Help

Sporting Index  has a dedicated Customer Services Team which is now open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you with any questions you may have about our service. This team can be contacted by the methods below:

E-mail
You can email us at enquiries@sportingindex.com and we will aim to respond within 1 hour. If you are an existing client please quote your account number.

Freephone
If you would prefer to speak to a member of our Customer Services Team, then call our freephone helpline
08000 96 96 07 and we will be more than happy to help.

Customers calling from the Republic of Ireland should call 1800 55 66 76. Customers calling from any other country should telephone +44 20 7840 4050. Please note that this is not a freephone number.

By post
Sporting Index Ltd
Gateway House
Milverton Street
Kennington
London SE11 4AP

Telephone Trading
If you wish to place bets via the telephone, please use one of the following freephone numbers:

Non Stop Loss Accounts: 08000 96 96 02

Stop Loss Accounts: 08000 96 96 03

Customers calling from the Republic of Ireland should use the freephone number: 1800 55 18 29

Customers calling from overseas: +44 20 7840 4000. Please note this is not a freephone number.

Mobile Betting

If you wish to place bets via our mobile betting service, please click here to download.

Media Enquiries

For all Press & Media enquiries please contact Bill Esdaile of 'Square in the Air PR' on + 44 (0)77 2167 8375 or email bill@squareintheair.com

1. What is Sports Spread Betting?
We make predictions on various aspects of sporting or topical events. You then decide whether that prediction has been pitched too high or too low.

You will notice that our predictions are presented in the form of two prices. This range is known as the 'spread' and you bet low (also known as a 'Sell') at the first named price and if you wish to bet high (also known as a 'Buy') you would do so at the second price.

For example, if someone asked you to guess their age, you might say 'somewhere between 35 and 38 years old'. In the same way, when we make a prediction, we allow a range. If you were betting on this prediction you would bet low at 35 years or bet high at 38 years.

2. What are the benefits of spread betting?
Spread betting brings more excitement to live sport than any other form of sports betting:

• Your involvement lasts all the way through to the last minute.
• The more you're right, the more you win and vice versa.
• You can back a team or individual to perform well or badly.
• You can oppose favourites without nominating who will beat them.
• Bets can be closed or new ones opened at any time during live events.
• You can create your own bets using our 'multiples' feature.

3. How can I learn how to spread bet?
Apart from reading the betting explanations within this website, you can learn about spread betting without risking any money by:

• Clicking here to view our spread betting training ground - 'How to Spread Bet'.
• Clicking here to open up a 'Play for Fun' Sporting Index account. This will enable you to bet with tokens to develop your spread betting knowledge and skills.
• Clicking here to try our great spread betting games for fun.

4. How can I win or lose money?
What you win or lose depends on the stake size you choose and how right or wrong you are. Sporting Index might predict that the 1st goal in a match between Chelsea and Manchester United will be scored in the 36th minute and consequently set a spread of 35 - 37 minutes.

One client who believes there is bound to be an early goal goes LOW at 35 minutes while another who thinks that both defences will be at their best goes HIGH at 37 minutes. If the 1st goal is scored in the 25th minute, the client who went LOW at 35 minutes wins 10 times his stake (35 minutes take away 25 minutes = 10) while the client who went HIGH at 37 minutes loses 12 times his stake.

5. Isn't spread betting risky?
Spread betting can be very rewarding and produce large returns on small stakes. Basically the more you're right, the more you win. However, the opposite may also be true. The more you're wrong, the more you potentially lose. The profit or loss is determined by the difference between the final result and the level at which the bet was originally made, multiplied by the stake that you nominated. In some volatile markets, such as cricket runs, your profit or loss can escalate very rapidly.

For this reason, careful control is vital and we recommend four basic guidelines:

• Always work out what the realistic worst case scenario of the bet could be and relate it to the amount that you are prepared to stake. Also remember to check whether there is a maximum result that the bet can make-up.
• Where possible, keep a careful eye on the event on which you have placed the bet, and be prepared to cut a loss if the bet is going against you.
• Recognise that some sports betting markets are more volatile than others (i.e. the final result could be a long way off from the original quote).
• Always remember that you may lose more than your original stake.

With our Stop Loss account you can benefit from a cap on the amount that can be lost. It is important that you familiarise yourself with the stop loss rules; they can limit your winnings, limit the size of the bet if it was to expose you to excessive risk, or in some instances cause a bet to be refused.

