14 Best Football Betting Sites UK – Bet on Football Online

Football betting sites are a dime a dozen in the UK as it is by far the most popular sport to bet on. The sheer number of options can feel overwhelming, so we put together this guide to help you find the perfect one. 

Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about betting on football in the UK, including why BetMGM is the number one choice. We’ll list the best sportsbooks, explain the wagers you can place, give you tips on hopefully turning a profit, and much more. 

The Top UK Football Betting Sites in November 2024

BetMGM UK	Bet £10, Get £60 in Free Bets	Bet £10, Get £60 in Free Bets Very trustworthy gambling brand Offers exciting Euro 2024 promotions Quality user experience	9.9 BetMGM UK	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	Users must be 18+. 7 days to claim the offer by making a £10 qualifying bet at odds of 1/1 or more to get 6x free bets. They are £10 each for horse racing, two Bet Builders, 2 accumulators, and one football wager. 7-day expiry.
Spreadex UK	Bet £25, Get £50 in Bonuses	Bet £25, Get £50 in Bonuses Spread betting service with fixed odds Live streams of several different sports Insurance deals for football & horses	9.8 Spreadex UK	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. 18+ begambleaware.org Plus Best Odds On All Premier League Matches (fixed odds Match Odds, pre-match v top 5 bookies on Oddschecker). See full details here.
Tote UK	Bet £5 Get £20 In Free Bets	Bet £5 Get £20 In Free Bets Horse Racing specialist Home of the Placepot Bigger Pools, Better Value	9.8 Tote UK	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	New customers online only. Place your first bet on racing pools for a minimum of £/€5 and win or lose you will receive £/€20 Tote Credit. £/€20 Tote Credit rewarded as £/€10 redeemable against racing bets only and £/€10 redeemable against UK and Irish placepot bets only. Tote Credit cannot be withdrawn, exchanged, or substituted and expires after 7 days. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool bet added to the bet-slip. Ten to Follow, virtual and football bets do not qualify. Totewin will be the qualifying bet when a Totewin and a Toteplace bet are struck at the same time. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleaware.org
Planet Sport Bet	Bet £20, Get £10 in Free Bets	Bet £20, Get £10 in Free Bets A big emphasis on horse racing Frequent football game odds boosts Quality sports betting analysis	9.7 Planet Sport Bet	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED
Netbet UK	Bet £10 And Get A £10 Free Bet	Bet £10 And Get A £10 Free Bet Lottery available Over 1,000 games available Good table game selection	9.7 Netbet UK	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	DEPOSIT AND BET £10 MINIMUM ODDS 1/2 (1.50) / £10 FREEBET / VALID 7 DAYS / T&CS APPLY / 18+ / BEGAMBLEAWARE.ORG
AK Bets	Bet £10, Get £10 in Free Bets	Bet £10, Get £10 in Free Bets New football promotions on a daily basis Covers 28+ different sports Competitive odds across the board	9.7 AK Bets	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED
NRG Bet	Bet £25+ on Slots to Get 80 Free Spins	Bet £25+ on Slots to Get 80 Free Spins Offers daily Euro 2024 promotions Immersive live betting experience Quality mobile betting platform	9.7 NRG Bet	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED
Luckster	Exclusive Offer Bet £10 Get £10	Exclusive Offer Bet £10 Get £10 User-friendly interface Wide range of sports events A variety of betting options	9.7 Luckster	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	Standard Welcome Offer terms(Bet 10 Get 10): This offer is for new customers only and is available once per household. Max. FreeBet amount: £10 Minimum Deposit and wagering on sport to activate the Free Bet is: £10 Void/cancelled or cashed out bets do not count towards wagering to activate the free bet
BetUK	Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets	Bet £10, Get £30 In Free Bets Regular price boosts Good number of additional specials Efficient mobile app available	9.7 BetUK	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	T&Cs apply. New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
Kwiff UK	Bet £10 Get £20 Surprise Bet	Bet £10 Get £20 Surprise Bet Roulette with 5x payout chance on every win Good choice for live casino Good selection of table games	9.7 Kwiff UK	Play Now NO CODE REQUIRED	New customers & 18+ only. Min. deposit of £/€10. Qualifying real money bet of £/€10. Min odds greater than or equal to 1.5 required. E/W bets excluded. Offer credited within 48 hours. Additional T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly

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Top Football Bookies in the UK – Unbiased Reviews

You’ve already seen our favorite UK football betting sites. Now it’s time to find out why they are on this list so you can pick the perfect bookie for your needs.

