
Narrowing down the best online betting sites is no easy task. The UK bookmaker market is particular crowded, that's why our experts have ranked every site to help those who are looking for a leading experience when sports betting online.
You'll find a full list of online bookmakers available in the UK. Each of them is licenced and secure meaning you can bet with confidence. Find key factors to consider when selecting a site to play at and tips for maximising your enjoyment. Regardless of what you're looking for in a betting site, you'll find all the information you need.
We've found that the best online bookmakers are those betting sites who can be counted on to give you a legal, safe and fun way to bet on sport. Not only will you get competitive odds for all top sports, but you'll also get a helping hand with the best online betting deals and the greatest range of ways to put your bets down.
This all should help you get a better experience of enjoying sport and celebrating a decent win when the sports results come in.
We’ve had plenty of experience in dealing with rubbish betting sites and we don’t want you to suffer the same fate. So we’ve assembled a team of betting experts who’ll help you with anything from finding the best Premier League odds to hunting down the perfect rugby betting bonus. Here are five mini-reviews of some top UK betting sites to get you started:
BetMGM might have only been in operation since 2023, but they have quickly built up a reputation as one of the top UK online bookmakers.
The BetMGM Sports Welcome Offer is a brilliant deal and it is relevant to a number of sports rather than just football. New customers can claim £40 in free bets by just depositing and wagering £10.
To activate this offer, new BetMGM customers will need to place a £10 qualifying bet on any sport with odds greater than even money and wait for the bet to settle before receiving the free bets.
The £40 in free bets will be sent to the customer as four separate bets, The first one will be 1 x £10 on football, followed by 1 x £10 on horse racing and 2 x £10 free bet builders. Customers have seven days to use their free bets.
The BetMGM sportsbook is loaded with plenty of different sports with football, horse racing, golf, tennis, darts, cricket, boxing and UFC all available.
Aside from the BetMGM Sports Welcome Offer, BetMGM have a number of other deals in place including Daily Offers, the chance to win up to £1 million on the free to play Score Predictor. BetMGM also have special deals in place for Premier League football teams Wolves, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.
If you fancy a change from betting on sports, customers can head over to the casino section and get involved. The casino welcome offer sees customers receive 100 free spins when you deposit and use £10 on casino games. The 100 free spins will be available to play on the popular game Big Bass Splash.
Bwin has been around the sports betting world since 1997 and is rated very highly by customers thanks to their wide range of sports and offers on display.
The Bwin welcome offer allows customers to receive a free bet worth up to £20 if the first deposit and wagered bet ends up not being a winner.
Customers need to register as a new member and place a sports bet with three or more selections with odds greater than 2/1 to qualify.
If that bet ends up being a winner, you will keep all the winning you have earned. If that first bet loses, then you receive up to £20 back as a free bet.
Bwin boasts about having one of the largest ranges of sports on their site with all the popular sports like football, cricket and horse racing, but they also have markets available for sports like rugby league, skiing, chess, cycling, floorball, Gaelic games, handball, padel tennis and pool.
There is no promo code needed to activate the welcome offer, while Bwin also has some more interesting deals for existing customers. These include Predict 5 with customers getting the chance to win a share of £5,000.
Betano have been in existence since 2016 and they are now becoming one of the big guns when it comes to the top UK online bookmakers.
Their welcome offer for new customers certainly grabs the attention. There are a number of different offers for different sports, but the Football Welcome Offer of Bet £10 & Get £30.
This offer is very popular and allows new punters to claim 2 x £10 free bets, a £5 football free bet and £5 slots bonus to be used on Big Bass Splash.
Other impressive offers relate to horse racing and all sports in the sportsbook. You can activate the Horse Racing Welcome Offer by claiming free bets worth up to £40 from your first race. The sports offer is Bet £10 & Get £10 and can be used on all sports.
Betano has a wide range of sports available. Punters can bet on football from all over the world, boxing, darts, rugby league, NFL, basketball, cricket, hurling and ice hockey.
This is an online betting site who has come from nowhere to become one of the best places for betting on sport in the UK. Much of this is down to just how easy it is to use the Kwiff site or apps.
You can sign up in a matter of seconds, and from here enjoy a great welcome bonus that could give you up to £30 in extra credit to play with.
Elsewhere you’ll find competitive odds, speedy payouts, fast live betting and a huge range of betting markets for each major and minor sporting event. Highly recommended as one of the top online bookmakers for 2025.
