Best Online Football Betting Sites 2022
Football betting is one of the two most popular sports betting sections on Ireland's football betting sites (the other one is horse racing). Therefore, companies are trying to offer unique options, large bonuses, and the best football betting odds to attract new customers and retain existing players.
All bookmakers registered with Revenue Commissioners have hundreds of choices for betting on football matches. But it doesn't seem enough for us — we selected the best bookmakers in football betting much more rigorously.
Last updated: 15.8.2022
How we Review the Best Football Betting Sites
Match.Center experts have done meticulous work to identify the most worthwhile bookmakers in Ireland for betting on football tournaments. We have created accounts on all football betting sites in the country, tested the operations of each licensed bookmaker in detail, and evaluated the companies' bonus offers. You don't need to search for the most suitable betting sites for the World and European Championships, the Champions League, and national championships — all the best football betting sites in Ireland are collected on this page. When evaluating the work of bookmakers to compile the top football betting site ratings, Match.Center specialists were guided by many criteria:
TOP 10 football betting sites
Boylesports Football Bet
There are about 120 tournaments of various levels in the prematch line on Boylesports. Top European club competitions are described in the most detailed way — European cups, leagues of England, Spain, France, Germany, and Italy. In addition to the top divisions, you can find minor leagues, youth and junior competitions, women's leagues, and tournaments among amateur teams.
In the "Competition" section, you can find such exotic tournaments as the leagues of Angola, Bangladesh, San Marino, Tanzania, and other countries. There is a wide selection of competitions for Brazil (5 tournaments), Iceland (4 tournaments), Norway (6 tournaments), Sweden (6 tournaments), and the USA (6 tournaments).
Bet365 Football Betting Odds
The football section contains more than 110 tournaments of various levels: European and American leagues, international club tournaments, the World Cup, and continental competitions. In the "Rest of the World" section, there are 24 tournaments from less popular countries.
Bet365 pays the most attention to European club competitions: the UK section features 24 tournaments. Concerning the top leagues, it is also worth mentioning a detailed schedule for the Premier League matches, La Liga, Serie A, the German Bundesliga, and the French Ligue 1. The betting markets also include competitions from North and South America (20 leagues in total).
William Hill Football Betting
William Hill pays special attention to the top football competitions — Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Club World Cup, and the top 5 European leagues. The major international tournaments are also fully-covered — FIFA World Cup, European Championships, and UEFA Nations League. There are up to 800 betting options in the football markets of these tournaments.
But that's not all. William Hill additionally presents more unconventional competitions in the betting markets — from the Australian championship to the Zambian league and football tournaments in North and South America.
Paddy Power Football Odds
There are more than 150 football tournaments of various levels in the Paddy Power betting markets — the national championships of European, American, Asian and African countries, the Australian League, World Cup 2022, and other national team tournaments and European cups. There are youth tournaments and women's competitions.
The most exhaustive information and markets are given for the leagues of England, Ireland, the European top 5, and MLS. In addition to the most sought-after leagues, it's worth noting the betting markets for Brazil (9 tournaments), Norway (5 tournaments), Sweden (5 tournaments), and Romania (4 tournaments).
Football Betting Today on Betfair
One would be pleased to find national championship markets for more than 60 countries — from Algeria and Armenia to Tanzania, Venezuela and Zambia. There are also sections with national team tournaments — FIFA, UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, AFC, and CAF. Besides, you have a choice of betting options for friendly matches, youth and women's tournaments.
The "Top Competitions" tab features English football tournaments, top European leagues, and European cups. Clients are suggested to bet on 6 football tournaments in Ireland. Speaking of the niche championships, among the presented markets there are Brazil (9 tournaments), Denmark (6 tournaments), Iceland (6 tournaments), and the USA (5 tournaments).
Betting on Football with Sky Bet
In the section of football betting, the user is offered a choice of more than 140 different tournaments from around the world. The events’ coverage ranges from the World and European Championships to the lower divisions of South American and African countries. But of course, the European cups, English, Scottish, and Irish tournaments are the main priority.
Aside from the top tournaments of Sky Bet football betting markets, there's an opportunity to check out the football leagues of Sweden (9 tournaments), Norway (4 tournaments), and Finland (4 tournaments).
Betway Football Best Bets
The bookmaker allows betting on over 85 football tournaments worldwide, while the markets include competitions from more than 50 countries. It is worth noting the peculiar tournaments to place a bet on, such as the lower divisions of Nepal, South Korea, and Japan, for example.