1. BetMGM – Best Football Betting Site in the UK

Our Verdict (5/5)

BetMGM made its debut in the UK in 2023 after establishing a solid reputation in the US. The brand is co-owned by Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes, and MGM Resorts International, a US casino company. It offers one of the easiest-to-use football betting platforms and is the top choice for bettors in the UK.

BetMGM offers a full range of real-life and virtual sports, including football. It has betting options aplenty, but – as we’ll see – its biggest draw is its fantastic special offers.

Football Betting Options (4.8/5)

Men’s and women’s football matches from around the world – both at the top level and the lower leagues – are covered here, pre-match and in-play. These are available on the mobile app too, which happens to be one of the best on the market right now.

We were impressed by the variety of betting markets. There are also plenty of useful tools to help improve the overall football wagering experience, such as early cash-out and bet builder options.

Payment Options (4.5/5)

BetMGM has a great mix of payment methods available to users. They include debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal. The processing speeds are quite good for withdrawals and you don’t have to pay any fees.

Customer Support (4.8/5)

The quickest way to contact BetMGM is via the 24/7 live chat, although an email address is also provided. There’s also a comprehensive FAQ section that should give you a good insight into the operator’s systems and processes.

Bonuses and Promos (5/5)

This is definitely BetMGM’s best feature. First off, the welcome offer gives you $60 in free bets when you make a $10 qualifying bet, so you really get your money’s worth. These free bets are divided into a $10 horse racing bet, two $10 bet builders, two $10 accumulators, and one $10 football free bet.

The ongoing promotions are fantastic, with everything from daily enhanced odds to weekly free bets, accumulator boosts and money back offers.

2. SpreadEx – Leading Football Spread Betting Site

Our Verdict (5/5)

If you’re looking for a football betting site that ticks every box, look no further than SpreadEx. This brand represents a perfect cross-section between variety, stability, reliability, and flexibility. 

SpreadEx has an excellent track record, going back well over two decades. Most excitingly for football fans, this is one of the few football betting websites on which you can place either fixed odds or spread bets. 

Football Betting Options (5/5)

Football is given in its own section here. This contains all the major club and international competitions you’d expect to find, for both per-game and outright betting. 

Best of all, however, you’re not limited to fixed odds betting here. You can also place spread bets, which basically pay out different amounts depending on ‘how right’ (or wrong) you are.

Payment Options (2/5)

This is basically the only weak point of SpreadEx. No third-party payment options – such as eWallets – are included. Instead, you’re limited to using traditional methods like debit cards, bank transfers, and even cheques. 

Customer Support (4/5)

Getting in touch with SpreadEx is a cinch. You can do so easily via live chat or phone, and there’s also an email address you can use. The FAQ section is also helpful. 

Bonuses and Promos (3/5)

SpreadEx’s bonuses aren’t the best, but they’re certainly solid. Separate welcome offers are available for fixed odds and spread betting. Football fans also get access to First Scorer Insurance, and there’s a good ‘refer a friend’ scheme.

3. BetUK – Massive Selection of Football Betting Markets

Our Verdict (4.5/5)

BetUK is a relatively experienced brand, having been around for over a decade. While still not a household name, it is an excellent all-round site on which to place football bets.

BetUK’s most appealing feature is its massive range of football betting options. There are also some tasty specials bets though, and a couple of excellent football bonuses.

Football Betting Options (5/5)

This bookie has one of the best market selections for online football betting in the UK. There were almost 67,000 individual betting opportunities at the time of writing, which is a staggering amount in anyone’s book. Whether you want to wager pre-game or in-play, per-game or outright, your options here are never-ending. 

Payment Options (3/5)

BetUK’s payment choices aren’t as bad as SpreadEx’s, but they’re still not great. Debit cards and bank transfers are definitely the main options, but you can at least use PayPal here too.

