In this article we’ll lay out the top football betting sites as we see them and what makes certain sites particularly suitable for football bettors.
There are many football betting sites available to UK players these days, though not all football betting sites in the UK are created equally, that’s for sure. Some are better than others. We’ve run the rule over several football betting sites and are now here to talk about the best. In this article we’ll lay out the top football betting sites as we see them, explaining what makes each site a possibility for eager football bettors.
The table below shows the top 10 football betting sites that are currently open to players from the United Kingdom, showing also the best offer from each of these sites, plus sign-up bonus and best features.
The Best football betting sites – The top picks for the UK in 2024
| Bookmaker | Bonus | Bet With Bookmaker |
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Bet £10, get £30 in free bets |
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Bet £10 get £30 |
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Bet £10, Get £50 in Bonuses |
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Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets |
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Bet £5, Get £20 in Free Bets |
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Bet £10, Get £40 in Free Bets |
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Get up to £40 Money Back |
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Deposit £20 play £50 |
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Bet £5 Get £20 in free bets |
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Get up to £50 in free bets |
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T&C’s:
- Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
- 18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 18.10.2022 Maximum bonus £30. Bonus expires 72 hours from issue. New customers only. Minimum stake £10 on selected games. Wagering requirements apply. Online only. Virtual markets excluded. Further terms apply. #ad
- New customers only. Register (excl. 13/04/24) with WELCOME50. First bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get Free Bets: £20 In-Play, £20 Acca & 50 x £0.20 (£10) Free Spins on Fishin’ Frenzy within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
- 18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excluded. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&Cs apply.
- 18+ New UK+IRE customers. PayPal and certain deposit and bet types excluded. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets valid for 4 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
- 18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 (odds 2.00+) on any football market within 7 days of registration. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit Card/Apple Pay payments only. Click for T&Cs. begambleaware.org
- New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any Football market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply.
- Free bet stakes are not returned. Free bet is non-withdrawable. No free bet expiry. Eligibility restrictions apply. Further T&Cs apply. 18+.
- Commit £20 via the promo hub on Sportsbook to qualify. Buy-in and Bonus must be wagered 10 times within 90 days. Min odds 1.6. Debit/credit card deposits only. Full T&Cs.
Qualities that define an industry-leading football betting site
It’s hugely important to us that readers have a full understanding of how we judge football betting sites. Therefore, we need to explain what we’re looking at. Below you will find a list of important factors that need to be considered when reviewing and ranking the best football betting sites.
Promotions & Bonuses
Promotions are a big one. Naturally, the welcome bonus that a football betting site offers is hugely important. If a site offers a particularly appealing bonus, then they’re well on their way to ranking well, but we’re also considering other types of bonuses.
We want to get a full picture of how a football betting site performs in terms of overall bonuses. Do they regularly update their bonuses? Do they offer great promotions aimed at existing customers as well as new players? Answering these types of questions helps us to gain a better understanding of what sort of football betting site we’re dealing with.
Market Choice/ Betting Options
Market choice is hugely important. A football betting site may have laid on a wonderful user experience, plus they may have a great bonus offer, but if they offer a lack of markets or don’t offer many options in terms of competitions and leagues, then that’s not great. We’re looking to see if there’s a wide variety on offer in terms of betting markets, bet types, leagues/competitions and matches.
Banking
Another important area is banking. Quite simply, the best football betting sites offer the best in terms of deposit and withdrawal options. Nowadays, with so many different people placing football bets online, it is important that sites cater to everyone by offering a diverse range of banking options.
Of course, VISA and MasterCard will always be popular, but in this day and age, we need to see the level of variety that offers multiple payment options, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, Neteller and Skrill.
Customer Support
Football betting sites can easily fall down if they offer poor customer support. This is where we want to see a range of customer support options available. For example, we’re asking questions such as does the site offer a live chat service? Is the live chat open 24/7? Is there an email service with a reasonable response time? Are there useful FAQs that can be easily found? Asking and answering these questions allows us to review and rank the top football betting sites more accurately.