6. Can I bet once an event has started?
On of the exciting elements that spread betting offers is the fact that you don't have to wait until the end of an event to take a profit, cut a loss or place further bets on fluctuating prices or new markets. Betting in-running during a live game is a test of your skill and judgement, as we are constantly updating our predictions as the event unfolds.

7. Is there any incentive for opening an account with Sporting Index?
Yes. Sporting Index offer all new clients a free bet on a choice of sports. For more details and the full terms and conditions of this offer, please click here.

8. Is there any incentive for introducing a friend to Sporting Index?
Yes. Any client who introduces a friend to Sporting Index will be eligible to a promotional bet on a choice of sports. For more details and the full terms and conditions of this offer, please click here.

9. What are the different ways of depositing funds with Sporting Index?
Clients can deposit funds into their account in a number of ways. The main methods of payment are cheque, debit card (Maestro, Visa & Solo) credit card (Visa & Mastercard) and with a secure online funds transfer (NETELLER & moneybookers). Clients should be aware that there is a 1.5% charge for payments by credit card and a £25 charge for a CHAPS bank transfer.

10. How do I receive my winnings?
Sporting Index will settle credit accounts weekly (or fortnightly in the case of Stop Loss accounts) and payment will be made by either cheque and/or debit card. Deposit account holders can request for money to be paid by either method.

If the account is debit card managed it is important to note the following:

• In the case of a credit account, the sum debited or credited will be sufficient to return the account balance to zero.
• In the case of a deposit account, the sum debited or credited will be sufficient to return the credit balance of the account to its initial paid-up deposit (or any subsequent level mutually agreed and confirmed by Sporting Index in writing).

It is very important that all clients who have elected to manage their accounts by Maestro/Visa/Solo to advise Sporting Index promptly of any change in detail of their Maestro/Visa/Solo card.

11. Will I get confirmation of my bets?
Yes, when a bet is placed a bet confirmation box will appear showing the bet reference number. Online bets should not be considered to have been placed unless a bet reference number is received. If in doubt, customers should review their open bets listed on their account in the Account History section.

12. What if I discover a discrepancy in my Account History?
While we make every effort to ensure that all trades are booked correctly, there may be occasions when you wish to query an entry on your statement. If you believe a trade has been recorded incorrectly on your account, or you have any questions relating to your statement, you can call our Customer Services Team on freephone 08000 96 96 07 (UK customers only). Irish customers should call 1800 55 66 76 and customers calling from any other country should telephone +44 20 7840 4050.

Please note a query should be made within 14 days of any notification of the details of a trade and no query with regard to purported missing trades will be entertained unless the client can provide reasonably accurate details of the time and date of the trade in question.

13. Is Sporting Index open for business 24 hours a day?
Clients can place bets on their accounts 24 hours a day via the telephone, the website and Bet on the Move.

14. What is your complaints procedure?
All queries regarding accounts should either be made in writing or communicated to:

Sporting Index
Gateway House
Milverton Street
London SE11 4AP

Freephone: 08000 96 96 07
Email: enquiries@sportingindex.com

Any query should be made within 14 days of receipt of bet settlement. No query with regard to purported missing bets will be entertained unless the client can provide reasonably accurate details of the time and date of the purported bet.

Complaints that cannot be settled may be referred to:

The Financial Ombudsman Service
South Quay Plaza
183 Marsh Wall
London
E14 9SR
Tel: 0845 080 1800

15. How can I stop Sporting Index emails going into my spam folder?
To prevent you receiving unwanted spam email, some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) block messages from senders whose email addresses are not in the recipient's Address Book or on their Safe Senders list.
To ensure your Sporting Index messages reach you in the future please add promotions@sportingindex.com to your Address Book or Safe Senders List. We have provided instructions on how to do this for the most commonly used ISPs:

Hotmail / MSN mail
1. Sign in and click 'Mail' on the left side of the page
2. Click on 'Options' in the top right of your screen
3. Click on 'Safe and blocked senders' under 'Junk e-mail'
4. Click on 'Safe senders'
5. Type in the 'sender or domain to mark as safe' box, and then click 'Add to list'.

