Written By: Dean Carr | Fact Checked By: Sarah Lunness
Every year, more than £14 billion is wagered on sport in the UK with several billion of that wagered on football. 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 are well aware of our national obsession with football and go to great lengths to try and curry 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're 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 9 best sites for football betting.
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1. bet365
Expert Rating: 4.9/5
bet365 is one of the UK’s best betting sites for football, where you can bet on everything from who is going to win outright to how many throw-ins or free kicks there will be during the match, along with player prop bets. bet365 is also one of only a handful of UK bookmakers who offer partial cash-out so you can take a percentage of your stake while the bet is still active. Add football live streaming to the mix and you have got a recipe for one of the best football betting sites with cash out in the UK. Oh, and let us not forget their Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets Welcome Offer.
2. William Hill
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
William Hill is as tuned into the punter psyche as any company and understands to its core the importance of providing competitive prices on Premier League, Serie A, Champions League, La Liga and other world-class football league matches. They also go above and beyond with their loyalty rewards, boosted odds and a nifty feature they call “Acca Freedom”, where you have your choice between acca insurance or an acca boost. And let us not forget their welcome bonus of 3x£10 in Free Bets for opening an account and making an initial bet of £10 at odds of at least 1.5 (1/2).
3. Betfred
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Betfred has earned the loyalty of football lovers for their blanket coverage of UK football and other top leagues and tournaments from around the world. One of their best features is their in-play betting option which adds an extra level of excitement to your activities without imposing a steep learning curve, minimum deposit, or wagering requirements. Another thing we really love about Betfred is their state-of-the-art mobile app with its clean interface, intuitive navigation and rock-solid security. If you are thinking of opening a Betfred account, now’s the time as they're giving away £40 in Free Bets for new customers.
4. 888Sport
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
888Sport is one of the strongest candidates in our selection of the best football betting sites in the UK. Founded in 2008, 888Sport has been a mainstay of the sports betting scene for some time and football is at the heart of its offering. Regular users of the site benefit from special football promotions on a near-daily basis and the 888 Acca Club promotion is hugely popular with its football punters. All new customers that sign up to 888Sport today are eligible to claim £30 in free bets + a £10 casino bonus.
5. BetVictor
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
BetVictor does a superb job covering football both in the UK and around the world, including all the biggest leagues and tournaments and lots of lesser-known ones. Their sportsbook offers competitive odds, plenty of loyalty rewards, a great bet-builder feature and a slew of speciality markets. Couple all that with the wide array of financing options they provide, and you undoubtedly have one of the best betting sites for football in the UK. And just in case you need more incentive to check them out, consider the site's welcome bonus where if you bet £10 at odds of 2.0 or greater they will credit your account with £40 in free bets.
6. Betway
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
Betway puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to its support for English football sponsoring as they do West Ham United. When it comes to their sportsbook they are equally committed. There are a ton of markets at competitive odds, plenty of loyalty bonuses, a bet builder tool and a minimum initial deposit of as little as £5. The Betway sign-up bonus takes the form of first bet insurance. Just place up to a £30 acca on any sporting event taking place anywhere in the world and if you lose Betway will credit your account up to £30.
7. BetUK
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
BetUK is part of a new generation of online sportsbooks. On any given day you can expect to find hundreds and hundreds of football markets related to matches in both the UK and abroad. There are also lots of loyalty promos and an outstanding Welcome Bonus we will get into in a second. First, we have to say that, while BetUK is one of the best football betting sites in the UK, they can not be considered THE best because of the limited number of deposit and withdrawal methods. That said, their welcome bonus is worth mentioning as you get £30 in Free Bets for making a first wager of at least £10.
8. Virgin Bet
Expert Rating: 4.6/5
Virgin came to the bookmaking business late, but they had an advantage most other startups do not have: a globally recognised brand name. Because of that, they did not have much trouble attracting punters and they kept many of those punters by doubling down on football with daily price boosts and a variety of existing customer promos. They also offer one of the best football live streaming services in the business and their In-Play betting feature is as good as any. Their welcome bonus provides £20 in Free Bets for placing an initial bet of at least £10 at 1.5 odds or better.
9. LiveScore Bet
Expert Rating: 4.6/5
LiveScore Bet hasn't been around all that long. But despite being wet behind the ears they have managed to become one of the best football bet sites in the UK. LiveScore Bet separates itself from much of the competition by offering a wealth of existing customer promotions, competitive odds, hundreds of football markets every week and state-of-the-art football live streaming. You could make an argument that they're one of the overall best sports betting sites in the UK, but that’s a story for another day. Their £20 Free Bet Welcome Bonus serves as a strong and valuable introduction to what their service is all about.
10. Mr.Play
Expert Rating: 4.6/5
Mr.Play is a new-ish site and is still not widely known. The lack of name recognition and popular engagement has not stopped Mr.Play from making a notable effort to attract football fans and keep them happy. Every day you will find existing customer promos and features such as Euro Elite Battles and Premier League Match Day Battles. Mr.Play boasts competitive odds, wide variety of football markets, the number of different account finance options they provide and their innovative “Pulse Betting”. New customers can earn themselves a £10 bet token when they place a £10 qualifying bet today.
How to Join a Football Bookmaker
Below, we have listed some easy steps you can follow in order to successfully sign up for your preferred football betting site.
- Click the link provided in this article to be taken to your chosen bookmaker’s sign-up site.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and enter your personal details, such as your name, date of birth, email address, etc.
- Create a username and password combination that you will be sure to remember.
- Make sure to read and fully understand the T&Cs of your chosen site. These may differ from site to site.
- Accept the terms and Conditions
- Sign in and enjoy!
