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Best PayPal betting sites 2024

We have reviewed the best PayPal betting sites on the market for bettors that like quick and secure payments online

Alex Pattle
Thursday 25 July 2024 12:44 BST
The Independent has looked at the best options when it comes to sports betting sites offering PayPal as a payment option
The Independent has looked at the best options when it comes to sports betting sites offering PayPal as a payment option (iStock/Getty)

Convenience is often a determining factor for many decisions on a daily basis, and that includes which payment methods are available to us on sport betting sites.

Here, The Independent will steer you through a list of the best UK betting sites that accept PayPal, which offers increased security and convenience at the point you might choose to place a bet.

Using PayPal betting sites, there is plenty of high-stakes sporting action available to bet on almost every day.

As such, bettors have many opportunities to make use of some of the best betting sites with PayPal out there, including Bet365, Betfred, BetMGM and more.

Below, we dive into what makes certain sites the best bookmakers that accept PayPal and what to look out for.

Top five betting sites that accept PayPal

Below, as we rank the best PayPal betting sites, we want to highlight the strong attributes that relate to each operator, to explain why we are featuring these particular sites for our readers.

To find out more about how we rate bookmakers and about gambling responsibly please scroll a little further down the page.

1. Betfred

Betfred is one of the best-known and most-trusted PayPal betting sites out there, so while our suggestions are subjective, we believe Betfred has very much earned its spot here. Betfred accepts PayPal for withdrawals and deposits.

Those withdrawals are quick and easy to carry out securely with PayPal. Deposits are eligible for all current promotions for existing customers – namely Acca Flex, Pick Your Punt bet builder and Hat-Trick Heaven, among others.

As far as football betting sites go, Betfred takes some beating.

Users will find regular promotions such as Acca Flex, where bettors can place a pre-match football accumulator bet of five or more legs, and if all of their selections win, Betfred will add a cash bonus of up to 50 per cent to the winnings. If one selection lets you down, you’ll get your money back as cash – up to £10.

Pick Your Punt covers all major football leagues from around the world, and it enables users to build a bet and get a price instantly.

Hat-Trick Heaven allows users to triple their winnings if their ‘first goalscorer’ bet comes in and the player goes on to net three times in a selected football match. No other football bookmaker or Premier League betting sites run an offer like it.

However, it is worth noting that PayPal deposits do not qualify for the Betfred sign up offer; while the ‘bet £10 get £50’ welcome promo is one of the best around, only debit card deposits are eligible to receive the offer.

2. BetMGM

BetMGM is one of the best new betting sites in the UK, having only launched in 2023.

Not only has BetMGM gotten off to a strong start in this space, but it’s a betting site that accept PayPal payments which allows bettors to use it for deposits for the BetMGM sign up offer. And that sign-up bonus is one of the best on the market, offering new customers £40 in free bets when they bet £10.

BetMGM also provides a strong sportsbook through its range of sports covered and markets available. Odds are competitive with established operators and users can also expect a top betting app, proving that BetMGM belongs on this list.

Promos such as Golden Acca and Golden Goals are further evidence of this, in fact. Golden Acca is a profit boost that works on accumulator bets with three or more selections at odds of 3/10 (1.3) or higher per leg.

Golden Goals offers up to £2m in prize money if a customer can correctly predict the scores in six football games.

If no one gets six scores right, a guaranteed prize pool is paid out to the user or users with the most correct predictions. Each week, BetMGM has a share of £5,000 to give to customers with the most correct scores, if the main jackpot isn’t won.

3. Bet365

Bet365 is a renowned site in the sports betting field, certainly one of the best PayPal betting sites. There are some stipulations, however, when it comes to Bet365 and PayPal, which are worth considering.

You cannot claim the bet365 welcome offer using PayPal deposits. Meanwhile, their payment terms require a minimum withdrawal of £10 when using PayPal, and the minimum deposit using Paypal is £25.

With bet365 featuring as a £5 deposit betting site for other payment methods, PayPal is not quite as budget-friendly on Bet365 as alternative options.

However, their sportsbook product – their bread and butter – is flawless, justifying the bookmaker’s reputation as the most popular sports betting site globally. Not only do Bet365 cover almost every sport around, there’s an extensive list of markets, top special features such as live streaming and bet builders, and most of all great value on your odds.