Mobile
Mobile betting is big business now, especially when it comes to the UK football betting market. Users want to be able to gamble on mobile devices, which means that football betting sites need to have developed easy-to-use and reliable mobile websites. We look at the mobile sites and see how they perform.
Moreover, the best football betting sites offer dedicated mobile betting apps. We’re looking to see what the app is like, where it’s available, whether it works smoothly, whether it offers the same as the desktop site and whether or not other users like it.
Uniqueness
Of course, in a highly advanced football gambling market such as the UK, with all the top brands competing against each other for a slice of the online football betting pie, most sites offer something similar when it comes to football betting, but we want to see if any sites do anything slightly different to their competitors. If they do, then this is something that we take into consideration when reviewing and ranking the best football betting sites UK.
bet365 – All-round football betting giant
Undoutbedly one of the most popular football betting sites in the United Kingdom, Bet365 is one of the first ports of call for football betting for the majority of UK bettors. You only need to spend a few minutes on the website to know that you’re in the hands of people who take football betting very seriously.
For starters, the website is super slick and incredibly easy to use, while it is packed with football betting options. If you’re looking for a football league/competition, even a niche one, then you’re almost guaranteed to find it at bet365. The bet365 is also second to none. Again, it’s very well-designed, looks great and works like a dream. bet365 is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.
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Special Offer & Promotions
The new customer offer at bet365 is quite appealing, there can be no denying that. New players can join, deposit and bet £10 and they will get £30 in bet credits to spend how they see fit.
These bet credits can of course be used to place football bets. What’s good about the bet365 welcome offer is that it is not as restrictive as at some other sites, e.g. there are no stipulations as to what players must use the free bets for.
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Promotions for existing players
There are also some good promotions for existing players at bet365, make no mistake. The ‘2 Goals Ahead’ payout is a particular standout as it guarantees that bettors will be paid out early if they bet on a team to win and that teams go 2-0 up.
The ‘Soccer Substitute Guarantee’ is another very good existing player promo, which means that if you bet on a player pre-match and they’re substituted for whatever reason in the first half, say due to injury, you’ll get your stake refunded in bet credits.
bet365 football betting market review
Overall, bet365 is easily one of the best football betting sites and offers one of the best deals – and you can attain it with the Bet365 Bonus code 365MOLE. The amount of markets on offer is very good, while the guys at bet365 provide fantastic coverage in terms of leagues and competitions.
bet365 also leads the way in terms of bet-builder bets, which have become more and more popular in recent years. See below how we rate bet365 in the following areas:
- Football betting market depth – to be honest, you won’t find better football betting market depth than you do at bet365. There are loads of markets for a huge variety of games, spanning competitions across the globe. You definitely won’t struggle for choice.
- Live betting options – Again in terms of live betting options, there are loads to choose from at bet365. The in-play range is one of the most extensive out there, with most of the pre-match games that are offered going in-play right after kick-off.
- Streaming services – bet365 offers very good streaming services, providing streams for more leagues than most other football betting sites, including Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga, LaLiga, Laliga 2, Serie A, Serie B and much, much more.
- Competitive odds? – The odds on offer aren’t always the very top of the market, but there are plenty of occasions when they are and overall, the odds offered by bet365 are certainly competitive.
- Betting limits – the betting limits are quite generous, so much so that 99% of bettors are unlikely to have a problem of this nature.
- Mobile betting experience – bet365’s mobile app is second to none. The design is flawless, while there’s all the same choice that is available to desktop users.
- Virtual betting experience – There’s a wide range of virtual betting available at bet365, including several different virtual football betting options.
William Hill – highly trusted football betting brand
Part of the old school as far as UK gambling goes, William Hill offer something of a complete football betting experience. The welcome offer is competitive, while the desktop site is packed full of football betting goodies, such as huge competition/match/market choices. The ‘Build #YourOdds’ feature allows players to create their own custom bets and this feature is available across a wide range of competitions and games.
There are some excellent promotions, especially for existing customers, while customers can also expect all the usual features such as live streaming and enhanced odds. There’s great banking variety too, while William Hill offers very good customer service.
