The Best Live Betting Sites in the UK 2025

In-play betting is one of the most thrilling ways to bet on sports, and our guide contains everything you need to know about it.

Each live betting site has been rated and reviewed to help you find the best option, along with detailed guides on how to place live bets and useful in-play betting tips.

How We Ranked Live Betting Sites

Usability

Time is crucial when it comes to in-play betting, which is why it's important for games to usually be featured on the front page of the website or app.

The best in-play betting sites allow you to bet on the match result and other popular markets without having to click into the game.

Having a dedicated in-play tab or an entire section devoted to it is even better, as this displays every live game, typically organised by tabs for each sport at the top.

Another key aspect of usability is how easy it is to place the actual bet. For in-play wagers, it's ideal if the bet slip appears instantly without having to navigate to another screen.

Market Variety

In-play betting generally offers fewer distinct market options than pre-match betting, but a good bookmaker can still provide hundreds of live markets.

The most common markets, such as match winner or total goals in football, will be available across the board, alongside player-specific options like next scorer and next yellow card.

In addition to these, the best in-play betting sites also feature markets that settle just a few minutes after the bet is placed. For example, you may find markets on the winner of the next point in tennis or whether a corner will be awarded in the next five minutes of a football match.

These types of markets require more attention from the bookmaker, making them relatively rare, so sites offering them generally receive a higher rating in this section.

Odds

Comparing in-play odds across multiple betting sites is extremely challenging. Unlike pre-match betting, where you can take a few minutes to check the same market at your leisure to ensure you get the best odds, in-play betting is much more time-sensitive.

Even taking just a couple of minutes to check around can result in the odds changing on the first site, especially if something has happened in the game, rendering the entire process ineffective.

Therefore, you need to be confident that the in-play site you’re using is likely to offer strong odds without the need to check around, which is why we do the hard work for you to ensure that the best in-play betting sites feature competitive prices.

Mobile Experience

Over half of all bets in the UK are placed using a mobile phone, and this number increases even more when it comes to in-play betting, which highlights the importance of mobile experience.

Betting apps that keep you logged in or have Face ID enabled help reduce the time it takes to access your account and make a deposit if necessary.

The app should be easy to navigate, with the in-play section easily accessible, ideally through a prominent button on the homepage or at the bottom of the app, allowing you to quickly find the event you want to bet on.

It’s also essential that a mobile app loads pages quickly and is responsive to presses, ensuring there is no delay in finding and placing your in-play bets.

Promos

In-play betting promotions typically come in the form of free bets or profit boost tokens, and they can either be awarded after placing a bet or given for free.

They are usually ‘bet and get’ promotions, where you receive a free bet to use in-play after placing an initial wager on the event before it starts. As with all free bets, you don’t receive the stake back on winning bets.

Profit boost tokens can range in value from 10% to 100%, and these increase any potential profit you make from an in-play bet. The token can only be applied to one in-play bet, and its value is added to the potential profit.

Live Streaming

Live streaming elevates in-play betting to a whole new level, allowing you to easily watch a game on the betting site and place bets as it unfolds.

Typically, you don’t need to place a qualifying bet on the specific game to watch it; you simply need to have a funded account or have placed any wager in the previous 24 hours.

The range of sports available varies by in-play bookmaker, with tennis and horse racing being extremely common, while some also offer rugby, cricket, darts, and table tennis. Football is usually available, although it tends to be limited to lower leagues around Europe.

Cash Out

Cash out is an essential feature for any in-play betting site, allowing you to settle your bet early for the value displayed on screen.

As this function was primarily developed for in-play betting, there’s really no excuse for a bookmaker not to offer cash out. However, some are far more generous with it than others.

Each site uses different formulas to determine a cash out value for your bet, so you can secure significantly better value with some bookmakers. An extension of cash out includes auto cash out and partial cash out, though these are only available at a select few betting sites.

Auto cash out allows you to set a target value, and if the cash out reaches that amount, the system automatically settles your bet at that figure. Partial cash out lets you take a portion of the cash out and leave the remainder to run.

In-Play Features

Some in-play betting sites provide live stats and data to offer insight into the event, enabling you to make data-driven decisions when placing your bets.

How to Place In-Play Bets

Placing an in-play bet is straightforward and not very different from making a regular bet. It is however recommended that you have an account with an in-play betting site set up before the game starts, as the registration process can take a few minutes.

You should also ensure your account is funded beforehand, as this saves you from having to do it when you want to place an in-play bet, which could further delay the time it takes for your wager to be confirmed. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Log in to an in-play betting site.
2. Navigate to the in-play betting section. This could be on the homepage of the site or app, or you may need to go through a menu.
3. Click on the game you want to bet on.
4. Find the market you’d like to bet on and make your selection.
5. Enter your stake and press ‘Place Bet’ or the equivalent option.
6. You’ll usually have to wait at least five seconds for the bet to be placed to ensure nothing major has happened in the game that could impact the odds.
7. When placing the bet, some betting sites will ask if you want to accept the odds movement. Due to the nature of in-play betting and the rapid changes that can occur during an event, it may be necessary for the bookmaker to adjust the odds between you selecting the market and entering your stake.
8. If you’re happy with the new odds, simply place the bet as normal. If not, there’s no pressure or expectation to proceed with the wager.

Pros and Cons

Like all forms of betting, in-play betting has both pros and cons that you should consider before starting to bet live on your favourite sports.

Live Streaming

Live streaming is incredibly helpful for in-play betting, as it allows you to watch the action unfold, making it much easier to place informed live bets.

Even though there’s a lot of sport available to watch on UK TV, much of it is behind paywalls. Being able to watch and bet on a bookmaker’s website unlocks all of that at a fraction of the cost. Usually, you don’t need to have placed a bet on the game to watch it; you simply need to have made any wager within the previous 24 hours or have a funded account.

