Who are they?
Traditionally one of the big players in the betting industry, the company was founded in 1926 by Joe Coral. They opened their first shop in 1961 and became the Gala Group thirty years later. In 2005, they merged with Coral Eurobet in a deal worth over £2 billion and they now own over 1500 licensed offices and employ more than 1700 people.

What do I get?
New online Coral customers are entitled to a free bet of up to £30 once they have registered their details, deposited an amount and placed a wager on any sporting event. To qualify, the original bet must be struck within 30 days of opening the account.

Odds and sods?
Coral have long been at the forefront when it comes to competitive prices, and pride themselves on their green tick which signifies any selection that they are currently offering the best odds on. Their array of markets – including a fine in-play section – is vast and they often provide each-way options where others fear to tread, such as with top batsmen bets – a treat for any cricket lover who has seen his seen his choice outscored by a wagging tail or, worse, James Dalrymple.

Taking a punt?
The Coral website has improved greatly in recent times, and is simple to promptly find your way around. They also provide a Quick Bet box on the homepage that shows live betting, the next events and the top ten most popular picks of their punters.

How can they help?
Coral provide their customer service online through a help section which offers contact by e-message, telephone or – for those who have already lost enough money for the cause – a call back service. However, it is worth noting that Coral’s service is not 24 hours a day and runs from 7am – 11pm which is bad news for punters who have concerns over their Superbowl bets.

What else?
The day’s headline events and latest offers are advertised by a sliding image on the homepage and all your account information is stored in a newly designed bar constantly located at the foot of the screen. They also have a host of extra facilities such as statistical information, scoreboards, a bet calculator, Coral radio, a results page and tutorial videos.

If they were in the Premier League...?
Despite being steeped in history, Coral and Man City looked to have fallen behind their competitors in more recent years. Yet, after big money takeovers, the boys in blue are rewarding their loyal fan-bases with some scintillating results and could well find themselves on top of the pile in the coming months.