Best Football Betting Sites in the UK for April 2024
The popularity of football has spread worldwide and it is also one of the most popular sports in betting. Football betting covers a large part of the sports betting market, and millions of pounds are wagered every single week on football betting sites.
With so much money at stake, there are dozens of online football betting sites vying for every client. Match.Center has examined all legal football betting sites in the UK for every essential criterion to help you choose the right bookmaker.
10 Best Football Betting Sites
The best football betting sites for April 2024 are:
- Bet365 — 9.3/10
- William Hill — 9.2/10
- Sky Bet — 9.1/10
- VBET — 9/10
- Paddy Power — 9/10
- Betfair — 8.2/10
- Betway — 8/10
- 10Bet — 7.5/10
- Parimatch — 7/10
Bet365 Football Betting Site
This is one of the best football betting sites in the UK that offers 110 distinct tournaments of various levels, including the European and American leagues, international club competitions, the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Championship.
Bet365 is one of the top UK football betting sites that focuses on European club competitions, with 24 tournaments in the UK category alone. It’s worth noting a comprehensive schedule for Premier League games, La Liga, the German Bundesliga, Serie A and the French Ligue 1, when it comes to top leagues.
There are over 1,000 different football betting markets available for some matches on Bet365, which is one of the best betting sites UK. In addition to traditional bet types like 1/X/2, you can bet on the winner of each half, the number of goals scored, the first goalscorer, as well as enjoy correct score betting and many other bet types.
Online Football Betting Site William Hill
William Hill is one of the best football betting sites in the UK that focuses on top football competitions, such as the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup and the top 5 European leagues. The UEFA Nations League, as well as the FIFA World Cup, European Championships, and other major international events are fully covered.
William Hill is of the top football betting sites in the UK that offers a wide range of exotic online football betting competitions, from the Australian championship to the Zambian league and football tournaments in North and South America.
There are up to 800 football markets for top tournaments and a bit less for betting on matches of lower European divisions and leagues, with a few hundred betting markets available.
William Hill is one of the football betting sites UK that also offers Free bets for football predictions.
Football Betting with Sky Bet
This is another best betting site with over 140 different football competitions from around the world to choose from. It offers detailed football coverage, from the World and European Championships to the lower levels of the South American and African leagues. Of course, the primary focus is on the English, Spanish, German, Italian and French leagues.
Sky Bet has the title of one of the best football betting sites, as, besides popular football competitions, it also offers online football betting on the football leagues in Sweden (9 tournaments), Norway (4 tournaments) and Finland (4 tournaments).The number of betting options for each football match is also pretty impressive. There are over 350 different markets available, ranging from the simple match winner to more complicated ones, such as how many cards will be shown, first goalscorer, and more.
Football Betting with VBET
Over 850 football events are usually available at VBET, which is also one of the best football betting sites. These include the UEFA Super Cup, Champions League, top European Championships, the English Premier League, Copa America and other popular tournaments, as well as more than 50 national leagues.
For the majority of matches, there are around 100-200 markets, which cover the needs of almost all bettors. For top events, the bookmaker offers a wide range of markets with 300-400 options or more. Moreover, the VBET football odds are the best odds in the market.
Paddy Power Football Betting Site
This is one of the best football betting sites with over 150 football betting tourneys available at various levels, including European, American, Asian and African national tournaments, as well as the Australian League. The football betting site also accepts football bets on major international events such as the Champions League, Europa League, FIFA WC, European Championship and other tournaments. Moreover, Paddy Power is one of the best betting sites that offers youth competitions and women’s divisions, so football bettors can find the most exciting betting options and very competitive odds.
The most detailed information and betting options are offered for the English, Irish, and the top 5 European soccer leagues, as well as MLS. It is also worth noting the betting markets for Brazil (9 leagues), Norway (5 leagues) and Romania (4 leagues), which are popular among die-hard bettors.
Football Bets at Betfair
This is one of the best betting sites that offers plenty of international football betting markets to choose from, including national championships of over 60 countries. You can also bet on national team tournaments and select from a variety of betting options on friendly matches, youth and women’s competitions.
Betfair is one of the football bookmakers, whose range of football betting markets is wide. You can bet on anything, starting from the number of cards in a match and finishing with the first goalscorer. You can also place a lay bet, which gives you the chance to win even if your team loses.
