This page has been checked for accuracy by Adam Dickinson. Adam is our resident fact checker and has over five years of experience working in the gambling industry, including roles at PlayOJO, Betway and Entain plc. Find out more
Whether you're looking to place a bet on the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga or FA Cup - the best online betting sites below have you covered. Compare, sign up to wager on the best football betting sites around.
New Customer Offer New Players Only. Minimum stake $/€/£ 10, minimum odds1.5, stake not returned.1X wagering the winnings from the free bet. Wagering occurs from real balance first. Wagering requirement is calculated on bonus bets only, wagering starts from real funds. Free bet is valid for 7 Days from issue. Max conversion: $/€/£ 200. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer New Players only. Max. Free Bet Token amount: £10.Minimum Deposit: £15. Minimum wagering on Sport to activate the Free Bet Token: £15 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount 40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer Opt in. Min. Odds Evs, Max. £10 stake, Max. additional profit £100. Skrill and Neteller deposits are not eligible 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
"SlotsNSports are specialists in both the sports betting and casino industry. As a new bookie they have a great welcome offer as well as have multiple fast withdrawal banking methods."
New Customer Offer Wager from real balance first. 50x wager the bonus. Contribution varies per game. selected games only. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus valid 30 days / Free spins valid 7 days from receipt. Max conversion: 3x the bonus amount or from free spins: £20. Min Deposit £20. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill deposits. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer New players only. Min $/€/£ 10 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of $/€/£ 200, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: $/€/£ 200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Excluded Skrill deposits. Withdrawal requests voids all active/pending bonuses. Full Terms Apply 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer New customers only. Max one free £10 bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater. Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 odds required. Skrill, Neteller & PayPal not eligible. T&Cs apply. 18+ 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customers Offer Min. deposit £15; Bonus amount 50% of deposit up to £50; Wager deposit and bonus 8x within 60 days; 4/5 Min. single odds or 2/5 min. acca selection odds; Max. stake contribution equal to the initial bonus; Certain bet types and payment methods excluded 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer If your account has Sportsbook losses at the end of your first day's betting, QuinnBet will refund 50% of your losses as a Free Bet up to £35 (min 3 bets) Plus 10 Free online casino spins at QuinnCasino. Even if your account is up, you're guaranteed a £5 Free Bet Plus 10 Free Spins provided you place at least 1 bet of £10 or greater at the minimum odds. T&Cs apply | 18+ New UK Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer 18+, New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. Offer is valid from 10:00 UK time on 16/01/2023. Card payments only. T&Cs Apply. begambleaware.org | Please Gamble Responsibly 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer Double the odds. Bet must be placed using real money in combination with the Odds Boost Token. Offer applies to Sport bets only. £10 Max stake. Each way bets are a maximum of £5 each way (£10 total stake). Extra winnings are paid in cash. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer Bet £15, get £10. £15 minimum deposit. Max £10 free bet is only valid for 14 days. Bet must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. Neteller,Skrill and Paypal not eligible 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first sports bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Visit Unibet.co.uk for full T&C's. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer 18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | T&Cs apply 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
New Customer Offer Min wagering on sport £15. Max one £10 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater. Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 odds req. Selected payment methods only. Bet expires after 14 days of being credited 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
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🏆 Best Overall Score:
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£50
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Football is the world’s most popular sport for betting. Everyone has an opinion and their opinion is always right – until it isn’t. But which bookie should your you choose? That’s the question this page is designed to answer.
There are dozens of online betting sites on the market – from the usual big-name suspects, to bold new entrants looking to offer something different. What doesn’t help is that practically every betting site offers football markets. You’ll have to narrow down your selection some other way – whether it’s the biggest bonus, the most free bets or the best mobile app. Once you’ve checked out our reviews you’re sure to have found a favourite.
Football bettors all have their own opinions on what makes a great betting site. There are no absolutes here: some will favour bookies that offer the most generous sign-up bonus, while others will look for the best market coverage. Our extensive reviews therefore cover every salient aspect of the football betting experience in order to provide a comprehensive analysis of what’s available. It’s then over to you to decide what you value most. Here are some of the key areas of consideration during our reviews.
Licensing and Safety
The best bonuses, the most competitive odds, live streaming facilities — it’s all worthless if it comes from an unlicensed bookmaker. Online gambling licences give customers peace of mind, ensuring a commitment to standards of fair play, data security, and responsible gambling. You should never place a bet at an unlicensed site, which is why all of our recommendations are for fully licensed operators.
