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Best In-Play Betting Sites Online for Live Betting in the UK March 2025

The vast majority of customers now enjoy in-play betting. It’s exciting to visit in-play betting sites and wager on a sporting event while it’s actually taking place. All of the best bookmakers provide the chance to enjoy live sports betting, and the team at Bookies.com have come up with the best in-play betting sites. Take a look through the list and choose which one stands out before signing up.

This page will showcase the live betting sites that we recommend along with the new customer offers betting bonus that can be enjoyed when you register. We’ll go into detail on what we look for in the best live sports betting sites to ensure that customers get a first-class wagering experience.

We’ll also talk about some of the different sports covered by in-play betting sites UK players can sign up with and how you can place bets on live markets. Read along to find out how the sign-up process works at in-play betting sites and how you can avail of any of the top-notch betting offers.

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Verified Check Mark Offers Verified on March 10th
Betfred

£50 in Free Bets, when you Bet £10 For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
76 PLAYERS REDEEMED TODAY!
Tote

Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. £10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £10 Win + £10 Place). Receive £20 Tote Credit, £10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org.Full T&Cs apply.
Betgoodwin

50% Back as a Free Bet up to £25 on First Day Losses For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Customers only. Must have a minimum of 3 bets of £10 or more on separate events at odds of evens (2.0) or bigger on first day. First day losses equals all settled stakes less all returns. T&C's apply.
LiveScoreBet

Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets * + Get a £10 Free Bet when you place a racing multi** Min 3 Selections For The Cheltenham Festival

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*New members only. £10+ bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals) at 1.5 min odds, settled within 14 days. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days on sportsbook only. 2x£5 Free Bets for Bet Builder only. Stake not returned. T&Cs + deposit exclusions apply **Max Free Bet £10 for New Members who sign up during 04/03-17:30 14/03/2025. 1st £10 horse racing Cheltenham multi cash bet daily (singles, multi & acca bets that are win, win part each/way, place & bet W/O bets only; min odds EVS). Free Bet: use in 7 days on horse racing. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org 18+.**UK and Irish horse racing win/each-way bets placed after 9am on race day. Max enhancement £50k/day. Rules and exclusions apply. Click here for full T&Cs.. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware®. 18+
BoyleSports

Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply
Betway

Bet £10 & Get £10 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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*New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. Free Bet awarded: £10. 1 x £10 must be wagered at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit. 18+. GambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full Terms apply
Bet442

Bet £20, Get £20 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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#ad. 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20. Maximum one £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets. Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens: Token 1 Min odds Req: 4/5 (1.80). Token 2 & 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply.
BetMGM UK

Bet £10 Get £40 in Bonuses For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New customers only. 7 days to place a qualifying bet of £10 at 1/1 (2.0) to receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1x £10 Free Bet on Football, 1x £10 Free Bet on Horse Racing, 2 x £10 Free Bet Builders. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gamble Responsibly. Gambleaware.org
NetBet

Get £10 Free Bet + 25 Bonus Spins when you Bet £10 For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New players only. Bet £10 min. odds 1/1 (2.00). No cash-out. Free Bet available on Bet Builder. 25 Free Spins on Big Bass Splash, each valued at 10p without wagering requirement. Terms apply.
Bet UK

Bet £10, Get £20 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New cust only, Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 free bets: 1 x £10 Horse racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. Free Bets cannot be used on e-sports and non-UK/IE horse racing. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. Opt-in required. 18+. T&C’s Apply.
JeffBet

Bet £10 and Get £30 Free Bet For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms Apply.
Kwiff

Bet £10, Get £30 Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Customers only (UK) Qualifying bet of £10 at min. odds 2.0 within 5 days of registration, E/W excluded. Get 3x Free Bets at min odds 2.0 each. 1x£10 Football, 1x£10 Racing, 1x£10 Acca (Min 4 selections). 7-day expiry. New selected customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £10. Full T&Cs apply. Promotion available on desktop and web only and is not offered via the kwiff apps.
10bet

100% Welcome Bonus up to £50 For the Cheltenham Festival

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New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+
Betano

Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on sports (odds 1/1+) within 3 days of signing up. Get 2x£10 Free Bets for set markets, and a £10 Slot Bonus for Big Bass Day at the races, 30x wagering, max redeem £250. Bonuses expire in 14 days. Offer available until 17:00 on 14.03.2025. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org. Please gamble responsibly
talkSPORT BET

Bet £10, Get £20 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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Terms: 18+ New Customers Only. Opt-in and bet £10+ on horse racing at odds of 3.00+ within 7 days of registration. Get 4x£5 Free Bets for set markets, which expire in 7 days. Offer valid from 10:00 on 03/03/2025 until 17:00 on 14/03/2025. Click for T&Cs. GambleAware.org . Please gamble responsibly
All British

10% Cashback For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+ T&C Apply. Play Responsibly. Full Terms Apply.
Mr Luck

Bet £20 get £20 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20. Maximum one £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets. Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens: Token 1 Min odds Req: 4/5 (1.80). Token 2 & 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply.
BzeeBet

Bet £20, Get £20 In Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Customers Only. Max one £20 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1(2.00) or greater. Paid as Bonus Token with Min 4/5(180) Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller & Paypal not eligible. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs Apply
Betrino

Bet £25, Get £50 Free Bet For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply. Full Terms Apply. 18+ | BeGambleAware | #Ad.
BetVictor

Get £30 in Free Bets When You Bet £10 For the Cheltenham Festival

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18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £10 within 7 days of registration. Get £30 in Free Bets and 100 Free Spins on selected games. Bonuses expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply, see below. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
CopyBet

Bet £20 Get £60 in Free Bets For The Cheltenham Festival

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T&C's Apply, 18+, Please Gamble Responsibly.
Midnite

Bet £10, Get £20 + 50 Free Spins For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+ New UK customers. Bet £10 on accas with 4+ legs, min odds 3/1 (4.0). Get 4x £5 Free Bets and 50 Free Spins, valid for 7 days on selected bets and games only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
Neptune Play

Bet £20 Get £20 + 20 Extra Spins For The Cheltenham Festival

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18+. New Players Only. Min. £20 deposit and bet on odds 1/1 or greater required. Extra bets and bonus spins are issued within 24 hours of the qualifying bet being settled. Extra bet valid for 14 days, stake not returned. Bonus spins are valid for 24 hours, only available on the Book of Dead game. Wagering Required on Bonus Spins: x15. Terms and Conditions apply. Deposits may be withdrawn before a player’s wagering requirements have been fulfilled.
Fitzdares

Bet £50, Get £25 in Free Bets + 10 Bonus Spins For The Cheltenham Festival

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New customers only aged 18+. T&Cs apply. Please bet responsibly.
The Online Casino

Bet £20, Get £40 Free Bet For The Cheltenham Festival

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New Players Only. Min £ 20 qualifying bets stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £ 40, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from issue. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply.
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Best In-Play Betting Sites

Our team of experts have researched the best in-play betting sites to come up with a definitive list for our readers. You should always sign up by tapping through from Bookies.com to ensure you get the best welcome bonus. We also recommend that you take advantage of each offer one at a time to make sure you claim the bonus effectively.

Live betting sites offer you the chance to place bets on sporting events as they are happening. For example, there are lots of ways to bet on a football match after kick-off. Top UK betting sites will offer the chance to bet in-play on a 24/7 basis, covering a huge range of sports in the process.

It makes sense to sign up with a live betting site and claim any welcome bonus that’s available. This might be in the form of a deposit bonus, a free bet matched bet or a money back offer. New customer bonuses are always the most generous. Online live betting sites will regularly allow you to use the offers in order to place a risk-free bet on live sports.

Make sure you scan through the betting offers on this page at Bookies.com and understand how each bonus works. The best in-play betting sites will often provide you with a bonus that is three, four or even five times your original deposit and give you a chance to withdraw any winnings you might make.

