Best betting Sites 2019: Top UK Bookies

Best Betting Sites compared by our experts

The internet is swamped with online bookmakers. You have established UK high street operators which have converted into the online world such as William Hill, Coral and Ladbrokes competing for your custom against somewhat lesser known brands like Matchbook and GentingBet.

But, what are the best betting sites available to the UK punter? That’s the mission of our website: to compare the leading brands – both old and new – to see what exactly they have to offer.

Are they worthy of your hard-earned cash or should you avoid them with a barge pole ? 

Top 5 best betting sites selected for the UK players

We have compiled the list of 5 best sports betting websites for those who are interested in betting but are still unsure about which platform to choose. Every bookie offers a unique welcome bonus.

Online betting sites with the best promotions

On this website you’ll find the best online betting sites which our experienced research team has chosen. Which one is best for you? That depends on what criteria you are looking for in an online bookmaker. Compare the offers before to sign-up.

Are you a bonus hunter? Do you seek out the best odds? Or, are fast withdrawals what you want the most? To get started, we’ve listed five of the best betting sites that fulfill those criteria. The decision is yours as to which one to join.

List of best betting sites and their promo codes

Why betting online?

We live in a digital age, with many different aspects of our every day life moving online, but is it really necessary for sports betting to be one of those things we do online as well? Of course, it’s a personal choice as to whether you want to join one of the best betting sites online or pop down the high street and place your wagers in a traditional brick and mortar betting shop.

Let’s have a look at the advantages which online betting brings to the table, so you can decide for yourself the benefits of betting online.

• Convenience: You simply cannot argue that online betting is far more convenient. There’s no need to go into town and write out your bet slip, everything is available for you at home on your PC or on a mobile device if you’re on the move.

This means you can be more flexible, too. Perhaps you’re watching Manchester United Vs Brighton and Brighton score, so you decide to have a punt on Utd still winning. At the best betting sites online you can do this virtually instantly.

• Safety: It may sound strange as some people are skeptical about sharing their financial information online but safety really is one of the perks of playing at the best betting sites. For starters, when you land a big win, you aren’t walking out of the bookies with your pockets stuffed full of cash.

Online, you simply withdraw to your desired location and there it is. Furthermore, the best betting sites on this website are all licenced by the UK Gambling Commission which enforces very strict measures in terms of the bookmaker providing safe and trusted methods of depositing and withdrawing online. So, it really is the safest option.

• More betting options:  Both pre-match and live in-play betting are available across a range of sports from around the world at the best betting sites online.

Yet, it’s the unbeatable market depth which you get when betting online that really sets it apart.

A typical Premier League football match will have around 200 betting options available for punters at the UK’s best betting sites. Also, in-play betting has revolutionised the industry.

You can bet on the next point in tennis or wager that a goal will be scored within the next minute when betting online – this type of experience is just not possible at traditional betting shops.

• Better prices: With lower overheads, it stands to reason that punters can often find better odds at our best betting sites online.

Another reason is due to the vast amount of competition from other bookmakers on the internet.

These operators are all fighting for your business which help to drive the prices up to the benefit of the punter.

• More bonuses and promotions: When you step through the door of your local betting for the first time, are you welcomed with a nice bonus? Or when you place a certain number of bets, are you given a free bonus bet? Most likely the answer is no – but when betting online, the answer is ‘Yes!’

Best betting offers for UK customers

There is a plethora of betting offers available for brand new customers and existing punters at all of our best betting sites.

But, how do you find them and what types of offers are available ? Below, we answer these important questions but for newcomers, you need to be aware that each offer will come with a few terms and conditions.

It’s vital that you read the ‘small print’ of the offer first, so you know exactly what the deal is, and what you have to do to claim the bonus.

How to find the best offers?

Deciding which bookmaker to pick is not always an easy task. Between welcome offers, mobile apps and the rest, it’s easy to get lost, especially for a newcomer. But fear not, we’re here to make the task easier!

We’ve made a subjective evaluation of the best bookmaker at the moment, which you can see below. Be sure to consider different options from our partners, to make an educated decision. We hope you’ll find something suitable for you.