WH also holds a United Kingdom Gambling Commission license. One small criticism would be the fact that the website doesn’t look as modern and slick as some other sites, but it is still easy to use and runs smoothly.
Special Offer & Promotions
The welcome offer and promo code is decent, but what is even more appealing is the ‘EPIC Boost’ offer, which allows players to dramatically increase the odds of their #YourOdds bets that contain 3+ selections.
Promotions for existing players
Other interesting promotions for existing players include being able to get ‘Non-Runner, Money Back’ on the Grand National as early as March, while there’s also a daily boost for #YourOdds bets. Existing players can also tweet William Hill will quirky bet choices and get them priced up.
William Hill football betting market review
When it comes to football betting, William Hill ranks among the best football betting sites, for sure. The website may not be as immediately striking as say the bet365 site, but the substance is there.
There’s a fantastic choice in terms of leagues, tournaments, matches and markets, while there are some great features that give players that little bit extra such as daily odds boosts. See below how we rate William Hill in the following areas:
- Football betting market depth – Finding a competition or match to bet on at William Hill will not be a problem. There is fantastic variety in this sense, though a couple of other sites do offer a little more in terms of niche/less popular competitions.
- Live betting options – The in-play section is comprehensive. Even on football fixtures that are far from high profile, there are lots of in-play markets to choose from.
- Streaming services – William Hill does offer live streaming, though it doesn’t cover as many games or competitions as some other sites, such as bet365.
- Competitive odds? – The odds at William Hill are competitive, while they also offer lots of odds boosts, which definitely helps.
- Betting limits – The betting limits are quite good. Bettors can get quite hefty stakes, while the winning limit is higher than a lot of other operators.
- Special features – There are some cool features at William Hill. WH Radio has always been a nice touch, while the enhanced odds are some of the best in the business. The ‘EPIC Boost’ are great too, allowing each customer to hugely increase the odds of their #YourOdds bets every week.
- Mobile betting experience – The mobile app provides bettors with the opportunity to easily bet anywhere on the move. In fact, in terms of user experience, the mobile app is very good, so much so that it probably comes out smelling slightly better than the desktop site does.
- Virtual betting experience – There’s a rather solid amount of choice in terms of virtual betting options, many of which have a football theme.
Betfred – big boys of football betting
Clearly one of the top 10 football betting sites is Betfred. Another of the old boys of the United Kingdom gambling scene, Betfred has flown into the modern football betting world by producing an excellent site, while also offering a great mobile app.
Both the desktop site and the mobile app have been very well designed, both are easy to use, and both run smoothly and reliably. In terms of what they offer football betting-wise, customers can choose from a wide variety of competitions, markets and matches. Compared to some other sites, the range of markets for each game isn’t quite as extensive, but they still offer plenty in this respect, covering all of the primary markets, plus some niche ones.
Licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, Betfred currently offers one of the best welcome offers, while they also have great tote betting and virtual betting options too. Last but certainly not least, the support channels are excellent, featuring live chat, email and phone options.
Special Offer & Promotions
Right now, Betfred has a welcome offer that is hard to beat, illustrating that they are one of the best football betting sites UK. New players at Betfred can register with the Betfred promo code, deposit, bet £10 and get £50 in free bets.
Promotions for existing players
Among the best existing customer offers is the ‘Acca Flex’, which allows football bettors to place a pre-match football accumulator with five legs or more and if it wins, Betfred will add a 50% cash bonus to the winnings. If the bet loses by just one leg, players will get a stake refund of up to £10 in cash.,
Betfred football betting market review
Football bettors really won’t be disappointed with the football betting product laid on by Betfred. The league and competition coverage is excellent, while there are plenty of markets to choose from. The odds are typically quite competitive too, with Betfred being the best-priced on several occasions.
One of the standout features is the coupon tab, which lays out all of the prices for the day’s games according to a wide variety of markets, which are easy to change. See below what we have to say about Betfred in varying areas:
- Football betting market depth – The market depth is certainly acceptable, with plenty of markets for the big games. However, you can find a few more markets elsewhere, while for smaller games, there’s not a huge amount of variety.
