Unikrn review
BettingFellow Rating: 9.00/10
We often talk about appreciating innovation in online sports betting, and how original ideas can take the experience to a whole new level. In terms of originals ideas, Unikrn has to be one of the most innovative betting services we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing.
It’s an esports betting site, which is still a bit of a novel concept. However, Unikrn offers options you’re not likely to see anywhere else. For example, you can wager on the results of your own matches by connecting Unikrn to your favourite games. However, we should note that, for the majority of users, real money betting will not be available.
Unikrn – The Next Step in Video Game Betting
Unikrn was the brainchild of a collaboration between Rahul Sood and Karl Flores, entrepreneurs who had some big ideas about what the 21st century can bring to the standard formula of online bookmakers. They sought to combine the emerging esports betting market with blockchain technology (which is commonly used in cryptocurrencies), along with new-found services that seek to connect the activity of playing games with third-party communities. For example, think of those games which use audience interaction on Twitch to affect the actual gameplay.
The result?An exciting esports betting platform that has a lot to offer even to people outside the initial target audience. For starters, it offers an extended range of online gambling services, such as an online casino. Obviously, there is also a very functional esports sportsbook, which offers more-or-less standard fixtures on esports tournaments. The quality and coverage of this betting site are exceptional in their own right, but we’ll get to that later.
How Does Unikrn Work?
The truly innovative parts of Unikrn are two separate sections of the website: Umode and Moneymatch. Umode allows you to bet on yourself by connecting the betting platform to various gaming platforms such as Steam. You can do so on multiple markets for each match. How does Umode work on Unikrn, then? Interestingly, this feature does not require private lobbies or any sort of hassle beyond just firing up your favourite game’s ranked mode and winning whatever market you wagered on. To the uninitiated, the system might seem rife for exploitation – but it has stood the test of time so far. Besides, the majority of players play for Unikrn tokens and in-game rewards.
The other option is called MoneyMatch. Essentially, this feature allows you to create a prize pool with a group of players and play for it. Firstly, you have to fill a lobby. You can do so with either your friends or rely on Unikrn’snetwork to find players willing to participate. With that out of the way, a “buy-in” amount is decided. All the participants pool their money or tokens and the winner takes it all. Depending on which game you’re playing, this might involve splitting the pool among the members of a winning team.
Last but not least, Unikrn has one more feature which attempts to blend online gambling with competitive video games called Loot. This time, however, it’s not about esports wagering – Loot is a variation of the classic lottery. It works like this: Unikrn sets up a reward item. These can include multiple things – more often than not, it’s an in-game cosmetic item such as CS:GO skins or Dota 2 gear. However, we’ve seen other rewards such as game CD keys.
Players can then submit “tickets” as their entry, which are separated into gold and silver tickets. Golden tickets are bought with Unikoin Gold, a functioning cryptocurrency created in association with Ethereum specifically for this betting site. Silver tickets are obtained from Unikoin Silver, tokens which are limited to the Unikoin economy. Unikrn Loot then works pretty much like a raffle. Gold tickets are 9 times more likely to net you the raffle reward.
For a more detailed explanation about UnikrnConnekt and the economy of gold and silver, scroll down to the section on deposits and withdrawals.Licensing & Safety
Before going any further, we should probably make it clear that 2 sides of Unikrn need to be separated: the classic sportsbook and online casino which relies on cash betting, and everything else which uses Unikoin Gold and on-site tokens for betting.
From a legal perspective, it is very important to separate the two. For starters, cash betting ins only available in a handful of countries: Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. These operations are run under a licence from the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission, by the Online Gambling Regulation Act of 2001. We’re aware that this is not the most famous of remote gambling licences, but it does provide a degree of safety. Besides, if UK law is fine with Unikrn, most players can rest easy.
So, where is Unikrn legal? Only in the above-mentioned countries? Not exactly. Gambling laws are still poorly defined when it comes to cryptocurrencies – in most cases, such gambling is not even considered gambling from a legal standpoint. That's the main reason why most US betting sites only offer withdrawals in Bitcoin.
Seeing how all activities except cash betting on Unikrn are not regulated by Gambling legislation, the site’s services are available practically everywhere. Of course, the question of the value of “currencies” which are limited to a single site is a matter of some debate. Besides, history has taught us that such systems can sometimes be used to circumvent the law and target, for example, minors. Still, it does allow for a lot of freedom when it comes to availability.
On the flip side, the fact that Unikrn Gold is a fully-fledged cryptocurrency has its upsides. For starters, it is completely safe and anonymous. Cryptocurrencies are highly encrypted by their very nature. Unikrn Gold takes this a step further by using a private ledger model, which allows users to avoid blockchain fees. The system also uses a separate wallet called Unikrn Wallet, which utilizes private keys which only allow the player to send transactions.
Deposit and Withdrawals
First up, we’ll start with the classic cash deposits and withdrawals at Unikrn. As noted above, only residents of the UK, New Zealand, Australia, or the Republic of Ireland are allowed cash transactions. Everyone else can use the site but will have to use Unikrn gold or silver.
