Tipico betting shops: your questions answered

A betting shop is a walk-in venue where you place your sports bets in person. In legal terms it is a betting agency that takes bets for a licensed operator. You pick a sporting event, hand in your betting slip and can often watch the matches live on the screens. Most shops pay out your winnings in cash on the spot.

In a betting shop you bet in person and pay in and take out cash. Many shops show matches on big screens. Online you bet through the app or website at any time of day. Either way you need a licensed operator, and both are only allowed in Germany from age 18 (21 in Bremen). For a full comparison, see betting shop or online betting.

A self-service terminal is a machine where you pick and place your bets yourself. It is often quicker than the counter, and many Tipico shops have one. See self-service terminals in the betting shop for how it works.

For straightforward sports bets at the counter or terminal you do not need an online account. You can pay in cash and collect your winnings there and then. With the Tipico customer card you also pay cashlessly in the shop, but the customer card and the online account are separate systems with no credit transfer between them.

It depends on the operator. At Tipico you can bet on football, tennis, basketball, ice hockey, handball and plenty of other sports. Exactly what is on offer changes with the season and the fixtures.

Odds show how a possible win compares with your stake, based on how likely an outcome is thought to be. The higher the odds, the less likely that outcome is judged to be. You can check the current odds at the counter, at the self-service terminal and on the screens. Odds can move right up to kick-off. More in reading and understanding betting odds.

Yes, though the law limits live betting in the shop. While a match is in play you can only bet in person on the final result and the next goal. Other live bets, such as the next corner or card, are online only. You place the bet at the counter or terminal and can often follow the match on the screens. Details in live betting in the shop explained.

At the Tipico betting shop you place your bet at the till or a self-service terminal. With the Tipico customer card you log in at the terminal with your card and PIN and bet cash-free with your balance. You collect winnings at the till. Our guide How a betting shop works explains the whole process.

At a Tipico betting shop, or online through your Tipico online account. Kiosks and petrol stations do not offer Tipico sports betting. Use the store finder to find your nearest shop.

Many Tipico betting shops show live broadcasts on screens. Which matches are shown depends on the shop. More under Watching football live.

Not always. The Tipico customer card only works in the shop that issued it and in shops run by the same franchise partner. Whether a paper betting slip can be cashed in at another Tipico shop is something to ask the staff first. More under Payout at the betting shop.

There is no phone hotline any more. You reach support around the clock through the messenger in the Tipico Help Center or by contact form. For questions about the customer card, the shop staff can help. All options are on Contacting Tipico.

Sports betting in Germany is only allowed from the age of 18 (21 in Bremen). Betting shops have to check your age and ask for valid photo ID. Under-18s may not bet in a betting shop.

Yes, licensed betting shops are legal in Germany. Sports betting falls under the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021). Tipico holds a sports betting licence from the Joint Gambling Authority of the Federal States (GGL). The betting shops themselves are supervised by the responsible authorities of the federal states. You can check the licence directly on the GGL pages.

The law requires licensed operators to offer player protection. That means deposit limits, betting breaks, self-exclusion and signposting to counselling services. Germany's national exclusion system, OASIS, links online and in-shop exclusions.

Germany has free, anonymous counselling services: the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) on 0800 1 37 27 00 (free, anonymous, available every day), Caritas, Diakonie and regional addiction and drug counselling centres. You will find a list of trusted contact points under player protection and help.

Sports bets in Germany carry a betting tax of 5 percent. At Tipico it is not included in the odds but calculated separately. Staff in the betting shop can explain how it is shown on your betting slip, and the terms of participation are binding. Private sports betting winnings are usually not subject to income tax.

Many betting shops open on Sundays too, but Sunday hours can differ from weekdays. Each shop sets its own times, so check the shop's page before you set off.

It depends on the shop and the federal state, since public holiday and closing rules are set by the states. On official holidays such as Christmas or Easter, many shops cut their hours or close. Check the times on the shop's page or under Is the Tipico betting shop open? before you go.

Every shop page on this site lists the saved opening hours and shows whether the shop is open right now. Use the store finder to search by town or postcode and pull up your nearest betting shop with all the details.

That depends on the individual shop. Use the store finder to see the listed hours. Why a shop may be closed is explained on Tipico opening hours today.

The Tipico customer card is a physical card for cashless betting in the shop. With it you pay your credit in and out at the counter, and your bets are stored on the card. The customer card and the Tipico online account are separate systems, and there is no credit transfer between them.

You get the card directly in the Tipico betting shop. It is not available online or by post. You do not need ID for the first registration. Your account is verified with a valid official ID before your first payout at the latest. More under applying for the Tipico customer card.

In the shop. Hold the card to the scanner at a terminal and enter your PIN, or ask at the till. More on Tipico card balance.

Go to the shop that issued the card and apply for a new one there with a valid ID. According to Tipico, your balance and open betting slips are transferred. More on Lost your Tipico card.

For cash payouts in the shop, Tipico states an upper limit of 25,000 euros. How much a shop pays out in cash on the spot varies, so ask in advance for large amounts. More on Payout at the betting shop.