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Betting sites offer great bonuses, reliable payouts and a huge selection of markets for sports such as football and horse racing. This guide will highlight some of the best betting sites for UK punters right now. You will discover the key strengths and weaknesses of each online bookmaker, which should allow you to identify betting sites that suit your needs.
Our Best Betting Sites
- 10bet – Best all-round betting site
- BritainBet – Best rewards programme for UK punters
- Mr. Play – Best sports betting features
- Luckster – Top online bookmaker for instant payouts
- Betway – Best betting site for esports
- Unibet – Best sports betting site for live streaming
- William Hill – Most secure and trustworthy online bookmaker
- Betfred – Best online betting site for weekly bonuses
- Casumo – Huge selection of betting options for UK customers
- Grosvenor – High street brand offering an exciting online betting site
- 32Red – Popular site with world-class sports betting section
10bet – Our Best Betting Site Overall
Pros:
- Very clean, accessible and stylish betting site
- Loads of great bonuses for all customers
- Quick, secure withdrawals
Cons:
- No live streaming service for sports fans
10bet is our choice for the best overall betting site in the UK. It is clean, accessible and very easy to navigate, and it benefits from a stylish, understated design. This online bookmaker uses white-label software from a company called SBTech, which results in a smooth user interface and a huge choice of betting options.
You can bet on football, tennis, cricket, horse racing, greyhounds, boxing, rugby union, rugby league and around 20 additional sports at 10bet. It covers a huge array of football tournaments, from Thailand's Division 2 to Serbia's U19 league, and sports like basketball, ice hockey and cricket are covered in similar detail.
New customers will benefit from a 50% first deposit bonus worth up to £50. There are lots of additional promos, too, including free bets, extra places paid out on horse races, money-back specials and free-to-play contests. It also has an excellent VIP Club, quick payouts, and helpful customer service, so it is a great all-round betting site.
18+. New bettors. Wager deposit & bonus 8x. Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus. Valid 60 days. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. See full terms here.
BritainBet – Our Best Betting Website for Monday Free Bets
Pros:
- Huge choice of ongoing promos
- Great rewards programme
- Excellent online casino and sports betting platform
Cons:
- Smaller sign-up bonus than rival sites
This is an exciting betting site that offers an innovative rewards programme. Customers can complete missions, earn badges and reach new levels, unlocking a series of rewards along the way. You can visit the rewards store to claim cashback deals, deposit bonuses and much more.
BritainBet was launched in 2020, so it is a relative newcomer to the market, but it has already proved popular with UK punters. It has mainly focused on casino gaming, offering over 1,000 high-quality slots and table games from the world's best providers. However, it also offers a comprehensive sports betting platform with some great features.
New customers can bet £25 and get a £50 free bet. There are also football and cricket leaderboards, free bets on Mondays, cashback on a huge array of sports and short-term promos on everything from boxing and MMA to volleyball, darts and pool.
18+. New players only. Min £25 qualifying bets stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £50, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Full T&Cs apply.
Mr. Play – Our Top Betting Site for Instant Payouts
Pros:
- Instant bank transfer withdrawals offered
- Very comprehensive online sports betting platform
- Great promos and loyalty rewards
Cons:
- Customer service is not available 24/7
Mr. play is a fun online betting site that offers great promos and instant payouts. It was established as an online casino site back in 2017. Mr.play proved popular with customers in the UK, so the team added a sports betting section two years later.
The sports betting platform is powered by SBTech, ensuring a robust selection of odds and markets. The layout is busier, showcasing more features on each page.
There are some attractive promos, including a Bet £10, Get £10 welcome bonus, acca boosts of up to 77% and loyalty rewards. It also offers a world-class online casino, along with instant, free withdrawals direct to your bank account.
18+. New players only. 1st deposit. Min deposit: £10. Max £10 bonus. Valid for 14 days. Bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. Further terms apply.
Luckster Sport – Our Best Betting Site with Competitive Cash Out Offers
Pros:
- Immediate withdrawals via bank transfer
- Aesthetically pleasing site with simple navigation
- Lots of great features for punters
Cons:
- Not so many bonus offers
Luckster is another established site that has made a successful foray into the world of online sports betting. It's owned and operated by a Malta-based company called AG Communications. Luckster offers a quality user experience featuring an Irish luck theme and green branding.
The welcome bonus is a Bet £10, Get £10 Bet Token. The bookmaker also offers some large acca boosts. It is a feature-rich betting site with bet builders, early cash out offers, detailed stats and more. Instant payouts are available, too, along with a detailed loyalty programme.
18+. New customers only. Min deposit and wagering on sport to activate the free bet is: £10. Offer valid only to customers making a first deposit of £10 or more. Full terms apply.
