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!
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Licence 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 by independent testing agencies like eCOGRA. Most importantly, it also tells us that a betting site is safe for customers like you. -
Welcome Bonuses
We love to see bookies rolling out the red carpet for customers old and new, but a generous welcome bonus always catches our eye. We’re not that easy to impress, though. Even a £500 matched deposit bonus can be ruined by details in the small print, so we always give the terms and conditions a once-over to ensure that things like excessive wagering requirements and short-lived expiry dates don’t spoil the fun. The best betting sites keep T&Cs realistic for customers. -
Sports and 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. 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, and plenty of betting markets in each. 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. -
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. -
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. -
Mobile App or Site
These days, bettors are increasingly looking to their mobile phone to place bets online. 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 you can download. These provide greater convenience, enhanced security, and push notifications for betting offers, so we’ll always give brownie points if an app is available. -
Design and Usability
It’s all well and good for 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, making it easy for customers to enjoy all the perks on offer. -
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.
The Best Betting Sites
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Bet365 - The most comprehensive in-play service
Bet365 gives new players a welcome bonus of free bet credits up to £100, while existing punters can claim the Soccer Accumulator Bonus that rewards successful selections with a cash bonus. Withdrawals at Bet365 are also some of the fastest around with debit card payouts taking between one to five working days, and within 24 hours for PayPal customers. You can also make the most of a high-quality native mobile app that can be downloaded from both the Google Play and the App Store.
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Coral - Live stream La Liga, Serie A and all UK horseracing
Punters at Coral have a solid range of features at their fingertips. From live streams to the ability to request your own odds via social media, there’s a lot to get your teeth into. New customers can claim £20 in free bets when they bet £5, which they can use an enormous collection of football betting markets. As well as football, Coral also offers a broad selection of other sports including boxing, cricket and Formula 1. It even offers betting on politics and TV specials. And for those who are after speedy withdrawals, you can access your winnings within four hours courtesy of Visa Fast Funds. The wait time for PayPal users is just eight hours.
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Ladbrokes - One of the UK's oldest brands
Ladbrokes has been a staple of the online betting space for some time now, offering punters the option to bet on an extensive collection of sports and markets. New customers can claim a welcome bonus of £20 in free bets when they bet £5, while offers such as the Daily Odds Boost and #GetAPrice promotions are available for current players to claim. Additionally, if you have a Visa debit card, then you can cash out within four hours using the Visa Fast Funds service.
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Betfred - Unique football promos
As one of the oldest bookies in the industry, Betfred know a thing or two about keeping punters happy. The Acca Insurance promotion offered by the sportsbook is just one example, paying out up to £10 in free bets if one leg of your 5+ accumulator lets you down. There are a whole range of other sports for you to wager on too as well as an easily accessible casino, lottery and bingo offering. If you’re thinking of signing up to Betfred, then we would recommend downloading the native mobile app too for the best handheld betting experience.
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10bet - Get a boost on all 3+ accumulator bets
As a relatively new bookie on the scene, 10bet offers punters a lot in order to compete with the bigger industry names. Debit card withdrawals are complete within just one to two working days, while payouts using e-wallet options, such as PayPal, Neteller and Skrill, will take just 48 hours to go through. What’s more, existing customers can also make the most of frequent promotions for the biggest upcoming sporting events from the Premier League and beyond.
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STS Bet - Place bets with five different e-wallets
STS welcomes new customers with a £10 free bet when they sign up and wager £10 of their own cash. After that, members will be able to take advantage of various promotions on current sports events, whether it’s tennis at Wimbledon, the latest test match at Trent Bridge, or the return of the Champions League. With five different e-wallets available, STS is also a bookmaker that cares about fast withdrawals. We also appreciate the site’s blog page, which advises bettors on sensible markets and wagers both for the STS sportsbook and online casino. If you’re a fan of placing accas, you’ll receive your stake back as a free bet if one of your five legs doesn’t come through.
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Unibet - Refer friends for a £450 bonus
Unibet customers will be able to make use of a range of different sports betting promotions. This begins with a £40 money back bonus if your first £10 bet loses at the site, which must be wagered 3x at minimum odds of 2/5. If you refer a friend to this bookie you’ll be in line to claim £150 – a process you can repeat three times over for a total of £450. With best odds guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing, boosted odds on a variety of sports and markets, and a 5% profit boost on all tennis tournaments between 6pm and 6am every day, Unibet lives up to its reputation for its wide-ranging promos. All of this and more is available on the dedicated mobile app.
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888 Sport - Enjoy a constant stream of bonuses at one of the biggest betting brands
If it’s betting promotions you’re after, look no further than 888sport. You can join the sportsbook’s acca club each week for a £5 free bet; claim a separate £5 free bet when you win at odds of 4/1 or greater; make use of daily price enhancements and odds boosts; and enjoy best odds guaranteed, double result, and each way+ on horse racing events. There is also £30 in free bets to claim when you wager £10 of your own as a new customer, and bettors can also customise their bet slip with the bet builder feature. Just like its dedicated casino and poker verticals, 888sport is available via its own native app, where its extensive live streaming service provides added excitement.
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Boyle Sports - A solid loyalty scheme for players at this Irish juggernaut
Through BoyleSports’ Acca Loyalty scheme, there’s a £5 free acca bet to claim when you place five of your own at odds of 3/1 or higher. Combine this with the option to boost your acca returns by 100%, and to insure your acca if one leg lets you down, and this is the bookie for multi-leg bets. Punters will receive their money back as a free bet on horse and greyhound racing events when their pick finishes second to the SP favourite, and you’ll receive best odds guaranteed on these events too. With bet builders available on football markets, a dedicated mobile app, and up to £25 in free bets on offer through the welcome bonus, BoyleSports is a well-rounded sportsbook.
