The Best Betting Sites in the UK - November 2023

With so many online sportsbooks out there, picking out one that best suits you is easier said than done. Fortunately, the Compare.bet team has made things simple. We’ve scoured the market for the best sports betting sites, considering bonuses, betting markets and mobile compatibility as part of our shortlisting process. All you need to do is read our expert reviews, compare the UK’s top bookies and pick out a favourite — it’s as simple as that!

The Best Betting Sites by Category

The best betting sites typically provide their customers with a wide range of choice when it comes to betting markets. From popular sports like football and cricket to the more niche pursuits of table tennis and sailing, you can usually find something of interest. To help you choose the best site for your sporting preference, we’ve listed our reviews by the sport we feel they cover most comprehensively. Read on to find out more.

Best Betting Site for Football — BzeeBet

One of the newest sites in the UK, BzeeBet launched in 2023 under the umbrella of Aspire Global International. Sister sites include Spin Rio, Plaza Royal and Hey Spin to name a few. As expected for such a force in the industry, Bzeebet is already competing with the best. In terms of first impressions, I was particularly impressed with the site design and how easy it is to navigate. Sports betting fans will also be pleased with the amount and diversity of sports betting markets available – including thousands of football options. They’ve included many other important features such as in-play listings, live chat, a multitude of payment options and some unique promotional opportunities for existing customers. This includes Free Bet Thursday and BZ Bet Builder that’s eligible across all sports both pre-match and live in-play. Overall, I would recommend Bzeebet as a betting site. Despite its recent entry in the market, it feels like a confident first year for the team.

What we like:

• Clear and well laid out site
• Large amount of sports markets available
• Useful features such as a ‘favourites’ tab and on-page bet slip that offers 1-click betting

What we don’t like:

• There is currently no app available for Bzeebet customers

Best Betting Site for Horse Racing — BetVictor

The design of BetVictor is one of my favourites. It’s relatively simple in style but clear with individual units down the page outlining each section of information. Horse racing fans will enjoy the availability of betting markets, including virtual horse racing around the clock. Daily races are listed below the current markets so you can work out which you’d like to bet on. Aside from this, there are many other sports to test out, plus casino and live casino offerings. The mobile version of the site is another positive to mention, plus of course the highly recommended BetVictor app that’s available to download.

What we like:

• Many promotions for existing customers including horse racing matched deposits, cash back and best odds guaranteed
• Great selection of sports markets to bet on
• Live streaming options for horse racing and other sports

What we don’t like: 

• Would benefit from a few more payment methods

Best Betting Site for Boxing — HeySpin

Despite the name, HeySpin is a popular sports betting site that offers over hundreds of sports markets to its customers. At first glance, one thing I love about the HeySpin site is its unique black and yellow colour theme. For me, the dark background makes it easy to read, plus the signposting for important pages is well labelled. At the time of writing there are four promotional offers available. This includes a welcome offer, a bet builder, a cashout opportunity and an odds boost. It’s great to see regularly updated promotions but as ever, be sure to read through the terms and conditions of use. Overall, HeySpin is a great sports betting site with lots to keep you entertained.

What we like:

• Wide range of sports events to bet on
• Most top payment methods are supported, such as Paysafecard, Neteller, Trustly, MuchBetter and PayPal
• Easy to switch between casino and sports betting

What we don’t like:

• No live streaming available

Best Betting Site for Golf — Parimatch

As a first impression, the Parimatch site is quite busy to look at. However, the sports, offers and general features are well laid out so I didn’t find it overwhelming or difficult to find what I wanted. Heading straight for the offers page, Parimatch provides a small range of promotions for new and existing customers. At the time of writing this includes a selection of ‘bet and get’ style free bets and an acca bonus. Interestingly, there’s also a daily and weekly ‘free to play’ option of casino games that require no deposit. Golf fans will enjoy the selection of international tournaments, Champions Tour and Ryder Cup options, to name just a few. 

What we like:

• Easy to navigate site
• Unique features like the Parimatch Hat-Trick Hunt and the £20,000 Raffle
• Switch easily across to casino and live casino games 

What we don’t like: 

• Live streaming for horse racing only

Best Betting Site for Accas – BetMGM

A new UK online bookmaker for 2023 so not one I’m hugely familiar with. However, at first glance, I was impressed with the layout of the BetMGM site. The gold and black colour theme is a nice backdrop to the great variety of sports markets available to customers. I particularly like the inclusion of smaller sports that are native to specific countries – as an example, bandy is not hugely well known outside of Scandinavia. Nevertheless, it’s included as an option on BetMGM.  The sports homepage provides a wealth of information, including suggestions for trending bets and an outline of how to read betting odds. Acca fans, be sure to take a look at the Golden Acca promotion that provides five profit boosts on accas each week. 

