26 minutes
Last Updated: October 2, 2022
Pick Top UK Betting Sites
When it comes to gambling, the UK is one of the most regulated markets in the world. However, its residents still have access to thousands of online betting sites, but not all of them are worth your time and money.
Our team has prepared this page to help you find the best betting sites in the country.
We have used all of our knowledge and expertise to create a list of the best bookmakers available to the residents of the United Kingdom.
Top UK Betting Sites
No matter what your preferences are, we will help you pick the best UK betting site based on your needs, so take a look at this list:
- Bet365 – the best all-around UK bookmaker
- William Hill – best for betting on UK football matches
- Unibet – the best betting site for virtual sports
- SportNation – top football promotions
- 32red– great selection of novelty betting options
When you know what to look for we can dive a bit deeper into what each of these sites has to offer.
Bet365 – The Best All-Around UK Bookmaker
- Best for football, horse racing, mobile, and in-play betting
- License: UK Gambling Commission (account number: 55148)
- Year founded: 2001
- Customer support: Email, Live Chat
Bet365 is one of the most famous online bookies in the UK and internationally. It is known as the jack of all trades in online betting, and with one look at its platform, players can quickly realize that this nickname is well deserved.
While most online betting sites have similar offers, mobile apps, and other betting features, nobody has all of the mentioned on such a high level as bet365.
UK punters that decide to give bet365 a go can rest assured that they will have one of the best online betting experiences. This is possible thanks to the intuitive betting platform optimized for both desktop and mobile.
The mobile betting experience that bet365 offers to players in the UK is second to none.
The operator has one of the best betting infrastructures that perfectly complements their betting offer. UK players can wager on over 30 different sports, with the main focus being on football.
Bet365’s football offer is perfect for punters from the UK who love to bet on domestic leagues. Players who love to wager on horses won’t be disappointed as the platform has hundreds of horse races on offer each day.
UK players don't have to worry about transferring money on and from the site when it comes to payment options. Bet365 allows players to make payments using all of the popular methods in the United Kingdom, such as debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and prepaid cards.
However, like any other betting platform, bet365 still has its flaws. The operator has a pretty big fee on some competitions that can go up to 17%. Additionally, bet365 is known to limit certain accounts when it comes to the amount of money players can stake.
William Hill – Best For Betting On Football
- Best for football, rematch betting, and occasional bettors
- License: UK Gambling Commission (account number: 39225)
- Year founded: 1934, 1998 (online)
- Customer support: Email, Live Chat
William Hill has been the staple of UK betting for many years, so much so that it is almost impossible to talk about betting in the UK without mentioning it.
One of the best things about betting on their platform is the number of promotions players can take advantage of.
From accumulator bet bonuses to refer-a-friend promotions, William Hill has it all.
These promotions can be found in the dedicated section on the operator's website. And when we mention the William Hill website, we must say that it has one of the better designs on the UK market.
Players who like to play on the go can use the web application and the dedicated William Hill mobile app. Both of the options have all of the functionalities of the desktop version, and players won't miss on anything.
William Hill offers UK players over 36 different sports to bet on. Each sports section has leagues and competitions from all over the world. However, the most versatile can be found in the UK football section.
Apart from football, the operator has a pretty solid offer for other sports popular in the UK, such as basketball, tennis, and horse racing.
Also, punters that enjoy exotic bets can bet on TV/Specials and Politics.
Players can make deposits and withdrawals using popular UK payment methods, including VISA, Mastercard, Paypal, Neteller, Skrill, and Paysafecard. Deposits are processed immediately, while the withdrawal times depend on players' payment methods.
There are a few drawbacks that players will have to deal with if they choose this operator. In the first place, the William Hill betting site can be a little difficult to navigate for beginners. And the second thing is that there are some leagues where the odds are a bit lower than what players in the UK are used to.
Unibet – The Best Betting Site For Virtual Sports
- Best for virtual sports, recreational bettors, and various promotions
- License: UK Gambling Commission (account number: 45322)
- Year founded: 1997
- Customer support: Email, Live Chat
Unibet is one of the oldest online betting sites in the UK. The operator has been offering its services to British people for 25 years.
At the moment, Unibet has a pretty rich offer for promotions. Even though most of the promotions are focused on recreational players from a financial standpoint, we find them pretty generous. Especially the refer a friend bonus for UK players.
The bookmaker's website might take some time to get used to, especially for newbie bettors, but we still think it is above average in design and functionalities. It offers players a chance to bet on over 35 different sports.
While there are plenty of sports to bet on, Unibet pays most attention to football, basketball, rugby, tennis, and ice hockey.
UK players that like to bet on sports that are not so popular will have fewer betting options even if the sport they are looking for can be found on the site.