Customer Support (4/5)

You can contact the BetUK support team using live chat, easily accessible via a button in the bottom-right of your screen. Email is also an option, and the Help Centre can answer many of your questions without needing to ask a soul. 

Bonuses and Promos (4.5/5)

The welcome offer here is a classic Bet £10, Get £30 deal, which is perfectly fine by us. After using that, football bettors can join the BetUK Acca Club, through which you can earn a £5 free bet each week. 

4. Kwiff – Exciting and Innovative Special Offers

Our Verdict (4/5)

If you’re looking for a truly ‘different’ site on which to bet on football, look no further. Kwiff is unlike any other sportsbook, particularly in its approach to betting bonuses.

Even aside from this innovation, Kwiff has both a solid track record and a clear commitment to sheer fun. Football fans can also enjoy an excellent mobile app, which is arguably even better than the desktop site. 

Football Betting Options (3/5)

While it can’t quite compete with BetUK, Kwiff still has a solid range of football betting options. These include domestic competitions from all around the world, plus the biggest continental and international contests. The in-play markets are particularly good here, but the longer-term outright options aren’t the best.

Payment Options (3.5/5)

Kwiff’s payment options are slightly better than those of the prior two brands but still aren’t great. Aside from the classic methods, like debit cards, you can also use PayPal and ecoPayz here. Payouts are relatively quick, and the minimum payment amount is a standard £10.

Customer Support (3.5/5)

Live chat is the only way to get directly in touch with Kwiff, but it’s easy to use and the actual customer service is solid. The FAQ section is excellent and is easily navigable via a search tool. 

Bonuses and Promos (4..5/5)

New customers get access to a solid welcome offer here, while ongoing football bettors can use acca insurance, join the Sports Club, and more. 

The real innovation here is the way in which bonuses work, however. Free bets are actually given as ‘surprise bets’, placed for you using Kwiff’s algorithms. Both your odds and cash-out amounts can also be ‘supercharged’ at random. 

5. Rhino – A Constant Stream of Football Specials Markets

Our Verdict (4/5)

Rhino is the newest football betting site we’ve looked at so far and is probably the least known. Don’t let this put you off, because Rhino still absolutely belongs on this list.

This is a nicely streamlined sportsbook, with a fantastic football betting app. There are also regular price boosts on top markets and plenty of live statistics for EPL matchups to help with your football in-play betting.

Football Betting Options (4/5)

In its global football markets, Rhino lags behind the competition. It still covers all the major European competitions in style, however, which – for most punters – will be the priority. The interface is very easy to navigate here, the odds are fair, and there are also some highly appealing Specials football bets to try out. 

Payment Options (3/5)

Like a couple of the options we’ve already looked at, Rhino doesn’t exactly provide a well-rounded selection of payment options. You can only use traditional methods here like debit cards, cheques, and bank transfers. Payout speeds are reasonable, and you actually have the choice between using either GBP or EUR. 

Customer Support (2/5)

This is the clear weak point at Rhino. There is no direct contact option, with neither live chat nor phone support available. Instead, the only ways to get in touch are by email and social media. The FAQ section isn’t particularly impressive either.  

Bonuses and Promos (2/5)

The welcome offer at Rhino is acceptable, but hardly thrilling, only providing a 1:1 bonus on your first deposit. Unfortunately, there are no ongoing promotions for football bettors, although – as noted – certain markets do have enhanced odds. 

6. BetGoodwin – Get Price Boosts for Big Football Markets

Our Verdict (4/5)

BetGoodwin has an excellent track record, stretching back to 1997. The online sportsbook is nice and modern, however, having only launched in 2021. 

Football bettors here are certainly in safe hands, with BetGoodwin a recognized and reliable brand. While horse racing is the clear priority here, there are still solid selections of betting markets, featured bets, and excellent customer support.

Football Betting Options (4/5)

BetGoodwin provides a worldwide selection of football betting markets, stretching from Belgium to Burundi. Most of these are available both pre-match and in-play, and there are also plenty of outright options. BetGoodwin also provides Price Boosts and suggests Featured Bets. 