Football Betting with Betway
Betway is one online sportsbooks that offers football wagers on over 85 different football tournaments across the world, while markets cover competitions from over 50 nations. It is worth mentioning some unusual events that you can bet on, like the lower leagues of Nepal or the lower divisions of South Korea and Japan.
The top 5 European championships, European cups and international tournaments receive the most attention on this football betting site. The betting options for these matches are quite diverse and exciting. You can bet not only on the winner of a particular match, but also on the number of goals scored, a player to score the first goal etc.
Football Betting with 10bet
10Bet is one of the online bookies, whose selection of football betting events covers more than 40 countries, although most of them are only represented by the first divisions. The biggest selection of traditional markets is given to the top five European championships and provides from 100 to 150 options. The same range of markets is available for popular off-season leagues like MLS and the J-League 1. Some unpopular European leagues like the top divisions of Romania and Belgium can be added to that list. For most leagues the number of markets does not fall below 70. It means that this is one of the UK bookmakers, with which you can place handicap, O/U, HT and other bets on almost any football match.
Football Bookmaker Parimatch
The bookmaker was officially launched in the UK in 2020, but it’s already familiar to many UK football punters.
There are around 30 sports presented in the Sportsbook, with football, obviously, taking the lead. The football section offers about a hundred markets to bet on the most popular leagues. The range of markets for exotic championships is also decent. You can bet on football in the pre-match or In Play betting mode. The In Play betting console is one of the best in the market: it’s convenient, informative, and functional. Even for Tier 4 matches, there are often special bets and competitive odds. The selection of football markets is one of the main advantages of Parimatch.
Quick Top 3 Video Review
Top 3 football betting sites video
Best New Football Betting Sites
The UK sports betting market is one of the most competitive in the world. New UK bookies appear regularly and get involved in a vigorous battle for the customer. In order to attract football bettors, new bookmakers can often offer:
- higher odds;
- unique features;
- exclusive marketing offers.
Match.Center experts have analysed the UK bookmaker offers and compiled the top platforms for football betting. We consider bookmakers who have been licenced by the UKGC and started operating in 2019 or later to be new UK bookies.
Fafabet
The Fafabet sports betting site was launched in 2021. Its Football section includes not only the top divisions, but also less popular minor leagues, as well as friendlies. There is a wide range of markets for many matches. Football punters can bet on several hundred markets, from the winner of the match to the statistics of the individual players. Also, there is a create-a-bet feature on the sports betting site. One of the disadvantages of Fafabet is the lack of live streaming and statistics in the In Play section.
Football Betting Odds
Football odds reflect the probability of a certain outcome occurring in a match. These odds are determined by bookmakers who use a variety of factors to calculate them, including teams’ physical shape, player availability, and head-to-head records.
It’s critical to remember that odds are not a perfect reflection of probability. Sports betting sites aim to make a profit, so they will often adjust odds to ensure that they have a built-in margin. This means that even if the true probability of an outcome is 50%, the odds may be slightly lower to account for the bookmaker’s margin.
Let’s compare the margins of the best British football bookmakers for the Champions Cup and English Premier League:
Bookmaker | Champions League | Premier League |
VBET | 4.72% | 4.4% |
Bet365 | 5.45% | 5.38% |
William Hill | 5.69% | 5.79% |
Sky Bet | 5.55% | 5.6% |
Paddy Power | 6.2% | 6.51% |
According to our analysis, VBET offers the best odds to its customers. Additionally, the company sets «boosted odds» for top matches.
Football Betting Offers
UK betting sites are some of the most creative in terms of bonus programmes for betting on football. However, UK bookmakers almost never offer no deposit Free bets to their customers. Below, we will take a closer look at the most popular football promotions.
Bet & Get
Sports betting sites offer Free bets to new or existing customers as a reward for a real money bet. This is the most popular type of bonus in the UK; Sky Bet has one of the greatest offers.
Cashback or insurance offers
Some bookmakers offer cashback on specific bets or events, providing customers with a refund if their bet loses. Normally, the online sports betting site refunds a certain percentage of the lost stake amount; however, it can be the whole stake amount as well. For instance, Bet365 has an excellent offer: the betting site refunds the stake amount, if you bet on a match that ends with a score of 0:0.
