Our Choice For The Best Live Betting Sites in the UK
Betting.com’s choice for the top live betting sites in the UK.
Check out the best betting sites in the UK with Betting.com.
The best live betting sites explained
In this section you will find the key details about the best live betting sites in the UK, their strengths and weaknesses. I will outline why I selected each of these sites to form Betting.com’s top list of the UK’s best in-play betting sites. We focus on the in-play markets offered, live odds, live streaming and other relevant features.
Bet365 live betting
Bet365 is a massive brand all over the world, with one of the most comprehensive sports offerings around. The in-play section on bet365’s ptform is easily accessible and user-friendly, offering an extensive range of events to bet on, often complimented by live streaming.
Why we recommend Bet365 for live betting:
The in-play section on bet365’s platform offers an extensive range of events to wager on from football to e-sports, with most of this offering available to stream. Punters also benefit from cash out and comprehensive stats pages, enabling users to make informed decisions when placing their in-play bets.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great range and depth to live betting section | Dated website |
| Fantastic live streaming | |
| Cash-out available in-play |
What Bet365 live betting offers you
- Extensive live betting section: Punters can enjoy live betting in an incredible range of events.
- Great live streaming: The bookie’s superb in-play section is backed up by an excellent streaming service, allowing punters to monitor the action as they make their live bets.
- Cash out: If your selections are not going to plan, you can cut your losses with cash out.
- Great info and stats: Punters are provided with up-to-date stats and information to help them with their picks.
Conclusion
A great in-play betting platform with competitive live odds and cash out, supported by one of the best live streaming services in the UK.
Unibet live betting
A major player in sports betting across Europe, Unibet was originally founded in 1997 and launched online in 1999. The Unibet live betting section is highly comprehensive, with an abundance of in-play betting opportunities and sports markets from across the globe, with features like cash out and live streaming available to punters.
Why recommend Unibet for live betting
A great live betting platform where you can access a load of info and stats while following the action via a stream. You can take control of your in-play bets with a speedy and efficient cash out system.
| Pros | Cons |
| Swift cash out | No live chat option |
| Quality live streaming | |
| Loads of live betting opportunities |
What Unibet live betting offers you
- Range and depth to live betting offering: Unibet have hundreds of live betting opportunities and sports markets from all over the world.
- Well designed, efficient in-play platform: The design is both visually satisfying and user-friendly, making the whole process of live betting simple.
- Swift cash out system: Quick efficient cash out system when live betting with Unibet
- LIve streaming: Unibet’s in-play betting experience is enhanced with their live streaming service.
- Stats galore: Unibet provide a raft of stats to help you make more informed decisions when betting live.
Conclusion
Unibet have a great in-play offering backed up by live streaming. Their rapid cash out system is another plus.
BetUK live betting
BetUK is a very prominent UK sportsbook. Founded in 2012, it brings a vibrant and fresh approach to the sports betting industry. The bookmaker offers a good range of live betting options, which allows to monitor the action and place your wagers accordingly. The depth of football markets mean that you can find a match to bet on at most times throughout the day. Other sports to offer in-play betting include tennis, rugby union and cricket.
Why we recommend BetUK for live betting
BetUK’s live platform includes a wealth of stats and info to help you make more informed picks. They have a great number of in-play betting options, especially in football, and a quality in-play bet builder.
| Pros | Cons |
| Great live betting platform | Can be delays when odds are changing |
| Loads of stats | |
| Excellent live bet builder |
What BetUK live betting offers you
- Depth of markets: BetUK have great depth to their live betting offering, especially in football.
- Superb live platform: BetUK’s in-play betting platform is user friendly, efficient and provides punters with a whole host of stats and info to help them make their choices.
- Great live bet builder: BetUK have a superb in-play bet builder
- Competitive live odds: BetUK offer punters competitive odds for live betting.
Conclusion
BetUK have a great live betting platform with great depth to their markets, especially in football.