Betfred is one of the longest-running sports betting brands in the UK. While it was launched way back in 1967, Betfred have kept up with the times in the internet betting era too and will give you a modern way to bet on sport from your device.
There’s a great welcome bonus that’ll give you £50 in bonuses for making a £10 qualifying bet. That's one of the best offers on the market right now.
With a solid selection of markets, competitive odds and unique features such as Double Delight, Hat-Trick Heaven and Acca Flex, it's easy to see why Betfred retain their status as a top UK bookmaker.
Everyone has something special that they look for in an online bookmaker. So we’ve created this handy table that shows you which bookmaker you should check out according to the following key features:
Best Bookmaker By Feature | Online bookmaker |
---|---|
⭐ Best Odds | BetMGM |
🎁 Best Welcome Offer | Betfred |
🏀 Best for Live Betting | BetUK |
📱 Best Mobile Apps | Livescore Bet |
💰 Best for Payments | Betfred |
💬 Best for Customer Support | 10bet |
📺 Best for Live Streaming | bet365 |
✅ Best for Loyalty Offers and Promotions | Livescore Bet |
⚽ Best for Fantasy Sports | bet365 |
📌 Best for Prediction Games | bet365 |
New to the world of online sports betting and want to know the key steps in beginning your journey? Look no further than our in-depth guide. The whole process should usually take no more than a few minutes and can be done either via a laptop, PC or mobile device.
It might sound like a no-brainer but it's important to select the best betting site for your needs. No two bettors are the same in terms of their requirements so our comparisons should help you decide the best route.
You'll need to provide some basic contact details as well as your date of birth when registering for an online betting account in the UK. Most bookmakers will ask you to create a username and password too
Promo codes are becoming a less regular occurrence for UK bettors but some bookmakers still have them in place for specific welcome bonuses, If one is required, we'll always highlight it.
In order to prevent underage gambling, money laundering and other issues, online betting sites will often request ID verification when you register. A copy of your photo ID such as a passport or driving licence is usually enough for them to verify who you are and your age. Occasionally additional documents may be requested.
While some are seeking the best high-limit betting sites, for the majority of bettors, setting a sensible deposit limit that fits within your budget is an important part of opening a new bookmaker account. This limit can be changed of course, but it's a smart move to ensure you're playing responsibly from the outset.
Add funds to your account via your chosen method. Ensure that if you're claiming a welcome bonus, that the payment methods in question makes you eligible for the promotion. Usually a debit card or similar solutions such as Apple Pay are widely accepted for the purposes of claiming online betting bonuses and offers.
That's it! All that's left to do is place your first sports bet on your new bookmaker account.
If you've signed up on your desktop or PC, it's usually a good idea to download the app of your new bookmaker if they have one. This way you'll be able to access the latest odds, promotions and offers from anywhere in the UK.
When compiling each online bookmaker review and posting our bookmaker ratings, there are a number of things we always look out for. Here’s how we decide who should be the best bookmaker in the UK:
All of the best UK bookmakers will put on promotions that can do things like give you more money to play with or even refund your losses. We’ve got an entire page dedicated to these betting offers, but here are just some of the different kinds of promotions that you can find at the best UK betting sites as a new or existing customer:
The best betting promotions will always be good value for money. This means that the bonus bets you receive won’t have wagering conditions that are impossible to fulfil.
This isn't often the case in the UK sports betting market though, as turnover requirements are often reserved for the world of casino betting.
As such, it’s essential to read through the terms and conditions of each bonus first to make sure that you understand what you are signing up for.
Remember that some UK bookmakers won’t even put on any sign up offers, although that makes it unlikely they'd be considered a top online betting site in the modern era.
Years ago football and horse racing were the main sports used in sports betting, but in 2025 you can bet on a wide range of sports every day of the year. Below is a table featuring the most popular sports and which site you can bet with.
Betting Bookmaker | Sport |
---|---|
Star Sports | Football |
Bet365 | Horse Racing |
Bwin | Tennis |
DAZN Bet | Boxing |
Kwiff | Cricket |
Betfred | Rugby League |
Bet365 | Darts |
Ladbrokes | UFC |
Gone are the days where you were just betting on a certain team to win a game of football or one player to win a golf or tennis tournament. The betting markets in 2025 go much further than that.
Yes, those betting markets are still available but the range is far more extensive. In cricket you can back which batsman will score the most runs or the highest opening partnership and even who will win the coin toss.