What kind of offers are there?

Whilst every online bookie is different, and each is coming up with more innovative offers all the time, there are several time-served favourites which you can expect to find at many of the best betting sites. They include:

• No deposit bonuses: not every site will offer this deal as the bookmaker carries all the risk. Generally, a sports betting no deposit bonus will be in the form of a ‘risk-free’ bet.

All you need to do is register with the online bookie and you’ll be given a free bet token to use before depositing.

• Deposit bonuses: here you’ll get a certain amount of extra cash to bet with. Most of the best betting sites offer some kind of deposit bonus, such as 100% up to £50, so you’ve got double the money to wager. 
• Free bets: one of the top sports betting offers is the free bets deal. You might get some simply for depositing, like William Hill’s Bet £10 Get £30 in free bets welcome bonus. Other bookies may hand them out after you’ve placed a certain number of wagers, or they might be a perk of a VIP scheme.

Whatever way you get them, free bets, especially if there are no wagering conditions attached are an excellent way for punters to boost their bankroll.

• Price boosts: each bookie has its own name for this offer. Some call it enhanced odds, others boosted odds or price pumps. however, the principle is exactly the same throughout.

You get better odds on a selected market. Commonly, with football matches it will be on the outright winner market, so you get England to beat Belguim was 5/2 now 7/2 or it might be on the first goalscorer. Horse racing, tennis, golf and many other mainstream sports are covered with price boosts, but they are random and usually only promoted on the day of the match or event so you need to keep your eyes open for them.

• Insurance bets: an insurance bet has a few variants. The straight-up insurance bet is based upon your wager losing. for example, place a £10 bet and if it loses, you get a free £10 bonus bet.

This is a a standard insurance bet as the bookmaker is in effect saying, ‘your first bet is insured because if it loses, you get a second chance.’ Another type is the ‘acca’ insurance bet. This is hugely popular and all the best betting sites offer this promotion.

Here you place an accumulator (acca) bet, usually with a minimum of 5 selections, and if 1 selection loses, then you get your stake back as a bonus bet.

• Best odds guaranteed: this offer has been around for several years now, and it’s been adopted by all the leading best betting sites. It applies to horse racing and greyhounds (if offered by the bookie).

Now don’t be misled into thinking that this means you won’t find a better price elsewhere on the internet – that is not the case. Best odds guaranteed is only based on that particular bookmaker.

What the bookie is offering is if you place a bet on a horse in the morning, at 9/2 for example, then as it gets closer to race time, the odds start drifting out, so it becomes 5/1 then 11/2 then 6/1 at the off, you get the best odds paid to you.

Whilst it is a great offer as the punter can only benefit from it, there is usually a good reason why a price drifts out so the bookmaker rarely gets stung too badly.

• #GetAPrice: usually, but not always, this offer is conducted over social media. It allows the punter to create their own bespoke bets and the bookmaker will offer a price. For example you might ask for a price on Harry Kane scoring the first goal and later in the same match being sent off.

You send this as a tweet and the bookie will reply with its price offer. Although, it’s somewhat of a gimmick as all the main markets are comprehensively covered at the best betting sites, if there is a special bet you want to place, then it’s worth trying.

• Specials: these come in all shapes and sizes, in addition to covering a range of sports. If your chosen bookmaker is UK-centric then you can expect more offers related to the most popular sports in that country.

A few examples are beaten by a length for horse racing. Here you would get your money back as a free bet if you backed a horse to win but it was beaten by this distance. Football has numerous specials such as double odds if you bet on a player to score market and they bag more than 1 goal or money back (as a free bet) if you bet on a correct score and the game finishes nil-nil.

The best betting sites also offer plenty of specials for overseas sporting action, too, especially on NBA, MLB, AFL and NFL and NHL matches. Certainly worth checking out as you might find something which tickles your fancy.

Sports betting sites: how we chose the best

What makes a good sports betting site? There are several factors which define the best betting sites and make them stand out from the rest.