Of course, different in-play betting sites offer different live streaming sports, so don’t expect to find the same games across every bookmaker, and don’t expect to find every game in every sport.

Premier League, EFL, and Champions League football aren’t typically available, but there’s plenty of top European league football from Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1, along with horse racing from around the world and almost all NBA action.

Live streams at betting sites are usually reliable, provided your internet or data connection is stable, but they tend to be a few seconds behind TV broadcasts, which are themselves a few seconds behind the actual live action. As a result, bets you place may be reacting to events that happened at least 20 seconds prior.

In-Play Betting Sports

The great thing about in-play betting is that basically every sport you can bet on pre-game you can also place live wagers on.

Many markets and the odds are different depending on when you place your bets, due to the event progressing and causing bookmakers to react as things happen in the game.

Not all sports are available for in-play, such as greyhound racing due to the speed of which the race happens, but even longer horse races allow for live betting at some bookies.

Football

Nearly every football match in the world offers live betting at one bookmaker or another, so whether you're interested in the Premier League or the third division of Finland, you’ll likely be able to place in-play bets.

Live betting markets open immediately after kick-off and generally remain open until the final few seconds of the game, although some bookmakers close or severely restrict betting around the 90-minute mark.

As football is the most popular sport in the UK, both in general and for betting, these games usually offer the most markets, especially during major competitions like the Premier League and Champions League.

Horse Racing

In-play horse racing betting tends to be limited to longer races, as it’s not always practical to offer it for shorter races.

Unlike most other sports, it’s also generally limited to picking the winner, rather than offering pre-race markets like each-way, forecasts, and place markets.

Tennis

In-play tennis betting primarily focuses on game and set betting, providing plenty of markets that settle within a few minutes, alongside some that take around an hour or longer.

Some in-play betting sites even offer ‘flash bets’ for the next point to be played, upping the ante and giving you the chance to wager on markets that settle quickly.

Golf

Golf tournaments typically span four days, from Thursday to Sunday, so in-play betting works a little differently here compared to most other sports. When a round is underway, in-play betting is usually limited to the winner of the tournament, or variations such as ‘Winner Without Leader’.

Betting between rounds, which is still considered in-play, opens up more options, including three-ball winner, top five/ten/twenty, and next round leader.

Cricket

Most in-play cricket betting markets are the same across all formats, whether it’s Test, one-day, T20, or The Hundred.

Common markets include total runs, usually presented as an over/under option, runs by a specific batter, and the method of dismissal of the next wicket.

Top in-play betting sites also offer odds on the total number of runs for the next ball and next over, but you have to act quickly before these markets get suspended.

In-Play Betting Promos

The best betting bonuses are often exclusive to new customers, so be sure to take advantage of these by checking out the top in-play betting sites further up this page.

Some bookmakers offer specific in-play promotions that can only be used on live bets, but most regular bonuses can also be used for in-play betting, so there’s no need to shy away from a standard promo if you’re looking to bet in-play.

As with all promotions, make sure to read the terms and conditions to ensure you're happy with them, paying attention to the sports on which you can use the offer and whether you need to place a qualifying bet to activate it.

In-Play Bet Builders

Bet builders allow you to combine multiple selections from the same game into a single bet, creating larger bets much like accumulators.

An in-play bet builder can include any number of legs, with the odds calculated using formulas that take into account the specific legs chosen and how they could influence one another. Building bets in-play can be tricky as the odds are constantly changing, which may result in suspended markets. Even the best in-play bet builder sites typically offer this feature only for football and NFL due to the complexities of trading.

This is especially true if you attempt to place an in-play bet builder late in the game. For example, if a Premier League match is 0-0 with 15 minutes remaining, the odds on most markets will fluctuate quickly and frequently, making it difficult to add the legs you want at your desired odds to your bet builder.

In-Play Betting Tips

Like all forms of betting, it’s important to approach in-play wagering with a logical strategy and not rush headlong into it.

There is no surefire way to win every in-play bet, but you should still have a plan when it comes to live wagering. Check out our tips for in-play betting below:

• Research before a game starts: Read up on how the teams or players tend to play, and check their form heading into the game. Even though a game is unlikely to unfold exactly as you expect, it helps to have an idea of how teams approach their matches.
• Set a budget: It’s easy to get carried away with in-play betting, so make sure to create a budget and stick to it. If you win an in-play bet, it’s worth withdrawing the winnings to avoid spending it.
• Use live stats: There’s a wealth of live stats available to punters these days, so there’s really no excuse not to use them to your advantage. Many in-play betting sites provide them, and if your preferred bookmaker doesn’t, there are plenty of sports websites that offer this information.

Conclusion

In-play betting is an exhilarating way to engage with sports betting, offering fast-paced action and dynamic odds that evolve as the game unfolds. Whether you’re wagering on the next goal in a football match, the winner of a tennis point, or the total runs in a cricket over, live betting adds an extra layer of excitement to the experience.

The best in-play betting sites provide a seamless platform, ensuring quick access to markets, competitive odds, and useful features like live streaming, cash-out options, and real-time statistics. Mobile-friendly apps and promotions tailored for live bettors further enhance the experience, making in-play betting more accessible than ever.

However, success in in-play betting requires careful strategy, quick decision-making, and a strong understanding of the sport. Researching teams and players, managing your bankroll responsibly, and using available data to inform your bets can help you make the most of this thrilling betting format.

With so many bookmakers offering in-play markets, choosing the right site can be challenging. That’s why our expert reviews and recommendations are here to help you find the best in-play betting experience tailored to your preferences. Explore the top in-play betting sites and start placing your live bets with confidence today.