SpreadEx live betting
Founded in 1999, SpreadEx was one of the companies involved in the creation of the spread betting markets that we see today. The bookmaker offers a great range of fixed odds in-play betting options, which allows punters to monitor the action and place their wagers accordingly. The depth of football markets mean that you can find a match to bet on at most times throughout the day. Other sports to offer in-play betting include tennis, rugby union, rugby league, cricket and esports. Like the sportsbook, the spread betting section offers great value in-play. The odds change extremely quickly and you will be alerted that the markets have moved.
Why recommend SpreadEx for live betting:
SpreadEx provide a comprehensive live betting experience for both fixed odds and spread betting. Punters can keep up with the action through both stats and live streaming and can take control of their in-play betting with the cash out feature. SpreadEx keep live bettors in the loop as changes in odds are updated rapidly.
| Pros | Cons |
| Live betting available for fixed odds and spread betting | No live chat option |
| Quality live streaming | |
| Cash out available for in-play betting |
What SpreadEx live betting offers you
- Great in-play betting for fixed odds and spread betting: SpreadEx offers a great live betting experience for both fixed odds and spread betting.
- Stats centre to use for live bets: Loads of stats available through the stats centre to help inform your live wagers.
- Cash out for live betting: SpreadEx offers cash out for live bets on both the fixed odds sportsbook and their spread betting offering.
- Live streaming: SpreadEx have a great streaming service to enhance the live betting experience.
Conclusion
SpreadEx offer great live betting for both fixed odds and spread betting. Punters are kept up to speed as odds shift and you can take advantage of their comprehensive stats.
SBK live betting
Despite being founded as recently as 2019, SBK has quickly become one of the best mobile-only sportsbooks in the UK. SBK offers in-play betting on a lot of different sports. The ‘in-play’ tab can be found at the top of odds pages, and the lightning bolt is found at the top left of the home screen, taking you to all current in-play markets.Live odds are updated in line with what is happening in the event, meaning users always get the most accurate prices possible.
Why recommend SBK for live betting
SBK have a great range and depth to their live markets. As with their pre-match offering, their in-play odds are very competitive.
| Pros | Cons |
| High live odds | Limited live streaming |
| Rapidly updated odds | |
| Comprehensive live betting offering in terms of range and depth |
What SBK live betting offers you
- Comprehensive live betting options: SBK have an impressive range of events where in-play betting is offered, with great depth to the markets on many of these.
- High live odds: SBK have a reputation for good value prices and this is true for their live betting as well as their pre-match offering.
- Quick updates: SBK keep their live odds regularly and rapidly updated, ensuring accurate prices and enhancing the in-play experience.
- Great betting app: SBK offers one of the best betting apps on the market.
Conclusion
SBK offer competitive live odds, which are rapidly updated. They have an excellent app and are a great in-play betting platform.
| Live betting: Did you know? |
|---|
| Live betting became prominent towards the end of the 1990s when bookmakers started taking in-play bets over the phone. With online betting now being so popular, live betting has increased in popularity as it is much more suited to the internet. |
How do we pick the best sites for live betting?
Bettors need to search around and take in a lot of information before selecting their preferred option when looking for a betting site to place live wagers with. You want a bookmaker you can trust, first and foremost. You also need plenty of in-play markers, a user-friendly platform and plenty of information and stats. Live streaming, so you can see the action unfold and place wagers accordingly is a huge plus.
Chris Sampson: In my opinion, the best live betting sites will offer punters an extensive list of markets for a large range of sports. Bettors will be kept up to date with the action, often with the help of graphics, and will have access to relevant statistics. The best in-play sites have a cash out feature and if a bookie offers a good quality streaming service it greatly enhances the live betting experience.
Compare the best live betting sites of 2024
In-play betting is now an important feature of all the major bookies. As a result, there are a lot of sites to choose between when trying to narrow down a list of the best live betting sites in the UK.
