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The best new betting sites for sport in November 2024

We rate and recommend the best new betting sites challenging the existing big names in sports betting

Luke Baker
Tuesday 12 November 2024 16:44 GMT
(The Independent/iStock)

There are many big hitters in the UK betting space, but plenty of brand new betting sites have entered the fray and are making some serious noise.

The likes of Bet365, Betfred and William Hill might have name recognition but there are plenty of new betting sites making waves in the UK.

So, we’ve come up with a comprehensive list of the best new betting sites currently shaking things up and what exactly makes them stand out.

Why choose a new betting site? 

It’s a great question – why should you choose new betting sites over an established industry name?

The main reason is that, in a crowded marketplace, new betting sites are desperate to stand out and grab your attention. That leads them to put on creative – and often better – deals, sign-up offers and betting promotions than even the best betting sites, who don’t need to push the boat out in order to get brand recognition.

Brand new betting sites often try 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 new betting sites are regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), so they’re safe to use even if you don’t initially recognise the name.

Please scroll a little further down the page to find out more about how we rate new betting sites and about gambling responsibly.

Best new betting sites UK: Best by category in 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 ranked 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 football betting markets with competitive betting 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 you are looking for one of the best accumulator betting sites with football offers, 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. The size of the boost depends on how many selections you’ve made.

Also known for being one of the UK’s best darts betting sites, they 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. Another plus is the BetMGM sign up offer, which gives you £40 in free bets when you place any £10 bet at odds of greater than evens. As new betting sites 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 one of the new betting sites to enter the UK market and have chosen to focus on being one of the best horse racing betting sites. Given the quality of their offer, that appears to be a smart choice.

Their racing-specific bonuses, free bets 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 one of the most exciting new betting sites in a competitive market. Their pleasant black-and-yellow aesthetic and good site usability earn them our recommendation as the best option out of all new horse racing betting sites.

Pros

Cons

Excellent horse racing promotions

Free bets are limited to horse racing

Price boosts available for several sports

BetGoodwin welcome offer only available for first-day bets

Best new betting site for free bets: LiveScore Bet

If you’re not a big name in the industry, then having a slew of free bet offers is a good way for brand new betting sites to attract both attention and custom. LiveScore Bet have gone down this path to make their mark.

The LiveScore Bet sign up offer is straightforward and reasonable. It rewards new customers who bet £10 on any sports betting markets with £30 in free bets—delivered as two £10 free bets and two £5 free Bet Builder tokens.

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 LiveScore Bet’s offer where you can earn a £5 free acca bet every week by placing four or more £5-plus accumulators during the week.

Football punters, on the other hand, can take advantage of the early kick-off money-back special, where losing bets on Saturday’s selected 12.30pm kick-off are refunded as free bets, up to a maximum value of £10.

Their betting odds are competitive across the board, and they also offer special promotions around big events. Their extra each-way places for majors rival those of most golf betting sites, and there are extra places on selected horse races every day.

Pros

Cons

Great promotions for accumulator betting

Welcome offer not as valuable as others

Eye-catching free game ‘Squads’ to earn cash

Best new betting site for price boosts: Talksport Bet

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.

Talksport Bet 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 betting odds on selections, for example Premier League winner at 16/1. You can also get up to £40 in free football bets with the Talksport Bet sign up offer.

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 giving football price boosts 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.

TalkSport have quickly risen to become the pick of Premier League betting sites, partly thanks to their price boosts and also thanks to a range of free bet offers revolving around the English top flight. These include their Footie Rewards scheme, free acca bets, and a prize for punters who staked £20 on EPL wagers at the start of the 2024/25 season.

It’s not just football where Talksport put their odds boosts to good work. Most tennis betting sites can’t compete with the frequency and value of the price boosts Talksport offer on a large number of matches, while we also found them to be among the best cricket betting sites for odds boosts, as well as for boxing and golf during our review.

With its quirky range of markets and use of its brand, Talksport Bet have certainly made a splash among new betting sites in the UK.

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 forward, 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 accumulator bet.

They also offer a £5 free bet when you place a £25 ‘create a bet’ (a bet builder 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’. For anyone looking for NFL betting sites to join, this offer is a major plus.

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.

Fafabet also have a budding reputation as one of the best rugby betting sites after handing out daily free bets during the Six Nations as well as extending their create a bet offer to rugby union’s annual competition.

