Mr.Play Ireland Review for 2022

Mr. Play have been providing a sports betting platform for Irish bettors since 2019. However, despite their relatively short existence, they’ve more than matched many of the established online sportsbooks when it comes to providing their users with a wide range of betting opportunities.  

I’ve taken a look at Mr. Play Ireland and put together an in-depth review to determine whether Aspire Global Limited have managed to produce yet another superbly enjoyable and efficient online sportsbook. I’ve also taken a look at how you can claim a €10 Bet Token when you sign up for an account. 

Sadly, there is no such thing as a perfect online bookmaker. Every Irish operator will have a number of pros and cons and I’ve taken a look at what helps this betting site to stand out from the crowd and also pointed out where Mr. Play could improve its offering.

✔️ Mr. Play Ireland Strengths

• User-friendly interface – one of my first impressions of using Mr. Play was that it was delightfully simply to navigate. I found the site was user-friendly and everything was laid out in a fairly logical fashion. I was able to place my bets and work my way around the desktop site without too much trouble and the aesthetics are pleasing on the eye.
• Wide range of leagues, divisions, competitions and tournaments – Having a wide variety of betting opportunities is vitally important. Whether you’re a football obsessive or an NFL aficionado, you’ll want the widest possible range of leagues and competitions available to you. There’s nothing worse than working your way through the statistics and settling on your preferred bet, only to find that your chosen bookmaker hasn’t priced it up. Luckily, this frustrating scenario is unlikely to happen with Mr. Play.
• Promotions and competitions for new and existing users – it’s always nice to be rewarded for your loyalty and although their welcome bonus isn’t overly generous, it’s nice to see that I can choose to enter several prediction competitions (for Premier League and Elite European Leagues). There are also several ad-hoc promotions and rewards which often tie-in with upcoming sporting events. If you fancy a play on the live tables or slots, there are also a number of ongoing casino promotions to take advantage of too.

❌ Mr. Play Ireland Weaknesses

• No live streaming available – Unfortunately, Mr. Play Ireland does not currently offer you the chance to live stream ongoing events. Although this may not seem important to some bettors, having access to live pictures does greatly enhance the live betting experience. It also gives us the chance to indulge ourselves in some of our favourite sporting events such as the Australian Open, the NBA Play-Offs and the European Championships. It may be something that Mr. Play are hoping to add to their site going forward, however, it’s a shame that they don’t currently offer this service.
• Lack of Mobile App – Although you can still access the same great range of markets and odds by using a mobile browser, I was left a little disappointed by the lack of mobile app. It isn’t a deal-breaking issue, however, the majority of Mr. Play’s rivals offer you the chance to download an app and unfortunately they have not followed suit. Having a dedicated app is often a much easier way to access the site, particularly in a hurry, however, this is not possible with Mr. Play Ireland at the time of writing.
• Fewer live betting opportunities at anti-social hours – Although Mr. Play Sport offer countless in-play betting opportunities on a weekend and on a Tuesday night, I was disappointed to stumble across a complete lack of live events on both a Monday and Tuesday lunchtime. Admittedly, this have been an anomaly, however, upon checking other online bookmakers, there were a number of tennis matches and reserve football games taking place which could have been added to the site. Again, this is a minor grievance, however, I found it unusual that Mr. Play weren’t offering a single live betting event during this period.

Conclusion

Generally speaking, the majority of the weaknesses and issues which arose from my time using Mr. Play were relatively minor and I was left suitably satisfied with my overall experience. However, if this relatively inexperienced bookmaker wishes to become a serious player in Ireland and has any hopes of competing with some of the bigger names, then adding a live streaming service, launching an app and increasing its number of live events is absolutely imperative.

My first impressions of Mr. Play Ireland were positive. Upon accessing their sportsbook, I found the design and usability of the site extremely pleasing and this continued throughout my time. A spinning casino chip appears on screen to confirm that the requested page is loading, and although this is a novelty at first, it soon wears a little thin.

Nevertheless, I was satisfied with the overall design of the site and found it extremely straightforward to navigate my way around this betting site.

