slot in the online casino.
Facts
The Pools UK welcome offers: 100 Free Spins or up to £50
While you won’t find a The Pools no deposit bonus, there are a few welcome offers available when you either subscribe or deposit. Here’s a quick look at what you can grab as a new account holder at the time of writing:
| 🏆 Welcome offer | 💰 What you get |
| Casino signup bonus: | Deposit and bet £20 on any casino slot to get 100 Free Spins for Big Bass Splash |
| Classic Pools Subscription welcome bonus: | £10 in Free Bets |
| Goal Rush subscription offer: | £50 in Free Bets |
| Lucky Clover new subscription promo: | £30 in Free Bets |
The Pools reviews – Usability, looks, and feel
There are many sportsbooks with online casinos in the UK, but few of them also offer classic pools and subscriptions for the Irish lottery. The Pools is a unique outlier in this regard, and it is a standout website to match.
The concept of this site could overwhelm people, but the neat layout, fragmented explanatory guides, and bright design make the introduction easy. The mint green and white colour scheme is easy on the eye, and you can access all areas of the site via the menu bar at the top of your screen.
Mobile – The Pools app isn’t yet available
I was initially disappointed to discover that there isn’t yet an official app available for this lottery, bookie, and casino platform. However, that disappointment was quickly put to rest.
There is a mobile-optimised website that I managed to access and work on several mobile devices and browsers. It’s quite neat, with large and colourful graphics that are easy to tap and scroll.
Overall, I thought that the mobile site looked and felt like an app. Moreover, by adding the gateway icon to my home screen, the experience felt much the same as using an app. Just make sure that you have a half-decent internet connection.
The classic football pools started back in 1923, and have faded in popularity in recent years. This site, however, has strived to bring them back and has them ready for the digital world.
There are two types of pools that you can play on this site alongside the Irish lottery. I’ve given you a quick guide to all three of these here:
Read more about The Pools
🎱 Classic Pools
The aim here is to pick and correctly predict score draws from a list of 49 matches taking place each week. Get 9 score draws correct, and you could win the massive £3 million jackpot.
⚽ Goal Rush
Similar to the Classic Pools, only you have a list of 35 matches, and you need to pick 8 where you think that both teams will score, making it easier as the result doesn’t matter. The jackpot for this is £1 million, but you could win a smaller prize with 7 out of 8 correct predictions.
🍀 Lucky Clover
This is a membership-based game that involves betting on the outcome of the Irish lottery. If you correctly predict all 6 numbers in the flagship game, you can win a £1 million jackpot. However, there are smaller games available, such as Pick 5 with a grand prize of £65,000.
The Pools betting review – Good odds and user-friendly interface
![]()
The Pools has top boost promos up for grabs
![]()
The Pools has great betting bonuses for players
As I explained close to the top of this article, the three pools or lottery subscription memberships come with Free Bets as a welcome bonus. You can use the Free Bet tokens on the Pools sports betting area of the site.
This is user-friendly and offers live and pre-match odds on over 20 sports, including horse racing, rugby, badminton and more. It’s a decent sportsbook overall, but I’d say that it’s best for football fans, which is in keeping with its pools-based model and brand.
The Pools Casino Review – 1,000+ games
![The Pools Mobile Casino Play]()
Play on mobile at The Pools
![]()
Over 1,000 casino games on offer
I often find that on many UK bookmaker sites, the online casino is little more than an afterthought with a handful of slots. However, that’s far from the case here, as there are over 1,000 casino games, including slots, table games, arcades, live dealers, and more.
On top of that, there’s a dedicated live casino tab on the website, where you can play live dealer-hosted games in real-time with other players. Besides the classic live table games, like baccarat, blackjack, and roulette, you can also play live game shows, including Deal or No Deal, Dice City, and Treasure Island.
Top-tier software providers
The games in this online casino’s lobby have been supplied by third-party software studios. Among the most reputable names are Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw, and Big Time Gaming.
Deposits and withdrawals at The Pools
The minimum deposit limit at the Pools is just £5, which is equal to the lowest limits you’ll find on the top 20 UK betting sites. The deposit selection is limited, as you can only fund your account with a Visa or Mastercard debit card or your PayPal account.
The withdrawal limit is also £5, and you can receive your funds via PayPal or bank transfer. Usually, it should take between 1 and 5 business days to process a withdrawal, with PayPal being faster.
Mu withdrawals were usually processed within this time frame, but the customer service team advised allowing 7 business days before you get in touch. I’ve summarised this info for you below:
- Minimum deposit/withdrawal limit: £5/£5
- Deposit payment methods: Debit cards or PayPal
- Deposit processing time: Instant
- Withdrawal payment methods: Bank transfer or PayPal
- Processing time: 1 – 5 business days (can take up to 7 business days in rare cases)
- Deposit/withdrawal fees: None
Customer service at the Pools bet
The customer service on this site is all neatly packaged in the live chat widget in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Here, you can exchange messages with the customer service team, who I found to be responsible and helpful. Additionally, you can search for solutions to your problems in the help centre, which is fairly well put together.
The Pools Casino licensing and security
The Pools is a safe and secure site that’s licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). As a result, it is legally accessible for UK-based players who are aged 18+.
While this site doesn’t have a standard VIP or loyalty program, the Classic Pools, Goals Rush, and Lucky Clover memberships come with added perks. These include signup bonuses, free games, and 4:45 Club access.
Besides that, here are some other casino and betting bonuses in the UK I found for existing players on this site:
- Up to 200 Free Spins when you join The Pools Slots Club
- 47,000+ weekly drops and wins prizes for Pragmatic Play slots
- Boost your acca winning up to 60%
The Pools betting site – Product summary and conclusion
If we’re being honest, the UK betting market is pretty saturated and crowded with betting sites that offer a similar service. With that in mind, I’m always encouraged when I see a site that offers something different.
The Pools certainly didn’t leave me disappointed on that front. While the Irish Lottery, Goals Rush, and Classic Pools aren’t quite engaging enough to be standalone products, they are complemented very well by the casino and sportsbook.
Fancy giving it a go yourself? You can register and claim one of the four welcome offers via the banners on this page.
The Pools review FAQ
- ⏳ How long does The Pools take to pay out?
Withdrawal times at The Pools vary, but should take between 1 and 5 working days. However, just be aware that it can take over 7 days to receive your funds in some rare cases.
- ✅ Is the Pools Casino legit?
Yes, the Pools is a legit online casino, betting site, and lottery provider. It’s licensed by the UKGC and is accessible to adults aged 18+ in the United Kingdom.
- 💰 What’s the minimum bet at The Pools Casino?
There are slots with a 10p minimum stake limit and roulette tables that start at 20p. If you sign up via our site to apply The Pools bonus code, you can get 100 Free Spins with your first £20 deposit.
Latest Articles