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Best Betting Sites UK: Top Online Bookmakers Ranked and Reviewed
Our betting tipster, racing journalist and five-time winner of the National Press Challenge Sam Turner reviews the best betting sites in the UK
Betting on sport is a hobby for millions in the UK, but since there are so many betting sites to choose from, it’s not always clear which bookmaker is the right fit for your own preferences.
That’s why we’ve spent the past few months researching the best betting sites who strive to deliver impartial and reliable insights for readers.
Placing a small deposit into a newly opened betting account usually enables punters to access free bets to use on sports of their choice, which helps to get a feel for the bookmaker you’ve just invested in.
Our review of the best betting sites UK punters can find draws on research, experience and first-hand testing to assess each platform’s odds selection, security measures, bonus offerings and more.
By leveraging trusted third-party data and our reporting standards, we endeavour to provide readers with an accurate and up-to-date guide to choosing the right bookmaker.
Top 10 Betting Sites UK 2025
Rest assured that all of our recommended bookies are fully regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and we’ve even provided a link to their license number on the UKGC website in the table below.
Rank | Bookmaker | Best For | UKGC Account No. |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Bet365 | Football | |
2 | William Hill | Horse Racing | |
3 | BoyleSports | Golf | |
4 | Parimatch | Boxing | |
5 | Unibet | Cricket | |
6 | BetMGM | In-Play Betting | |
7 | Betway | Free Bet Club | |
8 | Betfred | Accumulators | |
9 | BetVictor | Live Streaming | |
10 | NetBet | Bet Builders |
1. Bet365 – Best For Football Betting
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
The last 20 years have seen Bet365 become the industry leader among football betting sites, while their all-round appeal has led to their popularity with all types of punters.
The Stoke-based firm cater for their customers with innovative markets on all sports, but they are particularly strong on football and recently backed up this commitment by agreeing a three-year deal to become Uefa’s first betting partner for the Champions League.
Bet365’s European football offerings have an abundance of price boosts, early payouts and free-to-play games surrounding the continent’s premier club competition.
The only slight disappointment with Bet365’s football product is that live streaming of Champions League matches is not available.
You can use the Bet365 bonus code INDY2025 to claim a new customer offer which sees players receive £30 in free bets when they deposit and stake £10.
New and existing customers can also take advantage of the Bet365 Super Boost, where odds are bolstered on a particular selection in one of the most popular betting events that day.
Bet365 Pros | Bet365 Cons |
|---|---|
✅ High quality live streaming service | ⛔ No Champions League streaming despite Uefa partnership |
✅ One of the strongest welcome offers going | ⛔ Less free bet promotions than a lot of their rivals |
✅ Biggest variety of Champions League odds I’ve seen |
Overall, the positives absolutely outweigh the very slight drawbacks on Bet365, and it’s not only football that they specialise in. In my eyes, they’re up there with the best for horse racing and tennis too.
2. William Hill – Best For Horse Racing Betting
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
William Hill is a well-respected, award-winning bookmaker having picked up the award for Best Horse Racing Betting Operator at the 2024 EGR Operator Awards, making them the premier option for racing punters in the UK.
One of the main reasons it’s the best option for racing bettors is because of their best odds guarantee promo for bets placed after 8am online.
It’s a handy concession for early-morning backers and 8am is the earliest BOG commencement time I’ve found.
Like Bet365, Hills offer new customers a sizeable bonus for signing up, with players gifted £30 in bonuses once they register and bet £10 via a mobile device after using the William Hill promo code R30.
The bonus is paid out as three £10 free bets. These can be used as horse racing free bets, but are also available to wager on any other sport, excluding virtual sports.
Not only do they offer healthy bonuses for new customers, but Hills offer regular price boosts with their Epic Boost feature, and they are also a bookmaker that gives away free bets to existing customers for big events like the Cheltenham Festival.
On the negative side, William Hill’s live streaming package is not quite up to scratch compared to some other racing bookmakers, like Bet365, for example, who provide users with access to a large archive of horse races to study.