To aid with comparing these bookmakers, here is a table of the platforms we have identified as the top live betting sites:
| Site Name | Betting.com Rating | Best For | Full Review |
| bet365 | 4.8/5 | Streaming | Review |
| Unibet | 4.7/5 | Rapid cash out | Review |
| SpreadEx | 4.4/5 | Liive spread betting | Review |
| BetUK | 4.5/5 | Stats | Review |
| SBK | 4.6/5 | High live odds | Review |
| 10bet | 4.5/5 | Great app | Review |
| Bet Victor | 4.5/5 | Loads of live markets | Review |
How to choose the best site for you
We have searched all over the internet to weigh up pros and cons of what the UK’s leading sportsbooks have on offer for in-play betting to come up with our top list of the best live betting sites. It is, however, a personal decision when choosing your bookmaker. You will want to look through a few of the options for yourself before landing on a preferred site.
So, to make that step a bit smoother, we have identified seven key criteria when choosing your site:
- Read up on licences: All punters want to make sure their financial details and personal data are safe. The only way to guarantee this is by playing with a licensed bookmaker. A Google search should help you find a bookie’s licences and it will be visible on their website.
- Learn about welcome offers: Welcome offers can seem similar. You will soon find they vary significantly, though, and it is useful to make sure you sign up at a bookmaker with a welcome promo which suits your betting habits.
- Search for the live odds: It is worth having a look at a bookie’s live odds to make sure they offer good value and provide the sports, markets and tournaments you are interested in.
- Check the payment options: The available payment options can vary from bookie to bookie. The more payment methods available, the more flexibility you have when it comes to withdrawing and depositing.
- Find out what others think: Reviews are a good way to get an idea of a bookmaker’s reputation. If others are happy with their experience, it’s generally a good sign.
- Download the app: Being able to bet on the go is useful. Download the app on your preferred device and see what you make of it.
- Sign up: After checking all the boxes, it’s time to sign-up and figure out if this is the right betting site for you.
What is live betting?
Live betting, also known as in-play betting and in-game betting, has grown in popularity and is a major part of online betting with all of the top sportsbooks pulling out the stops to attract punters.
How does live betting work?
Live betting/in-play betting allows punters the opportunity to place in-game bets on sports. Bettors can monitor the action and place bets accordingly, with the odds shifting to the event in real time. Most bookmakers will offer live betting across all of their sports markets. Some bookies branch out into in-play betting on TV shows and other events.
How do I place a live bet?
Placing a live bet is generally a simple process. Upon logging into your favoured betting site, go to the the menu (typically at the top or either side of the screen) and click on the section marked either live or in-play. You will then see a range of events where you can place an in-play wager. Click on the live event and you will open all of the betting markets available. From here, you can just follow the normal procedure for placing a bet. If an event has a live stream, it will usually be marked by an icon such as a TV screen or a camera.
Is live betting a good strategy?
Live betting can be a good strategy if you understand the sport and you are following the action closely. In-play betting can allow you to follow the action and make decisions based on what you have seen. This allows you to react to changes which you may not have anticipated pre-match, though you need to think on your feet and act decisively. It can definitely bring some added excitement and you may feel that you can make more informed decisions if you are watching a sport which you understand well and you are following the action closely.
Is live betting better that pre-game betting?
Live betting means that you can react to events which are happening and that you can use your judgement to back a team or player that you feel is performing well. It is exciting, but you need to combine closely following the action and acting quickly, while avoiding making snap judgements and throwing money away carelessly. Pre-match betting allows you time to weigh things up and make a calm judgement. From the point of view of being able to react to changes, however, live betting can be seen as being better because nobody genuinely knows exactly how a match will go until the action starts. We have outlined the advantages and disadvantages of live betting.
What are the advantages of live betting?
The greatest plus point of live betting is that allows you to make a decision based on what is happening in real time. Pre-match betting does not give you the same amount of insight. What looks like a strong selection can change if there is a major incident such as an injury or a dismissal in the early stages. If you are watching a football match and a key player gets injured or sent off, you will be able to react to this and bet accordingly. You can also sense shifts in momentum, especially if you have a good understanding of the sport you are wagering on, and attempt to get ahead of the bookies. For example if a team go 2-0 up then sit back you might want to place a bet on the opposition to score next if they are looking nervous defensively. Likewise if a favourite concedes an early goal, the odds on them winning will lengthen. However, if you are confident that they will still be able to get the win you could take advantage and place your bet.