The term ‘best’ is naturally subjective, and each individual sports bettor will value certain aspects of an online bookmaker more highly than others. However, there are boxes which all bookies need to tick.

Trustworthiness: the number one factor

Firstly, honesty and integrity are paramount. Largely, this can be gauged by what licences the bookmaker holds as this will tell you what regulations it must adhere to.

The UK’s best betting sites we’ve chosen on this website each hold the respected UK Gambling Commission licence which oversees the practices of the bookie to ensure that it is ethical and the customers are protected at all times.

Regular betting promotions: a helpful boost

Bonuses and promotions are also important as all punters want to receive a few extra perks along the way, but these bonuses need to be fair. It is pointless joining a site which is offering a £5,000 welcome bonus (just an example) but the T&Cs make it virtually impossible for you to profit from said offer. At All Best Betting Sites, we believe all offers should present a good ‘sporting chance’ to the punter of being successful. Of course, the more knowledge the punter has, the better their chances.

Wide range of betting markets to satisfy all sports fans

Not all punters want to bet on horse racing or football so a good betting site needs to offer plenty of variety to its customers. When selecting a site, you want to check that it offers not only the sports you want to bet on, but the particular markets you’re interested in.

This is where the best online bookmakers are strongest as they offer very good market depth (the number of different bets you can place) on a larger number of sports, matches and games.

Competitive odds for good betting value

That brings us to the odds. You will notice as you become a more experienced online bettor that certain bookmakers offer better odds on certain sports.

So, just because bookmaker A is great for horse racing, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be the best for football betting. Once again, what sports you want to bet on will help determine which bookie is right for you.

Peace of mind: knowing your betting funds are secure

Payments – especially withdrawals – are another measure for defining the best betting sites.

All bookmakers offer a wide range of payment options so funding your account is done in a flash, but what’s more important is how long does it take to get your winnings? In the past, some bookies have tended to drag their feet when processing a withdrawal request – probably in the hope you will cancel it and start betting again.

Things have changed dramatically now in the UK as the Gambling Commission has put its foot down. Still, you want to check how quickly you’ll get paid.

Best football betting sites

Here are a selection of the best betting sites for football wagering. Whether it’s a simple match winner bet or a more complex wager like Asian Handicap, you’ll find what you’re looking for.

Best horse racing betting sites

Meanwhile, if you like to bet on horse racing, you may want to try one of these sites, which are our current favorites in that domain. let’s compare the offers of each site:

Which are the Best sports to bet on?

We are often asked at All Best Betting Sites, what are the best sports to bet on? The simple answer is the ones which interest you the most and you have a good knowledge of. If you don’t like horse racing, then we wouldn’t advise betting on it.

Fundamentally, sports betting is a test of your skill and understanding of a certain sport or game. It’s different from buying a lottery ticket or playing a slot machine.

You are, or should be the majority of the time, betting on yourself to get the prediction right. Therefore, we recommend you stick to the sports you like, as these are far more likely to be profitable over the long term than simply betting on anything that you have little understanding of.

With that said, here a few interesting sports to bet on.

Football

It is the most widely bet on sport in the world but what makes it most interesting is the number of betting markets which are now available to punters. Before the internet came into existence, betting on football at the high street bookie meant outright winner, correct score and first goalscorer – those were the only markets available. Now, online you have absolutely everything, including Asian handicaps, total corners, time of first card, will there be a penalty or not and much more. MansionBet has now introduced PulseBetting where you can have a wager on a goal being scored in the next 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes or 10. As the clock ticks down you get a higher payout if you win. Innovation never sleeps – this is true when it comes to football betting.

Tennis

This game really comes alive when betting in-play. You can bet on set scores as well as game scores, so if you think a player will win to love, then there’s a market for you. Some of the best betting sites also allow point-by-point betting which is both intense and exciting.

Basketball

With many NBA games hovering around the 200 total points mark, there are plenty of different markets which basketball fans can get stuck into. As the game ebbs and flows, you can wager on the team which will be the first to score a set number of points, players points, fouls, number of 3-pointers and much more.

