The Best Online Sports Betting Sites in the UK Reviewed

We had our fair share of ups and downs in our sports betting career, and now we’re here to share the knowledge we’ve gathered for more than twenty years of combined experience. Our stomping grounds are the best betting sites – the hunting grounds of all high-profile punters. To this day, we test UK bookies on a day-to-day basis, list, and then rank them. To place high on our chart, a sportsbook has to work with customer-friendly profit margins, to have the latest features such as Cashout, and to boast impeccable live betting platform. If you want to be a part of the unforgettable experience, keep reading.

By the standard of our high demands, we endeavour to feature only licenced bookies and to update the ranking every month. Do you enjoy a flutter on football or maybe another sport? The extent of our detailed analysis covers everything you should know before placing your wager. You can trust us to provide your daily portion of trusted, unbiased reviews of the top bookies in the United Kingdom. Our simple goal is to become the best comparison site out there – with plentiful statistics and helpful insight.

How to Create an Account at a Sports Betting Site?

Creating an account at a site of this type is fairly simple, given that it won’t take much of your personal time. A few details you can fill in off the top of your head will probably be enough you might think? That’s only one part of it though. When it comes to British betting websites, the UK Gambling Commission is the institution that sets the golden standards for compliance with the law.

This might be a double-edged sword, however, because on the one hand your safety is guaranteed but on the other hand you’ll have to wait for some time before your identity is confirmed and account – approved. That also means that you’ll be asked to disclose personal information, usually by providing a scanned copy of a photo ID card or a similar document.

Guide to the Best Online Bookies in the UK – How We Rank Them

Given the stiff competition in the industry, it’s not much of a surprise there are only several bookmakers in the UK that satisfy our quality of service criteria. To get a better understanding of what that means, it’s necessary to study how we assess a sports betting platform.

There are a number of components that need to be working properly in a sportsbook for it be worth our consideration. Starting with security, everything from markets to payment methods has to be impeccable. If there’s still room for improvement somewhere, that will affect the overall score we give to the operator. Let’s now see what each of the individual component is about.

Why Security Takes Centre Stage at the Best Online Betting Sites?

Whatever the endeavour, the UK’s best gambling sites are designed in keeping with the latest online security standards. That’s to say they use onsite encryption and all payments and data inputs are processed over secure channels. Two-factor verification is oftentimes used as part of the double-folded security measures. The more technologically advanced betting apps incorporate the hallmark feature Touch ID and Face ID much to the delight of Apple users.

The heavy emphasis on customers’ safety isn’t by happenstance. In fact, that’s one of the steps of the multi-step process of acquiring an operating licence. It’s the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) that dully oversees the execution of all steps needed for a licence to be issued. The Commission is, by all accounts, one of the most authoritative regulators in the industry, but there are other government-funded agencies, devoted to helping fight compulsive gambling. Shining examples are GamCare and the National Problem Gambling Clinic.

UK Gambling Commission Licence

There isn’t a shadow of a doubt that the UK Gambling Commission is a crucially important structure for us as consumers. It bridges the gap between consumers and providers by keeping the latter in check. It’s important to note what the Commission can’t do, namely settle a dispute between operators and punters, nor can it refund bets. Instead, it sees to it that all licensees cooperate with reputable adjudicators that can handle requests of this type. The Gambling Commission is authorized by the law to fine those of the online bookmakers in the UK that have already acquired a licence. What’s more, a record of all violations of the rules is created for each licensee, which can then be seen in a glance by the customers willing to do a due diligence check.

If you think that the duties of licensees can be summarised with the payment of an annual fee representing a percentage of the annual gross yield from betting, then you are far off the mark. If we take it that security is the topmost priority, the very next thing on the scale of importance the Commission wants to see is customer support. If not all customer support channels are firing on all cylinders, then the chances are this bookie will receive a licence warning or not be issued a licence in the first place.

Betting Sites Testing Agencies

The work of the UKGC is undergirded by several approved testing agencies such as the sports betting integrity regulator ESSA. This specific organisation analyses reports fed to its database by users and focuses on the early identification and prevention of unfair betting activity and authority misuse on behalf of the sports betting operators. eCOGRA is another regulatory body performing tests regarding the integrity of the gaming software and systems utilised by a sportsbook. Tests, whereby it aims to identify whether the software is working properly. The stamps of approval of those and other organisations can usually be found in the footer section of the online bookies in the UK.

