
1. bet365
With so many sportsbooks currently on the market, bettors have never had more choice, and the UK boasts a number of good quality bookmakers for sports betting. Football is one of the most popular options for sports bettors and this is demonstrated by the depth of markets and offers available with the industry-leading bookmakers across the UK.
Many UK sportsbooks believe that they have the best football betting site. We look at the different football markets offered, the quality of the odds offered, alongside the navigation and accessibility of each site, to come up with the best football betting sites for you.
Bet £10, get £10 in free bets
18+ New Customers only. Max Win £10 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at odds 1/1 or greater. Paid as bonus token. Min 4/5 odds required. Skrill, Neteller, Paypal not eligible. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply.
Bet £10 & get £30 in Free Bets
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. T&C’s Apply.
Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
Bet £15 Get £10
New Customers Only. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater. Max One £10 Free bet! 1/1 or Greater Paid as Bonus token with min. 4/5 odds req. Skrill, Neteller & Paypal not eligible. T&C Apply. 18+
1. bet365
2. Unibet
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.
4. BetVictor
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £5 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days of registering, no cashout. Get 2x £10 Free Bets, set events at odds 2.00+. Plus a £10 Slot Bonus, selected games, wager 20x to withdraw max £250. 7 day bonus expiry. Card payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. Please gamble responsibly
5. Betfred
New 18+ UK customers. Register with CHELT40 between 09:00 on 10/03/2023 and 17:30 on 17/03/2023. Deposit, using a Debit Card, and place first bet on sports within 7 days of registering. Bet must be £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ in one bet transaction. £40 in Free Bets credited within 10 hours of bet settlement, expires 7-days after issue. First bet must be settled within 7 days of registration. Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. Full T&Cs apply.
6. Betway
New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 50 Bonus Spins credited on placement of qualifying Acca bet.50x bonus wagering applies as do weighting requirements, bonus Spins only available on selected games and expires 7 days after being awarded. Debit card deposits only (exclusions apply). 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full terms apply.
Since its inception back in 2000, bet365 has firmly established itself as a major player in the betting industry, in the UK and around the world. The company are well established, well-regulated and trustworthy. The website and app are easy to use. They are a market leader in most of the services they offer. Not surprisingly, it ranks as one of the best football betting sites in the UK.
Bottom line:
A quality all-round bookmaker and a quality football betting site, bet365 offer a range of football markets, both pre-match and in-play, live streaming and competitive odds.
Why we like Bet365:
Bet365 provides outstanding levels of security and usability for customers along with consistently competitive odds on the majority of sports, including football. The bookie has a huge range and depth of football markets. They have a great in-play section, complimented by live streaming of many leagues.
Pros | Cons |
Well established, trustworthy and well regulated.It makes responsible gambling a priority. Huge variety of football markets. Consistent and competitive odds. Great football bet builder available to customise your wager. | Many football promotions are only aimed at new customers. |
What Bet365 offers you
Betfred has become one of the UK’s most popular betting sites since its online launch in 2004, providing greater presence for a company that already had 1,600 high-street betting shops. Betfred is one of the most popular bookmakers for football betting and offers punters numerous options. There are markets on all the top leagues and competitions, including the Premier League, and there are also more niche tournaments and leagues from across the globe.
Bottom line:
Betfred have an excellent range of football markets, a great football bet builder and a fantastic in-play section, putting them comfortably among the UK’s best football betting websites.
Why we like Betfred:
Betfred cover a range of leagues with impressive depth. Their excellent football bet builder, #PickYourPunt allows you to customise your bet. There are many options to choose from, but if you can’t find the bet you want you can tweet @Betfred with your bet along with #PickYourPunt. One of Betfred’s strongest features is the In-play betting option that is easy to use, and every punter should consider the site when betting on football. Betfred also offers an enticing £40 in bonuses to new customers – one of the best sign-up offers of any bookmaker.
Pros | Cons |
Well established, trustworthy and well regulated.It makes responsible gambling a priority. Huge variety of football markets. Many promotions specific to football. Great football bet builder available to customise your wager (#PickYourPunt) Great in-play football betting | While odds are consistent and fair, they are not up there with the best |
What Betfred offers you
888sport is one of the most underrated of all online bookmakers and is still constantly improving. Various football markets are being added daily as the site continues to grow into one of the best football betting sites around. It has some great markets available for issues surrounding the game, such as “new manager odds”.
Bottom line:
888Sport has great range and depth to its football markets, offering many betting options on matches, leagues and competitions, and issues surrounding the game.
Why we like 888Sport:
888sport have a large range of football markets. They offer many betting options for individual matches in a huge variety of leagues and competitions, outright winner odds, promotion and relegation odds and odds on issues within the game, such as new managerial appointments. They also offer competitive odds and a variety of football related promos.