What are the drawbacks of live betting?
Like all form of gambling live betting needs to be approached responsibly. You should see live betting as a form of entertainment and you should only bet what you can afford. It is best to stick to sports which you know about. Bettors can use the option to bet in-play as a chance to strengthen their bets or to chase losses to recuperate money. This often leads to poor choices and the loss of even more cash. Punters who tend to be impulsive often end up making reckless decisions and losing out.
If you are looking to back an underdog it can be best to avoid live betting as the odds will reduce as long as they remain in the contention, and will decrease further if they go into an early lead.
Live betting odds
Live betting odds work the same way as pre-game odds. The difference is that they move in real-time with the outcomes of the event.
For example, if a team is priced at 4/1 to win if they go a goal down but suddenly equalise with 10 minutes remaining, that team’s odds might quickly shift to 2/1.
The odds move dynamically with the game situation. Bookmakers are constantly pricing the action using special techniques and algorithms. Most of the best live betting sites will adjust the odds within seconds of major change in the game and make incremental shifts over the course of a game too,. The best in-play betting sites will make these updates rapidly, making the information you get accurate.
What are live betting odds?
Wherever you a place a bet, there will be odds which would have been determined prior to the start of the event. These may change during the build-up depending on circumstances and other considerations and are likely to change right up until the beginning of the event. Live odds continue throughout the event, and will change depending on how the action unfolds. The live odds will give the ratio between the amount staked by the bookies and the bettor at that particular point in the action.
How are live betting odds calculated?
Live betting odds are calculated based on a combination of factors, including the pre-match odds, the current score, game statistics, and real-time events during the match. Sportsbooks and betting platforms like Bollyjackpot use algorithms and trading teams to adjust odds as the game progresses.
Betting sites with live streaming
Live streaming can greatly enhance the in-play betting experience. It is important to keep up with the action and watching an event live is the best way to do this. A quality live streaming service is a major asset to any sportsbook who offer live betting. The bookies who do not offer live streams will provide alternative options. This often involves graphics to represent the flow of the event accompanied by text commentary. This feature is often available at sites with live streams for punters who prefer this option.
UK live streaming betting sites
The following bookmakers offer the best live streaming services in the UK. To compile this list I have looked at the variety, quality and accessibility of the streams provided by each online betting site.
| Rank | Betting Site with Live Streaming | What live streams do they offer? |
| 1 | bet365 | Football, Basketball, Ice Hockey, Horse Racing, Darts |
| 2 | Unibet | Football, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball, Baseball |
| 3 | Betway | Football, Cricket, Basketball, Esports, Horse Racing |
| 4 | William Hill | Horse Racing, Greyhounds, Football, Rugby Union, Tennis |
| 5 | SpreadEx | Cricket, Tennis, Basketball, Horse Racing, Esports |
Live streaming bet365
Bet365 have a great live streaming service to compliment their superb in-play betting platform. The quality of their service is very good, the streams are generally reliable and clear.
Their list of sports offered is most extensive, we have listed five in the table but this is scratching the surface. For football they offer streams from in excess of 30 leagues, including Serie A the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. You can also find a good variety of UK and Irish horse racing and Grand Slam Tennis tournaments.
Live streaming Unibet
Unibet give their live streaming offering a prominent position on their website, with the tab linking to events being broadcast live at the top of the webpage.The quality of the steams, generally, is very good and to access them you simply need to have a funded account or to have placed a bet within the past 24 hours.
Football features heavily, with quality European Leagues such as the Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and La Liga covered along with some more lower profile leagues. Tennis is another sport which Unibet often stream, the ATP and WTA Tours are covered. Their basketball coverage includes the NBA, they cover MLB season and a range of volleyball fixtures.
Live Streaming Betway
Betway offer good quality live streams, though you cannot always watch the action on a full screen. However, the picture quality is excellent and you have access to commentary on some sports.
Betway offer a good range of sports for live streaming. Their cricket coverage includes top quality matches such as the ICC Cricket World Cup and they also offer streaming for a good range of other sports, including football, basketball, esports and table tennis.
