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The best new betting sites for sport in September 2024
We rate and recommend the best new betting sites challenging the existing big names in sports betting
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There are many big hitters in the UK betting space but plenty of new betting sites have entered the fray and are making some serious noise.
The likes of Bet365, Betfred and William Hill might have the name recognition but new sports betting sites are making waves in the UK. So, we’ve come up with a comprehensive list of the best newcomers currently shaking things up and what exactly makes them our top-rated new betting sites.
Why choose a new betting site?
It’s a great question – why should you choose a new betting site over an established industry name?
The main reason is that, in a crowded marketplace, new sports bookies are desperate to stand out and grab your attention. That leads them to put on creative – and often better – deals, sign-up offers and promotions than the big names, who don’t need to push the boat out in order to get brand recognition.
The new bookmakers are often trying to offer an alternative betting experience to the status quo and unique promotions help fuel this, especially if you’re a canny customer who knows what you want.
And remember, all of our recommended bookies are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), so they’re safe to use even if you don’t initially recognise the name.
To find out more about how we rate bookmakers and about gambling responsibly please scroll a little further down the page.
New betting sites: Best by category for September 2024
We’re aware that everyone is looking for something different when they bet. Some are only interested in having a bet on football, others horse racing, some might be looking to rinse every company they can for free bets, while others’ only betting experience might be a Saturday accumulator.
Whatever your interest, we’ve broken down the best new betting sites in popular categories such as key sports, free bet offers and price boosts. There should be something to tickle everyone’s fancy.
Best new football betting site: BetMGM
BetMGM were already a big name in the US betting world, which never hurts when trying to establish yourself on this side of the Atlantic. Their outstanding reputation appears well-earned, especially in their football coverage.
Their site is smart and slick, as you would expect from an American operator, and they offer a diverse range of markets across football, with competitive odds. The ability to sort matches by popularity, as well as start time and alphabetically is also a neat addition.
But it’s their ongoing promos and offers that really make them stand out among football betting sites. Their Golden Goals prediction game offers customers the chance to win up to £2m for correctly picking the final score of six matches, with smaller prizes available if the main jackpot isn’t won.
If football accumulators are your thing, then the Golden Acca promotion (BetMGM’s brand colours are black and gold if you’re wondering why every offer is called Golden something...) is ideal, allowing you to boost your profits by up to 200 per cent if successful, depending on how many selections you’ve made.
They also have some cracking free bet offers including a £5 weekly free bet on any sport if you place both a £10 football accumulator and a £10 football bet builder, plus a £60 bonus welcome offer if you sign up and place any £10 bet at odds of greater than evens. As new online bookmakers go, BetMGM is at the top of the class.
Pros | Cons |
Outstanding welcome offer | Lack of live streaming for football |
Impressive range of free games | Could improve odds for outrights |
Excellent football promotions |
Best new horse racing betting site: BetGoodwin
BetGoodwin are a new betting site that has entered the market and chosen to focus on horse racing. Given the quality of their offer, that appears to be a smart choice.
Their racing-specific bonuses, offers and promotions really make them stand out. It starts with Best Odds Guaranteed for all UK and Irish racing, meaning that if the starting price is greater than the price taken, BetGoodwin will pay out at the starting price.
They then offer a free bet refund (up to £100) for a number of scenarios where you’d probably consider yourself unlucky as a punter. You will get your money back if your horse:
- Is beaten by under half a length in a chase
- Is beaten by a nose in any race
- Finishes second to a 50/1 or bigger-priced winner
- Falls at the final hurdle when leading
It’s a strong offer from the newcomers in a competitive market and, allied with a pleasant black-and-yellow aesthetic plus good site useability, earns them our recommendation as the best new horse racing betting site.
Pros | Cons |
Excellent horse racing promotions | Free bets are limited to horse racing |
Price boosts available for several sports | Welcome offer only available for first day bets |
Best new betting site for free bets: LiveScoreBet
If you’re not a big name in the industry, then having a slew of free bet offers is a good way for new UK betting sites to attract both attention and custom. LiveScoreBet have gone down this path to make their mark.
They have a straightforward, reasonable sign-up offer where betting £10 on any sports market will earn you £20 of free bets – in two £10 increments.
After that, there’s still plenty to sink your teeth into as an existing customer.
Racing-wise, you’ll get your money back as a £10 free bet if your horse finishes second or third in a selected race. Acca lovers will also enjoy LiveScoreBet’s offer where you can earn a £5 free acca bet every week by placing four or more £5-plus accumulators during the week.
