When it comes to the best betting sites in the UK, you want a blend of competitive odds and heaps of markets that offer great action.
Whether you’re looking for the top UK betting sites covering your favourite sport or simply a good all-rounder, we’ve collated the best of the best.
How to Choose the Best UK Online Betting Site
Picking the right betting site is like finding your ideal pub: trusted, lively, and full of perks! There’s more to it than just signing up with the first bookmaker you visit, though. What to look out for:
Pros
- Generous Welcome Offer: The best betting sites in the UK will give you free bets and bonus funds that maximise your betting bankroll and have low or zero wagering requirements.
- Covers the Best UK Sports: Sportsbooks not on GamStop in the UK cover all major UK sports, from the Premier League and Wimbledon to the Open Championship and the Ashes.
- Live Streaming: For in-play sports betting, pick sites with live streaming so you can watch events and bet in real time based on the action.
- In-Play Betting: The best bookmakers in the UK offer in-play betting. Choose sites with cash-out options to lock in profits or limit losses as events unfold.
- Payment Methods: Nowadays, you should be free to deposit, bet, and withdraw in whichever currency you like. This includes cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, which are supported at all crypto betting sites.
- Mobile Optimisation: The best online betting sites in the UK let you research, bet, and live stream on mobile – no app needed, just use your phone’s web browser!
Cons
- Wagering Restrictions: Online bookmakers that limit winning sports bettors to minimal stakes are a no-go zone for us – and you!
- Additional Documentation: We avoid UK online bookies that ask for too much of your personal information. The no KYC betting sites in the UK make opening an account almost frictionless.
- Slow Withdrawals: You shouldn’t have to wait a week to receive your sports betting winnings. In this day and age, there are ways to get your withdrawals on the very same day.
- High Turnover Requirements on Bonus Funds: Avoid bookies with harsh wagering rules – bonuses should be fair, and not require endless rollovers at high odds, making it impossible to convert into withdrawable cash.
Best Overall UK Betting Site: BetMorph
BetMorph is at the forefront of pre-game and in-play sports betting, with an exceptional choice of betting markets and raw data at your fingertips.
There is an exceptional level of coverage of sports to bet on at BetMorph. From high-profile sports like football, tennis, American football, and basketball to niche sports like futsal, speedway, and sumo wrestling, the sportsbook has everything covered.
Its sports calendar is well-presented, making it easy to look at upcoming events and even add specific events to your own favourites list for safekeeping.
Popular Sports & Bet Types at UK Sportsbooks
From Premier League football and National Hunt horse racing to Wimbledon tennis and the Ashes cricket, the UK sporting calendar offers 365 days a year of fun. But it’s not just about what you bet on – it’s how you bet.
Below, we’ll break down the most popular sports and their most common markets at UK betting sites.
Football
It’s safe to say that the UK is in a permanent love affair with ‘the beautiful game’ of football. Whether watching, playing, or betting on it, football trumps all other sports in terms of popularity. It’s entrenched in British culture and a way of life for many.
Popular Football Bets
The top betting sites in the UK offer dozens of football markets for the major leagues. If you’re new to betting, here are some of the most popular bets.
- Head to Head: Also known as the ‘Match Odds’ market, this lets you bet on the winning team in an upcoming football game. You can back either team to win or bet on the draw if you think the match will be an even contest.
- Both Teams to Score (BTTS): BTTS (Yes) pays out if both teams score, no matter the final score. Bet on BTTS (No) if you think either team can keep a clean sheet.
- Player Props: These bets let you focus on the individual performances of specific football players rather than the final score. You can bet on a player to score, assist, make a certain number of tackles, pick up a yellow card, and many more variables.
- Cards: Bet on the number of yellow or red cards in a football match – total cards, team-specific, or even individual player bookings are popular bet types.
- Accumulators (Accas): By combining multiple football results into one betslip, acca bets offer big potential payouts from small stakes. Every result must be correct for the payout to land.
- Same-Game Accas: The best betting sites in the UK now offer same-game accas. This means you can bet on various scenarios happening in the same game. All of which need to happen for your bet to pay out.
Our Tip: Monitor team and player form, injuries, and suspensions before placing a pre-match bet—form and fitness count for a lot in football!
Best UK Betting Site for Football Betting: Midnite
Midnite offers the solid range of pre-game, in-play, and outright football odds, accessible on any device.
Midnite’s football betting section displays the biggest upcoming kickoffs and the most popular markets for each game on one screen, so you can bet on match result, total goals, and more with one tap. It’s a great tool for building accumulators.
