Solomon Shehata, writer, NewsDirect.com | Fact Checked By: Sarah Lunness, NewsDirect.com.
The online sports betting industry in the UK is huge and growing every year. The companies at the top of the online betting pyramid are desperate to maintain their positions while a steady stream of upstarts are just as desperate to unseat them. One of the surest ways to nail down customer loyalty or attract new customers these days is to provide live streaming of sporting events, so in this guide, we are going to take a close look at the best live streaming betting sites in the UK.
There are plenty of new betting sites in the UK that offer live streaming on events from across the world in a variety of sports. We’ve found the best betting sites that come with live streaming below, which can all be registered today.
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Best UK Betting Sites with Live Streaming Ranked
bet365
![bet365 app](https://www.newsdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/bet365-app-e1722501022955.png)
Bet365 have earned a lot of praise for the quality of their live streaming service so it is no coincidence that they lead off this list of best live streaming betting sites. Live streaming at bet365 is easy to access and available for more sports than any other online UK sportsbook. Football, horse racing, tennis, basketball, ice hockey, cricket, rugby, baseball, darts and more are represented and it seems like the list of available streams grows every day. To watch a bet365 live stream all you need is a funded account. And if you open a new account they will give you £30 in Free Bets for a £10 qualifying bet.
William Hill
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Regarding live streaming, William Hill separate themselves pretty effectively from most of the competition by making it free for any registered member to view a horse racing live stream from anywhere in the world, all year round. They also offer live streams on a wide variety of other sports including football, tennis, cricket, greyhound racing and basketball, and in conjunction with some major sporting events. The quality of the typical William Hill live stream is routinely excellent and you have the option to go full-screen on both the website and the mobile app. Their Welcome Offer is not bad either, providing £30 in Free Bets for a £10 qualifying bet.
Betfred
![betfred app](https://www.newsdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/betfred-app--e1722501107483.png)
Betfred has a generous policy regarding their live streaming service. Anyone with a funded account can access any of their live streams at any time. That’s right. It does not matter how much you have in your account as long as there’s a positive balance. The exception is horse racing where you will need to have at least a £1 stake on a race if you want to watch the associated live stream. Besides being live stream betting stars they also shine when it comes to their Welcome Offer which provides £40 in Free Bet credits for a £10 qualifying first bet.
BetVictor
![betvictor app](https://www.newsdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/betvictor-app--e1722501173992.png)
Horse racing is one of the most in-demand live stream sports and BetVictor is one of the best sites for live streaming horse races. They provide live action from the UK and Ireland but also from South Africa, Europe and the UAE. In addition to live streaming the ponies BetVictor also provide live stream betting on tennis, European football, cricket and some more obscure sports like table tennis. To view any of their live streams you will need a funded account. That is it. As for their Welcome Bonus, it is virtually identical to that of Betfred with £40 in Free Bets for a £10 qualifying bet.
Betway
![betway app](https://www.newsdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/betway-app--e1722501217291.png)
Betway’s live stream quality is among the best across all platforms and they offer the service on a wide variety of sports including European football, tennis, basketball, snooker, horse racing and even ice hockey. Even better, you don’t need to have a stake in the game to watch a live stream. Just a funded account. One of the best betting sites with live streaming. Betway are currently offering new customers the opportunity to get a £30 matched free bet if your first acca loses, as well as 50 bonus spins to claim on the Betway Casino.
BetUK
![betuk app](https://www.newsdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/betuk-app--e1722501267955.png)
BetUK offers live streaming and live stream betting on a variety of sporting events including horse racing, European football, tennis and more. The one stipulation is that you need to have a stake in the game/race/event in order to watch the associated live stream. Live streams with BetUK typically come online about 5 minutes prior to the event and are generally high quality and glitch-free. On average there is a 30-second lag between the actual event and the stream. If you enjoy Live In-Play Betting on Live Events keep in mind BetUK also have an above-average Welcome offer of £30 in Free Bets for an initial qualifying bet of £10.
Virgin Bet
![virgin bet app](https://www.newsdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/virgin-bet-app-e1722501318671.png)
Virgin Bet offers live streaming on European football, tennis, horse racing and a variety of other sports. In order to access current live streams on Virgin Bet tap the “In-Play” button on the top navigation bar. A page with all the current In-Play betting options will open and next to each will be a button which indicates whether there is a live stream available. If there is, simply tap the live stream button. Virgin Bet’s new customer offer currently stands at £20 in free bets in exchange for a £10 first qualifying bet.
LiveScore Bet
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LiveScore Bet began offering live streaming to punters the day they opened for business a couple of years ago. Today you will find live streams betting on European football, tennis, horse racing, cricket and even some American sports. If you want to view a horse racing live stream you will need to have at least a £1 stake on the race you want to view. Other than that, all you need is a valid account. Stream quality is typically high and available on PC, mobile or the mobile app. New customers that create an account with LiveScore Bet today can get their hands on £20 in free bets when they place a £10 bet on their site.
How we choose the Best Betting Sites with Live Streaming
In order to determine which online bookmakers qualify as the best betting live stream sites we applied a variety of criteria designed to separate the wheat from the chaff. The following are the most important factors we weighed.
Quality of Live Stream
With wireless broadband now ubiquitous, punters have every right to expect that the live stream offered by their online bookmaker will be clear and glitch-free. At the same time, however, live streaming gobbles up computer resources and if a bookmaker’s technological backbone is not rock solid you, the punter, may experience interruptions in the stream. Online bookmakers with low-quality live streaming did not make it onto our list.