William Hill Pros | William Hill Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Racing Epic Boost promo available on any race | ⛔ Live stream service not as good as Bet365 |
✅ BOG promo begins at 8am daily | ⛔ Sign up offer needs to be claimed via mobile device |
✅ Daily extra places races | ⛔ No free-to-play racing prediction game unlike rival bookies |
✅ Sign up offer is valid on horse racing odds |
With top price guarantees, BOG and Non-Runner Money Back on Cheltenham, William Hill’s racing product is unbeatable at the moment. I’d like to see a free racing prediction game like you’ll find on Bet365 and Betway, but other than that it’s a really strong offering.
3. BoyleSports – Best For Golf Betting
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Established by John Boyle in 1982, BoyleSports is one of the best bookmakers available in the UK, especially when it comes to golf betting.
Each-way betting is very popular with golf punters and Boyles allow customers to choose their own terms.
For example, you may want to back Rory McIlroy each-way but you can select six, 10 or 12 places with the odds reflected accordingly.
Boyles also run regular promotions around the majors, most notably their early payout feature whereby you’ll receive a return if your tournament winner pick is the outright leader after three rounds, regardless of the final result.
Away from golf, live streaming of horse racing is available on the BoyleSports site as well as their online betting app and the quality of the stream is excellent.
As are the various promotions and bonuses available to customers which are neatly dotted around the site.
The BoyleSports loyalty programme, called BoyleXtra, provides free bets and exclusive offers as well as prize draws to ensure you get the most out of your time betting with them.
New players can gain £30 in free bets via the BoyleSports sign up offer once they have placed a minimum bet of £10 at odds in excess of evens, while they’ll also throw in £10 credit for their casino sites too. Not only that, new customers get a 25 per cent winnings boost on all Premier League, Champions League and Europa League bet builders.
BoyleSports Pros | BoyleSports Cons |
|---|---|
✅ New improved welcome offer | ⛔ Live chat customer support not available 24/7 like some rival bookies |
✅ Easy-to-use betting app with live streaming available | ⛔ In-play statistics not as comprehensive as other betting sites |
✅ Lots of promotions for golf and various other sports |
It proved very hard for me to find many meaningful faults with BoyleSports, which is why I’ve given it a five-star rating. Their golf offerings are second to none but they’re also very good for racing and rugby betting.
4. Parimatch – Best For Boxing Betting
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Established in 1994, Parimatch has gained a fine reputation for innovation since entering the UK market in recent years, so much so that they’ve become the go-to online bookmaker for big boxing and UFC bouts.
It’s very common for Parimatch to run special welcome offers ahead of big fights, usually in the form of a ludicrously large price boost on either fighter to win.
For example, in the recent rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury, new customers could pick their winner at odds of 50/1.
They do similar offers for UFC betting and big Premier League games too. The only downside is that such offers are usually restricted to new customers only.
Meanwhile, Parimatch is known to be one of the safest betting sites for responsible gambling, with their current CEO Sergey Portnov a former ‘Leader of the Year’ winner at the prestigious SBC Awards, thanks to his commitment to maintaining ethical practices.
New customers can currently gain a welcome bonus of £20 in free bets, but if the terms and conditions don’t suit you there are various other Parimatch sign up offers under their offers tab.
Parimatch Pros | Parimatch Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Wide variety of sign up offers | ⛔ The best offers are reserved for new customers |
✅ Genuine enthusiasm for responsible gambling | ⛔ T&Cs not always the clearest on welcome promos |
✅ Unique promotions for boxing betting |
While not perfect, I’ve given Parimatch a very healthy score of four stars due to the emphasis on responsible betting and the value on offer in their welcome promos. More promos for existing customers would bring this bookie up another level.
5. Unibet – Best For Cricket Betting
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Launched online in 1999, Unibet has a long history of award-winning bookmaking.
During the noughties, they were recognised as the European Sportsbook of the Year in 2006, 2008 and 2009 by the international magazine Egaming Review, while they were also crowned Sportsbook Operator of the Year at the 2014 IGA Awards.
Today, they rank among the best betting sites across all of Europe and in particular the UK where they have really improved their offers on horse racing, football and cricket betting.
For cricket, Unibet offer a range of promotions for major events such as the IPL and The Hundred, while they also offer live cricket streaming for select events on Unibet TV.