- Live betting options – The in-play betting section is quite sizable and there are certainly plenty of games to bet on, though the in-play market options aren’t as good as at some of the other football betting sites in this list.
- Streaming services – This is perhaps a bit of a letdown as there aren’t too many football live-streaming options at Betfred.
- Competitive odds? – From an odds point of view, there isn’t too much to complain about. Betfred’s odds are certainly competitive, while they are even sometimes the best.
- Betting limits – Betfred’s betting limits fall within what is generally deemed to be the industry standard, while their winning limits are about average too.
- Special features – The fact that Betfred details the TV channel for every TV game is a very cool feature as it saves users from having to go elsewhere to find this information.
- Mobile betting experience – The mobile betting app is nicely designed, and everything is well-positioned and easy to find. Only more markets and better live streaming could improve what is a very tidy mobile betting app.
- Virtual betting experience – There are loads of virtual sports, including football. The virtual football matches are all streamed as and when they take place, with a new game starting every three minutes. The virtual football market choice is about average.
Ladbrokes – One of the football betting originals
If you’ve ever even the slightest amount of football betting in the UK, then chances are, you’ll know all about Ladbrokes. Another of the gambling old guard in the United Kingdom, Ladbrokes is a big name in the betting industry. Thousands of football punters use Ladbrokes every day.
The website is nice and simple, and it’s certainly not difficult to use, though it’s not as stylish or elegant as some sites, while the same can be said for the mobile app. The welcome offer isn’t as pleasing either, though it does require only a £5 deposit, whereas some others require users to deposit £10, so that’s not too bad.
The ‘Specials’ in the football section are usually quite good, while there are no security of safety concerns, as Ladbrokes is a highly trusted betting brand, one that is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. The news and blogs section at Ladbrokes is particularly good if you like to consume sports betting content.
Special Offer & Promotions
The welcome offer at Ladbrokes isn’t as high as it is at some other bookmakers, but then again, the deposit required to activate the bonus is nice and low at £5. Moreover, the way that the £20 in free bets is paid as four separate £5 free bets, all of which can be used freely with the Ladbrokes promo code which is a nice touch too.
Promotions for existing players
One of the best existing customer offers allows players to benefit earlier than usual from bets on football teams to win. If you bet on a team to win and they go two goals up, even if it’s just five minutes in, Ladbrokes will pay you out early as a winner as part of their ‘2UP’ offer.
Ladbrokes football betting market review
The football betting product at Ladbrokes is far from poor, so much so that we’re talking about one of the top football betting sites. The coverage in terms of leagues and matches is far-reaching, while the market choice is great too.
To be honest, for most matches, there are loads of markets, including several more niche ones. Check below to see how Ladbrokes comes out in different areas:
- Football betting market depth – There are no complaints from us in terms of market depth. Even for games that aren’t huge, there’s a very healthy selection of markets to choose from.
- Live betting options – The in-play betting is incredibly plentiful, so much so that if you can think of a game taking place, then it’s likely available for in-play betting at Ladbrokes.
- Streaming services – This is where Ladbrokes falls down slightly. While they have great live streaming for other sports such as horse racing and Greyhound, they don’t offer much in terms of football live streaming, certainly not compared to a site such as bet365.
- Competitive odds? – Ladbrokes come out as being relatively average in terms of odds. Sometimes, they may be the best price, but in general, they offer the industry average.
- Betting limits – Again, the bet limits are far from out of the ordinary. The vast majority of players will have no issues with bet limits or winning limits.
- Special features – The ‘1-2-Free’ game, which is free to play, is a nice feature, as it allows users to predict football scores for free and be in with a chance of winning £100 in cash. ‘Ladbrokes Live’ is also great as it allows users to win tickets to live entertainment events. This is a unique and quirky feature.
- Mobile betting experience – The mobile betting experience at Ladbrokes is very acceptable indeed. In truth, the mobile app is probably superior to the desktop in terms of design and easy of use. It currently has a 4.4 rating on the App Store.