It is not just cricket that has plenty of options. Football has a huge range of markets with Asian handicap bets, Both Teams To Score, over/under 2.5 goals, number of corners and cards and also first, last and anytime goalscorers.
Below is a table with a wide range of betting markets for each sport and some of the betting sites you can find them at.
Popular Betting Markets | Sport | Bookmaker |
---|---|---|
Match result, first goal scorer, half time/full time, correct score, draw no bet, total goals, total home goals, total away goals. 2 or more goals, to win to nil. | Football | Bet365 |
Match result, set betting, total games, set 1 winner, set 2 winner, set 3 winner, both players to win a set, win 1st set & win match, player A to win a set, player B to win a set. Total tie breaks. | Tennis | Ladbrokes |
Winner, top 3 finish, top 3 finish, top 4 finish, not to be placed, not to win. | Horse Racing | Bet365 |
Match winner, points handicap, first try scorer, yellow or red card, winning points margin, man of the match, three or more players to score tries, first scoring play. | Rugby League | Betfred |
Fight result, round betting, total rounds,round group betting, will the fight go the distance?, method of victory, to score a knockdown, total knockdowns, what minute will the fight end in. | Boxing | DAZN Bet |
Win market, highest opening partnership, man of the match, top home bowler, top away bowler,top bowler, top home batsman, top away batsman, top batsman, team to score most 4s, team to score most 6s, to win the toss. | Cricket | William Hill |
Tournament winner, round leader, Head 2 Head, 3 balls, group winner | Golf | Live Score Bet |
Match result, Super Bowl winner, winner including OT, winner without OT, 1st touchdown scorer, most passing yards, most rushing yards, number of sacks | NFL | Bet UK |
Race winner, Top 3, Top 6, Fastest lap winner, Winning constructor, Qualifying winner, 1st practice winner, Sprint qualifying winner, GP Winning margin, Last finisher | Formula One | Bzeebet |
Money line, Point spread, Total points, Last team to score, First quarter point spread, first quarter total points, First half point spread, First half total points | NBA | BetVictor |
This isn't always a straightforward question to answer because different bookmakers will take different approaches depending on the sport, event and market.
Generally though, if you're looking to bet at the best odds and less concerned with promotions or recreational markets such as bet builders, checking out the most popular events is a good measure of who is the most competitive price-wise.
Consider a top Premier League game as a good starting point for the top sports betting sites.
One advantage of having access to multiple betting sites is that you may find a particular brand is giving best odds on an outcome that others are ducking by lowering their odds.
While the chances of genuine sports betting arbitrage are long gone in the online era, the difference between a payout at 10/1 and 16/1 can certainly make all the different in terms of being a profitable bettor in the long term.
Below is a brief table of what odds the top bookmakers are handing out for the opening game of the Premier League season between Manchester United and Fulham at Old Trafford.
Bookmaker | Champions League Match | Home | Draw | Away | Overround |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BetMGM | Juventus v Benfica | 5/4 | 11/5 | 11/5 | 6.94% |
Bwin | Juventus v Benfica | 13/10 | 9/4 | 11/5 | 5.50% |
Betano | Juventus v Benfica | 5/4 | 23/10 | 85/40 | 6.75 |
Kwiff | Juventus v Benfica | 11/10 | 9/5 | 2/1 | 16.67% |
Betfred | Juventus v Benfica | 13/10 | 12/5 | 9/4 | 3.66% |
Betting from a mobile device is now even more popular than doing so via a PC or laptop with over half of all wagers placed now done so via an app or mobile website.
With that in mind, having the best sports betting app is a serious competition for those who want to be crowned the best bookmaker in the UK. The leading apps should load quickly, allow for speedy logins through tools like facial recognition or TouchID and be a breeze to navigate around.
You can expect all the same great features on the apps as you'd find on a bookmakers' website. Promotions and bonuses almost universally work the same across devices these days with some betting sites even offering additional offers to those who are betting using their smartphone.
Keeping push notifications turned on will ensure you're never missing out on the best offers, too. What's more, mobile-specific payments such as betting with Apple Pay or Google Pay offer players an even more secure experience.
Whether we like it or not, we are living in an era that is run by technology and that includes mobile devices.
Statistics have shown that around mobile phone users spend 88% of their time on mobile specific apps, compared to 12% that use mobile websites. Obviously, these figures do not just relate to betting apps, but they are a big part of the figure.
