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Best Betting Sites UK | New Online Bookmakers

Betting sites UK list of 66 licensed, regulated and trusted online bookmakers.

All sites rated and reviewed regularly by experts and users to help you to choose your new online bookie

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4.3 / 5

183 Ratings

Rated #1 Betting app and often best odds to be found on football and racing. Low minimum deposit and great welcome offer to try BetVictor as your online betting site.

Full Betvictor Review
  • Regularly Best for Football & Horse Racing Odds
  • Low Minimum Deposit of £5
  • Ranked #1 Betting App in Our Tests
Full BetVictor Review

4.3 / 5

69 Ratings

The only sports betting app where any bet you place could be SUPERCHARGED!

Full Kwiff Review
  • Surprise Bets With Cash Payouts
  • Get Supercharged to anything up to 2000x the odds you take
  • Promotions and Loyalty Club
Full Kwiff Review

4.1 / 5

37 Ratings

Your favourite Radio Station is about to become your Favourite betting site with great odds and a wide range of sports to choose from.

Full Talksport Bet Review
  • Exciting Football-First Approach
  • In-Play Betting Specialists
  • Fantastic Bet Builder Functionality
Full talkSPORT BET Review

4.0 / 5

25 Ratings

The UK’s leading luxury bookmaker, Star Sports was launched as Star Racing in 1999. Star Sports offers a range of boutique bookmaking services to its discerning clients:

Full Starsports Review
  • Independent Bookmaker
  • The Best Customer Service and Betting
  • Personal Traders for High Stakes Punters
Full StarSports Review

4.2 / 5

143 Ratings

Quick sign-up and low minimum deposit are just the start. once inside, you find Unibet rival the very best online bookmakers available to UK customers

Full Unibet Review
  • Super Quick Sign-Up Process
  • Low £5 Minimum Deposit
  • Excellent Bet Club For In Play Betting
Full Unibet Review

4.2 / 5

67 Ratings

Parimatch offer live betting on more than 20 sports in 60 countries, with over 200 leagues and 600 sporting events, every day, 24 hours a day. With stats and analysis Parimatch is more than just betting

Full Parimatch Review
  • Serious eSports Coverage
  • In-Play Betting Specialists
  • Racing and Football Offers
Full Parimatch Review

4.1 / 5

24 Ratings

Operating since 1997 Goodwin Racing now brings the online punter Bet Goodwin for a personal online betting service

Full Betgoodwin Review
  • Independently Owned Betting Service for 20 years
  • Second to None Customer Service
  • New Online Betting Site Launched in 2022
  • Super Fast Withdrawals and £5 minimums
Full BetGoodwin Review

4.1 / 5

86 Ratings

Betfred is known as the Bonus King as you will regularly find bonuses on multiple bets such as Goals Galore, Double Delight & Hat-trick Heaven.

Full Betfred Review
  • x3 odds on 1 winner for Lucky 15
  • Betfred are the Bonus Kings
  • Great range of football betting markets
Full Betfred Review

4.2 / 5

20 Ratings

An impressive range of sporting events to bet on an equally impressive looking platform bringing freshness to your daily betting.

Full Fafabet Review
  • Best eSports Betting Options
  • Free Bet Club
  • Complete UK Racing Service
Full Fafabet Review

4.1 / 5

40 Ratings

BetUK offer a dedicated offering centered around Football, Horse Racing and Tennis and do it very well. Super Quick App makes things simple.

Full Betuk Review
  • Good Range of Markets for Each Sport
  • Acca Club
  • Great IOS or Android App
Full BetUK Review

4.0 / 5

32 Ratings

No-frills, bet-smart, online sportsbook, designed to cater to both experienced bettors and beginners alike. The live betting hub is clear-cut, with odds clarity and an intuitive mobile-first design

Full Bettarget Review
  • Wide Range of Bet Types
  • Hot Promotions
  • The Bet Battle
Full BetTarget Review

4.0 / 5

24 Ratings

The pools offers betting on sports, casinos, and are home to the original Football Pools Classic Pools £3 million score draw jackpots.

Full The Pools Review
  • Free Bets on Every UK horse race
  • Weekly Free Bet Promotions
  • Footie5 £25k free play game
Full The Pools Review

4.4 / 5

1045 Ratings

Top rated by OLBG users for years. Ranked as best bookie in more categories than any other. Click 'see offer' for latest account opening offer 18+ t&c's apply, begambleaware.org #ad

Full Bet365 Review
  • Best Football Bookmaker
  • Rated #1 By OLBG Users
  • Rated #1 For Bet Builder
Full bet365 Review

4.0 / 5

243 Ratings

A fantastic sportsbook with the #1 Rated Weekly FREE BET CLUB. Free Jackpot predictor games with huge prizes and superb eSports betting too.

Full Betway Review
  • Best Bookmaker for eSports at OLBG
  • Best FREE BET CLUB
  • Free Jackpot Predictor
Full Betway Review

3.9 / 5

22 Ratings

Sign Up Now To Enjoy Daily Price Boosts, Specials & Free Bet Promotions from BetZone

Full Betzone Review
  • Innovative Horse Racing Price Display
  • Good In Play betting Options
  • Modern and Fresh Betting Platform
Full Betzone Review

4.0 / 5

17 Ratings

DAZN BET provides sports betting to sports fans – adding to the excitement of watching your favourite game and bringing you closer to the action than ever before.

Full Dazn Bet Review
  • Super Low £5 Minimum Deposit Option
  • Fantastic Football betting and Stats Centre
  • TOP Quality US Sport Section
Full DAZN Bet Review

3.8 / 5

4 Ratings

All British Sports bring the Brilliant back to Bet Builder and a host of other top class sports betting options across not only to British but International sport too!

Full All British Sports Review
  • One of the Best Bet Builder Functions
  • Football Fast Markets
  • Live Betting and Casino
Full All British Sports Review

3.8 / 5

26 Ratings

Lottoland Sports offers you a huge selection of sports betting opportunities from around the globe with competitive odds, match statistics and exciting features

Full Lottoland Review
  • Surprisingly Good Football Betting including BetBuilder
  • eSports & Virtuals
  • Complete Lottery Betting Options
Full Lottoland Review

3.7 / 5

7 Ratings

If you choose to bet with Rhino.bet, you may notice that they are not afraid to do things a little differently. A streamlined approach to coverage allows them to really focus on what matters

Full Rhino.bet Review
  • Best Odds Guaranteed
  • Price Boosts
  • Casino Mini Games
Full Rhino.bet Review

4.1 / 5

35 Ratings

Betdaq is a quality online betting exchange and sportsbook. Betdaq concentrates on low commission rates and a wide range of betting options. Betdaq exchange is very fast to use with single click betting and top liquidity across all sports markets.

