Best Betting Sites UK - Top Online Bookmakers December 2024

UK Sports Betting Site Offers

The UK is lucky to have the most competitive online gambling market in the world. It is larger and more mature than any other online gambling sector, and it also has the tightest regulation. That means UK punters have a wealth of high-quality, safe, secure, licensed online bookmakers to choose from. But this also means its harder to find the best betting sites in the UK.

It can be difficult to identify the best UK online bookmakers in such a crowded field of betting sites, so we created this guide to help you out. Read on to discover the best UK betting sites, the range sports you can wager on and how to maximise your enjoyment and your chances of winning a profit when the free bet you use on your qualifying bet settles on your chosen betting site.

Top UK Betting Sites

There are a large number of top UK betting sites available, meaning customers can pick and choose the bookies that appeal the most to them. It’s important to choose from the top 20 betting sites UK has to offer to ensure you get a generous bonus along with a first-class sports betting experience when you log into your account.

Our team of experts have reviewed all of the top betting sites to compile a definitive list. We have a number of categories deemed the most important by our readers, and the top online betting sites need to tick all the right boxes in order for us to recommend them.

Here at Bookies.com, we have decades of industry experience between us, which means that we know what features the top UK betting sites have and why other operators would need to show improvement to be included. We will only select the best betting sites, and the list can change according to those improvements or any decline in the overall service.

We strongly advise that you sign up with the top betting sites UK via the links on this page, with Bookies.com regularly able to secure the best deals from Trustly betting sites and others. These might come in the form of a deposit bonus, a matched free bet or even money back if your first bet doesn’t win.

Top 10 Betting Sites

Bet365 Bookmaker

Entrepreneur Denise Coates set up Bet365 in a portakabin outside her father's betting shop in Stoke-on-Trent back in 2000. It is now the world's most popular online bookmaker, with a market-leading position in the UK and many other countries around the world. This UK betting site pioneered in-play betting, live streaming, cash out and many other features we now come to take for granted on the best betting sites. Bet365 is also one of the best betting sites that accept Apple Pay.

Check out our Bet365 UK Bookmaker Review.

BetMGM Online Bookmaker

BetMGM was founded in the 80s and built up the one of the best known casino brands in the world. Now they have an online sportsbook in the UK with the aim of becoming one of the most successful UK bookies online. It is also one of the top US sportsbooks after taking a dominant position in the country as sports betting opens up in more states.

Check out our BetMGM UK Bookmaker Review.

Ladbrokes Bookmaker

Ladbrokes is another UK high street giant, with betting shops spread across the country. In 2016, it merged with rival Coral to create the UK's biggest bookmaker. The group was then purchased by Bwin owner Entain.

Check our Ladbrokes Bookmaker Review here.

Betfred Bookmaker

Betfred takes its name from charismatic founder Fred Done, who has turned it into one of the UK largest betting companies. Again another company with a wide range of markets for customers to bet on. They offer competitive odds many sports, and the best odds guaranteed offer here also stretches to some greyhound races as well as horse racing. Betfred has also expanded into North America. A £10 deposit here is needed to earn the maximum free bet.

Check our Betfred UK Bookmaker Review.

Unibet Bookmaker

The Unibet betting site was founded by a Swedish entrepreneur in his London flat in the 1990s. It is now one of the most popular online bookmakers in the world, with thousands of staff spread across the globe, but like many of the best betting sites the UK remains a key market.

BoyleSports Bookmaker

The Irish bookmaker has gained a reputation for offering great betting odds on a variety of markets to attract customers to use its online betting site. However, underneath all this there is a very sophisticated UK betting site with great bonuses and a polished user experience. Particularly for horse racing, where you can find best odds guaranteed, cash out, and acca insurance offers. BoyleSports was founded in Ireland in 1982, and is one of the most prominent betting sites you will see on high streets alongside its online betting. It is one of the world's largest online gambling companies, that stands alone as a private company.

Check our BoyleSports Bookmaker Review.

Spreadex Bookmaker

Spreadex is possibly the UK's most popular spread betting website. It allows customers to bet in a completely different way to looking for the best odds with a fixed odds bookmaker. Spreadex also offers something similar to traditional online betting sites, a fixed odds UK sportsbook with a wide range of markets.