Their odds are competitive across the board and they also offer special promotions around big events, such as paying seven places rather than five at The Open this summer and extra places on selected horse races every day.
Pros | Cons |
Great promotions for acca betting | Welcome offer not as valuable as others |
Eye catching free game ‘Squads’ to earn cash |
Best new betting site for price boosts: TalkSportBet
If you enjoy contentious sporting opinions being thrown around between pundits with abandon, then you’ll surely be aware of TalkSport radio station. Well, they’ve now branched out into betting.
TalkSportBet has a really clean user interface across devices and as an existing media company, their branding is already recognisable. In terms of what they offer, it’s a good all-round experience but price boosts are where they are particularly excelling.
They have a Lucky Dip feature that can give you outlandish odds on selections. You are given a market and a price, for example Premier League winner at 16/1.
You enter your stake, spin the wheel and then are assigned a random selection in that market and paid out at odds of 16/1 if they win. You could get Manchester City, whose actual odds to win the title are considerably shorter than 16/1, or be given Nottingham Forest, whose actual odds are much longer. That’s the luck of the draw.
TalkSport Bet also link into the radio arm of the company by boosting prices on their pundit predictions. So if you agree with Jamie O’Hara or Stan Collymore’s prediction for a game, you’ll be able to make that bet at better odds than normal.
With its quirky range of markets and use of its brand, TalkSport Bet has certainly made a splash among new UK sports betting sites.
Pros | Cons |
Innovative promotions | Limited live streaming options |
Solid welcome offer available for new customers | Live betting odds could be more competitive |
Free to play football game |
Best new betting site for accumulators: Fafabet
No one can accuse Fafabet of being backwards in coming forwards as they announced their entrance into the UK market with a ‘best acca offer ever’ promotion.
A bold claim for sure, the merits of which are slightly debatable, but it’s undoubtedly a good deal as customers are given a free bet when placing a pre-match football acca bet (of at least three selections). If you win, you’re entitled to a free bet worth between 5 and 50 per cent of your returns, depending on the size of the acca.
They also offer a £5 free bet when you place a £25 ‘create a bet’ (an acca by any other name...) of three or more selections and you will get your money back as a free bet (up to £20) if one leg lets you down in a five-plus selection ‘create a bet’.
FafaBet then throw in other offers such as money back as a free bet if a football match finishes 0-0, a free bet worth five per cent of your daily in-play betting amount and multiple horse racing money-back promos.
Pros | Cons |
Outstanding product for acca betting | Limited live streaming |
Strong welcome offer for new customers | Price boosts sparse outside of football |
Comparing new betting sites UK
Bookmaker | Welcome Bonus | Bonus Code | Betting App | Live Streaming | Price Boosts |
Bet £10 get £60 bonuses | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
50% of first day losses back up to £25 | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Bet £10 get £20 | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Get up to £50 in bonuses + £20 casino credits | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
Bet £10 get £30 | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
BzeeBet | Bet £10 get £10 | None | Yes | No | Yes |
Luckster Sport | Bet £10 get £10 | None | Yes | No | Yes |
BetItOn | Bet £15 get £10 | None | Yes | No | Yes |
BetRino | Bet £10 get £10 | None | Yes | No | Yes |
Mr Mega | Bet £15 get £10 | None | No | No | Yes |
BetZone | 50% losses back up to £100 | NEWWELCOME 100 | Yes | Yes | Yes |
ZetBet | Bet £10 get £10 | None | Yes | No | Yes |
Bet442 | Bet £20 get £10 | None | Yes | No | Yes |
VegasLand | Bet £10 get £10 | None | No | No | Yes |
BetRhino | Bet £25 get £10 | B25G10FB | Yes | No | Yes |
How we rate new bookmakers
So how did we arrive at the ratings and recommendations above? How did we pick the best new betting site wheat from the chaff? There were a number of factors that came into our thinking during our research:
Regulation: This is a non-negotiable before we recommend any gambling site. They have to be regulated by the UKGC for us to even consider rating them, so you can be confident that every site above is safe to engage with. There are too many illegitimate gambling sites out there to take chances – every site mentioned on this page is UKGC-regulated and safe.
Reputation: They may be relatively new to the UK but within the gambling industry, every bookmaker is generating some form of buzz. We factored in whether the company is already well-regarded in the UK or had a solid reputation overseas before branching into the British market.
