Best Football Betting Sites in the UK March 2024

Online sportsbooks in the UK offer plenty of different betting markets. There’s no disputing, however, that one particular market is the focus. Football betting simply dominates on British bookies, and wagering on the beautiful game is going to be our full focus in this article.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about the best football betting sites, the top types of wagers you can place, and plenty more besides.

James Pacheco
|
Author, Betting enthusiast

November 30, 2023

James started working in the betting industry a few weeks before Roger Federer won his first-ever Grand Slam and a few months before Greece shocked Europe’s elite at Euro 2004.

Top Football Betting Sites

  • Bet £10 get £40
    In Free bets

    • £ MIN. deposit : £10
    • check The premier spread betting site in the UK
    • check High quality streams for racing, tennis, snooker, and more
  • Sign Up
    • £ MIN. deposit : £10
    • check The premier spread betting site in the UK
    • check High quality streams for racing, tennis, snooker, and more

How We Ranked the Best Football Betting Sites

Our list of the very best football betting sites in the UK wasn’t simply thrown together at random. Oh no. Instead, it was the result of extensive testing and analysis, carried out according to a clear set of criteria.

Here are some of the most important examples.

Licensing and Safety

Every brand we’ve recommended here has at least one betting licence, preferably with the prestigious UK Gambling Commission. This means you can rest assured that the bookie is verified for both security and fairness.

Competitive Odds

If your odds are unfairly low, there will always be a cap on your potential winnings. This needn’t be a concern with our recommended sites, all of which provide prices that offer a fair reflection of the actual probabilities.

In-Play Betting

The days of being limited to pre-match wagers are long gone. Nowadays, kick off signifies a whole new range of betting opportunities opening up. We analysed all the bookies we came across for the quality of their in-play tools, live odds, and live betting market variety.

Wagering Requirements

All football betting offers will come with terms and conditions attached, and it’s imperative that you read this small print before committing to any. The wagering requirement is arguably the most important, and we checked that it wasn’t unfairly high, and therefore didn’t damage the overall value of any sign up bonuses.

Live Football Streaming

Actually watching the action unfold has two main benefits. Firstly, it informs your in-play betting. Secondly, it’s simply more fun. That’s why we prioritised brands with live streaming services, and – where those were present – tested the streams themselves for reliability and quality.

Welcome Offer and Ongoing Promotions

A high quality welcome offer can give your football betting a great kick start. Ongoing promotions should continually reward your loyalty to a brand. In both cases, we looked at both the headline figures being offered, but also the T&Cs to gauge the underlying value.

Payment Methods

The more payment methods a sportsbook offers, the better, since it will then be suitable for a wider range of punters. We gave boosts in our rankings to bookies with more options here, and took points off those with slow payouts or which charged annoying transaction fees.

Available Betting Markets

This is another case of ‘the more, the better’. All bookies will let you bet on the top competitions. What distinguishes the best of the best, however, is providing depth in the betting markets for those tournaments, and supporting you if you want to branch out into other contests.

Cash Out Tool

Placing in-play wagers is only one half of live betting nowadays. Cashing them out – whether to lock in early profits, or help reduce your losses – is also important. That’s why we also looked at the cash out tools for our chosen sportsbooks, assessing them for both responsiveness and the quality of cash out prices being offered.

App and Mobile Usability

Many punters prefer to wager on-the-go nowadays, rather than on their laptop or desktop computer. To that end, we made sure to test the apps and mobile sites for all the sportsbooks we reviewed, analysing them for usability, special features, reliability, and more.

Additional Features

Last but not least, we checked what else all of our eligible sportsbooks had to offer. This included simple quality of life improvements (customisable interfaces, support for different odds formats, and so on), and those which have a sizable impact on your experience (like the customer service options).

Editor’s Pick – Our Top Online Bookies for Football Betting

Your options for football betting sites in the UK are basically endless. Dozens upon dozens of these will also serve as perfectly decent platforms… but that’s not what we’re interested in here. What we’re looking for is the very best of the best, and the bookies listed below are some of the few that fulfil that criteria.