How We Rank The Best Football Bookmakers
Below, we've listed a few of the different criteria we use in order to assess the quality of the sites. We have listed seven different criteria we set out before doing our research. Make sure to read on if you wish to learn more about how we choose the best betting sites for football in the UK.
Range of Matches
A key feature we look at when choosing the best football betting sites is the range of matches. Featuring all of the big matches is essential, but also including odds across a wide range of games and leagues will attract more sports bettors to a site. Whether they are fans of the clubs or football fans in general who want to add more selections to an accumulator, the range of matches on offer from a site is one of the biggest features that attract customers.
Bonuses
Another important feature of being one of the best betting sites for football is the range of bonuses that are on offer to customers. The most popular sites will have competitive offers and odds that make customers pick that site over any others. At the top betting sites, customers can expect to find bonuses such as welcome bonuses, no-deposit bonuses, odds boosts, free bets, early payouts, and more.
Competitive Odds
It's vital for a football betting site to have competitive odds to be considered one of the best. What is being offered to customers will need to challenge its competitor's odds to get their custom. We check and compare the odds on offer across various sites to ensure we bring you the best football betting sites.
Live/In-Play Betting
Another feature we check for when picking the best betting sites for football is if it offers Live/ In-Play betting. This kind of bet is one of the most exciting and popular among football fans, as you can follow a team live and adjust your bet accordingly, deciding whether or not to cash out and placing bets based on how the game is going. All of the sites included in this article offer Live/In-Play betting.
Mobile Availability
Offering a site that is fully compatible with being used on mobile devices will not only retain customers but will also attract those who may not otherwise have access to the site. The best football betting sites all offer the option to play on a mobile device, whether via a browser or a dedicated mobile app that can be downloaded from your device's app store. This makes a site significantly more accessible and allows football fans to place bets on the go, too.
Click here to learn more about the best Football betting apps in the UK from CityAM!
Betting Options
Having a good range of betting options for customers is an important feature of being considered one of the best football betting sites. We ensure checking and comparing between sites to ensure the betting options are vast and of a good variety to keep customers coming back and choosing one site over another.
Payment Methods
The final feature we look for when choosing the best football betting sites is that they are supported by a strong range of recognised payment methods. This will help customers feel assured that their transactions at a site are safe and secure when placing their bets. Also, seeing that a site accepts regular, everyday payment methods supports the legitimacy and trust of the site..
Popular Football Betting Markets
There are plenty of football betting markets that punters can place bets on each and every week. There has never been a better time to be a football punter than now thanks to the tremendous depth of markets and the range of The following are some of the most popular types of football wagers.
Football Accumulator (Acca)
Accumulator bets, popularly known simply as “accas” are available on all the best football bet sites. The acca involves combining 4 or more markets into a single bet with all 4 needing to win for the wager to pay off. While the odds are long of that happening, the payoff when it does happen can be quite substantial.
Final Result
Also known as a “full time result” this is the most common type of wager in football. The punter places a bet on one of three possible outcomes: either the home team will win, the away team will win or the match will end in a draw.
Correct Score
Like the Final Result bet, the Correct Score bet is a very straightforward wager. The person places a bet on what they anticipate will be the final score of the match. Bookmakers list a variety of potential scores and assign odds to each. The bettor then chooses one of these.
Both Teams To Score (BTTS)
Another simple, straightforward wager the Both Teams to Score bet, typically abbreviated to BTTS, is a simple yes or no bet. If you believe both teams will score, choose “yes”. If you believe 1 or both teams will not score, choose “no”.
Over/Under
Over/Under bets are common in most sports. The bookmaker offers odds that the total number of goals scored in a particular match will be above or below a certain number. Some football bookmakers will also offer Over/Under on total shots on goal, yellow cards, the amount of stoppage time and more.
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.
Live Streaming UK Football Betting Sites
Most of the UK’s best football betting sites offer live streaming of matches throughout the year that includes bet365, Virgin Bet, BetUK, William Hill, BetVictor and 888Sport and other online bookmakers like Coral and Paddy Power. Having the ability to live stream football matches in the same place that you are betting on them is a huge advantage to punters and improved technology means there are HD quality live streams with UK football betting sites online.
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:
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National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
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GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
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GambleAware: https://www.begambleaware.org/
Football Betting Sites FAQs
What is the best football gambling site to bet on?
Although there will be a wide range of responses to this query, we believe that bet365 is the greatest football betting website out there. Perfect live streaming, extensive coverage of over sixty football leagues, creative markets, competitive odds, prop bets, and the option to partially cash out are just a few of the features that a die-hard football fan may desire. In addition, they provide a sizable Welcome Offer, a wide range of continuous client promos, and fair odds.
Can you live stream football on UK betting sites?
While live streaming isn't available on every top football betting site, it is on the majority of them. Particularly noteworthy are Bet365, Virgin Bet, Bet UK, William Hill, BetVictor, and 888Sport. Coral and Paddy Power are two other UK online bookies that aren't included in our ranking of the top football betting sites with live streaming.
How do I bet on football?
It's surprisingly easy to place a football wager with any of the best football betting sites available in the UK. To place a wager, simply visit the bookmaker's Football section of their website, open a new account with any of the aforementioned bookies, deposit the minimum amount stipulated by the bookmaker, select a market, and input your desired stake amount.Next, confirm that your wager is accurate by reviewing it, and then, depending on the website, click "bet now" or "place your bet."
What are the best football bets?
The following are some of the most popular football bets placed with internet bookmakers:
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Final Result
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Correct Score
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Both Teams to Score
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First Goalscorer
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Over/Under
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Double Chance
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Football Accas