Choice of Football Markets
The best football betting sites can offer over 50,000 betting opportunities at any one time. That’s right, we’ve seen some bookmakers offering 60,000 markets and beyond during our reviews. At a minimum, bookies will take bets on the biggest leagues and competitions across the globe, on both domestic and international games. But you’ll also see many sites taking bets on games way down the football pyramid, often as low as tier six here in the UK. Top football betting sites also take bets on all the best action from the women’s game, various youth divisions, and in some cases, competitions from over 100 other football-playing nations.
Other Sports
Football is the UK’s biggest sport, but it’s not all that’s on offer at football betting sites. You’ll also be able to find an impressive range of markets on tennis, golf, cricket, rugby, and popular sports from across the pond such as American football and basketball. This is by no means an exhaustive list though, with bookmakers often splitting their offering across 30+ sports. Those with vested interest across the sporting world will want to pick a football betting site that can cater to all their sporting curiosities.
Bonuses and Promos
There’s no denying that the majority of our readers are after the best deals. This begins with the welcome bonus, which represents the apex of a bookie’s generosity, so it’s important to find the offer that suits you best. The welcome bonus is a one-time offer, after which promos for existing customers gather more significance; you’ll want to pick a site that offers good value in both areas.
Betting sites will parade their bonuses to their customers, but to understand the true value of any offer, it’s imperative that you first read the terms and conditions. We spend time doing this during our reviews to determine just how player-friendly a site’s bonuses really are. Wagering requirements, time limits, winning caps, minimum odds, and more will all play their part in the success of a football betting bonus.
Payment Methods
How they’re able to fund their betting account is always a key consideration for our readers, so we spend time breaking down the site’s available payment methods, and the limits and processing times of each. If you’re someone who values the speed and excitement of in-play betting, it might make sense to pick a fast withdrawal method such as an e-wallet. If instead you’re looking for a payment method with restricted spending limits, a prepaid card might be more suitable. The point is that the best football betting sites offer their customers diversity at the cashier page — from debit cards to cryptocurrencies and everything in between.
Site Design and Features
Just as an online casino with a vast games library requires excellent site design, so too does a betting site with extensive market coverage. The site should be easy and intuitive to use, and should look good at the same time.
In this part of our review, we’ll also take note of any of the site’s special betting features. At the very least, we expect to see the ability to place live bets and cash out any ongoing wagers. Outstanding betting sites, however, are those that offer bet builders, live streaming, and a dedicated mobile app.
Customer Support
High levels of customer support are essential across the entire online gambling landscape. The best football betting sites will prove their commitment to helping their customers by offering round-the-clock support, typically via live chat. Then, for any issue that doesn’t require immediate help, bookmakers should offer email and phone support, a detailed FAQs page, and perhaps even customer service channels through their social media accounts. We like to see all of these customer support avenues open.
The Best Football Betting Sites Reviewed
32Red has been around since 2002, and now offers one of the UK’s best online football sportsbooks. At 32Red, you’ll find fantastic odds on games taking place in all the top leagues from around the world, plus one of football betting’s best mobile apps. 32Red currently doesn’t offer new players a sports welcome bonus, but you’ll be entitled to their generous casino welcome offer of a 150% matched deposit bonus plus 25 free spins, which is one of the larger casino bonuses currently available. So, if you’re a football bettor who also likes the occasional foray into the online casino, they don’t come much better than 32Red.
Pros:
Fantastic range of sports, markets and football leagues
Live streaming service
Great range of payment options
Top-class mobile app
Casino welcome bonus of 150% matched deposit and free spins
Cons:
No dedicated sports welcome bonus
888sport offers new players an unrivalled welcome bonus worth £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus when they make their first £10 bet. Although the casino bonus will be subject to wagering requirements, any cash garnered from your free bets will be yours to keep. And if you fancy a go on the slots, hop over to sister site 888casino where you can net 88 no deposit free spins.
If you just want to stick to sports betting, however, you’ll find that 888sport has all you could ask for in a sportsbook. There are plenty of ongoing promotions for existing players — such as a weekly £5 free bet, bet builders, boosted odds, and acca insurance — and there’s also a dedicated app that is intuitive and fun to use.
