Cloudbet Sportsbook

Brand History and Platform Development

Cloudbet launched in October 2013 as the first major platform to enable sports betting with Bitcoin. The founding team was directly inspired by Satoshi Nakamoto's white paper, with the goal of building a payment engine that eliminated the friction of fiat sportsbooks. The first wager on the platform was 0.12 BTC placed on a Korea K-League soccer match; at the time, Bitcoin traded at roughly $200.

Announced on the Bitcointalk forum on November 13, 2013, Cloudbet grew within Bitcoin's earliest adopter community before expanding to a broader international audience. Over the following years, the operator built out its sportsbook with more leagues and disciplines while maintaining a strict focus on crypto transactions.

The 2020 expansion represented the most significant product shift in the platform's history. Cloudbet added six additional cryptocurrencies, esports, politics betting, virtual sports, social media bet sharing, and credit-card coin purchase support. This wave of upgrades repositioned Cloudbet from a niche Bitcoin sportsbook into a fuller crypto-native gambling platform.

In 2024, the development team introduced a rebuilt loyalty program with stacked reward tiers, guaranteed daily cash drops, and an eight-level VIP structure. By 2026, Cloudbet holds its standing as one of the world's longest-running crypto casino and sportsbook brands, operating under Curaçao Gaming Authority license OGL/2024/328/0599 through Halcyon Super Holdings B.V.

Platform Overview

Cloudbet operates as a crypto-first platform where one account covers both the sportsbook and casino under a single wallet balance. Registration requires only a valid email address, with no personal identification mandatory at sign-up. This minimal onboarding reflects the platform's original Bitcoin-era philosophy: private, fast, and low-friction by design.

The interface surfaces popular events near the top of each sport category, while pre-match options are available through a clean sidebar structure. Odds display defaults to decimal format but can switch to American, Fractional, Hong Kong, Indonesian, or Malaysian with a single click, which is useful for US bettors accustomed to moneyline pricing.

The platform is available in more than 15 languages, and the mobile browser experience mirrors the desktop layout without requiring a native app. For bettors who move between soccer, US sports, esports and casino games, the shared wallet keeps the overall experience simple.

Sports Catalog Categories

Cloudbet's sportsbook covers 25+ traditional sports disciplines and 10+ esports titles. The catalog is organized into categories that reflect both the platform's global roots and its deliberate expansion into North American markets.

Major American Sports

Cloudbet has made North American leagues a growth priority. NFL coverage runs from preseason through the Super Bowl with player props, game lines, spreads, and same-game parlay options on marquee matchups. NBA markets cover moneyline, point spread, game totals, player props, and quarter betting across the full regular season and playoffs. MLB run line, moneyline, total runs, and alternative lines are available throughout the season, while NHL puck line, moneyline, and game totals round out the four major leagues.

Soccer

Soccer attracts more individual bets than any other sport on the platform. The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, and UEFA Champions League carry the deepest market coverage. A dedicated FIFA tab gives quick access to international tournament matches, including FIFA World Cup 2026 odds from group play through the final. Available market types include full-time result, Asian handicap, total goals, both teams to score, in-play wagering, and outright futures.

Tennis

Grand Slams, ATP and WTA tours, and smaller challenger events are all represented. The platform updates odds in real time for set winners, game handicap, total games, and match winner markets. Tennis betting is especially active around Grand Slam events, where in-play volume often concentrates around service breaks and close sets.

Basketball

Beyond the NBA, Cloudbet covers EuroLeague and international competitions. Available markets include 1X2, handicap, winning margin, and totals. Basketball has become one of the fastest-growing sports categories on the platform.

Combat Sports and MMA

Boxing and UFC markets cover major sanctioned cards. Cloudbet's combat sports section supports round-by-round live betting, with method-of-victory and round betting available alongside standard moneylines on headline bouts.

Hockey and Baseball

NHL plus European hockey competitions are covered with puck line, period totals, and player props. MLB markets run the full season calendar with run line and totals as the primary bet types, supplemented by alternative lines for bettors who want adjusted prices.

Esports

The esports section is one of Cloudbet's most consistent competitive advantages. CS2, Dota 2, League of Legends, Valorant, and Call of Duty receive full pre-match and live coverage around the clock. Map winner, match winner, total rounds, first blood, and tournament outright markets are all available. Live streaming accompanies many esports matches directly inside the platform.

Virtual Sports

Virtual soccer, basketball, and other simulated disciplines run continuously and settle within minutes. The section caters to bettors who want action outside scheduled live events, with fast results and realistic presentation.

Niche and Specialty Sports

Beyond the core disciplines, Cloudbet carries sailing, water polo, volleyball, rugby, handball, cycling, darts, table tennis, badminton, and specials markets covering politics and entertainment events. The platform has historically performed well in long-tail sports coverage compared with newer crypto competitors.

Live Betting and Streaming

In-play coverage runs across all major disciplines with dynamic odds that update in real time as match conditions change. The platform displays event trackers, live scores, and match timelines within the betting interface so bettors can follow action without leaving the page.

