As the most fast-growing niche, online betting has become a breakthrough of the 21st century. A couple of years ago, none of us could even predict the extent and prospects of its development. Just imagine that now you can not only enjoy your favorite sports competitions in the live format 24/7, but you can make a profit on them without the necessity to leave home. Sports betting has become a mainstream of our times as it makes all global sports events as accessible as ever. The UK bookmakers try to do their best to attract more customers to their websites and provide them with unique features and offers that none of their competitors have.
When you bet for real money, you can trust only 100% reputable betting sites. But how to choose a trustworthy site among hundreds of scammers that only make great promises of the best odds, but forget about them when it comes to payouts?! The answer is pretty simple. Take your time to read expert reviews that cover all weaknesses and strengths of the UK betting sites. Anyway, your winning is at stake!
What are the best UK betting sites?
This question probably worries all UK punters. In short, the primary thing that distinguishes good bookmakers is their reputation. Why does an excellent reputation mean so much when choosing a bookie? Plenty of sites currently offer great odds, tease UK players with mind-blowing bonuses, speedy withdrawals, and promise an engaging welcome offer. Everything sounds perfect in words, but when you read customers’ reviews, a situation seems quite different. To exclude any doubts that you bet on the right sites, our in-depth guide will give you a helping hand.
Guide to select the best UK bookmakers
When choosing a bookie among thousands of betting companies, you may find it useful to follow the guide that covers several key aspects:
- Variety of sports: The sports universe is so diverse that gamblers will effortlessly find something that suits their particular needs. Are you fond of horse racing? The UK bookmakers offer a giant assortment of sporting events and leagues with diverse betting options to any taste. Or maybe are you a football fan, as the majority of the UK punters? Then, you need to select sites with a vast range of football events and leagues. The same refers to rugby, tennis, golf, cricket, Formula 1, golf, ice hockey, etc. Good betting sites UK always have an extended variety of online sports in their collection to guarantee the best online gambling experience to the most demanded users.
- Betting markets: Betting shops’ offers vary, depending on each particular country. No need to say that in some countries, players prefer particular online sports more than others. Besides, there are certain restrictions that bookmakers and online casino operators face on a regular basis, depending on the range of markets. UK sites have more freedom in this matter because online gambling is legalized in Britain. If we talk about the CIS countries, betting sites have to overcome plenty of barriers regarding country restrictions. Sports betting companies in the USA and Latin America also face certain limitations, depending on each particular region.
- Odds offer: When you search for reputable UK online bookmakers, one of the crucial aspects you need to focus on is their betting odds range. Consider learning the terms and conditions because they reflect the way bookmakers adjust their min odds, free bets, T Cs apply, bet credits requirements, etc. Some UK betting sites change their min odds bet more often than alternative platforms. The majority of young online bookmakers try to captivate new customers by seducing them with generous odds and free bets. Why does the odds offer play such an integral role in selecting a site? Because it determines a strategy to get the best betting background in online sports. For instance, when you make your first bet on £10 in a horse racing tournament, you will prefer a site with the reasonable odds offer instead of a bookie that offers min odds. Agree that it is more pleasurable when your £10 first bet results in £1,000 winning instead of £100 one.
- Bonuses and tournaments: Statistics show that if a betting site has an advanced system of bonuses (both for new players and regular gamblers), this online bookmaker increases its chances of being on top of the UK online gambling market. When punters have to choose between two alternative betting sites, they will always prefer the one with a generous welcome bonus and bountiful free bets. However, a seducing welcome bonus can be a tricky thing. Many UK bookmakers adjust pretty sharp conditions for high rollers to withdraw their money (better if withdrawals take no more than 7 days). Thus, we want to remind one more time that reliable online bookies offer more friendly rollover requirements to get your deposit bonus. The same refers to a tournaments offer. Most of the UK betting sites please visitors with regular tournaments (daily, weekly, monthly) to engage new customers. Tournaments can become a perfect know-how, especially for new betting sites, to enlarge their audience, because there is usually more than one winner, and punters can’t miss a chance to try their luck to get a sportsbook bonus.
