Chapter 1

Commission

• What are the commission rates on Betdaq and Smarkets?
• Can you get 0% commission on Smarkets?
• And is it worth it?

Let’s find out!

There will be no fireworks in this section. Short and to the point – both Smarkets and Betdaq charge a 2% commission on winnings. That’s it. While with Betdaq, the 2% commission is fixed regardless of other promotions, when it comes to Smarkets, you can get 0%.

However, we’d like to point out that it’s not as easy as it looks and will only pay off when your monthly turnover on this exchange is at least £1,500.

It looks beautiful, doesn’t it? 

Zero percent commission, who wouldn’t be tempted?

What is the catch?

This promotion is only available to premium account users on OddsMonkey, Profit Accumulator or Profit Maximiser. Moreover, suppose we want to take advantage of this promotion. In that case, we are forced to deposit money on the Smarkets exchange via debit card because deposits via Skrill, Netteler, Trustly or Paypal exclude us from getting 0% commission.

After a straightforward calculation, it’s easy to conclude that this promotion won’t pay off, especially for novice traders who don’t intend to trade over £1,500 per month.

In this category, both Smarkets and Betdaq perform well. Therefore, a fixed 2% commission is a satisfactory commission rate, and we award a tie.

Chapter 2

Markets availability

In the section below you will find out:

• How many markets do Betdaq and Smarkets have?
• Which exchange performs better?
• What is Betdaq better at?

Here we go!

What is the market availability like on both exchanges? We have checked it out fully and you will find a summary of the LIVE sports events in the table below.

There’s a world of difference with Smarkets looking much better than Betdaq. Moreover, it has a more significant number of live sports, plus the number of markets, e.g. in the case of Tennis, is enormous! Betdaq is only better when it comes to Football. 

Please note that this comparison was made on a weekday afternoon. The final result may vary slightly, but 24 tennis markets to 4? That tilts the win in this category in favour of Smarkets Exchange.

Chapter 3

Liquidity

In this section you will find out:

• Why is liquidity so important?
• How is liquidity in live and pre-match events?
• Which one is better overall?

Let’s have a look!

It is time for an important aspect that we always consider when choosing a suitable exchange – liquidity.

After all, what use is having a vast number of markets if there is little or no liquidity? It will not allow us to trade, and if it does, the amounts available will be minimal.

We will compare liquidity at the live and pre-match events. But, first, let’s look at a match from K League 1 in South Korea.

In a live match of a not very popular event, Betdaq looks better. There is three times the amount of money matched in the market, and we also have more money waiting to be placed.

Next, let’s consider the extremely popular Premier League and a match-up between Liverpool and Southampton.

This is the pre-match market.

I do not think there is the slightest doubt here. Smarkets crushes Betdaq in terms of liquidity. Almost half a million pounds already matched on Smarkets to just £32,000 on Betdaq.

In addition, much more significant amounts of money are pending on the market, as can be seen by looking to the right of the Lay column – these are the next odds and pending amounts.

Smarkets perform better in terms of liquidity. Okay, let’s move on.

Chapter 4

Welcome Offer

Read this section and you will find out:

• How to get 0% commission for 60 days on Smarkets?
• What are the welcome bonuses on Betdaq & Smarkets?
• Who offers the biggest range of welcome offers?
• What are the promo codes?

Let’s get down to reading!

What would the exchanges be without a welcome offer? Probably no newcomer would be tempted to use their services because who doesn’t like to take advantage of extra promotions?

Anyone who gave up reading this article before this point probably thinks that we made the mistake of assigning a fixed 2% commission to the Smarkets exchange and did not mention the possibility of getting 0% commission for 60 days.

Nothing could be further from the truth. We waited with this information until now because obtaining 0% commission is possible only for new players who register their account with the appropriate code. 

So there are two bonuses available on the Smarkets Exchange:

• 0% commission for 60 days with the promo code: COMMFREE
• A £20 cash refund with the promo code: SMK20

Welcome bonuses look slightly better on the Betdaq Exchange:

• Bet £20 & get £20 with the promo code: BG2020
• Your fiirst month’s commission back as cash up to £1000 with the promo code: DAQBACK
• Bet £10 & get £10 with the promo code: BDQ10
• Bet £10 & get £10 (Virtuals only) with the promo code: V1010

Betdaq may not have impressed with its number of available markets and liquidity, but it is trying to make up for these shortcomings with its welcome bonuses. It has reduced its losses against the Smarkets exchange to just a one-point lead.

Chapter 5

Payment Methods

• What payment methods are available?
• Who offers the best range of payment methods?
• What are the deposit limits?
• Can you deposit with Skrill on Betdaq and Smarkets?

Let’s go!

Well, some of you probably have your favourite online wallets and are wondering how you will be able to deposit your funds.

So let’s check out the available payment methods.