Pros:
Huge welcome offer for sportsbook and casino
Excellent mobile app
Daily and weekly free bet promotions
Live streams and in-play betting
Lots of different sports and markets
Cons:
40x wagering requirements on casino bonus
Though the name implies that HeySpin is casino-oriented, this site is equally competent in the football betting department. Despite only launching in 2020, HeySpin has quickly developed into one of the UK’s most complete sportsbooks and online casinos. You will receive a £10 free bet when you make your first £15 bet at HeySpin, and you’ll also be able to claim up to £25 and 25 free spins at the online casino. For existing players, HeySpin also offers boosts of up to 77% on pre-match football accas made up of at least four selections, and provides an excellent bet builder tool. The only downside is that HeySpin doesn’t currently offer a dedicated app, but the site is fully optimised for mobile browsers.
Pros:
Separate welcome bonuses for sportsbook and online casino
Excellent football-focussed promotions
Lots of different payment options to choose from
Cons:
No dedicated mobile app
Tebwin is a new football betting site and casino launched as recently as 2021. The thing we love most about Tebwin is its staggering amount of ongoing promotions for existing customers. After you’ve signed up to Tebwin and claimed its ‘Bet £10, Get a £10 Free Bet’ welcome offer, you’ll be persistently resupplied with generous bonuses. Every Monday, for example, Tebwin bettors are entitled to a £20 free bet when they spend £40. The site also runs an innovative PvP betting programme called ‘Wager Wars’, which rewards winning bettors with extra prizes. These features more than make up for what is a comparatively small welcome offer when compared with some of Tebwin’s competitors, so sign up if you want to spice up your football betting experience.
Pros:
Separate welcome bonuses for online casino and sportsbook
Great in-play football feature allows you to follow match stats
Can bet on virtually any professional football league, as demonstrated by the screenshot below.
Cons:
No native app for iOS or Android
Launched in 2021, Luckster is another new online football sportsbook that has burst onto the scene with generous bonuses and a wide range of sports markets. Scrolling down the various available markets reveals the staggering range that Luckster is able to offer, giving players plenty of opportunity to mix things up with sports other than football. As a sister site to HeySpin, Luckster offers many of the same bonuses, including a boost on pre-match accumulators and a £10 free bet welcome offer. New players can also claim up to £200 in matched deposits at the online casino, which features a great offering of slots, table games, and live casino titles.
Pros:
Generous welcome packages for online casino and sportsbook
Impressive range of sports to bet on
Lots of ongoing promotions
Support for all the major payment preferences
Cons:
No dedicated app due to being new on the scene
Comparatively modest sports welcome bonus
Getting Started
How to Find the Best Football Betting Site
Our list of top licensed football betting sites in the UK features some of the best options available online, but it’s up to you to decide which one is your ideal bookie. Let’s take a look at what you should expect when picking out a top online betting site.
The Best Football Leagues in the World
The World's Best Competitions
Football is the world’s game and its global appeal is undeniable. So whether you’re looking to bet on the Premier League, or even the Champions League, you should keep an eye out for a bookie that provides you with a variety of football betting options. The best football betting sites in the UK provide coverage of men’s, women’s and youth football matches across the globe, but at the very least, you should expect comprehensive coverage of the following major football leagues and competitions:
Football betting doesn’t have to stop once the season is over, however. International competitions such as the prestigious World Cup, European Championship and Copa América provide players with the chance to wager on football throughout the summer months too.
Top Football Betting Markets
A Huge Range of Online Betting Options
Gone are the days where you simply place a bet on your favourite team to win and hope for the best – there are a range of betting for punters to sink their teeth into everyday. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can take advantage of great prices throughout the season.
Match betting
Match result
Both teams to score
Result & both teams to score
Over/under goals
Double chance
Handicap
Outright betting
Correct score
Match Betting
The most popular type of football bet are ones placed on a single match. These are placed before kick off and winning bets are only paid out once the final whistle has been blown. In some cases, your wagers are placed on the outcome after 90 minutes, while others include extra time and penalties, should they occur. This is always clearly stated beforehand. Let’s take a look at the most common pre-match betting options available to online punters.
Match Result
The most attractive option for many is the match result. It’s as simple as it sounds; pick a winner or a draw.
Both Teams to Score
Some matches are too tough to call, even for the bookies. so if two teams have a similar price to win the match, it means there’s no clear favourite. This is good news if you feel confident about making a pick, but you’ll want to steer clear of the match result bet if you’re uncertain. A great alternative is betting on both teams to score.
Result & Both Teams to Score
The ability to combine the match result with both teams to score is a relatively new addition to football betting. You’ll find great value here, but as you might have guessed, it’s much harder to land a winner when wagering on two outcomes.
Over/Under Goals
Much like the both teams to score market, betting on the over/under is a great alternative to wagers on the match result. This is simply the amount of goals the match will feature. Not only is it useful for close contests, though; you can also use it to find better value in matches where the price on the bookies favourite isn’t favourable to punters. Most of the best betting sites in the UK allow you to bet over or under on 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 goals.