Upon signing up and making my first deposit, I was able to place my first bet. Luckily, Mr. Play Sport have a decent welcome bonus and once my initial bet (a losing bet sadly) had settled, I was greeted with an email to confirm that I had qualified for a €10 Bet Token. This process was extremely straightforward and I did not have to jump through any hoops in order to receive Mr. Play’s welcome bonus. However, I was frustrated to find that if I had deposited using PayPal (my preferred method), I wouldn’t have qualified for the Bet Token. I was also aware that a number of other Irish bookmakers were offering a more lucrative bonus. Nevertheless, it was a decent start to my tenure with Mr. Play and there are far worse welcome bonuses currently on the market. I also enjoyed the fact that I received my €10 Bet Token almost immediately and didn’t have to wait 24 hours.

In terms of placing a wager with Mr. Play, I found the process extremely straightforward, however the betting slip was a little on the small side and doesn’t necessarily lend itself to the smaller screen. Therefore, creating an accumulator on my mobile phone took a little longer than I would have liked.

The market coverage is impressive and I found bets that I liked in the Portuguese second tier and the Belgium reserve league. There is also a wide range of tennis bets and although I was personally sticking to the ATP and WTA tour, I was pleased to see that there were Challenger Tour and ITF tournaments priced up on the site. The addition of eSports was also pleasing, and although the limited number of Irish sports such as Gaelic Football and Hurdling was concerning, the fact that I was searching for markets in mid-January is probably a reasonable enough excuse.

The odds were reasonably competitive and I was able to switch between decimal and fractional fairly easily. Although the odds cannot be described as ‘standout’, Mr. Play’s prices were roughly in line with the majority of their peers.

When contacting customer support, I found their operatives to be friendly and professional and they were willing to answer a number of my queries (even though I already knew the answer). I was nice to have the answers explained to me, as opposed to being constantly redirected to the FAQ page (which has happened with other online bookmakers). It is disappointing that the live chat function does not operate 24/7 as it is a valuable asset and the easiest way of getting in touch, however, realistically, very few Irish punters are going to need a lightning-quick response post-11pm.

Banking was easy and I found that the €10 minimum deposit was perfectly reasonable. They accepted a number of different methods, although they are yet to add Bitcoin to their extensive list. Although this doesn’t particularly concern me, there are number of sportsbook users and casino players who would relish the chance to deposit using Cryptocurrency. Following an extremely lucky run of results, I had accumulated enough to make my first withdrawal. Although Mr. Play requested some documentation, they made the process quick and simple and I was able to collect my winnings within 48 hours of confirming the withdrawal.

I must admit, as I conducted my research for this Mr. Play review, I found it increasingly frustrating that they do not offer a dedicated mobile app. Although this does not concern some Irish players, I enjoy having all of my betting apps in a single folder on my iOS device. Although the mobile site is perfectly effective, some of the text can be a little small and hard to read, particularly during the daytime! This could potentially be rectified if they were able to produce a dedicated mobile app.

Overall, I was left feeling satisfied with my experience and I found that placing bets with Mr. Play was fairly straightforward. There are a few niggles to iron out, however, this is an online sportsbook which has been serving Irish punter for less than five years and there are always going to be issues and missing elements.

Bonuses & Offers ⭐⭐⭐

The welcome bonus is solid enough, however, there are far stronger on the market. The ongoing competitions and promotions for existing customers are a welcome addition.

Betting Variety ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I enjoyed the wide range of betting markets and as a keen football fan, I was pleased to see that there was a wide variety of options when it came to second/third tier competitions and leagues.

Banking Options ⭐⭐⭐⭐

All major banking options are covered here. The additions of Apple Pay and Bitcoin would be welcome.

Mobile experience ⭐⭐

The lack of a mobile app is noticeable, and although the mobile site works perfectly well, the font is a little small and difficult to read on a Smartphone.

Payout Speed ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I have no complaints about the payout speed. I received my winnings quickly and the withdrawal process was extremely straightforward.

Security ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Mr. Play is licensed and regulated by the UKGC and the MGA and they use SSL Encryption technology to protect my details. It felt perfectly secure.