Top Live Betting Sites

If you’re looking to find the best in-play betting sites, you’ve come to the right place. Below are the live betting sites UK customers can enjoy that come highly recommended. Here, you will find an introduction to the brand, with all of these in-play betting sites also offering a generous welcome bonus.

We’ve tested out the live in-play betting sites to ensure that a wide range of sports are covered, and you will often find that live streaming accompanies many of these live sporting events.

BetMGM UK

BetMGM provides £40 in free bets to new customers who sign up and bet £10. It is a US brand determined to do things bigger and better than the other UK bet in-play sites, with the Golden Goals promotion offering players the chance to land £1 million by getting predictions right each week. The in-play betting section at BetMGM is always packed with great options, offering customers a wide range of angles for their punting.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win
Promo Code: BOOKIES

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Used 28 Times Today
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in OH. In partnership with MGM Northfield Park. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Betfred

Betfred has been among the best in-play betting sites for some time, with customers able to trust an established UK betting brand known as the Bonus King. We love the Betfred sign-up offer, where £50 worth of free bets can be attained, and the chance to enjoy their live betting market with some of the bonus.

It is an operator that is particularly strong for football, and it’s great to get plenty of data pertaining to a specific game while you consider what wagers to place.

Tote

Despite being predominantly regarded as a horse racing betting site, Tote actually is one of the best live sports betting sites. When you register an account, you get £30 worth of free bets when registering and betting £10, with 50 free spins thrown into the mix. This is a hugely trusted brand, and it is among the pick of the live sports betting sites thanks to the coverage of sports such as football, tennis and basketball.

bet365

Bet365 is arguably the pick of the online live betting sites in the UK, with customers able to enjoy a cutting-edge experience when they wager on sporting events in real time. We love the cash out, partial cash out and auto cash out options that accompany the live markets.

What also makes it one of the best in-play betting sites is that customers can get a bonus from depositing and betting as little as £5, with customers able to land three times their first wager up to £30 in free bets.

Midnite

One of the in-play betting sites worth checking out is Midnite, with customers able to get £20 worth of free bets when they bet £10. There’s also the chance to land 50 free casino spins to use on the casino app with an operator where in-play betting is available around the clock.

There are plenty of accompanying stats with many of the live sports betting events, with Midnite being a UK-licensed operator who are owned by Dribble Media and they have developed a reputation for fast withdrawals.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win
Promo Code: BOOKIES

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Used 72 Times Today
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in OH. In partnership with MGM Northfield Park. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

William Hill

William Hill is one of the live betting sites UK customers should be checking out, with this being a hugely established brand. It has thousands of betting shops in the United Kingdom along with one of the best online sportsbooks.

There’s an opportunity to bag £30 worth of free bets when wagering £10 as part of the William Hill sign up bonus, with football, tennis, cricket, table tennis and esports among the sports that are regularly covered by this top bookmaker.

Betano

If you’re looking for live betting sites, then Betano has some great options, and that’s especially the case for in-play betting on football. When you sign up and bet £10, you are able to land £30 worth of free bets, with this bookmaker being the official sponsor of Aston Villa along with the betting sponsor of the Europa League, so you know there are good football betting opportunities. There are always lots of sports being covered at this pick of the in-play betting sites, with cash out available for nearly all of the markets.

Betgoodwin

Betgoodwin started off as a UK racecourse bookmaker before going online with the operation, and it is one of the bet in-play sites that has a generous welcome offer. You can get 50% back of first day losses up to £25 and there’s a dedicated section for live betting.

We love the infographic where customers are able to see the action points on the field of play, with the odds updating in real time, which makes Betgoodwin one of the best in-play betting sites. 

LiveScoreBet

It naturally follows that LiveScoreBet should have one of the best live sports betting sites considering the company behind this operator is the LiveScore Group, which runs a globally successful live scores site.

This is among the online live betting sites that scores well for live sports betting on football, with a huge range of in-play betting markets for the biggest matches. There’s also the chance to command £30 worth of free bets when you sign up and wager at least £10.