The standard Unibet sign up offer provides new players with £40 in bonuses if they deposit and bet £10, but £20 of this credit is a casino bonus which may not appeal to every punter.
Unibet Pros | Unibet Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Choice of sign-up offers | ⛔ Main sign-up offer restricts 50% of bonus funds to casino |
✅ Excellent in-play betting experience with numerous live streaming events | ⛔ App could be improved when compared with other UK bookies |
✅ Multi-award winning sportsbook |
One of the major positives when betting with Unibet is the variety of markets they offer for smaller and niche sports. If you are a player that scours the betting landscape for value and innovation then Unibet is a solid choice.
6. BetMGM – Best For In-Play Betting
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
BetMGM is undoubtedly one of the best new betting sites in the UK having begun their journey into the British gambling market in 2023.
Arriving with a reputation as one of the best casino sites and sports betting operators in the US, BetMGM have made giant strides in the UK in the last 18 months, aggressively marketing their horse racing and in-play products in particular.
You’ll find a vast selection of in-play options, from the most popular sports to bet on such as football and tennis, to niche betting events in eSports and table tennis.
The data available to punters when live betting on tennis is particularly impressive, with real-time stats and head-to-head records, plus winning first serve and break point conversion percentages all updated by the minute.
The BetMGM sign up offer provides new customers with £40 in free bets once you sign up and bet £10.
It comes in the form of four £10 tokens that are free to use across several different sports and features, namely football, racing and bet builders.
For existing customers, the best promotions are centred around odds boosts such as Golden Silks, which is their daily boosts on horse racing, and golden acca which is a profit boost for football accumulators.
BetMGM Pros | BetMGM Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Valuable welcome offer valid on multiple sports | ⛔ Not the fastest for processing withdrawals |
✅ Top quality in-play betting product | ⛔ Not as many ongoing promotions as rival bookies |
✅ Golden Goals promo gives customers a chance to win £1m |
We particularly like BetMGM’s in-play experience and also their international racing markets, with races from America, Dubai, Australia and more all available on a daily basis.
7. Betway – Best Free Bet Club
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Betway are one of the most recognisable bookmakers in the country given their huge sponsorship presence in any number of sports, but predominantly football.
The simplicity of Betway’s Free Bet Club makes it stand out as the best loyalty promotion among the best UK betting sites.
Moreover, you don’t have to stake a huge amount in order to qualify for the weekly free bets, unlike some bookies out there.
With the Betway Free Bet Club, punters who bet £25 per week on sports multiples – either accumulators or bet builders with three or more selections – will be rewarded with £10 in free bets (two £5 tokens).
All you have to do is opt in via the Betway promotions page and meet the qualifying terms week to week to collect your free bets.
The current Betway sign up offer is a £30 matched bet plus 100 free spins on their casino, but those on a lower budget can choose a bet £10 get £10 alternative offer via the link above.
Betway Pros | Betway Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Best Free Bet Club on the market | ⛔Offers and promotions hidden away |
✅ Very good betting app with live streaming | ⛔ Website not easy to navigate compared to the app |
✅ Great for multis with bet builder and acca insurance |
What I like about the Betway Free Bet Club is how much value you get back. By meeting the weekly criteria, you receive £10 in free bets for every £25 staked, effectively giving you 40% back to reinvest. It’s a great way to get extra bets for your money.
8. Betfred – Best For Accumulators
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Betfred have been a leading bookmaker in the UK since the 1960s and, after accumulating a large number of high street betting shops since the turn of the century, have since embraced the move to the online betting market.
New customers can enter a Betfred promo code then bet £10 to get a £50 welcome bonus, which includes two free £10 accumulator bets, while the remaining three £10 tokens can be used on any sports betting markets.
There’s no doubt this welcome offer is up there with the best of them, but once you move past the newcomer stage there’s lots of ongoing promotions to take advantage of.
This includes Acca Flex whereby you can receive a bonus on your football accumulator winnings, or cash back if your multi only fails by one result.
There are similar offerings for racing fans too, with 10% bonus funds added to winning Tricasts, Lucky15s and Yankees for example.
The same bonuses can also be collected for winning greyhound accumulators.
