Checked by Andy Clark · 20+ years betting experience · Last updated July 2026 · Why trust Thatsagoal
There is no longer a The Pools sign-up offer. The Pools closed its online sportsbook and casino in June 2026 and no longer accepts sports bets or casino play. The classic Football Pools prediction games are still running — it’s the betting side that has gone.
If you came here looking for a welcome offer, the live alternatives are below.
The Pools Sign Up Offer — Quick Answer
| Is there a Pools sign-up offer? | ❌ No — the sportsbook has closed |
| When did it close? | June 2026 |
| What closed | Online sportsbook and online casino |
| What’s still running | The classic Football Pools prediction games |
| Can I still bet on sport with The Pools? | ❌ No |
| Can I still play the Football Pools? | ✅ Yes |
| Operator | Football Pools Limited, UKGC licence 48272 |
| Best alternative offer | Betfred — Bet £10 Get £50 |
What Happened to The Pools Sportsbook?
The Pools closed its online sportsbook and casino in June 2026. The company took the decision to withdraw from sports betting and online casino and concentrate on the product it has run since 1923 — the football pools.
It’s a shame, and not because the sportsbook was exceptional. It’s because The Pools was one of the last genuinely British betting brands with real heritage behind it: founded in 1923, based in Liverpool, and with more than £3 billion paid out to winners over a century. In a market where most “UK bookmakers” are Malta-registered subsidiaries of international groups, that counted for something.
The sportsbook arrived late, though. By the time The Pools added sports betting and casino to the site, bet365, Betfred and the Entain brands had two decades of head start on product, pricing and app quality. A trusted name wasn’t enough to close that gap.
Is The Pools Completely Gone?
No. The Football Pools prediction games are still running. If you play the classic pools — picking score draws across the weekend fixtures — that product is unaffected and still operating under Football Pools Limited.
What has gone is:
- The online sportsbook (football, racing and all other sports betting)
- The online casino
- All associated welcome offers and promotions
So if someone tells you The Pools has “shut down”, that’s not quite right. The betting arm closed; the 100-year-old pools game did not.
What Happens to My The Pools Betting Account and Balance?
If you had a sportsbook or casino account with a balance when it closed, that money is yours and should have been returned to you. Football Pools Limited holds a UK Gambling Commission licence (48272), and UKGC rules require operators to return customer funds when a product closes.
If you haven’t received a balance you’re owed, contact The Pools directly through their remaining customer support channels. If you can’t get it resolved, the escalation route is the operator’s registered Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, and beyond that the Gambling Commission — though the Commission doesn’t recover individual funds, it does act on operators who fail to.
Any free bets or bonus funds you were holding will have expired with the product. Bonus balances aren’t cash and aren’t returnable.
Best Alternatives to The Pools
If you were with The Pools, you were probably there for one of three reasons. Here’s the closest live equivalent for each.
| Bookmaker | Welcome offer | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Betfred | Bet £10 Get £50 | The closest heritage equivalent |
| BetGoodwin | Bet £10 get £15 | Independent British bookmaker |
| Star Sports | Bet £20 get £10 | UK independent, racing heritage |
| bet365 | Bet £10 Get £30 | Best all-round product |
If you were there for the British heritage
Betfred is the obvious successor. Family-founded in Salford in 1967, still British-owned, and it carries the biggest welcome offer in the UK market at £10 Get £50. Star Sports and BetGoodwin are the other genuinely independent British books worth a look, both with strong racing roots.
If you were there for football prediction games
The pools game is fundamentally about predicting football results for a fixed stake. The closest things in the modern market are free-to-play prediction games run by the big bookmakers — bet365’s 6 Scores Challenge being the best known — and the newer prediction-market products like Matchbook Predictions and EasyBet Predictions, where you’re pricing an outcome rather than taking a bookmaker’s odds.
If you just want the best welcome offer going
Betfred’s £50 is the largest, BoyleSports’ £40 is the most flexible, and Coral’s Bet £5 Get £30 has the lowest entry cost. Our full breakdown of top UK betting sites rates every book we’ve tested on offers, apps and withdrawal times.
The Pools FAQs
Is there a The Pools sign up offer? No. The Pools closed its online sportsbook and casino in June 2026, so there is no longer a sports betting welcome offer available.
Has The Pools closed down? The Pools closed its online sportsbook and online casino in June 2026. The classic Football Pools prediction games are still running.
When did The Pools sportsbook close? June 2026.
Can I still bet on football with The Pools? No. Sports betting is no longer available. You can still play the traditional Football Pools prediction games.
What happened to my The Pools account balance? Cash balances should have been returned to customers when the sportsbook closed, as required under UK Gambling Commission rules. Any free bet or bonus funds expired with the product. Contact The Pools directly if you believe you are owed money.
What was the last The Pools sign up offer? The final sports welcome offer was Bet £10 Get £10 in free bets, credited as two £5 tokens. It is no longer available. [CHECK — confirm before publishing]
What is the best alternative to The Pools? Betfred is the closest equivalent for anyone who valued The Pools as a long-established British bookmaker, and it currently runs the largest welcome offer in the UK market at Bet £10 Get £50.
More Free Bet Offers
- Best UK Betting Sites
- New Betting Sites
- Bet £10 Get £30 Offers
- Betfred Sign Up Offer — Bet £10 Get £50
- BoyleSports Sign Up Offer — Bet £10 Get £40
- bet365 Sign Up Offer — Bet £10 Get £30
18+ only. New customers only. Offers subject to change — always check the current terms with the bookmaker before betting. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
