Unibet
Unibet welcomes swathes of customers every year and has been a highly regarded bookmaker since moving online at the turn of the century.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
- Covers niche sports
- Tonnes of live streaming
- Promotions and offers
New customers only. 18+, BeGambleAware.org. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus. Wagering requirements: Sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), Casino 50x. Only one bonus can be used at a time, Sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the Casino, unless the bonus has been forfeited. Bonus will expire after 7 days of opt-in. Full T&Cs apply.
Bottom line:
With a reputation for covering niche sports, Unibet has to be thought of as one of the best chess betting sites in the UK.
Why we like Unibet
New customers at Unibet will quickly notice just how many different sports they provide odds for. Chess is just one of the niche markets covered. People yet to create an account can also take advantage of some of the best promos on the market. Once you are set up, you can follow numerous sports in various countries thanks to their live streaming.
What Unibet offers you
- Widespread coverage of sport: Unibet prides itself on covering every sport you can think of. From chess to bowling, from alpine skiing to badminton, Unibet is the best place to go.
- Live streaming: Accompanying their diverse selection of sports, Unibet also has live streaming for events all over the world.
- Promotions: Unibet have a range of offers, promos and features to keep new and existing customers interested.
- Smooth website and apps: Punters speak very positively about using the Unibet website and their respective apps for Android and Apple.
10bet
A Malta-based bookmaker founded 20 years ago, you might not have heard of 10bet, but it deserves to be recognised as one of the best chess betting sites in the UK.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
- High-quality design of website and app
- Competitive odds
- The Ten Club
18+. New bettors get 50% of deposit up to £50; Once per household; Min deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Wager a total of 8 times deposit + bonus, with max qualifying bet stake equal to your initial bonus amount; Bonus expires after 60 days; Min odds of 4/5 on singles, or 2/5 per leg for acca; Some bet types excluded; See full terms;
Bottom line:
10bet’s award winning design of their website and app makes it an excellent experience for bettors.
Why we like 10bet
First impressions of the 10bet website and app are superb. Designed to make betting a straight-forward experience, and with an intuitive layout, 10bet has rightly received recognition for its design and branding. The welcome bonus has the potential to be lucrative depending on the amount you wish to deposit.
What 10bet offers you
- Slick website and app: Using the website and app at 10bet is a painless process. Odds are easy to find, and loading times are minimal.
- Competitive odds: 10bet have competitive odds across the board.
- Unique VIP experience: The Ten Club provides everything from exclusive, tailored offers to a private WhatsApp service. It is a unique attitude to a VIP area at a bookmaker.
- Rapid payouts: There’s no waiting around for payment with 10bet. They are one of the quickest bookmakers when it comes to withdrawing cash.
BetUK
BetUK is a newbie to the sports betting industry, having been founded as recently as 2020. The company has wasted no time building a reputation as one of the strongest chess online betting sites.
- Best Odds for EPL
- Best Odds for UCL
18+. T&Cs Apply.
- Good options for betting on chess
- Acca Club
- Good quality odds for Chess
T&Cs apply. New customers, 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. Stake not returned. Opt-in required. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
Bottom line:
Chess odds are included in BetUK’s vast range of sports.
Why we like BetUK
You can find chess markets at BetUK with their dedicated section. The website is generally easy to work your way around. If you like placing accumulators, their Acca Club can lead to some decent rewards for regular punters. Should you want to mix things up, they also have a selection of virtual sports to bet on.
What BetUK offers you
- Easy-to-locate chess betting: The chess odds are only a couple of clicks away when you open the BetUK website.
- Profit boosts with Acca Club: Join the Acca Club through the promotions page when logged into your account and you can earn profit boosts tokens on certain accumulators.
- Virtual sports markets: If you aren’t finding any appealing wagers elsewhere, you can always have a look at BetUK’s virtual sports betting.
- Free Bet Club: You can land two £3 free bets every week with the Free Bet Club. Criteria apply to receive the free bets.
