Paddy Power
General information
Paddy Power is a Republic of Ireland based betting site operating out of Dublin. Powers holds several different licenses but in day to day operations it is its Alderney license that is being used. Paddy Power was founded in 1988 after a merger between three existing Irish companies. From the outset the company took an unconventional approach to betting and adopted a commitment to offer greater value and fairness to customers. Paddy Power were the original instigators of the "Money Back Specials" and can often be found paying out on bets early and paying out if sporting rules have been stretched.
Financial matters
Improving year on year. The company is still a serious growth case with the last full year financial report (2011) showing a 17% growth in revenues. Over E500M was turned over in the company the same year. For 2012 I expect even more growth as they have moved into the lucrative Australian market. The company is one of the biggest within the gaming industry and is backed with the significant profits generated over the last 25 years.
Payment Methods
Paddy Power have various solutions depending on what market you are in. They have a massive range of payment options including debit/credit card, PayPal, Moneybookers/Skrill, Ukash, Neteller, Paysafe, Paybymobile, Bank transfer and for customers in the UK and Ireland a prepay cash card can be loaded with money. There are a massive list of the usual restricted territories, the full list can be found here.
Website performance and usability
Paddy Power have a very easy website to navigate. Speed is very fast and the setup is very well thought out. The website functions surprisingly easy given all the content on-site. For a beginner or a seasoned gambler this site is very easy to get top grips with. They include a variety of sporting statistics close to hand on the site and I do find these invaluable when betting, particularly on soccer. I personally rate Powers as one of the best betting sites out there.
Customer Service
Paddy Powers like to pride themselves on being the "Punters friend" and having used their online support regularly I can vouch for them being close to one of the best customer services out there. Incredibly fast live chat with few or little queuing time. The support staff are very knowledgeable about all matters and problems are dealt with very quickly and amicably. Another thing they are available for is if you want to suggest a bet. If there is anything you want to bet on and require a price you can message them and they will usually oblige with something.