Check our Spereadex UK Bookmaker Review.

Tote Bookmaker

The Tote was one of the best known bookmakers even before they opened an online betting site. Founded in 1928 and owned until 2011 by the UK Government it was the premier on-track betting operator in the UK, standing out from other bookmakers by operating a pool system for betting. The Placepot and Scoop 6 are two of the top offerings from this betting site.

Check our Tote Bookmaker Review.

QuinnBet Bookmaker

QuinnBet is another one of those bookmakers who are well known in Ireland and are now branching out into sports wagering in the UK with the launch of their own UK betting site. The operator is well known for a reason, an easy to use website combined with great sports betting offers and top odds on a wide range of different markets.

BetVictor Bookmaker

BetVictor is one of the largest UK online bookmakers, which regularly performs well when punters vote for the best UK betting sites on the market. It offers comprehensive coverage of lots of different sports, attractive odds and valuable bonuses including a bet £10 get £40 offer for Cheltenham.

Top 20 Betting Sites UK

We have come up with the top 20 betting sites UK customers can sign up with based on a number of factors. Many of these bookmakers will be familiar to readers, and there’s no limit as to how many different betting accounts you can have. Therefore, we recommend taking a welcome bonus from the top 10 betting sites and then comparing the overall service you get with each operator.

The top UK betting sites will have a generous free bet offer, although there will also be plenty of promotions available to existing customers. Cash out betting sites are commonplace now on the majority of markets, while betting sites with live streaming are also a regular feature, and we’d expect to see either an accumulator bonus or acca insurance if one selection lets you down.

The top 20 betting sites UK players can download have all been reviewed, and they are all licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. This means that a fair and secure experience is guaranteed, with 24/7 customer service available, and there are also competitive odds across a range of sports with these online bookmakers.

bet365 – Consistently Great Prices

bet365 is clearly one of the top UK betting sites, with this global big-hitter providing customers with a welcome offer that allows you to get £50 in free bets. You need to sign up and bet at least £10, with the free bets paid as bet credits. 

BetMGM – Great Range of Markets

There’s a generous free bet offer at BetMGM that sees new players land £40 worth of free bets when they sign up and wager £10. Simply bet at odds of evens (2.0) or bigger with one of the top 10 betting sites UK has to offer to claim this offer, with special feature Golden Goals giving you the chance to land £1 million.

Ladbrokes – Best Football Betting Site

What makes Ladbrokes one of the top betting sites is that you can land £20 worth of free bets when you sign up and bet just £5. The site scores highly for cash out, live streaming, acca insurance and it is one of the best odds guaranteed bookies, with four £5 free bets credited when you wager at 1/2 (1.50) or greater.

Betfred – Best New Customer Offer

Head over to Betfred and you can claim a welcome bonus from one of the top UK betting sites. Simply register and bet £10 in order to generate £50 worth of bonuses. Use the promo code BETFRED50 and make a deposit of £10 or more with a bank card before wagering at evens or bigger.

Unibet - Great Mobile App

Unibet has been among our top 20 betting sites UK can sign up with for some time, and that’s partly down to the fact that you can get £40 in bonuses when you register and bet £10. Make sure you opt in when registering, and there will be £20 in free bets and £20 in casino bonuses coming your way.

BoyleSports – Best for Price Boosts

No list of top 20 betting sites UK is complete without BoyleSports, which has stood the test of time in this market. You can secure £20 worth of free bets when you register and bet £10, with customers needing to stake £10 or more at evens (2.0). It is also one of the top football betting sites and has the Early Payout promotion.

Spreadex – Best Betting Site for Spread Betting

Spreadex is among our top 10 betting sites, and there’s the chance to place fixed-odds bets as well as spread bets. You can get a massive £40 in free bets when you register and bet £10 with this UK betting site, with customers needing to wager at 1/2 (1.50) or greater. You get 2 x £10 free fixed odds bets along with 4 x £5 spread bets.