The multi-view section also makes it easy to keep tabs on multiple football matches simultaneously. This is really handy if you’re someone who likes to bet on football matches that run concurrently.
Horse Racing
The UK’s second most popular sport to bet on is horse racing. Although its mainstream appeal doesn’t quite compare with football, National Hunt and Flat horse racing are steeped in British heritage.
From the Cheltenham Festival to Royal Ascot and the Grand National, there’s something about the tradition and strategy of picking horse racing winners that’ll keep you coming back.
Popular Racing Bets
Let’s explain the meaning behind the four most popular bet types in horse racing, whether you’re betting on UK and Irish racecards or meetings in the US, South Africa, or Down Under.
- Win Only: This is a straight-up bet on a selected horse to win the race. If it doesn’t win, your bet loses.
- Each Way: Place two bets on a horse – one to win outright and one on it to ‘place’. A horse places if it finishes inside the top three, four, or five places, depending on the race’s field size. You get paid for either or both, depending on the result.
- Antepost: These bets are placed on a horse well before race day, usually at much bigger odds before they are declared. They carry risk as the bet loses if the horse doesn’t even race.
- Exotics: Make your predictions on multiple horses in one betslip. Choose from a forecast (pick 1st and 2nd) or a tricast (pick 1st, 2nd, and 3rd). The more places, the bigger the risk, but the bigger the potential payoffs.
Tennis
Tennis is another sport the British public has taken to its collective heart. Thanks to its year-round tournament calendar and fast-paced action, tennis betting markets are some of the most dynamic at top UK betting websites.
Wimbledon is the pinnacle of British tennis, and the grass-court Grand Slam is one of the most prestigious tournaments on the planet.
Popular Tennis Bets
- Set Winner: Bet on who wins a specific set in a tennis match. It’s the deal market for targeting momentum shifts or backing players known to be strong starters.
- Number of Sets in a Match: Bet on how many sets an upcoming match will feature – if you think a strong favourite will win easily, you may back a straight sets win in best-of-three matches.
Cricket
Cricket may not have the same following as football, but it remains a much-loved sport to bet on.
Whether it’s the traditional County Championship, the high-octane Twenty20 (T20) format, or the drama and intensity of an Ashes Test series, cricket offers a wealth of pre-game and in-play betting opportunities.
Popular Cricket Bets
Here’s a flavour of the most enjoyable bet types to consider when betting on cricket for the first time.
- Top Scorer: This market lets you bet on the batter that will score the most runs for their team in the first or second innings, or in the entire match.
- Most Wickets: Place your bets on the bowler you think will take the highest number of wickets in the first or second innings – or the entire match.
- Method of Dismissal: Bet on how you think the next batter will be dismissed. There are several options, e.g., bowled, caught, caught-and-bowled, leg before wicket (LBW), run out, and stumped.
- Race to a Given Score: Bet on which team will reach a specific run total first, such as 50 or 100 runs. This is ideal for betting on teams that are quick out of the blocks and have high run rates.
Golf
Golf betting may be slower-paced, but it’s still hugely popular in the UK. The sport comes alive among Brits during majors like the Open Championship, the Ryder Cup, and other high-profile PGA and DP World Tour events.
Popular Golf Bets
There are many ways to bet on golf tournaments worldwide. You can bet on a player’s performance against their nearest rivals, as well as the tournament winner.
- Head-to-Head Match-Ups: These head-to-head markets pit two high-profile golfers against each other. It’s your job to bet on which golfer will finish with the lowest score in the tournament.
- Outright Winner: Place your bets on one or multiple golfers to win a golf tournament outright. These are simple but high-risk golf bets, often carrying the biggest potential returns.
- Each-Way: Place two bets on a golfer: one to win outright and one to ‘place’, i.e., finish inside the top positions, usually the top five or six.
Darts
The sport of darts has rapidly professionalised and is now one of the UK’s most-watched live sports.
With a stacked annual calendar of events, most notably the Premier League and PDC World Darts Championship, you can bet on darts with the top betting sites in the UK all year round.
Popular Darts Bets
Darts matches are ideal for fast-paced, high-drama betting action. There are all kinds of bet types available, aside from just backing a player to win.
- Highest Checkout: Pick the player you think will achieve the highest finish in a leg. The highest possible three-dart checkout is 170 (Treble 20, Treble 20, and a Bullseye).
- Number of Sets/Legs Won: Bet on how many sets or legs a dart player will win in an upcoming match.
- Nine Darter Yes/No: Bet on whether a player will hit a perfect nine-dart leg during an upcoming match. Nine-darters used to be very rare but are becoming more common.
