Who are they?
Paddy Power were founded in 1988 following the merger of three existing bookmakers and are now Ireland’s biggest betting firm. With their headquarters in Dublin, Paddy Power operate over 300 retail outlets in Ireland and the UK and were responsible for shaking up the portrayal of high street stores on their arrival in England with their numerous offers and a welcoming environment.

What do I get?
Register a new account with Paddy Power and once you have deposited and placed your first bet, you will then be eligible for a free bet of equivalent value (of up to £50) once your initial bet has settled.

Odds and sods?
Paddy Power made their name with an abundance of money-back offers and special markets when they were evolving, and have continued that tradition as one of the big players within the industry. Their odds are extremely competitive, and their traders are not afraid to play on their Irish roots and go a standout price on England in sporting events. The company aren’t strangers to publicity – or controversy – and regularly announce paying out on markets early, and often like to give their customer base something extra.

Taking a punt?
Another quick and smartly run website ensures that betting online with Paddy Power is a breeze. Each new page is quick to load and information is easily sourceable. All the sports and specials markets are alphabetically listed within the left column whilst the major and more popular events are in the more prominent Quick Links box. Their live betting is the main focus of the home page where shading of boxes signifies the market moves in-play.

How can they help?
Paddy Power have an excellent customer service department and are extremely responsive to your needs. They are available promptly by phone, email, live chat and post, and couldn’t be more helpful even when having to deal with one member of the BOTB editorial team who can’t remember what account he backed Spain to win Euro 2008 with.

What else?
There’s lots going on at Paddy Power aside from the standard fare. Powers are right up there when it comes to the live streaming of football matches and other sporting events, and offer audio commentary on each UK horse race too. They have helpful videos for punting novices, a betting calculator and a reasonable results section. You can also enter their enjoyable Last Man Standing competition.

If they were in the Premier League...?
Like Paddy Power, Fulham can boast a strong Irish spine as the basis for their recent success at home and abroad. Both are fondly thought of in their fields, and very few people have bad words to say about either, even if they are somewhat prone to PR controversy be it a Michael Jackson statue or contentious television advertisements.