Solomon Shehata, writer, NewsDirect.com | Fact Checked By: Sarah Lunness, NewsDirect.com
It’s no secret that football is our national sport, and with Euro 2024 well and truly underway, Online bookmakers like Betfred are going to great lengths to try and carry the favour of punters with welcome bonuses, free bets, enhanced odds, and other temptations. In this guide, we will look at the best football betting sites in the UK and what makes them special.
List of the Best Football Betting Sites
There are a lot of outstanding UK betting sites, but they can not all be top dogs when it comes to football. The following represents our picks for the
18+ Gambling Can Be Addictive. Please Play Responsibly. GambleAware GamStop Gambling Commission
Top Five Football Betting Sites Reviewed
Here’s a rundown of our experts’ top five football betting sites for UK punters:
1. Betfred Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Betfred has always stood out from the crowd because of the overwhelming quality of its promotional offers. The site’s bonus selection seems to be one of the best we have seen in the UK gambling and sports betting industry. However, this isn’t the only reason it takes our top spot! The site is chock-full of information without being cluttered and has only improved with its recent visual update. The only drawback is that the mobile compatibility isn’t quite the same level as the competition. New customers signing up for the site for the first time will be offered a whopping £50 in free bets when they stake a 10 bet and enter the promo code SUMMER50.
New customers only. Register with SUMMER50. Deposit £10+ and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| – Generous welcome offer | – Dated in-play interface |
| – Strong football odds | |
| – Quick withdrawals |
2. BetMGM Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
BetMGM is a well-known US betting brand that made its way to the UK in 2023. Its sophisticated website and terrific mobile compatibility helped propel its excellent launch. BetMGM sets itself apart as a top choice for football betting thanks to its competitive odds and excellent football offers. We do wish BetMGM supported more payment options, but overall, it’s one of the best choices available for football betting.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| – Excellent welcome bonus | – Fewer football live streaming options |
| – Regular odds boosts | |
| – Acca freedom |
3. Copy Bet Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
Next up, we’re recommending CopyBet. The football coverage here is exceptional, with regular bet boosts and dedicated promotional offers. CopyBet also stands out from the competition thanks to its Tipsters feature, which lets you mimic the betting patterns of successful bettors. You can even sign up as a Tipster and make a bit of extra cash. Unfortunately, for all its fantastic features, CopyBet doesn’t host any live streaming, only in-play betting. Those looking to sign up for the Copy Bet site for the first time will be granted the chance to claim a whopping £50 in free bets when they bet £10 on any qualifying market.
Full T&Cs apply. New UK customers only. The qualifying bet should be either 1 Single or Accumulator (2+ selections) bet, start at £10, and have 1.9 or greater odds. 5 Free bets include: 1 x £10 Free bet on horse racing, 1 x £10 Free bet on football, 2 x 10 Free bet in-play, 1 x £10 Free bet Acca. Max payout – £500. 7 day expiry. 18+ only. Begambleaware.com.
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| – Generous welcome offer | – Dated in-play interface |
| – Strong football odds | |
| – Quick withdrawals |
4. BetVictor Football
Expert Rating: 4.7/5
BetVictor is well known for its fantastic football odds, meaning that you’ll always get a good price on your wagers. BetVictor is also a convenient betting option thanks to its standout mobile betting experience; the BetVictor sportsbook app is regarded as one of the very best in the business by experts and users alike! Unfortunately, a big drawback for football bettors, in particular, is the lack of football streaming at BetVictor, with live streaming only covering horse racing. New customers signing up for this site for the first time are offered a chance to claim £40 in free bets when you bet £10!
18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds. No cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit card / Apple Pay payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly
| Pros ✅ | – Fewer football live-streaming options |
|---|---|
| – Great welcome bonus | – Fewer football live streaming options |
| – Regular odds boosts | |
| – Acca freedom |
5. William Hill Football
Expert Rating: 4.8/5
The last football betting site we have for you is William Hill, a sportsbook we’d be shocked if you hadn’t heard of! William Hill is one of the oldest bookies in the UK, established all the way back in 1939. This experience shines through with the vast betting markets and fantastic promotions on offer. You can even access live streaming across all major events and in-play betting for that real-time action. The main roadblock hardcore bettors may meet is the odds at William Hill, which aren’t the best you’ll find. First-time customers to the William Hill site or mobile app will be offered £30 in free bets, simply for signing up and staking a £10 qualifying bet!