As well as several accumulator promotions, Betfred’s punters can earn sizeable profit boosts with Goal Fever, Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven, among other solid football bonuses.
Darts, rugby and NFL are all catered for too with ongoing bonus offers found under the promotions tab.
Betfred Pros | Betfred Cons |
|---|---|
✅ One of the best sign-up offers on the market | ⛔ Only 7 days in which to use the £50 bonus funds |
✅ Accumulator promos available on several sports | ⛔ Multis must have 5+ results to qualify for Acca Flex promo |
✅ No wagering requirements on free bet offers | ⛔ Bet builders are not eligible for cash out |
Betfred are undoubtedly one of the top 10 bookmakers in the UK. The only reason I haven’t given them a five-star review is because there are a lot of T&Cs to meet in their promos so make sure you do your homework before opting in.
9. BetVictor – Best For Live Streaming
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
The BetVictor sign up offer may not be as appealing as some of their competitors, but players who sign up have access to a multitude of unique sports betting markets, with a strong focus on football and horse racing in particular.
BetVictor boast a really good live betting platform and have an excellent user-friendly app and website which gives bettors access to their high-quality live streaming service.
This will appeal to horse racing fans in particular, as BetVictor stream live racing from the UK, Ireland, France, USA, South Africa and the UAE.
All you need is a positive betting balance in your account, or you’ll also have access if you’ve placed a bet within the last 24 hours.
However, be aware that if you plan to unlock a live stream by placing a bet, only outright markets will qualify and promotions such as price boosts for example are ineligible.
Therefore, the simplest route to accessing live streams is to have some funds resting in your account.
Regular racing offers for new and existing customers – including price boosts, lucky dips, BOG and daily specials – make them one of the best horse racing betting sites in the UK.
As alluded to above, the current BetVictor welcome offer may not be to everyone’s taste.
It’s a bet £20 get £40 in bonuses offer, but £20 of the bonus funds are reserved for casino activity and can’t even be used on their online slots.
BetVictor Pros | BetVictor Cons |
|---|---|
✅ High-quality live streaming service on desktop and app | ⛔ 50% of welcome bonus restricted to casino |
✅ Only a funded account needed to access streams | ⛔£20 deposit required for sign up offer, more than most other sites |
✅ One of the top racing betting sites in UK | ⛔Only outright bets will unlock live streams |
Not all sports betting fans will enamoured by BetVictor’s sign-up package, but beyond the welcome offer there’s a lot to like. I particularly enjoy their daily specials on racing, while their live racing streams are as smooth as I’ve come across.
10. NetBet – Best For Bet Builders
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
NetBet’s rise to prominence in the UK betting market is down to their dedication to bet builders, which are a relatively recent phenomenon in the bookmaking industry.
Bet builders enable punters to pick and choose several potential outcomes within one game and combine them on one slip at accrued odds.
It’s similar to an accumulator except the focus is usually on one specific match, although the best bet builder sites will allow you to combine selections across multiple matches and even multiple sports.
NetBet is one such bookmaker. They pride themselves on their bet builder product and boast one of the largest lists of sports on which bet builders are permitted.
Many betting sites restrict their bet builders to just football, but on NetBet you can choose football, cricket, basketball, American football, ice hockey, baseball, rugby and AFL.
Even NetBet’s promotions page is dominated by bet builder offers, with football punters often rewarded with a free £5 bet just for placing a £10 bet builder on a specific game, while similar offers are commonplace during the NFL season.
The NetBet sign up offer is bet builder-centric with punters getting a £10 free bet builder bet and 25 no wagering free spins when they bet £10 or more on any sport at odds of evens or greater after registration.
NetBet Pros | NetBet Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Ideal sign-up offer for bet builder fans | ⛔ Welcome offer not as lucrative as others |
✅ Lots of ongoing bet builder promos | ⛔ Verifying account process can be slow |
✅ Wide range of sports permitted for bet builders | ⛔ The withdrawal process could be quicker |
I experimented with several bet builder sites over an extensive period and NetBet was the clear winner. Being able to combine NFL bet builder picks with NBA selections on one slip is a real treat for US sports fans, and the full list of sports you can include on your bet builder is impressive.