- Deposit options: If you are familiar with the UK bookmakers websites, you know that most of them offer a bonus on the first deposit for newbies. The requirements differentiate for each betting platform. Most often, the UK bookmakers offer a bonus (free bets) that equals the amount of the first deposit. The level of the minimum deposit, min odds, validity (as a rule, 7 days before the bonus expires), T Cs apply, wagering requirements for the first deposit, and exclusions apply may vary for every particular website. When selecting sports betting operators, make sure that they offer bet credits, which you can use for your favorite UK sports.
- Loyalty program: Due to the increasing competitiveness in the UK gambling niche, online bookmakers tend to engage punters by providing a loyalty program for regular customers. How does it work? The betting sites reward their loyal users with additional points depending on their VIP status. Bettors can further exchange these points on free bets, cash, and gifts (watches, gadgets, T-shirts, etc.). Another way to enlarge the amount of a loyal audience is the cashback option and money-back guarantee. If punters know that they can still make a profit even if their bet fails to win, they will have more inspiration to keep on betting on online sports on this website. The same refers to the promo code offers (bonus code) that give additional privileges to sports bettors. In other words, if the betting sites have a good loyalty program for the most active customers, it’s a sign of their friendly approach to loyal users.
- Payment methods: Experienced online gambling operators always try to analyze customers’ needs and offer a diverse choice of payment options and withdrawal options. Traditionally, each online betting site offers the following payment methods selections: debit cards, credit cards, bank transactions, and eWallets (PayPal, Skrill, etc.). If you prefer cryptocurrencies, you can choose the UK betting sites that have this option. While reviewing hundreds of the UK betting operators, we always pay attention to payment method exclusions and to the bet and payment method diversity, so that customers can get a wide range to select from.
- Withdrawal requirements: There are cases when an online betting site offers a teasing welcome bonus and generous odds, but when it comes to withdrawing funds, the policy is a bit tricky here. Some bookies allow withdrawing money using only one specified payment system; others have time limits on withdrawals that may take up to 7 days or more. Most of the online bookmakers establish a certain limit on withdrawals (weekly or monthly) that can make some problems for high rollers who prefer to play big. So, reading expert website reviews can be rather useful for punters, if they do not want to puzzle over a way how to withdraw their huge winning.
- Usability & functionality: Someone could say that a website usability does not matter if an operator has an impressive assortment of online sports and a bountiful bonus system. We dare to disagree. Many sports betting sites indeed can boast of brilliant betting offers, but when it comes to the site navigation and interface, it is a kind of disaster. It relates to a huge number of annoying ads, poor sports choice bar, inconvenient search panel, or hard-to-grasp registration process and account settings. If you are a new customer on the website, you will definitely get lost among this entire mass, and your user experience will unlikely be positive. While reviewing gambling sites, we always pay attention to the site usability. We want to ensure that new customers will have no trouble with creating a new account, that terms and conditions section covers all integral aspects of the site policy, that customer service reacts to any issue in time, and that managers regularly update all information regarding odds, T Cs apply, deposit bonus, free bets, withdrawal limits, exclusions apply, and so on.
- Customer support: Another paramount aspect that determines the best betting website is expert customer support. It is good when a bookie offers several options to connect the help center representatives, i.e., via email, phone, and instant chat. It is a common thing that users may experience some issues with withdrawing money and banking transactions, or newbies in sports betting may need assistance with making a first bet. Tons of possible issues may arise, and expert customer service is a must-have for the UK betting sites if they take care of their reputation. The way a bookie reacts to the users’ complaints and resolves disputes has a direct impact on user experience in online sports betting.
How to detect a bookie that is best for you
In order not to get dissapointed of the online sports betting niche, there is only one golden rule for all punters – to find online bookmakers that correspond to their individual needs and goals. A bookie may offer a lavish welcome bonus, but does it really matter if you can’t find your favorite sports on its offering list? If you are a huge fan of horse racing but cannot bet on it on a particular sports betting platform, a generous bonus will unlikely cheer you up.
Understanding of your needs is the first step to detect a bookie that is best specifically for you. If you are a risky guy who got used to play and win big, it is indispensable to dig up a betting site without abrupt withdrawal limits. Another example: imagine that you win a big sum, but you cannot transfer it into cash just because a sportsbook has established a sharp wager to convert the winning into real money. Some operators have only 1-2 payment methods and small currency range. Thus, we recommend to give preferences to bookies with a more extensive choice.