Double Chance
This market involves some compromise from both the punter and the online betting site. Punters can cover two of three possible outcomes, such as ‘win or draw’ or ‘home team win or away team win’.
Handicap
The handicap market is arguably the best place to find value when there’s a huge gap in quality between two teams. An FA Cup match could see a Premier League side pitted against a League 2 team, for example. In this instance, there’s little chance of the League 2 side winning and a bet on their Premier League opponents are likely to provide minimal returns. To provide incentive for bettors to wager on these events, football betting sites use handicaps to level the playing field for bettors.
The handicap is applied to the scoreline, so if you were to bet on ‘Team A -1’, they would simply have to win by more than 1 goal.
Outright Betting
You don’t have to restrict your betting to the events of a match. You can bet on the outcome of leagues and competitions, too. Outright bets are usually placed before the season kicks off, but are usually available throughout the season too. Here are a few common examples of outright betting markets:
Competition winner
Top Goalscorer
Promotion and relegation
Betting on Live Football Markets
In-Play Betting Options
When searching for your ideal football betting site, you’ll want to make sure it features an array of in-play betting opportunities. Also referred to as live betting, these markets give you the chance to place football bets on a match that’s already underway. Here’s a summary of the main benefits and drawbacks.
Pros
More flexible betting – If you didn’t place your pre-match bets in time, or didn’t fancy the odds on offer, in-play betting is a solid alternative.
Allows for intuitive decision making – Odds change in real-time based on the events of the game, giving you a chance to gauge the momentum of the game and make a more informed decision.
Live streaming service – Several top online betting sites live stream matches to allow you to keep up with the action, although some leagues and competitions, such as the Premier League and Champions League, are only available to watch via sports broadcasters like Sky and BT Sport.
Follow the action – If you can’t watch a game live, you can always keep up through your chosen betting site. Bet365, for example, has a Match Live feature that tells you exactly what’s happening minute by minute, whether it’s a dangerous possession for the home team or a free kick for the away team.
Keep track of match stats – This is particularly handy if you’ve placed a bet on a market like corners, throw-ins, or booking points. Sky Bet and Bet365 were the first bookies to offer in-play stats powered by Opta’s Fast Player Statistics Feed. The feed pushes high-frequency in-play statistics like shots, passes, and tackles to online betting sites, allowing them to automate pricing and settle in-play bets quickly.
Can add more value to your betslip – Say you were planning to bet on Manchester City to beat Bournemouth, but City concede early on. They may still be odds on favourites, but if you fancy them to overturn the deficit, you’ll get better value than you would have in the pregame markets.
Cons
Odds can diminish – If you’re not quick enough on the draw, or simply forget to make a bet before the game starts, your odds could be made significantly worse by an early goal or sending off.
Can encourage reckless betting – It’s quite easy to get caught up in live betting, especially if you’ve had a couple drinks and are watching the team you support.
No time constraints on betting – Before in-play betting, if you forgot to place a bet before the start of a game, you wouldn’t get another chance. Now, however, you’re free to place bets throughout the entire game, which is a temptation that might be too strong for some bettors.
“If you’re a bettor following in-play events like shots, tackles and passes, it’s like you’re watching an entirely new game. Goals are still the most important thing of course, but shots happen ten times as frequently as goals, and from a wider spread of players, so the new Opta feed has given a way for operators to create compelling new player-focused experiences that occur throughout the 90 minutes. It’s a new level of entertainment for their customers, even throughout a 0-0 draw.”
New Customer Offer Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. 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 cash-out, restrictions & T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
The Best Live Stream Betting Sites
Watch the Action Live From the Betting Site
The best sports betting sites allow you to livestream sporting events to go along with the option of in-play markets. Most sportsbooks will require your account to be funded and for you to have placed a bet within the last 24 hours to access these streams, but it means that you can watch some of the biggest sporting events in the world without a TV subscription. Livestreaming can really enhance your betting experience – watching the action unfold live means you can make informed decisions when it comes to in-play betting or cashing out. It’s definitely something worth bearing in mind when you make your choice of sportsbook.
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
Cash Out Football Bookmakers
What is Cashing Out?
This is one of the best features of online sports betting. If you’ve placed a few bets before you may already be familiar with how cashing out works. It basically allows you to take out any potential winnings you may have from a bet while the game is still going on. So say you’ve backed Arsenal to win but, while they’re 1-0 up, you can sense the momentum beginning to change. A cash out option puts you in control of your bet and allows you to collect a portion of your potential winnings. Similarly, if things aren’t going well, you may want to cut your losses and cash out any sum that you can, rather than losing all of your stake.