American Sports
American major league sports like the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB are growing in popularity on this side of the Atlantic. High-profile events like the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and even college basketball’s March Madness attract serious attention in the UK.
Popular American Sports Bets
If you’re a fan of stateside major league sports, you can bet on all kinds of markets with the best UK betting sites.
- Parlays: Identical to an acca bet, you can combine selections across multiple games or markets into one betslip. Crucially, all selections need to win for the betslip to pay out.
- Player Props: These bets focus on individual player performance. Bet on the number of points scored by an NBA player, the number of assists of an MLS player, or the number of touchdowns scored by an NFL player.
- Team Props: These bets focus on specific team outcomes. Bet on the total number of points, goals, touchdowns, or turnovers. Team props don’t rely on the end result, allowing fun and flexible betting options.
Best Bonuses at UK Betting Sites
The best UK sports betting sites roll out the red carpet with the juiciest bonuses for new or existing bettors. Here are the tastiest promotions at your fingertips.
Welcome or Deposit Bonus
A welcome bonus is your first reward for signing up. It usually comes in the form of a deposit-match bonus. The top betting sites in the UK will match a percentage (or all) of your first deposit in bonus betting funds, giving you a much-needed boost to your bankroll.
Reload Bonuses
Reload bonuses operate in a similar fashion to welcome bonuses, except they are targeted at existing bettors. If you stick around with a UK online betting site for a while, you may be offered a reload bonus as an incentive to deposit into your account for more bonus funds.
Loyalty Rewards
The best online sportsbooks in the UK offer exclusive perks. If you plan to stay loyal to your online betting site, you may soon be eligible for personalised bonuses, speedier withdrawals, and even free bets on high-profile events.
Cashback Offers
Some online betting sites in the UK commit to giving you a safety net by refunding a percentage of your net losses, either weekly or monthly. The refunds are credited in either bonus funds or real cash. Either way, you get a second chance to bet without risking extra funds.
Our Tip: Bonuses, particularly welcome bonuses, are extra generous at dedicated bitcoin betting sites. Playing with crypto is usually the best method for maximising your bonus funds.
Deposits & Withdrawals at UK Betting Sites
The top betting sites in the UK offer a range of trusted payment options for fast, secure deposits and withdrawals.
| Payment Method | Fees | Security | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cryptocurrency | Blockchain network fees applicable | Cryptographically secured – almost 100% anonymous | Under 60 mins for deposits & withdrawals |
| Debit & Credit Card | None in most cases | Generally secure with encrypted payments and fraud protection | Deposits – instant Withdrawals – 1-5 working days |
| Bank Transfer | Some banks will charge for wire transfers | More secure than debit/credit cards – direct transfer with no middleman | Deposits – 3-7 working days Withdrawals – 3-7 working days |
| eWallet | Some sites may charge to withdraw to e-wallets | No need to enter your bank or card details – e-wallet acts as a secure buffer | Deposits – Instant Withdrawals – Within 24 hours |
Tips for Betting with UK Bookmakers
Looking to take your sports betting to the next level? These simple but smart tips can help you bet sharper and avoid costly mistakes when betting at the best betting sites in the UK.
- Find the Best Odds: It pays to shop around before submitting your bet slips. The best UK online betting sites offer slightly different odds and even small differences in odds can add up over time. Use odds comparison tools to maximise your potential returns.
- Watch Out for Turnover Requirements: Online bookmaker bonuses often come with strings attached, including turnover requirements. They state how many times you need to stake your bonus before it can be withdrawn as cash. Some sites make it harder to cash out winnings by hiking turnover requirements, so be sure to read the small print.
- Stick to Games and Leagues You Know: Familiarity is your friend in sports betting. Sticking to what you know may sound like a weakness. But, in sports betting, knowing the dynamics of a league, its teams, and players gives you a clear edge. Avoid random punts on sports or events you’re unsure of, as you’ll never know if they are value picks.
FAQs
BullSpins has a dedicated live sports section on it’s site so if in-play betting is what you’re after, it’s a great place to start.
Yes, the Gambling Act 2005 legalised online sports betting in the UK, creating a dependable regulatory framework for bookies to follow. A 2024 review of the existing legislation means new policies are likely to be implemented soon, impacting UK online bookmakers and you.
Your most profitable betting market depends on your knowledge of teams, players, and the odds you take. Long-term success comes from value betting—finding odds that are better than the actual probability, rather than accepting whatever the bookmaker offers.
UK betting sites licensed by the UKGC must pay out winning bets. If they refuse, it will almost certainly be a breach of their license conditions. File a formal complaint ASAP – the UKGC requires all complaints to be resolved within eight weeks.