All these and many other factors may ruin your positive impression about a website, even if your bet wins. So, the paramount thing you should keep in mind while seeking an online betting platform is whether it suits your requirements. Fortunately, in our factual reviews, we try to highlight all vital aspects that can be useful for bettors and will ward them off from unreasonable odds and strict wager ratio. So, while selecting a platform to bet on, make sure that you learn the following things about it:
- The offering list contains sports that you like best.
- The wagering requirements are friendly enough.
- The bonus validity is no less than 7 days full.
- The minimum deposit/free bets/min odds/ T Cs apply/bet credits stake/payment methods are suitable for you.
- The amount of qualifying bets required to get a bonus.
- The size of a commission that UK betting sites charge for wagering.
- Whether an online betting site supports live betting.
- Whether a sportsbook is licenced by the UK Gambling Commission.
- Additional bonuses, loyalty programs, odds bet referrals, and original contests are available on a platform.
- You may count on the 24/7 customer service assistance.
UK betting sites to avoid
When you come to a new betting platform, you need to pay attention to some alarming signs that may point out on a site’s poor ranking. These signs may seem non-essential for inexperienced users, but professional bettors read them in the first place. Some bookies confuse users at the account creation stage. For example, many UK sports betting operators have self-titled online casinos on their websites with a separate betting account and casino account. It is a quite common practice. As a rule, reputable bookies allow punters to transfer funds from one account to another. A bad sign is when betting sites forbid doing it, even if a user mistakenly makes a deposit on the wrong account.
Poor odds bet, tiresome payouts, and miserable payment choice, as well as a low deposit bonus and absence of bet credits for new customers, are also signs to avoid a bookie. Some UK online betting operators charge too big commission from users; others establish unreal wagering limits for transferring your winning into cash. If free best are not valid for 7 days and expire much earlier before you can wager your winning, it is also a signal that a site is not loyal to its customers. Absence of user identification during all financial operations may point out on a weak data protection. Respected bookies always apply additional measures to protect their customers, including SSL encryption and phone or email confirmation for money transactions.
When you notice a poor quality of live streaming, inability to place in-play bets, hard-to-use site navigation, presence of annoying ads, and unqualified customer support on a sports betting site, you should hesitate staying here and better select a platform with more fruitful environment. Finally, if a site is not approved by the UK gambling commission, it will unlikely pass the exam on getting to the top ranking of the UK best betting sites.
Top list of the UK best betting sites
The best online betting sites in the United Kingdom must stand out of the crowd to appear in the top list. We always try to evaluate all their pros and cons in our expert reviews. Of course, we all have different opinions of the best betting platforms, and our approach to choosing a new betting portal may differ from yours. Still, we cannot deny that some UK bookmakers are frontrunners in the UK gambling niche. All bookies on our list are trustworthy, legitimate, and user-friendly. Here is a top list of the UK betting sites with the best reputation, odds, payout, and free bets offer:
Certainly, it is not a full list, and we invite you to check our complete guide of the best online betting sites in the UK. Our guide includes 100% reputable bookies that offer fair conditions and great bet options to customers.
Bet365
This betting operator is familiar to the UK punters due to its diverse content portfolio, great odds, and bountiful first bet bonus. The portal allows users to bet on 35+ sports, politics, and special events, extra to ten more sports in the in-play sector. The operator offers promotional bet credits for new customers who have an account (£5 min deposit; T Cs apply; payment method exclusions apply; bet credits expire if the account is inactive for 90 days). If looking thorough loyal punters’ reviews, it becomes clear that their love the bookie for its super fast and clear interface, diverse line, and a lot of bounties for players such as early withdrawals, as well as the ability to edit the bet both at the start of the event and after in the case of express bets.
Betway
The first thing that is eye-catching while entering the Betway betting site is its top-notch interface and convenient navigation panel that allows transferring between sports, casino, live, and esports sections. The site operates in 11 languages. The home page covers all ongoing and upcoming tournaments for each particular sport. Gamers will definitely fall in love with a wide assortment of slots and Vegas casino games in addition to sports betting.