Another segment in which the bookmaker has a solid offer is virtual sports. In this department, visitors can find matches from football, basketball, tennis, horse racing, and greyhounds.
Like all other UK bookmakers, Unibet allows players to make transactions using debit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and prepaid cards. Although we must mention that players can only take advantage of certain offers if they use specific payment methods.
Bettors from the UK that decide to use Unibet as their bookmaker will have to deal with a couple of od disadvantages. These mainly come from the company's policy to be focused on recreational players and include: not as many betting markets as other operators, low limits, and slower acceptance of bets.
Another thing that we noticed is that the live chat function can be extremely difficult to find.
Betfair – The Best Betting Exchange In The UK
- Best for betting via exchange
- License: UK Gambling Commission (account numbers: 39439, 39561)
- Year founded: 1999
- Customer support: Phone, Email, Live Chat
Betfair is the oldest betting exchange in the UK and an operator with an outstanding overall reputation.
The exchange section on Betfair’s betting section is precisely why the operator is one of the top bookies in the UK year after year.
Unlike the traditional betting sections where players bet against the bookmakers, Betfair’s exchange allows bettors to bet against other players.
This way of betting allows players to get better odds than traditional bookies and set their own odds, sports trade, and even lay bets.
Although we must mention that users who are not familiar with the exchange interface might take some time to adapt to some features and options.
The traditional sportsbook section of the site has all the necessary features that guarantee UK players a good betting experience. These include over 30 sports with prematch and live betting available.
When we consider both Betfair’s exchange and their sportsbook, our opinion is that the exchange is a better option. It will indeed take much more effort for new players to this model, but it is well worth it.
The UK is Betfair’s primary market, and the operator has made sure to cater to British players when it comes to payments. Players from the UK can use all the standard payment methods popular in the country. These include VISA, Mastercard, Neteller, Skrill, Paypal, Paysafecard, and bank transfer.
We have to mention a few things that are not ideal for betting on Betfair’s platform. Like many other UK bookmakers, Betfair can have pretty high fees on some lower leagues and markets. Additionally, lower leagues have low limits regarding how much money players can stake.
SportNation – Top Football Promotions
- Best for betting on popular leagues and football promotions
- License: UK Gambling Commission (account number: 45143)
- Year founded: 2016
- Customer support: Email, Live Chat
SportNation is one of the newer UK betting sites, with its platform established in 2016. We must say that in the short amount of time they have been on the market, they did a good job catering to the needs of UK bettors.
Their website doesn’t have the cleanest design, but it more than makes up for it with its features.
Players from the UK can wager on over 30 different sports via the operator's website. The operator is mostly focused on bringing UK players a great football betting experience.
Apart from the variety of markets and leagues, they offer special football promotions.
Players can find matches with boosted odds for certain outcomes in the section “Today’s Specials.”
Additionally, players can find boosted odds on other sports popular in the UK, such as horse racing and rugby.
Of course, like all other sites on our list, SportNation offers both prematch and in-play betting. Players can place bets using the desktop version of the site, the mobile app, or the web application that is fully optimized for betting via the mobile browser.
In our opinion, if you prefer to bet on major European football leagues, that is where SportNation shines. For other less popular football leagues, there are better options.
The number of payment options that the operator accepts is a little lower than with other UK bookies but still enough to satisfy most players. VISA Debit, Maestro, Skrill, Neteller, and Trustly can be used for deposits and withdrawals on the SportNation site.
When it comes to flaws, one of the major things that the operator should look to improve is the number of markets for the football leagues that are not in the top 5.
32red – Great Selection Of Novelty Betting Options
- Best for novelty betting options
- License: UK Gambling Commission (account number: 39430)
- Year founded: 2002
- Customer support: Email, Live Chat
32red is another British bookmaker on our list, providing their services for over 20 years. The sportsbook was established back in 2002, to be exact.
While the operator is not as popular as some other names on our list, they still provide great services depending on what players are looking for.
Bookmaker's website is very simple, and it is a plus in our book. There is no unnecessary distraction, and players can dive straight into the action where over 25 different sports await them.
British punters will be glad to hear that the operators offer betting on popular sports in the UK, such as football, horse racing, tennis, darts, and snooker.
32red offers betting on politics, TV, and novelty for players who love a good prop bet.
For all those who enjoy playing on their mobile phones, 32red has created a native mobile app and a web application. Both options allow players to stay in action even when they are on the move without losing any of their experience when betting via the desktop version.
Fast and secure transactions are another benefit that 32red players from the UK can relish. Debit cards such as VISA, Mastercard, and Maestro are available for payments.
And for those who love e-wallets, Skrill, Neteller, and Paypal are the main options. Apart from these methods, players can use Paysafecard, ecoPayz, and bank transfers to make transactions.