Betway – Our Best Online Betting Site with Exclusive Free Bet Club
Pros:
- World-class esports betting section
- Huge online sports betting platform
- Loads of bonuses, boosts and rewards
Cons:
- A chequered history when it comes to responsible gambling
Betway is one of the most famous online gambling brands in the UK. It is the shirt sponsor of West Ham, and it also sponsors several major races, including the G1 Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. The sports betting platform runs on SBTech software, and there are many unique bonuses and value-added features.
It is also the best esports betting site in the business. Betway sponsors loads of competitive gaming teams and tournaments, and it offers a world-class esports section replete with live streaming. You can bet on everything from CS: GO and League of Legends to Warcraft 3 and Overwatch, with competitive odds and loads of markets.
New customers will be awarded £10 in free bets for making a £10 deposit. There are loads of odds boosts, too, and the Betway Free Bet Club dishes out regular bonuses. Betway also offers a large online casino and a great horse racing section. Alongside the website is a highly-rated mobile app, which you can download through the App Store or Google Play.
18+. New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min deposit: £10. Debit card deposits only (exclusions apply). Read the full terms here.
Unibet – Our Best Money Back Specials among Betting Sites
Pros:
- Superb sports betting platform
- Brilliant live streaming service
- Huge choice of bonuses and promotions
Cons:
- No rewards programme
Unibet is another famous online betting site with a huge customer base in the UK and worldwide. It is an established operator, founded by Anders Ström in London in 1997, and it has continued to innovate over the years. Unibet now offers a superb sports betting platform, casino, poker room and online bingo room all rolled into one.
Each section is packed with betting options and features, but the site still runs quickly and offers a neat, simple layout. There are some great features, too. Unibet offers an excellent live streaming service, which allows you to watch football, tennis, cricket, basketball, baseball, table tennis and various other sports live while considering in-play bets.
New customers will get up to £40 back in site credit if their first bet loses, along with £10 in casino credits. There are also free-to-play contests offering prizes, plus odds boosts, a refer-a-friend bonus worth up to £200, money back specials and extra places on horse races.
18+. New customers only. Min dep £10. Debit cards only. Opt in for bonus funds. Wagering, sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Valid for 7 days. Note that full terms apply.
William Hill – Our Best Site for Betting on Premier League
Pros:
- Enormous variety of betting options
- Generous promos for punters
- Request a price on any market using #YourOdds
Cons:
- The interface is a little cluttered
William Hill was established in the 1930s and has been a staple of the UK high street ever since. It was one of the first bookmakers to expand into the digital arena, offering a very impressive betting site. William Hill offers sports betting, casino games, bingo and poker, but sports betting is the main focus.
There are more than 800 markets to choose from in a typical Premier League match, so you will not find a wider range of options anywhere. You can also request a price on any market using #YourOdds. There are loads of horse racing promotions, too, including extra places, lengthened odds and best odds guaranteed.
New users can grab a Bet £10 and Get £30 bonus at this trustworthy betting site, which has won awards for the level of security it offers. There are lots of safe, convenient payment options, and its customer service is excellent.
18+. New customers only. £30 bonus. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). See full terms here.
Betfred – Our Best Betting Site for Daily Odds Boosts
Pros:
- Trusted bookmaker with lots of secure payment options
- Often has market-leading prices on various sports
- Immense range of weekly promotions
Cons:
- Few betting markets
Betfred is another old-school bookie set up by Fred and Peter Done in Salford in 1967. Initially, it was a single betting shop, but it now has a large retail empire and a superb online betting site in several countries.
This is the best online bookie for anyone who loves promotions. The list goes on and on: a Bet £10, Get £40 welcome offer, top prices guaranteed on football matches, acca boosts of up to 50%, huge profit boosts on goalscorer bets, money back specials on bet builders, free bets if second on horse racing, extra places, best odds guaranteed, odds multipliers, cricket insurance, tricast boosts and much more.
It also offers a #PickYourPunt feature. Betfred has a casino, poker room and bingo section, and it also owns the Tote, so you can enjoy pari-mutuel betting on horse races and create Totepool bets within the Betfred site.
18+. New UK customers only. First bet must be on sports. £40 in free bets and £10 in free spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Full T&Cs apply.
Casumo – Our Top UK Betting Site for Newcomers
Pros:
- Beginner-friendly sports betting site
- Quick, reliable withdrawals via multiple methods
- Excellent mobile experience
Cons:
- No sports betting promos
Casumo offers an excellent sports betting platform, besides its famous casino offering, so it is a great option if you want to bet on sports and play casino games under one roof.
The sports betting section at Casumo is powered by Kambi, a company created by the Unibet team several years ago. The platform offers a familiar layout, markets and odds, but it lacks some extra features, such as live streaming.
It doesn't offer a sports betting bonus; however, if you enjoy occasional casino sessions, you can take advantage of Casumo's generous casino bonus for new players.
