GoldenRush Review (October 2024)

Let’s take a closer look at the new GoldenRush bookmaker website and App offering and get right under the hood and see what’s good and not so good on the latest betting site built on the BetCloud platform. 
 
As you can probably tell from the name (and if you can’t - then check the screenshot below) but visually the site draws on all the look, aesthetic and theme of a gold rush.  A rich, golden colour palette greets you as soon as you hit the website with imagery of gold nuggets, mining tools and pickaxes completing the referencing to gold rush days of old.   
 
The branding is strong and definitely one of the better and more fitting for a betting site amongst the numerous bookmakers on the platform.  So a positive start from the get go. 

However there’s clearly a whole lot more to be considered than what GoldenRush looks like on the eye when it comes to deciding if you want to bet with it.  Through the rest of this review I’ll look at all the key products and features, betting markets and customer support, amongst others, as I look to give you a solid overview of the site.

When all is said and done I think GoldenRush is a decent betting site that is worth punting with despite the fact there are some clear areas of weakness/ where it could improve.  Let’s take a closer look in more detail.

🐴Betting Offerings - 8/10

GoldenRush serves up a treasure trove of betting opportunities, ensuring punters have a golden ticket to both local and international sports action:

• Australian Racing: Gallops, trots, and dogs from the biggest metropolitan meetings to the smallest country ones, covering Maidens to Group Ones.
• Worldwide Sports: All your classic Australian sports form the foundation (NRL, AFL, Cricket) but plenty of Soccer, Baseball, NFL, Basketball, and more from all around the globe.
• International Racing: Top international racing is also well served, again from all around the world.

💳Banking Options - 5/10

So much about GoldenRush focuses on simplicity, which works well on a lot of fronts but perhaps with the banking things are a little too simple.  Def room for improvement but the basics are covered offers a streamlined approach to banking, but with room for expansion:

• Deposits: Visa and Mastercard as the primary channels.
• Withdrawals: Only bank transfers are available. 

📱Mobile Experience - 9/10

The GoldenRush app is a pretty faultless experience to be honest, summed up as follows: 

• Efficiency at Its Core: The app boasts a straightforward layout, enabling quick bets and easy account management.
• Smooth Navigation: With a focus on smooth transitions and quick loading times, the app facilitates a seamless betting journey.
• Simplicity Meets Functionality: Designed to cater to both the experienced and the novice punter, the app keeps things simple yet effective.

💸​Withdraw Speed - 6/10

GoldenRush sticks to the basics, offering bank transfers as the exclusive method for withdrawals. Transactions are generally processed within the standard timeframe of 1-3 business days, aligning with industry norms but leaving room for broader payment flexibility to enhance user convenience.

🧩Overall User Experience - 7/10

GoldenRush crafts an experience that's both inviting and efficient:

• Visual Appeal: The platform dazzles with a gold rush theme creating a rich visual tapestry.
• Ease of Use: GoldenRush prides itself on a user interface that's as intuitive as it is engaging, ensuring all users can navigate with ease.
• Focused Functionality: With a keen emphasis on the essentials, GoldenRush delivers a streamlined betting journey, stripping away the clutter for a more focused engagement.
• Balanced Design: Striking a harmony between aesthetic appeal and functional design, it’s a platform that's both captivating and easy to use.

It seems like GoldenRush's approach to user experience is designed to immerse users in the excitement of the betting world, with a nod to the adventurous spirit of the gold rush era - and it works pretty well I think.

📧Customer Support - 5/10

GoldenRush ensures that your queries are met with a swift and helpful response, but again the options are a little light on:

• Live Chat: is available from 8am to midnight AEST for instant assistance on any issue.
• Email Support: is available outside those hours. 

While support channels are streamlined for digital efficiency, I think the absence of phone support is a noticeable area where they could add some weight to the customer support offering.  

🔒Security - 9/10

GoldenRush shines with its gold-standard security measures, as you’d expect from compliance with Australian regulatory requirements, making it a very secure betting site to punt with.

The GoldenRush racing offering is most definitely the flagship offering from the bookmaker  with a wide array of options for punters:

• Comprehensive Coverage: From the core focus of Australian racing to the international excitement of tracks in the USA, UK, and beyond, GoldenRush has you well and truly covered.
• Tote Betting: Enjoy mid tote prices for win and place bets across Australian races, with Best of 3 Totes available for select metropolitan meetings for that extra edge.
• Exotic Bet Options: Quinella, exacta, trifecta, and first four bets are all part of the mix, as you’d expect, with dividends aligned with Vic Tote.

While GoldenRush provides a solid foundation for racing punters,  I do have to note the areas currently lacking that could make it even better:

• Live Betting & Cash Out: Currently, these dynamic features are not available, which might be a drawback for some punters.
• Form and Tips: If this is important for you then you might want to check in to our very own OnlyRacing.com.au for comprehensive form analysis and free horse racing tips.  

In summary, GoldenRush's racing is designed for ease and accessibility, in keeping with the platform overall, ensuring a straightforward betting journey.  It pretty much has all bases covered but there are one or two gaps.  

The GoldenRush app is a winner, pure and simple!  Well simple being the keyword really as that is its underlying strength.  Here’s some of the reasons I think this app is so good:

• Engaging Theme: The app greets you with a gold rush era aesthetic, complete with imagery of gold nuggets and pickaxes - it’s bright and fun!

• Featured Race: Each day, a key race is featured prominently (see above), making it quick and easy to hone in on it. 
• Streamlined Navigation: Placing bets, checking your account, depositing and withdrawing are all very very easy - everything really is at your fingertips. 
• Quickbet Feature: I love this feature and as it allows for swift stake setting and bet placement, ensuring you never miss out on the action.