Software & Games ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Although I spent less time on the casino, I was pleased to see the majority of my favourite slots and table games listed.

Betting Experience ⭐⭐⭐

Overall, I enjoyed a positive betting experience with Mr. Play and would happily return. There are a few things missing and the addition of live streaming would be beneficial. However, overall, it did most of the things that I required.

Customer Support ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The live chat was a superb way to speak to an operative and I was connected quickly and efficiently. I’ve also seen them actively helping customers on social media too.

Each Irish sportsbook will offer their customers a welcome package which usually consists of a matched first deposit or free spins. These are the perfect way to get started and as they can usually be redeemed on any sports betting market, it also gives you the chance to explore their product in far greater detail.  

Mr. Play’s Welcome Bonus 

Bet €10 and Get a €10 Free Bet Token 

How to claim Mr Play’s Welcome Bonus 

• Click the blue ‘open account’ button which is located on the home page and follow the steps to confirm your details. Await email confirmation. 
• Deposit €10 and place a bet of at least €10 in order to qualify for your free bet token. 
• Use your €10 Free Bet Token on any sport. This will be credited to your account once your initial wager has been settled. 

Mr. Play’s Welcome Bonus Terms and Conditions 

Every single online bookmaker will have terms and conditions connected to their welcome bonus. However, I think the majority of Mr. Play’s Ts and Cs are perfectly fair. It is important to note that if you place a bet with your bet token, it will not be eligible for cash out at any point.  

Min deposit $10. €10 Bet must be placed at odds of 2.00 (1/1) or greater. Bet Token must be used within 14 days and placed on a selection at odds of 1.80 (4/5) or greater. Deposits made using PayPal, Neteller, Skrill and PaySafeCard will not qualify for the welcome bonus. Bet token cannot be used on any casino products.  

I was pleased to find some of my favourite features were available with Mr. Play. Although I was left disappointed by the lack of live streaming, I found that this relatively new bookmaker have managed to match many of their rivals when it comes to providing some of the most useful and enjoyable features

€100 Premier League/Euro Elite Battle

Mr. Play love competition and they love to get their players involved. This is a great way of potentially winning some additional cash for future bets. With lots of small prizes up for grabs, it is a fun way to keep across the top flight action and it is ridiculously straightforward to get started. These extra little touches help us to feel involved with Mr. Play and I don’t rarely need a second invitation to enter a weekly prediction competition!

Mr. Play Battle

I found this to be an unusual, but enjoyable feature. Essentially, it allows you to join one of the longstanding betting tournaments and test your knowledge against other players. If you opt in, all of your bets will be placed onto the tournament leaderboard with points added or deducted depending on the outcome. I found this to be a unique feature which actually helps you to think carefully before placing bets.

Accumulator Boosts

Listed as ‘Play Boost’ on the Mr. Play site, this is offering you the chance to significantly increase your accumulator winnings. As long as your bet contains four or more selections, you will be eligible for a boost. This is a great addition and an exciting prospect for players such as myself who enjoy placing an ambitious weekend accumulator.

My Favourites

Mr. Play make it possible to save your favourite competitions which makes it easy to locate upcoming bets involving these events. This is fairly common amongst Irish bookmakers, however, with Mr. Play offering a substantial number of events each day, this is a decent way of avoiding getting bogged down in the sheer variety of competitions and leagues which can be found on their site.

Live Betting

Although I found it curiously unpopulated during weekdays, the live betting page really came alive at the weekend. There is a cornucopia of live betting events ranging from volleyball to table tennis and covers everything in-between. With fast-moving live odds and up-to-the-minute statistics, keeping up with all of these events was a lot of fun and is highly recommended.

As well as the staple in-play betting experience, which is now normal with nearly all Irish bookmakers, Mr. Play offers two innovations on this theme.

The ‘Pulse Betting’ feature allows punters to bet on a goal to be scored within the next 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes or 10 minutes in live football games. It’s an innovative and engaging offering.