What we like: 

• Unique promotions such as Golden Goals for accas fans
• Great range of sports markets to choose from
• You can easily switch across to the casino or live casino side of the site

What we don’t like: 

• The site could provide a few more payment options to customers

Best Betting Site for Free Bets – bet365

Bet365 doesn’t need much of an introduction – operating as one of the leading UK betting sites and holding regular EFL partnerships. Landing on the site and registering for the first time you can claim a welcome offer that provides £30 in free bets when you bet £10 of your own money. Be mindful there are some strict limitations in terms of eligible payment methods but nevertheless, an extra £30 is a great way of familiarising yourself with the site. The layout of the site is clear and easy to navigate, with sports listed down the left hand side and links through to the casino and live casino side of the site at the top of the page. Overall, bet365 is a site I return to regularly. They provide competitive odds, a decent selection of promotional offers and all the sports you’re likely to want to bet on.

What we like: 

• Generous free bet welcome offer 
• Mobile app available to download on iOS and Android devices
• Great range of sports, esports and even politics markets to bet on

What we don’t like:

• Strict limitations on bonus acceptance payment methods

Best Betting Site for Cashback – Bet Storm

The first thing I did when checking out Bet Storm was to accept the welcome bonus of £10 off the back of my first £10 bet. It’s not a huge offer but certainly gives me the chance to try out a few extra bets. There’s only 1x wagering requirements on this offer so the play through isn’t too high. Those looking for a cashback offer can choose the promotion by sport. I was impressed to see cashback promotions for a range of sports including football, tennis, Formula 1, cricket, plus many more. Overall, I love the design of Bet Storm, it’s one of my favourite sites because of the background images and the sports being listed by icons down the left side of the page. It’s a really easy site to navigate and one I will return to again.

What we like:

• Unique range of promotions including the Sports Stars leaderboard and sports-specific cashback offers
• The Free Bets Monday offer requires a very high £50 minimum bet for qualification
• While there is no native app for Bet Storm, I think this is one of the best sites, in terms of clarity and design, for mobile betting

What we don’t like:

• No live streaming available

Our Top Picks for New Bookmakers

New bookmakers are appealing for a number of reasons. Not only do the newest bookies offer customers some great value welcome offers, but loyal customers can claim a variety of innovative promotions. In order to stand out from the competition, new bookies will also offer customers a well-designed website that is both enjoyable to spend time at as well as easy to use. Take a look at our page dedicated to new bookmakers for more information.

Our Top New Bookies:

• Bzeebet
• Bet Storm
• BetMGM
• LuckLand Sport

Top Mobile Betting Sites

Mobile sports betting is how the majority of punters lay their wagers these days. As such, all of our recommended sportsbooks offer mobile compatibility. As well as mobile-friendly websites, some of the best mobile bookies have also developed native betting apps to create the best possible handheld user experience.

Our Top Mobile Betting Apps:

• BetVictor
• bet365
• 10bet
• Parimatch
• Unibet

Top Online Bookmakers Compared

How We Rate the Best Online Bookies

Here at Compare.bet, we only want to recommend the best betting sites in the UK. That’s why we always review and rate bookmakers carefully before introducing them to our readers. Below, we’ve listed some of the top features that help determine if new UK betting sites make the cut.

Sports and Betting Markets

Most bookies take bets on major UK sports like football, rugby and cricket. But the very best betting sites rise to the top with loads of different international sports, as well as deeper market coverage. Be sure to verify the sports you want to bet on are available before registering. The top bookies often feature around 30+ different categories, including popular sports in the US, and less popular sports around the world, such as table-tennis or volleyball. On this last point, football offers the perfect example, with the best football betting sites laying out many hundreds of ways to bet on the match.

Licensing and Safety

Some betting site features are ‘nice-to-haves’, but a licence from the UK Gambling Commission is non-negotiable. A current licence from the UKGC tells us that a site is legal, regulated, and undergoes regular audits. Most importantly, it also tells us that a betting site is safe for customers like you. Checking for a licence is the first thing you should do before registration. 

Competitive Odds

The best sites try to offer the most competitive odds, while also adding features like odds boosts, enhanced price offers, and bet builders. Sometimes, you can also request custom odds over social media. Ladbrokes, for example, invites customers to request a price via Twitter by tweeting @Ladbrokes with #GetAPrice.

Usability

Naturally, we expect a bookmaker to offer a wide range of sports and betting markets, generous promotions, and mobile betting options.  But these things need to be presented to customers in a clean, intuitive way. The best bookies put real effort into ensuring that their sites and mobile apps are well-designed, fast-loading, and simple to navigate. This makes it easy for customers to enjoy all the perks on offer.