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
Football Accumulator Explained
Boost Your Potential Winnings with an Accumulator
One of the most popular forms of football betting is the accumulator, or acca. These allow you to place a single football bet on two or more different selections and, in order for you to win, each of your selections must win. The real beauty of accumulators, however, is that the potential winnings can be enormous. The odds of your various selections are all multiplied together, increasing the reward for winning. From an initially small outlay, you could be in for a huge profit should you win.
But as you are likely to have worked out, with a greater potential reward there comes a great risk – losing just one leg of your accumulator will lose you the whole bet. That’s why the top betting sites feature acca insurance, which will refund you your stake as a free bet. These aren’t available on all football betting markets and only work on five-fold selections and above, but they’re a great safety net should just one selection fall through.
Football Promotions
Specials and Promotions and Bet Builders
The top bookmakers provide fairly similar offerings when it comes to odds, betting markets and features such as cash out. So the very best betting sites use a range of specials and promotions to stand out from the rest.
If none of the existing football betting markets give you what you’re looking for, at some betting sites you can request a bet via Twitter using the following hashtags:
Coral – #YourCall
Ladbrokes – #GetAPrice
Betfred – #PickYourPunt
Paddy Power – #WhatOddsPaddy
William Hill – #YourOdds
Betfair – #OddsOnThat
Betway – #BetYourWay
BetVictor –#PriceItUp
Some bookies even offer early payouts and money back specials. PaddyPower’s ‘2 Up You Win’ promotion pays out if your chosen team is winning by two goals at any point during the game, regardless of the final score. You could very well receive winnings for a losing bet.
888 Sport
£5 Free Bet If You Win at 4/1 Or Bigger
Available once a day, every day on all sports. Minimum £10 bet required.
Claiming a Football Promotion
Types of Football Bonuses
Bonuses are an important factor for most punters looking for new football betting sites. Bonus funds can help boost your bankroll at the most and, at the very least, get you familiar with a new betting site. Every top football betting site wants to attract new customers, so there are a bunch of welcome bonus offers out there, but there are also a few betting offers, including football betting offers, for regular bettors too. Let’s have a look at a few of the most common welcome offers.
Matched Deposit
The matched deposit bonus is pretty straightforward; make your first deposit and your bookie will match it up to a certain amount. You might find a football betting site that welcomes you with an offer of 100% matched first deposit up to £300, for example. In this instance, you’ll be able to bag as much as £300 in bonus funds. There are usually stipulations that come with such large welcome bonuses, such as an expiry date and minimum odds requirements, so be sure to read the terms and conditions before claiming your football betting bonus.
New Customer Offer Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount 40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
Free Bet
Free bets are the most commonly found bonus at football betting sites. They’re offered as both welcome bonuses and existing player promotions, and you’re likely to find one at just about every good bookmaker. A common free bet offer is ‘bet £10, get £10’. Here, all you need to do is make a qualifying bet and bet £10 to receive your free bet. Terms and conditions apply, however, which will limit your use of the free bet, so be sure to keep an eye out for those.
New Customer Offer Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. 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 cash-out, restrictions & T&Cs apply. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
Money Back Offer
More of a consolation prize than a reward, the money back offer gets your stake back if you don’t land a winner. You’ll usually have your stake returned as a free bet coupon, plus there’s almost always a cap on the maximum amount refunded. Despite this, it’s a decent offer, especially if you’re looking to back the underdog.
Enhanced Odds
In order to stay ahead of the competition, bookies can offer enhanced odds or price boosts on certain markets. These will usually apply to specific games that are likely to have big audiences. So if you’re looking for the best odds on a game that’s covered by pretty much every sports betting site, this is a great way for a sportsbook to stand out.
New Customer Offer Double the odds. Bet must be placed using real money in combination with the Odds Boost Token. Offer applies to Sport bets only. £10 Max stake. Each way bets are a maximum of £5 each way (£10 total stake). Extra winnings are paid in cash. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. begambleaware.org
Mobile Football Betting
Betting on the Go
Pretty much every good football bookie offers a mobile app these days, with no additional registration required. Some betting sites in the UK also offer free native mobile apps, most commonly to Android and iPhone users. You’ll be able to get to your favourite betting markets lightning-quick – perfect for in-play betting, where every second counts.
