AS the UK’s most popular sport, it’s not surprising that football features so prominently among the leading online bookmakers.
From the domestic club season to major international tournaments such as the World Cup, there are hundreds of games to bet on every week.
However, some football betting sites lead the way in user reviews, and it is those that this article will focus on.
Ranked #1 for overall football betting: bet365
There’s a number of reasons why the UK’s own bet365 takes the top spot for football betting. They range from the quality of its lines for the most popular football markets, the ease of use of its website and app, the generosity of its promotions and odds boosts, and the versatility of its bet builder tool.
Following closely behind bet365 were these other highly rated football betting sites:
- bet365
- William Hill
- Coral
- Spreadex
- Paddy Power
How we ranked the bookmakers: our criteria
We considered several measures and reviews to compile the best football betting sites in the UK. After several analyses and experiments on these sites according to our criteria, we ranked the top sites.
- The range of football games and leagues that are available on online betting websites. Some bookies focus on the major leagues only. However, the best UK bookies include all the professional football leagues, semi-pro leagues, to the lowest-ranked leagues to give the bettors a wide range of selections.
- The betting odds of each event and how dynamic they change. The betting odds are the key to attracting UK gamblers because they define how much a player will gain upon their wagers. Therefore, it’s essential to have quality betting odds.
- The betting options available at each match and the possibility of having a bet builder. Besides choosing single and multi bets, the listed UK sportsbooks include additional betting types like over/under, parlays, accumulator, etc.
- Live betting option, lots of bettors enjoy the excitement of live betting as the match flows, which makes the players attached to their phones and glued to the match screen, waiting for the final whistle to check if they won as well.
- The possibility to cash out during the event, where players prefer to withdraw their wagers before the final whistle and take partial cash out at a percent defined by the betting site.
- Mobile phone apps, there’s an increasing number of football fans who place their bets on the go, making it easier for them to gamble on different matches without waiting to get home on their PC.
- The customer service and other players’ reviews of the website, and how fast you can get help around in the website using email, live chat, and phone number.
Finally, the last criterion we considered is the availability and diversity of bonuses. Many players choose a specific football betting site in the UK based on the bonus offered to bettors, such as the welcome bonus, as these promos can multiply their gains.
A closer look at the best football betting sites: bookie by bookie breakdown
Topping our reviews league table as the best football betting site in the UK is bet365.
The bet365 website and app are the easiest to use, with simple menus and navigation helping punters to find their favourite leagues and bets quickly. The depth of its football coverage is excellent, with pre-match and in-play odds provided for competitions around the globe.
Odds comparison sites confirm bet365 as one of the most competitively priced online football bookmakers, with value lines on the key markets such as match winner, handicap spreads and both teams to score.
Its live-streaming channel is another highlight for football fans. The only gripe about bet365 is that it doesn’t have more football-specific promotions to claim.
bet365 pros:
bet365 cons:
Also featuring highly on our list of the leading football betting sites is William Hill.
Although the William Hill website is quite cluttered, it plays host to a huge range of football betting markets housed behind the ‘competitions’ and ‘coupons’ tabs.
William Hill has its own bet builder tool, plus the #YourOdds Twitter hashtag that enables punters to request the bets they want to put on.
Daily enhanced odds specials can increase the implied value of a bet, and for sheer depth alone, William Hill hits the mark with more than 300 different betting markets and spreads offered for many Premier League games.
Free-to-play games, such as Free or 4, allow punters to play for real-money prizes, and free bets for correctly predicting the outcome of selected fixtures is another major plus for William Hill.
William Hill pros:
William Hill cons:
Coral
Completing the hat-trick of top-rated UK betting sites is Coral.
Like William Hill, Coral lags behind bet365 in terms of the usability of its website and app. However, both platforms are crammed with value-adding features.
Daily specials and ‘odds boosters’ enhance the price of some of the most popular bets on the site, and you can easily switch between pre-match and in-play odds with the tap of a button. The latter, accompanied by live streaming and comprehensive stats, confirms Coral as one of the leading sportsbooks for live football bets.
Coral customers can try a number of free-to-play games for real-money wins, including Football Super Series and Rewards Grabber, while Bet Bundles enable punters to increase the value of their investment with free bet credits.
Coral pros:
Coral cons:
Whichever betting site punters choose, it’s imperative that a bookmaker offers competitive odds so that their customers are getting ‘fair’ prices based upon the probability of a team winning, scoring, etc. Punters can use an odds comparison service to help with this.
It can be frustrating to use websites or apps that crash or take an eternity to load, so that’s another consideration, and it’s always welcome when a bookmaker offers bonuses, spreads or promotions that genuinely improve the betting experience – whether that’s through stake refunds, profit boosts, and so on.
Live streaming is of increasing importance. In the UK, leagues such as the Bundesliga, La Liga and Serie A can be streamed via some top-rated bookmakers’ websites or apps, and this is a great way to watch elite-level action on your phone or tablet.
How popular is football betting in the UK?
It’s widely accepted that football is the most popular sport in the UK, and so it stands to reason that the beautiful game is also the most bet upon.
As a guide, FIFA claimed that around $155bn (£131m) was bet on World Cup 2018 around the globe – more than some countries’ annual GDP.
What are the most popular football competitions to bet on in the UK?
Competitions such as the Premier League, the Champions League and La Liga are the most interesting to UK punters, while major international tournaments such as the World Cup and European Championship also see bets being placed in abundance.
Those who prefer to place accas may drop down the divisions to find value and use odds comparison sites to get the best prices.
How to actually select a football betting site and get going
Once punters have determined what they actually want from their football betting site, they can begin to make their selection and get started.
- To begin, punters should navigate to their betting site of choice and register their account. There’s a quick form to fill in, which asks for some personal information, identity verification and to confirm login details.
- Once their account is live, punters can make their first deposit using one of the many accepted payment methods, which include debit cards, e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill, bank transfer and, in some cases, mobile payment platforms such as Apple Pay.
- Deposits are normally processed immediately, which means that punters can get started as soon as the payment has gone through.
Final remarks on the top UK betting sites
With so many of the top betting sites offering generous welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions, there has never been a better time to get started with football betting in the UK.
The bookmaker reviews in this article have identified a number of bookies that provide a first-class user experience, with competitive odds, unique promos, rapid deposits/withdrawals and live streaming just some of the features that set them apart from the rest.
It’s quick and easy to register for an account, and who knows, maybe you will place your first winning football bet on England or Wales at the World Cup?
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org