THE BEST BETTING SITES IN THE UK

Discover the best betting sites in the UK, all licensed by the Gambling Commission. Our team of experts has reviewed and rated each bookmaker using consistent criteria to ensure a fair and transparent ranking.

You’ll also find the top bookmakers for football, horse racing, and tennis, as well as the best new betting sites to launch in the UK.

Top Betting Sites in Detail

bet365 - fantastic options on Football and Horse Racing

bet365 is one of the few betting sites that excels in multiple areas, making it one of the top bookmakers in the UK.

It’s rare to find bet365 comprehensively beaten on price for football or horse racing, whether for single bets or football bet builders. Additionally, no other site offers as many sports to bet on, with an impressive selection of 45.

Promotions such as early payout offers on football and rugby union, multi-sport acca boosts, and best odds guaranteed on horse racing further enhance bet365’s appeal.

Paddy Power - Great daily boosted odds and special offers

While best known for its bold and often risqué marketing campaigns, Paddy Power remains one of the top UK betting sites, particularly for horse racing enthusiasts.

With a daily selection of boosted odds and special offers, it is an excellent choice for racing punters. Football and NFL fans will also find plenty of betting opportunities to explore.

Paddy’s Rewards Club is one of the most rewarding loyalty schemes available. Placing five separate £5 bets in a week earns you a £5 free bet and a Power Up token the following Monday.

Betfair - Tons of options with over 30 sports

Betfair originally launched as a betting exchange before expanding into a traditional bookmaker, creating a combination that few competitors can match.

The sportsbook offers betting on over 30 sports and features an excellent mobile app that makes finding and placing bets quick and easy.

One of the standout features of the Betfair app is the dedicated ‘Cash Out’ button at the bottom of the screen. This allows users to instantly access eligible bets without having to scroll through all open wagers.

Betfred - Standout Cash Out feature

Betfair originally launched as a betting exchange before expanding into a traditional bookmaker, creating a combination that few competitors can match.

The sportsbook offers betting on over 30 sports and features an excellent mobile app that makes finding and placing bets quick and easy.

One of the standout features of the Betfair app is the dedicated ‘Cash Out’ button at the bottom of the screen. This allows users to instantly access eligible bets without having to scroll through all open wagers.

Bet UK - Solid welcome bonus

Bet UK doesn’t have the storied history of many of the other best betting sites on this list, having only been founded in 2012, but it certainly warrants its spot with a good welcome bonus and an excellent mobile app.

The simple design of the phone app makes it easy to place in-play bets and search for an event to wager on, rather than navigate through menus, reducing the time it takes to get your bet on.

Bet UK isn’t flush with promos but the ones they do have are very good, giving you free bets on football and horse racing every week, plus profit boosts on winning accas.

BoyleSports - The King of early payouts

BoyleSports is all about variety, offering betting on over 40 different sports along with a fantastic range of promotions covering NFL, football, horse racing, and greyhounds.

When it comes to promotions, BoyleSports is arguably the king of early payouts. Bettors can receive an early payout if their NFL or rugby union team leads by 14 points, or if their football team goes two goals ahead. There is also an option to cash out early when a football team takes a one-goal lead, though this comes at significantly reduced odds.

Horse racing fans will find plenty to enjoy, which is no surprise given BoyleSports’ strong ties to the sport in Ireland. Regular promotions include extra place races and daily odds boosts, making it a solid choice for racing punters.

Best by Sport

If you primarily bet on one sport, it makes sense to choose a betting site that specialises in it and offers the best experience.

While using one of the top betting sites overall is usually recommended, it may not be the best option if your preferred sport is overlooked or if other bookmakers provide better odds, markets, and promotions.

Football

With an extensive range of leagues and consistently strong odds, bet365 is the best football betting site in the UK.

Most football markets at bet365 offer some of the best prices available, or at least highly competitive ones, across hundreds of leagues in almost every country where professional football is played.

