SBK Review

SBK Sportsbook Summary

SBK has only made a ripple in the U.S. sports betting market to date, but there's plenty to like about this Smarkets-backed sportsbook.

The biggest benefit to players is the fact that SBK can offer some of the most competitive odds in the country thanks to its connection with Smarkets, a betting exchange where players – not bookies – set the prices. And if you can look past SBK's mediocre bonus and promo offers and the lack of a desktop option, you'll find an app that has plenty of appeal to both new and more experienced players.

Here's a deeper dive into SBK Sportsbook, and where it hits (and misses) with bettors:

SBK Quick Facts

SBK Locations

At present, SBK is live and legal only in Indiana and Colorado, having been approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission and Colorado Division of Gaming, respectively. 

Sports Leagues to Bet On

SBK offers wagering on all the standard major North American professional sports leagues and sporting events prevalent in the UK, Australia, and elsewhere. 

NFL Betting

Bettors will find a standard range of options for NFL betting here, including futures, moneylines, spreads, and totals each Sunday during the regular season. SBK provides moneyline, spread, and total plays for every scheduled game, with added markets for playoff matchups. You can also wager on quarterly or halftime options and exact playoff series outcomes.  

College Football

SBK offers moneyline, spread, and total plays for most FBS college football games on any given Saturday during the season, along with various futures markets for the National Championship. As is the case for most of the sports SBK showcases, the quality of odds here are in the top tier when compared to industry heavy hitters like Caesars, BetMGM and DraftKings.

NBA Betting

The massive momentum in favor of NBA wagering markets has made its way to SBK, which offers a healthy dose of game-by-game player and team props to augment standard spread, moneyline and totals plays. You'll find a great selection of futures betting opportunities here, with odds that are once again among the best in the industry.

College Basketball

SBK follows the same general strategy for college basketball as the most notable sports betting sites in the U.S. It provides ample markets for Division I matchups during the regular season before ramping up in time for the conference tourneys and March Madness. It will be interesting to see if sportsbooks like SBK find ways to introduce additional markets down the road.

NHL Betting

Hockey bettors are treated to standard moneyline, puckline, and totals markets, period-specific betting markets, futures, and exact playoff series outcomes, among other betting opportunities. The increase in interest nationwide in NHL wagering could result in SBK and other notable sportsbooks adding even more markets at some point in the near future.

MLB Betting

SBK offers traditional MLB betting markets for long-suffering Rockies fans to take advantage of. Besides the standard moneyline, spread, and totals, bettors can also wager on player props that get as granular as whether a pitcher will reach a certain strikeout threshold, or whether a player will hit a home run (fans who frequent Coors Field have seen a few of those in their days.)

Other Sports Leagues

The unique leagues offered by SBK include Aussie Rules Football, snooker, darts, cricket, esports and cycling, among others.

Online Betting Experience

SBK keeps things simple here, for better or worse. An inviting interface and easy path to betting will appeal greatly to new users, but the lack of a desktop presence is a bit annoying.

Website Experience

Unfortunately, SBK does not offer a website platform. This might not be a big deal for the overwhelming majority of bettors in Colorado and Indiana who favor wagering on their phones, but it would at least be nice for customers to have the option of using their desktops.

Mobile Betting and Betting App

SBK's app might be lacking when it comes to user reviews (more on that later), but in terms of functionality and ease-of-use, I found no major issues.

New users are prompted to sign-up upon entering the app, and the process is seamless. The screen slides smoothly from one window to the next, and the intuitive technology prompts you for the information needed in a digestible fashion.

The design is sleek, and navigation is easy due to the organized nature of the app. Each league lives in its own tab, allowing users to explore all the markets available pertaining to the sport. 

Placing a bet is simple, too. Bettors simply need to click on "Odds" and go to their bet slip to determine the amount they would like to wager. If you would like to turn your beat into a teaser (if applicable) or a parlay, there will also be options here.

Perhaps the coolest feature on the app is the social community found under the "Tips" tab. This brings users to an area where they can chat and discuss the betting slate, track users on a hot streak, share advice, talk strategy, talk smack, or brag about their accomplishments.

Many sportsbooks have yet to adopt this unique feature that not only creates a bond between users, but also a stronger brand loyalty.

Live Betting

SBK provides a robust in-play betting market under the "Live" tab found on the homepage. 

The betting menu is comparable to major competitors like FanDuel or PointsBet, but with better odds due to the betting model. Bettors are not limited to just game outcomes, as they can live bet alternate lines, game and player props. 