Gmail
To add an email address to your contact list:
1. From your Gmail inbox, open the Sporting Index email you have received
2. Click on the blue down arrow next to the Reply button at the top of the email
3. Select 'Add Promotions to Contact list'

Yahoo mail
To instruct Yahoo to filter it to your Inbox:
1. Open your Yahoo mailbox
2. Click Options (top right)
3. Click Filters
4. Next, click Add Filter
5. In the top row, labelled From header:, make sure 'contains' is selected in the pull-down menu
6. Click in the text box next to that pull-down menu, and then enter the address promotions@sportingindex.com
7. At the bottom, where it says 'Move the message to', select Inbox from the pull-down menu
8. Click the Add Filter button again

AOL mail
To add our email address to your Address Book or Custom Sender List:
*AOL 9.0:
1. Click the 'Spam Controls' link (lower right area of your inbox)
2. When the 'Mail & Spam Controls' box appears, click 'Custom sender list'
3. Choose 'allow email from' option
4. Add the domain sportingindex.com
5. Click 'Add', then 'Save'
*AOL 7 & 8:
1. Go to Keyword Mail Controls
2. Select the screen name you are using to receive email
3. Click 'Customize Mail Controls For This Screen Name'
4a. For AOL version 7.0: In the section for 'exclusion and inclusion parameters', include the following domain: * @sportingindex.com 
4b. For AOL version 8.0: Select 'Allow email from all AOL members, email addresses and domains'
5. Click on 'Next' until the 'Save' button shows up at the bottom
6. Click 'Save'

Outlook 2003
To make sure you can see emails as they were intended to be seen (including images), add our email address to your address book and safe senders list.
To add our email address to your address book:
1. Right click on the email subject line
2. Click on 'Junk E-mail'
3. Choose 'Add Sender To Safe Senders List'

1. What is the difference between a sports spread bet and virtual games spread bet?

Not a great deal. In a normal sports spread bet we make a prediction on a future event, say, the number of runs scored in an over. The prediction is based on the combination of historic data, the context of what is happening in the game and ultimately the traders view on what is going to happen. In the example of the number of runs scored in an over we may predict, say, between 5.5 and 6 runs will be scored. The client will either bet higher (buy) than 6 or lower (sell) than 5.5 runs. If they went high at 6 runs at £1 per run they would win £1 for every run above 6 and lose £1 per run for every £1 run less than 6. The future event then occurs and we determine the market result (in this case the number of runs scored) and settle the bet by calculating the profit and loss.

A virtual games bet works in pretty much the same way. We make a prediction on a future event. The client bets higher or lower. Instead of an actual live sporting event taking place and giving us a make up, a random number generator (RNG) is used to generate random numbers to determine the make up. For example in our Cricket Roulette game there is a market on the number of runs scored in an over. Six random numbers are required to represent the number of runs scored for each ball in the over. Once a result is calculated the bet is settled by calculating the profit and loss.

2. So if there is no trader involvement how do you make your prediction?

By using mathematical probability analysis on the games rules we can calculate what we expect to happen on average in the long run. We then take a spread either side of this average. We may also simulate a large number of games to get a historical average.

3. So how does the RNG work?

It is an off the shelf hardware/software RNG unit that has been used in a number of applications across the gaming industry. A naturally occurring random phenomenon called `Johnson noise' is used to cede and recede a software random number generating algorithm. The unit produces a random number every 0.5 seconds. When a game requires a random number it simply waits until the next one is generated and uses that.

The RNG produces numbers without knowing anything about the client, their bet history and what bet they are having. Many random numbers are generated that are never used in a game.

4. So how do you know the RNG is random?

As stated above the unit has been used in a number of applications across the gaming industry and has been tested for randomness. Sporting Index Ltd have also engaged The University of Hertfordshire Statistical Services and Consultancy Unit to review the output from our RNG. The conclusion from the work is included on our website. They have also performed work for Camelot and the National Lottery. The work was performed by Dr Neil Spencer whose research interests include tests of randomness.

Sporting Index recognises that online security is an area of vital importance for all our clients. As a result it is imperative that clients should be fully satisfied that their banking details and betting transactions are 100% safe and secure before they commence betting online.

With this in mind, the Sporting Index website has been designed with security of paramount importance. We have selected Datacash (www.datacash.com) the UK's leading provider of e-commerce payment solutions, to be our security partner. Datacash are market leaders in their field and boast a considerable number of high profile retail and leisure customers.