Payment Options (2/5)

Once again, we find a lackluster selection of payment options here. In fact, there’s only one in this case – a debit card. Looking on the bright side, BetGoodwin does provide some of the fastest payouts around, with your money usually arriving in your account within only a few hours. 

Customer Support (3.5/5)

You can get in touch directly with BetGoodwin via live chat, allowing you to get your problems solved immediately. Email is also an option, although strangely there is no FAQ section in place. 

Bonuses and Promos (0/5)

As noted, BetGoodwin is very much a horse racing-focused sportsbook. While it does provide plenty of options for football betting, this does not extend to special offers. At the time of writing, there are five deals for racing fans, and none for football bettors. 

7. BetStorm – Compete on the Football Leaderboard for Free Bets

Our Verdict (4/5)

Some betting companies focus on one sportsbook only, while others create a whole range of different brands. ProgressPlay is definitely an example of the latter, with BetStorm being one of its latest – and greatest – sportsbooks.

Launched in 2021, BetStorm is a typically well-rounded sportsbook from ProgressPlay. It has a fantastic range of football betting markets, an unusually wide selection of payment methods, and some intriguing special offers.

Football Betting Options (4.5/5)

Unlike with BetGoodwin, for example, football is the clear priority here. Some 850 upcoming games from around the world were available to wager on at the time of writing, representing many thousands of individual football bets. BetStorm is particularly strong in-play, providing plenty of bet types and fair odds that update frequently. 

Payment Options (4/5)

BetStorm easily provides one of the better selections of payment options on this list. These include not just debit cards, but PayPal, Paysafecard, PayviaPhone, and ecoPayz too. It’s worth noting, however, that withdrawals aren’t the quickest here. 

Customer Support (4.5/5)

BetStorm clearly takes its customer support extremely seriously. 24/7 service is provided here, and you can reach out via live chat or email. The FAQ section is also excellent, with dozens of entries and a handy search function to sort through them. 

Bonuses and Promos (4/5)

The welcome offer here isn’t the most exciting, although it still doubles your initial deposit. The ongoing promotions are better, with Free Bet Mondays the outstanding football deal. You can also enter a Football Leaderboard, with the most successful punters getting a free bet.

8. Sporting Index – Grab the Biggest Welcome Offer Around

Our Verdict (4/5)

Our #1 recommended site, SpreadEx, is the top dog when it comes to football spread betting. Make no mistake, Sporting Index isn’t far behind. Like SpreadEx, it also offers fixed odds football markets.

Sporting Index is a prestigious brand with a fantastic reputation. It has a wealth of football betting options, and new customers can benefit from one of the biggest and best welcome offers around.

Football Betting Options (4.5/5)

Spread betting on football is the main focus here. You can not only place these wagers on a range of outcomes but do so on competitions from all around the world, from La Liga to the Bahrain Premier League.

This worldwide range of options extends to the fixed odds betting section too, with plenty of pre-match, in-play, and outright wagers available to place. Both forms of online gambling can be enjoyed via either the desktop site or mobile apps. 

Payment Options (2/5)

Once more, you’ll find a lackluster range of payment options here, with a debit card and bank transfer as your only two choices. Skrill and Neteller were both previously supported, but this stopped in 2020. Withdrawal times aren’t particularly quick either, usually taking 3-5 days.

Customer Support (4.5/5)

Sporting Index shows an admirable commitment to its customers. Support is available 24/7 via phone here, or between 8am-11pm using live chat.

You can also send an email, and even a postal address is provided. Special mention should also be made of the indirect support, including an excellent FAQ and a handy ‘Jargon Buster’.

Bonuses and Promos (4/5)

The welcome offer for spread bettors on Sporting Index is enormous. You can get 50% of all your losses on spread bets back for the first seven days after signing up, up to a mighty £500.

Better yet, this comes as cash rather than a free bet. Existing customers can also use the Unlucky Bonus, which basically insures one selection of specific exotic multiples.

9. Tebwin – Benefit from 24/7 Customer Support

As noted earlier, the operating company ProgressPlay runs a number of sportsbooks. Tebwin is another of the better examples. While only launched in 2021, it exemplifies the professionalism and well-rounded nature typical of ProgressPlay.

