Our Top 20 UK Online Bookmakers Reviewed
Parimatch
Launching in the UK in 2021, Parimatch offers betting markets on over 30 sports, including politics and entertainment. Football odds have an average margin of 6.56%, with in-play options and live streaming available for selected events. Other benefits include a highly responsive customer service team that goes above and beyond.
Betfred
Betfred offers a wide range of betting markets, including unique specials that cannot be found elsewhere. Exceptional bonuses for existing customers, such as Extra Place Races, Price Boosts and Double Delight/Hat Trick Heaven make Betfred a top choice for football fans.
Smarkets
The betting exchange has introduced a flat 2% commission and offers competitive odds. Their SBK sportsbook app provides a user-friendly interface for back bets. New customers receive a welcome bonus, but ongoing promotions for existing users are limited.
Bwin
Established in 1997, Bwin is a pioneer in iGaming with 20 million users globally. It offers 30+ markets, HD live streaming, and tools for responsible betting. The average football margin is 7.85%, with extensive In-Play options. Bwin also supports all basic payment methods and has apps.
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes, the UK's oldest bookmaker, offers extensive horse racing and football sports coverage. Their football margin averages 8.29%, but overall odds fall into the average category. Features include live streaming, Cash Out and "GetAPrice" custom wagers via Twitter.
Betfair
Betfair combines sportsbook, exchange and casino services to offer a versatile platform. Its football margin averages 5.64%, with extensive markets for over 25 sports. Regular players benefit from frequent bonuses, including price boosts, loyalty schemes, and Free Bets. The app runs well on both Android and iOS platforms.
Star Sports
StarSports offers a growing range of promotions, including 50% refunds for golf, cricket, and tennis markets. Football and Racing fans benefit from "Two Good" payouts and refunds for near misses. Their blog, #BettingPeople, provides expert insight regularly.
Unibet
The leading European bookmaker offers a custom-built platform with extensive In-Play options, covering multiple markets per event. Their "Racebook" provides dedicated horse racing markets accessible via the main sportsbook account. Unibet extends generous promotions to both new and existing customers, including a cash welcome bonus.
10bet
10bet has nearly 20 years of experience in the UK, covering up to 60 sports depending on the season. Its sleek apps and website won design awards in 2019. With a strong focus on football, the bookmaker offers up to 12 Free Bet promotions for existing users simultaneously.
Copybet
CopyBet offers over 35 sports markets, including football, basketball, and Esports, but lacks horse racing. Its unique "CopyBet" feature lets users mirror bets from top punters without extra accounts. The average margin is 6.5%, categorised as usual.
Monster Casino
The sportsbook offers over 40 markets, including tennis, Esports, and horse racing, with a football margin of 6.11%, rated average. Live betting features detailed event overviews, but live streaming is unavailable. Apps for iOS and Android are supported.
Mr.Play
Mr.Play provides a diverse sportsbook with over 30 sports, including niche options like squash and winter disciplines. In-Play betting covers nearly 2,000 daily events, featuring rapid markets and partial Cash Out tools. Its easy-to-use mobile platform ensures smooth navigation.
Quinnbet
QuinnBet offers 28+ sports with competitive odds and handy tools like Create a Bet and Partial Cash Out. Football features 800+ markets, while tennis and basketball offer solid coverage. Margins average 4.5-5.8%, varying by sport. However, live streams are limited to horse racing, and only debit cards are accepted.
Virgin Bet
The platform is backed by the established Virgin brand and offers 37 markets, including football, horse racing, and Esports, with a focus on promotions. Unique features include the "Fives" game offering Free Bets for player goals and bonuses for winners at odds of 3/1 or more.
FanTeam
FanTeam focuses exclusively on fantasy team competitions. Margins average 6.88% on football, with limited markets covering basketball, football, golf, hockey and Esports. While In-Play and live streaming are absent, the platform provides a simple, reliable mobile app for seamless wagering.
Coral
Coral offers 47 sports, with football and horse racing as the main focus, deep markets and features like Best Odds Guaranteed and Extra Place terms. Football markets reach 200 options per event and daily winnings cap at £1,000,000. Live betting is robust, with live streaming mostly available for horse racing.