Similarly, the Fast Markets feature allows bettors to select an option (such as a booking, or corner) occurring in the next one or five minutes of a live football match.

The Play Bot also ensures that live in-play betting options are not missed.

Although there is understandably a strong emphasis on football, I was pleased to see that Mr. Play was far from a one-trick pony. I was impressed by the range of competitions and leagues with 200+ basketball markets available and over 150 tennis matches listed. With betting on Chess, Aussie Rules and the Winter Olympics, there appears to be something for everyone.

However, I was a left a little disappointed by the horse racing markets. Although there is extensive coverage of all UK and Irish meetings, I couldn’t find any betting on US and South American meetings. Although this is unlikely to bother the majority of punters, there is a hardcore fan-base in Ireland who enjoy watching the action from the likes of Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream on a Friday and Saturday night. Nevertheless, they did offer South African and a limited number of French tracks.

Overall, I thought there was a decent selection of sports to pick from and each category was suitably well-stocked. This is always something I look for as I much prefer betting sites which offer a wider variety of leagues and competitions.

Mr. Play Football ⚽

Mr. Play understandably promote football as their key sport and with Irish punters keen to bet on competitions such as the Champions League and La Liga. However, Mr. Play’s football coverage goes much deeper and it is possible to wager on a number of divisions including Scottish League Two, Spanish Tercera Division and the Leinster League. The majority of their free-to-play competitions also revolve around football which shows what an important role this sport plays in Ireland.

Mr. Play Tennis Betting 🎾

Mr. Play’s tennis coverage is strong and they offer betting opportunities from all over the world. They don’t just stick to ATP and WTA events with ITF and Challenger Tour meetings also regularly priced up. Tennis is a staple of their live betting page and they appear to have every level covered.

Mr. Play Cricket Betting 🏏

Cricket remains a hugely popular sport in Ireland and Mr. Play have plenty of markets available. Although they had individual matches priced up, I was a little disappointed to see how quickly some of the outright markets (particularly for the Big Bash League) tended to disappear. They do have betting available on both domestic and international competitions with a decent range of betting options contained within each match.

Mr. Play Horse Racing Betting 🏇

The horse racing section of the site was a little hit and miss. Although it was packed full of UK and Irish racing, there were plenty of worldwide meetings which weren’t featured. However, during major festivals such as Cheltenham and the Dublin Festival, I found plenty of markets and additional betting opportunities. If you like to wager on US, South American or French racing, Mr. Play won’t offer much to satisfy your needs, unfortunately.

As well as ensuring that you have a wide variety of sports to choose from, it’s also advised to look for an online bookmaker which offers plenty of different markets and betting types. Luckily, Mr. Play delivers on both of these.  

Mr. Play’s Betting Markets 

• Outright/Ante-Post – This offers the chance to place a wager on a tournament, league or competition winner. Although pre-tournament bets tend to be the most popular option, many of these markets are also available throughout the course of the season. 
• In-Play – There are several live betting markets available on a daily basis with events spanning across several different sports. Markets such as ‘Next Goal’ or ‘Next Player to Score’ are exclusive to matches which have been made available for live betting. 
• Asian/European Handicaps – Not every Irish bookmaker is able to offer Asian Handicap markets so it’s pleasing to see that Mr. Play have hundreds of these markets available for high-profile matches or televised encounters. These are an extremely popular way of betting and offer players decent returns and alternative, sometimes safer, options when wagering on football or basketball. 

Mr. Play’s Types of Bets Available 

• Accumulator – An Accumulator tends to consist of four or more selections and it is a hugely popular way of betting, especially when there are multiple fixtures taking place concurrently. An Accumulator will only be successful if every single selection is a winner. 
• Forecast/Tricast – This is a bet which is very popular with racing fans and requires you to successfully predict the first two or first three horses past the post. It is possible to win big from small stakes with Forecasts and Tricast 
• Trixie/Canadian/Lucky 15 – There are a number of multiple bets which are available with Mr. Play and these are extremely popular with Irish punters. Although many of these are primarily used by horse racing bettors, they have also become widely used by football and tennis in recent years. These consist of multiple bets and profit can be made even if you don’t manage to achieve a full house. 