Why is this? There are a number of reasons why people prefer to use mobile apps. We want things to work instantly without many problems, and that is the main reason why people are opting to use apps over desktop or mobile sites.
Below is a list of reasons why mobile apps are the preferred method for everyday mobile use and for placing bets online.
There's sometimes an understandable reluctance around trying out new betting sites. They lack the name recognition of the established brands, but sometimes they can rival the more famous counterparts when it comes to providing a great online betting experience.
As long as the new bookmaker are licenced by the UK Gambling Commission, you can be sure they're legit and secure.
If you're looking to wager on a mobile device then often the more recently launched brands will have developed their whole site with mobile usage in mind.
That's not always the case with those who have been around for decades and are looking to play catch up in the mobile era. With innovative promotions, fresh markets and the occasional generous promotion, new online betting sites are a worthwhile consideration for the punter in 2025.
We have already mentioned the big sports that are used at online betting sites, but what about the sports not seen as a mainstream sport?
Below is a brief explanation of what other sports you can bet on and which betting sites cater for these sports.
The National Football League (NFL) is the biggest competition when it comes to Gridiron. The season runs from September to January with the regular season, the play offs then take over with the Super Bowl taking place in February. Ladbrokes prides themselves on having a strong NFL betting section. You can back on the winner, how many touchdown passes a quarterback makes, or how many yards he passes for. You can back receivers and how many yards they make. The list of markets is endless with an NFL game. Other leagues include the NCAA, the Canadian Football League and the United Football League (formerly the XFL).
Betting on athletics becomes very popular during an Olympic year, but odds are available at Bet365 all year round at all the main meetings. You can bet on single events like the 100 metres, long jump, 110 metres hurdles, hammer throw, javelin and triple jump.
There seems to be a huge boxing event every weekend, whether it is in the UK, Las Vegas or Saudi Arabia Riyadh Season. Bookmakers like Betano will cover every single fight with a wide range of markets, including the method of win, round betting and if the fight will go the distance.
The Tour de France is a major deal when it comes to a spectator sport with many fans including this on their sporting bucket list. BetVictor goes big when it comes to the TDF with markets each day on every stage. They also include the Vuelta a Espana and all the races in the Olympics.
Every race in an F1 season is covered intently by a wide range of top online bookmakers. Netbet is one of those bookies who like to invest in Formula One. You can back markets all across race weekend, starting with free practice, then on to qualifying before betting on the race.
OK, politics is not technically a sport, but a lot of people tune in to see what is happening. Betting markets include who will be the next Prime Minister or the next Tory leader, with LiveScore Bet also including USA politics and events in Australia and Sweden.
Snooker is another sport that has started to become more popular in the world of sports betting. Copy Bet ensures all the major tournaments like the Shanghai Masters, UK Championships, World Championship and the Champions Cup are all covered. Markets include match result, frame handicap, total frames and player centuries.
Just like boxing, there seems to be an Ultimate Fighting Championship event every single week. These could be numbered events that are featured all around the world, or the popular UFC Fight Night that are more often than not held at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas. Betfred is another sports bookmaker that goes big with UFC and covers every single fight taking place.
Online bookmakers are much more than just a load of betting odds on a page assigned to selected sports.
Here is a selection of top quality additions that are included at the best online UK bookmakers.
Bet Builders are becoming more and more popular and are featured at the best UK online bookmakers. A Bet Builder is a multiple bet with a selection of odds all combined into one bet.
BetBuilders normally include three selections as a minimum and can rise to as many as 20. The more selections you add to your betting slip, the greater the odds will be.
You can use a Bet Builder on a different range of markets. This form of betting is very popular in football. You can do a Bet Builder with the match result, over and under cards, over and under cards, amount of free kicks and individual shots or assists.
There is more risk with a multiple bet like a Bet Builder. If you have a single bet, you are just hoping that one selection wins. With a Bet Builder, you have to have every single selection be successful for the bet to be deemed a winner.
The majority of bet builders are set up the same withna number of different markets on offer. It is then up to you to combine them into one bet.
Here is an example from BetMGM:
A lot of the betting odds online are for before a tournament or match has got underway, but the live betting section allows punters to place bets when the match is in progress.
The live betting feature is becoming more and more popular in the UK. Yes, punters still like to place pre-match bets like accas, both teams to score or over/under goals, but there is something special about placing bets while following a game you are interested in.