Live Streaming BetVictor
BetVictor is great for horse racing live streams with the meetings from South Africa, the UAE and Europe. It also has some top-quality streams for the big races in the UK and Ireland, such as Cheltenham, Kempton, Chepstow, Aintree, Punchestown and Leopardstown. All you have to do is bet £1 on your selected race and you will be eligible to watch it. The bookie also provides live streaming for football, basketball, table tennis and a host of other sports.
Live Streaming SpreadEx
SpreadEx provide very good quality live streams, with the option to shift to full screen and, usually with commentary.
Like their sportsbook, SpreadEx focus on quality rather than quantity and what they do stream, they usually stream very well. Cricket and tennis are two of their more prominent sports available to stream and there is a good range of depth and quality with both. Horse racing and greyhound racing are available, however, you must have placed a bet on a race to watch it.
Other Live betting features to look for
There are a number of other features to look at when deciding what you want from a live betting site.
Promotions
In-play promotions have become increasingly popular, especially during big events. Many of the betting sites we have listed will offer promotions and features such as enhanced odds or free in-play bets for punters to take advantage of. For more promos, take a look at our best existing customer betting offers and no-deposit free bet offers.
Cash out
Betting on an outsider can be exciting in both pre-match and in-play betting. Most established betting sites offer the opportunity to cash out any winnings/losses before the event is over. This allows you to tap out of a bet while you are ahead, or to cut your losses. Cash out is hugely important in live betting as you need to react to a changing landscape.
Enhanced odds
Some sportsbooks offer enhanced odds if you choose to place in-play bets. These may come in the form of money back offers, specific promotions for mobile bets, acca bonuses, plus others. There are also specific bets that may only be placed while events are live, such as betting on the next goal or point or betting on something happening within a specific time frame.
Events available for Live betting
In-play betting is a fairly complex task for online betting sites. Therefore, some may be more selective than others when it comes to offering live betting opportunities. The best live betting sites will be able to offer a vast number of sports as well as depth of coverage of particular leagues.
Payment methods: Speedy deposits an advantage
Customers always need many options to deposit and withdraw their funds, and most betting sites will offer Visa and Mastercard debit cards, as well as PayPal, but many will also have Skrill and Neteller. Time is a vital commodity in live betting so punters want payments, especially deposits, processed rapidly.
In-play betting easily accessible
With so many sporting events going on at the same time, punters may want to make in-play bets on more than one event. An easily accessible, well set out site is essential. Some online bookies have dedicated pages for in-play bets, while others have the option of clicking on an icon for live bets. Live betting has a different look and feel to it than pre-match betting and the best live betting sites will understand this and present their in-play offering accordingly.
Rapid customer support
With odds shifting on the go, should punters encounter a problem they will need this resolved quickly. The best live betting sites will provide rapid, efficient and effective customer support.
Live odds updates
The best in-play betting sites will update live odds extremely quickly. This is especially important after critical moments in a match or an event. During such moments, certain betting markets can be frozen, and all betting is suspended until the odds are brought up to date. The live betting experience is far better with fast processing times and the best live betting sites strive to do this, giving punters as much time as possible to place their bets for things such as a penalty in football. Some online betting sites are able to update their odds very quickly and smoothly without players even realising, while others may have a slight delay.
A variety of sports and markets
Live betting is growing in popularity and bookies are expanding their in-play portfolio in terms of the number of sports, leagues, events and markets offer.
Live betting strategies
Be sure to take your time when you work on a live betting strategy. There are a lot of variables to take into account and you should avoid making impulse bets.
Timing is key
Timing is vital in live betting. You need to monitor the odds closely, allowing you to capitalise on any swings. This is where knowledge and understanding of the sport which you are betting on comes in, as you are more likely to choose the right time to make a bet. For example, if a football match is level and and the statistics and pattern of play is suggesting that one team might get a winner, holding off as long as possible might see you get better odds, however, the risk is that you lose your chance.
Utilise live streams
Seeing an event or a match play out live can give you a much greater insight as to how things are going and which way the momentum might be shifting than simply reading text updates and looking at stats, especially if it is a sport where you have a good understanding. Live streams can help you make much more informed decisions.