Sports Betting Sites Awards – Companies that Have Earned Recognition

The EGR B2B and the SBC Awards are the two biggest forums where the top sports betting sites are granted awards for distinction. As a rule, the voting process is officiated and adjudicated by an independent third-party so that judging can be deemed fair and. The bookie deserving of international recognition are the ones that have excelled their betting service to a degree of comparison that exceeds the level of what the rest of the best betting sites currently have to offer. Nominees could receive a nominee award depending on the category they were nominated for. There are cases when a top-notch gambling site can win multiple awards.

Winning awards is not a guarantee for the present level of QoS of a bookmaker. Awards won 2-3 years ago obviously reflect what used to be in the past but could very well be deemed irrelevant to the present. To sum up, accolades are always a good touch, but we have to be careful as to when they were won and under what circumstances.

Responsibility in Gambling

Not only are the gambling venues obliged to be socially responsible, but we as bettors also ought to keep ourselves in check as well. We all know, however, that that’s easier said than done. GambleAware, Responsible Gambling Council, whenthefunstops.co.uk are all organisations whose goal is to help problem gamblers fight their addiction.

One of the main reasons why you’d want to join one of the aforementioned operators is that they use strong onsite encryption, similar to the one implemented in the online banking platforms. That makes your sensible information virtually untraceable. Furthermore, all payment methods accepted by those five operators, are widely recognised as the golden standard for secure online transactions. Last but not least, users can set a limit on their spendings over a desired period of time or self-exclude from gambling altogether via convenient quick links.

List of Most Popular Sports That You Can Bet On Online

In the high-paced environment of gambling, switching gears can sometimes make the difference between winning and losing. Doing so oftentimes means to try placing wagers on a different sport for some time, especially if a major event is taking place currently. The top sports betting sites rated here cover not only what are considered to be European games, but also those popular in the US and Asia. It’s easy not to skip a beat whit an inclusive selection of markets like this. Here you can find a list of sports you can bet on online.

• Football
• Horse Racing
• Greyhounds
• Tennis
• Cricket
• Basketball

There’s only so many sports we can include for the list to look somewhat reasonable. In any case, those are the six most popular with the vastest markets. You are sure to see them uppermost in the sports selection of the majority of online bookmakers. For all that, there are many more competitions and obscure sporting endeavours that also get priced up and can be wagered on. Do bear in mind that list will be subject to change in the future, as we are going to update it regularly with even more markets.

Inarguably the most gratifying football betting bonus is the free bet. However, by no means is it the only one you can avail of. There’s also the risk-free bet, deposit match bonuses, accumulator boosts and the insurance offers. Each and every one of those perks is designed to help you in some way, be it by directly adding funds to your bankroll or by ensuring you against losing. Good as this may sound, there’s one thing you should definitely watch out for – the wagering requirements. That’s the fine print at the bottom of every offer. It’s worth familiarizing with the conditions detailed therein if you want to benefit in full from the bonuses of the best gambling sites.

The welcome bonuses for horse racing don’t differ much from those for, let’s say, football. There’s the deposit match bonus, the refund on your first losing bet and more. Then you’ll be able to benefit from various promotions that cover the unfortunate events of a horse unseating or your chosen horse finishing second. What the promotions usually do to compensate the bettor is refunding their wager as in the form of a free bet of equal value. The cherry on top is that actively placing bets on horse racing will grant you access to the live streams where you can follow the action live in high definition.

What to Be on the Lookout For with a Greyhounds Betting Site

There are two ways you’re going to walk out a winner when placing wagers on greyhounds. If you’re not an expert, you might want to consider joining a site with a well-thought remuneration scheme. The same could include a starter pack boosting your first few deposits, free-bet clubs, guaranteed the best price, a second place compensations, second chance for a failed outright bet, and much more. The best sports betting sites have it all. All that’s asked of you is to check the promotions section regularly.

To the point made in the previous paragraph – any feature that lets you compose your own prop bets is considered a big advantage in the industry. That’s partly why some operators are still reluctant to add it to their platforms. It’s a definite plus if you could sign with a bookie that has it, but don’t think that sums up all about tennis betting bonuses. If we’re talking welcome offers, free bets and risk-free-bets stick out as the most popular perks that apply to the tennis markets. In terms of regular promotions, you’ll get your fair share of money-back, and enhanced odds offers should you stay on the lookout.