Full Betdaq Review
  • Exchange Multiples Available
  • Innovative Promotions
  • Must Have Account for Arbitrage Betting
Full BetDaq Review

4.0 / 5

16 Ratings

Luckland online Sports betting is for all Sports fans. With over 20 Sports to choose from, both pre-match & live, they have an extensive coverage of leagues and events from all over the world

Full Luckland Sports Review
  • Good Football Betting Options
  • Cash Out Options
  • Seamless Switching to Casino
Full Luckland Sports Review

4.0 / 5

86 Ratings

Shrewd Golf punters go-to bookie with stand out weekly prices. Also preferred bookmaker for greyhounds betting and a flexible acca insurance promotion.

Full 888Sport Review
  • Acca Insurance
  • Best odds on Golf
  • Fantastic Greyhounds Betting
Full 888Sport Review

3.8 / 5

49 Ratings

One of the best Acca insurance products available. Boylesports are hugely popular due to some of the best weekly and big event promotions for registered customers

Full Boylesports Review
  • BoyleXtra Loyalty Programme
  • Acca Insurance Rated Best
  • Unmissable Football Promotions
Full BoyleSports Review

3.9 / 5

9 Ratings

Bet on sports and esports like never before. Midnite is making betting friendly and fan-first. Call the shots with next level betting

Full Midnite Review
  • eSports Betting at its Best
  • Instant payouts
  • Great Odds
Full Midnite Review

4.0 / 5

8 Ratings

Looking for a one stop shop for thrilling sports betting action? BZeebet is your best destination! Created by a diverse group of industry experts with decades of experience, BZeebet is taking online betting to a whole new level

Full Bzeebet Review
  • Fantastic Platform
  • Superb Football Betting Options
  • Cash Out - bet Builder and more
Full Bzeebet Review

3.8 / 5

44 Ratings

The best range of weekly promotions you'll find online. Quinnbet are rapidly becoming one of the most popular bookmakers newly listed on OLBG.

Full Quinnbet Review
  • The Best Weekly Promotions
  • Best for Virtual Sports Betting
  • BOG on Greyhounds Betting
Full QuinnBet Review

4.1 / 5

11 Ratings

Yeti have added a slimline sportsbook offering football betting and more alongside the slots and tables in the excellent casino

Full Yetibet Review
  • Good Live Betting Section
  • Competitive Odds
  • Easy Navigation
Full YetiBet Review

3.7 / 5

51 Ratings

A new bookmaker offering everything you would expect to make your bets, but adding in new features to stand out from the crowd. Certainly worth a look at the player specials.

Full Mr.play Review
  • Competitive Betting Odds
  • Player Props and Special bets
  • Play Bot Betting Tips
Full mr.play Review

4.0 / 5

154 Ratings

Early Payouts, Money back specials and crazy promotions on big sporting events, Paddy Power offers a rewards club and fabulous football betting options.

Full Paddy Power Review
  • Great Sports Betting Coverage and Options
  • Loyalty Rewards Club
  • Paddy Power Daily Fantasy Sport
Full Paddy Power Review

3.8 / 5

33 Ratings

A far bigger bookmaker than you would expect with fantastic eSport coverage and lots of promotions for registered customers.

Full 32Red Review
  • Huge Sportsbook
  • 39 Sports On Offer Including Niche Sports
  • Top Rated eSports Coverage
Full 32Red Review

3.9 / 5

33 Ratings

Spreadex offers a huge array of markets on Sports and Financial spread betting. But also compliment with a Fixed odds Sportsbook too. All in one sports betting site

Full Spreadex Review
  • Fixed Odds or Spread Betting It's Your Choice!
  • Financial or Sports Betting.
  • New Spread Betting Build Your Bet Feature
Full Spreadex Review

4.1 / 5

166 Ratings

100% Trusted and established betting brand offering WHTV live sports streaming on one of the easiest betting apps you'll wish to find with big event promos.

Full William Hill Review
  • Super Promotions on the Biggest Sporting Events
  • #YourOdds Bet Builder
  • Free Sports Streaming from WHTV
Full William Hill Review

4.1 / 5

251 Ratings

Best odds for Horse Racing using Betfair Sp, the exchange is perfect for traders and getting huge odds on outsiders. Seamless sportsbook use and a cracking Casino, Betfair has everything with one registration.

Full Betfair Review
  • Ranked #1 For Footy Accumulators
  • Bigger Horse Racing Odds with Betfair SP
  • Must have account for Arbitrage Betting
Full Betfair Review

3.7 / 5

79 Ratings

One of the UKs largest bookies. Good for horse racing and price up many antepost races before any other bookmaker.

Full Coral Review
  • Best Bookie for Cricket Betting
  • Coral App Highly Rated
  • Your Call/Build Your Bet
Full Coral Review

3.8 / 5

42 Ratings

Often overlooked for bigger brands, Sportingbet offer a great promotion range to registered customers including enhanced odds and acca insurance from their long-standing online offering.

Full Sportingbet Review
  • Enhanced Odds Football Accumulators
  • Horse Racing Yankee Boosts
  • 5 Team Acca Insurance
Full Sportingbet Review

4.0 / 5

30 Ratings

World leaders in sports spread betting, Sporting Index open up a whole new way of betting on sport, maximising your accuracy in your sporting predictions.

Full Sporting Index Review
  • Rated #1 Spread Firm by OLBG Users
  • Fixed Odds Betting Now Available
Full Sporting Index Review

4.0 / 5

35 Ratings

An excellent exchange alternative to Betfair with attractive commission rates. Exchange accumulators set them apart from the rest.

Full Matchbook Review
  • Rated #1 Alternative to Betfair
  • 2% Commission For All Sports
  • Matchbook Accumulators Now Available !
Full Matchbook Review

3.9 / 5

80 Ratings

The Magic Sign is as popular on the net as it is in the high streets with much more on offer on the website and app. Great promotions too.

Full Ladbrokes Review
  • Excellent Odds for Cricket Betting
  • Outstanding Odds Boosts
  • Number 1 Bookmaker for Snooker Betting
Full Ladbrokes Review

3.5 / 5

14 Ratings

BetStorm has been around since 2021 offering a full sports betting service to customer who like choice and value odds.

Full Betstorm Review
  • Huge Range of Sports to Choose From
  • Fantastic Football Betting Options
  • Live Betting Specialists
Full BetStorm Review

3.9 / 5

30 Ratings

Superb football betting site with statistics, great odds and brilliant live betting options. All topped off with a great selections of promos for registered customers.

Full Grosvenorsport Review
  • Classy Sportsbook
  • Great Selection Of Promos
  • Live Betting A Speciality
Full GrosvenorSport Review

3.9 / 5

61 Ratings

Superb In-Play betting bookie. If you like betting on football during the game, try Netbet and discover enhancements and special offers.

