Your Ultimate Football Betting Guide in 2021
The Best Football Betting Sites – we all love them! But how do you select the best UK bookmaker from the endless sea of options? It is more important to focus on your predictions rather than on choosing a legitimate betting site. To help you out we have researched and carefully handpicked the top UK online bookies with the best odds and the most generous welcome offers!
100% Welcome Bonus up to £50
- Variety of Sports
- Support Available 24/7
- Mobile App Available
18+ New Players.Min dep £10.Bonus valid 5 days.Wagering:10xdeposit and once bonus amount with odds of at least 1.65.
T&C Apply.Score a £10 Free Bet
- Native Mobile App
- Live Betting with Cash-Out Function
- Very Helpful Customer Support
18+ New Players.Max one £10 free bet.Qualifying bets must be placed at odds 1/1 or greater.Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 odds req.Skrill,Neteller and Paypal not eligible.Real money bets required for Karamba battle.Participants subject to timeout.£1000 winner cash prize guaranteed.
T&C Apply.Bet £10, Get £20
- High Quality Betting Platform
- Quick Withdrawals
- Mobile App Available
18+ New Players.Min deposit and bet £10 from UK card.Min odds evens (1/5 per multi. selection).4x£5 free bets valid for 7 days,stake not returned,no cashout.
T&C Apply.How We Select the Best Football Betting Sites?
First, you should ensure that the site holds a valid licence from the UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission). Additionally, you should consider the bonuses and promotions the online bookie offers its players, as well as their terms. Next, take a look at the payment methods you can use to deposit and withdraw.
Top football betting sites also provide their customers with premium customer support 24/7, and they try to resolve all issues quickly. Their platforms are tailored to deliver the best experience both on mobile and desktop computer. Additionally, these betting sites offer the best odds for the sports events they feature. Last but not least, a great site should give you a diversity of betting markets – Premier League Betting or largest events like UEFA Euro Cup, and many more. In this guide, we will go into detail about each factor we’ve mentioned so far for selecting the best football betting sites. At the end of the guide, we will answer some of the common questions players ask concerning betting sites. So without further ado, let’s begin our guide on selecting the best betting sites.
Football Betting Offers – How to Benefit from the Best Betting Promotions?
Bonus offers are incentives that football bookmakers give to the players that allow them to enjoy more game time and/or make more winnings. These bonuses come in different forms, but they can be categorised into two: Deposit Bonus and Free Bets. The difference between these two bonus categories is that deposit bonuses require depositing money before they can be claimed, while no deposit bonuses do not. One of the popular forms of bonuses offered by top football betting sites is the Welcome Bonus. This is a bonus given to new players when they join the site.
Bookmakers Sign-Up Process – What are the Steps?
The best UK football betting sites make it easy for players to sign-up. There is usually a “Sign Up” or “Join Now” button on the homepage of the betting site, which players can click on to create a new account. After clicking on this button, a registration form is displayed, where you will be required to provide your correct personal details such as your first name, last name, email address, country of residence and date of birth. Additionally, you will have to specify a username and password for logging in to your newly created betting account.
Secure Your Football Betting Account
Some online football betting sites allow players to set a security question and answer, which they can use to recover their password if lost. You will also need to agree to the terms and conditions of the gambling site and decide whether you want to receive updates on promotional offers. We suggest that you read through the terms and conditions before agreeing to them. Once you’ve completed the registration form, the betting site will send an activation link or code to the email address or phone number specified, which you will use to activate the new account.
Verifying Identity - Strictly 18+
Most betting sites also require players to verify their identity before they can withdraw winnings. The verification process often involves uploading documents such as a government-approved identity card (driver’s license or international passport) and proof of residence. The betting sites will then check the uploaded documents to see if they are valid before the player is verified. The time taken to verify the documents varies from one site to the other. However, for most UK sportsbooks, it takes around seven days. If there is a delay in verifying the documents, you can always contact the gambling site’s customer support.
UK Bookies Licensing and Regulation
As we stated at the beginning of this guide, you should always check the licensing of a gambling site before joining it. There are several licensing bodies in the iGaming industry, and some are more reputable than others. The UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority are among the strictest licensing bodies in the world and both ensure that their licensee abides with specified rules. As a British punter, playing at an online football bookie regulated by the UKGC will give you the peace of mind that the betting site cannot run away with your money.
You can check the validity of a UKGC-licensed betting site by going to the public register section of the gambling commission’s website. Any licensed sportsbook or casino that fails to deliver promised services may have their licence revoked. Additionally, you can report a betting site to its licensing body if it scams you in any way. Another thing you should consider in terms of licensing is the gambling law of your country. Some countries specify a licensing board that must license betting sites targeting their citizens. By checking the gambling law, you can decide which betting site is appropriate for you to use.