Pros | Cons |
Established gambling company 888 Holdings launched 888sport in 2008. It is trustworthy and well regulated. It makes responsible gambling a priority. Huge variety of football markets Football bet builder available to customise your wager. Competitive odds-on football. | Live streaming can be limited |
What 888Sport offers you
Founded in 2006, Betway are one of the UK’s leading betting companies. They are well regulated and boast an excellent sportsbook, exciting promotions, generous offers and top-level security. They are one of the best football betting sites around, boasting an extensive range of markets and many football related promotions. They are currently high profile within football, providing sponsorship for Premier League side West Ham United.
Bottom line:
Boosted odds and superb promotions underline Betway’s excellent football betting service.
Why we like Betway:
Betway has promotions for both regular and new customers, presented on a website which is clean, easy to navigate and smooth-running. Betway cover a vast array of leagues and competitions around the world, making it one of the best football betting sites in the UK in terms of range. There are many promotions focused on football. For example the welcome bonus offers to give you a £30 free bet matched if your first football accumulator loses.
Pros | Cons |
Well established, trustworthy and well regulated.It makes responsible gambling a priority. Excellent mobile app. Huge variety of football markets. Attractive football promotions. Consistent and competitive odds .Football bet builder available to customise your wager. Excellent blog with great football content | Although the FAQ section is robust, a better customer service system is needed. Only contact is on Live Chat. In-play football markets not quite as extensive as competitors. |
What Betway offers you
BetUK is a very prominent UK sportsbook with a wide variety of sports markets. The company was founded in 2012, making it one of the latest UK-licensed online bookmakers. Most of our other picks for the best football betting sites have been established for longer. However, we like the fresh approach and feel of BetUK and in terms of football, it is up there with the best sportsbooks. It gives the chance to bet on football leagues throughout the world, and this, along with a variety of betting options, make it one of the best football betting sites in the UK.
Bottom line:
BetUK gives the chance to bet on football leagues throughout the world and regularly offers good quality odds.
Why we like BetUK:
The betting market selection at BetUK is huge, especially in football. There can be a hundred selections per event, putting it comfortably among the best football betting sites in terms of variety. This includes a huge range of leagues across the globe, as well as betting on individual players (cards, goals, assists etch), both pre-match and in-play. BetUK offer some of the best football odds around, giving punters great value.
Pros | Cons |
Although new BetUK is trustworthy and well regulated. It makes responsible gambling a priority. Great odds-on football. Huge variety of football marketsF ootball bet builder available to customise your wager. Boosted odds on Man City matches | No live streaming for football. |
What BetUK offers you
Bettors have many factors to weigh up when looking for a football betting site. The bookie must prove themselves to be reputable, trustworthy and properly regulated. The quality of odds offered are of great importance along with the design and feel of the website, promotions, in-play betting, live streaming and the quality and accessibility of customer service. To be ranked among the best football betting sites, bookmakers must rate highly in all of these areas.
Chris Sampson: I am looking for football betting sites in the UK to offer good quality odds, a large range of markets and promotions available throughout the year. Websites should be responsive and easy to use on both the desktop and the app. The company must be trustworthy and deposits and withdrawals must be straightforward and prompt.
Football is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports to bet on in Britain. Therefore it is an area which all of the leading bookmakers focus on, leaving punters with many options regarding promotions and offers.
Selecting the best football betting site in 2023 is about looking at the whole service that each bookie provides for the sport. It will also come down to personal preference of punters and areas which the individuals prioritise. We’ve compared the top football betting sites:
Site Name | Betting.com Rating | Best For | Sign-up Bonus | Full Review |
Bet365 | 4.8/5 | Excellent in-play betting and live streaming for football. | Bet £10, Get £30 Free Bets | Full bet365 Review |
Betfred | 4.6/5 | Great football bet builder | Get £40 in bonuses when you stake £10 | Full Betfred Review |
888Sport | 4.7/5 | Huge Variety of football markets | Bet £10 get £30 in free bets plus a £10 casino bonus | |
Betway | 4.7/5 | Superb football promotions | £30 Matched Free Bet | Full Betway Review |
BetUK | 4.6/5 | Great value odds on football | Bet £10, Get £30 in free bets | Full BetUK Review |
Identifying the best football betting sites isn’t an easy task with so many options out there. You can only get a real idea of what works for you by trying sites out and extensively researching their promotions.
When looking at football online betting sites, these seven points are important to keep in mind:
Football is currently the most popular sport to bet on in the UK. Bookmakers have responded to this, with the best football betting sites offering world-wide markets in popular and obscure leagues alike. As well as betting on outright winners and results, betting on statistics and player props is becoming a popular option for football bettors.