Sportingbet
Based in London, Sportingbet was founded in 1998 and has developed a solid customer base over the years.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
- Comprehensive chess coverage
- Well-structured website and app
- Back Up Bet Token
This Promotion is available to Website customers who: are over 18 years old; are a new player with sportingbet.com; are resident in the United Kingdom. This offer is available to 1 person per household. 18+. T&C Apply.
Bottom line:
Sportingbet provides more markets on lesser-followed sports than many of its competitors, which is relevant when looking for the leading chess online betting sites.
Why we like Sportingbet
If chess is your main focus, Sportingbet is a great place to start due to its different markets. It is easy to browse on their website and app. If you are unsure about a wager, you can use a Back Up Bet token to help you get some money back if the bet loses.
What Sportingbet offers you
- Extra chess markets: At the time of writing, Sportingbet stands out for its selection of chess markets, including the Norway Open and Women’s Candidates Tournament.
- Superb website and app: Sportingbet’s website and app are straight-forward to navigate. It is not overly cluttered and generally loads in good time.
- Back Up Bet: You can use a Back Up Bet token on Sportingbet to give yourself some insurance. If the wager loses, you will receive part of your stake back.
- In-depth statistics: Sportingbet’s website has some built-in statistics for certain sports. You can get greater detail by visiting their Stats Centre.
Paddy Power
An Irish bookmaker with a massive social media presence, Paddy Power is a recognisable name in the industry.
18+. T&Cs Apply.
- Regular free bets
- Lots of promos
- Chess odds available
New customers only. Place your FIRST bet on any market at odds of min 2.0 (EVS) and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is £20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply.
Bottom line:
Punters at Paddy Power have stacks of promotions to choose from and will regularly be rewarded with free bets.
Why we like Paddy Power
Paddy Power is renowned for its eye-catching promotions and free bet offers. You will never be short of offers to get stuck into. There are also chess odds available, which is not a guarantee at some of their big-name peers.
What Paddy Power offers you
- Frequent free bets: Paddy Power likes to be bold in its promotional material, and the same goes with its offers. You will often have ways to earn free bets if you are a regular bettor on their website and app.
- Promotions galore: Whether its free bets, extra places being paid out or cashback deals, Paddy Power rolls out promotions through every month of the year.
- Dedicated chess page: Some bookies will overlook chess odds. Paddy Power has a page dedicated to chess betting to find all the latest markets.
- Rewards Club: Land a free bet up to £20 or a Power Up every single week with the Paddy Power Rewards Club.
How our experts choose the best sites to bet on Chess
There’s no such thing as too much information when it comes to choosing the best chess betting sites. Still, punters will not all have the same priorities, and you need to know what is important to focus on when approaching a final decision.
Sam Cox: For lesser-followed sports like chess, I want to be betting at a bookmaker with a reputation for covering a lot of sports. Bookies which have easy-to-use websites are going to earn some bonus points. In my opinion, the top chess online betting sites should have a strong welcome offer to allow you to try out the site without committing too many funds.
Compare the best Chess betting sites of 2023
Unlike some of the higher-profile sports, there is a relatively small pool of candidates for choosing the best chess betting sites. Many bookies do not even offer chess odds. Others will have them hidden away on the site, making it inconvenient for people regularly wanting to wager on chess.
Despite that, there is still some competition to make our shortlist. There are more than a few bookies to choose from. Here is a comparison table of our favourite chess betting sites:
| Site Name | Betting.com Rating | Best For | Full Review |
| Unibet | 4.7/5 | Markets on niche sports | Review |
| 10bet | 4.5/5 | Website and app usability | Review |
| BetUK | 4.3/5 | Chess coverage and high chess odds | Review |
| Sportingbet | 4.1/5 | Range of chess odds | Review |
| Paddy Power | 4/5 | Free bets and promos | Review |
How to choose the best site for you
At Betting.com, we have got the ball rolling as you try to land on your favourite chess online betting sites. There are elements of subjectivity in choosing a bookmaker, however, and not all punters will be prioritising the same factors. It is ultimately a personal decision. You need to look around for yourself and come to your own conclusion on where to place your chess bets.