Mobile Capabilities

These days, bettors are leaning towards a preference to mobile betting. To cater to this trend, all online bookies offer an on-the-go version of their main site. While mobile sports betting sites are readily available through phone and tablet browsers, the best betting sites stand out by releasing native mobile apps. These provide greater convenience, enhanced security, and push notifications for betting offers, so we’ll always give brownie points if an app is available.

Bonuses and Promotions

We love to see bookies rolling out the red carpet for customers old and new, but a generous welcome bonus always catches our eye. Be mindful that even leading betting sites can hamper a generous sounding bonus with complex terms and conditions. In order to alleviate potential confusion, we always give the small print a once-over. Of course, it doesn’t bode well for our overall judgement of a site if their terms are neither clear nor realistic for the player. So this will be reflected in our overall review. You will be able to accept your welcome bonus at the point of registration. Be sure to deposit using an eligible payment method to ensure your account receives this initial boost.

Payment Options

We can’t promise that every bookie we recommend will offer your payment method of choice, but we do like to see a diverse range of options. The best sites often accept debit cards and Trustly, along with at least one e-wallet and a prepaid option like Paysafecard. Some go the extra mile and let you make deposits through your mobile phone bill, or with a cryptocurrency. It goes without saying that instant, fee-free deposits come as standard at the best betting sites.

Customer Support

Friendly and efficient customer support is a hallmark of the best online sports betting sites. The leading bookies back up the good stuff on their sites and apps with robust customer support options. It’s not uncommon for brands to offer 24/7 live chat alongside telephone and email support, with some sites also happy for customers to hit them up over social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Our Team of Experts

Betting Features You Should Look Out For

These days, many of the UK’s best betting sites offer unique features in a bid to stand out from the crowd. For example, some online bookies offer helpful statistics and betting guides to help you make an educated bet. Others have bet calculators so that you better understand your potential returns. Certain online bookmakers, such Betfair, even have community platforms where you can discuss your bets and share tips with other punters. Our online sportsbook reviews highlight all these helpful little extra features to help you find the best betting site for you.

In-Play Betting

On top of a wide range of markets, the best online bookmakers put punters into the heart of the action with in-play betting markets. These allow you to bet on events as they take place, giving you the chance to take advantage of changes in momentum. Not only does live betting provide a particularly exciting betting experience, but it also gives you the chance to benefit from some enticing odds.

A number of the UK’s best betting sites even let you watch events such as football matches and horse races through high definition live streams. The sports and leagues available for live streaming vary from bookie to bookie, so check what events are on offer to help find the right betting site for you. Keep in mind that you may need to wager on an event or have a funded account in order to access the live stream.

Wager on a Wide Variety of Sports

You can bet on football, horse racing and rugby, as well as US sports like the NFL and the NBA, at pretty much all the UK’s best bookmakers. However, not every bookie offers markets on more obscure sports. For example, if you want to bet on sports like handball, badminton or even WWE, you’ll have to find a bookie that offers those sports. Other common sports and events you can bet on at top betting sites include:

Choose from a Range of Sports Betting Markets

The best online betting sites deliver a stellar choice of betting markets for punters. We aren’t just talking about the number of different sports available to bet on, but the choice of betting markets within each sport, such as the match result, handicap and winning margin markets. You’ll often find a fair amount of variation in market coverage from bookie to bookie when looking to bet on more obscure sports and competitions. Let’s dive into some of the key markets available to punters. 

Match Result

The match result market is the simplest betting market available at online bookmakers and it’s reflected across pretty much every sport in the world. All you need to do is pick who you think will win a match, race, fight etc. You can place a bet on the overall winner before the event has started, but you can also bet on the action in-play. 

Handicap

The handicap market is another great betting option if you’re looking for better value odds. Two unevenly matched opponents may throw up some pretty unattractive betting opportunities, but if you wager on the favourite win with a handicap, then the price can suddenly improve. In football, for example, if you wager on PSG to beat Krasnodar in the Champions League with a handicap of -2, then you would need the Parisians to win by a margin of two or more goals.

Each Way

Each-way betting is a market that you only see on a select few sports, but it’s nonetheless one of the most important betting options available to punters. You are most likely to come across an each-way bet when you’re wagering on horse racing and it’s essentially a way for you to increase your chances of making a profit, even if you’re chosen bet doesn’t win. You effectively place two wagers on a horse to either win, or come second or third, and if you’re horse places on the podium, you win!

Bets on Individual Players 

When you’re betting on team sports at online bookmakers, you can also wager on individuals within that team. For example, you can place a bet on a goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet in football, or a rugby player to score a try. These markets provide some real variety to the betting experience and can be really enhanced by digging into some statistics. 