Best New Betting Sites UK
We also keep an eye out for new betting sites making waves in the UK market and a select few can hold their own when compared with the biggest brands.
We’ve been testing the newest UK bookmakers to find the best options for football, horse racing, free bets, price boosts, accumulators and more. Here’s what stood out:
Rank | New Betting Site | Best For | UKGC License |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | BetMGM | Football | |
2 | BetGoodwin | Horse Racing | |
3 | LiveScore Bet | Free Bets | |
4 | Talksport Bet | Price Boosts | |
5 | QuinnBet | Accumulators | |
6 | BzeeBet | Bet Builders | |
7 | Betano | Sign Up Offers | |
8 | CopyBet | Betting Tips | |
9 | 7Bet | Fast Withdrawals | |
10 | Betiton | Cash Out |
1. BetMGM – Best New Football Bookmakers
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
BetMGM have brought a strong product to the UK market, offering a slick betting experience with plenty of football promotions.
Their £40 welcome offer and weekly free bets kept us engaged, but what really caught the eye were the profit boosts on Premier League betting and the free-to-play £1m Golden Goals prediction game.
BetMGM Pros | BetMGM Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Free-to-play £1million football game | ⛔ Limited live streaming options |
✅ Profit boosts on selected Premier League teams | |
✅ Excellent football promotions |
2. BetGoodwin – Best New Horse Racing Betting Site
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
BetGoodwin focuses on horse racing, and their promotions reflect that, including the BetGoodwin welcome offer of 50 per cent back on your first day losses (up to £25).
They offer best odds guaranteed and several racing refund promos, including money back if your horse loses by a nose or falls at the last.
BetGoodwin Pros | BetGoodwin Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Various £100 free bet racing offers | ⛔ Sign-up offer only applies to first-day bets |
✅ Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) |
3. LiveScore Bet – Best New Bookmaker for Free Bets
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
LiveScore Bet is the perfect new bookmaker for those who get their kicks out of free bets.
The LiveScore Bet sign up offer provides £30 in free bets after a first deposit and bet of £10, while ongoing promotions include refunds for losing bets on Saturday’s early Premier League game and selected horse races.
As a regular acca bettor, I took full advantage of the weekly free £5 acca bet up for grabs on LiveScore Bet. Just opt in and place four or more acca bets, wagering a minimum of £5 on each, to claim the reward.
LiveScore Bet Pros | LiveScoreBet Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Regular free bet offers on football and racing | ⛔ Fewer markets than some other new bookies |
✅ Weekly free bets via acca club | |
✅ Early payout and accumulator insurance on football bets |
4. TalkSport Bet – Best New Bookie for Price Boosts
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
TalkSport Bet, which launched in 2022, offers tons of price boosts across multiple sports, but none more so than football.
Their Lucky Dip tool adds an extra element of fun, giving random enhanced odds on selected bets.
If you aren’t a customer already, there are regular special Talksport Bet sign up offers to choose from. Recently, they’ve run sign up offers tied to the Cheltenham Festival, Champions League and Chris Eubank Jr vs Conor Benn fight.
TalkSport Bet Pros | TalkSport Bet Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Daily boosted odds | ⛔ Live betting odds could be sharper |
✅ Good selection of permanent free bet offers | |
✅ Regular special sign up offers |
5. QuinnBet – Best New Betting Site for Accumulators
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
QuinnBet has a plethora of accumulator and system bet offers, with bettors able to get a free £5 bet every day by wagering £50 or more on accas (3+ selections), horse racing Yankees, Lucky 15s or bet builders.
There’s also a boost for winning accas and yankees, while QuinnBet offer accumulator insurance on NBA and NFL parlays where one leg lets you down.
QuinnBet Pros | QuinnBet Cons |
|---|---|
✅ Great selection of accumulator offers | ⛔ Large stakes required to unlock free bets |
✅ Horse racing bettors well catered for | |
✅ Excellent customer service team |
Why Trust Us?
Sam Turner, the Independent's racing correspondent, is a seasoned horse racing journalist and broadcaster with over three decades of experience, including stints at the BBC and Adiyat Racing Plus, the UAE’s leading weekly racing magazine.