18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 18.10.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. #ad
| Pros ✅ | Cons ❌ |
|---|---|
| – Great live-streaming site | – Interface a bit complicated |
| – Trusted well known brand | |
| – Lots of odds boost across sports verticles |
How To Sign Up For The Best Football Betting Sites
If any of the football betting sites we’ve shown you have caught your interest, you’ll be thrilled to know that creating a new account with them is quick and easy. You could be betting in minutes! While each site will have differences, you can follow these general steps to make signing up and claiming your welcome bonus hassle-free:
- Use our link to reach the sign-up page and hit ‘Sign-up’ or similar to start registration.
- Enter your sign-up details — this will include sensitive information like your name, date of birth and contacts.
- If your chosen betting site requires a promo code to claim the welcome offer, make sure to enter it when signing up.
- Make your first deposit — ensure you’re meeting the minimum to claim your welcome bonus.
- Wager your deposit on a valid event.
- Once the bet has settled, you can claim your welcome bonus! It may automatically be credited to your account, or you may have to claim it from the promotions tab.
How Do We Choose The Best Football Betting Sites?
These may be our experts’ top picks for the best football betting sites, but what are the qualities that make them the best? Our experts have shared their most important judging criteria below:
Live Streaming
Technology has reached the point where we can easily watch the matches we want to bet on from the same platform we make the wager! Live streaming through betting sites is convenient for punters as it allows them to keep track of their bets as the match is happening and adds to the live betting experience.
Competitive Odds
This is a simple numbers game: better odds mean a greater potential payout. Betting sites that have consistently better odds will be ranked higher among the best football betting sites. We always assess the quality of the odds and judge them against industry standards when choosing which sites to include in our list of the best football betting sites in the UK.
Range Of Payment Options
If you can’t even put money into your betting account, you’re not going to have a hope of using it. We all manage our finances in different ways, and a betting site with a wider range of options opens itself up to a larger customer base. At minimum, we like to see sites hosting more than just debit cards and bank transfers; e-wallets, in particular, are proving to be the most popular (and safest) way to make online transfers nowadays, so we’re on the lookout for these options.
Mobile Compatability
Mobile compatibility is more important than ever nowadays, as many people use their phones or tablets for exclusive internet access. A good mobile betting site will have an interface suited to a smaller screen and won’t clutter the site with unnecessary information or graphics. To sweeten the deal, a sportsbook could even have a dedicated app that streamlines the experience and lessens loading times and stream buffering.
Ease Of Use
Modern audiences value convenience over any other factor in daily life, and this extends to our betting sites. Users are less likely to put up with a site if it is a hassle to use. This is why we make sure to only include sites that are easy to use and navigate, as well as being nice to look at!
Popular Football Betting Offers
You can place many different types of bets at sportsbooks, many of which are specific to the sport you’re betting on. Here is a closer look at some of the most popular football bets you can make at the top football betting sites.
Both teams To Score (BTTS)
A Both Teams to Score bet (BTTS) can payout regardless of the outcome. The only thing you’re betting on here is whether both teams in a match will score before 90 minutes (so excluding extra time). This is a popular football bet you’ll find at most sportsbooks.
Full-Time Result
A full-time result bet is the most basic type of football bet. Sometimes called a 1×2 bet, you have to pick the basic outcome of the match: home win, away win, or a draw. This bet is typically associated with football betting but could apply to other match sports.
Total Goals (Over/Under)
A total goals bet is a wager on the overall goals scored by both teams. Will the total be more or less than a specific number? Sometimes, a match will feature more than one number to bet over or under. This means it does not matter who wins, just that both teams perform to a certain standard.
Accumulator
Accumulators, commonly shortened to accas, are a kind of multi-bet that is wildly popular in football betting. It combines four or more different bets into one larger wager. The acca will only pay out if all legs (each individual wager) wins, but the profit potential is way higher than any single bet.
Football Specials
Some of the best betting sites for football offer special markets such as whether or not a particular manager will last the entire season, or which club a selected player will join during the transfer window. Another popular Football Special is betting on whether player X will make the England squad, for example. These specials will pop up routinely throughout the course of the season to reflect the current affairs in the world of football.
What is a Football Accumulator Bet?