Esports streaming is one of the strongest parts of the live product, with broad availability across competitive gaming events. Traditional sports streaming is available on selected high-profile fixtures. The Bet Builder feature, which allows custom same-game parlays, works in both pre-match and in-play modes on eligible events.

Odds fluctuations during live soccer and basketball can move quickly. That is standard for any liquid in-play market, but it requires prompt execution when a price is identified.

Odds and Margins

On major soccer leagues, Cloudbet's odds margins can drop to approximately 4.5%, which is competitive with the sharper operators in the crypto betting space and lower than the 6-7% overround often found at mainstream sportsbooks. Tennis and basketball markets generally sit in a similar or slightly wider range than soccer.

Zero Margin promotions appear during large fixture windows, removing the house edge on selected matches and lifting potential payouts closer to probability-based value. These promotions are most relevant around major soccer weekends, Champions League knockout rounds and other high-volume events.

Cloudbet performs best on marquee events where liquidity is deepest. Secondary competitions and lower-profile leagues can carry wider spreads, while high-limit action is naturally concentrated on mainstream events.

Supported Cryptocurrencies and Transactions

Cloudbet supports 40+ cryptocurrencies across multiple networks. Accepted coins include BTC, ETH, USDT, USDC, BNB, LTC, BCH, DOGE, XRP, and SOL, among others. For users who do not hold crypto, on-ramp partners including MoonPay and Swapped enable card purchases directly within the platform cashier without requiring an external exchange.

The minimum deposit and withdrawal threshold is 0.001 BTC, and the minimum wager is 0.0001 BTC. Maximum bets scale dynamically with event liquidity and can reach up to 10-12 BTC on major sports events, among the highest published limits in the crypto sportsbook category.

Deposit transactions carry no platform fees. Withdrawal speed ranges from a few seconds to 24 hours depending on the cryptocurrency and network congestion. Fiat currency display options such as USD, EUR, CAD, and JPY are available for bettors who prefer to view balances in familiar denominations while still transacting in crypto.

Welcome Bonus and VIP Program

Cloudbet does not currently offer a dedicated sportsbook welcome bonus. The casino welcome package is structured across the first deposits and includes free spins. The absence of a sports-specific sign-up offer is a real gap compared with platforms that provide first-deposit cashback on sports wagers.

The loyalty program launched in 2024 operates on eight tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, Diamond, and Blue Diamond. Each tier delivers instant rakeback on every bet, daily cash rewards, weekly cash rewards, and monthly cash payouts as players advance.

Rewards are paid in cash rather than comp points, which means there are no conversion rates or redemption thresholds to navigate. Turbo boosts accelerate tier progression after qualifying activity. The top tiers, Ruby through Blue Diamond, carry private terms visible only after advancement, which reduces upfront transparency at the highest levels.

Weekend campaigns supplement the core VIP structure. The 100x Bet Builder Weekend promotion allows a $1 same-game parlay entry into a draw where ten winners receive $100 each. Standard weekly offers are usually opt-in through the promotions page.

Mobile Access and Interface

Cloudbet does not offer a standalone iOS or Android app. The mobile browser version is the primary access method for smartphone users and replicates the desktop layout cleanly on smaller screens. Navigation tabs are clearly labeled, event search works reliably, and the bet slip handles multi-leg parlays without layout issues.

The interface follows a minimal, modern aesthetic with sensible sidebar organization that shows available leagues and upcoming events without requiring deep navigation. Desktop users also benefit from the same clean layout, which is one reason Cloudbet is often described as one of the easier crypto sportsbooks to scan.

Licensing, Security, and Responsible Gambling

Cloudbet operates under Curaçao Gaming Authority license OGL/2024/328/0599, held by Halcyon Super Holdings B.V. in Willemstad, Curaçao. SSL encryption is applied site-wide, and the casino section includes provably fair games for applicable titles.

Support handles withdrawal issues, account queries, and technical problems through email channels. Responsible gambling tools include deposit limits and self-exclusion options accessible from account settings.

US players should verify their individual state's position on offshore crypto sportsbooks before funding an account, as federal and state regulations around offshore betting vary significantly by jurisdiction. Cloudbet restricts access from a number of countries, so users should check current geo-restriction status at registration.

Why Cloudbet Works for US Sports Bettors

Cloudbet's core argument for a US audience rests on three points: it has operated continuously since 2013, it covers all four major North American leagues with competitive odds and high limits, and it accepts 40+ cryptocurrencies with no standard withdrawal caps once account checks are complete.

The platform's growth in basketball betting reflects a broader shift in how American sports bettors use offshore crypto sportsbooks. For bettors already comfortable holding and transacting in crypto, Cloudbet combines sportsbook depth, casino access, VIP cash rewards, and long operating history in a way newer competitors cannot easily match.

Its best use cases are major soccer, NFL, NBA, esports, World Cup futures, and high-volume live betting. The platform is less ideal for players who want a domestic regulated sportsbook, fiat-only payments, or a native mobile app.