That reputation and track record may convince customers to opt for Bet365, taking priority over payment methods perhaps.

4. BoyleSports

BoyleSports have established themselves as one of the standout PayPal betting sites in the UK.

It is one of the top operators for existing customers with its range of promotions, particularly when it comes to accumulator betting where users can claim free bets and profit boosts.

The accumulator offer, early payout scheme and extra places on offer for most golf tournaments have helped to make Boyles one of the highest-rated golf betting sites, but customers can also expect special features and competitive odds across a range of sports, making it a perfect platform for betting online.

BoyleSports excels with its payment system, making deposits and withdrawals a simple process.

Withdrawing winnings is especially quick on PayPal, with a process time within 24 hours; the only quicker options on BoyleSports are Apple Pay and Visa Direct, which execute withdrawals within 2-12 hours.

The BoyleSports sign up offer for new customers rewards them with £20 in free bet when they wager £10, but it can only be accessed via mobile devices. Bear in mind, PayPal deposits are not eligible for this welcome bonus.

5. BetUK

Among the other best new sports betting sites in the country is BetUK, which is making waves due to its strong sportsbook.

Not only is the site comprehensive across numerous sports – and offers handy guides for its promos and offers – but it provides fast withdrawals for PayPal users and a low minimum deposit limit of £10.

BetUK is also intent on serving its customers, supplying an excellent 24-hour support team to offer assistance with any issues.

BetUK is generally geared towards football and horse racing, with most of the bookmaker’s promotions aimed at these sports – including the BetUK welcome offer, which is a bet £10 get £30 in free bets bonus. Indeed, it particularly stands out as one of the top horse racing betting sites.

For bettors that focus their betting on football and horse racing, BetUK is one of the top betting sites with PayPal available online.

6. LiveScore Bet

LiveScore have done a good job branching out from the world of sports results to gambling with LiveScore Bet ranking as one of the best new online bookmakers.

They score highly in several categories, making the cut for our top F1 betting sites, among other sports, although their payment options could be a little more expansive.

Although they may only offer three types of financial transactions, LiveScore Bet still feature among our recommended fastest withdrawal betting sites, with the quickest method for deposits and withdrawals being PayPal.

PayPal betting sites will often process financial transactions using the e-wallet instantly and LiveScore Bet are no different.

PayPal deposits are also accepted as part of the LiveScore Bet sign-up offer, with new customers wanting to use the e-wallet not excluded from the bet £10, get £30 promotion.

Choosing the best PayPal betting sites

We take the rating and recommendation of bookmakers seriously and have stringent criteria for operators to be considered for our list. Here are some of the factors that went into our thinking:

Regulation: This is a non-negotiable before we recommend any PayPal betting sites. They have to be regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) for us to contemplate rating them, so you can be confident that every bookmaker above is safe to engage with. Every site mentioned on this page is UKGC-regulated and secure to use.

Reputation: Our recommended gambling sites are a mixture of household names and new sports betting sites. We consider both established operators that have vast experience in the industry, but also newer companies generating buzz on the market. Rest assured we only advise you to select the best PayPal betting sites around.

Gambling responsibly: Commitment to responsible gambling is extremely important to us. We evaluate bookmakers to ensure their actions towards their customers are morally sound. We consider their approaches to responsible gambling tools such as deposit limits, loss limits, reality checks and self-exclusion.

Payment options: For a PayPal betting site to be considered for this list, they obviously must accept PayPal. But having other payment options comes into consideration too, given PayPal transactions aren’t accepted for sign up offers. Having a selection of different payment methods, including a choice of e-wallets, is a factor in our thinking.

Processing times: PayPal is often the fastest method for completing both deposits and withdraws, but processing times can vary from one PayPal betting site to the next. We’ve looked for those online bookmakers that can action any payments instantly, or at least within a matter of hours.

Customer experience: We also take into account the customer experience when using the best sports betting sites – across desktop, mobile and betting app. If the site design is smart and well laid out, the useability is logical and straightforward, then that all makes for a better online betting experience. Support methods should also be numerous and readily available.