Grosvenor – Our Best Sign-Up Offer among Online Betting Sites
Pros:
- Double the odds on your first sports bet
- Thousands of events to bet on each week
- Market-leading live dealer casino section
Cons:
- Does not offer a Bet & Get welcome bonus
Grosvenor is a renowned UK brand with 52 physical venues spread across the country. It expanded by launching an online casino over a decade ago and then added a Kambi-powered sports betting section. The sports betting section is very thorough, offering a wide choice of markets on more than 20 sports, from football and tennis to Gaelic hurling and volleyball. You can also bet on TV and novelty markets, along with political elections. The sign-up bonus doubles your odds on any bet, and prizes are available via the "Scratch and Win" game each day. There are plenty of boosts and free bet deals, too.
18+. New customers. Max £10. 100% odds boost token. See full terms.
32Red – Our Best Profit Boosts among Top Betting Sites
Pros:
- Live streaming of football matches and horse races
- Regular price boosts on horse races
- User-friendly desktop and mobile site, plus mobile app
Cons:
- Promotions mainly aimed at casino players
32Red is one of the best betting sites UK punters can sign up with. It is famous for its online casino, but it also has a great sports betting area. 32Red is owned by Kindred Group, and it offers a similar user experience to its sister sites, with live streaming, a huge choice of options and competitive sports betting odds.
The promos are primarily focused on the online casino, but you can benefit from daily price boosts on UK and Irish horse races, as well as their amazing cash-out feature. The customer service is excellent, and the payouts are quick and dependable, so it is perfect for anyone interested in online sports betting and casino gaming.
Key Criteria of Online Betting Sites
Choosing an established, reliable betting site that can be trusted to settle your bets correctly and payout on time is important. For that reason, you should only ever sign up with online bookies that hold a licence from the Gambling Commission of Great Britain. There are lots of other important criteria to focus on when evaluating the quality and appeal of each online betting site. This section discusses the seven most important factors to focus on when searching for excellent betting sites. The leading online bookies perform well in each category:
Licence and Regulation
The Gambling Commission of Great Britain is one of the world's strictest and most respected regulators. Online betting sites must meet high standards to obtain a licence to operate in the UK. They must then uphold those standards on a continuous basis. Any betting sites that fall short will be stripped of their licences and prohibited from operating in this market. Make sure you only use licensed, regulated online betting sites, as that is the only way to guarantee fair treatment and secure, reliable payouts.
Security and Safety Measures
The best betting sites use powerful security measures to protect your data. They are encrypted using the latest TLS or SSL tools, so your details will always be safe in transit. The sites' security teams also use the latest firewalls, and they hire external security consultants to further bolster the defences. Some of them run bug bounty schemes with organisations like HackerOne, too, which probe for weaknesses and fix them.
User Experience and Platform Design
The overall user experience and platform design is another important area to consider. Some sites are cluttered, difficult to navigate, unattractive and clunky, while they are also unreliable and prone to crashing. By contrast, elite sites like most listed in this article are neat, elegantly designed and easy to navigate. They make it quick and easy for you to find sporting events, browse the available markets and place bets. You can also enjoy added features like live streaming, stats and tips at the top betting sites.
Bonus Offers and Promotions
The top betting sites are competing for new customers in the highly competitive UK market, so they offer appealing betting sign up offers to attract your attention. You often only need to bet £10 to unlock £30 or £40 in free bet credits when you create an account with a new site. However, it is important to check the wagering requirements. The best bonuses only have a 1x wagering requirement, and they do not impose minimum odds restrictions. Leading bookies also offer lots of weekly promos, such as acca boosts, acca insurance, free bets and best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish racing.
Variety of Betting Markets and Quality of Odds Offered
It is important to find betting sites that offer attractive odds. That will improve your long-term prospects of earning a profit. You can sign up with multiple betting sites and bet with the bookie that offers the best price on each market you like. Look out for betting sites that offer a large variety of betting markets, too. For example, a bookmaker with more than 400 options for football matches on some popular event. That will improve your chances of finding a market you like the look of on each game.
Available Payment Options
You can also consider the available payment options. Credit cards are banned at UK online bookmakers, but they all accept debit cards. Other methods include PayPal, Skrill, Apple Pay, online bank transfer, a wire transfer, paysafecard or a pay-by-phone provider. If you like using a slightly obscure method, make sure it is available at a site you are considering. You can also make sure it offers limits to suit your budget, such as low minimum deposits and withdrawals or high maximum deposits and withdrawals.
Customer Support Channels
Customer support will be available 24 hours daily at the best betting sites. UK punters can normally use live chat or email, but only certain sites offer phone support. If you value the ability to speak to an agent over the phone at any time, that can help you narrow down your search. Additional channels may include social media messaging and an online help centre. The top online betting sites reply quickly to customer service requests and provide helpful, friendly advice.