As we just mentioned the accumulator, or “acca” bet, involves combining multiple selections into a single wager. An acca bet must comprise at least 4 selections, but punters are free to add extra ones if they wish. Odds from each selection are combined making the odds on the entire acca bet quite long. If just one of the selections fails, the entire acca bet fails. However, most bookmakers will offer “acca insurance”, wherein if your acca bet misses by 1 selection, you will get a compensatory Free Bet.
Can I Live Steam Football on betting Sites?
Many betting sites support live streaming coverage of football events nowadays and without any additional charge. If you want to watch a football livestream on your betting site, you will need to find its bet listing and select the streaming link from there. Accessing the stream itself varies from site to site — some sites require you to place a wager on the match in question before you can watch the live stream, but others only need you to log into your account.
Please also remember that not all of our recommended betting sites support live streaming of football events, so check before you register an account if this is important to your betting experience.
Popular Football Leagues to Bet On
UEFA Euro 2024
The Euros is a massive betting market filled with sign-up offers from Betfred and many more! The 2024 European Championship is well and truly underway, with the first round of knockout games already taking place. England have progressed through as group winners and have edged out Slovakia in the Round of 16. A quarter-final game against Switzerland awaits the Three Lions, who will surely have lofty ambitions of becoming European Champions in Berlin on July 14th.
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League is an annual tournament that pits the best of European football against each other. It’s widely considered the most prestigious club football tournament in the world and attracts insane amounts of betting action. Expect to see plenty of price boosts and accas associated with this competition, as well as enhanced odds for some of the matches.
English Premier League
The English Premier League is perhaps the biggest, toughest, and most popular football league in Europe and the world. Football fans from across the globe tune in week in and week out to watch the world’s best teams and players. Huge teams like Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea make up just a handful of the league’s teams. The Premier League is also one of the world’s biggest betting markets; there is truly something for everyone in the Premier League.
Bundesliga
The German Bundesliga is one of the most popular leagues in Europe, with the highest average attendance across any top European league. It averages 5,000 fans more per game than the Premier League! Dominated by the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga certainly provides plenty of entertainment for neutrals to bet on!
Serie A
The Italian Serie A is a historic and popular League in Europe and worldwide. Considered the best and most popular league in the world from the 80s to the late naughties, the Italians do football properly! With twelve UEFA Champions League titles between the top three teams in Italy, AC Milan (7), Inter Milan (3), and Juventus (2), and countless UEFA Cup/Europa League wins, the Serie A provides plenty of markets and options for punters.
La Liga
La Liga was regarded as the best league in the world for many years when it took over from the Serie A in the early 2010s. With giants of the game like Real Madrid and Barcelona among the ranks of La Liga, it should come as no surprise to hear that those two teams make up more betting action than some other leagues as a whole!
Ligue 1
Every year, the French first division, Ligue 1, generates millions of euros in revenue from betting action. This is due to the competitive nature of the league, and powerhouse teams like PSG and Marseille. With only 18 teams instead of 20, Ligue 1 is more competitive than ever and perfect for punters of any experience!
English Championship
The Premier League is not the only game in town when it comes to English football. The English Championship attracted more than 11,000,000 paying fans last year and is a favourite of punters nationwide. Officially the 2nd highest division of the English football league system, competition is furious between clubs jockeying for promotion to the Premier League.
What to do if you have a gambling problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it is important to gamble responsibly. If you’re struggling with a gambling problem, please don’t hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Here are some resources that can help you:
- National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133
- GamCare: https://www.gamcare.org.uk/
- GambleAware: https://www.gambleaware.org/
Football Betting Sites FAQs
What Does Each Way Mean In Football Betting?
All each-way bets are rewarded, regardless of whether you are wagering on the player or the result. This is typically used to identify the best and worst teams in a football league.
How Does Football Betting Work?
If you want to support a certain side, such as the home team in a football game, your sportsbook has a variety of wagers that you can choose from. You will get your money back, plus any additional earnings, if you win. You put money into this. Your stake will be forfeited, and you won’t get anything back if you lose.
What Does BTTS Mean In Football Betting?
This is when two teams score at least one point in the first ninety minutes of a game, the “Both Teams To Score” or “BBTS” Wager is rewarded.
What is the best site for football betting?
In our opinion, Betfred is the best football betting site in the UK. This is due to its attractive design, excellent odds, and special offers. Click this link to get more details.