An added benefit to betting from a mobile app is that push notifications allow you to keep up to date with new promotions and the ever-changing football odds. So with no need to be tied to your desktop, check out the best mobile betting apps today.
Pros and Cons of Football Betting Apps
Pros
Convenience – Mobile apps allow you to bet on the go, which is especially useful for in-play betting. So if you’re watching the game at the pub, betting apps make it easy to wager throughout the game.
Superior navigation – Both desktop and mobile-optimised betting sites can be quite complicated and difficult to navigate, but mobile apps generally make it easy to find and place your bets.
Push notifications – Football betting apps will send you notifications on the latest deals and promotions, which means you’ll never miss out on a bonus.
Faster logins – In football betting, you will often find yourself in a rush to make a bet at the right time, and being able to instantly login using Touch ID or Face ID on a mobile app makes betting a much faster process.
Quick payments – Depositing at football betting apps is convenient and quick, thanks to instant deposit mobile payment methods like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and e-wallet apps.
Exclusive bonuses – Some football betting apps might offer exclusive bonuses to those who download their mobile app.
Cons
Problem gambling – The ability to bet whenever and wherever you want can encourage irresponsible gambling and addiction.
Storage – Football betting apps can take up a fair bit of storage, so you might have to delete some videos or other apps in order to make space for them.
Operating system demands – Some betting apps may require you to update your mobile device’s operating system, or might be available on Android but not iOS, or vice versa.
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
Which Team to Bet On
The first thing to say here is that just as there are no guarantees in gambling, so too are there no guarantees in sport. Nevertheless, punters can put themselves in a position of relative confidence before they bet on the football by conducting research into the fixtures and events they intend to wager on. Take a look at the teams and players involved, consult recent stats and league history, and cast your own personal biases aside!
Here in the UK, the Premier League has been dominated by Manchester City and Liverpool in recent seasons; these two teams have won the last five titles, with City winning four of these. Players such as Kevin de Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk are just some of the high-profile stars at these two clubs.
Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham are the biggest threat to the current supremacy of City and Liverpool. You’ll find Raheem Sterling, Bukayo Saka, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and other big-name players at these clubs.
Although the Premier League is regarded by many as the best league in the world, Spain’s La Liga, Germany’s Bundesliga, Italy’s Serie A, and France’s Ligue 1 are all home to some of the biggest teams and players around.
At Champions League holders Real Madrid, for example, you’ll find Ballon d’Or winners Luka Modric and Karim Benzema. And at Paris Saint-Germain, superstars Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi lead the attack. Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan and AC Milan are some of the other major clubs from these leagues, all with world-class players in their ranks.
How you select which team to bet on — particularly when the biggest sides are lining up against each other — will come down to personal hunches and footballing intuition, all informed and supported by research. There are countless sites that offer up their own football betting tips, including ourselves, which you can read about in the following section.
Football Betting Tips
Make the Most of Our Football Betting Tips
With so many options at your disposal, filling your betslip can often be a daunting task. You might be lucky enough to win off a hunch, but many turn to tips when betting on football. There are plenty of football betting tips sites and social media pages out there, but they should always be approached with caution.
With that in mind, here’s some of our own advice:
Do your own research – First and foremost, doing your own research is the best way to make informed betting decisions. Even if you’re following a tip, check out the stats for yourself and make sure it’s a bet you’re comfortable making.
Consider the odds – The bookies will have their own idea on who’s going to win a given match, so you might consider betting on the favourite. Conversely, you could opt for the underdog if you’re looking for a little more risk vs reward.
Keep track of stats – A quick look through the league table, head to head stats, and recent form is a great way to remain in the know. Depending on your bet, it’s also important to keep up to date on corners, bookings, possession stats, and injury lists.
Don’t bet when inebriated – Lots of us like to have a pint in front of the football, but it’s unwise to bet when under the influence. You could be more likely to take bigger risks or gamble irresponsibly.
If you’re looking for an introduction to betting on English football, our top tips for betting on the Premier League and Championship are sure to give you a nudge in the right direction.
The best online bookmakers will take bets through a variety of payment methods these days. Let’s have a look at what you can expect to find.
Debit Cards
Almost all online betting sites will take debit card transactions from a range of providers, including Mastercard, Visa and Maestro. Debit transactions are one of the most popular payment methods with online football betting and probably the most familiar to punters with your winnings are available to withdraw as cash within a maximum of 5 workdays. As a result of the Government’s Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures, in 2020 however, the UK Gambling Commission banned the use of credit cards from online gambling.
Visa debit card holders may be able to speed up withdrawal times through Visa Fast Funds, a new service that aims to return withdrawal requests within 30 minutes.