Having spent 17 years as the Daily Mail’s lead betting tipster, he has learned a thing or two about bookmakers over the years and has a proven record of successful tipping too, having won the Racing Post’s National Press Challenge award five times and been runner-up on four occasions.
5 Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Betting Site
Now that we’ve established the top 10 betting sites and the best new bookmakers, we’d like to provide some advice on what you should consider before choosing the bookie that appeals most to you.
1. Payment Methods
Modern betting sites offer various banking methods beyond debit cards and bank transfers.
PayPal betting is a top choice for secure, fast transactions, while Apple Pay and Google Pay are gaining traction.
E-wallets like Skrill and Neteller allow deposits without sharing banking details, and options like Trustly and Paysafecard offer added privacy.
Before signing up, check if the bookmaker supports your preferred payment method, as withdrawal speeds and deposit limits vary.
2. User Experience
A betting app or website should be smooth and easy to navigate. Before registering, explore the bookmaker’s site to see if finding the odds and markets you’re interested in is straightforward.
If you're using betting apps, a quick download will show how much storage it requires and whether it offers a seamless experience.
Page load speeds and clear menus are crucial – if a bookmaker’s platform is frustrating, take your bets elsewhere.
3. Customer Support
Reliable customer support is essential. Test a bookmaker’s live chat with a simple query to gauge response times and service quality. Emailing with a general question can also indicate efficiency.
If a bookie lacks live chat or email support, consider whether they prioritise customer service.
Delays in accessing funds or resolving issues can be frustrating, so choosing a bookmaker with prompt, helpful support is a must.
4. Betting Features
Not all betting sites offer features like live streaming, in-play betting, bet builders or cash out. If these are important to you, confirm their availability before joining.
For example, if you enjoy bet builders, ensure they cover your favourite sport.
When in doubt, visit the bookmaker’s help section or ask customer support directly – this also gives insight into their responsiveness.
5. Responsible Gambling Tools
All UK-licensed bookmakers must provide responsible gambling tools, but quality varies.
Self-exclusion, deposit limits and time-out options help players stay in control. Even if gambling feels manageable now, personal circumstances can change.
Before signing up, check what safeguards are in place – choosing a bookmaker with strong responsible gambling features ensures you’re protected, whatever the future holds.
How We Select The Best Betting Sites UK
Selecting the best betting sites involves examining all the key features of an online bookmaker. We test every key feature of a betting site, on both desktop and mobile, to ensure only the best make our list. Here's what we prioritise:
✅ UK Gambling Licence and Player Security
All recommended betting sites hold a licence from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This guarantees fair play, secure transactions, and strong player protection measures.
✅ Trustworthiness and Transparency
We make our own decision about a betting site, but that doesn’t mean we don’t consider other punter’s opinons. Reading online user reviews can help us determine a betting site’s credibility. We are also looking for transparency from a bookie, such as clear terms and conditions and a commitment to working with betters to resolve any issues.
✅ User Experience
We test desktop sites and mobile betting apps for ease of navigation, fast loading times, and intuitive design. Both platforms should offer a trouble-free user experience.
✅ Offers and Promotions
Beyond generous welcome offers, we look for regular promotions such as acca insurance, odds boosts, free bet clubs, and money-back specials across multiple sports, not just football and horse racing.
✅ Commitment to Safer Gambling
Safer gambling isn’t a slogan that betting sites can put on their pages. It’s vital that bookmakers operate in a responsible manner and offer tools like deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion, and real-time reality checks to help players stay in control.
What To Bet On Today
After Paris Saint-Germain edged closer to the Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Arsenal in Tuesday’s semi-final, it’s the turn of Barcelona and Inter Milan this evening.
Barca are on a roll after winning the Copa del Rey last Saturday and will kick-off as heavy favourites to defeat an Inter Milan team that’s lost its last three games in all competitions.
In the Women’s Super League, Chelsea could be crowned champions this evening if they beat Manchester United at Leigh Valley Stadium. The Blues are six points clear of Arsenal with two games to play and if the Gunners don’t beat Aston Villa earlier in the evening, Chelsea can clinch the title.