Full Netbet Review
  • Regular money back offers.
  • Great value enhancements and specials.
  • Wide range of markets available on all of your favourite sports and a leading in-play service.
Full NetBet Review

3.9 / 5

65 Ratings

The best exchange app available with low commission rates. Smarkets gives Exchange betting and trading a modern feel and is a great alternative to Betfair

Full Smarkets Review
  • Live Odds Data, Charts, and Graphs
  • Better Odds With Low Commission Rates
  • Superb Smarkets Betting App
Full Smarkets Review

3.5 / 5

21 Ratings

BetDukes offer a full sports betting platform with Rewards Club. Very new brand and licensed with the UK Gambling Commission

Full Betdukes Review
  • Rewards Club for all Users
  • Huge Range of Football Betting Options
  • Good eSports Coverage
Full BetDukes Review

3.8 / 5

35 Ratings

In-Play football stats are great for helping to make in play bets. Full and Partial cash out means you really can enjoy football betting with Betiton

Full Betiton Review
  • New Sports Betting Site
  • Great In-Play Football Stats
  • Full and Partial Cash Out Options
Full Betiton Review

3.6 / 5

33 Ratings

Xtremewin offers good football coverage and a complete sports betting package including in play options

Full Xtremewin Review
  • Complete Football Betting Coverage
  • Great In Play Betting Options
  • £5 Minimum Deposit
Full xtremewin Review

4.0 / 5

31 Ratings

TonyBet are rising fast up the OLBG user ratings thanks to awesome football and tennis betting odds and options. Highly recommended on one of the best platforms we have used.

Full Tonybet Review
  • Super Fast 1 Click Betting
  • Well Designed and Intuitive Sportsbook
  • One Account For Sport, Casino and Poker
Full TonyBet Review

3.9 / 5

41 Ratings

An In-Play betting club and acca promotions mean LeoVegas are great for football betting. Take a look, we think you'll be impressed.

Full Leovegas Review
  • Acca Boosts
  • Superb Football Betting
  • In Play Bet Club
Full LeoVegas Review

3.5 / 5

42 Ratings

Super fast site is great for in play betting with great stats centre and unique offers for registered customers. Vbet are better than expected.

Full Vbet Review
  • Excellent Stats Centre
  • Unique offers for existing customers
  • Their website is really fast, perfect for in-play betting.
Full Vbet Review

3.8 / 5

63 Ratings

Strong European bookmaker with good coverage of Euro football. With over 20 million users they are one of the biggest bookies in Europe.

Full Bwin Review
  • Amazing coverage of European football
  • Excellent live streaming service
  • Regular enhanced accas for football
Full BWin Review

4.0 / 5

40 Ratings

A new way to bet - A bookmaker that tells if you have the best price, gives you tips, and asks you what features you want. Best odds - Best App - Get SBK

Full Sbk Review
  • Most Exciting Betting Site Launch in a Decade
  • Live Odds Comparison - You can see if you are getting the best odds
  • Simple Welcome Offer
Full SBK Review

3.7 / 5

48 Ratings

10Bet offers a huge range of leagues for football betting, and some very competitive odds. As well as excellent promotions for registered customers.

Full 10Bet Review
  • Fantastic Odds
  • Fast and easy to navigate
  • Plenty of daily promotions & free bets
Full 10bet Review

3.5 / 5

4 Ratings

Vegas Mobile offer a wide range of Sports and eSports betting option with a good range of banking options

Full Vegas Mobile Review
  • Great Football Betting Options
  • Familiar Progress Play Platform
  • Excellent eSports Betting Choices
Full Vegas Mobile Review

3.5 / 5

4 Ratings

Spinzwin, we are your friendly betting site where you get to experience the art of online betting.

Full Spinzwinbet Review
  • Very good football betting options
  • Niche Sports Well Covered
  • eSports including Valorant and Dota2
Full SpinzwinBet Review

3.5 / 5

2 Ratings

21Luckybet comes from the familiar Progress Play platform and offers a wide range of sports betting and eSports options

Full 21Luckybet Review
  • Familiar progress Play Platform
  • Good Football Betting options
  • Esports and Niche Sports in Deep Coverage
Full 21LuckyBet Review

In this guide to the best betting sites uk and new online bookmakers we will look at 

Which are the best betting sites in the UK?

The best new online bookmakers

How to choose the right betting site for you 

How OLBG reviews and rates online bookmakers 

Why online betting is better than land based betting

Which are the best betting sites in the UK?

The best betting sites in the UK are 

  1. bet365
  2. BetVictor
  3. Kwiff
  4. Unibet
  5. Pari Match
  6. Fitzdares


Best Betting Sites According to User Ratings (Top Rated)

These are the best rated betting sites in the UK from ratings collected at OLBG and you can see the list in full by selecting Top Rated above. Members of OLBG have been reviewing the best online betting sites since 2002. Who better to ask which the best online bookmakers are, than those who use them day in day out? 

Our members have tried and tested many uk bookmakers over the years and here they share with you their honest thoughts. Each time we add a new bookie to OLBG we ask our users to try it out and review it. We have highlighted some of these real user reviews in the content on this page as we feel that their feedback is really useful in helping you to choose your new betting account. 

Below is a summary as to why each of these best betting sites have been rated highly. Visit the individual bookmaker review pages for each bookies full review and to read the thoughts of the OLBG members. 

1. bet365 - The Number One Rated Betting Site at OLBG

The biggest online bookmaker in the World with a reported 35million + customers. bet365 has consistently been rated as the best online betting site by OLBG users for years. In our guides we review betting sites based on many different criteria. bet365 comes out top as the best football bookmaker, number one betting site for request a bets, the best cash out product and top bookie in many more categories. 

OLBG user Richerfrantz had this to say about bet365 "The most diversified bookmaker, covering all sports and events worldwide, wide variety of available markets, cash out option, clean design, intuitive, easy to use, among other benefits..."

2. BetVictor - The Number One Mobile Betting Site

BetVictor rates highly in many of our betting site research guides, consistently providing good odds for both horse racing and football. Mobile bettors seem particularly pleased with BetVictor which is backed up from our analysis of the best betting apps where they come out on top.

3.  Kwiff - Super Charge Your Bets ! 

Kwiff have been making great strides in the UK online betting space with a modern and innovative approach. As a Kwiff user you can be surprised with extra payouts, supercharged bets up to 2000x the odds, promotions and loyalty rewards. If you want to experience a slightly different way of betting, try Kwiff.

4. Unibet

A well rated UK bookie with a quick sign up, low minimum deposit and excellent in play betting offering. Unibet have been growing their position in the UK market over recent years. 

