Written By: Solomon Shehata | Fact Checked By: Sarah Lunness
It's no secret that football is our national sport, and we love betting on it almost as much as we love going to see an important late-season fixture in person. Online bookmakers like Betfred are well aware of our national obsession with football and go to great lengths to try and carry the favour of punters with welcome bonuses, free bets, enhanced odds, and other temptations. In this guide, we will look at the best football betting sites in the UK and what makes them special.
List of the Best Football Betting Sites
There are a lot of outstanding UK betting sites, but they can not all be top dogs when it comes to football. The following represents our picks for the
18+ Gambling Can Be Addictive. Please Play Responsibly. GambleAware GamStop Gambling Commission
Top Five Football Betting Sites Reviewed
Here’s a rundown of our experts’ top five football betting sites for UK punters:
1. Betfred Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Betfred has always stood out from the crowd because of the overwhelming quality of its promotional offers. The site’s bonus spread seems neverending and has a deal to appeal to anyone, but this isn’t the only reason it takes our top spot! The site is chock-full of information without being cluttered and has only improved with its recent visual update. The only drawback is that the mobile compatibility isn’t quite the same level as the competition. New customers signing up for the site for the first time will be offered a whopping £50 in free bets when they stake a 10 bet and enter the promo code WELCOME50.
New customers only. Register (excl. 13/04/24) with WELCOME50. First, bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get Free Bets: £20 In-Play, £20 Acca & 50 x £0.20 (£10) Free Spins on Fishin’ Frenzy within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
2. BetMGM Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
BetMGM is a well-known US betting brand that made its way to the UK in 2023. Its sophisticated website and terrific mobile compatibility helped propel its excellent launch. BetMGM sets itself apart as a top choice for football betting thanks to its competitive odds and excellent football offers. We do wish BetMGM supported more payment options, but overall, it’s one of the best choices available for football betting. New customers signing up for the first time will be offered a welcome offer consisting of £40 in free bets when they stake a £10 bet on any eligible sports betting market!
New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
3. Copy Bet Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Next up, we’re recommending CopyBet. The football coverage here is exceptional, with regular bet boosts and dedicated promotional offers. CopyBet also stands out from the competition thanks to its Tipsters feature, which lets you mimic the betting patterns of successful bettors. You can even sign up as a Tipster and make a bit of extra cash. Unfortunately, for all its fantastic features, CopyBet doesn’t host any live streaming, only in-play betting. Those looking to sign up for the Copy Bet site for the first time will be granted the chance to claim a whopping £50 in free bets when they bet £10 on any qualifying market.
Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either 1 Single or Accumulator (2+ selections) bet, start at £10, and have 1.9 or greater odds. 5 Free bets include: 1 x £10 Free bet on horse racing, 1 x £10 Free bet on football, 2 x 10 Free bet in-play, 1 x £10 Free bet Acca. Max payout – £500. 7 day expiry. 18+ only. Begambleaware.com.
4. BetVictor Football
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
BetVictor is well known for its fantastic football odds, meaning that you’ll always get a good price on your wagers. BetVictor is also a convenient betting option thanks to its standout mobile betting experience; the BetVictor sportsbook app is regarded as one of the very best in the business by experts and users alike! Unfortunately, a big drawback for football bettors, in particular, is the lack of football streaming at BetVictor, with live streaming only covering horse racing. new customers signing up for this site for the first time are offered a chance to claim £30 in bonuses + 30 Free Spins when You Bet £10!
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet min £10 on any sports market at min odds of 1/1 (2.00)+ No cash out. Get £20 in Free Bets, £10 Live Casino Bonus + 30 Free Spins for selected slots. 40x wagering for the bonus, max withdrawal £250, valid 30 days. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit Card/Apple Pay Payments only. T&Cs Apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
5. William Hill Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
.png?width=802&height=400&name=William%20Hill%20(1).png)
The last football betting site we have for you is William Hill, a sportsbook we’d be shocked if you hadn’t heard of! William Hill is one of the oldest bookies in the UK, established all the way back in 1939. This experience shines through with the vast betting markets and fantastic promotions on offer. You can even access live streaming across all major events and in-play betting for that real-time action. The main roadblock hardcore bettors may meet is the odds at William Hill, which aren’t the best you’ll find. First-time customers to the William Hill site or mobile app will be offered £30 in free bets, simply for signing up and staking a £10 qualifying bet!