E-Wallets
Most casinos will have e-wallet options available like PayPal, Neteller and Skrill. These e-wallet options are totally free to sign up to, are totally secure and are often your best bet to make quick withdrawals. A slight issue, however, may be that certain offers and promotions won’t take e-wallet payments so it is advisable to check the terms and conditions of a bonus or casino to understand the site's position on e-wallet options.
Trustly
You might like the idea of making fast transactions at UK football betting sites, but you’re less keen on having to sign up to an e-wallet in order to do so. If that’s the case, Trustly might be a good option — a bank transfer service that uses open banking technology to automatically connect merchants to payees. You’ll find the Trustly icon appearing at more and more bookmakers these days, but you’ll only be able to use it if your bank subscribes to the service.
Paysafecard
With Paysafecard, users are required to first purchase vouchers. This can be done either at a designated retail outlet — such as supermarkets, petrol stations, and off licences — or online through the My Paysafecard portal. Whichever you choose, you’ll only be able to buy vouchers in denominations of £10 to a maximum of £40 per transaction and £250 per month. For these reasons, Paysafecard is known as the option to go for if you’re conscious of keeping a tight purse. The downside is that almost no UK bookmakers support withdrawals, so you’ll need to use this prepaid card alongside another payment provider.
AstroPay
Football fans might have noticed AstroPay on the shirts of Wolves players over the last couple of seasons. It’s a payment method growing in popularity at UK betting sites, combining the frugality of prepaid cards with the functionality of e-wallets. Like Paysafecard, users must first convert funds into an electronic format, granting this payment method similarly restrictive qualities; but unlike Paysafecard, it’s possible to make withdrawals to your AstroPay account from football betting sites, making the whole process more flexible.
Pay by Phone Bill
With matchdays often bringing action from hundreds of football competitions all at the same time, mobile gambling goes hand in hand with football betting. If that’s something that interests you, you might want to pick a payment method explicitly built on that kind of dynamism.
Pay by phone bill providers like Boku require only an active mobile number for users to make deposits at their betting site. Your mobile network provider must enrol in the service in order to take part — virtually all the major UK providers do — and will initially pay for your deposit. The amount will then be taken from your credit balance if you’re a PAYG customer, or added to your monthly bill. Great for quick and convenient deposits, but limits are restricted to £30 per day and withdrawals aren’t catered for.
Cryptocurrencies
You’ve probably heard cryptocurrencies making a big splash over the last decade, and this has now extended to the world of online gambling. Bitcoin is the most likely cryptocurrency to appear at a UK football betting site, but availability is still limited compared to the other options we’ve detailed here.
Nevertheless, cryptocurrency users will have access to some of the fastest and most secure transactions, alongside some of the highest limits on deposits and withdrawals. But before you go straight ahead and set up your digital wallet, bear in mind that cryptocurrency values are notoriously unstable, so purchasing them is seen as a form of gambling in itself. Make sure you do plenty of research first.
Gambling Safely
Gambling Safely at the Best UK Football Betting Sites
When you’re gambling safely and responsibly, football betting has the potential to increase your enjoyment of the experience. To ensure you’re keeping on top of your gambling habits, and keeping things light and fun, here are some of our top responsible gambling tips.
Set budget limits – You can do this personally by keeping track of your spend, but we recommend using on-site limiters at your chosen sportsbook. Be honest with yourself about how much you can afford to spend or are comfortable losing, as there are no guaranteed wins in gambling.
Set time limits – Setting time limits is equally important. How much is too much is personal to some extent, but you should never let gambling take priority over other hobbies or responsibilities.
Never bet more than you’re willing to lose – This isn’t specific to football, but is important to bear in mind when making bets on any sport or betting site.
Remember to watch football for fun – Take regular breaks from betting on the match, and allow yourself to enjoy football without worrying about your wagers.
Never borrow money – If you can’t afford to make a bet, you shouldn’t make it, and you shouldn’t borrow money in order to support your gambling habits.
Safer Gambling Organisations
If you think either you or someone close to you is displaying signs of problem gambling, or even if you simply want to learn more about the problems associated with gambling and addiction, below is a list of organisations that can provide help and information.
BeGambleAware.org features lots of vital information and avenues of support for problem gambling.
GamCare is an independent UK charity established dedicated to providing help, support and advice to anyone who’s been affected by problem gambling and addiction.
Gamblers Anonymouswas founded in 1957 and has been organising support groups and networks ever since. They meet regularly online and across the UK, so visit their website to see how you can get involved.