Apart from not having the best offer in terms of markets and betting options, the main concern for bettors is that the operator seems to be more interested in the casino section. The bonus section where most bonuses are for casino players, is one of the main indicators of this.
How We Select The Best Betting Sites In The UK
We apply several criteria during every research, ensuring that we don't miss a thing and that our reviews are completely objective and unbiased.
To give you a better perspective on the whole process, we will explain each of these, how we apply them, and how we interpret the final results.
Our criteria for grading the best betting sites in the UK are:
UK Sports Betting Regulation And Taxes
Betting providers in the UK pay 15% tax on their profits. This legislation was introduced in January of 2002, abolishing the previous law regarding gambling taxes.
Thanks to this ruling, bettors in the UK don’t have to pay taxes on any winnings from sports betting.
All of the gambling platforms, including UK online casinos, ensure tax-free betting in the United Kingdom.
As this ruling comes from a higher power, this is just a reminder to all players that are residents of the UK and does not impact the way our team reviews betting sites.
Best Betting Sites UK – Bonuses and Promotions
Betting sites in the UK offer a plethora of bonuses and promotions for bettors, and sometimes it can be overwhelming for players to choose the right ones.
Just don't forget to read the terms and conditions of the bonus before you claim it or opt into a promotion.
To make things easier for you, we have compiled a list of the most common bonuses and promotions in the UK and explained what you could expect from them.
Welcome Bonus Offer
Welcome bonus offers or deposit bonuses are the staples of all bonus offers. They are available on almost every betting site in the UK.
With this bonus, betting sites reward players that have created an account with them and made their first deposit.
In most cases, a deposit bonus consists of a matched bonus based on the amount of money the player deposits.
For example, a deposit bonus offer might be presented the following way: ”100% bonus up to £500”. This means that the betting site will match any amount you deposit up to £500.
If you deposit £300, you will get another £300 in bonus money, meaning that you will have £600 in your betting account to play with.
Reload Bonus
The reload bonus is a promotion that UK online betting sites offer to existing customers. Betting sites use this promotion to entice players to load their accounts with funds.
This bonus can be used only by players that have deposited on the betting site sometimes in the past.
Just like the welcome bonus offer, in most cases, the reload bonus consists of a matched bonus based on the amount of money that the player deposits during the promotion.
The only difference when it comes to the bonus rules is that reload bonuses usually reward players with lesser amounts of bonus money.
Bet Credits
The UK online betting site will credit your account with a certain amount of money with bet credits. You can use this money to make bets, but you can’t make a withdrawal of these funds.
The bookmaker will only allow you to make a withdrawal of the funds you won by using the bet credit and will remove the bet credit amount from the winnings.
For example, if you stake £30 in bet credits at 2/1 odds and your bet wins, you should win £90, but the bookmaker will deduct the bet credit of £30, and your winnings will be £60. This means you can make a withdrawal of £60.
Free Bets
Some bookmakers consider bet credits and free bets to be the same, and those will have only one of them mentioned in their offer.
However, some of the top online betting sites in the UK have both bet credits and free bets on offer.
In this case, the main difference will be how they calculate the winnings.
Winnings from bet credits will be calculated as mentioned in the previous paragraph. On the other hand, free bets will be calculated without deducting the free bet amount from the winnings.
For example, if you place a bet using a free bet of £30 at 2/1 odds and your bet wins, you will win £90. This means £90 is now available for you to withdraw.
Risk-Free Bets
Risk-free bets are often confused with free bets, but they are a different kind of promotion.
The main difference between the two is that with free bets, players make bets using funds that they receive from the bookmaker, while with risk-free bets, players make bets using their own funds.
This means that you need to have funds in your account to take advantage of the risk-free bet promotion
For example, a UK betting site is running a promotion “Risk-free bet up to £50, you have £50 in your account and place a bet after you opt-in for the risk-free bet promotion. If your bet is lost, the bookmaker will refund you your stake.
Most Popular UK Sports To Bet On
Online betting sites in the UK offer a wide variety of sports, from the most popular ones to the ones some players might never hear of, so it is important to pick an option from the best sports to bet on.
With that said, six sports make up for the majority of action when it comes to sports betting.
These sports are equally popular with amateur punters as well as seasoned bettors.
Football
Football’s fan base in the UK is second to none, and the same applies when it comes to betting.
UK bettors enjoy wagering on markets such as full-time results, both teams to score, and Asian handicaps. The league that draws in most of the bets made on football is, of course, the English Premier League.
Basketball
Basketball is also one of the top choices for bettors in Great Britain. Handicap betting and total points are the two favorite markets of basketball bettors. The most popular basketball league for UK punters is the NBA.
Horse Racing
Traditionally, betting on horse races is one of the favorite ways for people to gamble in Britain. The British love to bet on domestic horse races as well as horse races from all over the world, so it is not a surprise this is one of the top betting options in the United Kingdom.
