The UK's top five best sports betting sites: Reviewed, Tested. Rated.
There are more than 100 online bookmakers for punters to choose from, so deciding which are the UK's best sports betting sites is no easy task. That's why we've compared the market and chosen the elite online bookies that offer punters the most bang for their buck!
What are the best sports betting sites in the UK?
Take a look at our selection of the top 3 betting sites.
Newcomers to the world of online betting are often amazed at the plethora of bookmakers to choose from. Many UK punters will be familiar with certain brands such as William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral due to their presence on the high street, but there are also prominent brands like Betfair and Matchbook which are purely online.
So, which are the UK's best sports betting sites online? Do you stick with a brand name you know or are the new wave of internet-only bookmakers a better option? That is the question our team aims to answer. We've scoured the market, looking at all the top bookmakers. our assessment criteria involves checking licences, banking options, payout speed and security as a basis to work from.
Next, we trimmed the list of bookies down further by reviewing how good the bonuses and promotions are, what coverage of sports and other events they offer and which bookies deliver the best odds. Lastly, we also tested the mobile applications of each operator to see if they fit the needs of the modern day mobile bettor.
As you can tell, we've left no stone unturned in our quest to deliver a premium list of the best sports betting sites which is why you cannot go wrong with any of the bookmakers here. But, with that said, you're free to join any online bookmaker but we advise you to do your own research before signing up to ensure that the site you are joining is trusted and respected like the ones on this page.
There are some very good welcome bonuses available from the best sports betting sites aimed at enticing new customers to join. A tip for those who are searching for their first online bookmaker is to not be swayed by the big numbers. Read the terms and conditions of each offer to make sure it fits with your style of betting.
In our opinion, the best welcome bonus at the moment is the 0% Commission for the rest of the year at Matchbook. Again, if you're new, then you may not be aware that Matchbook is a sports betting exchange. Basically, it is just a platform where customers (bettors) 'exchange' bets.
So for example; customer A wants to place a bet on Liverpool to beat Manchester United. Customer B doesn't think Liverpool will win, so he matches the bet. Very simply, that is how the exchange works.
Matchbook, as the owner of the platform charge a 1.5% commission fee on all winning bets – that's how it makes its money. With this welcome bonus, the commission fee is 0%, so whatever you win is yours to keep, in full!
William Hill is one of the largest bookmakers in the world. Therefore, you would expect a top quality product and that's what you get.
It offers more than 30 different sports for punters to bet on both pre-match or in-play. These include all of the mainstream stuff such as football, horse racing, greyhounds, tennis, cricket, golf and rugby, in addition to other sports like handball, swimming, cycling and volleyball.
Still, if that's not enough, William Hill covers overseas sporting action will the likes of college football, college hoops, IPL cricket, MLB, NFL, NBA and Aussie rules all featuring. Whilst the number of sports is impressive, what makes William Hill one of the best sports betting sites is the huge amount of options provided within each category.
It covers football from more than 120 leagues spanning 50 different countries, but the best part is that William Hill offers greater market depth throughout all of its markets. This is where the lesser online bookmakers fall by the wayside, but not William Hill. So, if you want more betting markets, this is the place to go.
All punters want the best possible odds because it means you win more. The odds on Betfair's betting exchange are often slightly better than those given by a traditional bookmaker, which is why we've picked it as the best sports betting sites for odds/prices.
However, as explained above, a betting exchange requires two customers effectively willing to bet against each other. On big matches and large events, this isn't a problem. If you want to bet on Brazil winning the World Cup, you'll find plenty of punters willing to bet that they won't. This is known a market liquidity.
The flip side is if you want to bet on a National League (England's 5th tier) match, you may well struggle to get your wager matched as there isn't as much interest. Still, with that said, for markets with good liquidity, the odds at a betting exchange are the best you'll find. Check out the examples below which illustrate what we mean.
A £10 bet on England to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup at Betfair would net you £175.00 profit (if England win it), whereas at Ladbrokes the same £10 would only earn you £140 profit. That is quite a difference, wouldn't you agree?
Best sports betting sites in UK – F.A.Q.
What do I need to register at one of the UK's best sports betting sites?
a bank account or other payment method which is in the same name as the bookmaker account you opened.
a phone number (usually mobile).
a home address in the UK.
To join one of the best sports betting sites provided on this page, simply click the link given above in the table and that will take you to the sign-up page where you can join instantly.
The UK's best sports betting sites are all licenced and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission which governs the practices of each operator to ensure players are protected at all times. This includes their financial transactions as the best sports betting sites must have industry standard SSL data encryption software installed.
You most certainly can. Once again the UKGC are very hot on this and they make sure that the bookie provides clear instructions on how to set depositing and betting limits.