SportPesa
FanTeam focuses on sports betting and fantasy competitions, offering markets in football, basketball, golf, and Esports. Football margins average 6.88% with competitive odds on the major leagues. Ideal for punters who value simplicity and dedicated sports features.
Bluefox
It offers over 40 sports, including top-tier UK leagues with 1,800 outcomes per match and niche options like sumo. Bonuses include cashback, weekly rewards, and up to 5 Free Bets monthly. Margins average 5-6%, with better odds for totals. Features include Cash Out and Combo Bet Creator.
Hollywoodbets
Hollywoodbets UK, active since 2019, offers betting and casino services with average odds. Its football margin is 6.27%, covering over 35 disciplines, including Esports and virtual events. Live betting is available, though horse racing is excluded. The mobile app supports Android and iOS, but live streaming is absent.
Bet365
A leading platform in many ways. Bet365 offers 41 betting sections, including extensive soccer outrights and horse racing markets. It offers live streaming for many events and a competitive In-Play section with diverse options. Margins average 5.4% for football, with robust Asian Handicap odds.
How to Choose Between Online Bookmakers from Our List?
Before registering with any betting site, you can explore our detailed reviews to understand each bookmaker's strengths and features. We prioritise security and only focus on UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licensed platforms to protect you from fraud and data theft.
Our team constantly monitors changes in the industry to ensure our recommendations remain relevant. We’ve made a UK bookmakers list to help you by showing the best ones by specific criteria. Here, you can find all the best UK platforms by the following ratings:
Also, below, you'll find our top 5 new betting sites with the most competitive options and best for various sports.
When choosing a bookie, it's essential to understand your priorities. Whether it's extensive sports coverage, loyalty programmes, competitive odds, or a user-friendly interface, each platform offers different benefits. You may value bonuses with fair terms, a wide range of sports, diverse markets or competitive odds. At the same time, you may prefer the availability of mobile apps for convenience. Check the features you need, such as live streaming, and make sure the platform accepts your payment methods and offers a bonus for making a deposit. Use these parameters to choose the best bookmaker for you from our list.
New UK Betting Sites Reviewed by Legalbet
21LuckyBet
21LuckyBet, licensed in the UK since 2022, offers a broad sports selection with over 550 markets for top football events, including customisable options in live betting. The bookmaker covers 40 sports, ranging from mainstream options to niche selections like politics and lacrosse. Key features include weekly cashback, loyalty rewards, and Cash Out and Super Bet tools. However, drawbacks include high margins, limited payment options, absence of live streaming, and no dedicated mobile app. However, 21LuckyBet prioritises safer gambling and has various responsible gaming tools to assist punters.
AK Bets
Launching online in 2023, AK Bets focuses on British favourites such as football, horse and dog racing, as well as virtual sports and casino games. With high odds - around 2% on Premier League games - and popular tools such as Cash Out and Build-A-Bet, it appeals to skilful bettors. AK Bets also provides a dedicated Tips site with expert-led blogs, videos, and podcasts covering key sports like horse racing, greyhounds, darts, and football. Despite its strengths in traditional sports markets, the platform lacks Esports options and loyalty programmes, while navigation on the desktop site could be improved.
BetGoodwin
Launching online in 2022, BetGoodwin continues the Goodwin Racing legacy by offering a wide range of horse and greyhound racing options. With live streaming for UK and Irish horse and greyhound racing, Best Odds Guaranteed and Free Bets up to £100, it's well suited to racing fans. The sportsbook covers around 30 sports, including Esports and football, with up to 500 markets on major fixtures. On the downside, it currently only accepts debit cards and does not offer 24/7 customer support.
JeffBet
JeffBet, launched in 2022, appears to be a competitive new sportsbook, offering over 2,000 selections for major football events, both pre-match and In-Play. The platform is easy to navigate and features a variety of payment methods, including e-wallets, cards, open banking, and PayByPhone, but all withdrawals incur a processing fee of 1% up to £3. New customers can take advantage of a generous welcome offer, receiving a £30 Free Bet when they deposit £10, along with a refund of all losses over the weekend.