Tebwin provides punters with a massive range of football betting options. It also offers superior customer support, along with a couple of intriguing promotions. 

Football Betting Options (4.5/5)

You can be sure of getting plenty of betting markets to choose from on ProgressPlay sportsbooks, and that’s definitely the case with Tebwin.

Football is its most-populated section by far, with thousands upon thousands of wagers to choose between, split across some 870 upcoming matches at the time of writing. These include not only regular, common bet types, but also handicap betting in football, outright markets, and more. 

Payment Options (3.5/5)

UK bettors have a decent range of payment options here. In addition to debit cards, you can use PayPal, PayviaPhone, Paysafecard, MuchBetter, and ecoPayz. Withdrawals aren’t the quickest and an annoying 1% processing fee (up to £3) is charged on all payouts.

Customer Support (4/5)

Whenever you encounter an issue on Tebwin, you’ll be able to get it solved quickly and helpfully. Most importantly, the live chat feature is available 24/7, which is obviously fantastic. An email address is also available, and the FAQ section is useful. 

Bonuses and Promos (4/5)

Tebwin’s welcome offer only gives you a £10 bonus, which is hardly thrilling. Football bettors can join the Free Bet Mondays promotion, however, or the Football Leaderboard, and all users are eligible for the loyalty program. 

10. 10Bet – Experienced Brand with Plenty of Payment Options

Our Verdict (4/5)

10Bet has an enviable track record, offering UK betting markets for over two decades. While it’s never been a household name, along the lines of Bet365 and William Hill, the actual quality of its offering is comparable to those larger brands.

10Bet doesn’t offer live streaming. Apart from that, it has basically every other premium feature. This includes excellent mobile apps and customer support, a nice selection of payment options, plenty of betting markets, and more. 

Football Betting Options (4.5/5)

10Bet provides you with dozens upon dozens of domestic, continental, and international competitions to bet on. It is particularly strong when it comes to in-play, with a single top-flight matchup in a European league usually providing 125+ betting options. These include regular wagers, handicaps, specials, and there’s also a very good sports bet builder tool.

Payment Options (4.5/5)

10Bet easily has one of the best selections of payment options on this list. In addition to debit cards and bank transfers here, you can use PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, Paysafecard, and Apple Pay. Withdrawals are also often processed within a single day.

Customer Support (4/5)

10Bet provides 24/7 support, so you’re never hung out to dry. You can get in touch directly via live chat and phone, or send an email instead. The Help Center is also packed with useful information.

Bonuses and Promos (4/5)

While the welcome offer here only gives you a 50% match on your first deposit, the bonus does go all the way up to £50. 10Bet also takes an innovative approach to its existing customer promotions, basically providing them on a per-game basis for big matchups, rather than as ongoing deals. 

The Best UK Football Betting Sites Compared

The 10 brands reviewed above are the best online football betting sites you can use right now. Each qualifies as a safe, modern, and reliable option. Even at this high level, however, differences do exist between their respective offerings, as you can see below. 

Our Criteria for Choosing the Top Online Football Betting Sites

Betting on football in the UK is enormously popular, which is why so many bookies continue to open up and offer this service. We’ve already narrowed these down to a clear top 10 for you, and these were some of the most important criteria we used. 

✅ Football Betting Markets

As you can probably guess, this was the first thing we looked at for all the bookies we judged. If their markets for the beautiful game weren’t up to scratch, they couldn’t contend for a place on our list of the best football betting sites. 

In our judgment here, we looked at both the breadth and depth of the sports betting market selection. We want to see as many competitions as possible, from as many countries as possible. We also rewarded the top football betting sites offering the greatest variety of football bets possible. 

✅ Football Betting Offers

High-quality special offers can make a significant difference to your betting success. That’s as true in football as in any other sport, which is why football bet offers were another major consideration for us. 

The first thing we checked was the welcome offer. We looked not only at the headline figure here but also at the genuine value represented by the T&Cs. After that, we turned to a brand’s ongoing promotions and considered how much they reward punters for their continuing loyalty. 

✅ Player Safety

When you’re signing up to a new site to place a football bet or two, you want to be sure that your personal details and your money will be looked after. That’s why player safety was another key part of our research here. 

