
I've spent over 20 years inside the betting industry. I'll guide you to avoid the hype, ignore the noise, and steer clear of the common pitfalls that catch out everyday punters.
Betfred is an online bookmaker offering stellar bonuses on multi-bets.
Maximum Bonus: | £50 |
Offer type: | new accounts |
Sport Betting Offer: | Yes |
New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, 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 exclusions & T&Cs Apply.
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I've spent over 20 years inside the betting industry. I'll guide you to avoid the hype, ignore the noise, and steer clear of the common pitfalls that catch out everyday punters.
I've spent over 20 years inside the betting industry. I'll guide you to avoid the hype, ignore the noise, and steer clear of the common pitfalls that catch out everyday punters.
Overall, Betfred is one of the best bookmakers available in the UK. As mentioned, they make our top nine for 11 different categories – this puts it just outside the absolute top scoring bookies, but still very high.
Betfred is brilliant for some sports. Tennis, football, cricket, plus a few more. The downside is the complete omission of other smaller sports – if you like betting on smaller sports such as handball, or Aussie Rules football then there is nothing here for you, which is a shame to see. Even if it was just a token offering, it would mean not having to find other bookies if you’re going from your usual football or racing betting and want to dabble elsewhere. That aside, the promotions on Betfred are elite, proper industry-leading stuff, particularly for football.
All explained in greater detail in this review, these pros and cons allow users to scan and understand where the strengths lie quickly.
Established in 1968
Petfre (Gibraltar) Ltd
UKGC licence number - 39544
Live in-play betting is of course featured on Betfred but their in-play side of things feels a bit clunky and outdated compared to the rest of the site. The statistics given for in-play betting aren't anywhere near as clear as other bookmakers and due to that they really struggle from the live betting side. This forms part of the reasoning why Betfred don't feature in the top 10 best bookmakers for in-play betting.
Streaming is available on Betfred across a whole range of events including horse or greyhound racing betting on their app. It isn't just the standard Racing viewing that is on Betfred with other sports including Snooker and Tennis also offering streams. To view these streams on their site and app you just need to have an active Betfred account with balance of at least £0.01.
Above are details on which sports Betfred were most competitive last month. The percentage figure demonstrates how often they were best odds, or joint best odds for each sport when compared with other bookmakers EG: 60% means if you used only this bookmaker for a sport, you would have got the best odds 60% of the time. Betfred are regularly one of the top bookies for competitive odds. You can see from the table above that they are regularly at, or near, the top, when compared to other UK bookies.
Also, remember that it is always worth checking alternative betting options, including best spread betting sites and betting exchange sites, depending on who you are as a bettor.
Betfred promotes their app and mobile pages while positioning themselves towards the recreational punter. Betfred Games, Betfred Casino, Betfred Live Casino, Betfred Virtual, Betfred Lotto, Betfred Bingo cover most bettors’ needs, and I found the app fun to use.
The Betfred app includes all the regular features you associate them with, including some long-running promotions. Definitely take a look at the Betfred promotions page, it was one of the best layouts of all the bookmakers we reviewed, very simple to access, and easy to understand.
Their football offers are the mainstay of promotions on Betfred. Live streaming is obviously available on the Betfred app, with a bet of just £1 required to watch a horse or greyhound racing event on the app. If your Betfred acca is doing well then the cash out facility can be utilised.
Compare to the best betting apps in the country.
With the vast majority of bets placed on football being accumulators even a small increase of odds over other bookies is massive. Slightly different odds when it comes to bets in your acca's can make a massive difference in your overall winnings. To dive into things a bit deeper, head to our best bookmakers for football betting to see whether Betfred makes our list.
You’ll find Betfred’s bet builder through their #PickYourPunt. You can use this hashtag on their social media pages if you can’t find markets that you're after, but they’ve got plenty of markets covered, especially for football. There is a great balance of game markets, team market and player markets, and this continues through to other sports, also.
In short, Betfred is great for bonuses. The bookmaker were the innovators of the bonuses on multiple bets with different bonuses given on Lucky 15s Lucky 31s and even more. One of several promotions on Betfred is their treble odds on Lucky 15s when all your bets run but only one of your selections wins. The promotion applies to both horse racing and greyhound racing and all your selections must run to achieve the bonus odds.