- Virtual betting experience – The virtual betting at Ladbrokes is fairly similar to what is on offer at most other places, with virtual football matches kicking off every three minutes.
Coral – big-name brand synonymous with football betting
The old-school names just keep on coming, such is the rich history of the UK’s gambling market. Coral is definitely one of the old boys of UK football betting, which means that they know a thing or two about putting together a football betting product that hits the spot.
The desktop site is quite pleasing to the eye, as is the mobile betting app, though it doesn’t really have the sophisticated and stylish feel of some other sites. Bettors can choose from a wide variety of football competitions to bet on, while there are thousands of matches to choose from. Likewise markets.
The choice of markets for the top games is right up there with the best on offer in the industry, but outside of the top games, the market choice isn’t quite as plentiful. There are some very nice live streaming options, including on quite a niche leagues such as the US Open Cup.
There’s a fully fleshed out ‘Safer Gambling’ section which is great to see, while the customer support isn’t bad either. Coral is licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.
Special Offer & Promotions
Coral’s sign up offer is relatively appealing, especially to small-stakes players. Not everyone wants to deposit £10, so the fact that this welcome offer only requires a £5 deposit is great. The fact that the £20 in free bets is split up into four £5 free bets, which can be used to place a variety of football bets, is also great.
Promotions for existing players
The ‘Rewards Shaker’ is a really cool existing-customer promo, which allows users to log in via the mobile app, shake their phone and grab a reward, while the ‘£5 Free Bet’, which rewards existing players who opt-in and place a £5 virtual sports bet, is another decent offer.
Coral football betting market review
Overall, the football betting at Coral is certainly competitive. There are reasons for users to join Coral, especially those who like welcome offers that require a small deposit, while the amount of football betting variety is strong. There are some cool features too.
A few negatives would be a lack of markets for games that aren’t massive in stature, but that’s not a huge issue. See below for a breakdown of what we think about Coral in different areas.
- Football betting market depth – There’s very good market depth at Coral for big football fixtures, such as Premier League and Champions League games, but for some of the smaller competitions, there’s not as much variety.
- Live betting options – The live betting options are Coral are plentiful. All of the games that are available pre-match become available for live betting after they kick-off.
- Streaming services – Live streaming probably isn’t Coral’s strong point. Other bookmakers offer a more complete live streaming service, though there are some cool and niche live streams available, such as for the US Open Cup.
- Competitive odds? – Coral’s odds are quite typical among the mainstream bookmakers. On occasion, they are the best price on the market, but generally speaking, they’re about average.
- Betting limits – The betting limits are Coral are quite standard and should not affect around 99% of players.
- Special features – There are a couple of nice special features, one of which is the ‘Football Super Series’, which allows users to predict four matches for a chance to win free bets of £100 in cash.
- Mobile betting experience – Coral’s mobile app is nicely designed and easy to use. It offers all the same features as the desktop site, plus the cool ‘Rewards Shaker’. According to users on the App Store, the app is rated 4.5 (out of 5).
- Virtual betting experience – As you would expect from one the best football betting sites UK, there’s plenty of virtual football action at Coral, with matches kicking off every three minutes, which is now the industry norm.
BetVictor – Slick football betting site
Another well-known football betting brand, Betvictor has been around for a long time, building up a reputation as a great place for football bettors to get in on the action. Log on to the desktop site and you’ll be met with a slick platform that has a look of class.
The design is simple, yet sophisticated and is not too bold. Football punters have been treated to a really user-friendly layout, which is great, while the betting options are plentiful, as you would expect from a big bookmaker. The quick options at the top of the main football page are particularly helpful, while the mobile app is equally as pleasing in all areas.
If you look at football content, then you should like the BetVictor blog, as it’s one of the best in the business and is packed with useful and interesting posts. There’s a detailed help centre, while the customer support options are strong too, with live chat, email, phone and social media options available.
Special Offer & Promotions
BetVictor welcome bonus is a very interesting one. It’s a very good one. New customers can get £40 in free bets when they deposit and bet an initial £10 on any football market. This is nicely above the industry norm and is great for those players looking to boost their starting funds.