5. Pari Match

A lesser known betting brand , although one of our reviewers pointed out that they have been around for over 17 years. The OLBG user ratings are very strong which is little surprise when you understand that behind the different branding you essential have the same site as BetVictor. Great esport coverage, great in play offering and very highly rated customer service.

6. Fitzdares 

Bringing something different to online betting, Fitzdares is styled as the Worlds finest bookmaker and has built its brand offline appealing to higher end punters. However the online offering is designed for all stake levels and aims to give you a bit more than other online bookmakers do. It certainly feels like a different experience betting with Fitzdares. 

Aside from looking at the overall best betting sites in terms of user rating, we have also dug deep into many other factors.

Best Betting Sites By Sport 

If you place the majority of your bets on one particular sport then rather than the overall best bookie, you may be looking for the best bookie for that particular sport. 

Here is a summary showing the best betting sites for some of the most popular sports in the United Kingdom, please explore the guides for more detail. 

The best football betting sites?

The best football betting sites are 

  1. bet365
  2. William Hill 
  3. Paddy Power
  4. Betway
  5. Betfair
  6. 10Bet 


bet365 stand out in our review of best football betting sites for their huge range of worldwide markets. They claim to be the home of the in play and with the popularity of in play betting on football especially, this really makes a difference to the regular football bettor. William Hill offered some niche markets and an excellent BetBuilder product. Read the full analysis of the best football betting sites 

Schleiche confirmed our findings in their bet365 review, stating "Good football odds and the best app layout. My go to bookmaker."

Which are the best horse racing betting sites?

The best horse racing betting sites are 

  1. bet365
  2. BetVictor 
  3. Betway
  4. Paddy Power
  5. Betfred
  6. Betfair


bet365 have always been popular with horse racing bettors at OLBG, offering consistently good odds, regular promotions, a great best odds guaranteed promotion and extra places in big races. Odds seem to be key for a betting site to get a good rating from horse racing bettors as BetVictor are also recommended in this category. 

Luke90 agreed with our assessment in their review of bet365 and had this to say "Definitely the best bookmaker out there with regards to prices and they give you best odds guaranteed from the day before which is a big one, it always used to be the deciding factor for me. They give odds in the without market for horse racing, not just without the favourite but without the front two."

Betway don't always fair so well for odds but their free bets club which includes horse racing is highly attractive and their top betting features include a range of tote options as well as a good all round betting experience. Read the full analysis of the best horse racing betting sites

The Best Tennis Betting Sites

The best tennis betting sites for UK users are

  1. BetVictor
  2. PariMatch 
  3. Betfair 
  4. Paddy Power
  5. bet365
  6. William Hill  


BetVictor have a great offering for Tennis punters. Our research has shown their odds to be consistently amongst the top bookmakers in the UK, they have good punter friendly rules over player retirements and they are a trusted online betting site. See the full analysis of top tennis betting sites here.

Rehema00 gave BetVictor the full 5 stars in their recent review, stating "Bet Victor is the best when it comes to good offers, nice odds, bet boosters. I really love bet Victor."

The Best Golf Betting Sites

Our research showed the top golf betting sites are 

  1. William Hill 
  2. Betfair
  3. Paddy Power 
  4. BetVictor
  5. bet365
  6. 888Sport 


William Hill has a great offering for golf punters, covering a wide range of events, good choice of markets, favourable each way terms and top in play betting. Read the full research for top golf betting sites

JediScout is a fan of William Hill going by this recent top rated review "My go to bookie becasue they always get it. They treat me well and I love their knowledge of sport. If I could only use one sport bookmaker it would have to be WH."

Best Betting Sites By Bet Type

If you bet on multiple sports, you may want to choose your new bookmaker based more on the way you like to bet. Maybe there are certain types of bets you like to place, perhaps exchange or spread betting is more your thing or maybe you also like to gamble on Casino games. 

Which are best for casino games?

The best sites for casino games are 

  1. Kwiff 
  2. 32Red
  3. Quinnbet
  4. Fitzdares
  5. talkSportBet
  6. BetVictor


If you like to play casino games alongside placing bets on sports, you may be looking for a strong betting site that offers a solid casino option too. The betting sites appearing highest in our best casino sites listing are 32Red, Quinnbet and Kwiff. You can separately look at our list of best casino sites.

Which are the best betting exchanges?

The best betting exchanges are 

  1. Betfair
  2. Smarkets
  3. Matchbook
  4. Betdaq


Betting exchanges will always feature high up on our overall list of best betting sites as they offer good odds and don't restrict customer bets. Comparing them often comes down to the range of markets, degree of liquidity and rates of commission. If you are looking to start betting on an exchange site or are thinking of swopping sites, take a look at our detailed guide to UK betting exchanges. 

This is what UBears025 had to say about Betfair Exchange in their recent review "Betfair is the best trading site in the UK and the concept of betting against other punters allows you to get great value on selections"

Which are the best spread betting sites?

The best sports spread betting sites are 

  1. Sporting Index
  2. Spreadex


Sports spread betting sites are few and far between, perhaps because spread betting is a rather complicated and potentially risky way of betting online. If you are an experienced bettor and would like to try it then take a look at our guide to help you to choose the best sports spread betting site

The Best Cash Out Betting Sites

The best cash out betting sites are 

  1. bet365
  2. Betfair 
  3. Paddy Power
  4. William Hill 


Cash out provides users with the option of cancelling all or part of their bet before the bet is completed, in the return for a pay out. This provides bettors with flexibility. bet365 hits the top of the list here due to its flexibility with auto cash management and edit my bet options. Read our full analysis of cash out betting sites. 

OLBG User Liveruz confirmed these findings with their review "They have the best odds options and odds are pretty good. But probably the best of bet365 is the cash-out system. It is definitely the best as you can cash out at anytime"

The Best Bet Builder Bookmakers

The best bet builder bookmakers are

  1. bet365
  2. Quinnbet
  3. Unibet
  4. Betway 
  5. Boylesports
  6. Paddy Power  


Bet builder, sometimes called request a bet has been growing in popularity amongst sports bettors in recent years. It provides the opportunity to combine different outcomes into one bet. Similar to an accumulator bet, it is possible to build a bet with large odds in an attempt to win big off a small stake. There are now in play bet builders too. Read all about this and the best bookies for placing bet builders. 

Best Bookmakers for In Play Betting 

The best bookmakers for in play betting are 

  1. bet365
  2. LVBet
  3. Smarkets
  4. Virgin Bet 
  5. William Hill
  6. Ladbrokes


The service provided for in play betting varies greatly from site to site, with some not even providing it at all. This form of betting is now the most popular, with bookmakers taking the majority of their UK betting activity on in play football markets. bet365 advertise that they are all about the in play and our review backs that up. Read the full analysis of the best in play betting sites. 