Number of Events Live Streamed
After we assess the quality of a bookmaker’s live stream we take a look at how many different kinds of events they offer this important service for. Obviously, the more the merrier. The best live streaming betting sites offer live streaming on important international leagues like the Bundesliga and the Spanish La Liga as well as the ATP and WTA tours, tennis Grand Slam tournaments, golf’s Grand Slam events, the NBA, NHL hockey, cricket, Rugby League and more. If an online bookmaker only live streams a couple of sports they don’t earn a spot on our list of best betting sites with live streaming.
Range of Markets
After we establish a bookmaker that provides live streaming on a generous number of sports and sporting events we then look to see what sort of markets they offer. Just covering an event is not enough to qualify as one of the best betting sites for live streaming. They also have to deliver when it comes to betting markets for that event. If all they have on tap are a few basic wagers and no Live In-Play betting markets they don’t make our list.
In-Play Betting Markets
Speaking of Live In-Play betting markets… Live streaming and Live In-Play betting go together like 2 peas in a pod. Strangely, however, while nearly every bookmaker that offers live streaming also allows for Live In-Play betting as well, some do not. Those that do not did not earn a spot on our list.
Betting Apps
There will be times where you will want to use mobile betting apps to live stream sporting events using a betting platform. Each of the live streaming betting sites we have listed above come with the option of downloading a betting app, giving you the option to use your account using your mobile.
Bonuses
New customer bonuses are always highly coveted by punters online, but we look for more than just that. We will also assess the existing customer promotions that are available and the quality of them, which can help retain interest in a bookmaker offering. The type of bonuses we will look for include free bets and deposit bonuses.
How to Live Stream on a Betting Site
Most of the best betting sites for live streaming will have their streams embedded into their site or mobile app. In the past, many used popup windows to host the stream but that is rare these days. Integrated live streams enable you to continue taking advantage of In-Play betting options without having to deal without having to jump back and forth between various windows.
That said, a few punters will bemoan the fact that most live streams (not all) are embedded these days because they lose the ability to watch the event in a popup window while doing something else that’s entirely unrelated.
Sports shown on Live Streaming Bookmakers
European Football: Most of the best betting sites with live streaming provide streams from major European football leagues. These can also be live streamed via football betting apps, as well as via the football betting site.
Horse Racing: Horse racing is second only to football when it comes to attracting betting action. The sport is ideal for live streaming and most bookmakers offer live action from a variety of racecourses in the UK, Ireland, the US and Europe.
Tennis: Tennis is the third most bet-on sport in the world which means there is always going to be demand for live streaming of major national tournaments and the Grand Slams. The best betting sites for live streaming will also offer regular ATP and WTA action.
Basketball: While basketball is not a top-tier sport in the UK the NBA still attracts a lot of attention from punters who want to see prime matchups live streamed during the regular season and the playoffs. FIBA contests are also streamed by a fair number of betting sites.
The top online betting companies for live streaming also offer broadcasts for other sports like cricket, darts, snooker, rugby, Major League Baseball, NHL hockey (particularly during the Stanley Cup Playoffs), and greyhound racing.
Live Streaming In-Play Betting
With In-Play betting the punter has the ability to place a wager on a contest that has already started. As the contest unfolds a slew of variables come into play that can alter the trajectory of the match, race or event. When that happens punters race to their mobile phones to place new wagers that reflect both the changing condition and the changing odds proffered by the bookmaker.
To make well-informed bets, wagerers must remain informed about the ongoings of a contest; live streaming fills this demand. They can gain a more accurate understanding of the fluctuations of a competition by watching the live stream than they could from just looking at the numbers.
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 do not 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/
Live Streaming Betting Sites FAQs
Can you live stream sports for free at UK bookmakers?
Depending on how you define “free,” yes. To watch live broadcasts, certain bookmakers will demand that you have X amount in your account. You can take advantage of unlimited “free” live streaming if you do. Some will need that you be somewhat involved in a specific race or competition in order for you to watch the live feed of that event. However, once more, viewing the live broadcast is “free” if you do.
In conclusion, there are a few requirements that must be followed, but watching live broadcasts does not require any payment. These conditions, such a needing an active account to watch live broadcasts, are typically not too onerous. Many of them don’t require a minimum bet amount or balance.
Is there a live streaming delay?
In the vast majority of cases, there is. Even on the best betting sites for live streaming. This is deliberate on the part of the online sportsbook and is done for various reasons. For instance, when it comes to sites that offer live In-Play betting, bookmakers are continually updating odds as a contest proceeds. If there were no delay in the live stream, alert punters might be able to get in their In-Play bets before the bookmaker had a chance to adjust the odds.
Also, any event that is live streamed or broadcast live carries with it the risk that something could go catastrophically wrong and the viewer would have a window into some unspeakable tragedy. By delaying the stream a bit the bookmaker can cut their feed if they have to before some awful event is broadcast live. (All “live TV” is broadcast on a 4-10 second delay for just this reason.)
Furthermore, the probability of stuttering in the stream diminishes gradually. The bookmaker can buffer then stream, resulting in a smoother and less jerky experience, by adding a tiny bit of lag.
Can you livestream football?
You can livestream some European football matches but do not expect to find Premier League matches being live streamed on UK betting sites. Why? Because the broadcast networks have paid hundreds of millions of pounds for the exclusive rights to televise Premier League contests. They watch betting sites and other media outlets like a hawk and pounce when they detect unauthorized streaming or broadcasting of these contests. However, there are UK football betting sites that do live stream football matches from other leagues across Europe.
What betting sites have live streaming?
Most of the biggest online bookmakers in the UK offers live streaming for a variety of sports ad events. But there is a big difference between the best and worst live streaming betting services. Any of the betting sites in our review list offer the best live streams for you to watch.
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