Horse racing

You’ll be amazed at what options are available for a single horse at the top online bookmakers. Gone are the days of simply betting on a win or each way. Now, you can bet on the horse to finish second, third or sometimes last. You have forecasts and tricasts, and even head-to-head betting for horses in the same race. If you have a solid knowledge of horse racing, you can make it payoff by betting online.

Esports

Whilst still very new, esports betting is rapidly taking-off. It is an acquired taste and we only recommend it for computer game enthusiasts but it really is action-packed and super exciting with plenty of twists and turns along the way. So, if you want to bet on total dragons slain in LoL, or team kills in Dota 2, now you can!

Top 5 online bookmakers for their sport section

There are many excellent online bookmakers available for you to choose from – in fact there has never been a better time to be a punter. From our thorough research, these are the the top 5 best betting sites currently on the market:

• William Hill
• Betfair
• Ladbrokes
• Matchbook
• GentingBet

It should be noted that the list above is a mixture of online bookmakers (also known as sportsbook) and online sports betting exchanges.

The bookmakers are William Hill, Ladbrokes and GentingBet. This is the traditional method where a punter places a wager and the liability is on the bookie.

A sports betting exchange, like *Betfair and Matchbook does away with the traditional bookmaker and punters bet against each other. This requires liquidity in the market and for bets to be matched.

*Betfair operates both a betting exchange platform and an online sportsbook which are both accessible through one account.

Best new betting sites: the latest bookies

The established bookmakers cannot rest on their laurels, this is a very competitive industry and there are new betting sites being launched every month.

Naturally, to attract your custom, they need to have a top-quality product which is on par with the big brand names in the industry. These are a few of the latest additions that are worth looking out for:

• MansionBet: a part of the famous Mansion Group which is known for its online poker room and casino. MansionBet offers 36 different sports for you to bet on and thousands of in-play markets every week. Being backed by such an experienced company, we expect to be hearing a lot more from this brand in the years to come.
• EnergyBet: with a wonderful platform, EnergyBet delivers a smooth online betting experience. It has more than 30 sports in its portfolio, with a special focus on esports betting. So, if CS:GO, LoL, Dota 2 or StarCraft are your games, then this bookmaker is the one for you.
• 10Bet: another newcomer which has hit the ground running. 10Bet has 1000s of pre-match and live betting markets spread across a host of different sports. It offers live streaming and an iOS and Android app for mobile bettors.
• Mintbet: although very new, its platform design does strike you at first as being a little dated. Yet, don’t purely judge a book by its cover. Mintbet has plenty of mouth-watering betting markets available pre-match and in-play. Its odds are competitive and with Mintbet TV you can stream plenty of live action direct to your device.

Which bookie has the Best betting deals?

If you are new to online betting, it’s tempting to be swayed by bookmakers throwing lots of bonus cash and large free bets your way. However, the best betting deals are not always the ones that offer the most free money.

All offers will come with a set of terms and conditions. It is these that will determine how good the offer actually is. We cannot state strongly enough the importance of taking a few minutes to read the main terms, which will be printed below the offer, before deciding whether or not to accept it.

Remember, all that glitters is not gold!

Therefore, review the terms and weigh up the likelihood of you being able to make a profit from the promotion. As mentioned above, stick to sports which you have a good understanding of.

What might be the best betting deal for Mr X, may not be the right one for you. So, bet smart and choose the best betting sites offers which fit in with you – rather than you trying to fit into theirs.

In addition to reviewing the T&Cs, in order to choose the best betting deal for you, you must understand the differences between the most popular promo code types.

The most important distinction is between a welcome offer/sign-up bonus and a promotion for existing customers. The three types are rather self-explanatory but the terms of the deals can differ slightly between bookmakers.

Welcome Bonuses

A welcome bonus is just as it sounds. When new customers make their first deposit they are eligible to claim a bonus offer to give their bankroll a head start. There are a few kinds of welcome offers depending on the bookmaker. However, the most common types are free bets and/or matched bonus.

A free bet is again, pretty self-explanatory. After making your first deposit, the bookmaker will grant you with a free bet. In most cases, the winnings from the free bet come without added turnover requirements. It is important to note that the stake from the free bet is not usually paid out to the user, only the winnings are paid.

