Winamax is a French operator known for poker and for one of France’s most popular sportsbooks.
Up to €100 refunded in cash on your first losing bet
Winamax offers the best welcome deal we cover in France (up to €100 refunded in withdrawable cash if your first bet loses), fast withdrawals, MyMatch bet building, Winamax TV and daily boosted odds. Support is by email and social media only, and the ANJ fined it a reported €150,000 in 2024 for exceeding France’s payout cap during the 2022 World Cup.
Football bettors who want a risk-free first bet and fast withdrawals.
Bettors who want live chat or phone support, or horse racing.
| Best for | Cash-back welcome offer in France |
|---|---|
| Our score | 8.7 (France) |
| Owner | Winamax (Paris) |
| History | First ANJ approval 2010; sports betting approval 2014 |
| Licensed in | France |
| Welcome offer (France) | Up to €100 refunded in cash on your first losing bet |
| App rating | France: 4.6/5 |
| Android app | France 4.5/5 (79,500 ratings), per TopMercato |
| Fastest withdrawal | Bank transfer: under a minute in TopMercato’s test (verified account required) |
| Support | Email and social media, described as 24/7; no live chat or phone. A test email was answered in 18 minutes. |
| Regulatory actions since 2023 | 1 (see the record below) |
Winamax was the first operator approved in France when the online market opened in 2010, for poker, and received its sports betting approval (N°003-PS-2014-05-14) in 2014. It was founded by Alexandre Roos and Christophe Schaming and is based in Paris.
Its sportsbook is built around football, with MyMatch for same-match bets, cash out, daily boosted odds (an average boost of 16.69% in TopMercato’s sample), Combo Booster, pool-style Grilles and Winamax TV, which works even with a zero balance.
Winamax scores 8.7 in France. It loses points for a reported €150,000 ANJ fine in 2024 for exceeding the 85% payout cap during the 2022 World Cup, and for support limited to email and social media.
Each score is a weighted average of up to five criteria, each out of 10. Two are calculated from public data (regulatory record and app store rating); three are editorial judgments based on documented features, payment terms and offer terms. A criterion without verified evidence (an offer in Ontario, an app rating we could not confirm) is left out and the other weights are rescaled. Full method.
| Criterion | Weight | France |
|---|---|---|
| Regulatory record | 25% | 9.0 |
| Betting product | 25% | 8.5 |
| App quality | 20% | Not scored |
| Payments & payouts | 15% | 8.5 |
| Welcome offer terms | 15% | Not scored |
| Overall | 100% | 8.7 |
New customers, 18+. If your first bet loses, the stake is refunded up to €100 as withdrawable cash: no wagering and no minimum odds. Use the account within 30 days of the first deposit.
As advertised on October 27, 2026. Offers change often; the operator’s own terms apply.
Regular promotions reported by the review sources listed below. Availability changes week to week and, in the US, by state.
| Grosses Cotes | Daily boosted odds. |
|---|---|
| Combo Booster | A random boost on accumulators, drawn from six values when you place the bet. |
| Grilles | Pool-style predictions on 7, 9 or 12 matches with guaranteed prizes. |
| Referral | Refer up to five friends a month. |
Football first, plus basketball, tennis and more. In an Odoxa study of 4,803 football matches (January to June 2025), Winamax ranked third on odds behind Unibet and Betclic. Horse racing is not offered.
Almost all pre-match markets are also available live, according to TopMercato. Winamax TV streams events and analysis shows without a deposit.
The app is rated 4.6 on the App Store (181,000 ratings) and 4.5 on Google Play, but is large (878 MB). New accounts are opted in to marketing emails and SMS by default.
| App rating (France) | 4.6 / 5 from 181K ratings · App Store (France)as recorded by TopMercato on 27 July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Android rating (France) | 4.5 / 5 from 79,500 ratings · Google Play, as reported by TopMercatoNot used in the score |
| Customer support | Email and social media, described as 24/7; no live chat or phone. A test email was answered in 18 minutes. |
| Safer gambling tools | The tools required by French rules; helpline Joueurs Info Service 09 74 75 13 13. |
Bank card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfer, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard, Cashlib and Neosurf.
Times are those published by the operator or measured by the review sources listed below; first withdrawals can take longer while identity checks are completed.
| Market | License | Regulator | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | Winamax; ANJ sports betting approval N°003-PS-2014-05-14 | Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ)Check the register | 18+ |
Fines, settlements and penalties published by regulators or reported by the trade press in the markets covered here. Dates are the decision date or, where that is not published, the date first reported.
| Date | Regulator | Amount | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 27, 2024 | ANJFrance | €150,000 | Reported fine (Les Echos) for exceeding the 85% maximum payout ratio during the 2022 World Cup. Source |
How Winamax compares with the other top-rated sportsbooks in France on our scores and app ratings.
France: Winamax; ANJ sports betting approval N°003-PS-2014-05-14; minimum age 18+.
Winamax: Winamax (Paris). First ANJ approval 2010; sports betting approval 2014.
On our method it scores 8.7 (France) out of 10. Winamax offers the best welcome deal we cover in France (up to €100 refunded in withdrawable cash if your first bet loses), fast withdrawals, MyMatch bet building, Winamax TV and daily boosted odds. Support is by email and social media only, and the ANJ fined it a reported €150,000 in 2024 for exceeding France’s payout cap during the 2022 World Cup.
Bank transfer: under a minute in TopMercato’s test (verified account required). First withdrawals can take longer while identity checks are completed.
Almost all pre-match markets are also available live, according to TopMercato. Winamax TV streams events and analysis shows without a deposit.
France: Up to €100 refunded in cash on your first losing bet. New customers, 18+. If your first bet loses, the stake is refunded up to €100 as withdrawable cash: no wagering and no minimum odds. Use the account within 30 days of the first deposit. Checked October 27, 2026; the operator’s terms apply.
Yes. Since January 1, 2023: ANJ, €150,000 (November 27, 2024).
France: 4.6 out of 5 on App Store (France) (181K), as recorded by TopMercato on 27 July 2026. The app is rated 4.6 on the App Store (181,000 ratings) and 4.5 on Google Play, but is large (878 MB). New accounts are opted in to marketing emails and SMS by default.
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Betting is entertainment, not income. Set deposit, loss and time limits when you open an account, and never chase losses.