Use statistics
Almost all online betting sites will offer live statistics of events. Learning to analyse statistics for different sports will be a huge advantage for live betting.
Watch the action closely
Keep focussed on the match or event. It sounds obvious but a vital part of in-play betting is attention to detail and making sure you are focussed. Look for signs in the players, such as body language, making errors, playing well or suffering injuries that could inhibit their performance. These factors could all play a part in the outcome.
Use the cash out feature
If situation starts seeming too good to be true, or the probability of you winning the bet starts spiralling, you could use the Cash Out option to secure your winnings or cut your losses.
Do not make random bets for the sake of it
You can bet on the smallest detail in a match. Do not get trapped into betting on small, random details without thinking things through.
Think fast – but always have a plan B
Live betting is about speed and timing. But it could be a good idea to have a few contingency bets lined up in the event of the event taking an unexpected twist, especially in the early stages.
Do your research
As with pre-match betting you need to do your preparation to get the most out of in-play betting. Look into form, injuries, research on when teams do well at certain times of the match, or which players/teams tend to start slowly and then come strong and visa verse.
| Live betting strategies: Did you know |
|---|
| Unibet offer an “Action Bet” as part of their live offering. These bets are processed and settled much quicker than standard bets, often inside 60 seconds. |
Popular sports and events for live betting
Most online betting sites have a wide range of live/in-play betting options available. Popular sports/events include:
- Football
- Horse racing
- Tennis
- American football
- Badminton
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cricket
- Esports
- Futsal
- Golf
- Greyhound racing
- Ice hockey
- MMA
- Rugby League
- Rugby Union
- Snooker
- Table tennis
- Tennis
Key points on popular sports
Football: Football is a hugely popular sport for live betting. As well as the match result punters will bet on the next team to score, the next goalscorer, yellow and red cards and many more events within the match.
Tennis: Another popular option. Live betting on the match winner is popular as well as who wins the next point/game/set.
Cricket: Another popular in-play option, betting on the next wicket is popular
Boxing: Boxing is a popular option, betting on what will happen during rounds makes this interesting.
Horse and Greyhound racing: These are two of the most difficult sports to make in-play bets on. This is because the events only tend to last for a matter of seconds and the option to bet in-play is very quickly suspended.
TV/Specials: Some betting sites may have live betting on novelty and TV markets. The Academy Awards, for example, may allow betting up until a few minutes before a result is read out. In addition, popular reality shows like Strictly Come Dancing and Britain’s Got Talent may also have live odds.
Live betting: enjoy the in-play experience
Live betting is the fastest growing way to wager, allowing punters to place bets after an event has got underway, giving a different experience to pre-match betting. In-play betting allows you to put your judgement to the test and react to changes. If you find the concept interesting give it a try, however, remember to gamble responsibly.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Live Bet is a bet that is placed after an event has started. For example, after kick-off in a football match.
Yes. If place a live bet and you feel that the bet might not go the way you want or you are happy with what the bookies are offering, then you may be able to cash out. Remember, not all in-play bets will have a cash-out option, especially if you have placed a live bet where the result may become immediately apparent. Always check terms and conditions.
Punters can use their judgement and bet as the action unfolds. If you are knowledgeable about the sport in question you can get greater insight once the event is in progress than betting pre-match. We would also emphasise the excitement and the value to be gained.
You really need to pay attention to the game to get the best results when using a live in-game betting strategy. Depending on the state of the game, live odds might not always be better than the pre-match odds before the start of the game.
Live betting goes by a variety of names. Depending on the online betting site, you might see it called in-play or in-game betting. They all mean the same thing, which is betting on an event, match or competition that's underway. Whereas pre-game bets are processed before an event begins, live bets happen in the thick of the action.
Chris is a former athlete and a qualified PE teacher. He is a keen football fan, watching many matches at different levels throughout the season, and enjoys following many different sports. With betting and sports sites, he has a keen eye for detail and can to highlight positives and negatives for users. His experience in sport as a performer, teacher, writer and fan allows him to see things from many different perspectives.