Regular promotions enhance the experience, including the early payout offer, which settles your bet as a winner if the team you back goes two goals ahead. Additionally, bet365 offers an acca boost bonus, providing extra returns on successful accumulators, from 2.5% on doubles up to 70% on winning 14-folds.

Horse Racing

Competition for the title of best horse racing betting site is fierce, but BoyleSports takes the top spot. Given its deep ties to racing in the UK and Ireland, this is hardly surprising.

BoyleSports regularly offers extra place races and odds boosts, along with Best Odds Guaranteed, making it a go-to bookmaker for horse racing enthusiasts. It also provides markets for international races in Australia, France, the USA and New Zealand, ensuring global coverage.

Tennis

Tennis fans should head to Unibet, which consistently offers some of the best odds for both in-play and pre-match betting across a wide range of tournaments.

The site provides a strong selection of betting markets, including options such as the total number of tiebreaks and the number of games won by each player. Unibet also offers live streaming of many matches, including Challenger Tour events and a selection of WTA and ATP tournaments.

Golf

Sky Bet is the best UK betting site for golf, largely due to its comprehensive tournament coverage.

In addition to markets for the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and LPGA Tour, Sky Bet also offers betting on the JLPGA Tour, 2020 Pro Tour, and several other challenge circuits.

Each-way backers will appreciate the number of places on offer, with Sky Bet regularly paying out on eight, 10, or even 12 places for PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Major tournaments.

Formula 1

Ladbrokes is the top betting site for F1 and motor racing, thanks to its wide range of betting markets for both in-play and pre-race wagers.

The site covers everything from race winners and podium finishes to qualifying and sprint races, consistently offering competitive odds that often match or beat other UK bookmakers.

NFL

Not only is bet365 the best football betting site, but it also leads the way for NFL betting.

The site particularly excels in NFL outrights, or futures markets, with a massive range of season-long bets available, including Super Bowl winner and player stat leaders.

For individual games and accumulators, bet365 allows users to build custom bets and even watch live streams on their phone, tablet, or computer. Additionally, its early payout promotion ensures match result bets are settled as winners if the backed team leads by 17 points or more at any stage.

Best by Feature

In addition to covering individual sports, bookmakers offer a variety of features designed to enhance the betting experience.

For many punters, these additional features are essential, helping them get the most from their wagers. Below, we’ve highlighted the best betting sites for key features that improve the overall betting experience.

Cash Out

Cash out is a standard feature at nearly every UK betting site, but bet365 stands out with innovations that most bookmakers don’t offer.

In addition to regular cash out, bet365 provides partial and auto cash out.

Partial cash out allows you to settle a portion of your bet, such as withdrawing your original stake while letting the rest run.

Auto cash out is ideal if you’re unable to track your bet. Simply set a cash-out value, and if your bet reaches that amount, it will be settled automatically.

Bet Builder

A bet builder allows you to combine multiple selections from the same event into a single bet, and BetVictor is the best site for this feature.

BetVictor not only offers consistently strong odds, but also supports bet builders across more sports than most bookmakers. In addition to football, you can build bets on snooker, NFL, basketball, tennis, and more.

In-Play

For live betting, Paddy Power is the best in-play betting site in the UK.

Paddy Power offers competitive in-play odds, and its markets rarely suspend except in extreme cases, such as a goal in football. This ensures a smoother experience, as odds remain available for longer, rather than disappearing as you place your bet.

The Paddy Power app is also designed for live betting convenience. The main in-play page is just one click away, allowing users to quickly find their sport and bet on specific markets without even having to open the event page.

Best Odds Guaranteed

Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) is one of the most popular promotions for horse racing, and bet365 offers the most favourable terms.

BOG ensures that if the starting price of your horse is longer than the price you originally backed, you get the better odds. Unlike many bookmakers, bet365 allows BOG bets to be placed from 8am on race day, covering all races except those in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Promotions

Most bookmakers offer promotions, but Sky Bet does it better than anyone.