A matched bonus slightly more complicated. As the name suggests, the bookie will match your first deposit with a bonus. Most often, the match is 100 percent and comes with a turnover requirement. For example, the bookie matches your first deposit of £200 with a turnover requirement of 4 times the bonus. That means you are required to play for a total of £800 before you are able to make a cash withdrawal.

New Customer / Sign-Up Offers

Another common betting deal is a sign up offer/new customer offer. These function essentially the same way as a welcome bonus. They are only available for first-time customers and are often the most lucrative offers available. Every operation has a standard sign-up offer that will give you free bets, regardless of the time of year. Similar to the welcome offer, you simply have to sign-up using a promo code, make a deposit of a specified amount, and claim your offer. If you are looking for a sign up offer you can discover all the deals on: signupoffers.codes

Existing Customer Offers

Finally, depositors often have bonuses for existing customers. Deals for loyal customers differ between bookmakers and time of year, but a few of the most common offers are listed below:

• Seasonal/Event-Specific: Major sporting events typically have at least one promo you can claim around the time of the match. Top bookmakers also often have bonuses available around Christmas and New Year. They can be anything from risk-free bets to refunds and enhanced odds.
• Reload Bonuses: Typically available at the start of a sporting event or promo period. Bookmakers give credits for loading your account with additional funds.
• Loyalty Rewards: Many bookmakers give regular punters a bonus based on their betting activities. Some bookies even offer a bonus you can claim every week depending upon how much you stake.

Mobile betting: the modern bettors follow the events on smartphone

The movement has started and there’s no stopping it now. Mobile betting is well on its way to becoming the number way punters choose to place their bets.

The best betting sites all deliver a first-class mobile betting platform with the majority also providing native apps for iOS and Android devices. Mobile betting gives you access to your favourite bookmaker anytime, anywhere.

Perhaps it’s your lunch hour at work and you want to place a bet on an afternoon horse race or you are in the pub with your mates watching a game and you decide to have a few in-play wagers.

Which app is the best?

Quite simply the best mobile betting app for you is the one which caters to your needs the most.

However, more generally speaking, William Hill’s mobile sports betting app is a great all-rounder and we believe it will suit nearly all punters.

It covers an amazing number of sports, including UK favourites horse racing, football, cricket, rugby, tennis and even darts.

Plus, it offers exceptional market depth which gives punters much more choice.

Among the app’s key features are fast in-play betting options with one-tap cash-out and partial cash-out available.

It has advanced scoreboards for live betting events with up-to-the-minute stats, as well as live streaming on every UK and Ireland horse race in addition to more than 30,000 other live events every year.

Banking is highly secure and you can enable two-factor-authentication for extra protection.

Customer service is available around the clock and you get all the latest promotions delivered instantly via push notifications (if desired). It is the complete package and it fits in your pocket – what more could you ask for?

Live betting and streaming

Pre-match betting is awesome but for heart-pumping, edge-of-your-seat betting, then live in-play is the place to be.

All the best betting sites now provide in-play betting markets across a range of global sporting events.

It truly takes betting to the next level. How many times have you watched a game and said to a friend, ‘They’re going to score in a minute.’? Live betting allows you act upon those feelings. Also, if the favourite falls behind in any sport, the in-play prices change accordingly, so if Rafael Nadal drops the first set, suddenly the odds on him winning are widened. Savvy bettors (who think he will still pull through) snap up these better prices.

To accompany the thrills (and spills) of in-play betting, the best betting sites also offer wall-to-wall live streaming from thousands of sporting events around the world.

Ultimately, the modern online bookmaker is not just a platform where you place a bet and walk away, it’s a complete sports entertainment station. Some sites require you to have a small wager on a race/match to be able to view it whilst others only require you to have a funded account.

Either way, this is excellent value for being able to view top-class sporting action. You’ll find nearly every top European football league open to viewing, but sadly no Premier League, as well as tennis grand slams, golf, snooker, volleyball and much more.