Promotions: Of course, betting sites should be judged on their promotions and offers. Were these sports betting sites offering unique 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.

Pros and cons of using PayPal for betting

There are advantages and disadvantages to using PayPal to conduct financial transactions with bookmakers.

One reason customers often look out for PayPal as a payment method on safe betting sites is due to the speed and security that this particular option offers. And as far as security goes, users do not have to share bank details with a bookmaker when using PayPal, a clear upside for many customers.

A potential downside is that there can be fees when withdrawing money, while certain bookmakers may cap your withdrawals when you use PayPal; so, if you win big on an accumulator, you may need to find an alternative withdrawal method, which isn’t always convenient.

Alternatives to PayPal

If users aren’t convinced that PayPal is the right payment method for them, or for the specific bets they’re looking to make on a site, then there’s no need to fret. Here are some alternatives to PayPal.

Debit cards: Still the most common payment method for betting sites, debit cards are accepted by every online bookmaker, who prefer bettors to use them for sign up offers, while deposits are often processed instantly. However, withdrawals can take days to clear with some operators.

Bank transfers: The most secure payment method is a bank transfer, which often carry the highest limit for deposits and withdrawals. Best suit to high rollers wanting extra security, the biggest drawback of this method is the slow processing time.

Skrill: There isn’t a great deal to separate PayPal and Skrill on the surface with both offering similar services as e-wallets. PayPal charge higher fees for transactions, but as those aren’t passed on to bettors, it’s a negligible point in this scenario. PayPal is more widely accepted than Skrill, with a large number of online bookmakers prohibiting Skrill deposits as part of sign up offers.

Neteller: Another popular e-wallet, Neteller has similar problems to Skrill when it comes to online betting. It’s not as widely accepted as PayPal and can’t be used with the majority of welcome offers.

Trustly: Trustly is an online payment service that connects betting sites directly with a user’s bank when making a payment. It’s easy to use with no need to open an account and offers bank-level security. However, it’s only offered by a minority of betting sites and withdrawals can take several days to process.

Apple/Google Pay: The rise of mobile betting has in turn lead to Apple and Google’s payment platform quickly becoming popular among bettors. It’s an extremely fast and convenient method to make deposits, however, you currently can’t make withdrawals using either service.

Paysafecard: A Paysafecard can only be used for deposits so bettors will need a different option for any withdrawals. The pre-paid card is a great way to keep track of your spending though and deposits are processed as quickly as any debit card.

Responsible gambling

The most important thing to remember is to gamble responsibly. Betting should only ever 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 sports.

When betting on sports, always assume you’ll lose, and therefore, only bet what you can afford. 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.

If you have gambling-related concerns, then seek independent help. There are several UK charities and institutions that offer support, advice and information, with a few listed below:

PayPal betting sites summary

So, there are our picks for the PayPal betting sites that stand out among the best in the sports gambling space. As mentioned above, our choices are subjective, and readers should always evaluate which sites work best for them and best suit their needs and budgets.

However, we have made these suggestions based on our research into which sports betting sites that accept Paypal are the best in terms of offers, customer experience, reliability and commitment to proper government regulations.

These sites are all tried and tested, legitimate sources for sports betting. They all permit PayPal as a payment method and offer their users different opportunities to bet on various sports.

But don’t forget: It’s always important to bet responsibly, and there is never a guarantee that gambling will result in winning.

PayPal betting sites: FAQ

Which betting apps use PayPal?

The bookmakers that allow punters to use PayPal on their desktop sites will also permit you to conduct transactions via this method on their betting apps too. Follow the usual process to make a deposit or withdrawal via the app and if PayPal is used by the bookmaker, it should be among the payment options.

Can I use PayPal on betting sites?

Many betting sites now accept PayPal as a payment method, but it varies from bookmaker to bookmaker. Check the banking options with a betting site before signing up if you are looking for a PayPal betting site and make sure to check the terms and conditions of any sign up offers if you want to use PayPal to carry those out. Meanwhile, many new casino sites also double up as a PayPal casino, for those interesting in iGaming.

Can I use PayPal credit for gambling?

Using any form of credit payments to gamble was outlawed in the UK in April 2020. Betting sites can now no longer accept payments made by credit card or PayPal credit.

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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