Sky Bet frequently provides no deposit free bets, ‘bet and get’ bonuses, money-back offers, and boosted odds, particularly for big football matches and major horse racing events.

The Sky Bet Rewards Club is another standout feature, giving punters free bets every week when they wager £30 or more from Monday to Sunday.

Exchange

There are only a few betting exchanges in the UK, and Betfair Exchange remains the market leader.

Founded over 20 years ago, Betfair Exchange allows punters to set their own odds and bet against other users, rather than betting directly against a bookmaker.

With the widest range of sports and markets, Betfair also offers higher liquidity, ensuring faster bet matching compared to other exchanges.

Best New Betting Sites

New betting sites are constantly emerging, making it difficult to determine which ones are worth your time. This is especially true when there are so many well-established bookmakers to choose from.

However, new betting sites often come with unique advantages. Many offer more generous odds or introduce innovative features that are not available on older platforms. For these reasons, they should not be dismissed outright, as they can provide a fresh and competitive alternative to traditional bookmakers.

BetMGM - Fantastic welcome bonus for UK players

After years of dominating the US gambling market, BetMGM has finally expanded to the UK and has already made a strong impression.

Its welcome bonus is one of the best available, offering £60 in free bets when you register and place a £10 bet. BetMGM also provides consistently competitive odds on football and horse racing.

The platform includes live streaming of various sports, daily promotions such as odds boosts and free bets, and a user-friendly mobile app that makes betting on the go quick and seamless.

AK Bets - Brilliant Golf options

AK Bets started as an on-course bookmaker at horse racing meets before launching an online sportsbook and casino in 2023.

Its odds are highly competitive, often outperforming major bookmakers for golf majors, providing great value for punters.

As a bookmaker with strong horse racing roots, AK Bets excels in racing markets, offering betting on worldwide meets, including events in the UK, Ireland, USA, France, and Hong Kong.

Betano

Having operated in countries such as Nigeria, Brazil, Canada, and Germany for over a decade, Betano is now available to UK punters.

The site offers 35 sports to bet on and features a unique ‘Lucky Dip’ promo, which randomly selects a bet for you in certain markets, such as picking a horse race winner or the first goalscorer in a football match.

Betano also stands out for its user-friendly website design, with an A-Z sports menu on the left-hand side, making navigation quick and straightforward.

How We Rate Betting Sites

Every betting site is tested against the same criteria to ensure a fair and consistent evaluation of the most important factors.

While our experts weigh each aspect equally, your priorities may differ. Identifying the features that matter most to you will help you choose the best betting site for your needs.

Below are the key areas we consider when ranking betting sites.

Welcome Bonus

A welcome bonus is one of the main incentives for joining a new betting site. The best bonuses provide bet credits when you deposit and bet a small amount, usually around £10, allowing you to test the bookmaker with minimal risk.

Sites with higher-value welcome bonuses tend to score better, but we also assess their terms and conditions to ensure they are fair and easy to understand.

Mobile App

More than half of UK bettors place their wagers on mobile devices, making a well-designed, fast-loading app essential.

Top-tier betting apps should have a logical layout, making it easy to navigate sports markets, deposit and withdraw funds, and place bets without hassle.

Odds

Odds determine the potential return on winning bets, so better odds mean better profits.

No bookmaker will offer the best odds on every market, but those with consistently competitive prices score higher in our ratings.

Markets

A diverse selection of markets gives bettors more ways to wager on an event beyond the basic match winner bet.

Market availability varies by sport and event. For example, top betting sites offer over 250 markets on Premier League matches, while an NBA game typically has around 60 markets.

Promos

Beyond welcome offers, bookmakers provide ongoing promotions such as bonus bets, odds boosts, and loyalty rewards.