Responsible gambling: Similarly to regulation, how committed the bookmaker is to responsible gambling was important to us. Is ‘When the fun stops. Stop.’ just a slogan to the company or have they taken genuine steps to ensure their actions towards their customers are morally sound? We considered their approaches to vital tools such as deposit limits, loss limits, reality checks and self-exclusion. More on this below.
Customer experience: How good an experience the site provides for its customers was also taken into account – across desktop, mobile and betting apps. If the site design is smart and well laid out, if the useability is logical and straightforward, then that all makes for a better customer experience. Similarly, how easy it is to interact with staff and solve any potential issues is also a factor.
Promotions: Of course, a betting company can also be judged on its promotions and offers. Were these new betting sites offering deals we hadn’t seen anywhere else or that really enticed us to sign up? If you feel like you’re getting more bang for your buck – be that in terms of free bets, odds boosts or one-off promotions – you’re more likely to use the site.
How to sign up for new sports betting sites
The process for signing up for new gambling sites could not be more straightforward. By following our step by step guide here, you can register for new UK bookmakers from our recommended list.
- Enter one of our recommended new betting sites and click the sign up button
- Enter your personal details, including name, age and address
- Verify your details using identification
- Choose a payment method from the options available
- Enter your first deposit
- You’ll then be free to make your first bets online
Please read the terms and conditions before signing up as certain new UK sports betting sites may require you to use a certain payment method and place a minimum deposit to unlock their welcome bonus.
Payment methods for new bookmakers
Users can deposit and withdraw funds using a variety of payment methods. Here are top available methods you can use on betting betting sites online.
Debit card - Customers can enter their card details from either Visa or Mastercard for both deposits and withdrawals. Depending on the bookie most deposits are completed instantly, while withdrawals can take up to 24 hours to process.
PayPal - PayPal allows users a fast and secure method of depositing and withdrawing funds. Users with an account need only to enter their email address and password or use touch/face ID to make payments. Bear in mind, PayPal deposits may not qualify for welcome bonuses.
Skrill - Skrill is another e-wallet that allows customers to make transactions without having to enter financial information on new betting sites. Customers can both deposit and withdraw funds using this method, although it may not be eligible for deposits to secure a welcome offer.
Apple Pay/Google Pay - Customers using betting apps can deposit directly through their phones via Apple Pay or Google Pay depending on their device. This offers a safe and secure method for depositing funds. Withdrawals are not available through this method.
Paysafecard - Users can use Paysafecards to make deposits by purchasing them from retail outlets. By using the 16 digit code, users can make deposits for the value of the card. Withdrawals are not possible using this payment option.
Gamble responsibly
Quite simply, the most important thing to remember is to gamble responsibly. Betting should only be considered a form of entertainment – it has not, and will never be, a surefire way to make money, no matter how much you think you know about sport.
When betting, always assume you’ll lose and therefore, only bet what you can afford to lose. Sports betting can also be addictive, so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget.
Make sure you use the responsible gambling tools offered by betting companies such as deposit limits, reality checks, loss limits, time outs and self-exclusion. These can stop your gambling from getting out of hand.
There are several charities and healthcare providers should you wish to seek help for gambling-related issues. The providers below offer guidance, support and information:
Best new betting sites summary
Ultimately, while we can recommend what we think are the ‘best’ new betting sites, the truth is that everyone is looking for something different from their bookmaker.
What’s ‘best’ for one person will be different to what’s ‘best’ for another. You may want to focus on one specific sport or be eager for lots of unique offers. Whatever floats your boat, hopefully this information can help you make an informed decision about where to send your custom.
Remember, each of our recommended new bookies is fully licensed and regulated by the UKGC, ensuring that your personal and financial data is secure.
We also regularly update our list should you wish to keep tabs on the best new UK bookmakers on the sports betting scene.
New betting sites FAQs
Can you get free bets for signing up for new sports betting sites?
Yes. Free bets are available by signing up for new betting sites by meeting the terms and conditions of the welcome offer.
What payment methods are available on new UK bookmakers?
There are numerous payment methods available to use on new UK betting sites, including debit card, PayPal, Skrill, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Paysafecard.
Are price boosts available on new betting sites?
Yes. Price boosts are widely available on the best new betting sites on the market. Look out for these bonuses from TalkSport Bet, BetMGM and others.
Can you watch live sports events on new betting sites UK?
The leading operators in the industry have live streaming for sports such as horse racing, football and many others. However, this is not universally available. Check our list of new betting sites above to see if live streaming is provided.
Are new betting sites safe?
Yes. We only recommend new sports betting sites that are licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, ensuring that customers can feel secure when wagering online.
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.
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