Best Odds Guaranteed Bookies

The best bookmakers for best odds guaranteed are 

  1. bet365
  2. Boylesports
  3. Sportingbet
  4. Betfred
  5. Betfair
  6. Unibet


If you bet regularly on horse racing then you will know how important best odds guaranteed is. What is available, the terms and conditions attached and when you can and can't get access to it vary greatly by bookmaker. If you use best odds guaranteed then you should read our full guide here. 

Weekly Free Bet Clubs 

The best weekly free bet clubs are

  1. betway
  2. Unibet
  3. Paddy Power


Free bets are well known as an incentive for people to open a new betting account but some bookmakers also offer them regularly after sign up. In our guide to free bet clubs we explain all.

Best New Online Bookmakers

Best new online bookmakers are 

  1. Fitzdares
  2. Star Sports
  3. BetGoodwin 
  4. Bet Target
  5. Bet UK
  6. The Pools 
  7. Britain Bet
  8. Luckster Sport


These are the best rated online bookmakers that have been more recently added to OLBG. This list of online bookmakers UK is updated all the time with new bookmakers being added every week. 

These betting sites may not consider themselves as new bookies as they have all been established a good length of time either in the UK or elsewhere, but users may see them as being a new bookie compared to some of the bookmakers which have been around for decades.  

At the time of writing we have 66 licensed UK bookmakers listed but there are more new bookmakers to add. At last count when we looked at the full uk online bookmakers directory we noted 85 UK licensed bookmakers for online betting. So please keep checking back regularly to see the new sites we add. You can filter the above list by hitting the NEW tab, you will then see betting sites listed in order of the latest added to the site first. 

How OLBG Reviews and Rates Online Bookmakers

The editorial process for each review is detailed and thorough, the full process takes a minimum of a month from start to finish and involves more than 10 experienced reviewers along with dozens of regular sports bettors. This is a breakdown of our review and rating policy.

STEP 1 - Full Review By An Experienced Content Writer 

One of our experienced in house writers will spend a minimum of two weeks reviewing a betting site, placing a minimum of 10 bets (often more) and trying out different sports, markets and features. All of our reviewers have bet online for over 10 years and at numerous betting sites, allowing them to compare and contrast with their own personal experiences. 

These are some of the factors which our in house team review for each betting site we list at OLBG

  • Customer Support 
  • Banking & Payment Options
  • Site usability 
  • Mobile site & mobile app usability 
  • Range of sports covered
  • Range of markets covered
  • Types of bets accepted 
  • Odds offered 
  • Promotions & Offers for existing customers
  • Initial bonus or free bet terms
  • User experience 
  • Ease of registration & Account Verification
  • In play offering & live streaming
  • Maximum pay outs


STEP 2 - Our Review Panel Rates Each Bookmaker

During weeks three and four, the members of our 10 strong review panel will test out the site and along with our main reviewer, provide a rating out of 5 stars. These form the base rating for the betting site. The panel will also review what was written by the initial reviewer and add their own feedback to improve the content, spot anything the reviewer may have missed or just highlight areas they are particularly impressed with (or not!). This is extremely valuable as each member of the panel will have a different way of betting, different sports, bet types, markets they like to bet on. During this stage we conduct fact checking and editing too.

STEP 3 - OLBG Members & Regular Sports Bettors Carry Out Their Reviews

Once we have a full written review and a base rating from the panel, the OLBG members are then encouraged to try out a new betting side and provide their rating and feedback.

At OLBG we gather reviews and ratings for all uk licensed bookies from regular sports bettors so that you can compare and understand which betting sites may be best for you. You can read through the hundreds of bookmaker reviews and see what real users say about the bookies which they use. Reading real life experiences is the best way to learn about which online betting sites may be best for you.

Our members are asked to rate each of the bookmakers out of 5. You will see that we have listed 100s of reviews for UK Sportsbooks and we add new betting sites all the time. The most popular bookmaker reviewed has over 1000 ratings and at the time of writing a score of 4.4/5. This is the average rating for this betting site from all the user reviews.

If you go to the specific bookmaker page, for example bet 365 bookmaker review you will be able to read each of the individual reviews which make up this rating. You will see for this bookmaker that most of the reviews are 5 star.

We publish all betting site reviews unedited as long as they do not contain any swearing, potentially libellous content or individual specific dispute content. Where users have individual and specific disputes with online bookmakers we feel that they should discuss these direct with the bookie, rather than creating a review. OLBG has always been happy to offer help and advice in dealing with such disputes

There are many discussions on our forums where fellow members also offer their help and advice. We do however always encourage intital dialogue with the bookmaker concerned. IBAS can help with disputes with online bookmakers , they are the independent betting adjudication service to go to when users dont feel that their complaint has been resolved by talking directly with the bookmaker. 

We recommend only signing up with UK licensed betting sites if you are from the UK, so you will always have a method of resolving a dispute. 

STEP 4 - Regular Updates and Improvements

We update every review every month. We read every single new member review and this helps us to understand if a site has improved or changed. We can use this recent feedback to update the core review content. 

We will also regularly ask the operator if they have made any significant changes or improvements and update the review accordingly. If any of these changes are significantly large such as a site redesign or a major new sport being added, then that will trigger a full new review process and we will re assess the bookmaker, going back to step 1.

You can be confident that his rigorous process is carried out with all bookmaker reviews. 

STEP 5 - Detailed Comparison 

We contrast and compare the top bookmakers in detailed comparison guides covering the best sites for different sports and bet types. This is where we can highlight findings from our detailed reviews and the review team can work together to discuss which operators come out on top and which ones don't make the grade. 

So altogether this ads up to 100s of hours of work by dozens of experts, all to help you to find your next betting site. 

Why a bookmaker may achieve a high rating at OLBG

We have reviewed all the bookmaker reviews submitted to OLBG to try to understand why our members may rate a UK betting site highly. These are some of the key reasons. 

  • Great odds
  • Easy to use site/app/mobile site
  • Good bonuses and offers 
  • Good live streaming 
  • Great coverage of events and markets. 
  • Excellent customer service
  • Good provision of in play markets and betting opportunities 
  • Pricing markets up early. 
  • Dont restrict winning accounts


Why online bookmakers are rated poorly by OLBG

These are some of the key reasons given by OLBG members for giving low bookmaker review ratings.

  • Confusing opening account offers 
  • Hard to use, navigate the site
  • No or poor ongoing offers and bonuses for existing users
  • Poor odds
  • Poor coverage - no odds on events/markets that a user wants to bet on 
  • Poor customer service - slow, unhelpful, no chat facility. 
  • Limit bets. Especially when they limit very soon after opening an account. 
  • Charges - on deposits for example or your account balance!


Who Created, Edited & Fact Checked The Content On This Page?

The content around our reviews including the editorial content on this page has been created by an experienced team of expert online sports bettors. Here is a bit more about them, what they look for in a top betting site and their current favourite sites for their own betting. 

