Convenience is often a determining factor for many decisions in our day to day lives, and that includes which payment methods are available on sport betting sites.

Here, The Independent will steer you through a list of the best UK betting sites that accept PayPal, which offers increased security and convenience at the point you might choose to place a bet.

Using PayPal betting sites, there is plenty of high-stakes sporting action available to bet on almost every day.

As such, bettors have many opportunities to make use of some of the best betting sites with PayPal out there, including Bet365, Betfred, BetMGM and more.

Below, we dive into what makes certain sites the best bookmakers that accept PayPal and what to look out for.

Top five betting sites that accept PayPal

Below, as we rank the best PayPal betting sites, we want to highlight the strong attributes that relate to each operator, to explain why we are featuring these particular sites for our readers.

To find out more about how we rate bookmakers and about gambling responsibly please scroll a little further down the page.

1. Betfred

Betfred is one of the best-known and most-trusted PayPal betting sites out there, so while our suggestions are subjective, we believe Betfred has very much earned its spot here. Betfred accepts PayPal for withdrawals and deposits.

Those withdrawals are quick and easy to carry out securely with PayPal. Deposits are eligible for all current promotions for existing customers – namely Acca Flex, Pick Your Punt bet builder and Hat-Trick Heaven, among others.

One of Betfred’s strengths is the quality of its football betting site.

Users will find regular promotions such as Acca Flex, where bettors can place a pre-match football accumulator bet of five or more legs, and if all of their selections win, Betfred will add a cash bonus of up to 50 per cent to the winnings. If one selection lets you down, you’ll get your money back as cash – up to £10.

Pick Your Punt covers all major football leagues from around the world, and it enables users to build a bet and get a price instantly.

Hat-Trick Heaven allows users to triple their winnings if their ‘first goalscorer’ bet comes in and the player going on to net three times in a selected football match.

However, it is worth noting that PayPal deposits do not qualify for the Betfred sign up offer; while the ‘bet £10 get £50’ welcome promo is one of the best around, only debit card deposits are eligible to receive the offer.

2. BetMGM

BetMGM is one of the best new betting sites in the UK, having launched here in 2023.

Not only has BetMGM gotten off to a strong start in this space, but it’s a betting site that accept PayPal payments which allows bettors to use it for deposits for its sign-up offer. And that sign-up bonus is one of the best on the market, offering new customers £60 in free bets when they bet £10.

BetMGM also provides a strong sportsbook through its range of sports covered and markets available. Odds are competitive with established operators and users can also expect a top betting app, proving that BetMGM belongs on this list.

Promos such as Golden Acca and Golden Goals are further evidence of this, in fact. Golden Acca is a profit boost that works on accumulator bets with three or more selections at odds of 3/10 (1.3) or higher per leg.

Golden Goals – promoted in part by US comedy legend Chris Rock – offers up to £2m in prize money if a customer can correctly predict the scores in six football games.

If no one gets six scores right, a guaranteed prize pool is paid out to the user or users with the most correct predictions. Each week BetMGM has a share of £5,000 to give to customers with the most correct scores, if the main jackpot isn’t won.

3. Bet365

Bet365 is a renowned site in the sports betting field, certainly one of the best PayPal betting sites. There are some stipulations, however, when it comes to Bet365 and PayPal, which are worth considering.

You cannot claim Bet365’s bet £10 get £30 welcome offer using PayPal deposits. Meanwhile, their payment terms require a minimum withdrawal of £10 when using PayPal, and the minimum deposit using paypal is £25.

With other payment methods permitting £5 deposits and/or withdrawals, PayPal is not quite as budget friendly on Bet365 as alternative options.

However, their sportsbook product – their bread and butter – is flawless, justifying the bookmaker’s reputation as the most popular sports betting site globally. Not only do Bet365 cover almost every sport around, there’s an extensive list of markets, top special features such as live streaming and bet builders, and most of all great value on your odds.

That reputation and track record may convince customers to opt for Bet365, taking priority over payment methods perhaps.

4. BoyleSports

BoyleSports have established themselves as one of the standout PayPal betting sites in the UK.

It is one of the top operators for existing customers with its range of promotions, particularly when it comes to accumulator betting where users can claim free bets and profit boosts.

Customers can also expect special features and competitive odds across the board, making it a perfect platform for betting online.

BoyleSports excels with its payments system, making deposits and withdrawals a simple process.

Withdrawing winnings is especially quick on PayPal, with a process time within 24 hours; the only quicker options on BoyleSports are Apple Pay and Visa Direct, which execute withdrawals within 2-12 hours.

