The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. If you click links to other sites on this page, we will earn commission.
Best football betting sites in the UK for December 2024
Betting on football is as popular as it’s ever been and we’ve searched through a long list of UK football betting sites to find the pick of the bunch
The beautiful game has enchanted fans for generations and is the most bet on sport in the UK. But which betting sites do the best job of servicing the needs of football punters?
Almost every UK betting company has an extensive range of football markets but we’ve rated and reviewed the best football betting sites currently available.
Best football betting sites by category
Rather than ranking football betting sites from one to 10, we’ve focused on which UK bookmaker is best in class for a facet of football betting, allowing you to select a bookie that suits your needs.
Football betting site | Best for | Welcome offer |
In-play betting | Bet £10 get £50 in free bets | |
Accumulators | Bet £10 on mobile get £20 free bet | |
Free bets | £30 matched bet if first acca loses | |
Football specials | Bet £20 and get £40 in bonuses | |
Odds boosts | Bet £5 get £20 free bets + £10 slot bonus | |
Bet builders | Bet £10 get £20 free bets | |
Football betting app | Bet £10 get £50 in free bets | |
Live streaming | Bet £10 get £40 in bonus funds | |
Premier League betting | Get up to £40 in football free bets |
Best football betting site for in-play betting: Bet365
Live betting sites give bettors the chance to wager on football as the match is being played and no one has a better in-play service than Bet365. They offer a huge number of markets and very competitive odds, while bettors can enjoy live streams of games from some of Europe’s biggest leagues.
There’s no noticeable lag on odds being updated or a bet being processed on either the desktop site or app; vital traits when betting in-play, and Bet365’s excellent service means they are one of the best football betting sites, and not just for in-play betting.
Best football bookies for accumulators: BoyleSports
BoyleSports have become the top pick among accumulator betting sites thanks to their Acca Rewards and Acca Loyalty schemes.
With Acca Loyalty, customers are awarded a £5 free acca every time they place five £5 accumulators. Meanwhile, Acca Rewards allows you to either boost or insure your acca bet, so long as it has three or more legs.
Best online football betting site for free bets: Betway
Betway’s popular Free Bet Club gives punters the chance to claim a free football bet each week. Just stake at least £25 on trebles, accumulators or bet builders between Saturday and Friday to earn £10 in free bets in two £5 denominations.
Meanwhile, Betway are known to give out free bets worth £2.50 for bet builders on key Premier League games – log in every weekend to see if you can claim your free punt.
Best UK football betting site for specials: BetVictor
BetVictor run regular outright specials you won’t find elsewhere while also having extensive manager markets, transfer odds and trophy multiples that’ll appeal to bettors looking for alternatives to match betting.
They also have a Lucky Dip feature that can produce outlandish odds on selections, such as the Premier League title winner, and a Loyalty Club with up to £25 in free bets on offer each week.
Opt-in to the Loyalty Club and make five bets of at least £5 throughout the week on either the website or one of the best betting apps to qualify for the bonus.
Best football betting site for price boosts: Parimatch
Parimatch, one of the best new betting sites in the UK, has earned a reputation for regular price boosts on its football markets.
As well as boosts on matches and intermittent ‘super boosts’, Parimatch run special sign up offers where they’ll massively boost the odds on a bet. For example, it’s not uncommon to find 50/1 on either side to win a Premier League Super Sunday fixture, although in most cases such an offer is reserved for new customers.
Best football bookmakers for bet builders: NetBet
Bet builders have become increasingly popular on UK football betting sites and NetBet have embraced the concept. Bet builders are available on a variety of sports, with bettors able to combine up to six legs from a single event.
The NetBet sign-up offer is a bet £10 on a bet builder, get £20 in free bets offer, while punters can also earn free bet builder tokens via NetBet’s Wheel of Fortune promotion.
Best betting app for football: Betfred
The key to a good football betting app is speed of site and user interface. Betfred excels in both these categories with no discernible lag on the app and an easy-to-navigate layout with everything you need at your fingertips.