TalkSport Bet

There are £40 worth of free football bets up for grabs when you bet at least £20 with one of the top live betting sites in TalkSport Bet . Few can match the range of sports that are covered, and it’s pleasing to see competitive odds across the board. It is one of the live sports betting sites that also has fair cash out offers.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win
Promo Code: BOOKIES

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Used 36 Times Today
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in OH. In partnership with MGM Northfield Park. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Best In-Play Betting Sites – What We Look For

When ranking the best in-play betting sites, the team at Bookies.com uses different criteria to evaluate which ones are worth your time. Naturally, the operators that make the grade have to be among the top live betting sites, although there should be lots of other positive aspects beyond that. Below you will see the categories that are important to our readers, and we want to see the live in-play betting sites scoring highly across the board in order to be included.

Sign Up Offer

Online betting sites need to provide new customers with a generous welcome package. This is usually a free bet bundle, which has a greater value than the amount needed to originally deposit and bet.

We’re looking sites to give bettors a realistic chance of landing a return from the sign up offer, meaning modest wagering requirements. It’s great if part of the welcome bonus includes a bet on live sports so that you can try out in-play betting for free.

Existing Customer Offers

Our list of UK betting sites doesn’t just have generous offers for new customers but also looks after readers once they have signed up. It’s great if some of these promotions relate to live betting such as placing a pre-match qualifying bet in order to get a free bet in-play.

We also want to see in-play betting sites have acca bonuses and acca insurance in place, along with money back specials and the chance to enjoy enhanced odds when it comes to several sports, events and markets.

Free Bet Clubs

We’re always impressed if online live betting sites have a Free Bet Club available. It means that customers can bet on live sports and potentially land free bets if they place a set number of wagers during the course of a week.

Sometimes, this kind of offer relates to accumulators, with the best in-play betting sites allowing their bettors to command a free bet on a weekly basis. Watch out for the number of bets that need to be placed and the minimum odds that need to be chosen.

Customer Support

It’s clear that customer support needs to be rock solid at live betting sites in order to be included in our list. At online sports betting sites, there is sometimes the need to reach out to customer support, and this should naturally be available on a 24/7 basis.

We’re talking about Live Chat, which is a popular method of communication, while email and telephone support should also be options. We’re also keen to see Frequently Asked Questions including in-play betting information.

Range of In-Play Sports

The best in-play betting sites will enable live betting on a huge range of sports. This service is always available for horse racing, especially National Hunt races.

Many bet in-play sites offer the chance to bet on a huge amount of football and tennis games, while basketball, cricket, golf, rugby, ice hockey and darts are also popular options. It’s great to always have options when you log into your betting account.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win
Promo Code: BOOKIES

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Used 27 Times Today
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in OH. In partnership with MGM Northfield Park. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Easy to Use Site

It goes without saying that in-play betting sites should provide a user-friendly experience. This all starts with the registration process so that you can bet on live sports straight away, with online bookmakers ideally providing swift navigation using a strong menu structure. Customers want to visit live in-play betting sites and be able to immediately populate a bet slip with their selection and place an instant bet.

Betting App

Live betting sites will always have a corresponding betting app. The latter should ideally provide a superior experience for customers, with this being available for iOS and Android users. There should be the chance to log on to betting apps through face or touch ID, and they should also facilitate Apple Pay and Google Pay deposits and withdrawals. It should also be regularly updated with new features that are going to enhance the overall in-play betting experience.

Lots of Live Betting Markets

We’re looking for sports betting markets galore at live in-play betting sites. Football bettors want to have betting options where the market is settled in a short space of time, such as race to 3 corners, player to score the next goal or player to get the next card.

It’s also great to find the goal line moving throughout the contest, with a live betting site also enabling customers to place bet builders using the live betting markets, with a same-game multi providing lots of excitement.

Other Betting Features

New betting sites will ensure their customers can benefit from a wide range of features. Cash out is chief among them, and the team at Bookies.com are looking for a fair cash out value when customers indulge in live sports betting.

We also want to see live streaming as an accompaniment to in-play betting. Top betting sites will provide live coverage of many sporting events, and you often just need to have a funded account to watch the action.

