Football Betting Sites

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 is the best football betting site? 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.

How We Review the Best Football Betting Sites

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.

Mobile Compatibility

With around 50% of online gambling taking place via a handheld device, mobile compatibility is a must at the best football betting sites. We’ll always test out a bookmaker on a range of Android and iOS phones and tablets to be sure it’s up to standard. We want to see mobile functionality on par with the desktop version of the site. 

But the very best bookies for football provide a mobile app which can be downloaded, giving you blazing-fast access to the betting markets. These apps also come with handy features like push notifications for offers and updates, plus strong security thanks to touch or face recognition. 

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 Premier League 2023/24

The 2023/24 Premier League season is now underway, and with lots of new signings and some unfortunate injuries to key players, it’s all to play for. Though one could argue that teams like Liverpool, Manchester United and even the burgeoning Newcastle are in a position to challenge for the league this season, it’s generally understood that this year’s title is a two-horse race. 

Manchester City won the elusive treble in the 2022/23 campaign, and unsurprisingly are firm odds-on favourites to take home the Premier League title again this year. 

However, Arsenal — who sat at the top of the table for 248 days last season before running out of steam and losing out to the Cityzens — have made a number of key signings this offseason. The additions of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz from London rivals West Ham and Chelsea has significantly improved the quality of Arsenal’s midfield, whilst the arrival of Jurrien Timber from Ajax has given them more depth at the back, a lack of which was probably their undoing last season. 

However, it looks as if Timber may be out for most of the season, and Manchester City have made improvements of their own. Despite already having one of the best defences in world football last season, City have improved their backline by adding Josko Gvardiol, whose international manager has described as ‘the world’s best centre-back’. 

That said, City also aren’t without some injury woes. They still have their Norwegian goal machine, Erling Haaland — who shattered the Premier League record for goals in a single season last year — but for the time being are without Kevin de Bruyne, who makes Haaland’s job significantly easier and is probably City’s most important player.  

With all that in mind, it should be a very interesting campaign!

20/11/23 Update

The Premier League has paused for the latest round of international fixtures with Man City unsurprisingly top of the tree. The title race has, however, been closer than people anticipated at the beginning of the season. 

After 12 games Liverpool and Arsenal are both just a point behind the champions, with Tottenham a point and a place back in fourth having gone unbeaten in their first ten league games. Aston Villa are also early challengers for one of the four Champions League places — they currently occupy fifth, a point and a place behind Spurs, having scored the second highest number of goals behind City.

Newcastle’s season has been blighted by injuries and started slowly, before an 8-0 demolition of Sheffield United sparked some form. Having won five of their first seven games, Brighton are now winless in five and have mounting injury concerns of their own. 

Man United and Chelsea both had disastrous starts typical of the two clubs in recent seasons, but have rallied in recent games to collect points and climb the table. 

All three of the promoted sides from last season’s Championship are firmly in the relegation battle. Burnley have just four points from their first 12 games and sit bottom of the league; Sheffield United are one point and two places above them; and Luton Town are a place and a point ahead of the Blades in 17th. 

The major piece of Premier League news came earlier this week, with the announcement that Everton have been hit with an immediate 10-point deduction for breaching financial rules. It’s the largest points sanction in Premier League history and sees the Toffees drop from 14th to 19th, now with four points from their opening 12.  

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:

• UEFA Champions League – A cross-league competition with 32 teams in the group stage, the UEFA Champions League pits Europe’s top clubs against each other. Real Madrid have seen the most success, lifting the trophy 13 times.
• UEFA Europa League – The larger Europa League is another annual contest involving 48 European teams, but it’s considered second to the Champions League. Sevilla is the most successful team, having won 6 times.
• Premier League – England’s most prestigious football league, the EPL features 20 teams. Manchester United hold the top spot for most wins at 20 in total.
• Championship – The second tier of football in England, the Championship features 24 teams. The top two finishers are promoted to the Premier League, along with the winner of the Championship play-offs. 
• FA Cup – First run in 1871, the FA Cup is the oldest football tournament in the world. It’s a knock-out competition open to all clubs down to Level 9 of the English football pyramid. Arsenal are the most successful with 14 FA Cup titles. 
• EFL Cup – Played over seven rounds, the EFL Cup features 92 teams from the top four tiers of English football. 
• League 1 – The third tier of professional football in England, 24 teams compete in League 1. The top two are promoted to the Championship, with the next four competing for the final spot.
• League 2 – Another league consisting of 24 teams, League 2 sees the top three teams automatically promoted to League 1 with the next four taking part in a play-off.
• La Liga – Spain’s premier football league, La Liga, features 20 top teams. Real Madrid has won the most titles at 34, with Barcelona close behind at 26. 
• Serie A – The top professional football league in Italy, Juventus holds the most Serie A wins with a whopping 36 titles. 20 teams compete in total. 
• Ligue 1 – Saint-Étienne is the most successful of the 20 teams that compete in Ligue 1, the pinnacle of French football. They’ve won the cup 10 times in total. 
• Bundesliga – Germany’s top football league consists of 18 teams, of which Bayern Munich has found the most success with 31 wins. 
• Eredivisie – The 18 top football teams from the Netherlands do battle in the Eredivisie, the country’s top league. Ajax hold the most titles at 35.