Compare & Bet
Are You Ready to Bet on the Football?
Now you know exactly what to expect from the best football betting sites in the UK, it’s time to pick out your favourite. All you need to do is compare the featured bookies on our list and follow our quick links to register, claim your bonus and start betting on football!
Pete O’Rourke sits down with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink to discuss Chelsea’s trouble in front of goal and what he feels his old club’s next moves should be in the transfer market.
There’s an incredible range of options for betting, from Europe’s biggest league and cup competitions to more obscure competitions around the world. Some of the most popular competitions include the Premier League, Championship, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, MLS and the World Cup.
Accumulators are all the rage these days – and with promotions like Acca Insurance, they’ve become even more appealing. Many online betting sites offer accumulators, but not all. Refer to our top bookmakers table above and expand to read more – this will tell you whether they could be your new weekly acca destination.
There’s no site that we can definitively state as the best odds when it comes to football. Bookmakers offer competitive odds, so you’ll usually find that the prices on offer are pretty similar, especially for the bookies’ favourite. Plus, with matches taking place across the globe pretty much every day, new prices are set just as often. So your best bet for finding the best odds is by comparing the prices offered on the markets you’d like to bet on. While small margins won’t make a huge difference in your returns for an individual bet, these do add up over time and when you place accumulators, so it’s well worth shopping around.
You’ll find plenty of sites and social media pages featuring tips from ‘expert tipsters’ across a number of leagues, including the Premier League and Championship. While there’s nothing wrong with following these tips, it’s important to remember that there’s no guarantee that your bet will win. Even the most successful tipster’s track record has no bearing on their future performance. We’d recommend doing your own research to avoid blindly following tips.
This varies depending on which football betting site you choose to sign up with. Many have requirements that must be met to gain access to live streams. Fortunately, this is usually pretty straightforward; you’ll need to have a funded account or place a minimum stake on the event you’d like to watch.
All licensed gambling sites, including football betting sites, are required to provide industry standard encryption technology to ensure that all transactions are safe and secure. So if you use a payment method that requires sharing sensitive information such as your debit card details, encryption makes this data unreadable in the unlikely event it gets into the wrong hands.
Not always. Some football betting sites require customers to trigger bonuses through a promo code, but this often isn’t the case. In other circumstances, you’ll be able to claim a bonus just by signing up to the site, by making a deposit into your account, or by meeting certain betting criteria.
Many of the sites we recommend offer a native app — including 888sport, 32Red, 10Bet, and Unibet — but which is best will depend on your needs and preferences. Check out our in-depth reviews to help you decide which of these sites is best for you.
Yes. Every single UK betting site we recommend features a range of different bonuses and promotions for both new and existing players. Our comparison list at the top of the page makes it easy to browse offers and find your perfect match — just click on ‘Claim Bonus’ if one catches your eye.
References
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Daniel is Head of Operations at Compare.bet. He has half a decade of experience writing on topics including sports betting, online casino and the NBA. Daniel also covers Premier League football for Compare.bet news and has interviewed Louis Saha, Richard Dunne and Gary Pallister. In his spare time, Daniel enjoys film photography and making Spotify playlists.
Gavin is a writer for Compare.bet, contributing to our expert online reviews. Gavin has over two years of experience writing about topics including online casino and sports betting.
Ben is former editor at Compare.bet, specialising in all things gambling and football. He has an MA in American History and extensive writing experience with bylines in a range of different publications, from Breaking the Lines to CLASH. As well as covering Premier League for Compare.bet news, he also wrote about the Championship and a range of European football topics. In his spare time, Ben enjoys music production and playing football.
Robbie joined us in 2022 as a staff writer. He's involved in all content across the site, from detailed guides and reviews to responsible gambling advice, and puts his detailed sports knowledge to good use across our betting pages. Outside work Robbie plays football most weekends, tempers his resilience as a West Ham fan, and keeps up to date with the latest cinema releases.
The following external expert(s) contributed to ensure this page provides maximum value, accuracy and insight:
Adam Dickinson
Adam has almost a decade of experience working in the gambling industry, including various content and marketing roles at the likes of PlayOJO, Betway and Entain He is currently the Head of Marketing at Arena Entertainment. Adam puts his vast experience to use as a fact checker for Compare.bet.
Guy is a writer, editor, and news contributor at Compare.bet. Along with producing expert commentary on the betting industry, Guy presents our weekly Premier League predictions and betting tips on Compare.bet News. Outside work Guy is a Spurs fan, football player, cricketer, and chess obsessive.
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