Tote – Best Horse Racing Betting Site

If you enjoy a punt on horse racing, Tote is one of the top betting sites for you. You can indulge in pool betting, which regularly sees bigger priced winners than the SP on horse racing. Bet £10 to receive £40 in bonuses, and this is valid when you enter the promo code B10G40SPORTS upon registration. It’s a £20 sports bet along with 100 x 20p extra spins on the Gold Blitz casino game.

QuinnBet – Best New Betting Site

There’s plenty to like about one of the top betting sites UK has to offer, with new players able to get 50% back on their first bet up to £50. There’s also 50 extra spins up for grabs as part of the package at one of the new betting sites making waves. Sign up and bet at evens (2.00) before receiving 50% of your first day’s losses back, with a minimum three bets required.

BetVictor - Simple Registration Process

There’s a chance to get £40 in free bets when you wager £10, and this is definitely one of the top football betting sites around for price boosts. Customers can choose any football betting market for their qualifying wager providing it’s staked at evens (2.0) or bigger, with the £40 in bonuses including an acca, bet builder, in-play bet and free bet.

Pub Casino – Best Betting Site/Casino Combination

The reason Pub Casino is among the top 20 betting sites UK players can sign up with is that it has an acca boost on all football bets up to 50%. There’s also the chance to benefit from Boosted Odds on a number of popular daily selections. The Acca Boost promotion will add extra winnings depending on how many legs are in your winning multiple, and this is great for football bettors.

The Bet Mentor is also a nice feature, which allows you to calculate a bet with your chosen stake, while this sportsbook also has a first-class online casino where players can enjoy games from a huge range of software providers.

BZeeBet – Competitive Odds

There’s a simplicity to BZeeBet that means you can generate a free £20 bet when you deposit and wager £20. This is also one of the top UK betting sites due to the boosted odds created for the big football games. Bet & Spin Mondays allows you to earn a 10 casino free spins no deposit bonus every Monday by placing bets throughout the week.

We’re also a big fan of the BZ Combo Boosts where you’ll get extra winnings depending on how many legs you include in your acca. There’s also the BZ Cash Out and BZ Bet Builder that provide added value, and there are plenty of payment options.

Neptune Play – Acca Insurance Betting Site

Sometimes customers want a nice simple bonus, and this is one of the top 20 betting sites UK that provides this. Register and bet £10 to receive a free £10 bet, with 10 extra casino spins thrown in for good measure. There are also boosted odds on popular football selections on the big matches to look out for, with customers able to choose from over 150 matches to bet on.

We also like the in-play betting at Neptune Play, with customers able to search for the bet they want to make, while there’s also the option to add certain sports or competitions to your favourites.

TalkSport Bet – Best Odds Guaranteed Betting Site

There’s plenty going on at the TalkSport Bet site, with customers able to get £30 in free football bets when registering and wagering £10. This is also one of the top online betting sites for horse racing and that includes best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish racing.

There are lots of other generous promotions including EPL Prize Kick, where you can bet £20 on any Premier League market to win a £10 free bet or cash. The Acca Box game also provides customers with the chance to win a £5 free accumulator bet on a weekly basis.

BetGoodwin – Regular Price Boosts

This is one of the top UK betting sites on horse racing, with regular price boosts available at the BetGoodwin site. You can get 50% back as a free bet up to £25 on your first day losses. You need to have a minimum of three bets of £10 or more on selections at even money or bigger to qualify.

Get yourself best odds guaranteed at the one of the top 20 betting sites UK customers can sign up with, while another offer allows you to claim £100 free bet refunds. There’s a unique bet builder proposition where a free bet can be landed, while there are lots of horse racing offers for existing customers.

Bet442 - High-Quality Platform

There’s an opportunity to score a £10 free bet when you sign up and bet £20, with an excellent user interface at one of the top online betting sites. Bet builders allow you to place a same-game multi, while cash out lets you to take control of your wager. We also like the Acca Boost offer, where there’s up to 77% extra available with Bet442.

There are betting apps available through iOS and Android devices, with a huge range of payment options available. We like the boosted odds that are provided for the big football games and that allows customers to secure extra value.

LiveScoreBet – Cash Out Betting Site

LiveScoreBet take pride of place in the top betting sites UK has available due to having a generous bonus of £30 in free bets when you register and bet £10. This comes in the form of 2 x £10 free bets and 2 x £5 bet builders. There are some excellent offers with this familiar brand, including money back as a free bet if you lose on the early Saturday Premier League match.

