What is Paysafecard?
Paysafecard is a popular online payment system that uses a prepaid card in combination with vouchers to pay or deposit money online. Paysafecard is used and accepted by a wide range of betting sites and is one of the few payment methods which allows customers to have their bank account and personal details completely separate from their betting account. Founded in 2000, Paysafecard has been providing its online payment solution for over 20 years.
How to use Paysafecard for online betting?
Paysafecard operates by using a prepaid card in conjunction with vouchers to pay for products or services online. When using Paysafecard it is possible to register and gamble without having to share your financial or bank details which would have a risk of being compromised. There is no need to enter a debit card into your betting account or to go through an E-wallet in order to keep your online gambling away from your bank statements.
-
The first thing to do is find a shop where you can covert your cash into Paysafecard credit. You can visit the Paysafecard website and select "find a sales outlet" on the homepage.
You can then enter your postcode and click on "Find sales outlets". -
From looking at the map you can see where the nearest shops are indicated with a dark blue marker. They tend to be most common in and around major towns and cities.
-
The shop will then either be able to credit the money onto your physical card if you have one OR they will give you a slip of paper (like a receipt) which has the 16 digit code on.
-
Now find a Paysafecard betting site! We list some at the start of this article, and any bookmakers that accept Paysafecard will display the logo on the bottom of the site like this:
-
Placing a bet just requires you to deposit into one of the Paysafecard betting sites which is as simple as with any other payment method. All you need to do is enter the simple 16 digit pin which is provided when you deposit cash in at a shop. As well as the ability to easily deposit with Paysafecard, it is also sometimes possible to withdraw. This will allow you to keep your personal info completely private as you withdraw into your Paysafe account (although it is worth noting that only the best Paysafecard betting sites offer this option).
How to deposit with Paysafecard?
Depositing with Paysafecard is a simple and easy process however it does require a few prerequisites. To deposit with Paysafecard you need to have a 16 digit PIN for your Paysafecard and money in your account as well as an account with one of the Paysafecard betting sites. After heading to your chosen bookmaker which accepts Paysafecard card and going to the deposit section (typically located in the top right corner of the page) choose Paysafecard out of the payment methods and enter your 16 digit PIN code as well as the amount you would like to deposit. Then just click deposit!
The deposit amount should appear in your account instantly, and if not then within a matter of minutes.
Deposit Limits
Although deposit limits are set by individual bookmakers, Paysafecard vouchers can be bought for values of £10, £25, £50, £75, or £100. Paysafecard does enforce some of the most rigid payment limits of all of the payment methods betting sites accept. The minimum deposit amounts are most commonly £10 and the best Paysafecard betting sites accept £500. You should note that bet365 breaks this trend and allows values of up to £700
How to withdraw with Paysafecard?
Withdrawing from online betting sites using Paysafecard is possible in theory but it is, unfortunately, very uncommon and is usually not available as an option. Using "Paysafe payout" it is technically possible to withdraw to your Paysafecard but there are usually payment restrictions. It is exceptionally unlikely the betting site will allow this. As an alternative, most Paysafecard betting sites default to using your bank account when it comes to returning funds to UK customers.
Paysafecard Security
Paysafecard is arguably one of, if not the, most secure payment methods available today. When you purchase a Paysafecard and receive your PIN there are no personal details or way to identify you, connected with that PIN. This means that when you use your Paysafecard there is no sensitive data linking your betting account back to your financial account details.
All of this plus the security measures put in place by your betting site, both to protect your account as well as your financial details, means that Paysafecard is one of the most secure payment methods out there.
Pros & Cons of using Paysafecard
Everything in life has Pros and Cons and payment methods are no different in this regard. Paysafecard offers a variety of unique and distinguishing features from many other payment methods meaning that many Pros and Cons are unique.
Pros: ✅
-
Easy to use: Paysafecard provides customers with a simple way to deposit cash into their betting account at a variety of (but not all) betting sites. As well as this, the fact that the card needs to be preloaded makes it incredibly easy for users to keep a tight leash on their sports betting spending.
-
Popular: Paysafecard is used by a variety of different betting sites and is extremely popular with many different types of people. This means that you will almost always be able to use your Paysafecard at your sports betting site of choice.
-
Extremely safe: Paysafecard is arguably the most secure payment method available due to the fact that any of your financial or sensitive data is not linked to the card. Paysafecard betting sites do not have any knowledge of a customer's financial accounts in any way.
-
Available: Paysafecard are sold by a variety of retailers and are pretty commonly found. This means that the chances are somebody near you will be selling them so don't worry about having to drive miles to find one!
Cons: ❌
-
Inconvenient: Although this is subjective and the difficulty of putting funds on a Paysafecard may be a bonus for some users, having to travel any distance to put funds into your account may be a major inconvenience for some other people.
-
Withdrawals back to the card are rare: Although withdrawals are in theory offered by Paysafecard it is rare that you will find it as an option on any betting sites. Even the best Paysafecard betting sites rarely offer the option. This means that you will have to set up another payment method to withdraw to and this does remove some of the element of security which is boasted about so heavily when it comes to Paysafecard.
-
No Welcome Bonuses: If a betting site offers a Welcome bonus then typically Paysafecard deposits will not be accepted as a qualifying payment method. Welcome bonus Free bets are only normally granted for a qualifying deposit with a debit card, this is true even at Paysafecard sports betting sites.
-
Lower maximum deposits: For high stakes online gambling Paysafecard is definitely not the ideal choice. With most major betting sites placing the deposit limit for Paysafecard at below £500 (other methods allow online payments of up to £20,000) Paysafecard is definitely not something for moving large volumes of money.