  • Darren Brett with 30 years betting experience including bookmaker side and content writer

"I'm a big fan of the placepot so the site I use the most is the Tote."

  • James Banting with 20 + years betting industry experience including working for a high street bookmaker

"For general sports betting I like William Hill as their market coverage is good with competitive odds, their website is nicely laid out and easy to
use. I also use betfair and bet365 a lot for in-play football betting and trading, the two sites work well in tandem for in-play bettors."

  • Andrew Powell with 17 years of creating sports betting content writing experience

“When I am planning to bet on any US sports, mainly betting on the NHL, I head to 10Bet who I have found not to only have very competitive odds but also a great coverage of European leagues too.

When it comes to betting on horses, it is usually the Betfair exchange where I head, as someone who the majority of the time plays the place market it’s an ideal platform for doing so.

For the football, the Accumulator Bonus is great at bet365 which attracts me to them for that, also I rate their App as one of the best available which makes placing and keeping track of your bets very easy.”

  • Nigel Skinner with 19 years of online gambling industry experience 

"My first port of call is the Betfair Exchange, I tend not to back favourites and find the prices on offer on outsiders and the ability to bet place only suitable for my betting life. 

I always check the exchange prices against the spread betting prices on offer from Spreadex and Sporting Index and whichever gives me the best value for my money is where I place my bet. "

  • Jake Ashton with 8 years experience as a sports betting journalist 

"I use Bet365 because of their bet builders and easy to use app. Being able to pick my own selections in bet builders and then being able to double them with other bet builders means massive odds selections! They are great for bets including cards."

  • Sam Darkens with 5 years experience working closely with online bookmakers to understand the key differences between them

"For me a good online bookmaker must have a great app. I do most of my betting in apps and find Paddy Power, BetVictor, SBK and bet365 all good. For my esports betting, Betway has excellent coverage." 

  • Steve Madgwick with 16 years of sports betting industry experience is the Editor In Chief who updates the content on this page weekly and ensures all supporting reviews and guides are updated at least monthly

"Betfair is my first choice destination for most things betting. I enjoy the flexibility of using the exchange, and the convenience of switching to the sportsbook for adequate odds on football and snooker when looking to consider accumulators. I am excited to be a new Fitzdares customer which I use for Horse Racing."

  • Richard Moffat with two decades of experience working with online bookmakers has fact checked all the information. 

"When I bet I like to do so seriously on horse racing, so the best betting site for me is the one with the best odds and best terms on the horses I want to back. I'll use around 20 different betting sites to seek out the best value, in terms of best odds but also place terms, best odds guaranteed and any other relevant promotions or offers. Some new sites I've been impressed with are Kwiff, Talksportbet, Star Sports, Fitzdares and Betgoodwin"

As well as the experience of working within the sports betting industry for so long, all our contributors are keen sports bettors themselves so they each have many years experience of betting with multiple online betting sites. You can read more about our writers and our editorial policy on our About Us Page.

OLBG has an industry leading Trustpilot rating of 4.6 from over 800 reviews. You can read our OLBG reviews on Trustpilot here.

How To Choose The Right Betting Site For You

We recommend that if you are looking for a new betting site to open you consider the following factors. How do you determine if your next new online bookie is

  • Trustworthy 
  • Reliable 
  • Low Risk 
  • Reputable 
  • Player Friendly With Their Terms and Conditions 
  • Everything Else You Want!


With each new online bookmaker we review, we go through each of these areas in detail as we form our review. 

Trustworthy 

There are over 80 online bookmakers licensed to operate in the UK. We only list UK licensed bookmakers to UK traffic on this site and if you live in the UK we would advise that you dont bet with any bookmakers which arent licensed here. 

If you live outside the UK or are visiting another country where you plan to bet online, we advise that if gambling is regulated in that region that you only bet with locally licensed operators. We have separate pages for


For the US we also have separate state pages as sports betting is licensed on a state by state basis. For example NJ sports betting sites or Michigan sports betting sites.

Non licensed betting sites may not adhere to the strict regulations laid down by the Gambling Commission and you may have trouble if you ever have a dispute with them.  We list the main ones on this page and you can check if betting sites hold a license by following this link for a full list of online bookmakers licensed in the UK.

Table showing top trusted betting sites according to trustpilot ratings as at 6th March 2023

Online Betting Site Trustpilot TrustScore Number of Ratings
Matchbook Betting Exchange 4.5 1604
BetVictor 4.4 3045
10bet UK 4.4 965
NetBet UK 4.3 1459
Spreadex Sports 3.8 806
Kwiff  3.8 3012

Reliable 

We don't list every licensed UK bookmaker on this page. Some we don't consider to be trustworthy and reliable. This could be for a number of reasons including failing to pay what is owed, changing terms and conditions, having a poor record of customer service. 

We prefer to list bookmakers along with the poor reviews where there we have seen that customers have had bad experiences. However sometimes the bookmakers are so poor in terms of trust that we don’t list them at all. 

Low Risk 

There are many new online bookies, some very small companies investing in growing a business in the UK. There are risks betting with small companies as they could potentialy come into cash flow problems. However if they are registered with the UK Gambling Commission then there will be certain critiera they need to meet to ensure that they can pay out their customers. The risk is lower with larger more established companies. 

Whilst some bookmakers on this page may not be well known in the UK, they may be long established global businesses. Our reviews will tell you more. 

Whilst we have to mention it as a risk, it is though very rare for bookmakers to close and not honour bets. Recent closures of bookies have typically been where other bookmakers have bought them out. Typically with these betting sites, balances have been returned to customers and bets have been paid out. 

However there have been occasions where ante post (long term market) bets have been cancelled and stakes returned. This of course can be extremely bad for punters who have obtained great value prices on events far into the future. We recommend that you are cautious about which betting sites you use to place your ante post bets. Do so with a bookmaker which is larger and less likely to go out of business or be taken over. Or even better, consider splitting your bet around several betting sites. 

So rather than say have £20 with one bookmaker, make 4 £5 bets with different bookies. This same advice is often made by our members when users are discussing how to avoid having their stakes limited by bookies. 

Reputable 

The best way to see this is from user experience. This is why we have collected over 500 user reviews across the different UK betting sites from the members here at OLBG. Read their experiences and how they rate each of the bookies before deciding if you will open a new account with that online bookmaker. Our users will often talk about their experiences with customer services and how any issues they had were dealt with. 

Player Friendly With Their Terms and Conditions

We have spent hundreds of hours trawling through terms and conditions, withdrawal policies, depositing terms and so on for each of the betting sites we list, so that we can provide you with all the details. Some bookmakers do make charges for certain withdrawals. 