SBK also offers a "Flash" feature that is becoming more prevalent in the U.S. sports betting industry. Flash bets allow a bettor to wager on, for instance, whether a drive in football will end in a touchdown or field goal or if an at-bat in baseball will result in a strikeout. It is a nice feature for bettors looking for an immediate result rather than waiting for an entire game to play out (though with a higher degree of variance.)

Overall, SBK's live betting feature offers everything bettors need.

Casino, Poker, & Other Gaming Options

Smarkets and SBK do not offer casino-based games – rather, they strongly oppose the idea. In fact, one of the prominent advertisements on the SBK UK home page features an image of a slot machine with the captions "Useless Casino Games" and "The House Always Wins".

With that level of conviction and dedication to putting iGaming on blast, it's hard to imagine bettors will ever find casino products on this platform.

SBK History

Smarkets was founded in 2008 by a group of finance and software professionals and private investors. 

Its premise was to deliver a secure and transparent betting exchange focusing on sports, politics, and other wagering events.

Smarkets' peer-to-peer betting model allows users to create their odds to bet against one another, making them a dynamic competitor in the hyper-competitive sports betting space. This concept is new to the United States, where the exchange concept has yet to be fully adopted. 

SBK launched its hugely popular app in August 2019 in the UK, and finally penetrated the American marketplace by entering Colorado in June 2020 with the SBK Colorado brand. 

It is unclear if SBK plans to expand into other U.S. states at any point in the future.

Customer Ratings & Reputation

SBK has a 3.5-star rating on the Apple App Store, though positive customer reviews outweigh the negative ones with a strong emphasis on how excellent the app is and the competitive odds that compete with or are better than most competitors. 

SBK boasts a slightly-lower 3.4-star rating on the Android app, but with many of the same comments regarding positive experiences with the app and exceptional odds.

Customer Service

SBK offers communication with customer service representatives through email, phone, and social media via Twitter direct message.

When reaching out by email, users can expect to hear back within the same day, typically in six hours in our personal experience. 

If reaching out by phone, a customer service representative quickly answers the hotline and provides you with a friendly and informative experience. 

The Twitter direct message function is conducive to speaking to a representative, although the response time may be an hour or even more. 

The SBK customer service is mediocre due to long response times unless calling by phone, but representatives are pleasant and helpful once reached. 

SBK Contact

• Phone: 720-213-6164
• Email: support@getsbk.com
• Twitter: @SBK

SBK Legal Betting

The Colorado Division of Gaming regulates SBK Colorado, while the Indiana Gaming Commission is the regulatory body responsible in the Hoosier State.

Responsible Gambling

The legal age for sports betting in most states is 21+. This is subject to regional regulation. Please play responsibly. SBK complies with the rules laid down by the Colorado Division of Gaming and the Indiana Gaming Commission. 

Here are a few resources to help ensure you are gambling responsibly.

• National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): The NCPG has over 50 years of experience assisting people and families affected by problem gambling. You can call or text them (1-800-522-4700) or join their 24/7 Live Chat.
• Center for Problem Gambling: The Center has been funded by the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) since 1996. They are committed to serving anyone affected by a gambling addiction. Treatment is confidential and provided regardless of a person's ability to pay. Their gambling counselors have significant experience working with problem gambling and include therapists who are Nationally Certified Gambling Counselors.
• BeGambleAware.org: Offers free, confidential help and support to anyone worried about gambling for themselves or others.
• Gambling Therapy: A global service provided by Gordon Moody offering free emotional support and advice to anyone affected by gambling.

Why Choose SBK?

SBK offers a mostly top-notch sports betting experience in Colorado and Indiana. 

Every sports bettor needs to be conscious of finding the best odds, and SBK makes that easy due to its unique betting model that allows users to either set their odds or trade with another user if they believe they have an edge. 

Additionally, the "Tips" social tab is a creative way to connect with other sports betting enthusiasts or collaborate on bets and strategies. Sports betting at its core should be fun and social, and SBK provides that directly on its sleek and well-designed app. 

It would be great to see more betting markets for some sports, and the bonus and promo offers are among the least impressive of any prominent U.S. sportsbook. And while customer service representatives are knowledgeable and friendly, SBK needs to improve its response times in order to ensure that customer problems are solved more expediently.

In conclusion, we recommend giving SBK a try, as both new and experienced bettors will find it conducive to their sports betting needs. Just keep your expectations reasonable, especially when it comes to bonuses and promos.