A good betting site should offer regular and valuable promotions, rewarding punters for their continued betting activity regardless of whether their wagers win or lose.

Usability

A betting site should be easy to navigate, allowing users to place bets quickly and efficiently.

Much like a mobile app, a well-designed desktop site ensures bettors can find markets, access promotions, and place wagers without unnecessary delays.

In-Play

Live betting is one of the most exciting features in modern sports betting, offering new markets as games unfold.

The best sites provide a wide range of in-play markets, along with live stats to help punters make informed decisions. Live streaming is also a major plus, enhancing the experience by allowing bettors to watch events in real-time.

Live streaming of events is a huge bonus, too.

Payment Methods

Most UK betting sites accept Visa and Mastercard debit cards, along with Apple Pay and Google Pay for mobile transactions.

Sites that offer a broader range of payment options, such as PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, and Trustly, score higher as they cater to more users.

Responsible Gambling

Bookmakers must comply with Gambling Commission regulations and provide tools to help customers stay in control of their betting.

Essential responsible gambling tools include deposit limits, time-outs, reality checks, and loss limits. Some bookmakers even have dedicated responsible gambling sections, showing a strong commitment to player safety.

Sports

For most bettors, a large selection of sports is less important if they focus on football, horse racing, or other mainstream options.

However, for those who enjoy betting on niche sports, market variety can be a crucial factor. Most UK betting sites offer between 28 and 34 sports, while some provide 40 or more to cater to a wider audience.

Popular Betting Markets by Sport

Beyond simply betting on the match winner, most sports offer a wide range of markets that provide diverse betting opportunities.

Many of these markets are straightforward to understand, and most betting sites feature a dedicated tab for the most popular options, making it easy to find and place bets quickly.

Below are the biggest sports at UK bookmakers along with their most popular betting markets.

Football

• Match Result - Simply bet on the winner of the match in 90 minutes plus injury time. This may be listed as “1X2”, where 1 represents the home team, X is a draw, and 2 is the away team.
• Over/Under Goals - Bet on how many total goals will be scored in the match. The standard market is set at 2.5 goals, but bookmakers typically offer options ranging from over/under 0.5 goals up to 8.5 goals.
• Both Teams to Score (BTTS) - A simple yes or no bet on whether both teams will score during the match.
• Half Time/Full Time - This market requires predicting the leader at half-time and the final result at full-time.
• Corners - Similar to the over/under goals market, this involves betting on the total number of corners in a match or for a specific team. A corner must be taken for it to count. If one is awarded but the referee blows for half-time or full-time before it is taken, it will not be included.
• Booking Points - A betting system used for yellow and red cards. Most bookmakers assign: 10 points for a yellow card, 25 points for a straight red card and 35 points for a player sent off after receiving two yellows (Typically, these only apply to players on the pitch, not substitutes or coaching staff, though rules may vary by bookmaker).
• Goalscorer - Bet on a specific player to score first, last, or at any time in the match. Own goals do not count, so if the first goal is an own goal, first goalscorer bets remain active.

Horse Racing

• Winner - Bet on the horse that will win the race. Most betting sites follow a ‘First Past the Post’ policy, meaning the first horse to cross the finish line is deemed the winner, even if it is later demoted or disqualified.
• Each-Way - A bet that offers insurance if you are unsure whether a horse will win. Your bet is split into two: one for the horse to win and one for it to place. The number of places depends on the size of the field and the bookmaker’s terms.
• Forecast - Predict which two horses will finish first and second in the correct order. A reverse forecast allows them to finish in any order, but the stake is split into two separate bets.
• Tricast - Similar to a forecast but requires predicting the top three horses in exact order. A combination tricast covers all six possible finishing orders involving the selected three horses.
• To Place - A bet that removes the win portion of an each-way bet. Your horse only needs to finish in a defined place for the bet to win.
• Without Favourite - Ideal for races with a heavy favourite. This market excludes the favourite, meaning if it wins, the bet is settled as if the horse that finished second had won.