Some hit you with charges for not using your account (be careful here as some conditions can eventually clean out your funds if left for 6 months +). We dont want to scare you as most the bookmakers we list have fair terms and conditions and dont go too far away from what would be industry standards. However there are a few to watch out for. 

Our users may well have highlighted any in their reviews, or our researches will have found some in their hours of painstaking research. As part of our process we also look at other review sites such as trust pilot to identify any areas where customers aren’t happy with their bookmakers. Of course this also helps us to see positives and reasons why you may want to consider betting with the bookie being reviewed. 

Check our bookmaker reviews before opening your next betting account to see if there are any terms and conditions, a good range of payment methods, charges or withdrawal policies which you should look out for. If you have found something we haven’t highlighted then please let us know through adding a review. You can join OLBG for free if you aren’t yet a member and review all the bookmakers listed here. 

Everything else you want?

Think about what you want from your bookmaker and read the reviews to find users who have found that. Ask yourself, why would I open an account with this bookmaker AND bet with them regularly? That is the key. 

This page and the accompanying detailed guides are packed full of information to help you to find the best betting site for your needs. Opening lots of accounts and trying them out is an alternative to reading our guides and we are aware that some people may wish to do this and take advantage of the welcome offers available. 

Most betting sites provide a welcome offer when you register an account with them. This is sometimes called a free bet or a bonus. We discuss these in more detail on our free bets page but for your convenience here are some of the best betting sites offers available now. 

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We have a specific page for users from Virginia. Check it out!

£20 BONUS

Bet £10 Get £20!

New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £/€10. Qualifying real money bet of £/€10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer credited within 48 hours. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly.

#ad. 18+, BeGambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

£40 BONUS

Bet £10 on Football, Get £40 in Bonuses

18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10+ at odds 2.00+, in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x £10 Free Bets on selected events. 7 day bonuses expiry. Card payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. begambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly

#ad. 18+, BeGambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

£40 BONUS

Money Back as Bonus up to £40 if Your First Bet Loses!

New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first racing bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. Full T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, BeGambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365.

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.. #ad

#ad. 18+, BeGambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

£40 BONUS

Bet £10, Get £40 in Bonuses!

Promo code WELCOME40, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £30 in Free Bets and £10 in Free Spins (50x20p) credited within 10 hours of bet settlement. Free Bet stakes are not included in any returns. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required.

#ad. 18+, BeGambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

Make sure you are familiar with the terms and conditions when you register with an online bookmaker. Here is a selection of questions you should consider when looking through online bookmaker terms and conditions and particularly when assessing the customer offers available.

  • Minimum deposit requirements.
  • Deposit and withdrawal methods accepted.
  • Options for withdrawals from betting account.
  • Are fees charged to deposits on betting account?
  • Are fees charged to withdrawals from betting account?
  • Minimum bet amount taken.
  • Maximum winnings allowed.
  • Rules for the individual bet you place, especially rules for when bets are voided.


I want a site similar to my existing bookmaker

It may be that you have been quite happy with your existing online betting site but would like a change. Maybe you want to try a similar site to see if you prefer betting elsewhere, maybe you have had issues with your existing bookmaker.

 In recent times it has been common that people have been asked for proof of affordability and rather than provide such documents have looked elsewhere to bet. For whatever reasons, we are seeing many people looking for a similar bookmaker to the one they have. So here we try to answer some of those questions. 

What sites are similar to William Hill?

William Hill is a popular high street betting shop that has developed a great online offering. If you are looking for a strong UK brand then a similar offering is available with Ladbrokes or Betfred. 

What sites are similar to Betfair?

Betfair differs from many other UK betting sites as it also has the betting exchange offering. If you are looking for a similar betting exchange to Betfair then we would recommend Matchbook or SMarkets. They are both good alternatives for the exchange. If you bet on fixed odds and are looking for an online sportsbook offering then a similar site would be bet365 or BetVictor.

What sites are similar to Ladbrokes?

As a well known UK high street bookmaker with a reputation for good customer service, trust and reliability we would suggest that William Hill would be a similar alternative to Ladbrokes.

What sites are similar to bet365?

bet365 is such a popular online bookmaker that many sports bettors are on the look out for a similar site to bet365 or a better site than bet365. If you are looking for a large UK focused online bookmaker which provides good odds, a great range of markets and top in play betting then we would say that BetVictor is a similar site to bet365.

How To Sign Up To an Online Bookmaker

Here we look at each step of the process you will need to go through before opening your new account and help you with any questions you may have.

The minimum deposit is often £5 but for some bookies it can be a lot higher. Check out our review pages for information on minimum deposit amounts for online betting sites. As well as varying by bookmaker this can also vary by deposit method used. 

Deposit Methods  

Bookmakers will normally return any winnings to the same card or payment method used to deposit unless instructed otherwise. Sometimes you will be asked to provide details to help the online bookmakers comply with money laundering regulations. Please understand that the online bookmakers are not being difficult, they are simply following legal guidelines. This will be even more likely to happen if you choose to withdraw to a different payment method than you used to deposit. 

Visa Debit Card

A debit card is the most common deposit method for online betting sites, this is a straight transfer from a UK bank account. Bookmakers or any gambling companies are no longer allowed to accept credit cards as a deposit method. 

PayPal

Most UK bookies accept PayPal which is the most popular e-wallet with sports bettors. Some people like to use it to keep betting transactions off their bank statements, others find it a much faster way to deposit in and out of betting sites. Be aware that using PayPal could exclude you from welcome offers with some bookies. 

Apple Pay

Many of the larger online betting sites support Apple Pay and it's like to be available on more sites soon. Deposit and withdrawal times will be the same as the bank cards being used through Apple Pay. 

Skrill 

Skrill is an alternative to PayPal. Used to be known as Mneybookers, this has always been a popular payment method for online gamblers. and is accepted at most sites. 

PaySafeCard

These are prepaid cards which can be used to fund online betting accounts. Fees aren't charged for deposits and so these are a popular way to fund online accounts for those who don't use bank cards. 

Take a look at the reviews for each bookmaker by clicking on the link in the above list where we will detail all the deposit methods available for each site. 

With most online bookmakers listed here you may be able to easily transfer money between the bookies other products such as poker, casino and bingo. Transferring money between accounts is often very simple and if you only want to play the sportsbook you can just ignore this function.

Many people use payment providers such as Skrill (formerly Moneybookers) for depositing into, and withdrawing from online bookmakers, as these can be faster, more convenient than bank or credit cards. However sometimes using these methods may exclude you from bookmakers welcome offers. If so this will be mentioned in the terms and conditions of the welcome offer. For more info on which payment methods are accepted by which bookmakers please read through our bookmaker reviews. 