18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 18.10.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. #ad
How To Sign Up For The Best Football Betting Sites
If any of the football betting sites we’ve shown you have caught your interest, you’ll be thrilled to know that creating a new account with them is quick and easy. You could be betting in minutes! While each site will have differences, you can follow these general steps to make signing up and claiming your welcome bonus hassle-free:
- Use our link to reach the sign-up page and hit ‘Join Now’ or similar to start registration.
- Enter your sign-up details — this will include sensitive information like your name, date of birth and contacts.
- If your chosen betting site requires a promo code to claim the welcome offer, make sure to enter it when signing up.
- Make your first deposit — ensure you’re meeting the minimum to claim your welcome bonus.
- Wager your deposit on a valid event.
- Once the bet has settled, you can claim your welcome bonus! It may automatically be credited to your account, or you may have to claim it from the promotions tab.
How Do We Choose The Best Football Betting Sites?
These may be our experts’ top picks for the best football betting sites, but what are the qualities that make them the best? Our experts have shared their most important judging criteria below:
Live Streaming
Technology has reached the point where we can easily watch the matches we want to bet on from the same platform we make the wager! However, only some sportsbooks that offer live streaming will cover football, so we give credit to the sites that do. Live streaming through betting sites is convenient for punters as it allows them to keep track of their bets as the match is happening and adds to the live betting experience.
Competitive Odds
This is a simple numbers game: better odds mean a greater potential payout. Betting sites that have consistently better odds will be ranked higher among the best football betting sites. No site will have the best football odds for every match — that would be an unreasonable expectation — but some sites will have consistently better odds in football than others, and those are the ones we’re more likely to recommend.
Range Of Payment Options
If you can’t even put money into your betting account, you’re not going to have a hope of using it. We all manage our finances in different ways, and a betting site with a wider range of options opens itself up to a larger customer base. At minimum, we like to see sites hosting more than just debit cards and bank transfers; e-wallets in particular are proving to be the most popular (and safest) way to make online transfers nowadays, so we’re on the lookout for these options.
Mobile Compatability
Mobile compatibility is more important than ever nowadays, as many people use their phones or tablets for exclusive internet access. As such, if a betting site doesn’t cater to the mobile market, it shows an unwillingness to adapt or keep up with newer audiences. A good mobile betting site will have an interface suited to a smaller screen and won’t clutter the site with unnecessary information or graphics. To sweeten the deal, a sportsbook could even have a dedicated app which streamlines the experience and lessens loading times and stream buffering.
Ease Of Use
Modern audiences value convenience over any other factor in daily life, and this extends to our betting sites. Users are less likely to put up with a site if it’s a hassle to use—is it difficult to find the bets you want to make, is the payment process too convoluted, etc.? We want to see a betting site that’s intuitive to navigate and doesn’t clutter our screens with too much unnecessary information or inane graphics.
Popular Football Betting Offers
You can place many different types of bets at sportsbooks, many of which are specific to the sport you’re betting on. Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular football bets you can make at the top football betting sites:
Both teams To Score (BTTS)
A Both Teams to Score bet (BTTS) can payout regardless of the outcome. The only thing you’re betting on here is whether both teams in a match will score before 90 minutes (so excluding extra time). This is a popular football bet you’ll find at most sportsbooks.
Full-Time Result
A full-time result bet is the most basic type of football bet. Sometimes called a 1x2 bet, you have to pick the basic outcome of the match: home win, away win, or a draw. This bet is typically associated with football betting but could apply to other match sports.
Total Goals (Over/Under)
A total goals bet is a wager on the overall goals scored by both teams. Will the total be more or less than a specific number? Sometimes, a match will feature more than one number to bet over or under. This means it doesn’t matter who wins, just that both teams perform to a certain standard.
Accumulator
Accumulators, commonly shortened to accas, are a kind of multi-bet that is wildly popular in football betting. It combines four or more different bets into one larger wager. The acca will only pay out if all legs (each individual wager) wins, but the profit potential is way higher than any single bet.