Our first and most obvious step was to make sure each online bookmaker was fully licensed, preferably with the UK Gambling Commission.

After that, we looked at its security measures, which should ideally include 2FA, firewalls, SSL, reputable payment providers, and so on. Finally, we looked at the track record for each brand, and its wider reputation among users and critics. 

✅ Payment Options

The more payment options a sportsbook provides, the better. After all, a broader range of choices here should ensure it’s suited to a wider cross-section of punters. 

All modern-day bookies let you use the likes of debit cards and bank transfers. The best UK betting sites often go beyond this by also allowing payments using e-wallets, prepaid cards, mobile apps, and so on. Naturally, we also prefer withdrawals to be as quick as possible, and we docked points for the charging of any annoying transaction fees.

✅ Special Features

Betting on football has evolved a lot in recent years. We’ve seen a constant stream of innovations in sportsbooks, which – in turn – have made the betting experience more convenient and exciting than before. 

It’s rare to find live streaming of football on a UK sportsbook, but we’ve certainly rewarded this where it is in place. More commonly, we’ve looked for useful features such as bet builders, plus live statistics, mobile features, high-quality in-play, and cash-out tools.

How To Start Betting On Football

Betting on football nowadays is incredibly easy, with modern-day sportsbooks being extremely approachable and user-friendly. Here are the steps you must take to begin your online football betting journey. 

Step 1 – Choose Between UK Football Betting Sites

As noted, there are a whole lot of football betting sites in the UK and choosing one is your first task. For the purpose of this guide, we’ll assume you’ve gone for our number one recommendation, SpreadEx.

Step 2 – Create an Account

Bring up the home page of your chosen sportsbook, then click the Register or Join button, usually found in the top-right. Now fill out all the necessary personal details, and set your password and username. Once that’s done, agree to the general T&Cs and finish creating your account. 

Step 3 – Make a Deposit

Log in to your new account, using the details you just set, then click ‘My Account’ towards the top-right of your screen.

Select Deposit Funds, pick a payment option (in the case of Sporting Index, you’ll only have a couple), enter both your payment details and a monetary amount, and confirm the payment. Once the transaction has gone through, the money should appear in your account immediately. 

Step 4 – Place Football Bets

With your account funded, it’s time for the real fun to begin. Open up the Football section by clicking the link along the top menu, then find the matchup you’re interested in.

Pick a specific bet type by clicking on its corresponding odds, and it’ll automatically be added to your bet slip. Now just set a stake over in that bet slip, and confirm your wager. After that, rinse and repeat for as many football bets as you wish to place.  

Finding the Best Online Football Betting Odds

If your online bookmaker of choice is offering inferior odds on football markets, it’s time to stop using them immediately and find a new site. After all, if the prices you’re being given are unfairly low then there will always be a cap on your winnings, even if you’re placing the best football bets possible. 

Fortunately, finding out whether or not this is the case is easy. Just take a handful of odds from one bookie for a specific market, then compare these to the prices for the same market from a few competitors. If the other football gambling sites are consistently providing higher odds, it’s a good idea to make a change. 

Fractional Betting Odds Explained

Technically, there are a few types of betting odds (decimal, American, and so on), and most modern-day sportsbooks will allow you to change between these as you please. For online football betting in the UK, however, the most common type is fractional. 

Fractional odds might look complicated, but they’re actually pretty straightforward. In short, the number on the right represents your theoretical stake, and the number on the left your winnings for that stake. 

Here’s a quick example:

• Sheffield United are playing Wrexham, and are 4/11 favourites
• If you bet £11 here, and the Blades win, you will get a £4 profit back (plus your initial stake)
• Wrexham are 6/1 underdogs
• If you bet £1 on Wrexham, and they win, you will get back a £6 profit, plus your £1 stake
• Remember, you can put whatever stake you like down (over the minimum limit), and your winnings will adjust proportionally based on the odds

Popular Types of Football Betting Markets

Apart from being an exciting and unpredictable sport to try and predict, betting on football has one major advantage over doing so on every other sport. In short, there are a ridiculous number of football bets you can place compared to all other sports. Let’s run through the three most popular types of bets.