Tennis
Thanks to its availability all year long, tennis is always one of the top choices for sports bettors, and UK punters are no different.
Match winners, handicaps, and total games are the markets that see the most action, while bettors mostly bet on the ATP and WTA tours.
Baseball
The main reason why baseball made it on this list is because of the huge popularity of MLB with bettors in the UK. It's one of the rare leagues that play out during the summer, and the British love it.
When it comes to baseball, the top markets for betting on baseball are the full-time result, innings, and total points.
American Football
Just like the MLB is the reason for baseball’s popularity, the NFL is the reason for the popularity of American Football in the UK.
The traditional betting markets that see the most active in the USA, such as handicaps and totals, are the same markets that draw the most attention when it comes to betting in Great Britain.
Top Betting Sites UK – Payment Options
Many of the online betting sites available to UK players offer dozens of payment methods, which offer different ways for players to make deposits and withdrawals.
To find the best payment methods for UK players, we considered the following factors: regulations, deposit, and withdrawal processing times, convenience, and fees.
Debit Cards
Debit cards are always one of the top payment options for online gambling transactions for the mere factor that almost every person has one.
The most popular debit cards are issued by VISA and Mastercard and are available on almost every online betting site in the UK.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
Easy to use |
Players must enter personal data |
|
No third party |
Lack of anonymity |
|
Eligible for all deposit bonuses |
*Note: Credit cards cannot be used for gambling transactions in the UK since 2020
PayPal
For most punters in the UK, PayPal is the first choice when it comes to e-wallets. This is mostly because of how long PayPal has been on the market and that many players already have a PayPal account that they use for other online transactions.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
Most popular e-wallet in the UK |
Set up required |
|
Fast processing times |
Third-party involvement |
|
Widely accepted |
Crypto
Cryptocurrencies have been on the rise in the last couple of years because of their unique features.
For most players using crypto for online gambling transactions means using Bitcoin as this cryptocurrency is the most popular.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
Decentralized |
High Volatility |
|
Anonymity |
Not all betting sites accept it |
|
Instant transactions |
Skrill / Neteller
Skrill is another popular e-wallet that British players love thanks to the fact that it is very easy to use and the deposits are processed instantaneously.
Skrill also has pretty fast withdrawals that usually take a couple of minutes to a couple of hours.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
Fast deposits and withdrawals |
Fees for depositing money onto the wallet |
|
Anonymity |
Not eligible for all deposit bonuses |
Paysafecard
Paysafecard is a great option for making deposits on betting sites in the UK.
Unfortunately, players who use this option have to find another way to make withdrawals since Paysafecard is a prepaid card service that can only be used to put money on the site, but not to take it out.
|
PROS |
CONS |
|
Anonymity |
Can’t be used for withdrawals |
|
Doesn’t require a bank account |
Has limits |
|
No deposit fees |
Not eligible for all deposit bonuses |
How To Start Betting Online In The United Kingdom
If you look to become a professional bettor or just make some extra income from betting, you already made the right first step by visiting our site.
We have written dozens of articles on different betting subjects, and each one of them will help you become a bit better at sports betting. That said, we highly recommend starting with the sports betting 101 guide and mastering the basics before you place your first bet.
If you want to start betting online in the UK, do some research regarding the betting sites that suit your needs the best.
To do this, you first need to make a list of the sports you are planning to bet on, the markets you will bet on the most, decide how important it is for you to have the option of placing bets on your phone, and does the option to watch live streams make a difference for you.
When you narrow the list down, you can pick the sites that have the best bonuses and payment methods convenient for you.
In any case, we recommend that you pick more than one betting site from our list and spread your bankroll. This way, you will always have a few options available when making your bets.
What To Expect From Top UK Sports Betting Sites?
When you are choosing an online betting site in the UK, there are a couple of things you should look for.
All of the top betting sites in Great Britain are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, which means they have the necessary security standards in place.
Secondly, all of the best online betting sites UK have great welcome bonuses and regular promotions for existing customers. Apart from offering these bonuses, the top sites also have reasonable bonus terms and conditions.
Finally, the best betting platforms in the UK have competitive odds with a reasonable house edge of around 10%.
You should not bet at bookmakers that take more than 15% for their services. If you want to find sites with the lowest edge, you should check Asian bookies since they are known to offer industry-leading odds and accept UK players.
While these three factors are non-negotiable, there are also a few other more flexible elements. These include payment methods and customer support.
The best betting sites in the UK support various payment options such as debit cards, e-wallets, prepaid cards, and cryptocurrencies.
Top operators offer players at least two options of contacting them, and their customer teams are professional and knowledgeable.
FAQ – Top Online Betting Sites UK
BEST RESOURCES:
BETTING GUIDES