Bet365

Bet365 is one of, if not the biggest bookie in the UK for football betting. Football fans here get access to not only a massive range of markets, but also plenty of live streaming options from around the world, plus a fantastic Two Goals Ahead Early Payout offer.

Bet365 football mobile screenshot

Betway

Betway is an international brand, albeit one which focuses on both the UK, and on football specifically. Its top-notch betting apps are definitely a highlight. The calling card here, however, is Betway’s famous Free Bet Club, which can give you a free bet for football every single week.

Betway football mobile screenshot

Coral

Coral is one of the oldest bookies in the UK, but still one of the best. It features a user-friendly interface, on both mobile and desktop devices, and an excellent welcome offer. There’s also a handy bet builder, plenty of bet boosts, and a Bet Bundles deal for football.

Coral football mobile screenshot

Fitzdares

Fitzdares is very much a premium sportsbook, even marketing itself as ‘the world’s finest bookmaker’. It offers a fantastic range of pre-match, in-play, and outright betting markets for football fans. There are also some great promos, including a Money Back Bore Draw deal, and a cashback offer for build-a-bet wagers.

Fitzdares football mobile screenshot

888sport

888 is one of the world’s biggest betting brands. The mobile app here is fantastic, and both this and the website have an enormous range of football markets. You can also claim a £30 bonus for signing up, and get a £5 free bet each week via the Acca Club.

888sports football mobile screenshot

SpreadEx

Compared to the other brands on this list, SpreadEx offers something completely different. You can place regular fixed odds wagers here, but the focus is on spread bets, in which your profits are decided by ‘how’ right or wrong you are. Both sections of the site have strong welcome offers.

SpreadEx football mobile screenshot

BoyleSports

BoyleSports is Ireland’s biggest independent bookmaker, and has a fantastic track record going back decades. Football bettors can expect excellent customer service here, and the peace of mind that such a proven brand gives you. Amongst the many highlights here are big-time price boosts, and a free bet club.

BoyleSports football mobile screenshot

Grosvenor

Grosvenor might be more famous for its casinos, but its online sportsbook is also fantastic. Most notably, it features some of the best odds you can find on football betting. The regular prices are already strong, but users can take them to another level with the Double the Odds promo.

Grosvenor mobile screenshot

LiveScore

The LiveScore brand has been popular in other areas for a while, and the sportsbook definitely lives up to this reputation. It features a range of great deals for football bettors, including multiple free bet deals. The live betting tools are also extremely impressive, being particularly fast and responsive.

Livescorebet football mobile screenshot

Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes is one of the most experienced, famous, and popular sportsbooks in the UK. Football betting has long been a backbone of its success, and this continues to be the case. The biggest appeal here is definitely the acca tools, with edit, boost, and insurance options available.

Ladbrokes mobile screenshot

PariMatch

PariMatch has been operating since 2000, and only continues to get better. It provides football bettors with a user-friendly interface, top-notch support, and high quality betting apps. It also has some of the best cashback deals around for football, which really can help you to cut down on your losses.

Parimatch football mobile screenshot

Best Football Betting Site by Category

To a large extent, all of our recommended UK football betting sites are all-rounders. Each one will provide you with a safe, modern, and enjoyable experience. That being said, these brands obviously still excel in different areas, and you can see each bookie’s strongest suit below.

  • Bet365 – Best Overall Football Sportsbook
  • Betway – Top Free Bet Club
  • Coral – Best Track Record
  • Fitzdares – Best for High Rollers
  • 888sport – Best Mobile Betting Apps
  • SpreadEx – Best for Spread Betting
  • BoyleSports – Top for Free Bets
  • Grosvenor – Best for Odds Boosts
  • LiveScore – Best for Live Betting
  • Ladbrokes – Best for Accumulator Betting
  • PariMatch – Best for Cashback Offers

Your football betting options nowadays are basically endless. Even middling sportsbooks will let you wager on domestic, continental, and international football from all around the world, and even at various age groups. With all that said, for many punters the betting calendar will be dominated by a select few events, with these being the main highlights.