They also have their Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven, meaning greater payouts on first goalscorer markets. Their Acca Flex promotion gives bettors up to a 50% bonus on winning football accas and on top of that there are plenty of regular price boosts.
BetFred Acca Insurance has come out on top of our comparison of best acca insurance sites thanks to the unique cash refund that no other acca insurance offer from the analysed betting sites can match. All other bookies refund with free bets with limited shelf lives and despite the minimum five picks and odds of 7.59 to qualify across a five selection acca, overall, the cash refund swings the decision in BetFred's favour along with the low £0.50 minimum stake, rising to a max £10 refund.
Cashout is a very important betting feature for punters these days so it's crucial that bookies integrate this feature into their mobile betting apps. Betfred have done this well allowing their customers to instantly cash out their bets on any device they like.
Betfred are also ranked highly when it comes to racing and they feature as one of our best bookmakers for horse racing betting. You get fantastic horse racing odds with Betfred, with the bookmaker utilising Racing Post content and horse racing tips which has enhanced their daily horse racing cards, they are now packed with helpful racing info and stats.
Betfred Best Odds Guaranteed offer is available daily on all UK and Ireland horse racing bets, from 8.00 am. For example, if you get a tip for horse racing, take the 6/1 Early Price and your selection wins at 8/1, Betfred will pay you at 8/1. The Betfred BOG applies to single and multiple bets placed and has a no limit set on the maximum benefit.
You can see, in more detail, how BetFred scores against the other top horse racing betting sites in the chart below.
A full range of American Sports is available. At the time of writing, only the MLB season isn’t up and running, with the other major leagues in full swing. Beyond that, and maybe somewhat surprisingly given its lack of international racing coverage, there are lots of international markets for these sports, particularly for basketball.
Line shoppers should absolutely head to Betfred when hunting around for the best value on NFL betting because they regularly have the longest odds for American football, that goes for college football, as well as NFL games. It’s worth checking out our best NFL betting sites in more detail to see how Betfred compares.
Not only can you also create your own bet builders on basketball games, there are supporting statistics on screen to help inform your decision. Betfred is a solid option for basketball betting, overall. Keep tabs on the top basketball betting sites though, to see in more detail why they top our list.
Betfred’s selection of markets for each game is pretty good – you’d struggle to find a market that you can’t bet on and they should absolutely be a first port of call when it comes to baseball betting. Their stats offering is right up there, and while they don’t run any baseball promotions, their in-play offering is great and you can get cash out on a number of different baseball markets.
Like the basketball offering, as well as the biggest league in the sport, the NHL, there are a huge number of other leagues around the globe. You can bet on games in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and more. There are good outright future markets for NHL betting, and the markets within games are loaded.
BetFred has one of the best greyhound betting sites in the industry, but whether you choose to use that, or bet online through their desktop version, the experience is fantastic either way. Widely known for their promotions, it’s more of the same when it comes to the dog track. For example, for any races that are shown on Sky TV, bettors get a free bet matched to their stake if they bet on a winner at odds of 2/1 or longer. For live streaming punters must place at least a £1 bet on the race to watch, but live commentary is completely free.
Compare to the best darts betting sites in the UK.
Compare to the best snooker betting sites in the UK.
Odds | Promotions | Events | Markets | Specials | Total | OLBG Rating | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Coral | 3.5 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 12.0 | 3.7 |
Ladbrokes | 3.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 11.5 | 3.9 |
William Hill | 4.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 0.0 | 8.5 | 4.1 |
bet365 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 7.5 | 4.4 |
Unibet | 2.0 | 0.0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 4.1 |
BetFred | 2.5 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 4 |
betUK | 2.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.5 | 4 |
BetVictor | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.0 | 4.3 |
Sportingbet | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 3.9 |
BWin | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 | |
Boylesports | 1.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 5.0 |
Betfred is a pretty solid rugby betting site in terms of event coverage, everything from the Rugby World Cup and the Six Nations is included, down to domestic club games, and markets offered. There is a high premium to pay on the exchange, but given the sheer range in markets, the competitive odds and the consistency in their promotions, the overall package more than makes up for it. It’s also worth noting that the stats provided alongside the live streaming are excellent.
We list the 10 best cricket betting sites here.