There’s also a great offer on the Champions League where you can generate a £10 free bet when you wager £20. Horse racing fans will enjoy the chance to benefit from money back as a free bet and extra places on selected races every day, while the Squads game is a great way of trying to land free bets.

10bet – Best Acca Boost Site

There’s a 100% welcome bonus up to £50 available at 10bet, and there is also a very good acca boost promotion. Incredibly, there’s the chance to generate up to 100% extra on winning accumulators, with players also getting a free £10 bet when they download the 10bet app for the first time and wager at least £50.

The other good news with this bookmaker is that a two-goal lead counts as a win and that means an early payout, with a £5 free bet available when you bet £40 or more on horse racing. You can actually get rewarded for wagering on a number of sports, with some great odds and lots of markets available.

Kwiff – Super Boost Betting Site

The top UK betting sites includes Kwiff, which not only has a generous £30 free bets offer, but also supercharges many customer bets. Roughly 80% of bettors get at least one supercharge on a monthly basis, with every wager open to the prospect of being boosted. There are also surprise bet rewards which are well worth checking out.

You will get a supercharge when wagering a three-fold acca on any sport, with this weekend offer proving popular. You can also choose from a wide range of in-play options, and there’s even the prospect of plumping for one of the Trending Bets that appear on the homepage.

All British – Best Cashback Betting Site

All British Sports is one of the top 20 betting sites UK has available due to offering 10% cashback on a constant basis. There’s also an acca boost on all football bets up to 50%. This bookmaker has partnered with the World Snooker Tour to give away tickets to big snooker tournaments, with boosted odds regularly available for all the big football and tennis matches.

The live in-play section of the All British Sports sports betting site is always populated with different options and a number of sports are covered. We’re also a fan of the live streaming that is available, and you can use the toggle to find out what is being covered. Customers need to have a funded account to enjoy the live streams.

Betting Sites UK Bonuses & Promotions

Sports bettors have hundreds of options when looking for a new UK betting site, so operators must really make an effort to stand out from the crowd. The vast majority of them offer compelling welcome bonuses in a bid to attract new customers. The most common UK sign-up bonus is a deposit match offer, also known as a "bet and get" promotion. For example, Bet365 offers a bet £10, get £50 in free bets bonus. You have to play your bonus credit through once, and any winnings you earn can be withdrawn as cash. 

Parimatch and Tote Pool Bookmaker both offer "Bet £10, Get £30" offers, while another UK betting site, Betfred has a "Bet £10, Get £40" promotion. To unlock these free bets, or bonus bets, you will almost always need to make a qualifying real money bet.

The concept is always the same: You have to deposit some of your own money at a betting site, place a qualifying bet, unlock free bet credit and meet certain wagering requirements before you can make a withdrawal. However, a UK betting site will occasionally offer a no-deposit bonus for their customers online. 

This means you get a free bet credited without having to risk any of your own money with the online betting site. You generally have to play the bonus funds through several times before you can cash out, but it is possible to earn a profit from no-deposit bonuses offered by UK online bookmakers. Another great welcome offer is a risk-free bet. Each UK betting site offering this will allow new UK customers to make a deposit, place a wager and get a full cash refund if it loses. Those bonuses are always worth claiming.

New UK customers might also be offered the chance to place a bet at extremely high odds after signing up with any of the UK bookmakers. For example, if Man City is a heavy favourite to win a Premier League game, you might be able to bet £1 at boosted odds of 30/1 on them winning the match. Much higher than what their fixed odds price would be. If you think they will win the game with ease, you can essentially earn yourself a £30 profit. Your winnings will take the form of free bet credit and must be played through once before you can withdraw. 

The best online bookies in the UK also provide a wide range of additional bonuses to keep existing customers happy, including UK free bets, acca insurance, acca boosts, odds boosts, best odds guaranteed on UK and Irish horse racing, prize draws and contests.

Types of Sports Wagers Offered in UK Online Bookmakers

The UK bookmakers featured on our list of online betting sites UK will accept thousands of different sports wagers on a range of markets. For example, you can typically choose from more than 100 pre-match fixed odds betting markets on a single football match and dozens of live betting options.