While it is true that traditional banking options are secondary to the cryptocurrencies, Unikrn still boasts a fairly wide selection of options. These include credit and debit cards, Sofort, Neteller, Skrill, Giropay, Bitpay, Trustly, MuchBetter, and bank transfers. Withdrawals at Unikrn can take up to 3 days for most methods, while deposits are instant in most cases. As always, methods such as bank transfers might take a bit longer depending on your bank.
This esports betting site boasts a record selection of cryptocurrency options. Besides Unikrn’s proprietary currency dubbed Unikoin Gold, the bookie also accepts payments in Bitcoin, Ethereum, TRON, Dogecoin, Ethereum Classic, Tether, Litecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, Dash, and XRP.
All transactions have a minimum of $7 – or the equivalent in other currencies. Regardless of the withdrawal method, the maximum amount a user can withdraw from Unikrn is 500,000 Euros. As far as we can tell, this applies to both cash and crypto transactions, including Unikrn Gold and silver.
So, what is Unikoin Silver? Silver is just a system of tokens used across Unikrn’s platform. Let’s get one thing out of the way: Unikrn Silver has no actual value in a monetary sense. Silver is earned by playing your favourite games while connected to Unikrn using a service they call Connekt. It can be used to placed wagers – but you can only win more silver. It can be used to purchase silver tickets and enter various raffles and such, but these mostly have rewards such as in-game skins – as discussed above. However, because this is not real-money wagering, almost anyone can participate in it. Still, the same can be said for Unikrn Gold
What is Unikoin Gold? Unlike silver, gold has a very real, tangible and convertible value. It works pretty much like any other cryptocurrency and should be immediately familiar if you have experience with them. However, the fact that silver and gold tickets can be used for Unikrn rewards ensures that gold’s value will never spiral out of control. Unikoin Gold is currently only usable on Unikrn and a few partners, but it can easily be converted into other cryptos and eventually into fiat currencies.
Customer Support
First of all, the majority of information relevant to using Unikrn is available on their robust help centre section. This is one of the more comprehensive FAQ areas we've seen even among top betting sites – but that probably makes sense. After all, Unikrn is unique and many ways and new customers often have questions.
If those questions cannot be answered on the FAQ, however, you can always get in touch with Unikrn customer support. You can do so in any of the following ways:
24/7 Live Chat:The easiest way to get in touch with a service rep is through the on-site live chat feature. Live chat is available to everyone 24/7, and it usually takes around 15 minutes to get a response.
Email Support: You can also e-mail the support service at [email protected]. This method is generally a bit slower but is still one of the most efficient methods of customer communication among bookmakers in 2020.
Social media: Unikrn has quite an online presence, as is to be expected from a modern esports betting site. You can get in touch with them using Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. They also have an official Reddit page, where you can also find questions previously asked by other users. Unikrn also has an official Discord channel which can also be used to get support.
Market & Odds
As far as their essential esports betting services go, Unikrn provides excellent coverage from the world of professional video gaming. To start with, here are the titles for which you can find regular betting fixtures on Unikrn:
- League of Legends
- Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
- Dota 2
- Apel Legends
- Call of Duty – multiple titles
- FIFA
- Fortnite
- Hearthstone
- King of Glory
- NBA2K
- Overwatch
- Pro Evolution Soccer
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
- Rocket League
- Starcraft 2
- Mortal Kombat
- Street Fighter
- Smash Bros
This sportsbook even features relatively niche competitive scenes such as Quake or Warcraft 3. As a side-note, titles on this list which are released in a serial format – such as FIFA or Mortal Kombat – often include multiple games from the same series. Needless to say, Unikrn’s lists are updated to focus on the newest games, but that does not mean that older iterations are dropped.
The point is, if a game is played competitively in almost any capacity, you can wager on the results using Unikrn.
When it comes to markets, you won’t be disappointed. Most matches can boast more than 20 exotic markets and betting offers – which is not a bad amount for esports bets. Of course, the exact number and nature of these markets depend on the game in question. Some games, such as fighting games, don’t allow for a lot of things to bet on and are thus limited to 5 or 6 markets.
Even though there are a lot of different franchises on Unikrn’s roster, the only way they separate between them is through betting promotions. While less popular competitive games get the same amount of coverage (That is, as big as it can be due to the number of available events), some options like CS:GO betting and Dota 2 betting are often bolstered by various bonuses.
Still, relative to most other top esports betting sites, you won’t find much missing. If we had one complaint, it would be regarding how these markets are accessed and placed on the user interface. As it stands, it can be hard to find interesting markets and keep track of different offers.
In terms of odds, Unikrn is on par with some of the best esports betting sites out there. Of course, it can be difficult to gauge esports betting odds simply because it is still a young and relatively small field of wagering. Still, it would be had to find better options out there.
In-Play Betting
If you wish to place bets on esports events, you are not limited to pre-match and outright wagers. Unikrn features a fully integrated live betting platform which can be used to make bets as the action unfolds.