Pros

Cons

Outstanding product for acca betting

Limited live streaming

Fafabet sign up offer one of the biggest on the market

Price boosts sparse outside of football

Comparing new betting sites UK

Bookmaker

Welcome Bonus

Betting App

Live Streaming

Price Boosts

BetMGM

Bet £10 get £40 free bets

Yes

Yes

Yes

BetGoodwin

50% of first day losses back up to £25

Yes

Yes

Yes

LiveScore Bet

Bet £10 get £20

Yes

Yes

Yes

Fafabet

Get up to £50 in bonuses + £20 casino credits

Yes

Yes

Yes

Talksport Bet

Get up to £40 in free football bets

Yes

Yes

Yes

BzeeBet

Bet £10 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

Luckster Sport

Bet £10 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

BetItOn

Bet £15 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

BetRino

Bet £10 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

Mr Mega

Bet £15 get £10

No

No

Yes

BetZone

50% losses back up to £100

Yes

Yes

Yes

ZetBet

Bet £10 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

Bet442

Bet £20 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

VegasLand

Bet £10 get £10

No

No

Yes

BetRhino

Bet £25 get £10

Yes

No

Yes

How we rate new betting sites

So how did we arrive at the ratings and recommendations above? How did we pick the best new betting sites from the rest? There were a number of factors that came into our thinking during our research:

Regulation

This is a non-negotiable before we recommend any new betting sites. They have to be regulated by the UKGC for us to even consider rating them, so you can be confident that all of those recommended are safe betting sites to use. 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 brand new betting sites in the UK but within the gambling industry, every bookmaker is generating some form of buzz. We factored in whether the company was already well-regarded in the UK or had a solid reputation overseas before branching into the British market.

Odds & markets

It can be tricky for new betting sites to offer competitive odds in the beginning so we’ve given special preference to those sites looking to challenge the more established bookmakers with their pricing. We also checked out the range of betting markets available on each sport and whether that bookmaker was looking to market itself as a generic sports betting site or be known as a stand-out option for one sport, such as the best football betting sites or top choice among UFC betting sites.

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

The site's customer experience was also taken into account across desktop, mobile, and betting apps. If the site design is smart and well laid out, and the usability 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, betting sites can also be judged on their promotions and betting 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 with new betting sites UK

The process for signing up for new betting sites could not be more straightforward. By following our step-by-step guide, you can register for new online bookmakers from our recommended list.

  1. Enter one of our recommended new betting sites and click the sign up button
  2. Enter your personal details, including name, age and address
  3. Verify your details using identification
  4. Choose a payment method from the options available
  5. Enter your first deposit
  6. You’ll then be free to claim the betting sign up offers and make your first bets online

Please read the terms and conditions before signing up, as certain new betting sites may require you to use a specific payment method or place a minimum deposit to unlock their welcome bonus.

Payment methods for new betting sites

Users can deposit and withdraw funds using a variety of payment methods. Here are the top available methods you can use with new betting sites.

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 gives users a fast and secure method of depositing and withdrawing funds. Users with an account need only enter their email address and password, or use touch/face ID to make payments. Paypal betting sites are becoming increasingly more common, but bear in mind PayPal deposits may not qualify for some new betting sites’ welcome bonuses.

Skrill - The fastest withdrawal betting sites will usually offer a range of e-wallet options, including PayPal, Skrill and more. You will find that most bookmakers have Skrill betting sites, with this e-wallet allowing customers to make transactions without having to enter financial information. Customers can both deposit and withdraw funds using this method, although it may not be eligible for deposits to secure some bookmaker welcome offers.

Apple Pay/Google Pay - Apple Pay betting sites are more abundant than ever nowadays, allowing customers using betting apps to deposit directly through their phones. This offers a safe and secure method for depositing funds. Likewise, Google Pay betting sites allow bettors to make deposits to their accounts on the go.

Paysafecard - Users can use Paysafecard to make deposits by purchasing them from retail outlets. The 16-digit code allows users to make deposits for the value of the card. Withdrawals are not possible using this payment option.

Trustly - There are now many Trustly betting sites in the UK. Trustly allows users to make secure, fast payments and bank transfers directly from their bank accounts without using a card or app.

Gambling responsibly with new betting sites

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 gambling with new betting sites, 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.

The same applies whether you’re using betting sitescasino sitesslot sitespoker sites or any other form of gambling.

It’s particularly important not to get carried away by free bet offers or casino offers, both of which are available in abundance on gambling sites, but must be approached with caution.

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 prevent 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.

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 betting sites are fully licensed and regulated by the UKGC, ensuring the security of your personal and financial data.

We also regularly update our list of the best new betting sites, so you can 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 to new sports betting sites?

Yes. Free bets are available by signing up to new betting sites by meeting the terms and conditions of the welcome offer.

What payment methods are available with new betting sites?

New betting sites offer numerous payment methods, including debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Paysafecard.

Are price boosts available with 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 are live betting sites, which, therefore, offer live streaming and in-play betting 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 betting sites that are licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, ensuring that customers can feel secure when wagering online.

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

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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