Of course, it is useful to have a few things to bear in mind as you learn about different chess bookmakers. Here are a few criteria to mull over:
- Licences are important: You don’t want to be taking any risks with your financial information or data. Checking up on a bookie’s licences can give you peace of mind that you are betting at a safe place.
- Read the welcome offer terms and conditions: Welcome offers are designed to attract new customers. The right site for you will have a sign-up promotion which fits with your betting habits and the amount you are looking to deposit.
- Look for odds: This is an especially important one with chess. Make sure the bookie actually provides odds on the sport, and see how easy it is to find them on the website and app.
- Check payment terms: The number of payment methods available varies across bookmakers. You want to be sure your preferred option is offered, plus it is worth checking that deposits and withdrawals will be processed quickly without hidden fees.
- Research their reputation: Reputation is vital in the sports betting industry. Happy punters are a sign a bookmaker is fair, reliable and safe. There are reviews all over the internet to see what others think before committing yourself.
- Download the app: Whether mobile betting is your thing or not, it is worth having a quick look at their app. It’s another way to check out a bookmaker’s offering, and you never know when you might want to bet or stream on the move.
- Sign up: If everything else is to your liking and you think you’ve settled on a preferred site, it’s time to trial the sign-up process. Only through joining can you get a proper idea of what it would be like to regularly bet on a site.
Betting on Chess explained
According to legend, chess was invented in 200 BC. Depending on where you are in the world and who you ask, there are lots of different answers to when chess was first played. In the 21st century, chess has become more accessible for people through online streaming and playing the game on apps.
Odds
The best chess betting sites in 2023 will make their odds easy to find whether using your laptop or phone.
Picks
Chess requires a bit of research before making your picks. Learn about the players involved and their head-to-head records.
Types of Chess bets
The majority of chess betting markets will be very familiar to regular bettors.
Winner
As it suggests, a wager on the match winner market means your bet only wins if your player wins the match.
Double Chance
A double chance bet covers one player to win and the match to end in a draw. Draws do happen in chess, so this is a way of winning your wager with two out of the three possible outcomes.
Handicap
Handicap betting in chess is a slight twist on the double chance. It is effectively backing a player to not lose. Unlike double chance, you simply receive your stake back rather than win the bet if the match is a draw.
Outright betting
Just as in other sports, major tournaments are available for outright betting at the best chess betting sites in the UK. You can place a wager on the tournament winner before a match is played or midway through an event.
Chess betting strategies
You won’t magically land on a reliable chess betting strategy. Punters should dedicate some time to hone their approach. You need to be familiar with the sport’s history, tactics, form and much more.
Popular Chess events to bet on
It’s fair to say even the biggest chess events don’t garner a great deal of mainstream attention. Chess fans have a lot of big events to follow throughout the year, though, and we have picked three of the highlights on the chess calendar:
- Candidates Tournament: The Candidates Tournament is the most prestigious event in chess. Organised by the chess governing body since 1950, the Candidates Tournament is the final hurdle players face to earn the right to challenge the world champion. With the World Championship played every other year, qualification for the Candidates Tournament takes place in the odd-numbered years. The tournament itself happens in even-numbered years. Recent editions have been competed in an eight-player round-robin format.
- FIDE Grand Prix: The FIDE Grand Prix is a series of tournaments which allows players to qualify for the Candidates Tournament. The Grand Prix begins with a pool stage before moving to a knockout format. There are 24 players involved, and the winner receives just over £20,000 in prize money.
World Championship: Played every two years, the World Chess Championship decides the world champion in the sport. It was first held in 1886, and until 1946, the reigning champion set the terms, requiring a stake from the challenger. More recently, the world champion has faced the winner of the Candidates Tournament. Emanuel Lasker has the most years as world champion with 27. Magnus Carlsen was the undisputed world champion from 2013 to 2023.