Football Specials
Some of the best betting sites for football offer special markets such as whether or not a particular manager will last the entire season, or which club a selected player will join during the transfer window. Another popular Football Special is betting on whether player X will make the England squad, for example. These specials will pop up routinely throughout the course of the season to reflect the current affairs in the world of football.
What is a Football Accumulator Bet?
As we just mentioned the accumulator, or “acca” bet, involves combining multiple selections into a single wager. An acca bet must comprise at least 4 selections, but punters are free to add extra ones if they wish. Odds from each selection are combined making the odds on the entire acca bet quite long. If just one of the selections fails, the entire acca bet fails. However, most bookmakers will offer “acca insurance”, wherein if your acca bet misses by 1 selection, you will get a compensatory Free Bet.
Can I Live Steam Football on betting Sites?
Many betting sites support live streaming coverage of football events nowadays and without any additional charge. If you want to watch a football live stream on your betting site, you’ll need to find its bet listing and select the streaming link from there. Accessing the stream itself varies from site to site — some sites require you to place a wager on the match in question before you can watch the live stream, but others only need you to log into your account.
Please also bear in mind that not all of our recommended betting sites support live streaming of football events, so check before you register an account if this is important to your betting experience.
Popular Football Leagues to Bet On
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League is an annual tournament that pits the best of European football against each other. It is widely considered the most prestigious club football tournament in the world and attracts insane amounts of betting action. Expect to see plenty of price boosts and accas associated with this competition, as well as enhanced odds for some of the matches.
English Premier League
The English Premier League is perhaps the biggest, toughest, and most popular football league in Europe and the world. Football fans from across the globe tune in week in and week out to watch the world’s best teams and players. Huge teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea make up just a handful of the teams that play in the league. The Premier League is also one of the world’s biggest betting markets; there is truly something for everyone in the Premier League.
Bundesliga
The German Bundesliga is one of the most popular leagues in Europe, with the highest average attendance across any top European league. Averaging 5,000 fans more per game than the Premier League! Dominated by the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga certainly provided plenty of entertainment for neutrals to bet on!
Serie A
The Italian Serie A is a historic and popular League in Europe and worldwide. Considered the best and most popular league in the world in the 80s all the way to the late naughties, the Italians do football properly! With twelve UEFA Champions League titles between the top three teams in Italy, AC Milan (7), Inter Milan (3), and Juventus (2), and countless UEFA Cup/Europa League wins, the Serie A provides plenty of markets and options for punters.
La Liga
La Liga was regarded as the best league in the world for many years when it took over from the Serie A in the early 2010s. With giants of the game like Real Madrid and Barcelona among the ranks of La Liga, it should come as no surprise to hear that those two teams make up more betting action than some other leagues as a whole!
Ligue 1
Every year, the French first division, Ligue 1, generates millions of euros in revenue from betting action. This is due to the competitive nature of the league, and powerhouse teams like PSG and Marseille. With only 18 teams instead of 20, Ligue 1 is more competitive than ever and perfect for punters of any experience!
English Championship
The Premier League is not the only game in town when it comes to English football. The English Championship attracted more than 11,000,000 paying fans last year and is a favourite of punters nationwide. Officially the 2nd highest division of the English football league system, competition is furious between clubs jockeying for promotion to the Premier League.
What to do if you have a gambling problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it's important to gamble responsibly. If you're struggling with a gambling problem, please don't hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Here are some resources that can help you:
-
National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
-
GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
-
GambleAware: https://www.gambleaware.org/
Football Betting Sites FAQs
What Does Each Way Mean In Football Betting?
Each Way bets pay out if the participant you’re backing wins or places. In football, this is usually applied to winners or placed teams in a league.
How Does Football Betting Work?
Your sportsbook will offer you different wagers to back, for example, one team winning a football match. You put up money for this, and if your bet wins, you’ll be paid back your stake and any profit. If you lose, you’ll forfeit your stake and receive nothing.
What Does BTTS Mean In Football Betting?
BTTS stands for Both Teams to Score; it is a type of football bet that pays out if both teams in a match score at least one point within the first 90 minutes.
What is the best site for football betting?
Our experts have determined that the best football betting site is Betfred, thanks to its sleek, updated user interface, competitive odds and unbeatable promotional offers.