By James Banting - Betfred is great for promotions and bonuses. It’s always worth keeping an eye out on tennis related promotions for some extra value, and this should be a first port of call. In addition, they have bet builders, cash out, live streaming and cover as many markets as anyone else in the UK. On a few markets they may not have the very best odds, but that’s where the promotions come in to make up for it. They are the 10th best tennis betting site according to our OLBG data.
By James Banting - Golf odds tend to vary from bookmaker to bookmaker and finding the best odds for your golf bet won't necessarily be from the same bookmaker each time you place a bet. Golf odds will generally be pretty similar across all bookmakers and the small fluctuations will be down to the discretion of the bookmakers' traders. The one exception to this tends to be the Betfred Exchange which pits punters against punters.
Compare to the best motorsport betting sites.
Compare to the best boxing betting sites.
Betting Site | Odds | Markets | In Play | OLBG Users Rating | Total | Round Betting | Round Groups | Method + Rounds Doubles | Same Bout Multis? | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | William Hill | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4.1 | 13.1 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
1 | Paddy Power | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4.1 | 13.1 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
1 | BetFair | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4.1 | 13.1 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
1 | Unibet | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4.1 | 13.1 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
5 | Leovegas | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3.9 | 12.9 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
5 | 32red | 4 | 4 | 1 | 3.9 | 12.9 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
7 | bet365 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4.4 | 12.4 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
8 | Bet Victor | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4.2 | 12.2 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
9 | BetFred | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 12 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
9 | 888Sport | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 12 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
11 | Ladbrokes | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3.9 | 11.9 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
11 | BWin | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3.9 | 11.9 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
11 | NetBet | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3.9 | 11.9 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
11 | DaznBet | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3.9 | 11.9 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
15 | Boylesports | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3.8 | 11.8 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Quinnbet | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3.8 | 11.8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Whilst these sports might sound very niche, there is a massive market for fans, and millions of them in the UK, so good coverage of niche sports and events is key to be reviewed on OLBG.
Betfred offers extensive betting options for Handball, volleyball, cycling, AFL betting, and esports. Handball includes global competitions; volleyball,covers European Championships and various tournaments; cycling features future tours and current races; AFL betting has comprehensive stats and esports offers all major games like League of Legends and CS:GO.
Compare to the best political betting sites.
Compare to the best entertainment betting sites.
Betfred has a fantastic casino with all players from small to large stakers given the best experience possible on the platform. A huge range of slots and interactive promotions are on Betfred Casino to keep the most demanding of players happy and consistently able to use the services available.
You can see further information in our Betfred Casino review which takes a look at each individual section on there.
You can also check out OLBG’s latest addition; our Best Bingo Sites. All of which are, obviously, sites fully licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
If you have decided to open and create a Betfred new account this Betfred sign up guide will answer all your questions.
If you are already fully informed, and ready to open a Betfred new account just follow the simple bullet points below.
Click the Betfred sign up banner on this page.
Click the bet now tab, this will take you to the registration page.
Complete all the requested information, including any Betfred Promo code/Referral code (if applicable).
Tick that you agree to the terms and conditions.
That is it.
The Betfred site and app both have a similar layout, but I definitely enjoy the app more than the desktop version. Betfred's design is well-structured and the design overall is efficient despite its interface absolutely crammed full of info. I found myself using the app over the desktop more and more, which is no sleight on the desktop version, but the app definitely feels more intuitive. Our user reviews point towards the reliability of the site being impressive plus the app being good due to the fast sign-in process there.
This section should only really highlight if there are issues, as the process is almost identical on every site. Within a few minutes of signing up to Betfred I placed a couple of bets on different sports, one of which took advantage of the welcome offer, and I used their bet builder feature, which was very indeed. Placing a bet on Betfred is straightforward with the betslip instantly appearing on your screen when you click a selection.
As mentioned above, the design is solid. On the desktop version, it’s stuff left and right of screen (menu and search to the left, account and bets to the right). On the app, it’s at the bottom, with search, account and bets at the top, with a main nav bar at the bottom that can get you to different sports, in-play options and casino (plus return to the home page).
You can set your deposit limit while you’re signing up; long before you’ve got close to actually making a bet.
There is also a Settings tab at the bottom of the page, no matter what page you’re on, that allows you to make changes to limits, as well as odds formats, or odds change preferences/notifications.