The thing with cricket betting bonuses is that availability depends strongly on what stage the season is at. That won’t, in any way, take the wind out of your sails. You can still find, free bets, refunds, and boosted odds on occasions. We don’t mean to put a limit on the creativity of the betting websites in the UK – those are merely the most common types of remuneration one can get for placing wagers on cricket. We don’t exclude the possibility of a tailored welcome bonus for cricket bettors either. The renowned operators of Betiton’s and Coral’s calibre show a clear affinity towards the sport and are likely to push out fancies of the sort from time to time.

There are many things about basketball wagering that makes it an enjoyable and potentially profitable experience. One thing worth mentioning is the bonuses, which on close inspection seem like a good opportunity to gain an edge. The truth of the matter is that most new-player betting bonuses are applicable to the basketball markets. What’s more, remember the odds for winning are naturally higher because of the possibility for a draw being so small. When you put that into perspective, you’ll see that makes it much easier to satisfy the wagering requirements of the sports betting sites UK with offers for basketball.

The Betting Sites with the Top Payouts in the UK

The first thing you want to know when calculating the payout percentage of a given sporting event is the number of possible outcomes. Unlike tennis, in football a match can end in a draw, which makes for a total of three possible outcomes also known as 1, X, and 2. We calculate the payout level using a simple formula that you can easily substitute with any margin calculator you can find online. To find out what the actual payout is, subtract the profit margin from 100. This is the formula itself.

Sure enough, you shouldn’t bet your bottom pound that those numbers will be 100% accurate. The best gambling sites often change tac and modify their odds scraping algorithms. We’ve seen the profit margins vary in between markets, sports, and even from match to match. Although we’ll try to keep the data up to date, don’t stake your wholes strategy on that but merely use the insight to identify a tendency and possibly spot the best moment to place a wager. The best betting sites UK always offer top odds, and are very similar in what you can find.

We know sugaring the pill will only do you a disservice, that’s why we are going to familiarise you with the conditions that most often come into play for the sports betting bonuses for new players. Those conditions are minimum deposit, odds, and turnover (rollover). While the first two are self-explanatory, it’s not always clear right away whether you can clear your bonus wagering on any markets or some are ineligible for that purpose. Occasionally, only a pre-determined range of markets would be eligible for certain offers but by and large all sports bets would count towards the turnover number. The latter can usually be cleared with one solid bet at odds of evens or better. When utilising a strategy such as matched betting, understanding this requirements is essential to being successful.

Some of the in-play markets were tailor-made for this specific type of betting, essentially giving you an opportunity to explore avenues that are unavailable in any other form of remote betting. As far as odds are concerned – they are changing dynamically as the action unfold before you, which is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat! Just be sure to make an informed decision that reflects what you see and try to anticipate the twists and turns – all of which in-play helps with immensely.

The Live Streaming Feature on the Top Live Sportsbooks

The top online bookmakers are very much aware that a sharp live streaming service adds infinite value to their betting platforms and are clearly up for the challenge. With the click of a button, you can start streaming a major event, live on your phone, tablet, or computer. Even with the best live betting sites you’ll need an unsettled bet on a given race in order to gain access to the respective live stream and be able to watch it. Even though being a paid service, it’s worth giving it a try however you look at it.

This service is prone to being geo-restricted for the following reason. Licenced sports betting operators are always very careful not to infringe on the broadcasting rights of someone else or to act against the laws of any country.

Cash Out Betting Sites – Get Paid Early

It goes against the grain these days for the best online bookies to not cater for those punters who want the ability to cash out a wager. Cash out has become the standard for fairness and ultimate flexibility in sports betting. That’s not far off the mark when you think about it. The feature allows users to settle bets at a convenient for them moment, usually with a view of securing profit in advance. Doing this partially means that you let a part of your wager ride while getting paid instantly for the part you chose to cash out. Inarguably, the biggest advantage comes into play when you cash out a wager with multiple selections in it.

The well-oiled software platform of this operator leaves hardly anything to be desired in respect of cash out capabilities. Partial and full cash out are available on a range of sporting events. Which ones exactly, is indicated with a recognisable icon. Technologically-minded punters will sure find it practical that the feature is also compatible with the mobile betting app.