Acca bonus
With an acca bonus, the more selections you add to your accumulator, the larger the bonus you can receive. For example, Bet365 offers a 10% bonus for a 4-folds successful accumulator, 35% for a 10-folds one, and so on.
Boosted odds
Bookmakers may offer enhanced odds on certain matches or events, giving customers the opportunity to win more. For such a promotion, VBET has some of the best odds.
No Risk Bet
A no-risk bet is a type of betting offer that allows customers to place a bet without any risk of losing their money. If the bet loses, the bookmaker will refund the stake in the form of a Free bet, bonus or cash. This type of offer is often available to new customers as a sign-up bonus; a good example is Betfair.
Loyalty Programme
A loyalty programme is a rewards programme offered by some bookmakers to reward customers for their loyalty. Customers place bets and can get Free bets, bonuses, or other rewards. SkyBet has one of the most diverse loyalty programmes: UK punters can earn Free bets and Free spins on a weekly basis.
Betting App Offers
Betting app offers are promotions and bonuses that are exclusively available to customers who use the bookmaker’s mobile app. These offers may include Free bets, enhanced odds, or other types of bonuses. For example, you can get a Copybet Welcome offer only by downloading the mobile app.
Early Payout
Early payouts are a type of betting promotion where the bookmaker pays out a bet before the event has ended. This type of offer is often available for betting on football encounters, where the bookmaker will pay out the bet if the team backed goes ahead by a certain amount of goals, regardless of the final outcome of the match. This allows customers to lock in a profit before the match has ended. For example, if your favourite is leading by two goals, Bet365 makes an early payout.
Free to Play offers
Many UK betting sites allow their customers to make predictions without risking their own money. Simultaneously, the bookmaker offers a reward. VirginBet has a very interesting offer: you need to select five players who will excel in the upcoming matches, and in return, you can receive a cash bonus.
Acca insurance
This type of offer provides customers with a refund or bonus if one leg of their accumulator bet loses.
Request a bet
This option allows customers to create their own bets by combining different markets into a single selection. To use this feature, you simply select the markets you want to include in your custom bet, and then place a request through the bookmaker’s social networks, website or app. The bookmaker will then respond with the odds for your requested bet, and you can decide whether to place the bet. Sky Bet is one of the best in this area.
Best Football Betting Site Must-Have Features
The range of markets and the quality of odds play a decisive role in choosing a bookmaker for betting on football. But there are other features that make life easier.
- In Play betting is a must in 2024, and bet365, William Hill, and Sky Bet are recommended for this.
- In Play football streaming is a great extra option, and the best sites for this are bet365, Sky Bet, and Ladbrokes.
- Cash Out is a useful option for early bet settlement, and the best bookies for this are bet365, William Hill, and Sky Bet.
- A Bet Builder allows combining multiple markets into a single bet and is available at bet365, William Hill, and Parimatch.
Football Betting Markets You Should Know
There are many different ways to bet on football, and each football market offers its own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular football betting markets.
Match winner (moneyline)
This is a simple football market that asks you to pick the team that will win the match. The payout is based on the odds of your selection, but the odds can be quite low, especially if the team you’re betting on is a huge favourite.
Draw No Bet
It is similar to the moneyline market, but it has one key difference: if the match ends in a draw, your stake is returned to you. This market is a good option if you’re unsure about the outcome of the match.
Double chance
This market allows you to bet on two outcomes (1/X/2) out of three. This market can be profitable only if you are betting on a clear underdog.
Handicaps
One team is given a virtual head start advantage (or disadvantage), and you bet on whether they will still win the match. This market can offer higher odds than the moneyline one, but it is also harder to make a prediction. For example, if Team A is given a handicap of -1.5, they must win by two clear goals for your bet to be successful.
Correct Score market
The correct score market requires you to correctly predict the final score of the match. This market is challenging, but the potential payout can be high.
First/Last/Anytime Goalscorer market
This market allows you to bet on which player will score the first or last goal of the match, or any goal in between. The odds for this market can be great, especially if you are betting on a player who doesn’t score often.
Total Goals market (Over/Under)
With the total goals market, you can bet on whether the number of goals scored in the match will be over or under a certain amount.
Cards, Corners (O/U and Handicap)
Bookmakers accept bets on various statistical indexes, such as the number of cards or corners in a match. It could be said that you bet on the nature of the match. Even if the teams don’t score goals, the match can get heated: a lot of attacks lead to corners, and excessive passion leads to disciplinary action.