Payment Methods

In order to bet on live sports, you will need to have a registered account with a live betting site. You will also need to find a suitable payment method and there should be a good range of options for new and existing customers.

We’re looking for bank card, e-wallet and mobile payments to be among the choices, with instant deposits a must and customers also value quick withdrawals. The live in-play betting sites should also allow welcome bonuses to be claimed with a number of these methods, with the likes of Trustly betting sites included.

Site Security

We all know that security is paramount at in-play betting sites. We will only promote UK-licensed bookmakers on this page and they have to adhere to high security measures to be included on our recommended list. You will see that in-play betting sites UK bettors can sign up with use state-of-the-art encryption to protect all customer information and payment data. That means you can bet in-play with real money knowing that you’re always having a secure experience.

User Reviews

Although we are experts at finding a live betting site for our readers, it’s also great for you to acknowledge the user reviews that back our viewpoint up.

Therefore, you are able to find plenty of information and feedback on live in-play betting sites so that you can get an accurate assessment of the best overall experience. The likes of TrustPilot will always give a fair assessment of any brands.

Brand Reputation

It’s true that the top live betting sites are provided by some of the biggest betting brands in the business. If a live betting site has been in business for several decades, it has earned a huge amount of trust in the UK market.

However, we might also see live sports betting sites that burst on to the scene and quickly earn a reputation for providing a refreshing alternative to the more established brands. You will find all of these fast withdrawal betting sites on this page at Bookies.com.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win
Promo Code: BOOKIES

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Used 26 Times Today
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in OH. In partnership with MGM Northfield Park. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Comparing Live Betting Sites

Every bookmaker now provides live sports betting, but we have found that the experience can be completely different from site to site. The first port of call is to establish how many sports are covered by each online live betting site, something that can be established when you visit the site.

In addition to the range of sports that are included, we want to see a huge number of markets for each of the events. There should be markets settled at the end of the event along with options to bet on shorter-term markets with the best online betting sites with cash out.

We’re seeing a growing number of bet in-play sites now covering horse racing, and we recommend finding one that provides this option. It’s exciting to place wagers on a race that is taking place, with the early stages of an encounter providing plenty of pointers as to what might happen.

Some of the best new UK betting sites should allow cash out on the vast majority of markets, with some bookmakers going the extra mile by offering partial cash out or auto cash out. The cash out value should always be a generous one when you bet on live sports to give you a chance of making a profit without waiting for a market to be settled.

What can also separate the best in-play betting sites is their ability to offer live streaming. It can be beneficial to access live streams without needing a subscription, with customers able to simply have a funded account in order to watch sports such as football, horse racing and tennis. The watchable events will have corresponding in-play markets at the best betting sites with live streaming.

Beyond the live betting service provided by a bookmaker, it’s also good to recognise other aspects including the welcome bonus that is on the table. We want to see promotions that are going to benefit existing customers on an ongoing basis, with money back and acca bonuses chief among them.

Live Betting Sites Offers & Free Bets

The best live betting sites will have a generous sign-up bonus and then a string of existing customer promotions on an ongoing basis. We have listed the main offers below, with many of these relating to in-play betting, and we recommend taking advantage where possible.

Deposit Bonus

There’s often the chance to secure a deposit bonus with in-play betting sites. This means the bookmakers adding a matched deposit when you fund your betting balance for the first time. There are generally wagering requirements before you can make a withdrawal so look out for minimum odds and how many times you have to bet through the deposit and bonus. There may also be no deposit bonuses on offer for existing customers.

Free Bets After First Bet

This is the most common type of new customer offer with live betting sites UK. Once you have signed up for an account and made a deposit, you can place an opening bet and you will get a selection of free bets when your original wager has been settled. You can often bet in-play with these sports free bets, which is a great way of getting started.

Money Back as a Free Bet

Some of the best betting sites will have a new customer offer where you can get money back as a free bet. For example, there might be 50% back on first day losses when you sign up. Some in-play betting sites also have money back specials for existing customers if there’s a particular outcome or your horse falls in a race.