The World Snooker Championship quarter-finals will reach their conclusion today with Zhao Xintong needing just one more frame to qualify for the semi-finals against Chris Wakelin, who trails 12-4. The other last eight encounters harder to call, although Ronnie O’Sullican does lead Si Jiahui 6-2 after one session.
We are into the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters with Britain’s Jack Draper taking on Tommy Paul this afternoon. The competition has opened right out after top seed Alexander Zverev joined Novak Djokovic in exiting the tournament early on Tuesday and Draper is now a 6/1 shot for the title.
In the women’s singles, Iga Swiatek faces a tough match up with Madison Keys after being taken the distance by Diana Shnaider in the last round, while world number one Aryna Sabalenka faces clay court specialist Marta Kostyuk.
The Minnesta Timberwolves have the oportunity to eliminate the Los Angeles Lakers from the NBA play-offs this evening in one of two postseason games stateside. The Timberwolves lead the best-of-seven series 3-1, which is the same advantage held by the Golden State Warriors, who face the Houston Rockets tonight.
Online Betting vs In-Store Betting
Given the large-scale advertising around sporting events, you would be forgiven for thinking that online sports betting dominates the UK gambling industry, but recent data from the UK Gambling Commission confirms otherwise.
The UKGC’s 2024 survey data revealed that 48% of UK adults surveyed had gambled in the previous four weeks, but lottery (32%) and scratchcard activity (14%) made up a large proportion of that figure.
Among UK adults, 9% reported placing a bet during that time, making betting a significant but smaller component of overall gambling activity compared to those who only gamble on lotteries (21%).
A closer look at the sports betting data reveals 8% had put a physical bet on in the previous four weeks, while 6% of those surveyed had placed a bet online.
The bar chart above highlights key trends in UK gambling participation.
A key takeaway from this UKGC data is that in-person betting remains slightly more common than online betting, with bookmaker shops and racetrack activity still holding their own in the industry.
While traditional betting venues still attract a slightly larger volume of activity, the small gap between online and in-person betting is likely to shift towards digital platforms as betting sites and apps offer greater convenience, more competitive odds and better promotions.
Crypto Betting Sites - Can You Bet Using Cryptocurrency in The UK?
A report by market intelligence platform Yield Sec found that more and more bettors are wagering on crypto betting sites, who have seen their revenue increase by billions of dollars a year.
This is despite the fact that crypto sports betting is prohibited in many countries, including the UK.
Crypto gambling sites are blocked in the UK and betting sites are banned from accepting any form of cryptocurrency deposits by the UK Gambling Commission.
Bettors are strongly advised not to use any crypto betting sites, which are unregulated and therefore don’t offer the same protection punters receive from licensed UK betting sites.
Please Gamble Responsibly
Before using gambling sites, it’s crucial to understand the risks that come with problem gambling.
The latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) highlights embarrassment, conflict, and stress-related health issues as common consequences of excessive gambling.
It's important to stick to a few tried and tested principles when betting online. Never bet more than you can afford to lose, never chase any losses and when the fun stops, stop.
The best betting sites UK provide punters with safer gambling tools to help them remain in control of their betting. Make sure you know how to use tools, such as deposit limit, time outs and self exclusion.
Responsible gambling should always be a priority – if you need help, seek support from a trusted organisation such as:
- BeGambleAware – For free, confidential help and advice
- GamCare – A national helpline, live chat and support group
- Gamblers Anonymous UK – A self-help group offering peer support meetings
- National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) – A network of local organisations providing treatment and support
- Gambling Therapy – Provides global online support and resources
- NHS Northern Gambling Service – Specialist clinics for problem gambling treatment
- GAMSTOP – free service that enables people to block themselves from all online gambling companies licensed in the UK.
Best Betting Sites UK: Summary
We’ve highlighted our top 10 betting sites in the UK, but the best bookmaker ultimately depends on your personal preferences.
While our recommendations are based on thorough research, you should choose a site that meets your needs.
Every betting site featured here is UKGC-licensed, ensuring fair play and consumer protection.
If you decide to sign up for any, always gamble responsibly and stay in control of your betting.
We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK’s best online gambling companies.
Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.