Both Teams to Score
You bet on whether both teams will score at least one goal each. Often, football betting sites provide combinations of O/U and both to score bet types, which allow you to increase the odds.
Half-time/Full-Time market
This market allows you to bet on the result at half-time and full-time. For example, you could bet on Team A to be leading at half-time, but ultimately lose the match. This market can be quite profitable if you have a good feeling for how the match will progress.
Outright market (Future)
This is a popular bet in the off-season, when the main European regular tournaments are interrupted for the summer break. With the outright market, you bet on which team will win a certain competition, such as the Premier League or Champions League. This market is perfect for those who like to place long-term bets.
Many betting sites have started offering Bet Builder and Request a Bet markets. These are essentially custom markets that you can create on your own. For example, you can create a market on the number of goals that will be scored in the first half, a certain player who will score the first goal and receive a yellow card. The possibilities are endless and the odds can be quite attractive.
Online Football Betting Strategies and Tips
There are a number of different factors that you need to take into account when placing football bets. Here are some tips to help you get started:
- Do your research. Analyse teams, players, coaches, and leagues. Follow the news and be aware of any changes that may affect the result of the game. Also explore which bets have been successful in the team’s past matches.
- Look at the statistics. Find out which team is playing better at home or away. Look at the scoring records of the players.
- Watch matches. You can learn a lot about teams and players by watching them in action. Plus, it’s just great when you can make a deposit online and get unlimited access to all live streaming options. Bet365, Sky Bet and Ladbrokes are the best football betting sites in terms of live streaming.
- Shop around for the better odds. Different sportsbooks will offer different odds on the same game. Be sure to get the best possible value for your bet.
- Find your markets. There are a lot of different markets that you can bet on in football. Find the ones that bring you the most success.
- Take advantage of bonuses and promotions. New customers have a particularly large choice and can increase their starting investment by several times, and plenty of regular promotions are also connected with football, so don’t miss these bonuses.
- Know your limits. It is important to set a budget and stick to it. It is very easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and place impulsive bets that you may later regret.
- Explore Strategies. When you start scrutinising various betting strategies, you will be able to better understand all the betting opportunities available, and undoubtedly, develop your own tactics.
- Don’t bet with your heart. Forget about your preferences when placing bets. If you can’t watch football duels of your favorite teams without placing bets, try placing a small one on the rival’s victory, so that you can at least please yourself a little, in case of the worst-case scenario.
- Finally, don’t forget to have fun. Football betting should be enjoyable.
Most Popular Football Tournaments and Leagues
English Premier League (EPL)
The English Premier League is the most popular football tournament in the world. It is also the most watched football league with over 4.7 billion viewers annually.
The EPL features 20 teams that play 38 Premier League matches each from August to May. England’s three worst-performing teams will be relegated at the end of the campaign. The top four teams will qualify for the Champions League at the end of the season. In the XXI century Premier League teams have reached the Champions Cup finals 14 times. Numerous experts rank this league as the best in the world.
English Football League Championship
The Championship is the second highest football division in England. There are 24 clubs from all over the country and each team plays 46 games in the season.
The top two clubs are automatically promoted to the Premier League at the end of the season and one more elite place is decided by a play-off tournament between the teams ranked third to sixth. The bottom three teams are relegated to League One.
The Championship attracts a lot of betting interest, as there are many close football games and a lot of potential chances for unexpected results.
Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup)
The FA Cup is the oldest football competition in the world, founded in 1871. The competition is open to any eligible club down to Level 10 of the English football league system, as well as a number of Welsh sides. More than 600 clubs enter the FA Cup each year, making it one of the most hotly contested tournaments in the world.
The tournament kicks off in August with qualifying rounds, before the first round takes place in November. The final is held at Wembley Stadium in May.
English Football League Cup (EFL Cup)
The EFL Cup, previously known as the Capital One Cup, is an annual knockout football tournament. It is open to any club within the top four levels of the English football league system, with League Two clubs being given preferential treatment when it comes to scheduling. The EFL Cup is traditionally played during the week, with most matches taking place on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights.
UEFA Champions League (UCL)
The UEFA Champions League is a club football tournament that is held every year by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). It is open to teams that have won their domestic leagues and to clubs ranked at the top of the UEFA rankings.