$1,500 Paid Back in Bonus Bets If You Don't Win
Promo Code: BOOKIES

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Used 5 Times Today
Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Must be 21+ to participate & present in OH. In partnership with MGM Northfield Park. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Visit BetMGM.com for T&Cs. US promotional offers not available in NY, NV, or Puerto Rico.

Profit Boost

Sometimes a live betting site will add a huge profit boost to your opening bet if it’s a successful wager. This can be a great way of maximising your winnings with the first bet, while there are also plenty of profit boosts that can be enjoyed as an existing customer.

Free Casino Spins

It’s fairly common for online live betting sites to include a free spins no deposit bonus as an extra part of a welcome package. You might find that there are 100 free spins thrown into the mix which can be enjoyed on specific new online slots and the chance to keep any winnings.

Early Payout

Many of the top live betting sites will have some kind of early payout concession available for selected sports. You might find the live in-play betting sites will pay out early on a football team if they take a two-goal lead, and similar offers can be in place at NFL betting sites and for some basketball games.

Accumulator Bonus

There’s often the chance to get an acca bonus. This can include live betting accumulators, and the size of the bonus increases according to the number of legs that you include in a multiple bet. Sometimes there’s up to a 100% bonus available on an accumulator.

Accumulator Insurance

It’s great to have the option to bank accumulator insurance, and many of the best in-play betting sites will have this in place. You generally need to wager a multiple that has four or five selections with minimum odds and a bookmaker will refund your stake as a free bet if one leg lets you down.

Bet Boost

It’s now fairly common for in-play betting sites to have bet boosts available on a daily basis. This can be single or multiple bets where customers can get bigger odds on a popular selection. We tend to find the boosts are applied to sports such as football and horse racing.

Best Odds Guaranteed

If you’re interested in in-play betting on horse racing, you want to find a bookmaker that has best odds guaranteed in place. This means that customers can make a selection when it comes to a UK or Irish race and take an early price, with a bookie paying out at SP if the latter is bigger.

Sports You Can Have an In-Play Bet On

Bet in-play sites will provide customers with a wide range of sports from which to choose. Below we have outlined some of the most popular sports that you can punt in-play with, although the best betting apps will have many more available during the course of a day or a week.

In-Play Football Betting

Football betting sites will have football markets available 24/7. That means coverage of not only top leagues such as Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A, but also competitions all over the world. We’re often talking about hundreds of in-play betting markets relating to the outcome of the game along with goals, corners and cards. The best bet builder sites also allow you to have some in-play action.

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In-Play Horse Racing Betting

Most horse racing betting sites give customers the chance to enjoy in-play betting on the sport. This means that odds are still available at the live betting sites UK when the race has started.

It can be exciting to watch the race through live betting sites and continue to place wagers on the outcome. A bookmaker will typically have live betting odds during the opening exchanges of an encounter.

In-Play Golf Betting

Golf betting sites have plenty of live betting opportunities as the pace of play lends itself to it, with the vast majority of bets on a tournament being struck when it has started. After all, you have four days of action and the outright market is constantly changing at top live betting sites.

The same applies for customers betting on two-balls and three-balls, with plenty of stats and data to illustrate what is happening and many customers like to bet hole-by-hole.

In-Play Cricket Betting

Cricket betting sites have lots of live betting opportunities. Whether you’re interested in a Test match, one day international or T20 encounters, it’s fantastic to log into a live betting site and bet on the various outcomes available.

There’s always the chance to bet on the match winner, while you can also bet on next batter out, method of next wicket along with the outcome of every ball that is bowled in an over.

In-Play Darts Betting

There are lots of opportunities to bet on the biggest events at darts betting sites. For tournaments such as the World Championship, Premier League and World Matchplay, there will be live betting markets available for every single match.

Darts is ideal for those wanting to bet on live sports as it’s fast-paced, with the odds changing frequently. Customers enjoy wagering on the match winner along with markets such as Number of 180s, Most 180s and Next Leg Winner.

In-Play Snooker Betting

Snooker betting sites prove popular with punters because there is plenty of time to be considered with your live betting. This means customers can regularly log into their betting account and bet on the various matches at events such as the World Championship, UK Championship and Masters.