The most detailed coverage on this football betting site is dedicated to the top 5 European championships, all football tournaments in Ireland, European cups, and international competitions. A vast selection of tournaments is also offered for Australia, Japan, Norway, and others.
Quinnbet Football Bets for Today
More than 120 football tournaments included on this football betting site — from matches of the World Cup to the Kosovo Cup and championships of Latvia and San Marino. There are tournaments from over 60 countries in the football betting line, including the leagues of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali.
The most detailed list of betting options is delivered for the championships of England, Ireland, European cups, and national team tournaments. A good selection of competitions is offered for Australia (20 tournaments), Denmark (6 tournaments), Sweden (6 tournaments), and Norway (5 tournaments).
888sport Football Betting
The bookmaker's football betting line has over 100 tournaments from more than 50 countries. These are the national championships and cups of the European top 5, the championships of Egypt, the Faroe Islands, Tanzania, Venezuela, and other countries from all continents.
As always, the focus is traditionally switched to European competitions, the largest international tournaments such as the World and European Championships, the League of Nations, the Youth Euro, and the top 5 European leagues. A wide selection of matches is also offered for Ireland, Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, and Norway.
Betting on Football with BetVictor
BetVictor customers can choose from over 100 football tournaments worldwide: including the World Cup, and minor leagues of Nepal, Ecuador, Guatemala, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, etc. Youth, junior and women's football tournaments are also presented.
The most comprehensive selection of football betting markets is offered for European competitions and the top 5 European championships. Yet, Australia, Japan, Brazil, and Sweden are also represented in detail.
Football Enhanced odds offers
With fierce competition among Irish bookmakers, companies have to invest a significant share of their marketing budget in attracting new customers. In addition to welcome bonuses given away as free bets, bookmakers also provide the opportunity to bet with enhanced odds.
These offers made by bookmakers are attractive to users because promotions with enhanced odds have fewer conditions to comply with and almost no restrictions. Offers with high odds are usually aimed at new customers, but some companies provide an opportunity to bet with competitive odds for existing football customers. Promotions with enhanced odds can apply to both single bets and accumulator bets.
Generally, enhanced odds are suggested for betting on the main favourites. But the bookmakers are willing to pay for this because bet boost promotions aim to draw new players to their site.
Here is a list of top football betting sites in Ireland that offer the best football odds on a regular basis:
Football Live Streaming: Which Bookmakers Offer?
The significant advantage a bookmaker can have over the competitors is the possibility of Live Streaming. It's a common practice for many best football betting sites: right after making a minimum bet (usually 1 euro), the user is offered to visit the live stream page and watch the game. Unfortunately, not all bookmakers have the Live Streaming feature accessible due to expensive licensing agreements. For users, watching a match stream on a football betting site is more profitable compared to the cost of purchasing such a service from TV providers. Check out the list of legal bookmakers in Ireland offering the Live Streaming service to find the best football betting site for you:
Bet365. To watch streams, you need to deposit your account or place a bet within 24 hours. The football betting site offers Live Streaming from over 35 European leagues, including La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, and Ligue 1. Bet365 also live streams matches from other continents.
Paddy Power. The bookmaker presents a great selection of football streams. In order to start watching, you need to sign up on paddypower.com and deposit your account. Users get access to Live Streaming of all the top football tournaments in Europe and many competitions from other parts of the world.
William Hill. The company provides live streams to users, meeting two conditions: a positive current account balance and a bet placed in the last 24 hours. The online sportsbook streams club football from around the world and international matches. The top European tournaments like Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga, and France's Ligue 1 are available on William Hill.
Unibet. To watch live matches on unibet.ie when betting on football, you need to top up your account balance. The bookmaker offers videos of Spain's La Liga, Germany's Bundesliga, Italy's Serie A, and France's Ligue 1 matches, football leagues from other continents, and games in international tournaments. Please note that streams are delayed by 10 seconds, it's important for in-play betting.
Betfair. On the bookmaker's football betting site, users can follow the streams of 8 top football leagues in Europe and many global tournaments. You must have money on your betting account to watch the live streams.
Best Football Bookies Promotions and Bonus Offers
The best football betting sites in Ireland are coming up with promotions and bonuses to attract new players and boost betting interest for active users. Today, almost all Irish football betting sites have bonus offers prepared for new and existing customers. The most widespread bonus for the football betting newcomers is free bets for the first wager or first qualifying bet settlement insurance (received only if the bet is lost).
