Sports Betting Sites UK

These days, there is a multitude of sports betting sites UK players can choose from. Every day, new sports betting sites are being set up. You cannot turn on the TV without being bombarded with ads for Betfair, Bethard, Betway, Unibet, and more. Read more...

It can be a challenge to know which the best betting sites are. This page should help you choose the best sports betting offers. That includes the best odds, customer service, site quality, and bonuses.

How To Choose A Betting Site?

There are many things you should compare wh en choosing a betting site. You can visit the various websites yourself to see what each has to offer. However, it is easier to read our reviews to get an extra perspective on just what separates one bookie from another.

Our reviews and website rankings are based on a number of factors. We try to be as comprehensive as possible when ranking sports betting websites. Here are some of the things we do when comparing different bookies.

Comparing the odds

The first thing you should look at is the available odds. Odds can be challenging to compare because they often move, depending on how much money people are placing on various outcomes. Still, some sites consistently score better when it comes to odds, you will often find differences of 10% between different bookies.

Types of bets

Another important factor is the types of bets you can place. In any football match, there is much more to bet on than simply which team will win. You can bet on an exact score, player to score, the number of corners, time of the first goal, next player to score and so much more. If you are into this type of bets, it is important to choose a betting site that offers the bets you need.

Types of wagering formats

Most large betting sites offer virtually any kind of wagering format, from your standard accumulator to lucky 16, super Heinz, Goliath and more. Asian handicap betting is also becoming more widespread. Large sites such as Betfair or Bet365 have also begun to offer pool betting, where you can win jackpots by predicting the right scores. They also offer exchange betting, where you can set your own odds and create your own bets for other players to accept.

Testing customer service

All sports betting sites offer customer service in one form or another. However, some only respond to emails, others offer chat support, and some even offer telephone support and even bets placed by telephone. We recommend using sites with 24/7 chat support, as it is the easiest way to communicate. We test the customer service by going online with various questions to see how fast someone answers all of them.

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Payment methods

We also look at which payment methods are offered, for both withdrawals and deposits. Payment methods should be free, with no fees, and we look for sites with high withdrawal limits.

Bonuses and promotions

Sports betting sites offer various casino bonuses and promotions. These can range from free bets to deposit bonuses. We look for bonuses with the lowest wagering requirements and are always on the hunt for the best no deposit offers.

Platform quality

One more thing that needs to be checked is the quality of each betting platform. Make sure that the website is easy to use, while the betting slip shows you exactly what you are betting on. Additionally check which sports are available.

Extra gambling options

Many sports punters like to dabble in other markets, such as slots, live casino online, or poker. We review these options as well to give you the most informed choice when choosing a bookmaker.

Our Top 5 Online Sports Betting Sites

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Betting offers explained

All betting offers such as free bets, risk-free bets, welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, etc., come with terms and conditions. We will try to break down each type.

Free bets

Free bets are some of the best bettings offers you can get. Some sites will give you a free bet just for signing up. No deposit is even needed, the money you are betting comes from the sports betting site. Sometimes you can keep the winnings from this free bet, while sometimes you might have to wager it before you can claim your prize. You can often get up to £20 in free bets.

Risk-free bets

Risk-free bets are similar, but they require you to place a deposit first. In this case, you will be playing with your own money. If you lose, your lost bet will be refunded, sometimes in bonus money, sometimes in cash. You can often get up to £100 in risk-free bets.

Welcome bonuses and deposit bonuses

Most top bookmakers in the UK offer a welcome bonus. This is often a free bet in combination with a deposit bonus. The size deposit bonus depends on the size of your first deposit, for example, 100% up to £100. You can use this to win extra cash. Usually, you will have to wager it several times, for example, bet it 6 times at minimum odds 3/2.

Betting sites with mobile apps

When choosing a sports betting website, it is important to see if they have a professional mobile version or mobile app. If a site is high quality, takes its customers seriously, and is here to stay, it will most probably have a good mobile version.

Five tips for betting online

Here are our top 5 tips for online sports betting:

1. Bet the dog. Underdog betting is always the most profitable. The trick is to find underdogs who are not real underdogs. That is the challenge, of course.
2. Look for hyped events. The best way to find value is to find an event that is overhyped. A hyped event attracts casual bettors as well as professional bettors. If the media hype one side, it will draw bets, moving the betting lines. Remember when Conor McGregor, who had never boxed professionally, was a ‘favourite’ over 49-0 Floyd Mayweather?
3. Accept the fact that you will not always win. Becoming a good handicapper does not mean you will always win, it simply means you win more than you lose. The last thing you should do is place bets you are unsure of, simply because you are frustrated with losing
4. Do not bet as a fan. You may want your favourite team or fighter to win always. So do all the fans. This does not mean they will. Bet on events you are less emotionally invested in and base them on statistics, facts and analysis.
5. Do not bet money you cannot afford to lose. This is just common sense really. First, make sure all your bills are paid, before taking risks. One way is to set a monthly budget for betting.

Betting sites with tipping guides

Several betting sites offer tipping guides. This is especially relevant when it comes to horse racing. Some sites have Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, podcasts, and more, where they have experts who offer tips and betting strategies. These are usually the bigger betting sites like Paddy Power, Ladbrokes and Betfair.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sports Betting

Yes, it is possible. There are many professional sports gamblers. Of course, you should not quit your day job just yet.
No, sports betting taxes were abolished in 2001 by Gordon Brown.
Gambling businesses are required by law to perform ID checks. This is also for your safety. You would not want some stranger to make off with your winnings.
Most paid sports betting tips are a swindle. If these handicappers had the best tips, they would keep them for themselves and live off their winnings.
We advise beginning bettors to start small, before building up the confidence to place bigger bets.

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Dave Monk, 44
Co-Founder and Senior Casino Reviewer
After more than a decade as an industry insider working for a number of ‘household name’ UK betting companies including Coral, Stan James and William Hill, Dave Monk founded his own financial consultancy specialising in advising online gambling providers....