As I’ve mentioned elsewhere in this review, there are a few weak areas as a result of the focus on the simple and straightforward, and of course that applies to the app too, but all in all the app is an excellent experience and makes betting on the GoldenRush site really easy - which can only be a good thing right?

GoldenRush strikes a sweet balance on the features front with a blend of unique offerings mixed in with the kind of traditional products and features you’d expect from an online betting site.

On the traditional front you’ll find the following on GoldenRush:

• Same Race Multis - back multiple outcomes in the same race
• Same Game Multis - build a multi across the myriad of betting markets offered on a sports match
• First Past The Post - guaranteed payouts even if your winning horse is demoted due to a protest

However it's a couple of unique features on GoldenRush that really get me interested, as they’re a couple of options that are not only fun but also suit my betting style:

Blended Betting: 

Combine bets on multiple runners in a single race for combined odds, simplifying the betting process if you like to back more than one horse in a race, which I often most certainly do!

In this example below you can see the result screenshot of a winning Blended bet in which I placed a bet on 3 runners in a race.  I felt very confident that the winner would come from one of the 3, and I was proved to be right.  The Blended bet option made it so easy to get the bet on without having to calculate stakes necessary etc:

Even Shot: 

This one is a little different and more on the fun side than suiting my betting style particularly.  Here you are offered a random bet at even odds, adding an element of surprise and opportunity to every race.  It could be for a runner to finish in the top 2,3 or 4 of a race.

Below is a great example of one of these Even Shot bets being offered, in this case for the runner to finish in the Top 3.

As I have mentioned before, despite the many things that are great about GoldenRush there are few things missing, providing them plenty of room to make the overall product even better.

These are my thoughts below:

• Limited Advanced Features: The absence of live betting and cash out options may deter some punters, and seem an easy add-on to me.
• Light On Banking and Support Options: With only basic options like Visa, Mastercard, and bank transfers for banking, and live chat and email for customer support, GoldenRush keeps things straightforward but might fall short for those looking for more variety.

GoldenRush offers a solid betting experience with a couple of standout features that add a unique twist to your betting strategy. However, for those accustomed to a more feature-rich platform, the simplicity of GoldenRush might not be as appealing.

There’s a treasure load of betting markets, catering to a wide spectrum of punters' preferences:

• Global Racing: As racing around the world becomes more and more popular for the everyday punter it makes sense for betting sites to offer markets on these races and GoldenRush certainly delivers.  From New Zealand, USA, France, Japan, and beyond, there is no shortage with a wide choice available most days.

• Sports: If betting on sports is your thing there’s all the major sports available.  The main Australian sporting codes of NRL and AFL of course feature heavily, and outside of Australia the main US sports of Basketball, NFL and Baseball as well as universally popular Premier League are also well catered for. 

• Betting Formats and Exotics: GoldenRush offers a  variety of betting formats.Fixed odds betting remains the cornerstone, the platform also offers tote betting options for that extra edge. And if you love the thrill of exotic bets, they’re all there - Quinella, Exacta, Trifecta, and First Four.

As previously stated above, all Australian bookmakers are restricted by the regulations that they abide by and as such are not allowed to offer any sign up bonuses to new customers.

Once a client however the landscape changes and they can offer promotions and bonuses to loyal GoldenRush punters.  Check in from time to time via the Promos tab on the site and see what is on offer.

You can do it very easily via either the GoldenRush App or on the website.  Click the Sign Up button top right and follow the simple instruction.

Website

App

How to Deposit

Again this is very easy and you’ll be deposited in no time.  Click the account balance top right and then click the Deposit button.  (see the screenshots below).

The deposit options are pretty basic, with only Visa and Mastercard as options but you’ll be able to deposit very quickly.

How to Withdraw

Do the same as when depositing or hit the My Account under Quick Links on the left hand side of the screen.

In the Withdraw section you’ll see just how much of your funds are available to withdraw and you can make a withdrawal by Bank Transfer, the only option available.

While the platform's intuitive design makes for smooth sailing, should you ever need assistance, GoldenRush has a couple of options:

• Live Chat Support: For immediate assistance, live chat is available from 8am to midnight AEST.
• Email Assistance: Outside live chat hours,you can email at support@GoldenRush.com.au.

GoldenRush's customer support is limited but functional.  I’ver never really needed to call on them to be honest.  

I am pleased to inform you that GoldenRush has some fairly competitive odds for both racing and sports events. I found that their odds are usually on par or better than some of the biggest competitors in the market. If you're looking at racing markets in particular, you'll see markets where GoldenRush's odds are even better.

So, it is certainly worth checking out GoldenRush when shopping around for the best odds. It can be a time-consuming process, especially if you don't have a good odds comparison tool, but it can be worth it in the end, especially if you are betting on a roughie in a racing event.

GoldenRush has carved out its niche in the bustling world of online betting with a few standout features that caught my attention. The simplicity of the platform, combined with unique offerings like the Blended Betting and Even Shot, brings an appealing twist to the traditional betting experience. These features not only add a layer of excitement but also open up new strategies for punters.

While having a good play around with the platform, I noticed areas where GoldenRush might feel a bit basic, especially for those who thrive in a more feature-rich environment. The absence of live betting and a limited selection of banking options might be points of consideration for some.

However, the ease of use and the engaging interface of both the website and the GoldenRush app have been highlights of my experience. It's this straightforward and hassle-free approach that I believe many will appreciate.

For those curious about GoldenRush, I'd suggest giving it a try yourself. The platform's unique charm and user-friendly design might just be what you're looking for in your next betting adventure. Sign up through the link here and explore what GoldenRush has to offer – it might just surprise you with its golden opportunities.