Football Bookmakers Market Variety – How To Get the Most of Your Betting?
Market variety is the beauty of betting sites. Some betting sites may feature both sports betting and casino games, while others would rather focus on one or the other. In sports betting, there is a wide variety of bet types you can place. Top gambling sites allow you to bet on in-play sports events, and you may even have the option to stream the game live as it is played. Additionally, they cover a broad range of sports such as football, tennis, golf, rugby and basketball. This allows you to find your choice of game to bet on easily.
The best online bookies also have bet types such as Asian Handicaps, Three-Way Bets, Multi Bet (Accumulator), Correct Score, and so on. As for sites that offer casino games, players will find games like video slots, live dealer games, virtual table games, jackpot games, and speciality games.
Mobile Experience – What to Look for?
The availability of an online UK bookie on mobile also determines if it is a good choice. This is because most players find it easier to bet on mobile since they can do so on the go. A top football betting site designs its website to be accessed on different mobile devices and offers players the best mobile experience possible. Some even provide downloadable mobile apps for Android and iOS devices. Betting on mobile comes with many perks. You can receive push notifications about your bets and best bonus offers, and the load time is usually faster.
Payment Methods – Deposits and Withdrawals
The payment methods supported by a betting site can determine how good your experience will be since this defines how you can deposit and withdraw winnings. Top football sportsbooks support a wide range of payment methods. This includes credit/debit cards such as Mastercard, Maestro and Visa, as well as e-Wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, Paypal, and ecoPayz. Some betting sites even allow players to use more exotic e-wallets and Mobile Pay platforms such as Payforit, BOKU, and Zimpler. We suggest that you check the banking page of a betting site to see the payment methods provided.
Fast Payout Football Betting Sites
Besides supporting a wide range of payment methods, the best betting sites also have fast processing times for deposits and withdrawals. They usually process deposits instantly, while withdrawals can take a few hours. Additionally, most of these top gambling sites don’t charge players processing fees, and they support several currencies. As a UK player, playing at a football betting site that accepts GBP means you won’t have to pay currency conversion fees. Top bookies also have high withdrawal limits, allowing you to withdraw most of your winnings at once. You can refer to their payment terms to know the withdrawal limit.
Football Betting Site’s Reputation
Top football bookmakers in the United Kingdom have a good reputation in the gaming industry. Besides being licensed by the strictest gambling commissions, they are also often verified by ADRs and independent audit companies. These audit companies make sure they are not rigging their system or scamming their players. One way to know if a betting site is reputable is to read reviews about the site. You can join a sports betting forum to learn what other players are saying about the bookmaker. A reputable bookmaker is one that has been tested by many and found to be trustworthy.
Online Bookmakers Support
The support provided is an important factor to consider when selecting a football bookmaker in the UK. This is because you may need the assistance of the bookmaker to resolve a complaint or attend to your enquiry. The best betting sites offer 24/7 customer support in a variety of ways. They often provide a live chat feature that you can use to chat with one of their representatives. Besides that, they have an email address you can forward your complaints to. In some cases, top sports betting and casino sites can also offer telephone support as well as a comprehensive FAQ page.
Football Betting Odds and Pricing
The football betting odds and pricing for events featured is an important factor you should consider before selecting an online sports betting site. The UK market is very competitive, with several online bookmakers offering different odds for a single sports event. For instance, a bookmaker can offer 1.7 odds for a home team to win a particular match, while another bookmaker may offer 2.0 odds for the same event and outcome. Thus, it pays to have accounts with multiple betting sites, as this will allow you to compare the odds offered before deciding which one to use.
Top football betting sites also offer Enhanced Odds or Guaranteed Odds for some of the sports events they feature. This refers to boosting the regular low odds of an event selection so that it offers players a higher return. We take a look at these offers to provide you with the best bookmakers on our websites. We also check if the odds offered by these sports betting sites match up to the best most of the time. With the information that we provide concerning these bookmakers, you will be able to make an informed decision.
UK Online Bookmakers User Experience
One of the biggest issues many UK players have with football bookmakers is getting the best user experience. Top betting sites make it easy for players to navigate their site, find desired events and place their preferred type of bets. In some cases, they may provide a search and filter feature that can be used to search for events. Additionally, these bookmakers make it easy for players to track their bets and check winnings and losses. They also provide a Cash-Out feature that allows you to get money back on bets placed before the events are over.