Betting options available in the UK Online Bookmakers include straight bets, handicaps, correct scores, wincasts, accumulators, forecasts, tricasts, Yankees, Canadians, and many more markets, plus lots of ante post bets and in-play wagers.

What Sports Leagues Can I Bet On in UK Online Bookies?

You can bet on almost every league in the world when you visit the biggest UK bookmakers. The best football online betting sites UK have a wealth of wagering options on the Premier League, and of course Champions League, but you can also bet on all the lower leagues, all the way down to the Isthmian Football League, plus youth games, friendlies, women's football and leagues in obscure countries around the world.

You will be able to bet on Premiership rugby, Super League for rugby league fans, all the Grand Slam tennis tournaments, red-ball and white-ball cricket, every golf tournament and all the horse racing imaginable, and thousands of additional leagues and competitions. A fan of American football? There's plenty of NFL betting available too, with loads of NFL odds, including NFL futures markets such as Super Bowl odds.

Online Bookmakers For Fantasy Sports in UK?

Daily Fantasy Sports became popular in America before fixed odds sports betting was legalised, and the contests have not really taken off sites in the UK as an alternative to traditional betting . However, the top US DFS companies, DraftKings and FanDuel, do have sites in the UK, and Paddy Power has also launched DFS contests for UK punters. Bet365 is another one of the UK online betting sites which has entered the daily fantasy space.

How to Sign up and Place a Sports Wager at UK Online Bookies

It is very easy to place qualifying bets at UK online bookmakers. If you are wondering how to place a bet online at the best betting sites UK, you have come to the right place. Simply follow these steps:

1. Check out our full list of betting sites UK, read our online bookies reviews and choose the site that fits your needs.
2. Sign up for an account with one of the best betting sites by providing basic personal details like your name, date of birth, address and phone number.
3. Verify your bookie website account by uploading a scan of your passport or driving licence and a utility bill.
4. Fund your account via your preferred method and claim your welcome bonus.
5. Find a sport you want to bet on, click on a game, identify a betting market that appeals and click on it.
6. Your selection will then be added to your bet slip, allowing you to make a sports bet online. Enter the amount you want to stake, check you are happy with the potential winnings, and click to confirm the bet.

Why Trust Bookies' UK Bookmakers Reviews?

The industry experts in our review team know precisely what constitutes a great bookmaker and what is needed to be classed as one of the best betting sites. We conduct in-depth, impartial reviews of the various sports betting sites in the UK and all the new UK bookies to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. These are the key criteria we focus on when compiling our best UK bookmakers list.

How are UK Betting Sites Regulated?

Only sites that are fully licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain make our list of best UK betting sites. The UK Gambling Commission is the world's most respected regulatory body, and it ensures online bookmakers uphold very high standards in terms of fairness, security and transparency at all times on their betting sites.

Betting Sites UK Reputation

Each UK betting site we seek out must have a great reputation among sports bettors. We interact with this broad community of sports bettors in the online betting world to uncover the online bookies that treat players fairly, settle bets in an honest fashion and pay out in full and on time.

Betting Sites Accessibility

We shine a light on good betting sites that make the online wagering process quick, convenient and simple. A betting site may boast a wealth of exciting features and thousands of betting options, but the layout must be neat and clear, and the bookie must be accessible via the website and the mobile app.

Reliability

Nobody wants to use UK betting sites that crash at inopportune moments, like when a race is about to go off or a football match is entering a crucial stage. This is sometimes an issue with new sports betting sites, so we recommend sites that have proven themselves to be reliable – in terms of performance, payments and user experience – for a prolonged period of time.

Bookmakers Desktop and Mobile Experience

Our list of online bookmakers consists only of operators that offer a fantastic user experience via a mobile device, tablet, laptop or desktop. They must be easy to navigate, free of clutter and rich with useful features that enhance the betting experience.

Generous and Ongoing Sports Bet Bonuses

The best betting sites UK customers can access will provide a generous welcome bonus. They then provide customers with a range of valuable ongoing promotions to keep them happy. We recommend UK betting sites that offer lucrative bonuses that do not come with unrealistic wagering requirements for a qualifying bet with betting companies.