Encryption
A key area of online security is encryption, that is to say that any communication between you and Sporting Index is written in code. Therefore as your personal details travel over the Internet they will appear unreadable and meaningless, allowing the details to remain secure. In the unlikely event that someone was able to monitor the information traffic between you and our server, they would possess no means of comprehending it. All the pages within our payment system use this method of encryption.

Data Protection Act 1998.
We may process information relating to you (including personal data as defined under the Data Protection Act 1998) including holding such information in manual format or electronic database in order to satisfy any contractual, regulatory or statutory requirements we may have or for any marketing purposes within the Sporting Index Group. Unless we receive specific written instructions to the contrary, by providing this information you agree that we may process this information in order for us to fulfil such obligations and purposes.

On receiving your card details comprehensive online checks will be made with our bankers. This confirms the validity of the card details and prevents any fake or made up numbers from being held in our payment system. If you have any queries regarding any aspect of our online security do feel free to contact us.

I've forgotten my username or password? 

Please contact our Customer Services Team for free on 08000 969607.

What happens if I enter an incorrect password? 

If you enter an incorrect password three times in succession, your access to your online account will be suspended for security reasons. If this occurs, please contact our Customer Services Team for free on 08000 969607.

I can't view the website properly

The first thing to make sure of is that the website has loaded completely in the web browser. To ensure the browser downloads a completely fresh version of our pages hold down the CTRL key and press F5. This will ensure you have all the latest content from our site and all the elements that combine to make up a page are fresh and valid.

If you are still experiencing problems viewing our website it might be that your browser is currently not accepting session cookies. This is easy to resolve and can be done in different ways depending on what browser you have:

Internet Explorer

Select Internet Options from the Tools menu and either:

Internet Explorer 6 and 7
Select the Privacy tab, set the slider to Medium, and press the OK button. Alternatively, select Privacy then Advanced and tick the boxes next to 'Override automatic cookie handling' and 'Always allow session cookies'.

Internet Explorer 5
Select the Security tab, then Internet, then Custom Level. A new window will appear. Scroll down and select the option to 'Allow per session cookies'.

(You can find out which version of Internet Explorer you are using by clicking Help and then About Internet Explorer on your browser menu).

Mozilla Firefox
Select the Tools menu, followed by Options and select the Privacy tab. Ensure that the check box for 'Accept cookies from sites' is ticked.

Our website is primarily designed for viewing using Internet Explorer 6 or greater. It can also be viewed using Mozilla Firefox. If you have been experiencing problems viewing our site with an older version of Internet Explorer and neither of the above fixes have helped you might want to try downloading Mozilla Firefox for free be clicking here. Please contact our Customer Services Team for free on 08000 969607 if you have any problems.

Safari (for Apple Mac users)
From the EDIT menu, choose preferences. Select the Security tab. Tick the 'Only from Sites You Navigate To' option. Click the X in the top left corner to close the window.

I'm having difficulty with viewing the website on my widescreen laptop

If the site is not being displayed properly this may be caused by your laptop trying to change the size of the images on the site. Another symptom of this is that images appear to have jagged edges as the scaling isn't applied correctly. The problem usually only occurs if your DPI setting is 120dpi instead of 96dpi.

To check your DPI settings right click on the Desktop, then select Properties. You should then see the Display Properties box on the screen. Click on the Settings option and then click on the General tab at the top of the box. The DPI Setting is displayed here.

If your DPI setting is greater than 96dpi and you are having display issues please set this at 96dpi and see if the problem is resolved. This might make everything on the PC appear much smaller.

If you need to use 120dpi you will need to apply a fix your computer. If you need further information regarding this then please contact our Customer Services team for free on 08000 969607.

Please remember that if you are having any type of display issue then you will need to provide us with a screengrab of the problem. The details of how to do this are at the bottom of this page. The screengrab and full details of the problem should be sent to enquiries@sportingindex.com.

How does stop loss work?

If your account number begins with two letters, this means that you have a Stop-Loss account. Most trades that you place will have a limit to the potential profit or loss on that trade. For example, you may wish to sell a batsman's runs in a Test match at a price of 50 for £1. If the batsman goes on to score 200 runs, this would normally result in a loss of £150. However the stop-loss limit for this market is set at 100, so the most you would lose would be £100 (100 times the stake). Of course this works both ways, so if you had bought the runs the maximum profit you could make would be 100 times the stake.