Free bet stakes and qualifying bet insurance are offered to players who have not previously registered with a bookmaker. Existing customers cannot open a new account to receive bonuses. For regular players, companies hold separate promotions.
Before withdrawing money from the account, it's required to wager bonus funds on bets. You need to place bets on the amount of the first deposit a certain number of times. Football events are always suitable for wagering bonuses.
Choose the best bonus offers by the betting companies in Ireland suitable for betting on football:
Bet365 — Bet €10 & get €50 in Free Bets. To receive a welcome bonus from Bet365, a user needs to sign up and make a min deposit of €10 within 30 days after registration. Place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £30) and allow these bets to settle. Bet Credits will be available shortly after your qualifying bet has settled (up to £30). You can then place bets with Bet Credits by choosing this option in the bet slip.
888sport — €30 in Free Bets. 888sport is offering a €30 bonus for new users. To participate in the promotion, you need to register, deposit your account and make the first bet of €10 or more with min odds of 1/2. After that, the bookmaker will provide the user with €30 in the form of free bets paid, which can be used for betting on football events. Free bets expire within 7 days.
NetBet — Bet On Football & Get €5 Free Bet. New NetBet customers can receive a €5 free bet if they lose their first live football bet. The player has to bet in the In-Play mode with minimum odds of 3/5. A free bet up to €5 will be credited to the account in case of a bet loss.
Interwetten — Bet Insurance For Football Games. New users can insure their first bet. To do this, you need to register, make a deposit and bet on football pre-match or live. In case of loss, the client will receive a free bet equal to the amount of the first bet.
Novibet — Get a €5 free bet. It's the only welcome bonus the Irish bookmakers have that does not require a deposit. A new user should register using a special promotional link and the FREEBET5 bonus code. After that, free bets credited in the amount of 5 euros will be added to the account. The bonus is valid for 30 days, the maximum free bet winning is 5000 euros.
Popular Football Betting Markets
Legal bookmakers in Ireland can boast hundreds of betting options for football matches. In this section, we'll tell you more about the most popular markets from the best football betting sites.
Match Outcome
Betting on the final result is the most popular football betting market. It's the choice among three possible match outcomes: the first team's victory, a draw, or the victory of the second team. On the best football betting sites in Ireland, this type of bet is indicated by the symbols 1 X 2 (where 1 is the first team's victory, X is a draw, and 2 is the victory of the second team) or the words Home, Draw and Away. This bet implies the result of the match's main time unless otherwise specified in terms of the deal. For example, if two halves ended in a 1:1 draw, and the winner was determined in extra time or a penalty shootout, it's considered that the bet on a draw won.
Draw No Bet
It's a bet on the victory of one of the teams, which implies a refund in the event of a draw. You need to pick a team in the market of a football betting site first, and if the selected side wins at the end of the match, the bet has been played. In case of a draw, the bet is calculated with a return. This type of bet loses only in one case — when the team you made a bet on loses.
Correct Score
Correct score betting in football is offered at every Irish football betting site. The user needs to guess the game's result and find this option in the football market line. Betting on the correct score is similar to a lottery — the probability of a bet winning is low. On the other hand, bookmakers offer high odds for such bets.
Half-time/Full-Time
A bet on the result of the first half + the result of the football match is a combined type of bet in which the player needs to predict two outcomes correctly. There are nine main types of Half-time/Full-Time bets. The bookmakers indicate them with the 1 X 2 symbols put with a slash — first half result/match result. For example: X/1 — the first half will end in a draw, and the winner of the match will be the first team in the line.
Over/Under Total Goals
In this type of bet, the user needs to guess how many goals will be scored in the match: over or under the number stated in the betting line. The Irish bookmakers indicate the total of scored goals as Over and Under with a value next to it. Total goals can be whole or fractional numbers. The fractional total clearly separates the won and lost bet, there is no bet return chance. A whole number of the total implies the possibility of a refund. For example, if a player makes a bet on “total over 3” or “total under 3”, and at the end of the match, both teams score exactly 3 goals, the bet will be settled with a refund.
Both Teams to Score
It's a bet on both opponents to score at least one goal against each other. The bet has two options — "yes" and "no." If both teams score, the bet on "both teams to score — yes" wins. If the match ends in a draw, the bet "both to score — no" wins.
Goalscorer
Irish bookmakers offer their football bettors to predict the goalscorers — this type of bet can be found in the section with betting on the statistics of individual players. The betting lines display the names of football punters that may appear on the field in a particular match. Often bookmakers set high odds on such markets. Some companies offer to bet on multiple goals of one player and other statistics.