BoyleSports offers a unique welcome bonus for new customers with its bet £10 get £20 sign-up offer that can only be accessed via mobile devices. Bear in mind, PayPal deposits are not eligible for this welcome bonus.

5. BetUK

Among the other best new sports betting sites in the country is BetUK, which is making waves due to its strong sportsbook.

Not only is the site comprehensive across numerous sports – and offering handy guides for its promos and offers – but it provides fast withdrawals for PayPal users and a low minimum deposit limit of £10.

BetUK is also intent on serving its customers, supplying an excellent 24-hour support team to offer assistance with any issues.

BetUK is generally geared towards football and horse racing, with most of the bookmaker’s promotions aimed at these sports – including the site’s welcome offer of betting £10 to get £30 in free bets. Indeed, it particularly stands out as a top horse racing betting site.

For bettors that focus their betting on football and horse racing, BetUK is one of the top betting sites with PayPal available online.

Choosing the best PayPal betting sites

We take the rating and recommendation of bookmakers seriously and have stringent criteria for operators to be considered for our list. Here are some of the factors that went into our thinking:

Regulation: This is a non-negotiable before we recommend any PayPal betting sites. They have to be regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for us to contemplate rating them, so you can be confident that every bookmaker above is safe to engage with. Every site mentioned on this page is UKGC-regulated and secure to use.

Reputation: Our recommended bookmakers are a mixture of household names and new sports betting sites. We consider both established operators that have vast experience in the industry, but also newer companies generating buzz on the market. Rest assured we only advise you to select the best betting sites around.

Gambling responsibly: Commitment to responsible gambling is extremely important to us. We evaluate bookmakers to ensure their actions towards their customers are morally sound. We consider their approaches to responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits, loss limits, reality checks and self-exclusion.

Customer experience: We also take into account the customer experience when using the best sports betting sites – across desktop, mobile and betting app. If the site design is smart and well laid out, the useability is logical and straightforward, then that all makes for a better online betting experience. Support methods should also be numerous and readily available.

Promotions: Of course, betting sites should be judged on their promotions and offers. Were these sports betting sites offering unique deals we hadn’t seen anywhere else or that really enticed us to sign up? If you feel like you’re getting more bang for your buck – be that in terms of free bets, odds boosts or one-off promotions – you’re more likely to use the site.

Pros and cons of using PayPal for betting

There are advantages and disadvantages to using PayPal for betting.

One reason customers often look out for PayPal as a payment method on betting sites is due to the speed and security that this particular option offers. And as far as security goes, users do not have to share bank details with a bookmaker when using PayPal, a clear upside for many customers.

A potential downside is that there can be fees when withdrawing money, while certain bookmakers may cap your withdrawals when you use PayPal; so, if you win big on an accumulator, you may need to find an alternative withdrawal method, which isn’t always convenient.

Alternatives to PayPal

If users aren’t convinced that PayPal is the right payment method for them, or for the specific bets they’re looking to make on a site, then there’s no need to fret. There are solid alternatives out there, with Apple Pay, Google Pay, Trustly, Paysafecard and Neteller among the e-wallets that are commonly accepted by bookies.

Visa Direct is often an option when placing bets with these betting companies. Apple Pay in particular is a popular option among punters on betting sites, particularly for mobile users. Still, it’s always worth checking which payment methods are accepted and each alternative will bring its own pros and cons.

Responsible gambling

The most important thing to remember is to gamble responsibly. Betting should only ever be considered a form of entertainment – it has not, and will never be, a surefire way to make money, no matter how much you think you know about sports.

When betting on sports, always assume you’ll lose, and therefore, only bet what you can afford. Sports betting can also be addictive, so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget.

Make sure you use the responsible gambling tools offered by betting companies such as deposit limits, reality checks, loss limits, time-outs and self-exclusion. These can stop your gambling from getting out of hand.

If you have gambling-related concerns, then seek independent help. There are several UK charities and institutions that offer support, advice and information, with a few listed below:

PayPal betting sites summary

So, there are our picks for the PayPal betting sites that stand out among the best in the sports gambling space. As mentioned above, our picks are subjective, and readers should always evaluate which sites work best for them and best suit their needs and budgets.

However, we have made these suggestions based on our research into which sports betting sites that accept Paypal are the best in terms of offers, customer experience, reliability and commitment to proper government regulations.

These sites are all tried and tested, legitimate sources for sports betting. They all permit PayPal as a payment method and offer their users different opportunities to bet on various sports.

But don’t forget: It’s always important to bet responsibly, and there is never a guarantee that gambling will result in winning.