The advent of online sports betting has revolutionised the gambling industry and football betting has become the largest market for all of the major bookmakers in the UK in recent years.
With matches taking place all over the world, at most hours of the day – football punters truly are spoilt for choice when it comes to football betting options.
As bookmakers look to cater for the needs of their customers, more football markets than ever before are available to bet on, ranging from obscure fixtures from all 4 corners of the globe to in-play offerings on lower league matches – football gambling fans have never had it easier.
This boom within the market has made the competition between sportsbooks in the UK even more fierce and there are a plethora of football betting sires in the UK all fighting for custom.
Best 10 Football Betting Sites in the UK
1. Bet 365
As the world’s biggest online sportsbook, it is perhaps no surprise to see Bet 365 at the top of the list but their market variety and enticing odds make them the very best in the business.
Beginning from humble beginnings in the UK back in 2000, Bet 365’s story has been a fairy-tale over the past 20 years and they have set the blueprint for online betting companies the world over.
The football markets offered by Bet 365 are the most comprehensive on the market, with games kicking off 24/7 and the multitude of in-play betting and live streaming options ensures that football punters are truly spoilt for choice when betting with Bet 365.
Further innovations such as the Bet 365 app and social media pages have transformed Bet 365 into a multi-million pound operation, and they offer football betting opportunities to all levels of punter.
2. William Hill
Cut from the exact same cloth as Ladbrokes, William Hill continue to go from strength to strength on the online football betting market.
As the home of the accumulator bet, William Hill’s reputation as the best place to bet is secured within the eyes of the British public.
All levels of punter will find betting with William Hill easy and their sign-up promotions are amongst the very best on the market, with free bet tokens offered regularly.
The odds offered by William Hill are always competitive and with innovative in-play and cash-out features now commonplace on the William Hill website, punters are truly spoilt for choice with one of the UK’s oldest bookmakers.
3. Ladbrokes
Another sportsbook to make light work of moving from the high-street to the online marketplace is Ladbrokes.
They have a superb reputation as one of the biggest bookmakers in the country and their football betting offerings are one of the most comprehensive in the country.
Odds and matches from all over the world are easily accessible on the Ladbrokes home page, which is simple for all levels of punter to navigate.
Central to the appeal with Ladbrokes is their odds, very few companies can compete with the odds that Ladbrokes offer, and value is found in almost every football bet with Ladbrokes.
Whilst they don’t look to attract new players with a wealth of complex promotions, Ladbrokes keep it very simple – making it a superb betting resource for all levels of punter, regardless of how much money they have in their bank betting balance.
4. Paddy Power
Many people would be forgiven for looking at Paddy Power as somewhat of a novelty bookmaker, with the company known for their garish advertising campaigns.
However, Paddy Power are one of the most notorious bookmakers in the UK and their football offerings are one of the very best on the market.
Innovative promotions are always offered by Paddy Power to attract new players, but Paddy’s Rewards Club also gives free bets to existing players too.
Furthermore, Paddy Power offer one of the most comprehensive live streaming options to punters, with matches constantly being shown to players from all over the world.
Whilst their infamous advertising campaigns continue to attract attention, Paddy Power are established as one of the biggest bookmakers in the UK for football betting.
5. Uni Bet
Knowing where to start with football betting can be difficult for rookie punters, with odds and markets often bombarding sportsbook homepages.
Uni Bet buck that trend somewhat by offering a simple yet enticing landing page for customers.
In comparison to some of their competitors, Uni Bet don’t offer the very best odds on the market, but their European background enables them to offer a wider variety of markets than some of the more established British operations.
Punters are often treated to free bet tokens and Uni Bet tend to focus their efforts more on rewarding existing customers than looking to entice new players, an approach that encourages players to stay with them.
Having grown massively in popularity within the UK football betting scene in recent times, Uni Bet have developed into one of the most reputable football betting sportsbooks in the country.
6. Coral
Another high-street bookmaker that has made a seamless transition to the online betting sphere is Coral.
As one of the most established names in UK sports betting, Coral have long been known for offering some of the very best odds on the market and when it comes to football betting, their prices are continually strong.
In recent times, Coral have also added a wider variety of football betting markets to their roster and their in-play betting options have boomed in recent times too.
Live streaming is also offered by Coral on most of the big games (provided a minimum stake is placed) and they continually offer innovative football betting promotions to new and existing customers alike.
7. Sky Bet
Sky Sports continue to have a monopoly on football and particularly the Premier League in the UK and Sky Bet have emerged as one of the biggest sportsbooks in the UK off the back of that.
Inevitably, most of the odds and promotions offered by Sky Bet tend to coincide with events that Sky are broadcasting but that said, they offer some of the most competitive football betting odds on the market.
In addition, they offer ‘odds boosts’ on many football accumulator bets and with expert analysis and tips available to punters on the Sky Bet website, it is a great football betting resource for bettors to exploit.
Live streaming options are also very easy to come by with Sky Bet who have an easy to navigate landing page and they are growing in popularity with rookie and expert punters alike.
8. Betfred
When it comes to football betting promotions, very few sportsbooks can compete with Betfred.
Their strong social media presence makes punters stand up and take note and promotions such as ‘Goals Galore’ (both teams to score accumulators) have revolutionised the football betting market in the UK.
Betfred are also very adept at finding niches within football betting for punters to exploit and they offer some of the most weird and wonderful markets available.
Compared to some of their competitors, Betfred don’t offer the best football betting odds but with so many other things going for them, they continue to be one of the most popular football betting bookmakers in the UK.
9. BetVictor
Having first offered markets to punters back in 1946, BetVictor are one of the oldest operations in the UK.
BetVictor successfully made the transition from in-shop betting outlets to online in the 2000’s and they continue to have a loyal army of customers.
When it comes to football betting odds, very few sportsbooks can compete with BetVictor – with some of the best odds on the market, allowing punters to maximise any winnings.
Live streaming and in-play betting are also offered by BetVictor who continue to grow in stature within the UK sports betting sphere.
10. Betway
As the principal sponsor of West Ham United, it is perhaps no huge surprise that Betway are one of the UK’s leading football bookmakers.
In-play betting is at the heart of the operation with Betway, who offer comprehensive football markets both in the UK and beyond.
An easy to navigate user interface makes betting with Betway simple and with regular odds and promotions available across a range of football markets, Betway have all levels of football punter covered.
How to Find the Best Football Bookmaker
When choosing which bookmaker to use for football betting there are a multitude of things to consider:
Offers & Promotions
All of the biggest bookmakers in the UK tend to give free bet offers and promotions to new customers, in order to entice people to bet with them.
Getting free betting money is of course useful, but punters should always read the terms and conditions attached to such offers.
Odds
Football betting is one of the most valuable pastimes for punters, as a lot of money can be made from a relatively small stake.
That said, doing some basic market research on which bookmakers offer the best football odds can add a significant amount of money to any winnings.
Market Variety
As mentioned, there has never been more choice for football punters in the UK – with matches taking place every day.
Finding a bookmaker that offers the maximum number of markets can help punters achieve their goals.
Safety & Security
With so many bookmakers and sportsbooks bursting onto the market in recent times, not all of the offerings are regulated in the UK.
Be sure to bet with a company that is recognised by and licensed with the UK Gambling Commission before laying down any money.
The UK football betting market has never been bigger, with the sports betting industry now worth £20 billion per year – every bookmaker wants their piece of the pie.