Responsible Gambling, Identification & Affordability Checks

In recent years the regulations for bookmakers have tightened as the Gambling Commission have looked to increase the protection of the user. This is fantastic news for the industry and all who use online betting sites but you need to be aware that you may have some small inconveniences when trying to open a new online betting site or if you are wanting to place large bets with a bookmaker. ID verification is very strict and sometimes you may be asked to send off copies of documents for ID and address verification. 

Also if you are placing large bets and or making large deposits then online betting sites have a responsibility to ensure that you can afford to do so. You may be asked affordability checks such as showing your pay slips and or you may be asked for proof of funds for money laundering checks. Don't take such requests personally, all licensed online bookies must follow these regulations or they can face huge fines.

Here are some common tips to help you with gambling responsibily online. For more information take a look at our detailed responsible gambling guide. 

When The Fun Stops Stop

You will have seen this slogan used by online bookmakers frequently over recent years. It is trying to get across the serious point that if you aren't enjoying gambling you should stop immediately. You can use a process of self evaluation to help you to understand if you have a gambling problem. There is a great tool at Gamcare. 

If you do believe that you have a problem then there is always someone to talk to at begambleaware. They can offer great advice including helping you to self exclude. There is a valuable service called Gamstop which allows you to self exclude from all betting companies signed up to the program for a period of your choice. All UK licensed bookmakers listed on this site will be part of the GamStop programme. For this reason (and many others) you should never join betting sites not GamStop.

Set Limits and Use Bookmaker Tools

We strongly recommend that you record your gambling and set yourself limits. Only bet what you can afford to lose. Online betting sites have started to offer a number of tools to help you with this including 

  • Deposit Limits 
  • Session Limits
  • Account History 
  • Time Outs

Using playing time notifications to remind you how long you have been gambling and when to stop is a useful tool and so is setting a specific loss amount you are happy with in advance. 

Why Online Betting is Better Than Land Based Betting

Online betting has been growing at a great rate in recent years, at the expense of high street betting shops. The Covid pandemic results in betting shop closures and as sports returned, sports bettors only had one choice if they wanted a bet and that was online. 

Many who hadn't already opened online betting accounts did so during this period, experiencing the benefits of betting by mobile phone via sites or apps. Once betting shops re opened, many had already experienced enough to stick with online betting. 

The Best Mobile Betting Sites & Apps 

The best betting sites for betting via mobile or app are 

  1. BetVictor 
  2. Betfair
  3. Matchbook
  4. Paddy Power
  5. bet365
  6. Betway 


The BetVictor mobile betting app provides versatile sports coverage with exclusive betting app features. Betfair is far easier to use via mobile app than site and Matchbook is a great alternative exchange which also has a highly rated mobile offering. Read our full analysis of the best betting apps

The Best High Street Betting Shops

Most UK high streets have one or more betting shops but they have been in decline as online gambling has grown. As of March 2020 there were 7,683 UK betting shops, down from 8,800 in March 2017 and 9,128 in March 2012 (source Statista).

More and more people are becoming aware of the benefits of betting online but plenty still mix this with visits to the local bookies or even exclusively use the high street shop. These are the biggest high street bookies by the number of shops they run. 

  1. William Hill
  2. Ladbrokes
  3. Coral
  4. Betfred 
  5. Paddy Power 
  6. Boylesports 


The latest figures available from Statista are from 2019 and show the declines since 2012. Keep in mind there has been further decline in total shops between 2019 (8,320 shops) and 2020 (7,683 shops)

Table showing top high street bookmakers by number of shops

High Street Bookmaker Number of Shops March 2012 Number of Shops March 2019
William Hill 2320 2264
Ladbrokes 2131 1828
Gala Coral Group 1725 1529
Betfred 1345 1620
Other 1607 1079


If you are new to online betting, perhaps previously using high street betting shops to place your bets, then we recommend one of these better known brands for your first online betting account. 

These betting sites are all easy to use, offer a good range of betting opportunities, a good range of deposit methods, great customer service and an all round easy online betting experience. Make them your first port of call and once you are used to betting online, take a look around at other alternatives based on what sports you like to bet on or types of bet you like to place.

Best Independent Bookmakers 

Punters wanting a feeling of exclusivity or just something a bit more different and personal will seek out independent bookmakers. Some of these are also making giant inroads online. These are some of independent bookmakers which now have good online offerings. You can see more in our guide to private and independent bookmakers 

  1. Fitzdares
  2. Star Sports
  3. Bet Goodwin
  4. Quinnbet


Further Online Bookmaker Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about Online Bookmakers

  • Which are the best UK betting sites?

    bet365 is the highest rated sports betting site licensed in the UK according to the OLBG user ratings. The betting sites on this page are ordered by their user ratings so you can see the full list from highest rated to lowest rated. 

  • Which new betting sites are good?

    New betting sites are starting up all the time and you can see which are good by looking at the user reviews & ratings at OLBG. Our in house team also review all new bookmakers in detail before we add them to the site. So read their reviews too by clicking on the links on this page. 

  • Which are the biggest bookmakers?

    The biggest online bookmaker in the World is thought to be bet365. The company claims to have the Worlds largest online gambling community with a reported 35million + customers.

    Based on global revenue of all betting brands controlled, Entain (includes Ladbrokes, Coral, Bwin) is larger with Flutter (includes Paddy Power, Betfair) next largest.

    The big three bookmakers in the UK of Ladbrokes, Coral and William Hill are often referred to being the largest due to having the most retail outlets (high street betting shops).

  • Which betting sites give you free bets?

    It is rare for an online betting site not to offer a welcome bonus to encourage customers to sign up. You can see a full list of offers on our free bets page.

  • How long does it take to open a new betting account?

    We actually time this as part of our review of all new bookmakers we add to OLBG. Typically it takes between 2 and 5 minutes to complete the online registration and deposit funds and place our first bet. This can be delayed if the bookmaker needs to verify identification or funds. 

  • What information do I need to open an online bookmaker account

    Typically not much more than your name, address and payment details. This is why it is so quick and easy to open an online betting account. The exception though is if paperwork is required to verify your identity. This is understandable though and should be expected on occasions by customers. Bookmakers have very strict ID verification, money laundering and affordability checks which they must adhere to.

  • What deposit methods are available with online bookmakers

    For every single bookmaker listed on OLBG we also list all the deposit methods available. Just go to the review page to find out. The vast majority of UK customers deposit funds through debit cards. Many bookmakers do also accept other online payment methods such as PayPal and Skrill. Bookmakers are not allowed to accept credit cards as a deposit method. Make sure you check any welcome offer terms and conditions as the use of some payment methods may mean that you don't qualify for a free bet or bonus. 

  • Which is the most trusted UK Betting Site?

    According to OLBG ratings, bet365 is the most trusted UK betting site. According to trust pilot ratings 10bet has the highest trust rating followed by BetVictor. 

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