Outright Bets 

Your betting opportunities at UK bookmakers are not just limited to individual games or fights, but can also be placed on the overall winners of entire competitions or tournaments. These can be wagered at the start of the competition, but you can also place them while it is ongoing. If you’re playing it safe, you may want to let the tournament or competition play out for a bit before you place a wager. Some tournaments run on for over nine months and a lot can happen in that time. 

Bet Builders

Some online bookmakers also provide bet builders, which let you create accumulator bets for the same event. Say there’s a football match you have your eye on. By firing up the bet builder tool, you can pick out a whole array of selections, such as which team will win, how many corners will be awarded, which players will score, and so on. The bet builder will automatically combine your selections and give you the price for the whole lot. Bet builders only apply to one game, however, so you can’t combine wagers from a range of games or sports like you can with a standard accumulator.

Boost Your Bankroll with a Sports Betting Promotion

The best online bookies offer plenty of betting offers to existing customers. This can include enhanced odds, acca boosts or even price boosts that will increase the size of your winnings if your selection comes in. 

Of course, like with welcome bonuses, the promos on offer vary between sportsbooks. While the promos available change at a pretty quick rate, looking at the deals on offer before you sign up can give you a good idea of what to expect in the long run.

Let’s take a look at some of the most commonly found sports betting promotions at the best online bookies.

Guaranteed Best Odds

Best odds guaranteed is a promo offered by some of the best online bookies. This means that the bookie strives to offer the best odds on the market. 

Our top pick for guaranteed best odds – bet365 offer the best odds on all UK and Irish horse racing shown on ITV

Acca Insurance

Acca insurance is a promotion available across many sporting markets. It allows you to falter on one leg of your acca and still get your money back in the form of account credit or free bets. Occasionally you may receive withdrawable cash depending on the T&Cs of the betting site

Our top pick for acca insurance – you can boost, track and insure your acca with Ladbrokes

Enhanced Odds

Many online bookies offer enhanced odds deals to existing customers. These offers work by boosting the odds on a bet to give you more money back if you win. Bookies may offer enhanced prices on select markets, though some sites hand out odds boost tokens instead.

Our top pick for enhanced odds – Paddy Power provide enhanced odds on a wide range of markets

Request a Bet

Request a Bet allows you to request custom betting odds for just about any prediction you fancy. To get the odds, you’ll usually need to hit up the bookie’s customer support team using a certain hashtag on Twitter.

Our top pick for request a bet – Tweet #WhatOddsPaddy with Paddy Power

Betting Tools 

Use our odds convertor and bet calculated to make the most informed wager possible and play with confidence each and every time.

Choose Your Betting Site by Banking Method

The best betting sites offer a range of deposit and withdrawal options, but the banking methods available at each site will vary. 

Debit Cards

Debit cards are the most widely accepted payment method at UK bookmakers. Depositing using a debit card is instant, while withdrawals can be a little slower — with most bookies taking three to five working days to process. Visa Fast Funds service will give you your cash within four hours.

e-Wallets

If you’re after some of the fastest withdrawal times at UK bookmakers, then banking with an e-wallet such as PayPal, Skrill or Neteller could be the best option for you. Withdrawals can take as little as 24 hours in some cases.

Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards such as a Paysafecard are the ideal option for safety-conscious bettors who are sceptical about sharing any sensitive data. Deposits are instant but you will need to find an alternative method for withdrawing your cash. 

Trustly

Working via Open Banking, Trustly is a payment option that offers top level security and a speedy, reliable method of transferral. Deposits are instant, withdrawals can take up to 4 days.  

Boku

Boku is probably the most well-known pay by mobile payment operator. As such, it’s the most commonly available option at the best online bookies. It’s a deposit-only service achieving instant deposits into your betting site account. Limits are low – usually no more than £30 a day. 

AstroPay

AstroPay functions as a cross between a virtual prepaid card and an e-wallet. There is also a virtual Visa debit card option for customers. Deposits are instant whereas withdrawals can take up to 5 days.

Responsible Gambling

We take responsible gambling very seriously and want to promote gambling in its healthiest light. As such, we have a dedicated responsible gambling section that we highly recommend you read. Here, you will find tips and advice on safer gambling habits, as well as suggested professional organisations that provide information, research and support.

Sign up to Start Betting on Sports

Now that you know all about what makes a top betting site, you have everything you need to find the perfect site for you. All you need to do is compare the online bookmakers on our list. Want to learn more about the UK’s best betting sites? Our expert sportsbook reviews have got all you need to know. Whether you’re searching for the best live football betting or the biggest selection of boxing markets, we’ve got you covered. Simply compare, sign up and bet!