You can wait until the game you are betting on kicks off and then start placing your bets accordingly. You can still back the winner of the game, but you can back next goalscorer, if a goal is scored inside the next 10 minutes, match goals and if the goal amount is odds or evens.
This makes your betting journey a little bit more exciting. You can keep a close eye on the game you are watching by placing bets on what you think will happen.
Not all UK online bookmakers have the correct licences to show live footage of all sports.
Bet365 leads the way when it comes to live streaming with football, NFL, rugby league, basketball, greyhound racing, horse racing, tennis and cricket all featured heavily.
There is not a section dedicated to show you what games are being streamed live, but there is a simple way to find out.
Head to the sport you fancy watching and look at the games list for today. If you see the play icon at the side of a match, then that is confirmation that you can watch the whole game live online.
In order to be eligible to watch any live streaming match online, you will need either a funded account with money available to bet or placed a bet within the past 24 hours. If you are unsure whether you have placed a bet or have any money in your account, the site will quickly inform you if you press the play icon.
The cash out function has become very popular in recent years. This is where the online bookmaker offers the counter the chance to cut their losses and take a payout before their bet has been completed.
It can be a risky decision if you cash out for a lower offer and the bet comes home, but how would you feel if you did not cash out and the bet lost - you would end up with nothing.
It adds a bit of jeopardy to your wager and that can sometimes be a lot of fun.
As already mentioned, a lot of bookmakers do not hold the relevant licences to be able to live stream matches, but there is no obstruction when it comes to just broadcasting audio.
It is the same as the live radio coverage you receive, but the main difference is that you can place bets by using this format.
You might think it is old fashioned to have audio commentary, but trust us, it is better than no commentary at all.
Even if the game you want to watch as a live stream is available, there is no 100% guarantee that the game will have any audio.
A lot of sports fans like to watch the games on TV with different channels, but they opt to mute the TV and go with audio commentary. This is for various reasons, but the main one being that they do not like the personalities on Sky Sports or TNT Sports.
Bookmakers like Bet365 have their own news section that has previews of upcoming sporting events and what their experts believe will happen.
This could include stats from previous matches, current form and injury news. If you are in the procress of placing a bet and are unsure about certain information, it makes sense to remain on the bookmaker site and click the news tab to see if you can find that info you need.
There is nothing worse than backing a player to score first ina football match, to later find out an article was in the news section clarifying that.
Speaking of gambling licenses. There's so many out there that it can get very confusing if you're not clued up on them. We've got your back though, with our helpful guide to UK gambling licenses:
Let's face it, the world is heading towards technology more and more, and the world of sports betting sites is showing no signs of slowing down and the reasons for them being the vastly superior betting choice are many.
First of all, they're more convenient to access than high street bookmakers; you don't have to pop your shoes on to put a bet on City winning the league (good look finding great odds on that one though).
There's an abundance of great offers available with online sports betting sites, the payment methods are vastly greater and the overall choice is bigger.
There is one thing we will give to physical bookmakers: They will always have some sort of massive TV showing sports. They're great for in-play betting as not every online bookmaker offers live streaming services, but that one positive struggles when compared to the many positives of online sports betting sites.
Let's take a look at some of the most popular ways to deposit and withdraw money at online betting sites. Each of these has advantages and disadvantages, no method is perfect after all, but they are all safe and secure ways to move your betting bankroll.
Still the best way to claim welcome bonuses at online bookmakers, debit cards are a popular choice with online bettors. Payout speeds are getting quicker, with some sites offering almost instant withdrawals, but others can still take a couple of days to reach your account. Debit cards do require you to give your banking details to the site in question, so some people prefer methods that don't have that direct link.
For more anonymity, e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller have grown in popularity for those online bettors who want to avoid having their debit card details stored online. Transactions are fast with instant deposits and speedy withdrawals too. The downside is that due to previous issues around bonus abuse, some betting sites don't allow players to claim welcome offers if depositing via an e-wallet.
As well as the world of online betting moving into the mobile realm, so have the payment solutions. Apple Pay and Google Pay have been around for a few years now and bookmakers are adopting them as viable ways to deposit and withdraw funds. The extra security of having to confirm your transactions via Face or TouchID is a nice added extra.
It's still possible to bank transfer money in and out of online betting sites in 2025. In fact, due to advances in the technology, some of the withdrawals via bank transfer are much quicker than previously. However, bank transfer betting sites can be quite slow and cumbersome. Better alternatives are out there if you want instant access to your bankroll.