Our review team focuses on these key areas of user experience when providing a list of the best betting sites. They look at the design and arrangement of the sites and the different features put in place. As a player, understanding what you want from a football betting site is important so that you can make the best choice for you. Thus, we recommend that you read the reviews we’ve provided about our top betting sites to know what to expect in terms of mobile vs desktop user experience. Don’t forget to also pay attention to the customer service, payment methods, bonuses, and odds offered.
What Exactly are Football Bookmakers?
When it comes to football betting, a bookmaker is an individual or company that helps you place bets on football games from different leagues. There are different kinds of bookmakers that you can choose to use. Read on to learn more about bookmakers and process of betting in general.
To get started with football betting, the first thing you need to do is choose a bookmaker. In the UK, there are a lot of football bookmakers online that you can choose to join. Once you have picked one, you can then proceed to start placing bets on different football games. As we have mentioned in the previous section, the bookmaker you choose determines the type of leagues, events, and competition you bet on. However, in most cases, you will be able to bet on the top 5 European leagues such as Bundesliga, EPL, La Liga, Serie A, and Ligue 1.
Choose Your Favourite Football League
After you have successfully created an account with the online bookmaker, you can proceed to the football section. There you will be able to choose the leagues, competitions and events to place your bets on. To get started with placing bets, you need to go to your preferred league or country. For instance, you can choose England, then select any of the leagues available. Let’s say you go with English Premier League. Then, you will see the upcoming matches, such as Manchester City vs Arsenal, Aston Villa vs Sheffield United, and so on. After that, you will need to choose any of the games to bet on.
Different Types of Bets
Once you make your choice, you will see different markets you can place your bets on. They include 1×2, Double Chance, Goals, and Under/Over Markets, among others. You need to pick your preferred market, then make your predictions and place your bets. As long as your prediction is right, you win.
Football Betting Exchanges
Apart from bookmakers, you can place bets on football games through football betting exchanges. A betting exchange is similar to a bookmaker but unlike bookmakers, you can both back and lay a betting outcome. Back, when it comes to betting exchanges, means buying an outcome, while lay means selling the outcome.
For instance, in a match between Aston Villa vs Sheffield, you can use a betting exchange to place bets on a market not happening. This means that, rather than predict what is going to happen, you bet on what is not going to happen. You can bet on Aston Villa not scoring. The impressive thing about betting exchanges is that you can lay and back at the same time. So, in that case, you can pad your games to reduce the risk of losing your money. In addition to that, you can also maximise as much profit as possible in your bet slip.
Similar to an online bookmaker, you can create an account at a betting exchange site. Once you do this, you can proceed to fund your account. Next, you will access the different leagues, teams and competitions available. Then, you can proceed to choose the game you want to bet on. After you click the game, you will find a list of interesting markets you can choose to back or lay depending on your prediction. You can choose to bet in singles, multiples or accumulators as well. Note that the higher the odds, the more the money you will get if you are correct.
It does not even end there, as you can also place bets on in-play games, just like with bookmakers. All you just have to do is go to the in-play or live section to see the different available games. Then, you can follow the same process of betting as with upcoming games.
Bookmakers VS Betting Exchanges – Pros and Cons
Football bookmakers and betting exchanges give you the chance to predict the outcome of a football game. However, with bookmakers, you will back an outcome, while the bookmaker lays the outcome. In this case, the bookmaker is betting on the chance that your prediction will not be correct and the outcome will not occur.
On the other hand, betting exchanges give you the complete liberty to bet both ways, whether for or against a particular outcome. With that, you stand more chance of winning on a particular game. The similarity between betting exchanges and bookmakers is that both of them will offer you different odds you can bet on.
The advantage of football bookmakers is that you get the chance to bet on a wide range of events as well as markets compared to betting exchanges. In addition to that, not all betting exchanges will allow you to create accumulator bets, unlike bookmakers, which give you all the freedom to have different kinds of bets. One of the disadvantages of bookmakers is that the odds are not as good as betting exchanges. The disadvantage with betting exchanges is that they charge a certain commission for each bet you win. The benefit of betting exchanges, on the other hand, is that you can win both ways.
Football Betting Key Markets
As we have mentioned in the preceding sections, there are different markets you can bet on. One of the major markets is 1×2 (Win/Draw/Win), meaning that you can either bet on the home team to win, draw or the away team to win. It is the most popular market to bet on.
Double Chance
Another popular market you can choose to bet on is the double chance market. This is similar to the 1×2 market but it gives players a more padded option. For instance, you can choose the home team to win or draw, any team to win, or away team to win or draw.
Half Time / Full Time
You can also choose to bet on the half time/full-time market. This market has different kinds of options you can choose from. They include the home team to win at half-time and full-time, home team to win at half-time and lose at full-time, draw at half-time and full-time, and more.