You can bet on various outcomes within a frame and even the next colour that will be potted. Handicap betting is also popular.

In-Play Rugby Betting

Whether it’s rugby league or rugby union, many customers enjoy visiting the best rugby betting sites to secure great prices. Games last 80 minutes, and that provides plenty of options to try to back a winner.

Even if the match is one-sided, there’s the chance to bet in-play on various handicap markets and also which player will score the next try. You can even try to predict what will be the next scoring play.

In-Play NFL Betting

You’re likely to be dazzled by the online NFL betting coverage available in the UK, with bettors able to wager on various outcomes within each quarter of a match. Many of the prop markets are also available for in-play betting, with customers nearly always having the chance to bet on the money line, total and spread. At live in-play betting sites, there’s also lots of data you can use to inform your decisions.

How to Sign Up For an UK In-Play Betting Site

The good news is that it’s really easy to sign up with in-play betting sites. We’ve provided a recommended list of betting sites at Bookies.com, and you should tap through on a link after deciding which ones are for you.

Once you have arrived at the landing page, you can then tap “Join Now” and spend a few minutes filling out the registration form. Most of the information is basic stuff and in keeping with the UK licensing so that the best in-play betting sites are able to validate each customer.

You may be required to verify your identity, and that’s once again for your own protection. You will have to agree to a standard set of terms and conditions, with customers then able to choose a deposit method and enter a promo code when funding their account for the first time.

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How to Place In-Play Bets

In order to bet in-play, you will need to have a funded betting account. You can then head to the in-play section of a live betting site and choose from the various sporting events that are being covered.

Once you have reached the correct page, you will see the various markets available and the corresponding odds. You will generally see the prices lengthening and shortening according to what’s happening, along with data pertaining to the event in question.

As with a pre-match bet, you simply need to tap on the odds for the selection you want to back. This selection will then be added to a bet slip, and you can choose a stake with which to bet. Bear in mind there’s usually a delay of a few seconds before the bet is processed as the odds are constantly subject to change.

Best In-Play Betting Markets

The fastest withdrawal betting sites will offer a wide range of markets for each sporting event. We’ve included some of the more popular markets below to give you an idea of how you can enjoy live betting. We recommend starting off with small stakes until you get used to in-play betting, especially if you’re planning on wagering throughout a sporting contest.

Match / Race Winner: simply bet on a team to win or a horse to triumph as you might do with a pre-event market.

Half-Time Result: the chance to bet on the outcome of a sporting event at the halfway stage.

Total Goals / Points: with many sports, you can bet under or over a certain number of goals or points being scored, with a number of different options sometimes available.

Next Player to Score: this market could be the next goalscorer in football or alternatively a rugby player to register a try or an NFL player to score a touchdown.

Cards / Corners: football bettors enjoy betting on the number of cards and corners in a particular game.

Final Score: there’s always the chance to bet on the correct score market, whether this is football, darts or snooker. This market tends to be available until the very end of a game.

Point Betting: this is particularly popular at tennis betting sites, where you can punt on the outcome of every point played, and it’s great to have ball-by-ball coverage.

Set Score: for sports that have sets such as tennis and darts, it’s great to have the chance to bet on this market as it offers bigger prices than simply backing a player to win a match.

Payment Methods At The Best Live Betting Sites

The in-play betting sites featured at Bookies.com will all provide a wide range of payment methods to customers. They are all licensed in the UK, and that means that all of the payment options are secure, with many customers using a bank card such as Visa, Maestro and Mastercard to make deposits and withdrawals.

It's worth noting that Visa Fast Funds has now been adopted by the best in-play betting sites and that will facilitate the quickest possible withdrawal. There are also e-wallet options such as PayPal, Skrill and Neteller where funds will be returned in a short space of time and these are quick and easy to use, with the likes of betting sites with Trustly becoming more popular.