Promotions for existing players
For existing players, there are a few offers to take note of. The ‘BetVictor Predictor’ is open to all existing customers and allows players to predict the scores of selected fixtures for a chance to win free bets and cash prizes. There’s also the ‘Guaranteed Prize Wheel’, which again, is free to play and allows existing customers the chance to win cash prizes, free bets and other offers.
BetVictor football betting market review
The football betting interface at BetVictor is one of the best out there. It looks great and is packed with useful information. Moreover, every imaginable competition and league is covered, while there are loads of markets to choose from too, even on the not-so-big matches. There are also some great pre-built bets for people who like that sort of thing, while Betvictor’s version of the bet builder is very good too, plus there are more than just a few daily bet boosts. Below is what we think about all the typical parts of Betvictor’s football betting package.
- Football betting market depth – There are loads of leagues, competitions and matches offered, while the market depth is impressive. You certainly won’t be hard pushed to find a football bet at Betvictor.
- Live betting options – As is to be expected from one of the top 10 football betting sites UK,
- Streaming services – The streaming at Betvictor is adequate, though not as good as some other bookmakers such as bet365 and betfair.
- Competitive odds? – Betvictor’s odds are certainly competitive and typically similar to most other high-profile bookmakers, though on occasion, for various markets, Betvictor may offer top price.
- Betting limits – Betvictor’s maximum payout is £2,000,000, which is in line with the industry norm. The vast majority of players should have no issues with bet limits and winning limits at BetVictor.
- Special features – There are some really nice ‘Special’ bets for football at BetVictor, covering a whole load of unusual and less-than-typical betting options, which is a nice touch.
- Mobile betting experience – The mobile betting app from BetVictor is definitely one of the best in terms of design and user-friendliness. On the App Store, users have given the Betvictor app a rating of 4.7 (out of 5).
- Virtual betting experience – As you would expect from a big-name bookmaker, there’s plenty of virtual football betting, with virtual matches, offering all the regular markets, kicking off every three minutes.
Betfair – Gods of football exchange betting
World leader in betting exchanges, Betfair is a relatively unique football betting site as it offers both a traditional sportsbook and a highly sophisticated betting exchange. Both platforms are well-designed and easy to use. Both also have quite a professional feel. In other words, there’s nothing gimmicky.
The exchange in particular is great for bettors who like to take their football punting a little more seriously, as there’s an option to lay bets and make trades. betfair has long been one of the most popular football betting companies and it’s very easy to see why as they really offer something that is very complete. There’s a wealth of markets, with some niche markets, such as ‘Both Teams to Score Two or More Goals’, which is not available everywhere.
Special Offer & Promotions
One of the standout promotions at Betfair right now is the free £5 bet when you place a £5 bet builder. It’s a simple as that, just place a £5 bet builder and Betfair will credit your account with a free £5 bet, whether you’re a new customer or not.
Promotions for existing players
Something that lots of online casinos do, but is less popular among sportsbooks, is the ‘Refer And Earn’ bonus. This allows customers to refer a friend and get rewarded. All you need to do is refer a friend and when the friend signs up using your referral link, you’ll get £10 in free-bet funds.
Betfair football betting market review
Betfair is very hard to criticise, the sportsbook offers a great market selection for a wide variety of leagues and competitions, while there are some nice added extras. The
There are also some great added extras on the exchange, including a fully fleshed out education section, plus some great tips and previews from betting experts. See below for what else we have to say.
- Football betting market depth – Betfair’s market depth is there with the best, offering some niche markets that aren’t readily available in other places.
- Live betting options – As you would expect from a betting giant like Betfair, there are loads of live betting options. betfair offers one of the best live-betting packages.
- Streaming services – There are some great live streams available at Betfair. In fact, Betfair offers a really nice amount of live football streaming, covering a good variety of competitions.
- Competitive odds? – The odds at Betfair are the best in the business. More often than not, Betfair’s exchange proves to offer better odds than any sportsbook.
- Betting limits – The betting limits at Betfair are nice and high, meaning that the vast majority of punters should have no issues in this area.