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.

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 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. If there’s no clear favourite, 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 can offer some great value. Of course, it’s much harder to land a winner when wagering on two outcomes!
• Over/Under Goals – This bet is simply the total amount of goals that will be scored during the match. The best bookies for football allow punters to bet over or under 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 goals.
• Double Chance – With this market, punters can cover two of three possible outcomes, such as ‘win or draw’ or ‘home team win or away team win’.
• Outright Betting – Outright bets are wagers on the outcome of a league or competition. They’re usually placed before the season kicks off, but are often available throughout the season too. Potential markets include competition winner, top goalscorer, or promotion and relegation.
• Correct Score – Another simple bet, this one wins if you correctly predict the final score. 
• First Goalscorer – Reckon you know which player will be first to hit the back of the net? That’s what you’re betting on with this wager. 
• Handicap – The handicap market is a good place to find value when there’s a huge gap in quality between two teams, where a bet on the underdog is unlikely to win and a bet on the favourite will provide minimal returns. To balance things out a bit, a handicap is applied to the scoreline, so if you were to bet on ‘Team A: -2’, they would simply have to win by more than two goals.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Specials, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Which Team to Bet On

There is an overwhelming number of teams to bet on across the major football leagues, so the best advice we could give you in this regard is to bet on the teams that you are most familiar with. It’s no use betting on a side that you have no real knowledge of, so take a look at the teams and players involved, consult recent stats and league history and cast your own personal biases aside! 

We’ve already discussed Manchester City and Arsenal’s relative qualities, and though they are the two most likely to win the Premier League, there are a number of other top clubs that should be on your radar as a punter. 

Liverpool, for example, after winning the Premier League in 2020 — and the Champions League the year before — have fallen off somewhat in the last couple seasons, but are due a comeback. They finished 5th last season, but still have the likes of Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk in their squad, along with new boys Dominik Szoboszlai and World Cup-winner, Alexis Mac Allister. 

Manchester United have also been gradually improving under Eric ten Hag, and their main man Marcus Rashford seems to be in the form of his life, which is great news for both United and England fans. 

You can’t ignore Newcastle, either, who have gone from strength to strength since their big takeover in 2021. Big signings like Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimarães and, more recently, Sandro Tonali have made them a serious force in the Premier League. 

The Premier League — closely followed these days by Serie A in Italy — remains the most competitive of all of Europe’s top leagues, with other divisions often being dominated by familiar names. 

La Liga in Spain is almost always won by either Barcelona or Real Madrid — the latter of whom recently completed the blockbuster signing of Jude Bellingham, widely touted as the future of English football. Similarly, the German Bundesliga tends to belong to Bayern Munich, who have also managed to snag one of England’s superstars this summer — our captain and all-time top goalscorer, Harry Kane. In France, Kylian Mbappé’s PSG generally reign supreme, but after losing Lionel Messi to Inter Miami and Neymar to the Saudi Pro League, the Ligue 1 title could be up for grabs. 

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.

How to Pay for Your Football Bets

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.

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, take a look at our responsible gambling page that’s filled with top tips and links to leading safer gambling organisations.  

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!

See our references & visit related external links

Please note that Compare.bet is not responsible for the content of third-party websites.

1. statsperform.com – SkyBet and bet365 Revealed as Launch Partners of Opta’s New Fast Player Statistics Feed
2. gamblingcommission.gov.uk – ‘New age and identity verification rules – changes to the LCCP from Tuesday 7 May’