The best football betting sites in the UK will display odds for many different markets. Firstly you will find odds for the outright winner of leagues and cups. These will change on an almost daily basis due to results, form, and, in cup competitions, the draw. Each match will display odds for the result (home win, away win, draw). Again these will move as things change (injuries, suspensions etc.) in the build up to the game. Generally if you add up the percentage probability of each of the three possible outcomes you can determine whether the odds are good value. Naturally the three percentages should make 100, however, that would leave the bookie without profit. What is a fair margin varies from sport to sport, however in football 110 and under is considered fair, while the bookies who offer the best football odds usually average around 105 (95% payout). Within each match you can find other markets to bet on such as exact score, goal scorers, number of corners or cards, result at half time etc.
Just like selecting your preferred bookie, there is a lot to consider when making football picks. Recent form, injuries, suspensions, upcoming fixtures and style of play/characteristics of the teams are all important factors.
Football bettors have never had more options available. Punters can, for example, bet on outright winners, match results, player props and match stats. Accas and multiples are very popular. Bettors pick a number of games to predict the result from, with, for example, odds given for selecting four out of four correct results
This is a bet on an event which is often some way down the line. Punters often bet on outright winners (the winner of a competition, for example Premier League, Champions League). Variations of this can include betting on which teams will finish in the top four of the Premier League, or which teams will be relegated from the Championship. Bets such as this can be made on individual players too, for example top goal scorer in the SPL.
For an individual match punters bet on which team will win, or whether the game will end as a draw. An extension of this is betting on a specific result (Manchester City to win 2-1) or betting on both teams to score (Newcastle United to win, both teams to score).
Betting the over/under in a match simply means you are wagering on how many goals will be scored overall, NOT how many one team will score, nor who will win. So for example you might bet that Arsenal v Spurs will have under 3.5 goals, or you may wager that Real Madrid v Sevilla will have over 3.5 goals in total.
As it sounds, double chance betting involves predicting two of the three possible outcomes in a soccer match. In any game you will have three double chance options: Team 1 win + draw (e.g. Nottingham Forest and draw). Team 2 win + draw (e.g. Newcastle United FC and draw). Team 1 or Team 2 win (e.g. Nottingham Forest or Newcastle United win).
Parlay: A parlay involves more than one wager combined together for greater odds. You can place a same game Premier League parlay — multiple events from one matchup — or alternatively, events across multiple games. Comprising three doubles and a treble, a Trixie is three selections and four bets. At least two of the selections must land to guarantee a payout.
As stated earlier accumulators, where punters try to match a number of results, are hugely popular in football betting. Accumulators combine multiple selections into one bet and are among the most popular forms of betting on football. This is because they offer the potential reward of big returns for small stakes as the winnings from each selection are placed on the next one.
The obvious risk is that all the bets have to win for the bettor to receive a payout. However, some bookmakers, offer accumulator insurance so if one of your selections (minimum five selections) lets you down you will receive your stake back as a free bet.
Handicap betting helps punters get better odds if a game appears to be one-sided.
Prop markets are becoming more common, and they allow customers to bet on anything that may unfold during a game. This can include the number of passes, tackles and shots by individual players as well as the amount of free kicks, goal kicks or throw-ins in a fixture.
Common prop bets include:
Correct score
First team to score
Which team will score last
Anytime goal scorer
Player to score 2+/hat-trick
First player to be shown a card
Number of shots a player will have
Depending on the bookie, there may be options to include props in a mixed parlay. Many bookmakers have football bet builders and the option to tweet your customised bets to the bookie to get odds quoted.
Prop markets become more limited with smaller games and less popular leagues.
Lots of football bettors enjoy the excitement of live betting as the match flows. Bettors can follow the action then use their judgement to place bets as the game unfolds. Live-streaming has made this more popular. Bookmakers offer several markets, such as the next goal scorer, which team will win the next corner or throw-in, or who will be the next player to be shown a yellow card.
There are also many “specials” markets, including those for managers and transfers in which you can place bets on bosses to leave their jobs or be sacked and players to join other clubs
It is important to do some background research before making your wager. Look into form, injuries, styles of play and upcoming fixtures. Also look into what a team’s priorities are for the season. For example a Premier League team struggling against relegation is unlikely to field it’s strongest team against a team from the Championship or League One in the FA Cup. Therefore an upset might be more likely and you just might get attractive odds. Try to apply your knowledge and understanding of the game to your selections. Look at the types of bets your prefer, accas, prop markets, moneyline etc. and develop your own strategy. Above all, gamble responsibly, make it fun, and understand that one of the reasons we love football is it’s unpredictable nature.
Football bettors have never had more choice in terms of leagues and competitions to bet on. Second tier games in Romania are available with some bookies, along with the upper tiers of non-league football in the English game. However, it is the Premier League, the Championship, the UEFA Champions League, major European leagues and international tournaments which are the most popular among punters.