- Special features – There aren’t many gimmicks or special features such as Betfair, but there’s some great content on the Betfair blog, plus some great betting education tools.
- Mobile betting experience – Both the exchange and sportsbook apps are great. They look professional and are very user-friendly, offering a high-end mobile betting experience.
- Virtual betting experience – As is of course the norm nowadays, Betfair offers plenty of virtual football betting options.
Comparing the top 10 best football betting sites in the UK; everything considered
The bottom line is there plenty of very good football betting sites. Naturally, we’ve tried to make the task of choosing slightly easier by including only the best online football betting sites UK, but still, the choice isn’t an easy one. Of course, it depends on what you’re looking for, which is why we’ve gone the extra mile and chosen the best football betting site for different categories, so let’s see who comes out on top in each area.
The best football bonuses on the market
There are a few bookmakers that deserve special mention here. BetVictor offers some great bonuses, with their current welcome bonus being very appealing. It’s great to see that they’re giving new customers more than the industry norm, offering £40 in free bets. Betfred has also done a great job here, offering new players £50.
Top of the pile here, though, William Hill comes out on top. Not only is William Hill’s new customer bonus of £60 in free bets the best on the market right now, but WH also offer some great bonuses in general, making them easily one of the top 5 football betting sites.
Football betting site with the best free bets bonus
There are some great bonuses on the market right now, especially in terms of welcome offers, many of which entitle players to bigger amounts than the offers we’re about to talk about, but if we’re only considering the free bets aspect, then Ladbrokes and Coral must be respected.
Firstly, new players only need to deposit £5 and then they get four different free bets. Some other betting sites offer more, but parts of their offers are paid as free spins and casino bets, so for the pure fact that they allow four separate free bets, all of which can be used for football, Ladbrokes and Coral rate as the best.
Football betting site with the best welcome bonus
As touched on above, the best welcome bonus award must go to William Hill. There are some great other welcome bonuses on the market right now, including what’s available at bet365, BetVictor and Betfred, but the mere fact that William Hill offers £60 to new customers is hard to beat and thus they come out on top in this area.
Example of how to use the said bonuses in a real football match
There are many ways in which a bettor could use the bonuses credited to them. Of course, the easy way is to just get your bonus funds on anything that takes your fancy, maybe try something a little audacious. Why not? after all, it’s a free bet, it won’t cost you anything.
Another way would be to use your free bets to bet on something that you were already planning to bet on, thus saving yourself the stake money. This way, it’s a win-win. If you lose, you haven’t lost any real money. If you win, you win money without having to stake anything.
There is a more smart way to play your free bets. Let’s say you have a bet on one side of a two-sided market, say a tennis match where there isn’t a big disparity in the odds of the two players. You could use your free bet to bet on Player A, knowing that you’ve secured a certain return should they win.
To better ensure a profit, you could then place a bet using your own money on the other player to win, ensuring that you get a return regardless of the outcome. Of course, for this to work, the odds have to be favourable and you have to bet accordingly, but it’s certainly doable.
Betfair in a league of its own for markets
The market depth at Betfair is fantastic. As touched on above, they offer some markets that are rare or that other bookmakers just don’t offer, such as ‘Both Teams to Score Two Or More Goals’ or ‘Player to Score Or To Be Booked’. These are niche markets that are rarely found elsewhere.
Best bookmaker for European Leagues
Betfair takes the title here. Several of the best football betting sites UK offer great betting options for European leagues, but Betfair go just that little bit further, not only in terms of niche leagues and matches but in terms of offering more markets for European leagues. Using the Betfair exchange to bet on European leagues at Betfair can also ensure that you get bigger odds.