In the group stage, 32 teams are divided into eight groups of four. They then play against each other at home and away, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the knockout stage. There, 16 teams play against each other for two matches until the winner is decided.
UEFA Europa League
The Europa League is a European football tournament involving the clubs that have finished in the top positions of their domestic leagues.
The tournament consists of a group stage, where teams are drawn into groups of four and play against each other at home and away. In this tournament, the best team in the group advances directly to the round of 16, while the second-place team enters the so-called “knockout round”, where they will face off against the club that ranked third in the UCL. The 16 teams that qualify will compete for the cup in a two-legged home and away play-off.
FIFA World Cup
This is the most prestigious international football tournament in the world, which takes place every four years. More than 200 national teams compete in the different stages of the tournament. 32 teams qualify for the main stage, where each club plays three group stage matches before progressing to the knockout stage — the round of 16. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final then take place, with the winner being crowned world champion and taking the historic trophy.
The 2022 FIFA WC was held in Qatar. It was the first time an Arab country hosted a major international competition of national teams. Argentina became the WC champion.
UEFA European Championship
The European Championship is a football tournament that takes place every four years and involves the national teams of Europe. In recent years, the number of teams competing has increased from 16 to 24 and more than 50 participate in the qualification. The format consists of a group stage, where teams are drawn into six groups of four and play against each other once. The top two teams from each group then progress to the knockout stage, along with the top four teams that finished third. The playoffs follow the same format as the FIFA WC.
European Football Leagues: La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1
European football leagues have always been a hotbed of excitement for football fans and punters alike. The top football leagues from Spain, Italy, Germany and France – La Liga, the Serie A, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1 – attract a massive following globally.
La Liga boasts of football giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, which have produced some of the world’s best football players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. At the end of 38 rounds, the top four clubs qualify for the Champions Cup, while the three weakest clubs are relegated to the second division, the Segunda.
The Serie A, Italy’s top professional football league, features 20 teams playing 38 matches from August to May. The top four clubs qualify for the Champions League, while the fifth and sixth-ranked teams enter European competitions. Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan are some of the popular clubs in the Serie A, making football betting on the league quite attractive.
The German Bundesliga is one of Europe’s strongest leagues. Eighteen clubs compete in a season of 34 matches, with the top four clubs qualifying for the Champions Cup. The Bundesliga is home to football giants like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, making it one of the most popular football leagues for betting.
The French Ligue 1 rounds off the top five most popular European tournaments, featuring 20 clubs competing in a season of 38 matches. It also has a promotion and relegation system, with three teams moving up from Ligue 2 at the end of each season. PSG’s big-money signings of football superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have made Ligue 1 even more attractive to football fans and betting enthusiasts. AS Monaco and Olympique Lyonnais also draw attention with their participation in European Cups.
Best Football Betting Sites FAQs
Is Football Betting Legal in the UK?
Yes, the bookmakers presented in our selection operate legally in the territory of the United Kingdom, and betting on their sites is legal and safe.
Which is The Best Football Betting Site?
Bet365 is considered to be the best site for football betting in the UK. It offers a wide range of markets to bet on football championships, special promotions and bonuses, as well as competitive odds. According to Match.Center, the top three sites for football betting are Bet365, Sky Bet, and William Hill.
Can I Get a Free bet For Football Betting?
Yes, in the UK, the bet & get type of bonus is very common, which means that you place a bet under certain conditions and receive a Free bet. You can participate in such a promotion at Bet365, Ladbrokes, William Hill, and other bookmakers.
How Do Football Betting Odds Work?
Football betting odds represent the probability of an event occurring, as determined by the bookmaker. Odds are typically displayed in either decimal or fractional format. Decimal odds represent the total payout, including the original stake, for a winning bet. For example, if the odds are 2.50, a £10 bet would result in a total payout of £25 (£10 original stake plus £15 in winnings). Fractional odds represent the ratio of winnings to the original stake. So, a £10 bet at odds of 2/1 would result in a total payout of £30, which includes the original £10 stake and £20 in winnings.
Which Bookmaker Has the Best Football Odds?
The highest odds in the UK are offered by VBET. Additionally, the bookmaker provides enhanced odds like many other bookmakers. However, due to the lowest margin, successful betting at VBET can bring the highest profit.