PaySafeCard Mobile App
Paysafecard unfortunately does not have a mobile app for UK customers as of August 2022. They have a website that can be accessed from your mobile device. Operating and running a mobile app would be relatively redundant due to the fact that it will only ever be used for a minimal amount of time. Most of your time is spent visiting an actual shop in order to give them cash in return for a 16 digit PIN, which is needed to begin the process.
Which countries accept online betting with Paysafecard?
Paysafecard is a globally available payment method that is accessible in 40 different countries across Europe, South America and North America. All that matters to you though is that it is accepted in the United Kingdom. Paysafecards are available to be bought in 700,000 retail outlets as well as their online shop.
Alternative Payment Methods
As well as Paysafecard there is a large variety of alternative payment methods that may suit you more than the ones you currently use! From E-Wallets to debit cards each option has a different characteristic.
Paypal
PayPal is an online wallet or "E-Wallet" and is exceptionally popular in the United Kingdom thanks to its long association with eBay. Likely the most popular of all of the E-Wallets and known by the vast majority of people PayPal sets the president of what a "good" E-Wallet should look like. It may differ from other payment methods in some ways, PayPal can be used at the vast majority of online sportsbooks (although it is also unlikely to qualify for a sportsbook bonus).
Skrill
Skrill is another digital wallet provider and offers its customers a range of payment transfer and online services. They can trace their roots back to 2001 when they were known as Moneybookers. Skrill is another of the most popular payment methods when it comes to depositing into an online bookmaker. They are available for use in 120 countries with 40 different currencies, but being accepted in the United Kingdom is all that matters to us.
Boku
Boku is a method of funding your online sports betting sites using the interesting concept of topping up your betting account without using your bank account. This mobile phone bill payment method can be used for several online betting sites, all licenced in the United Kingdom.
Trustly
The payment system is developed by a Swedish technology company Trustly Group AB, which has its headquarters in Stockholm and offices in Spain, Malta, the UK, Germany, and the US. Since it started in 2008 Trustly established partnerships with over 3,500 banks across Europe. In recent years it became a very popular payment method in sports betting and online gambling. It's a quick and easy way to deposit from an online banking account and withdraw funds from betting sites.
Debit Cards
Debit cards are the most standard payment method and are accepted by 99% of United Kingdom bookmakers online. With the majority of people owning a debit card it is obviously the most popular payment system. It does have its uses when it comes to sports betting, specifically being the deposit method that is most commonly used to receive a Welcome bonus.
Conclusion
To conclude the information provided to you above, Paysafecard is a voucher based payment system that allows United Kingdom residents to bet privately at multiple sports betting sites without the risk of loss of personal information or sensitive financial info. Although there are Pros and Cons to everything, Paysafecard could be seen as inconvenient and difficult to use by some due to the need to purchase vouchers from an actual shop every time you want to add more money to your account. For high stakes gamblers Paysafecard is most definitely a poor idea but for those looking to keep their gambling private and separate from their personal life the small deposit amounts into a betting site by Paysafecard can make it an excellent option.
The top betting sites are…
Here at Legalbet we have also categorised the top betting sites and their features to make them easier for you to find. They are:
By Sport: Football | Tennis | Boxing | Cricket | Snooker | Golf | UFC | Darts | Greyhound | Rugby | Horse Racing | Basketball | Baseball | Formula 1 | Ice Hockey (NHL) | Volleyball | Cycling
By Payment Systems: PayPal | Skrill | Klarna | Boku | Debit Cards | Apple Pay | Paysafecard | Neteller | Google Pay | Prepaid Cards
By Features: Cash Out | £5 Minimum Deposit | Minimum Bet Sizing | Live Streaming | Betting Exchanges | Safest | Fast Withdrawal | Daily Free Games
By Events: Politics | Superbowl | WWE
By Esports: CS:GO | Dota 2 | League of Legends | PUBG | Valorant | FIFA
Frequently Asked Questions
No, unfortunately, Paysafecard is accepted by a great number of bookmakers but it's not quite all of them. Checking if a bookmaker is one of the betting sites that accept Paysafecard is typically pretty easy and can be done by checking what payment method T&Cs apply.
Paysafecard is almost as safe as it gets when it comes to online betting. With no personal information or financial details linked to your Paysafecard account, there is no risk beyond what you have added to the card as cash, your liability is totally capped.
There are multiple ways to acquire a Paysafecard with the main one being to purchase one in a registered retailer. Using the Paysafecard website you can locate your closest retailer to purchase a Paysafecard. If leaving your home isn't an option you can also purchase Paysafecard vouchers online on their site but this will involve giving your bank details.
No, you do not need a bank account to bet with paysafecard and that is one of the main selling points of paysafecard. Without the need to connect the card to your bank or enter any personal info it means you can stay almost completely anonymous and not enter any of your personal details into your sportsbook account.
Paysafecards can be purchased from any registered retailer. To find your nearest paysafecard retailer, go to the official paysafecard website and enter your address. You will then be shown the closest retailers to you that offer vouchers.
The minimum deposit amount will be enforced by the online gambling sites and not Paysafecard itself however it is typically £5 - £10.
You can cancel your Paysafecard and have your funds returned, you will just need to fill in a form on the Paysafecard website. If you provide bank details the amount will be refunded to your bank and your Paysafecard PIN will be voided.
No, there is no Paysafecard promotion of any kind most of the time. We have never known of their being one, but that does not mean there won't be one tomorrow. There is not "usually" one though.