888sport
If you stand for safe online betting, 888sport is a perfect choice when you bet for real money. The operator has its own poker room and pleases its fans with thousands of live streaming events monthly. High rollers won’t be disappointed by an extensive suite of bet options (Bet Builder helps shaping bets that perfectly suit one’s needs). Newcomers will be pleasantly surprised by the possibility of bidding upon request in a letter to a support team if the desired bet type is not presented on the bookie’s list.
MansionBet
MansionBet is a comparably new betting platform, but the operator already has a devoted army of UK fans due the brilliant bonus options and an impressive choice of sports markets. The bookie is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. The operator differentiates from alternatives because, in addition to sports betting, users can bet on their favorite television shows and forecast global awards winners. The site has a bountiful bonus offer for newbies with affordable min odds rate.
22Bet
All fans of in-play betting will evaluate 22Bet’s content collection. Punters can tap into great odds and original bonuses, while the Edit my Bet option may be useful for new customers who just start their acquaintance with the UK online betting sites. The portal has a loyal wagering requirements, great line (especially for football), convenient mobile version, and early withdrawal function. A top-notch mobile app allows betting on your favorite sport from any place at any time of night and day. Punters have 7 days to wager their deposit bonus until it expires. Other advantages include diverse deposit and withdrawal options, promo codes and VIP-level system, and the integration of live games as an extra perk to differentiate a betting offering.
Betiton
Betiton can be the right choice for players who prefer the online betting sites with maximum payouts not to limit their bets winnings. Both gamers and bettors will evaluate greeting offers for newbies, while steady customers also won’t stay afloat due to ACCA bets bonuses and supreme loyalty program. As one of the respected UK bookmakers, Betiton offers an excellent selection of sports with enticing in-play options and fast payout speed. As for the site usability, everything works fine here. New visitors can sign-up within 5 minutes; it is effortless to figure out how to place bets and search for particular sports and leagues. The site looks classy, while the help center representatives are always here to assist with any issues. In addition to fair odds and wagering limits, it is quite understandable why Betiton enters the list of the UK best betting sites for the last few years.
How bookies guarantee the best online sports betting experience
Currently, the UK sports betting operators tend to one thing. Surprisingly, but it is not even a profit they can get from bettors, but a guarantee of users’ return to bet solely on their platforms. They can reach it by providing the best-ever user experience to their community that none other UK online bookmakers can offer. When users find a betting niche that corresponds to their needs, i.e., has a diverse sports collection, fair odds, and speedy payouts, they will come back here again and again. Bookies that cheat their customers and receive multiple complaints have low chances to get their place under the sun on the UK sports betting market. The industry is full of offers, and bookies that do not focus on their customers’ needs will be simply thrown off the major league.
There are multiple ways how the betting sites can guarantee a fruitful experience to bettors. One of the vital aspects are:
Live streams
As far as we now live in the era of the modern technologies, we want to make our favorite things more accessible. The same refers to the gambling industry. Many betting operators broadcast live streams of different sport matches on their sites. This function allows punters to watch ‘the shows’ online in the live format once they place a bet. Respected bookies provide live streaming in the HD quality with high resolution to create a self-presence effect to sports fans. HD live broadcasts allow users to watch horse racing or football match without a necessity to leave their place. All they need is to register on a betting site, place a bet, and watch a live broadcast, hoping that their bet will hit the bank.
In-play betting options
The latest technologies indeed change players’ habits. In the past, punters did not have a wide choice of betting options and could only bet on the upcoming events in advance. Now, sports fans can enjoy an alternative of in-play betting that allows to wager on ongoing matches. You can be the one who leads the game now, and take a benefit of different types of bets at any choice. You can even bet against other punters or shape your unique bets with the up-to-date tools that many betting operators offer.
Mobile betting
It is the 21st century, guys, and mobile phones have become a paramount part of our daily routine. We can purchase things, order food, and book tickets in a couple of clicks on a smartphone. Mobile betting is a new trend in the gambling universe. All leading UK sports betting operators try to make their services even more accessible due to the top-notch mobile versions and apps. It is not always convenient to wager on sports via desktop, so respected bookies adjust their mobile sites and apps to the customers’ needs. Now, punters can enjoy the same privileges and desktop features of sports betting on their phones when they make bets en route.