FIFA World Cup

This is the biggest football event there is. It might only roll around every four years, but – when it does – the betting world lights up. You can wager game by game here, group by group, or place outright bets on the likes of Top Goalscorer and Overall Winner. Whether you’re a betting novice or veteran, it’s a thrilling experience.

Euros

Like the World Cup, this illustrious competition only happens every four years. With a two year break between the two competitions, you’ll just be in the mood for a big international tournament to wager on when the Euros does begin. Again, this is an extremely exciting betting experience, whether you go game by game or take the outright long view.

UEFA Champions League

This is the top competition in club football. It might happen each year, but the games – especially in the knockout rounds – still feel like special occasions every time. The group games tend to provide wider odds swings, with bigger teams often matched up against underdogs. Making your picks in the latter stages, however, is a riskier (and more exciting) challenge.

See all the offers for the Champions League

UEFA Europa League

The days of being seen as the Champions League’s little brother are long gone. The Europa League nowadays is a hugely popular competition in its own right, and – particularly in the knockout stages – invariably features some of the biggest and best teams in Europe. Many bookies will even offer valuable Thursday night specials bets for the bigger matchups.

UEFA Conference League

The newest competition on this list, the Conference League is the third-biggest continental tournament in Europe. It doesn’t have the prestige of the other two yet, but this will change over time. Also, since the likes of the Premier League and La Liga have such strength in depth, you still get to wager on some top teams throughout the tournament.

Premier League

The Premier League remains the biggest domestic competition in the world, and the gap is arguably still getting bigger. Bettors on the EPL have a constant stream of big-time matchups, with games regularly taking place three or four days a week. Your betting options here are unrivalled, with single matches often having hundreds of different wagers to choose between.

La Liga

While not at its strongest point, La Liga still holds plenty of appeal. Matches featuring Barcelona and Real Madrid dominate the viewing figures and the betting action, but several other Champions League and Europa League-calibre teams are in action every weekend. With only two sides in genuine contention most years, this is also a relatively easy league for outright betting.

Bundesliga

Between the passionate crowds and the quality of the football, the Bundesliga is easily one of the best domestic viewing experiences in football. As such, it’s a particularly fun option for both live betting and streaming, and several top sportsbooks will let you pursue this course. It’s also the safest league around for an outright pick, thanks to Bayern’s dominance.

Serie A

The quality of football isn’t as high here as in the EPL, but there’s far more competition at the top. The Serie A trophy changes hands regularly, making this one of the more volatile – and potentially profitable – leagues to bet on. That applies for both outright wagers, and the unpredictable week-by-week matchups, both of which tend to have strong odds.

Ligue 1

As in the Bundesliga, the actual league title is basically a one-horse race most years. That might not suit football purists, but it’s actually pretty handy for football bettors. PSG’s dominance makes them one of the safest outright picks in Europe each season. It also makes them a smart inclusion in any pan-European accumulator bets you place at the weekend.

MLS

The actual footballing quality in the MLS is much lower than that of the aforementioned competitions. Punters don’t necessarily need to care though, since the MLS represents an intriguing and different proposition for betting. This is primarily down to the conferences and playoff-based system, which presents a very different – and very fun – challenge for making your gambling picks.

Types of Football Bets

Over the years, online bookies have constantly added more and more ways in which you can bet on football. Nowadays, you can basically enjoy an unparalleled amount of flexibility in not only which football matches you bet on, but how you bet on them. No other betting market gives you such a degree of choice.
Here are the most popular types of football bets, which can prove profitable for veterans and newcomers alike.

Match Result (Money Line)

Usually known as the Match Result market, this is the most straightforward football bet you can place. You’re simply predicting the overall outcome of the game, and therefore have a mere three options: Home Win, Draw, and Away Win (i.e. 1/X/2). Despite its simplicity though, this wager is still a cornerstone of many punters’ betting strategies.