The stop-loss level for any market is indicated on the screen at the time when the bet is being placed. There is also a list of the most common stop-loss levels available to view by clicking here.

Should you wish to add or remove the stop-loss facility to your account, please email enquiries@sportingindex.com with your account details and request, although due to credit issues we cannot guarantee that your request will be successful.

What's the difference between margin and trading balances?

When you deposit funds online, you will be asked whether you wish to deposit funds to your trading or margin account. The trading account is the balance that can be used to place trades, whilst funds that are in the margin account are offset against any potential losses on long term positions that might be open on your account - funds in the margin account cannot be used for trading purposes. If you wish to transfer funds between these two accounts, please contact Customer Services for free on 08000 969607 for assistance.

Why is my card payment being declined and what can I do to resolve it?

When a payment is attempted online, the two most important pieces of information (apart from the card number) are the 3 digit security code on the back of the card, and the postcode. Payments are declined if the postcode entered is not the same as the postcode that your card issuer has on record for you, so you should ensure that the postcode entered is the same as that held by the card issuer.

Credit card companies are now starting to put blocks on payments made to certain companies such as Gaming companies like ourselves. If you are trying to make a payment for the first time with a newly-registered credit card, you may need to contact the card issuer and request that they remove this block before you can make a deposit online.

The vast majority of problems with deposits originate from the card issuers themselves rather than with our online system. Whilst we will always be happy to try and help with any problems, contacting the card issuer first may be the quickest and easiest way to resolve any problems.

How do I add/amend my card details?

To add a credit/debit card onto your account, you should click on the My Account link, then on My Banking Centre, then Register New Card, where you will be prompted to enter the new card details. Please note that an account can only have a maximum of 5 cards registered at any time.

The facility to amend existing card details is not at present available on line - should you wish to do so, please contact our Customer Services department for free on 08000 969607 and we will be able to process any amendments.

Why are some of my bets being declined when I have enough funds in the account?

Sometimes bets that are placed online will not be accepted, despite the account having sufficient funds to cover any losses. If the potential losses of the trade would take your account near to your available funds limit, then this could be a reason why the trade is not accepted. Similarly, if there are other open positions on the account at the time of the trade being attempted, then the online system will take any potential losses from these trades when new trades are placed.

After placing any trade online, we always recommend that you check your open positions to ensure that the bet has been accepted as you requested. If you experience any problems placing a trade, please contact our Customer Services department for free on 08000 969607.

Reporting a problem

In order to try and resolve the technical issue(s) that you may be experiencing, please provide us with the answers to the questions below, giving as much detail as possible:

1. Customer Account Number?
2. Description of the problem?
3. Time and date of the first occurence of the issue?
4. Was the issue a one-off or is it ongoing?
5. Are you using a PC or a Mac?
6. Which Internet browser are you using? E.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox, AOL etc.
7. Please give any other details that may help in troubleshooting your issue e.g. have you had any firewall, anti-virus or popup-killer software recently installed?

Taking a screenshot

Whenever you can, please support your feedback with screenshots of the problem you are experiencing. Please follow the instructions below if you are unfamiliar with how to take screen shots:

Windows

To capture a picture of the screen simply press the 'Print Screen' key, usually located on the top row of the keyboard, above either the cursor or the number pad keys. NOTE: If you just wish to capture the currently active window instead of the whole desktop, hold the ALT key when you press 'Print Screen'. This will place an image copy of the screen into the computer clipboard but you will need to insert that into a file so that can be emailed to our Customer Services team.

To create an image file, open MS Paint (Start Menu > Programs > Accessories > Paint). Insert the image from the clipboard by pressing CTRL+V and then save the image to your PC so you may attach it to the email you send. NOTE: The default type of image created will be BMP which is quite large. To save a smaller size file, choose JPEG in the 'Save as type' dropdown selector below 'File name' in the 'Save File' dialog.

Alternatively most word processing packages will also insert the image from the clipboard when you press CTRL+V. You should then save the document and attach that to the email you send to us.

MAC

Pressing Command-Shift-3 takes a screenshot of the entire screen, and Command-Shift-4 takes a screenshot of a chosen area of the screen. These images are saved to the desktop and can be attached to the email you send to us.

Please return this information/completed form to us at enquiries@sportingindex.com. Once we have this information returned to us, it will be passed to our IT department for review. We will come back to you as soon as we can.