Bet Builder
Some companies offer a bet builder option, where the user can independently select the desired outcomes for making a combined bet. The odds will be generated automatically. It's a pretty convenient feature because it gives the client a wide choice in sports betting.
Corners Betting
Many bookmakers in Ireland allow betting on corner kick statistics. The presented betting lines include bets on the total number of corners per game, the number of corners for each team, victory by the number of corners with a specified handicap, an even or odd number of corners in a match, and more other variants.
Handicap
A handicap bet is about giving an advantage to one of the teams. In football, we usually talk about the handicap for the scored goals. The handicap can be negative (for the favourite), positive (for the underdog), or zero. A handicap bet on a team wins if adding the handicap value to the result of the completed match makes the team a winner. If the team loses, then the handicap bet is lost as well. A situation can occur when adding the handicap turns the score into a draw. Then the bookmaker returns the bet money to a client. On the websites of Irish bookmakers, a handicap is displayed by the team's name or the team's order in the betting line, indicating the conditional advantage in brackets, for example, 1 (- 1.5).
The Most Popular Football Tournaments for Betting
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup is by far the most popular football event. All national teams that are part of FIFA participate in the qualifying stages, and the final tournament is held every four years. The Football World Cup is the most prestigious tournament with a huge cultural impact and the power to unite people over the watched games.
World Cup betting also attracts a huge number of sports fans around the world. The betting lines for the World Cup can be found on both well-known and new football betting sites. The point of suspense in this tournament focuses on who will become the world champion. Usually, there are from two to five teams considered to be the main competitors for the title. But often, teams that can be called dark horses get to the decisive stages: before the start of the tournament, experts don't expect to see these teams in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or even the final. For example, at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Croatian team reached the final, which was not even in the top 10 favourites before the tournament started.
Another popular option during the World Cup is betting on the top scorer. To determine which player has the best shot at this title, the sports fans need to monitor the players' performance in the season and the game for the national team in qualifying.
The 2022 World Cup will be held in Qatar and become the first tournament to be played in the Northern Hemisphere in the fall and winter of November and December. The 32 teams will compete for the title of the best team in the world.
UEFA European Championship (Euro)
The second most popular tournament for national teams is the European Football Championship. The 55 teams from the UEFA European football confederation compete for the right to enter the championship, and 24 national teams participate in the final tournament.
Most users prefer to bet on the Euro winner, but it's crucial to consider that the tournament is notable for its unpredictability. The last two teams to win the European Championships, Portugal in 2016 and Italy in 2020, were not among the tournament's favourites before it started.
Some Euro bettors focus on markets such as betting on statistics, for example, corner bets. With a detailed analysis, users can do well in betting on the number of goals: the last European Championship 2020 had the highest scoring in history.
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA champions league is the most prestigious and profitable football tournament in Europe. The competition is also top-rated among football bettors around the world. The best football betting sites regularly hold special promotions and prepare bonuses dedicated to matches in the league.
The 32 teams enter the main round of the league, divided into groups of 4 clubs. The top two teams in each group advance to the play-offs of the tournament, while the third-placed team continues to play in the UEFA Europa League, the second most important European tournament.
The group stage runs from September to December yearly, and the play-off stage begins in February. Each round of the play-offs, except for the final, is played in two matches, giving even more betting options.
English Premier League
Regardless of status, experience, or the football betting line diversity, all Irish bookmakers always pay great attention to the English Premier League matches. A huge number of football stars, strong teams, and the best coaches let the Premier League be one of the leading national championships in the world.
There are 20 clubs in the top division of English football. At the end of the championship, the four best teams go to the Champions League, and three more clubs go to European competition with a lower status. In recent years, representatives of the Premier League regularly reach the finals of the Champions League and Europa League. By the end of the year, the three worst clubs fall into the English Championship, and a fierce fight for survival is held until the last round.
Italian Serie A
Serie A is the main Italian football league founded in 1929. Despite the deteriorating results of Italian clubs in the Champions League, matches of the Italian domestic championship continue to be popular with betting enthusiasts in Ireland and other countries. The leaders of recent seasons are Juventus, Inter, and Milan. Matches between these teams always attract the audience and betting companies: online football betting sites for these games offer a wide range of football betting markets.
There are 20 clubs in Serie A every year. The four best teams at the end of the season go directly to the Champions League group stage, and the last three clubs are pushed to Serie B.