Tennis

• Match Winner - Bet on the player who will win the match. Rules vary by bookmaker in cases where a player retires due to injury. Some sites void bets if less than one set has been completed.
• Game Handicap - A handicap market that adds or subtracts games from a player’s total to level the playing field. For example, if a player has a -3.5 game handicap, they need to win by at least four games for the bet to win.
• Set Handicap - Similar to the game handicap, but applied to sets won rather than games.
• Over/Under Games - A bet on the total number of games played in a match. This is presented as an over/under market, with the projected total depending on the potential number of sets.
• Set Betting - This market requires you to predict both the winner and the exact set score. In best-of-three matches, the possible outcomes are typically 2-0 or 2-1 for either player.

Golf

• Tournament Winner - Bet on the golfer who wins the tournament. If the event goes to a playoff, bets still stand as usual. There are also each-way options, with some bookmakers paying out on as many as 12 places.
• Top 5/10/20/40 Finish - The player must finish within the specified position for your bet to win. Dead heat rules may apply if multiple players tie for the final qualifying spot, depending on the bookmaker’s terms.
• Wire-to-Wire - Your selected golfer must lead the tournament after every completed round. Ties count, meaning the player does not have to be the outright leader at every stage.
• First Round Leader - A bet on who will lead after the first round. If multiple players share the lead, dead heat rules apply, meaning payouts may be reduced.
• Top by Category - This is most commonly available for major tournaments and allows you to bet on specific groups of players, such as: Top left-hander, Top LIV golfer, Top USA player and Top European player

F1

• Race Winner - Bets are usually settled on the official classification immediately following the race, with any further amendments not counting for betting purposes.
• Podium Finish - The podium is the top-three so the driver must finish either first, second, or third, for your bet to be successful. The same classification rules explained above are relevant here, too.
• Points Finish - Drivers finishing in the top-10 all earn points for the season-long table, so this is essentially a top-10 market.
• Winning Constructor - Each of the 10 constructors usually enter two drivers into each race, and the team that the winning driver represents is the winner in this market.

NFL

• Match Winner/Moneyline - NFL matches go to overtime if it’s tied and then end in a draw if there’s still no winner. If you back a team to win in the two-way market, your bet is void.
• Handicap/Spread - To balance the odds, betting sites apply a points handicap to the team you bet on, with the favourite getting a negative one and the underdog a positive. For example, if the handicap is 6.5 points then a bet on the favourite essentially starts them with -6.5 points, meaning they have to win by seven or more.
• Over/Under Points - The number of points that will be scored in the game. Sites set a projected total with the same odds on both sides, usually 10/11 (1.91), and you can bet on whether the actual points scored will be more or less than the projection.
• Touchdown Scorer - Betting on a player to score a touchdown either first or anytime. It must be a touchdown and not a two-point conversion catch to count.
• Player Props - There’s lots of different props you can bet on at a bookmaker and they mostly operate in an over/under fashion like points. Popular props include passing yards, passing touchdowns, interceptions, receiving yards, receptions, and rushing yards.

Conclusion

Choosing the best betting site in the UK depends on your individual preferences, from the sports you bet on to the features you value most. Whether you prioritise competitive odds, in-play betting, live streaming, or generous promotions, our expert reviews have highlighted the top bookmakers in each category to help you make an informed decision.

With industry giants like bet365, Betfair, and Paddy Power leading the way, alongside newer options such as BetMGM and AK Bets, punters have more choice than ever before. From football and horse racing to niche markets and innovative bet builders, UK betting sites continue to evolve, offering an exciting and user-friendly experience.

By considering factors such as welcome bonuses, mobile apps, market depth, and responsible gambling tools, you can find the bookmaker that best suits your needs. No matter your betting style, the UK’s licensed and regulated sportsbooks provide a safe and enjoyable environment to place your bets.

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