There are the following measures within its functionality:
Deposit Limit
Loss Limit
Session Limit
Wagering Limits
Reality Check
Time-Out
Self-Exclusion
Support Groups & Organisations
Advice on Keeping in Control
Parental Controls
Self-Assessment
All are explained in further detail on their safer gambling page. As well as this, on the same page they list links to the likes of the National Gambling Helpline, Be Gamble Aware and the National Gambling Treatment Service.
How OLBG reviews betting sites
Opinion, research and data collection for this review by
James Banting (Horse Racing, Golf and Tennis)
Nigel Skinner (Football and Politics),
Matt Edgar (Darts)
Frank Monkhouse (Boxing)
Andrew Powell (Horse Racing, Ice Hockey and Motor Sports)
Jake Ashton (Entertainment and Specials)
🛂 Fact Checked - Sam Darkens - Commercial Manager
✍️ Written by - Luke Bradshaw Lee - Commercial Content Manager
✏️📚 - Steve Madgwick - Editor-In-Chief
Betfred Mobile Offering | ||
---|---|---|
Rated: 4.30 / 5 | ||
Rated: 3.70 / 5 | ||
Rating not available |
Please note: Betfair, Paddy Power and Skybet do not partner with us. As a result we do not have sufficient up-to-date information to provide accurate product comparisons with those specific sportsbooks.
New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, 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 exclusions & T&Cs Apply.
#ad. 18+, gambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
The deposit process here is simple, accepting a variety of different payment methods, and that goes for withdrawals, too. Customers can choose between Visa, PayPal and Paysafe Cards, as well phone payments.
Method | Min | Processing Time | Fee |
---|---|---|---|
£5 | Instant | Free | |
£5 | Instant | Free | |
£5 | Instant | Free | |
£6 | Instant | 2.9% for more than 1 Deposit in 24 hours | |
£5 | Instant | 2.9% for more than 1 Deposit in 24 hours | |
£6 | Instant | Free | |
£5 | Instant | £7.50 | |
£5 | Instant | Free |
New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, 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 exclusions & T&Cs Apply.
#ad. 18+, gambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
Check What Others Say About Betfred and Write Your Own Review
BetFred Related Questions
Because they were the innovators of bonuses for multiple bets, and they have continued offering them.
You will regularly find bonuses on multiple bets (Lucky 15's, Lucky31's, Lucky63's).
Add in best odds guaranteed on several horse races a day and unique football bets, and the bonus king moniker has stuck.
Your request will be processed within 48 hours.
e-Wallet solutions like PayPal or Neteller if available will see you in possession of your funds quicker than debit card banking options, but this is down to the banking processes rather than how quickly betfred administer withdrawal requests.
If you have any free bets available to use, the following steps will help -
Located on the Betfred bet slip is a checked box labelled ‘Use Free bet balance’.
Enter your stake as normal and simply place a tick in the box.
You can use your free bet on any sports market you like – just sit back and enjoy as your winning chances are given a boost with the Betfred free bet.
Each free bet will have specific terms and conditions applied, so read and be aware of what they are to use your free bets with betFred.
You can play a multitude of Lotteries on Betfred, including The Irish Lottery.
Options include betting on the Main draw, Lotto+1 and Lotto+2.
You can include or exclude the Irish lottery bonus ball.
You can choose to bet on any number of balls, with odds ranging from 6/1 right up to 150,000/1
The draws take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
There are a host of other Lotteries available to bet on with Betfred.
Absolutely, fully licensed and regulated by the British Gambling Commission, you can bet online safely and securely with betFred.
BetFred does have a cash out facility on site. This is not to say that every bet you place will qualify for cash out, as it will be only for certain events and betting markets, however, it is quite wide-ranging and I expect you will find it available for most bets you place.
BetFred does offer best odds guaranteed on horse racing from 8.00 am on the day of the race. We have a full guide to every bookmaker offering best odds guaranteed, comparing the various features of the offer.
Take a read of the current online bookmakers offering the service in our complete guide to Best Odds Guaranteed.
Acca insurance is a relatively new feature than online bookmakers have introduced that provides some compensation if just one leg of an accumulator bet lets you down, while all the other win. You can find more details of Betfred acca insurance in the promotions section of this betfred review, or check out our comprehensive guide to all acca insurance bookies.