Spanish La Liga
The Spanish football championship is traditionally considered one of the strongest in Europe. Two legendary clubs play in La Liga — Real Madrid and Barcelona, which always draw world football stars to their squads. Sometimes other clubs, such as Atlético, compete with the two Spanish giants. But the audience's primary focus is always given to the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona, who usually compete for the title of the country's champion.
All legal bookmakers in Ireland offer bets on matches of the Spanish La Liga. The big twist of the championship is who will take place in the top four, giving the right to participate in the Champions League. The three inferior clubs fall out of La Liga each year and spend the next season in the Segunda División.
German Bundesliga
The Bundesliga is the top division of German football. Every year, 18 teams compete for the main trophy of the season. The most titled team in Germany, Bayern Munich, became the champion 32 times in the 59 years of the tournament's existence. In 2022, Bayern gained a unique accomplishment by winning the trophy for the 10th time in a row. Bets on the Bundesliga, which is considered one of the strongest European football leagues, are traditionally covered in detail by all bookmakers in Ireland. Bundesliga matches often offer a wide range of events and live streams.
The four best teams of the season go to the Champions League from Germany, and the two worst clubs at the end of the year go to the Second Bundesliga. The club ranked 16th has two play-offs with the third club in the lower division.
FA Cup
The FA Cup is the oldest club competition in the world. It was first held in 1871. Clubs from all ten levels of the English football pyramid system compete for the trophy. The first rounds are held in August, September, and October for minor league teams. Clubs in the top four divisions (Premier League, Championship, League One, and League Two) enter the contest in November. The finals are traditionally held every year in May at Wembley Stadium.
Betting on FA Cup matches is always appealing, thanks to a great choice of teams involved. In the early stages of the tournament, sensational outcomes often occur when teams from the elite divisions lose to obvious outsiders. In the decisive stages, unexpected results are less common. The latest scoop is Wigan Athletic's FA Cup victory in the 2012/13 season and Portsmouth in the 2007/08 cup.
EFL Championship
England's second largest football league is not as internationally famous as the English Premier League, but this tournament is also followed by a large number of fans and betting enthusiasts. Bookmakers in Ireland always offer a large selection of football betting offers and bets on matches in the EFL Championship.
The traditional Championship season lasts 46 rounds, and the top two teams go directly to the Premier League. The third to sixth-placed clubs continue to fight for third place in the top English division in the play-off round. The three worst teams of the season out of 24 are moved to the English League 1.
Ireland Premier Division
Ireland's top football betting sites also provide extensive coverage of local league matches. The Premier Division was founded in 1985 when it was decided to split the League of Ireland into two tiers.
There are 10 clubs that play in the tournament annually, meeting each other four times — two games at the home stadium and two away. Based on the results of 36 rounds, the national champion is determined, and the team plays in the Champions League qualification next season. Ireland's second and third teams get into the qualifying rounds for the UEFA Conference League, the third most important club competition in Europe. The team that takes tenth place is moved to the First Division. The ninth club, determined by the championship results, has play-offs for the right to remain in the Premier Division for the next season.
The most titled club in Ireland is Shamrock Rovers, having 19 league victories. Shamrock Rovers' highest achievement in international tournaments was participation in the 2011/12 Europa League group stage. Another Irish club, Dundalk F.C., participated in the Europa League group stage twice — in the 2016/17 and 2020/21 seasons.
Football Betting Stats: Where to Find
For thoughtful bets on football, users need to study the statistics of playing teams. Many bookmakers in Ireland offer a statistics option both for Live and pre-match.
If your bookmaker provides such an opportunity, make sure to check out football statistics, analysis, and various data from sites before placing bets.
SkyBet and Bet365 bookmakers cooperate with Opta, which provides detailed football statistics. Data that Opta sends to bookmakers for in-play betting comprises the following: goal/own goal, shot on target/shot off target, offside, blocked shot, tackle, goal assist, body part for goals/shots, location for goals/shots, pass, cross, penalty (saved, missed and scored), foul conceded, offsides are not given as a foul conceded, foul won, corner (won, lost and taken), goal kick, throw-in, cards.
Final Say
The best features the bookmakers have can be found in the football betting section. Football is the most popular sport in the world and the general source of income for the bookmakers. That's why they offer top-notch features, the best odds, the widest selection of betting markets and streaming for football matches in the first place. Also, bookmakers have to work hard to come up with something their competitors don't already have, which is why special offers for football betting tend to be truly special.
So if you're looking for a way to have some fun and maybe make some money, betting on football is the greatest option available. Just be sure to do your research and don't get in over your head. Good luck!