Best bookmaker for other leagues
The same can be said for other leagues. Betfair is the one yet again, as they not only offer great variety in terms of competitions covered, but they offer such fantastic market depth, so much so that Betfair is impossible to ignore in this area.
bet365 excels at in-play betting
There are some great in-play bet offerings from the football betting sites in this article. There’s not one site that has a poor in-play section and they all offer quite a similar product in terms of in-play betting, but for sheer choice in terms of both matches and markets, bet365 is hard to beat, while the layout of bet365’s in-play section, as is the case with everything on the bet365 desktop site and mobile betting app, really is perfect.
bet365 live streaming & betting
bet365 is also the king of live streaming. Not only do the guys over at bet365 offer a wide variety of like streams, across a variety of leagues and matches. The quality of live streaming is also good, while many of the live streams can be viewed in full-screen mode, which makes for a better viewing experience. You can also watch live streams in a floating pop-out window, which allows you to watch the stream and continue browsing bet365 at the same time.
bet365 also came first out of the traps with the ‘bet in-stream’ service, allowing users to view markets and bet at the bottom of the live stream without having to click off. Better yet, there’s the video wall, which allows user to watch up to four different live streams at one time in a grid view.
Football Virtuals, iGaming & eSports:
All of the best football betting sites UK featured in this article offer a nice virtual football service, while plenty offers good eSports as well, but if we’re looking for the bookmaker that offers the best in terms of football virtuals combined, iGaming in general and eSports, then Coral is hard to beat. The guys at Coral have delivered an excellent eSports section, offering bets and markets for a wide variety of popular eSports, while their iGaming section in general is vast and plentiful.
Best outright betting markets goes to…..
Again, as you’d expect from the best football betting sites UK, every bookmaker on this list offers outright betting, so much so that it’s hard to pick a winner. However, is one operator shades the vote here, then it may just be BetVictor, who offers not only loads of outright bets, but some quirky ones too. Definitely worth checking out.
The best mobile betting apps for the beautiful game
To be honest, all of the best football betting sites listed in this article have mobile apps that are more than acceptable, though there are a few that stand above the rest. First and foremost, the bet365 mobile app, which is available to both Android and iOS users, is the most complete. It’s fantastically designed, it’s super slick and easy to use. It does offer the complete mobile football betting experience, offering the most in terms of markets and live streaming.
Currently, the bet365 mobile betting app has a 4.7 rating (out of 5) on the App Store. Worthy of mention is also the PaddyPower app, which also looks great, while the William Hill app is great too, featuring some great odds boosts, while it’s perfect for new mobile players as they get the best welcome offer.
Best 10 Football Betting Sites in the UK: Winners Across Key Categories
|
Category |
Winner |
|
Best Football Bonus/promotion |
Betfred |
|
Best Free Bets Bonus |
Ladbrokes/Coral |
|
Best % Welcome Bonus |
William Hill |
|
Best odds |
Betfair |
|
European Leagues |
Betfair |
|
Other Leagues |
Betfair |
|
In-play betting |
bet365 |
|
Live-streaming & betting |
bet365 |
|
Football virtuals & Esports |
Coral |
|
Football outrights |
BetVictor |
|
Football betting for mobile |
bet365 |
Which bookmaker is ideal for you?
There are some excellent football betting sites out there, but it largely depends on what you’re looking for. For example, if you’re looking for an all-rounder, a betting site that does everything well and doesn’t really have any weaknesses, then you can’t go wrong with bet365.
In contrast, if you’re looking for the absolute best odds then the Betfair exchange will be hard to beat. More often than not, bettors can get better odds on Betfair’s exchange than anywhere else. If eSports and virtual football betting is more your sort of thing, then Coral is probably your best bet.
The bottom line here is there’s something for everyone. It’s all about deciding what is most important to you and then choosing accordingly. No matter what your priorities are, though, there’s something on this list to suit your preferences.
Author’s picks: my favourite football betting site and why
For my money, there are two clear winners. As a regular football bettor, I want to get the best possible price, and with this in mind, I find it hard to look beyond Betfair, as the Betfair exchange simply allows me to get better odds than I could at most sportsbooks. Betfair also offers great variety in terms of markets and leagues.
However, I do have a real soft spot for bet365. As football betting sites go, you won’t find a more well-rounded site. I love the design, I love how the app is laid out too. The live streams are plentiful, which is great, and even though it’s not something I use regularly, nobody does the bet builder feature better than bet365.