Pre-Match Football Bets

‘Pre-match’ wagers are placed on games that are coming up soon (markets typically go live a week or so before kick-off, but there’s no ‘rule’ on this). This is the most common type of football wager by far, which has the most individual bet types. 

You can make these wagers as simple or complex as you like. On the easier end, you can simply bet on the match result, or how many goals will be scored. You can also get extremely specific though, picking a player to score first, a time frame in which a goal will be scored, and so on.

Football In-Play Betting in the UK

The ability to place a football bet in play has easily been one of the biggest developments for punters interested in the beautiful game. You’re no longer limited to predicting what will happen before a ball is kicked. Instead, you can react to the latest happenings in real-time, and try to pick the perfect moment to strike. 

Simply due to its nature, there are fewer bet types available in play. You’ll still have a decent amount of choice, including Match Result, Over/Under Goals, and Next Team to Score. Crucially, you can also use the cash-out tool to bail on a bet that’s going bad or lock in some early profit on a promising wager. 

All of our recommended sites provide in-play football betting tools. BetStorm is arguably the best of the bunch, however.

Outright Betting on Football

These are the longest-term football bets you can place. They don’t just apply to a single game. Rather, they usually cover the entire length of a competition, be it a league (like the Serie A), cup, or qualifying phase.

The most common example is Outright Winner. You’ll usually get a few other options though, with popular markets including Top Goalscorer, To Be Relegated, Top Four Finish, and so on.

Free Football Bets

Free bets are a major target for experienced football bettors, and it’s easy to see why. Often simply called ‘bonuses’, these handy digital bonus tokens can be used instead of your cash balance. There’s no risk on your part while using them, therefore, but – if the bet comes in – you still get real money profits. 

Most of the best football betting sites we’ve recommended here provide free bets in one form or another. Below, you can check out the best free bet offer in each case, where applicable. 

Bonuses For Football Betting Online

Bonuses aren’t just there to lure you into signing up with a new brand. Instead, when used correctly, high-quality betting offers on football can have a sizable positive impact on your long-term profits.

Some of the best betting sites for football will provide specific offers dedicated to the beautiful game. Others will simply provide more general deals that are usable for betting on football. 

Here are some of the top types of football betting offers we’d recommend seeking out, along with a recommended bookie in each case.

Football Betting Bonuses Compared

As we’ve seen, there are plenty of different types of football betting offers out there. Of all these, however, it’s the welcome offers that invariably deliver the biggest bonuses by far. Sure, these might be short-term deals that can only be triggered once, but they can still provide a fantastic kick-start as you begin to bet on football games. 

Here’s a quick comparison of how the sign-up bonuses on our recommended sites compare:

Our Top Tips for Betting on Football

Betting on football games isn’t easy and there’s no guaranteed path to success. That said, you’ll certainly improve your chances by following the five tips below. 

1 – Start Slow

If you’ve never placed a football bet on games before, the worst thing you can do is go charging in, placing a ton of wagers with stakes that are basically random. Instead, we’d recommend starting as slowly as you possibly can.

Initially, place the smallest permissible stakes on your chosen sportsbook, and stick to simple bet types. Only when you’re completely comfortable should you ramp up those stakes, and grow more adventurous in your wagers. 

2 – Do Your Research

As noted, if you’re trying to learn how to win bets on football, you’ll quickly find there’s no ‘silver bullet’. If we could highlight one thing that is most likely to lead to increased success, however, it would be research. 

Quite simply, the more research you do, the higher your chances of making the best wagers possible; and, in turn, of making a profit from football game betting. Every wager you place should be considered and logical. Use as much statistical analysis as possible to help you out here, huge amounts of which are available for free online. 

3 – Watch the Games

As we just mentioned, we’re huge proponents of data-driven betting. There’s still a place, however, for the traditional ‘eye test’.

Watching as many games as you can – whether through sportsbook streaming or another method – will help inform your future picks on certain players and teams. Not only that, but it’ll help you spot the perfect opportunities for placing and cashing out live wagers. 

4 – Use Those Offers

A welcome offer will give you the biggest bonus you can realistically get your hands on, so we’d definitely recommend grabbing that whenever you join a new sportsbook.