DAZN Bet
Launched in 2022 by One Click Limited, DAZN Bet covers 30 sports, including popular options such as horse racing, football, and American sports. However, it lacks Esports. The operator focuses heavily on football, particularly the English Premier League, providing a range of outright markets. You can use full and partial Cash Out, as well as the Bet Builder feature, to customise wagers.
The Best Online Bookmakers for Various Sport
Football ⚽
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Bet365 - Extensive streaming coverage, relevant tools and promos
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Unibet - The average margin for European football is 5,35%
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Ladbrokes - Full equipped app with Bet Builder, ‘Request a Bet’, Full and Partial Cash Out features
Horse Racing 🐎
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BoyleSports - Coverage of all local and international meetings, including races in the USA, Australia, Japan and South America
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Betfred - The official sponsor of the St Leger Stakes, has an easy-to-use racebook with live streams and a 'My Racecard' feature
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Coral - Free live streaming, predictions and Coral Racing Club
Greyhound 🐕
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AK Bets – Dedicated dog section with live coverage of all UK/Irish greyhound racing
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10bet – Worldwide markets and special promos
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QuinnBet - Plenty of ante-post wagers and rare markets for UK and Irish races
Basketball 🏀
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Unibet - Live-streaming of NBA and the lowest margins (around 5.3%)
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Bet365 - Early Payout Offer for NBA and other basketball games
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10bet - Full coverage of tournaments worldwide, including championships in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Vietnam, Uganda, etc.
Payment Methods Accepted by Licensed Online Bookmakers
Licensed UK betting sites offer a variety of payment methods to increase user convenience and flexibility. Options like debit cards, bank transfers, and Apple Pay are standard, allowing users to access bonuses. Many sportsbooks also support e-wallets and prepaid cards, though deposit bonuses typically exclude these. While minimum deposits often start at £5, specific conditions may vary across sites, and some may charge a 1% fee for withdrawals.
Transaction times depend on the method. Deposits with most options are instant. Withdrawals with Visa, MasterCard, and Trustly generally take 1-4 hours and also start at £5-10, while PayPal and paysafecard offer withdrawals within 24 hours. Bank transfers take 1-2 business days. Always check specific terms on your bookmaker's site, as conditions may differ.
Bet with UKGC-licensed Bookmakers Only
All betting and casino sites in the UK must be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), an authority created to ensure a safe and fair gaming environment. The UKGC enforces standards to prevent fraud, money laundering, and the misuse of personal data. It's important to only wager with UKGC-licensed platforms, as they meet strict legal requirements to protect users. Established under the Gambling Act 2005, the UKGC requires all local or international operators to follow rules that promote responsible gambling and fair play.
Under this framework, gambling is legal in Great Britain, and players over 18 can access licensed sites without risking their data or funds. In addition, the UKGC mandates that operators offer tools like self-exclusion and deposit limits to support responsible gambling. For UK players, winnings are tax-free, with licensed operators bearing a 15% tax on profits instead.
The top betting sites are…
Here at Legalbet we have also categorised the top betting sites and their features to make them easier for you to find. They are:
By Sport: Football | Tennis | Boxing | Cricket | Snooker | Golf | UFC | Darts | Greyhound | Rugby | Horse Racing | Basketball | Baseball | Formula 1 | Ice Hockey (NHL) | Volleyball | Cycling | Netball | AFL
By Payment Systems: PayPal | Skrill | Klarna | Boku | Debit Cards | Apple Pay | Paysafecard | Neteller | Google Pay | Prepaid Cards | Revolut
By Features: Cash Out | £5 Minimum Deposit | Minimum Bet Sizing | Live Streaming | Betting Exchanges | Safest | Fast Withdrawal | Daily Free Games | New Betting Sites | Horse Betting Apps | Football Betting Apps | Virtual Sports Betting Sites
By Events: Politics | WWE | NRL Grand Final | MLB World Series | Euro 2024
By Esports: CS:GO | Dota 2 | League of Legends | PUBG | Valorant | FIFA | CS:GO Betting Sites with Paypal
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