If you are accessing through a mobile app, betting sites that accept Apple Pay and Google Pay can be great options. It’s a simple case of linking your wallet to your betting balance and then making a secure deposit. If you want to use cryptocurrency, this isn’t accepted in the UK right now, although the situation might change in the future.

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Live Betting Sites Legislation

The best live betting sites featured on this page will all be regulated and licensed by the Gambling Commission. This means they can operate as a fully legal betting site in the UK and also provide in-play betting to their customers. The legislation is strict for the protection of customers, and you can find further information below to reassure you that there will always be a safe and secure experience for bettors.

UK Gambling Commission

If top betting sites get the seal of approval from the UK Gambling Commission, they are getting the highest possible accreditation. This governing body has a strict set of controls in place, which means that only the best in-play betting sites will be able to comply with the regulations set out. Sites are regularly reviewed to ensure they have all the correct measures in place.

UKGC Licence

All of the best live sports betting sites will need a licence to legally operate in the United Kingdom. These are issued by the Gambling Commission, and there are regular checks to ensure they can retain this licence. This should give customers plenty of confidence when signing up for an account, making a deposit and giving players the chance to bet on live sports.

Responsible Gambling

As part of the regulation process, betting sites need to have responsible gambling measures in place. This means paying more than just lip service and actually having processes in place for customers including the opportunity to set deposit limits.

We also want to see reality checks, time outs and self-exclusion as options, while there should also be a link on the homepage of a site or app where you can access a page with lots of information.

Customer Support and Complaints

Hopefully, you won’t be in this position, but there should be a transparent channel for customers to make complaints if they feel as though an issue hasn’t been rectified. However, we have generally found that the top live betting sites are very helpful when dealing with queries.

There’s nearly always 24/7 customer service available and Live Chat tends to be the preferred method of contact, with Frequently Asked Questions also helpful to customers.  

In-Play Betting Sites FAQs

What is live betting?

Live betting involves customers placing bets on live sporting events. In-play betting sites will offer markets and odds for matches and races that are currently taking place, giving customers the chance to log into their account and bet on live sports. The odds are constantly changing, and there’s cash out nearly always available.

How does live betting work?

Live betting works in a similar way to regular pre-event betting. You will need to have an account with the live betting sites and also have a funded balance. You can then head to the in-play section of a betting site and tap on the odds that you want to back before selecting your stake.

How to bet live

Live betting involves staking money on selections while a sporting event is taking place. The bet process is fairly simple and involves making a selection and then choosing your stake. The bet is usually subject to a delay of a few seconds before being processed.

How to place an in-play bet

Placing a bet in-play is nice and simple. You can log into your account at the live betting sites and visit the live section. Choose the event that interests you and then survey the markets until you find the odds that appeal. Tap on the odds and then nominate your stake before confirming your bet.

Is live betting better?

Live betting can be an exciting alternative to pre-event betting. Some customers prefer the thrill of predicting the outcome of events when the action is taking place. The tempo is generally quicker and provides a chance to judge a sporting event before deciding how to wager, although the odds might not be as competitive.

What is live in-play betting?

Live sports betting is something that is offered by the best in-play betting sites. It involves wagering on betting markets for sporting events that are currently taking place. This could be a football match from kick-off onwards or a horse race after the off. The odds are constantly changing, and it’s a dynamic way to bet.

Which betting sites have the best in-play odds?

It’s worth signing up with some of the best live betting sites to judge the in-play betting odds. Much will depend on your preferred sports and markets, although it can be beneficial to have accounts with the best in-play betting sites at Bookies.com so that you can compare the various prices.

Which in-play betting site has the fastest withdrawal times?

We would recommend choosing the live in-play betting sites that have Visa Fast Funds as a payment option. This can mean a return of funds within 30 minutes, while there are lots of other fast withdrawal options and they include bank card, e-wallet and Apple Pay.

About the Author

Matthew Glazier for Bookies.com
Matthew Glazier
Matthew Glazier, the former Head of Marketing at bet365, is a veteran in the online betting industry and contributes to Bookies.com. Whether it's online casino or sports betting, there's nothing he hasn't seen before. He's always got his eye out for new casinos, betting features and bonuses.