How to Open an Account at Online Betting Sites
It should be pretty quick and straightforward to sign up with any of the UK's best online betting sites. These are the steps to follow:
- Click the link provided to visit one of the online bookmakers featured on this page. It will open the betting site, and you will usually see a message highlighting the sign-up bonus.
- Open the registration form and provide the site with your full name, date of birth, address, mobile phone number and email address.
- Set up a password. You may also be required to create a screen name and security questions at some sites.
- Accept the T&Cs, confirm you are at least 18, select marketing preferences and complete the form.
- The betting site will need to validate your identity and make sure you are old enough to gamble. You normally need to upload scans of two documents – a household bill with your address on it and a photo ID, such as your passport or driver's licence. The documents will be approved, so you can then make a deposit and begin betting on your favourite sports.
Popular Betting Markets and Making a Bet
The most popular sports among UK punters are football and horse racing. If you want to bet on a big football match, you will be presented with more than 200 options at the best betting sites and best betting apps. They include the result, handicaps, Asian handicaps, total goals (over/under), both teams to score, draw no bet, double chance, correct score, first goalscorer, anytime goalscorer and markets on corners, cards and so on.
You can also bet on outright markets, which are sometimes referred to as ante-post bets or futures bets. Examples include betting on a team to win the Premier League or a player to win the Golden Boot. You can compile accumulators, too, which feature predictions on multiple games or put together bet builders on the same game. Although the markets are slightly different, you will find similar betting options on other team sports such as rugby union, rugby league, cricket, basketball and American football.
The most popular horse racing market is a win market. You can also go each-way, which involves one bet on the horse to win and another on the horse to place (finish in the top two, three, four or five positions, depending on the size of the field). Additional markets include the forecast, tricast, reverse forecast, combination forecast, patent, Trixie, Yankee, Lucky 15, Canadian and Lucky 31.
It is easy to place a bet at the top online bookies. Just click on any market you like the look of, and it will appear on your betslip. You can then enter the amount you want to stake, and the slip will show you the potential winnings on offer. Odds are normally shown in the fractional format by default, but you can switch to decimal odds if you prefer. If you click on multiple markets, they will all show up on the slip, and you can then place bets such as accumulators.
FAQ
What's the best sport to bet on?
Football is the most popular sport for UK punters. You will find more betting options on football than any other sport, along with a wealth of bonuses at the best betting sites. UK football fans can place bets on every Premier League and EFL game, along with hundreds of weird and wonderful leagues from around the world. Horse racing is another very popular sport to bet on in the UK. It is often tougher, but it can be lucrative if you study the form in detail and make astute picks.
How do I find the best betting sites in the UK?
The best betting sites are all licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain, so they are trustworthy and reliable. They also offer loads of bonuses, appealing odds and betting options, quick payouts and quality software. Check out independent reviews of online betting sites and decide which ones appeal the most to you. Registering with multiple betting websites is advantageous, as you can shop for the best prices and claim all the best bonuses.
What types of bets can I place at online betting sites?
You can place pre-match bets, in-play bets and outright bets on the best betting sites in the UK. If you are betting on football, you can bet on the match winner, handicaps, correct scores, total goals (over/under or exact), both teams to score, double chance, draw no bet, goalscorers and much more. Horse racing bets include the win, place, each-way, forecast, tricast, reverse forecast and so on. Similar bets are available on greyhounds. You can browse a wide range of betting options on sports like cricket, golf and rugby, too.
What betting sites are offering free bets?
10bet, BritainBet and Betway are among the best betting sites offering free bets right now. You can claim free bets by grabbing the sign-up bonus when you create an account. Punters normally need to make a deposit and place a qualifying bet to unlock the free bet credits, such as a Bet £10 Get £30 deal. Free bets are also available on a recurring basis for existing players at the top betting sites. For example, you might be rewarded with a £10 free bet if you place five accas over the course of a week.
Which is the safest online betting site?
William Hill is often credited as the safest online betting site for UK punters. The company has been in business since the 1930s and was one of the first bookmakers to move into the digital arena, too. It has very strong security measures, including encryption tools and firewalls, and its security team has won awards for its work in protecting customers. All licensed UK online betting sites need to meet strict standards in terms of safety so that you will receive a secure customer experience at bookies.
DISCLAIMER: This page is designed to educate UK punters. The information was correct at the time of publication, but bonuses, terms and conditions are subject to change on an ongoing basis at each site's discretion.
Gambling is a form of entertainment, and it is important to enjoy it responsibly. Do not bet with money you cannot afford to lose. If you need help or support, visit gamcare.org.uk or gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
Anyone under the age of 18 is strictly prohibited from using online betting sites. This page is intended for UK players only. Betting sites may be illegal in other countries, so check your local regulations.
This article is brought to you by Amici IT and does not necessarily represent the views of Eastern Daily Press.
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