Their all-round football betting package is impressive, both in terms of odds and range of matches/markets, while all their promotions and features from the desktop are available to mobile customers.
There are regular money back offers on big domestic and Premier League games, alongside long-running promotions like Acca Flex and Hat-Trick Heaven, while new customers can use the Betfred promo code BETFRED50 to claim £50 in free bets, all of which can be wagered on football.
Best football betting site for live streaming: Unibet
Unibet, who are one of the only bet £10 get £40 UK bookmakers, live stream over 40,000 events each year, many of which are football matches.
Unibet streams games from across the globe on their platform, including all the major European leagues and some FA Cup ties.
Most matches come with commentary so it’s just like watching a game on your television, only you have the option to use Unibet’s in-play betting service at the same time.
Best Premier League football betting site: Talksport Bet
Premier League betting sites concentrate on English football’s top flight and no one does that better than TalkSport Bet.
They’ll regularly run Premier League-specific promotions, while punters can qualify for their Footie Rewards scheme, offering up to £10 in free bets each week, by betting on the EPL.
There’s also a free-to-play game called Footie 4 Play with up to £2500 up for grabs for correctly predicting four Premier League scorelines.
Best football betting sites for cash out: Kwiff
What makes Kwiff one of the best cash out betting sites is its ‘supercharged cash out’ feature. Supercharged cash outs are awarded on a sporadic basis, increasing the value of your cash out, and are available to football bettors.
Whilst researching Kwiff, we found that once a cash out amount was agreed upon, it was paid out quickly, and we got ‘supercharged’ payouts on more than one occasion.
How we rank and review online football betting sites
Here are some of the key elements we look for when delivering our rankings and reviews of football betting sites:
Regulation
All the best football betting sites on our list are regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). We’ll never recommend an unlicensed bookmaker.
Gambling responsibly
Safe betting sites which follow responsible gambling practices, offer responsible gambling tools and take steps to ensure their actions towards customers are morally responsible were given preference when looking at the best football betting sites.
Customer experience
We looked into the customer experience on football betting sites across various platforms, judging football betting sites for their layout, useability, loading speed and customer service.
Banking options
Football punters want more banking options than just debit cards these days and those bookies that feature on the list of PayPal betting sites, Apple Pay betting sites and Google Pay betting sites, among others, were given preference.
We also looked out for fast withdrawal betting sites that facilitate quick banking and £5 deposit betting sites that cater to smaller budgets.
Promotions
A good sign up offer is one thing but we wanted to see football betting sites that took care of existing customers with free bets, price boost and money back promotions.
Responsible gambling with football betting sites
The most important thing to remember is to gamble responsibly. When betting on football, treat it as entertainment and always assume you’ll lose. Therefore, only bet what you can afford to lose.
The same rule applies if you’re playing on horse racing betting sites, cricket betting sites, rugby betting sites or any kind of gambling outlet.
Make sure you use the responsible betting tools offered by gambling sites such as deposit limits, reality checks, loss limits, time outs and self-exclusion. These can stop your betting from getting out of hand.
If you have gambling-related concerns, then seek independent help. There are several UK charities and institutions that offer support, advice and information:
FAQs on football betting sites
How can I bet on football?
Every UK bookmaker will have a football betting section and most will offer odds on a huge range of leagues and markets. We have a guide to betting on football you may wish to read after selecting your favourite football betting site from our list of recommendations.
How do you win a football bet?
There are no guarantees of success but you can take steps to improve your chances of winning. Our football betting tips section has a few pointers that may help you be more successful but it’s important punters do their own homework as well.
Can free bets be swapped for free spins?
Any free bets you might receive from football betting sites can only be used on the sportsbook. Free bets can not be exchanged for any kind of casino bonus, although some bookmakers do have sign up offers that feature both free bets and free spins.
We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK’s best online gambling companies.
Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms & Conditions apply to all offers.