Points Spreads

Most football wagers are fixed odds, with your potential profits and losses pre-determined. Spread betting is a very different proposition. Here, you’re basically given a range of potential outcomes (the spread), then either Buy it (take the over) or Sell it (take the under). Both your profits and losses subsequently depend on how right or wrong you were.

Accumulators (Parlays)

The acca might not be the most sensible bet out there, but it’s definitely one of the most exciting. Rather than wagering on one outcome, you’re bundling multiple selections here into the same big bet. If all the selections win, you’ll usually make a tidy profit. If even one of them fails, you lose, making this a high-risk/high-reward proposition.

Props

There are two types of props. Team props involve wagering on one of the teams to do something, like score a certain number of goals. With player props (which are more popular), you bet on a particular player. That can be to score a goal, get a yellow or red card, have a certain number of shots, and so on.

Over/Under Goals

This is a popular and straightforward alternative to the Match Result wager, which is extremely beginner-friendly. You simply take a number of goals, and bet on whether the total number that are scored will be higher or lower than that total. Take the Over 2.5 Goals market, for example, and you win if at least three goals are scored.

Half-Time/Full-Time

This is a more difficult (but more profitable) twist on the Match Result market. To triumph, you need to not only predict the winner of the match, but who will be leading at half-time. If one side is a famously slow starter but strong finisher, for example, you might take them to lose the first half but win the second.

Scorecast

This is a high-risk, high-reward same-game multiples bet. There are two parts. Firstly, you must predict what the final score will be, which is already a challenge. In addition though, you must make a correct goalscorer wager, which will usually specifically be on the first player to score. Your odds for nailing a scorecast tend to be very good indeed.

Both Teams to Score

Both Teams to Score is a classic wager, and one of the safest and most straightforward bet types around. As the name suggests, you’re simply betting on whether both sides will score in an individual matchup. There are literally two options – Yes and No. The odds won’t usually be the best in either case, but it’s an extremely approachable market.

Outright

There are two main ways in which you can bet. The more common option is to go game-by-game. You can also place longer-term wagers though, which are collectively referred to as Outrights. These tend to cover whole competitions, with the most common examples being Outright Winner and Top Goalscorer, although you can also wager on teams to be relegated.

Final Thoughts

Football is the biggest spectator sport in the UK. Betting on it can both enhance the excitement of watching the beautiful game, and help to deepen your knowledge and understanding of it. Best of all, because it’s such a big deal, there are endless resources to help you make your picks and enhance your betting skill, including this website.
After reading this article, you have all the information you need in order to start betting on football for yourself. The quickest and easiest way to do so is to pick one of our recommended bookies, create an account and grab its welcome bonus, then simply start having fun.

FAQ

There are hundreds of options here, and we highlighted some of the most popular examples in this piece. You can basically wager on anything from a simple Match Result, to a more complicated, multi-game accumulator.

Yes. There’s never any guarantee you’ll do so, as with all gambling. But if you do your research, and make sensible picks, you certainly have the chance to turn a long-term profit.

Yes, as long as you go with a legitimate bookie. The best way to ensure this is to use a sportsbook that holds at least one betting licence, with a regulatory body like the UK Gambling Commission.

Absolutely. Not all sports betting sites will let you do so, but it’s a relatively common feature on premium bookies like Bet365 and Ladbrokes.

Share

Try a New Bookmaker

DAZN Sport

Bet £10 Get £10

Free Bets

Sign Up

18+. New Customers Only. Max one £10 Free Bet. Qualifying bets at Odds of 1/1(2.00) or greater. Paid as Bonus Token with Min 4/5(180) Odds Req. Skrill, Neteller & Paypal not eligible.BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply.

DAZN Sport

Bet £5 Get £5

+10 Free Spins

Sign Up

New customers only. Min £5 deposit and bet on odds 1/2 or greater required. Free bet and free spins issued within 24 hours of qualifying bet being settled. Free bet valid for 6 months, stake not returned. Free spins valid for 7 days, selected games only. UK only excl Northern Ireland. 18+ T&Cs apply.