1. Smarkets

• Bank Transfer
• Debit Card
• Paypal (£20 minimum deposit – £200 max limit)
• Neteller (£20 minimum deposit – £5,000 max limit)
• Skrill (£10 minimum deposit – £5,000 max limit)

2. Betdaq

• Bank Transfer (£10 minimum deposit)
• Visa/Mastercard (£10 minimum deposit)
• Paypal (£5 minimum deposit)
• Neteller (£5 minimum deposit
• Skrill (£5 minimum deposit)
• Cheque (£10 minimum deposit)

What is noticeable is the availability of Neteller, Skrill and Paypal on both exchanges. However, a downside is that the maximum deposit to the Smarkets exchange via Paypal wallet is just £200. 

Furthermore, Betdaq also has the option to deposit via cheque – this is admittedly not a huge plus, as who uses cheques nowadays?

Nevertheless, due to the deposit limits on the Smarkets exchange, Betdaq makes it a deserved draw by winning on payment methods.

Chapter 6

Features

• What additional features can we find on exchanges?
• Do they work with trading software?
• Are there mobile apps for Betdaq and Smarkets?

Take a look at the table and click on the link!

What help can we find on both exchanges? You do not have to look far. Just look in the table and click on the category you want, and you will be taken to the section of your choice.

There are no winners in this category 🙂

Chapter 7

Usability

In this short section you will find out:

• What does the interface look like on the exchanges?
• Which is better to use?

Let’s get through this quickly!

At first glance, it may seem that Betdaq is neater, due to the interface used by Smarkets. In addition, it is relatively large, which may cause problems initially, but it is a matter of getting used to it.

Betdaq’s interface is more compressed so it’s comfortable to view and also makes it easier for us to move around and use the available functions.

Using both services may vary according to each person’s preferences, so we will not pass judgment here. After a few days of using one exchange or the other, you will find your way around without problems.

Chapter 8

Mobile App

• Where to download the Smarkets or Betdaq app?
• Is it worth using the app?
• How will it help us?
• Who is it for?

Here we go!

If you happen to use mobile applications, we have good news. Both Smarkets and Betdaq have released apps to download that run on iOS and Android.

Read our reviews:

• Smarkets Exchange App

As we have already mentioned in one article, we will not rate apps that we do not use because we do not need them for anything.

When trading professionally, it is all about responsiveness and fluidity of movements and moving through the markets quickly.

We will not experience this in an app and always recommend trading via a desktop website.

However, if you like to keep an eye on your bets, the application will help you. Thanks to it, you will be able to control your bet, play lay and back bets, and deposit or withdraw money from your account.

The mobile app can be a great convenience, especially if you plan to leave the house and there are significant changes in your chosen market.

Chapter 9

Support

• How do you contact support?
• Where do you find the contact tabs?
• What are all the contact options?

Not sure how to contact the support team?
Find it out!

If you have encountered a problem, you can contact the live chat. On Smarkets, you have to select “Live Chat” in the top centre of the home page and on Betdaq, you will find the appropriate tab at the bottom right.

That’s not all – there are also other ways to contact support, which we present in the table below. 

As for Betdaq Twitter, we are not sure if they will give you any help there, but you can try and let us know!

Chapter 10

Reliability

• Are both exchanges reliable?
• Are they safe?
• What licenses do they have and where do they operate?

Check if you are completely safe!

No need to be worried – both exchanges are fully vetted and have the necessary certifications. So there will be no problems with cash withdrawals, verification or blocking your account for no reason.

Smarkets (Malta) Limited is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 39173.

Licensed and regulated outside of the UK by Malta Gaming Authority (MGA/B2C/162/2008 issued May 12th, 2009).

Betdaq is operated by Exchange Platform Solutions Limited, licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number 34865.

For people gambling in the Republic of Ireland, BETDAQ (Exchange Platform Solutions Limited) holds Remote Bookmaker’s Licence No. 1018033 and Remote Betting Intermediary’s Licence No. 1018032.

For people gambling outside Great Britain or the Republic of Ireland, BETDAQ (Exchange Platform Solutions Limited) is licensed and regulated by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission.

Chapter 11

Summary

• Which exchange performs better?
• What determined the final score?
• Is it worth opening an account at the other?

Take a look at the comparison summary!

In conclusion, while Betdaq is trying, we need to note the three most important factors – commissions, availability of markets, and liquidity. We can even throw in welcome bonuses to strengthen Betdaq’s position. 

Nonetheless, Smarkets has a significant advantage over the Betdaq exchange due to the greater number of pre-match and live markets and better liquidity. 

However, it is worth mentioning that the weaker liquidity and smaller number of markets do not entirely disqualify Betdaq. With a clear conscience, we can recommend this exchange, and everyone should have an account on it. 

It is worth having an alternative to the Betfair website, and the best ones to use are Smarkets and Betdaq.