• Availability: Mobile optimised site but no native applications for Android or iOS
• Live Streaming on Mobile: Not currently available
• Live Betting on Mobile: Yes
• Bonus: Matched bet of €10 for new customers (no bonus code required)

Mr. Play’s site is fully optimized for mobile, but currently, there are no native applications \ Betting apps for owners of Android or iOS devices to download.

That will surely be the next step.

There’s currently n

o live streaming available to bettors either, but punters will be pleased to know that Mr. Play’s impressive live betting options, including the Pulse Betting and Fast Markets features work well on mobile. This is a major attraction.

All the desktop betting options are available, and the new customer bonus applies, making this an attractive betting site for mobile users.

Many Irish bookmakers offer their new customers a generous welcome bonus when they first sign up for an account, however, they often tend to forget their existing customers and offer very little in the way of ongoing promotions. Although Mr. Play don’t have an inordinate amount of ongoing promotions, they do offer players the chance to benefit from accumulator boosts and enhanced odds. There also provide the opportunity to take part in numerous prediction competitions and this is a superb way of testing your knowledge and potentially winning some free bet tokens.  

At the time of writing (Jan 2022), there are numerous competitions hosted by Mr. Play: 

• Premier League Battle – A chance to compete for the €1000 cash prize pool each week. The top 20 players will each receive a payout. 
• Euro Elite Battle – Opt in and make your predictions for the chance to potentially win a share of the €1000 cash prize pool. Knowledge of top European leagues is required. 
• Horse Racing Battle – Correctly predict the winners and runners-up in various horse races each Wednesday and start climbing the leaderboard. The winner will take home €1000 in prize money.
• Battle of the Punters – This is a competition which is completely free to enter and will give you the chance to start climbing the leaderboard. With pride and cash prizes up for grabs, this is a great way of testing yourself against other Mr. Play users. 

So, you’ve signed up for an account and it’s time to start betting! Luckily, Mr. Play offer numerous ways to fund your account. Although all of the most popular options appear to be present, I was disappointed to see that Apple Pay, Online Bank Transfer and Bitcoin are not featured.  

You can make a deposit using VISA Debit and this is the easiest way to fund an account. Deposits are completed immediately and detailed are stored safely and securely on Mr. Play’s database. Although the number of e-wallets is limited, they do offer you the chance to use both PayPal and Neteller whereas PaySafeCard and Trustly are other options. All deposits are instant.  

Withdrawal times can vary and can be completed using all of the methods listed above, with the exception of PaySafeCard. E-wallets are the quickest way to collect your winnings and I was pleased to see that my money arrived in my PayPal account within 24 hours.  

The majority of methods take between 2-4 days to complete. Minimum deposits are withdrawals are currently set at €10, which is perfectly fair.  

Although I understand that some Irish punters may be left frustrated by the lack of payment options, I found that the payment process was incredibly simple and straightforward and I had very few issues when attempting to collect my winnings.  

In an ideal world, you wouldn’t need any assistance from Mr. Play’s customer support, however, it’s always good to know that there is help available if required.  

Live chat is the backbone of Mr. Play’s customer support and I found it extremely straightforward to use. I was connected to an advisor in under 60 seconds and I found the operative to be both helpful and knowledgeable. Mr. Play Ireland only operate their live chat service until 11pm, which is unfortunately, however, there are also other methods available.  

Although I didn’t personally use this route, I notice that Mr. Play answered one or two queries via social media. They tend to post very few updates, however, the Twitter page appears to be active and it is possible to get in touch with them using this method.  

There is also an email address and an online form which can be filled in. Responses are usually received with 24 hours and although I found this to be a little more inconvenient than using the live chat, It was a useful way of resolving a query. This form can be found by clicking the ‘contact us’ button at the bottom of the home page.  

Signing up for an online bookmaker can sometimes be a daunting experience, however, there are a few simple steps which can help you get started and placing bets on both the desktop and mobile site.

How to open an account with Mr. Play

Opening an account with Mr. Play Ireland is extremely straightforward.

