Betting and football continue to be two of the nation’s favourite pastimes, so it is really no surprise at all that the football betting industry is thriving in the UK. Around 44% of adults surveyed said they had gambled on something in the last four weeks. In addition, millions of people in the country attend football matches every season, on top of millions more watching from home on their televisions or following in other ways.
In this guide, we’re exploring what the top football betting site have in common as well as delving into the best football betting sites of the year. We’ll also look at who is offering the best overall package to their customers.
Bet365
Bet365 is one of the biggest names in the sports betting industry and in terms of football betting it is hard to find another site that offers quite as much in terms of markets and coverage.
For those people who want to stream football matches through a betting site, this is also one of the best options, with hundreds of thousands of streaming events on offer every single year, allowing customers to watch how their wagers turn out.
A huge number of markets are also offered on sports, including handicap results, both teams to score markets, and many more. Individual player markets such as shots and shots on target are also offered. Bet365 is secure, offers good support, and has virtually all the functionality a gambler requires.
Sky Bet
Sky Bet is another huge name in the industry and a company that has a long reputation for providing excellent odds on sporting events as well as coverage of loads of different markets. Sky Bet is a good site for football fans, offering popular bet builder features as well as the option to request a bet, so if the odds aren’t available by default, customers can ask them to add the odds on something specific happening in the game.
This site has a long track record of keeping customers happy and safe, with a lengthy history in the business. Sky Bet also offers some pretty generous signup bonuses which has attracted numerous people to sign up for an account in 2023.
Sky Bet’s streaming options aren’t as good as some competitors, such as Bet365, but their odds are sometimes a little better, so it really pays to do your research based on each of the events you’re considering betting on.
BetMGM Sports
This is a newer name to a lot of UK sports fans. New customers can claim free bets when they deposit into their account, including a free football bet, a free bet builder, a free acca and a free horse racing bet. Be warned that these do expire within seven days and there are some exclusions, so it pays to always read the fine print before signing up for an account.
BetMGM Sports has a modern site with a slick layout and while football isn’t necessarily the number one priority, they still offer all the markets you would expect.
When it comes to big events, BetMGM Sports also provides some additional markets, and they have a lot to keep customers interested and engaged. Their support is good, as they try to create a more impressive offering for the UK market and attract more bettors.
BetMGM is a bigger name in the US, but they are certainly making waves in the UK now too. The bonuses do expire, so it is definitely worthwhile making a note of this before you sign up and ensuring you don’t let them expire, otherwise it is possible you’ll miss out on the bonuses.
What makes a top football betting site?
So, how have we picked some of the best football betting sites? What are the criteria that players should be looking out for? Every football betting site is slightly different, but below, we’ve listed some of the key criteria that have informed our site rankings.
Choice of matches
Football fans may want to gamble on the very biggest matches, or they may feel like they’ve done their research and want to bet on the National League South or leagues in other countries. A lot of sports fans have their own team they would also like to follow and bet on through the site.
Ultimately, the more choices that are on offer to players the better, so the number of games covered definitely plays a big part in the ranking for football sites. As well as games that can be gambled on before kick-off, a lot of people enjoy in-play gambling, so this should be accounted for as well. Players can see how a game is panning out and potentially bet on it based on what they think is going to happen next.
Streaming
Some sports gambling sites also offer streaming. This is a way for players to watch and keep tabs on the game while they are gambling. It also means that even while they are on the go and only have access on mobile phones, they can watch a football match. Sometimes you need to bet on the match in question to be eligible to watch it, but this depends on the bookmaker and their terms. If you are going to be at the match or you have another way to watch it, this may not be so important of course.
Odds
The odds on the games can also have a big impact on which sports betting site people choose. For instance, if they can get 3/1 on something with one bookmaker, and 5/1 with another, they are going to choose the 5/1 option and take the better odds. It just makes sense.
The sites we’ve picked as the best football betting sites consistently offer good odds on events, but there is always a competitive market and it pays to shop around and find the best odds on each event.
Choice of markets
In addition to choice of games, customers want a wide variety of markets too. For example, the ability to bet on goal scorers, fouls, number of goals in a match and even corners may all help the customer to make up their mind.
It is very popular in modern sportsbook gambling to create a “bet builder” which allows a player to choose a lot of different things they think will happen, including corners, shots on target and fouls, and add this to one specific bet. This is an option most of the top sports betting sites now offer.
Some also offer markets on off-field events, so you can bet on whether a player will transfer to Arsenal in the summer or who will be the next manager sacked.
Ease of use
The importance of the usability of a website should never be understated. People who find a site clunky and hard to use will often just click away and head straight to another website.
Whether a football betting site provides an amazing interface on an app or just a simple mobile website, they should definitely ensure that usability is one of the very top priorities, and that they aren’t losing customers because their site is hard to use.
When choosing a website, customers should consider the layout and how easy and fast it is to find the markets they want to.
Payment methods
The modern age of payment methods has changed. Gone are the days where it was a case of putting your bank details in or your card details if you wanted to deposit some money. Now, there are many other methods, including e-wallets and mobile banking options such as Apple Pay. The best football gambling sites are aware of this and have adapted to allow players to move money around in pretty much any way they wish to.
Bonuses and promotions
It pays to be aware of what bonuses and promotions are available before signing up for a website. You may need to enter a code in order to access a bonus or new players may automatically be eligible for free bets or free spins at a partnering casino.
We’ve evaluated which sites have a good track record for providing other promotions and bonuses such as loyalty bonuses for existing customers. Some also offer specific promotions on events such as big sporting fixtures, or even free bets on certain big fixtures to keep their punters interested.
Conclusion
We’ve listed some of the very best football betting sites which provide numerous ways for players to play and a lot of different gambling markets. Whether someone opts for one of the new players on the market or they would rather bet with one of the bigger existing brands, there are plenty of options and promotions out there. Players should always check the fine print before signing up and ensure sites are safe and secure. It also important to enjoy responsible gambling and never bet when angry or frustrated.