For starters, the number of markets is pretty much the same as it is on the regular sportsbook. The same is true when it comes to which events you can bet on in-play. Of course, the numbers are not as impressive if you put them up against a traditional sportsbook. This fact does have its advantages, though. Because the number of competitive gaming events that happen daily is severely limited, a world-class betting site such as Unikrn can give every single match a lot of attention. As a result, fans of popular options such as League of Legends betting won’t have priority over those looking for smaller, niche markets.
Unikrn Live Streaming Offer
When it comes to how easy it is to find and stream your favourite sporting events online, esports fans are far luckier than their traditional counterparts. Almost all esports competitions are freely broadcast using platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.tv. With that in mind, Unikrn’s streaming capability is nothing strange.
Still, these streams are all embedded and integrated into the Unikrn live betting platform. This allows you to easily enjoy your favourite tournament while keeping track of all the esports live betting offers. As far as we can tell, pretty much all tournaments which broadcast gameplay can be enjoyed this way. This includes everything from arena-filling LoL championships to online-only division qualifiers.
Unikrn Bookmaker Margin
Properly calculating bookmaker margins on esports betting is notoriously difficult. Even major betting companies have had issues accurately pricing esports wagers in the past, and it’s not much easier for us, either. Esports as a scene changes way too frequently for otherwise reliable information, such as form and statistics, to be viable for determining betting odds.
With that in mind, the only thing we can do is compare the odds on Unikrn to some other prominent esports betting sites and see how they hold up. Generally speaking, the odds are quite good in terms of value, implying low margins. Unikrn pride themselves in the fact that their prices are set by people who understand the esports scene, resulting in more accurate reflections of probability. As a result, you can find much more favourable odds on Unikrn than with traditional bookies who happen to also feature an esports section.
Overall Review
The way Unikrn approaches bookmaking might end up being a game-changer in the long run. As we just glossed over, gambling companies across the globe still have problems properly implementing esports betting in a marketable, profitable sort of way. According to the people behind Unikrn, the issue is not in esports themselves – the issue is that established betting brands are attempting to price, market, and treat esports the same way they would treat any other sport.
Unikrn attempts to understand their core demographic, to varying success. On one hand, if simple, straightforward betting on competitive gaming is the only thing you’re looking for, Unikrn does the job well but is nothing special. Instead, this site seems to largely cater to gamers who want a more competitive experience, or just an alternative way of earning some in-game cosmetics or money.
With all that in mind, Unikrn is a sort of combination of online sportsbook and community platform for passionate gamers. No matter how you look at it, though, it’s unlike anything else out there. If any of the features we’ve discussed here, such as UMode, MoneyMatch or Loot seem appealing to you, we can recommend Unikrn wholeheartedly.
Still, if you’re looking for a reliable bookie specializing in both cash betting on esports and esports betting with skins, you’ll still find exceptional service. If esports betting is ever to grow and reach the heights of traditional sports punting, it will be sites like Unikrn that make it happen.
Unikrn New Customer Guide
Opening an account at Unikrn can involve several different steps, depending on what you want to do with it. For starters, though, all users will have to go through a simple account creation process.
Unikrn opening account procedure explained
- Head over to unikrn.com
- Click the “SIGN UP” button on the top right corner of the page
- All you will need for now is an e-mail address and a password
- You will also need to provide your date of birth and agree to Unikrn’s terms and conditions and privacy policy
This will allow you very restricted access to Unikrn. You will be able to place bets using silver, but not much else. You will also need to verify your e-mail address to enter Unikrn Loot draws.
If you want to start betting using real money or cryptocurrencies, you will need to provide personal documents. Here’s how to do that:
- Click on the account button at the top of the screen
- Click “Complete Account Setup”
- Fill in the required fields with your full name, phone number, and address
If you’re happy to just use Unikoin Gold, all you need to do is open a Unikoin Wallet. Getting some UKG, however, can be wildly different based on where you’re from and if you already have access to other cryptocurrencies.
As noted previously, residents of the UK, New Zealand, Australia, or Ireland can also submit personal documents and wager using fiat currencies.
Unikrn review FAQ
How to buy Unikoin Gold?
The first step would be to open a Unikrn wallet. Sadly, you can’t directly buy UKG with fiat currencies – you will need to exchange it for bigger cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. You can purchase and exchange these on crypto markets such as Coinbase.
What is Unikrn Umode?
Umode allows players to wager on themselves and their own matches in some of the most popular competitive games. To do so, all you have to do is open a Unikrn account and connect the game to Unikrn, if possible. You can find more info in the “How does Unikrn work?” section of this review
Is Unikrn safe?
Yes. As outlined in this review’s section on licencing and safety, Unikrn is a legit, trustworthy esports betting site.
Who owns Unikrn?
Unikrn is a privately-owned company. As such, it is owned by a private board of investors, while founders Rahul Sood and Karl Flores run most of the operations.
Does Unikrn have an app?
Yes, Unikrn does have a dedicated mobile esports betting app, available for both Android and iOS.