Click the blue ‘Open Account’ button, which is located on the top right hand side of the home page, to get started.

You will be asked to create a username and password and once this stage has been completed, you will asked for a small number of personal details including mobile number and residential address. Once these have been submitted, you will receive a confirmation email which will contain a clickable link.

This will redirect you back to the home page and your account has been officially created. By clicking on ‘my account’, which is located on the top right hand side of the home page, you can amend your personal detailed at any point.

Mr. Play make it extremely straightforward to open an account and this can also be completed using the mobile site.

• Click ‘Open Account’
• Create a username and password
• Submit personal details (these will be stored safely) including telephone number and home address
• Choose your preferred currency
• Await confirmation email (usually arrives within 5 minutes)
• Click the link in the confirmation email
• Your account with Mr. Play has been officially registered

How to place a bet

Placing a bet is a simple process and Mr. Play make it easy to get started. There are numerous sports available and these are all listed down the left-hand side of the home page.

Unlike many other bookmakers, Mr. Play tend to divide each sport by country. For example, if you’re placing a tennis bet and click on ‘Australia’, you’ll be given the option of Australian Open Women, Australian Open Men and Australian Open Mixed Doubles.

Once you’ve selected your preferred competition, you’ll be presented with a wide variety of markets. If you’re wagering on football, you’ll see a full list of upcoming matches alongside the 1X2 and the Under/Over markets.

Click on your preferred bet. If you’re having a single bet, you only need to add one selection to your Bet Slip. If you fancy an accumulator, which is a great way of keeping across various competitions at the weekend, you can add each of your selections individually. If you need to check your bet or amend a selection, your Bet Slip can be found on the right hand side of the screen.

In your Bet Slip, you’ll see a grey bar which says the word ‘Stake’. Here, you’ll choose how much you would like to bet on this selection(s) and this can be entered manually. It’s always best to double and triple check your selections, I’ve made many betting mistakes due to rushing and not checking that I’ve chosen the correct market.

Once you’re happy, click ‘Place Bet’. You can go to ‘My Bets’ and check its progress at any point.

• Find a sporting event using the menu on the left-hand side
• Choose your preferred market
• Add your chosen bet to your Bet Slip
• Choose your stake
• Double Check (important!)
• Click ‘Place Bets’

How to Claim Mr. Play’s Welcome Bonus

Upon signing up for an account, you’ll be eligible to claim a €10 Bet Token. It’s an incredibly straightforward process and as long as you adhere to the terms and conditions, you’ll be able to use your Bet Token on any sports market within 14 days of completing your registration.

• Sign up for a Mr. Play account (see above)
• Make a deposit of at least €10
• Place a sports bet of €10 (at odds of 2.00 or greater)
• Once this has settled, you will receive a €10 Free Bet Token. This can be found in your account and must be used with 14 days of signing up.

How to Make a Deposit

In order to place a bet, you’ll need to fund your account. Luckily, it is extremely simple to make a deposit with Mr. Play

Clicking on your account, which is located on the top right hand side of the home page, is the best way to get started.

• Click on ‘My Account’
• Click on ‘Make a Deposit’ or ‘Deposit Now’
• Choose the amount that you’d like to deposit (minimum €10)
• Choose your preferred payment method.
• Submit the details of your VISA Debit or e-wallet. These details will be secured safely.
• Check the details and click ‘Complete Deposit’
• Your account will be funded instantly.

How to Make a Withdrawal

If you’ve been lucky enough to pick a few winners, you’ll probably want to withdraw your funds. It’s an incredibly simple process and if you withdraw using an e-wallet such as PayPal, you are likely to receive your winnings within 24 hours.

• Click on ‘My Account’
• Click on ‘Make a Withdrawal’
• Choose the amount that you’d like to withdraw. You do not have to withdraw all of your winnings. (minimum €10)
• You can choose your preferred withdrawal method, although Mr. Play will automatically assume that you’d prefer to use the same method as your deposit.
• Click on ‘Confirm Withdrawal’
• Your remaining balance will be displayed in your account.