Payment Options

You should be able to choose from a large selection of convenient deposit and withdrawal options at our recommended fast withdrawal betting sites. British sports betting punters should be able to make free and instant debit card deposits and rapid withdrawals, while also having the ability to choose from alternative payment options such as e-wallets, bank transfers and prepaid cards at the best betting sites with Trustly.

Variety of Games to Bet On

The best online UK betting sites cover dozens of sports in exceptional depth. You should be able to bet on thousands of football matches each week, for example, with upward of 100 betting options on most games. You should never be stuck for a fixed odds bet with the range of markets available at the best betting sites.

Better Odds

We seek out the UK online bookies that consistently offer above average odds on a broad array of betting markets. We make a best odds bookmakers comparison and highlight the best odds betting sites UK for our readers.

Deposits and Withdrawals

Established sports betting UK brands and new online bookies should offer secure, dependable deposits and withdrawals. Punters should enjoy broad deposit and withdrawal limits via a wide selection of different methods.

Payout Process at the Best UK Betting Sites

Requesting a payout from one of the best betting sites should be quick and straightforward at any UK betting site. The payments team should process payout requests quickly, ensuring winning players receive their funds in a timely manner.

Security at Online Betting Sites in the UK

We only recommend UK bookmakers with a flawless security record. They use aggressive Transport Layer Security encryption to protect your personal and financial details and hire teams of dedicated security experts to ward off threats.

Top 5 UK Sports Teams to Bet On

Football is the most popular sport in the UK by a country mile, and these are the five most popular sports teams to bet on:

Manchester United

The Red Devils became one of the world’s most popular sports teams when Sir Alex Ferguson led them to a trophy-laden spell between 1992 and 2013. They had always enjoyed passionate support in the Manchester area, but the fan base expanded dramatically in the Fergie years. Man Utd have not been quite so successful post-Ferguson, but a slew of high-profile transfers in recent years mean they are contenders for glory once more.

Liverpool

The Reds are the most successful team in English football history. Dozens of world-class players have graced the turf at Anfield over the years, from Kenny Dalglish to Virgil Van Dijk. Liverpool are one of the best supported clubs in the UK and around the world, and you will find bookmaker odds and online betting offers on all of their games.

Arsenal

The Gunners also boast a long and storied history, having dominated English football in the 1930s. They produced some terrific teams in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, before Arsene Wenger turned the club into a modern powerhouse in the late 1990s and 2000s. Arsenal have spent a few years in the wilderness, but millions of passionate fans dream of a return to the glory days of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires leading the club to an unbeaten Premier League season.

Chelsea

Chelsea lack the glorious heritage of Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal, but no English club has been more successful in the modern era. Roman Abramovich has transformed the Blues into perennial Premier League and Champions League contenders, and Chelsea are now one of the most prominent teams featured at the sport betting sites on our list of the biggest bookmakers UK punters can access.

Manchester City

Man City have also reaped the benefits of wealthy owners in the modern era. The Abu Dhabi ruling family has invested heavily in bringing world-class players to the Etihad Stadium in recent years, allowing the Citizens to dominate their rivals in the Premier League. Man City were always popular in Manchester, perhaps more so than Man Utd, but glory hunting knows no bounds, and their supporter base has spread across the country ever since Sergio Aguero slammed in that last-gasp winner against QPR to seal the title in 2012.

UK Online Casinos

There are more than 100 different licensed online casinos for UK bettors to choose from. Some follow an online casino with a UK betting site model, while others are just a standalone online casino in their own right.

When choosing an online casino, you should seek out gambling websites that offer excellent game quality, game variety, user experience, bonuses and reliability. They should feature hundreds of slots and table games from some of the world’s most deeply respected software providers, such as Microgaming, Playtech, Evolution Gaming, IGT and Play’n Go, plus lots of small, exciting, up-and-coming software studios, and they should regularly refresh their ranges to keep things exciting.

UK Racebooks

A racebook is an American term for a bookmaker that accepts bets on horse racing. In the United States, bookmakers are typically divided into racebooks and sportsbooks due to legislation. In the UK, the catch-all term “bookmaker” is used for an online betting website that accepts bets on horse racing and greyhounds along with lots of sports.