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Bet Storm - Find a unique promotion on your favourite sport
One of our favourite aspects of BetStorm is that it runs promotions on ten different sports, so whether you’re into the brutality of the UFC or the precision of darts, you can pick a promo for your preferred sport. BetStorm’s Wager Wars is also a unique feature of the site, rewarding bettors’ successful bets by placing them on a betting leaderboard; if you finish in the top five at the end of a betting campaign, you’ll receive a cash prize. There’s a £10 free bet to claim following your first £10 wager, and cashback is available on football, tennis, basketball, and ice hockey markets.
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Tebwin - Work you way up the leaderboard with successful wagers
If you like to make use of rugby and cricket betting markets, you can opt into Tebwin’s Rugby Showdown and Cricket Wicket promotions. Here, your wagers on these sports will earn ranking points on dedicated leaderboards; finish in a strong position at the end of the campaign and you’ll receive a free bet worth up to £50. There are unique promos available on a total of ten different sports — including cashback on football, tennis, ice hockey and basketball — and opportunities to compete in the site’s Wager Wars for extra prizes. Sign up and bet £10 in order to receive a £10 free bet as a new customer.
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Luckster Sport - Boost your odds with every fold of your acca
Every leg you add beyond the third fold in an accumulator bet at Luckster will receive an odds boost. This begins with 4% at four legs, 7% at five, rising all the way to 77% on a 15-fold wager, which can generate some massive potential returns. Kick things off with a £10 free bet when you deposit and bet £10 of your own, before making use of Luckster’s Favourites tab, where you can organise your go-to markets and bets.
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Best Paypal Betting Sites
Claim your winnings in as little as 24 hours by wagering with PayPal. Compare our selections of the best PayPal betting sites in the UK and find out how to deposit, bet and withdraw using the popular e-wallet.
New Betting Sites
Get to grips with some of the latest betting sites in the country with our new betting sites page. Discover what these brand new sites have to offer, compare promotions and sign up to try out one of our recommended sportsbooks.
Mobile Betting Sites
Wager on the best sports events right from the palm of your hand using a top mobile betting app. Learn what the best mobile apps have to offer and see our top picks for each sport.
Football Betting
Wager on the best action from the most popular sport in the world, football. Compare top football sportsbooks and find out how to make the most informed bet on everything from the World Cup to the National League.
Horse Racing Betting
Find a great horse racing betting site using our list of the best available in the UK right now. Get to grips with the various races across the world, the markets you can wager on and our each-way calculator before signing up to your favourite.
Rugby Betting
From the heights of the World Cup to the slog of the English Premier League, there are a myriad of rugby betting opportunities. Find the bookie that’s right for you by comparing markets, bonuses and overall coverage right here.
Betting Bonuses
Boost your betting funds by claiming a bonus. Compare the top betting bonuses in the UK and read up on the terms and conditions that will affect how you use your bonus.
Free Bets
Play with extra funds from a top betting site by claiming a free bet bonus. Find out how to claim free bets and read up on the terms and conditions attached to these offers.
Matched Deposit Betting Bonus
Grab a bankroll boost at your next bookie with a matched deposit bonus. Find out how these bonuses work, where you can find the best value offers and how the wagering requirements will affect your gameplay.
Accumulators
Give your potential winnings a boost by building an accumulator. Compare the best sportsbooks to find the best site for your accumulator bets.
Bet Editing
Correct a wager after you’ve placed it by wagering with the bet edit feature. Compare sites to find the best options for bet editing and learn more how this feature works.
Cash Out
Get your hands on your winnings early by cashing out before an event has finished. Whether you’re taking home a big payout before the final whistle, or cutting your losses, compare the best cashout betting sites to find the best one for you.
Best Bookie For In-Play Betting
Bet365
Our score: 92%
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets
New Customer Offer New customers only. 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+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
According to the Gambling Commission, 21% of online gamblers have placed an in-play bet in the past four weeks. (Source)
Bookies with Cash Out
Claim Your Winnings Early by Cashing out
The best online gambling sites in the UK will give punters the option to cash out their bets early. This means that if you can see your bet beginning to lose momentum, or you would just rather cut your losses from a losing position, then you can do just that. You should be able to see the cash-out value of your bet quite clearly, but we would always recommend you check whether your bet is eligible for cash out before you lay any of your own money.
The ability to withdraw your cash before an event has finished has been a staple of online gambling for sometime now, but some online bookmakers go the extra mile and offer customers a partial cash out. Bookies such as Paddy Power, Bet365 and MansionBet give customers the option of choosing how much of their winnings they’d like to withdraw and how much they’d like to keep in the bet.
Odds Converter
Convert betting odds from fractional, to decimal, to American and even to implied probability using our odds convertor. Read odds with greater ease and accuracy with our handy tool.
Bet Calculator
Get to grips with the maths behind each-way bets with our bet calculator. Find out the value of your total outlay, return and profit with our useful each-way bet calculator.
Pros
Cons
Debit Cards
Debit cards are the most widely accepted payment method at UK bookmakers. You will likely have access to one through your bank account which means that each transaction you make will be protected by the best possible data protection software. Depositing using a debit card will most likely be instant, while withdrawals can be a little slower — with most bookies taking three to five working days to process. Some online bookmakers will process your debit withdrawals in as little as 24 hours, however, while bookies that support the 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, while you can rest assured that all your transactions will be protected by first-class data encryption software. Moving your money from your e-wallet account to your bank account will incur a longer wait time, however. As such, it’s best to check out the terms and conditions of your e-wallet provider and bank to see how long this process will take.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards such as a