Cryptocurrency isn't really a big player in the UK online betting scene but it has grown in popularity elsewhere. It remains to be seen if many UK bookmakers add the likes of Bitcoin into their payment methods in the coming years.
There are few things in life that everyone can agree on. We all have different needs, preferences, and ideas of what constitutes “good” and what isn’t worth bothering with.
This is definitely true when it comes to our online betting needs. A bookmaker that one person considers to be the best of the best might not necessarily suit another player in the same way.
What you need, then, is objective analysis. People who can look at an online betting not through their own personal, unique lens, but from a few steps back, analysing based on overall offering rather than how well a bookmaker meets their preferences.
Objectivity is very much the name of the game for every single betting site review you’ll find on this site. So that whether you’re looking for the best bookies for MMA or the best betting sites for CS:GO, you’ll get all of the help you need in our expert ratings.
Which are the best online UK bookmakers? Our bookmaker list makes it easy to find your perfect bookie. Pick any bookmaker on our comparison, and we’re pretty sure you’d like what you get.
Each of these bookies have been checked in our reviews to make sure that they are legal and safe. Our review scores are then tallied up to reveal the best sports betting sites in the UK. Simple!
We don’t just highlight the best bookmakers in the UK. We’re also happy to name and shame all of those dodgy bookies out there. Check out some of these blacklisted bookmakers and see which bookies you should be avoiding.
Remember that our bookie comparison is constantly updated. After all, just because a bookmaker is amazing today doesn’t mean that it’s not going be completely rubbish tomorrow. So check our comparison to make sure that you’re always playing with the best bookmaker the UK has to offer.
There is no rule against you having multiple betting accounts - but they do have to be with different operators. That might be obvious, but it is important to state that bookmakers will not let you have more than one account at a time.
Below are a few benefits of having multiple betting accounts.
There are so many bookmakers on the market with impressive welcome offers. Sometimes it is hard to choose which one you want to activate. As long as you are sensible, you can open accounts with different bookmakers and pick the ones you want. This is one of the reasons bookmakers individually do not allow more than one account as punters could take advantage and abuse the offers. Having multiple accounts allows you to handpick the best offers.
Not all betting odds are the same across the board, so it makes sense to compare each bookmaker. Having multiple betting accounts allows you to search for the best odds that suit you. You can then loft into your account and place your bets knowing you have the best odds available. There is nothing worse than placing a bet to later find out you could have had better odds for the same outcome.
This might sound strange, but not all online bookmakers have the same betting markets as other operators. Firms like Bet365 run a 2 Goals Up Early Payout feature, but something like that might not be available with other bookmakers. It makes sense to have a look at what each of your accounts can offer you, instead of just playing safe with normal betting markets.
If you have multiple betting accounts, you will be able to take full advantage of the weekly offers that some of the top UK online bookmakers offer. You will still only have access to one welcome offer on each site, but the regular offers like bet a £10 acca to receive a free £5 bet will be available to you. The more accounts you have means you can take advantage of all these extra offers that are run every week.
A lot of bookmakers like to promote their sites by having enhanced odds included in some of their sports. If you are just signed up to one bookmaker, you will miss out on enhanced odds. We are not saying you must have multiple accounts, but if you are a seasoned gambler, having multiple accounts could be beneficial in the end.
We are all well aware that technology can fail us at any time. There might be occasions when the bookmaker you constantly lose has a system malfunction and the site is unable. You will obviously not want to miss out on your betting journey, so having extra accounts will minimise your downtime and you can carry on as normal while the problem is rectified.
There are several betting exchanges now operating in the UK. Typically if you're placing a bet online, you're doing so after a trader has priced it up. They decide what the price is about an outcome and you as the punter can choose to back it or not.
The odds can move but only on the instruction of the bookmaker and their software.
Exchanges such as Betfair are different to more traditional bookmakers because their technology is simply there to facilitate the bet, the prices are set by bettors on both sides.
It's a peer-to-peer betting ecosystem where both parties need to agree on a price for an outcome, at which point the bet becomes matched. Compare that with a betting site like Betfred or bet365 and you as the bettor have a menu of markets and their respective odds available that are already set.
With exchanges you can either back or lay (i.e bet against) an outcome occurring and incur the liability of the outcome happening.
Usually exchange bettors get very competitive odds because there is no middle man adding a house edge into the prices, but there is usually a commission applied which must be factored in to winning bets.