The leading online bookies in the UK take bets on all UK and Irish horse racing through the flat and National Hunt seasons, plus greyhounds and harness racing. You can also bet on horse racing from around the world, including Australia, the United States, Japan, South Africa, France and various other countries, along with a wealth of antepost horse racing markets.

Is UK Sports Betting Legal?

Online sports betting has been legal in the UK for several decades. The 1960 Betting and Gaming Act legalised off-course bookmakers, allowing betting shops to spring up across the country. Online sports betting began when the technology was ready. The first betting sites to launch in the UK were independent online bookmakers, but high street giants like William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred and Paddy Power quickly launched websites too.

A major catalyst for growth was the launch of Bet365 in 2000, which has gone on to become the world’s leading online bookmaker. These are also some of the companies who make our list of the best betting sites.

Why Online Sports Betting is Superior to Offline Betting

You can unlock several benefits when betting at online bookies as opposed to visiting your local betting shop. First, you will enjoy greater choice. You might only have a few rival betting shops in your area, but when you go online everyone has access to the best betting sites regardless of your loctation in the UK. You can choose from dozens of high-quality online bookmakers in the UK. That allows you to get the best available odds on every sporting event, thus boosting your chances of securing a profit.

UK betting sites also hand out generous welcome bonuses and ongoing promotions. You will not receive bonuses when you visit a physical bookie. You will also not be able to take best odds guaranteed on horse racing bets. It is also a lot easier, quicker and more convenient to use the best online bookies. You can just pick up your mobile phone, tap the screen a few times and place your qualifying bets.

The best new betting sites UK and the leading established UK sports betting sites also offer live streaming, allowing you to follow the action on your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop. You can choose from a wealth of in-play betting options, and there is no need to stand in a queue and wait for a cashier to take your bet, so you never have to worry about losing a price. You can benefit from 24/7 customer service at the best bookmakers online too, and the deposit and withdrawal process is safe and convenient, as opposed to walking out of a betting shop with a wad of cash.
 

UK Sports Betting History

1539 - Organised horse racing began at Chester and spectators would bet on the action as its popularity spread across the country. By 1550, the puritans were rallying against gambling taking place at spas such as Bath and Epsom, and Queen Elizabeth launched the first lottery in 1566.

1710 - The Gaming Act was established during the reign of Queen Anne. It set a maximum allowable gaming debt to be 10 pounds. 

1750 - The Jockey Club was formed at Newmarket, with the aim of preventing any dishonesty in horse racing. This paved the way for gambling on horse racing to become more widespread, and famous races like the St Leger Stakes and the Derby at Epsom were launched in the subsequent decades.

1790 - Harry Ogden became the world’s first official bookmaker when he introduced the innovation of laying odds on every horse in a race.

1845 - The 1845 Gaming Act introduced legislation to ensure that bookmakers were paying out correctly.

1853 - This made wagering at high street betting shops illegal, meaning all betting activities had to take place at horse racing tracks. The invention of the telephone in 1875 allowed on-track bookmakers to take remote bets from people across the country.

1960 - The Betting and Gaming Act legalised off-track bookmakers once more, allowing betting shops to return to high streets and accept bets on various sports.

1996 -UK punters started betting online after gambling websites launched. Four years later, Bet365 launched their betting site, revolutionising the industry.

2001 - Chancellor Gordon Brown abolished betting taxes for punters and began taxing bookmakers instead. Many moved offshore to Gibraltar, Malta or the Isle of Man, but a point of consumption tax then forced them to pay tax on bets accepted from UK punters.

2005 - The Gambling Act in the United Kingdom created the Gambling Commission, which regulates the industry on behalf of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It introduced new protections for children and vulnerable adults.

Responsible Gambling

The UK Gambling Commission is tasked with regulating the operators on our list of UK licenced bookmakers. The best betting sites must comply with strict regulations, and they will be fined heavily if they fail to do so. For example, the Gambling Commission fined Betway a record £11.6 million for failings over customer protection and money-laundering checks. If bookmakers continue to fail when it comes to responsible gambling, their licences will be removed.