Safety & security
When we bet on real money and reveal our financial details to bet sites, we need to feel safe that this data will not pass to the third parties. In other words, your betting experience directly depends on the safety measures that an operator provides to guarantee your security. These measures involve email verification at the registration stage and user identification for withdrawing operations. Take a moment to read the terms and conditions section and get familiar with the site policy before depositing money. It is vital to trust only reputable UK licensed sportsbooks that always react to any complaints and try to find a way out suitable both for a bookie and a customer.
Promotions and bonuses
What is the best way to engage sports fans? The answer is simple – by promising them a reward. Some bookies underestimate the importance of rewarding users with teasing bonuses because they think it’s a waste of money. Big mistake! Statistics indicate that 9 of 10 punters will select a bookie with an advanced promotional system. Of course, while picking up a site to bet on, you should look through its bonus system. It is a shared feature that bonds the UK betting operators that tend to attract new visitors with sweet welcome bonuses. Still, keep in mind to pay attention to the wagering restrictions if you want to transfer your bonus to cash with low stress. Promo codes and paybacks are two other must-haves that a site has to engage the loyal audience.
Site usability
It is fair to say that if a betting site has a low downloading speed, poor streaming quality, tiresome registration process, and a total mass with making bets and withdrawing money, it is a big question that users will select it among dozens of competitors. After all, the market is overcrowded with offers, and bettors are the ones who set the rules because their money is at stake. A good site usability is the first thing that users pay attention to, in addition to cool bonuses. While shaping our top list of the UK bookies, we always examine the sites’ user-friendliness and expert customer support to guarantee amicable environment to the online sports betting fans.
To make a long story short…
Currently, the UK sports betting industry is on its rise. Bookies take a lot of effort to charm new customers with generous bonus offers, free bets, and HD live streams. No wonder that punters may get lost among such an impressive diversity of sportsbooks on the market. To give bettors a helping hand, we regularly check dozens of bookies to make a list of the top UK betting sites at any preferences. Our goal is to help both beginners and high rollers to enjoy their favorite sports at full and bet on 100% reliable betting sites. You don’t need to check a bookie’s legitimacy, examine its free bets and bonus offers, max payouts, or wagering limits. We make this job done for you! Some sportsbooks are more suitable for particular customers than others, depending on what they expect to get while registering on the betting platforms. Our unbiased reviews aim to help punters not to be mistaken with the choice. After all, users’ best betting experience is what we stand for!
Sports betting is legal in the United Kingdom at the federal level. Still, it a crucial rule to choose the licensed betting sites that support responsible gaming.
When surfing betting sites available on the market, select the ones that offer fair odds, bountiful bonuses, and reasonable requirements to wager your winning. You can check our expert reviews to learn about bets diversity and sports collection that each of the sites offers to customers.
The UK bookmakers try to move the times and broaden their content portfolio to attract more customers. Besides sports betting, leading UK operators to offer extended options to users, like betting on politics, television shows, weather forecasts, global awards, special events, etc.
Nowadays, many operators integrate live-dealer games as an alternative to sports betting. Live-games can become a perfect solution when all huge sporting events are on a break. The advantage of the games with live dealers is that they offer a much more diverse set of betting options (in-play odds, evenness/oddness, etc.), while rounds last around 5 minutes, so gamers will not get bored.
As a rule, free bets come as a promotional bonus from bookmakers for newbies. To receive free bets, you need to register on the bet site and follow the instructions stated in the policy. Sometimes, operators ask for a promo code to activate free bets. You may learn more about promo codes from our reviews.
Bookmakers use welcome bonuses as a tool to enlarge their regular audience. Registration is a required condition to get a welcome bonus from a bookie. Some operators offer a casino bonus extra to free bets.
Each betting operator has its own requirements for depositing/withdrawing funds and works with particular payment systems. If you fulfill all the requirements (including wagering limits), a bookie will make a transfer to your credit card or e-wallet within 7 days.
In our guide, we compile only those UK betting sites that meet the requirements of the Gambling Commission and have no claims that can point out the bookies' illegitimacy. We select only reliable and trustworthy sportsbooks that have no issues with the law before appending them to the top list.