We all love to place bets and get carried away with the magic of sports betting, but it is very important not to bet more than you can afford.
Below are a few handy tips to consider when betting and to make sure you remain safe.
This is the big one. If you feel that your betting habits are getting out of control, take yourself away from the action. It is easier said than done, but some online bookmakers have the option to set a time out limit. You can self exclude yourself for a couple of weeks or even a few months. You might go back once the time out has been completed, but hopefully you will be in a better place and will be more sensible with your betting habits.
This might seem extreme, but it isn’t if you are starting to develop a problem. A lot of banks now have the ability to limit your spending when it comes to betting. If you believe you are spending too much, then take the temptation out of your hands and get your bank to stop any payments leaving your account to a betting company.
It is very easy to spend a full Saturday or Sunday sitting on your phone logged into your betting account making bet after bet. Some bookmakers give you the option to set a time limit for how long you spend on a site each day. The most important one can be monitored by the bettor themselves. Set your own time limit or set an amount you wish to bet and then stick to your own guidelines. You will find you will not be spending half as much time on the sites as before.
You could find a sports betting site that has an amazing welcome offer and ongoing promotions along with an interface that is simple to use. However, this will count for nothing if the betting site does not cater to your needs when it comes to gambling online.
If you just bet on darts and nothing else, there is no point signing up with a new online betting site that caters for the likes of horse racing and football with little or no care for darts.
Having said that, the majority of online bookmakers in the UK have extensive markets on all professional sports. If they do not have a lot of markets for the UK Open and only have outright winners, then there is no point in you being a member of that bookmaker because there is no benefit to you as a punter.
The sporting events you want to be on - whether that is darts or not - should be readily available at your online bookmaker of choice.
Find a bookmaker that covers all your betting needs. Do not compromise just because the welcome offer is a good one. You need to think about the remainder of your betting journey and what benefits you the most.
By now you’ll be perfectly placed to know which of the many online betting sites is right for you. We’re pretty sure that everyone has their own idea of who the best bookmaker UK currently is, and our reviews will help you find your perfect bookie.
Our comparison gives you an easy way to find the bookmaker best odds for your favourite sport and you can read our reviews of the best bookmakers in the UK to see how each betting site works.
So which one is the best online bookmaker? Well there’s no simple answer, but we’re going to have great fun finding out as there are more new gambling sites appearing on the scene with each day that passes.
Stick with us in our mission to find the best bookmaker that the UK has right now!
Sport | Best Bookmakers |
---|---|
Cheltenham 🏇 2025 | Best Cheltenham Betting Sites |
Cricket 🏏 | Best Cricket Betting Sites |
The Ashes 🏏 | Best Bookmakers For The Ashes Betting |
Football ⚽ | Top Football Betting Sites |
Super Bowl 🏈 | Best Super Bowl Betting Sites |
Darts 🎯 | Best Betting Sites For Darts |
UFC 🤼♂️ | Best Bookmakers For UFC Betting |
F1 🏎️ | Top F1 Betting Sites |
Horse Racing 🏇 | Best Horse Racing Bookmakers |
Tennis 🎾 | Best Betting Sites For Tennis |
Golf 🏌️ | List Of Best Golf Betting Sites |
Boxing 🥊 | Best Boxing Betting Sites |
Greyhound Racing 🐕 | Best Greyhound Betting Sites |
NBA 🏀 | Best Bookmakers To Bet On NBA |
At the moment, we have found that BetMGM has the best general odds overall. However, the quality of the odds depends on what you are betting on and no one betting site will maintain the best prices on every outcome. It can be worthwhile looking into who offers the best odds for your chosen sport or specific markets.
Getting started with an the best bookmakers online is relatively straightforward. Opening an account consists of giving a few details, verifying your age and ID, then making a deposit. From there you can place your first bet.
Our team have thoroughly reviewed over 80 different online bookmakers in the UK. As bettors themselves, they understand what people want from their betting experience online and can make informed judgements about the options.
In short, yes, most online betting sites have a range of offers and promotions for both new and existing customers. With such a competitive marketplace, brands do all they can to foster customer loyalty including rewards such as free bets, enhanced odds and prediction games with cash prizes.
At the moment, we’d say that BetMGM, Bwin, Betano, Kwiff and Betfred are amongst the top 10 betting sites. However, this list is subject to change as sites release new features, bonuses and change their offering.
Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advice can be found at begambleaware.org. Please Play Responsibly.
Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.