Correct Score
Impressively, you can also choose to bet on the exact score the game will end on. For instance, you can choose to bet on the correct score on a game like Manchester City vs Arsenal such as 2-1, 3-0, 1-2, 4-1, among others. Usually, this market offers the best range of odds.
Both Teams to Score
Another key market in football betting is both teams to score market. But there are not a lot of options to bet on, compared to the half-time/full-time and correct score markets. In this market, you can only choose to bet on either both teams to score or not, usually presented as Yes or No.
Both teams to Score + Win
In addition to that, there is another market similar to both teams to score but with more options. It is known as both teams to score plus win, meaning that you can choose either both teams to score, yes/no and the home team wins or both teams to score, yes/no and the away team wins.
Goal Markets
Apart from the popular markets, we already mentioned there are other kinds of interesting ones you can take a look at. Among them is the goal market. Here, you can choose to bet on which team will score the first goal, the first goalscorer, anytime goalscorer, handicap, and so on.
Goalscorer
In the anytime goalscorer option, you will get to choose which player will certainly score in the match. For instance, you can choose Aguero as an anytime goalscorer in the match between Manchester City and Arsenal. As long as Aguero scores in the match, you win that particular bet if it’s in singles.
First Goalscorer
If you bet on the first goalscorer, this means that the player you choose must score the first goal of the match. Same goes for when you bet on the team to score the first goal; it means that the team needs to score first for your prediction to be correct.
Number of Goals
When it comes to handicap, different bookmakers and betting exchanges offer varying options. In the standard handicap, you can choose to give a team 1, 2 or more goals or simply remove from another team. For instance, you can give an away team handicap +2, which means the team already has 2 goals.
Over/Under Market
Another market you can choose to give a try is the over/under market. This comes in two variations like over/under goals and over/under corners. In the over/under goals option, you can bet on whether the two teams will score more or fewer goals. For instance, you can choose over 1.5 or under 4.5, among others.
Over/Under Corners
The same principle is applied to the over/under corners. Meaning that you can choose to bet that the two teams will get a lot of corners or a few corners. Like the game between Aston Villa and Sheffield, you can say the total number of corners won’t exceed 11 or will be more than 7.
Football Betting – Choosing a League
One of the most important parts of football betting is when you want to choose the leagues you want to bet on. This is because there are a lot of leagues featured at most football betting sites and you can get lost, especially if you are new to the industry. When you want to choose a league, it is advised that you go for the one you are familiar with. As a UK player, choosing the English Premier League is recommended. This is because you can easily analyse the games and get team updates, as well as any other important news.
Apart from that, you can choose a league based on the popularity and easy access to live matches and score updates. The Europe top 5 leagues are good options you can choose from. In addition to that, you will also get to bet on more teams as well as enjoy better odds. To sum up, when it comes to choosing a league, the easier it is for you to get updates on teams such as injury list, suspension, and the like, the better. That way, it will be easier for you to make better predictions, which will increase your chances of winning.
Football Betting Summary – Should You Bet on Football Games?
Football betting is one of the different aspects of gambling. You can bet on different kinds of football games all over the world. In addition to that, there are a lot of options you can choose to play, depending on the football betting site or betting exchange you choose to use. When it comes to football betting, you will need to understand some of the various aspects that come with it. This is why it is important to go check a football betting guide before you begin.
That way, you do not make any mistakes when you want to place a bet. Many football betting sites and betting exchanges offer players the chance to place bets on different leagues. Some of the top leagues include the EPL, Serie A, and La Liga, among others. But you need to note that each game comes with varying odds based on the teams playing against each other.
Football Betting Sites FAQs
How long does it take to open an online betting account?
Opening an online betting account is straightforward, and it usually takes within two to three minutes. You'll be required to provide basic details such as your name, date of birth, country of residence, and email address. An activation link will be sent to your email address which you'll use to activate the betting account.
Are betting sites legal?
Betting sites are legal in most countries around the world. However, there are some countries that prohibit them as specified in their gambling laws. We suggest that you read through the gambling laws of your country to know if you are permitted to gamble online.
How do I place a bet online?
To place a bet online, you need to visit the site of a bookmaker or casino that you have an account with and select a particular sports event of your choice. You'll then have to choose an outcome and wager money. There are different types of bets you can place on a betting site.
How do I claim a sign-up bonus?
To claim a sign-up bonus, you'll have to create an account with a betting site. Some bookmakers may offer no deposit cash bonuses, while others may require you to deposit a minimum amount before you can claim the bonus. We advise that you read the bonus terms, as there are conditions to be met.