Even after that, you definitely shouldn’t forget about the brand’s ongoing promotions. Whether these are helping to increase your potential winnings or cut down on your losses, they’ll still be boosting your long-term profits. 

5 – Bet Responsibly

Last but certainly not least, you should always remember that online football betting is supposed to be fun. If that ceases to be the case, we’d recommend taking a break.

If you’re still struggling, then either use the responsible gambling tools provided by your football bookmaker (time-outs, deposit limits, and so on) or seek help elsewhere. 

The Biggest Football Events In the UK To Bet On

As you might have noticed during our reviews of the best football bookmaker sites earlier, your options for betting on football are basically endless. That said, some competitions will appeal to more punters than others, and we’ve broken these down into three main sections below. 

The Best UK Football Betting Promotions

As we’ve touched upon already, the perception that all betting promotions are simply there to trick people into signing up is misplaced.

Sure, the bookie gets something out of it (your betting loyalty), but you also get rewards that can seriously help out your success in online football betting. Here are three of the most popular and useful types of football betting offers we haven’t covered yet.

Acca Offers

Technically, accumulators aren’t the smartest bets around. They’re definitely fun though, and can be highly lucrative when they succeed. 

Sportsbooks help you out here with two main football betting offers. 

The first is Acca Insurance. Normally, if just one leg of your acca fails, the whole bet loses. With Acca Insurance, however, if one leg does come up short, you’ll get a refund instead. 

The other is simply an Acca Bonus. This gives you a percentage boost on your winnings for a successful accumulator, with the size depending on the number of selections. 

10bet is highly regarded for acca offers and one you want to check out. Generous offers run regularly here, the one we like the most is cash giveaways up to £5,000 on winning ACCAs.

Enhanced Odds

This is one of the most straightforward offer types, but it’s also one of the most useful. As the name suggests, these deals simply involve increasing the odds on your football bets. In turn, your potential profits will also obviously increase. Usually, bookies choose the markets they enhance, but – in rare cases – you’re allowed to pick for yourself (usually via ‘Odds Boosts’). 

If you’re keen on enhanced odds, we recommend checking out Rhino.

VIP Programmes

The VIP program is one of the most common promotions on sportsbooks and online casinos. While the specifics vary from site to site, the basic principle is that – the more you bet – the more rewards you get. Typically you are given points in relation to your spending and can use these to buy free bets, cash rewards, and more. 

Tebwin has a solid VIP program for loyal punters, so if you’re on the hunt for rewards for your loyalty, check them out.

Take Advantage of Football Handicap Betting

When you’re just starting, we’d recommend sticking to simple wagers like Match Result, Over/Under Goals, and so on. As you become more confident, however, you can start to branch out across the broad world of football betting markets. As you do so, we’d definitely recommend football handicap betting. 

With handicap betting in football, you can basically start a real-world game with a ‘fake’ score. The outcome of your wager will then depend on how your fake score plays out, rather than the real one. 

Let’s say Manchester City are playing Southampton. Man City are 1/5 to win – odds so low that they’re not worth taking. If you like, however, you can take Man City on a -1 handicap. This means that – for the purposes of your bet – the game is actually starting with Man City one goal down.

If they only win by one goal in real life, your bet will be a push, and you’ll get your stake back. If they win by at least two goals, however, your bet will win, and you’ll get a better return thanks to football handicap betting than you would have with a regular Match Result wager. 

Football Betting Apps for Android and iOS

The days of only being able to bet on football games online using your desktop computer or laptop are long gone. Nowadays, you can easily use a football betting app instead. 

Convenience is obviously the main appeal since football betting apps let you place wagers wherever and whenever you please. They have all the same betting markets and special offers as the main platforms, plus all the same features like in-play betting and cash out.

They’ve been condensed and adapted for smaller screen sizes. Performance levels tend to be excellent nowadays, whether using iOS or Android versions, and crashes are generally kept to an absolute minimum.

Three Best Football Betting Apps:

• Kwiff – Bet £10, Get £20
• Rhino – Bet £20, Get £20
• Sporting Index – Cashback Up to £500

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been thinking about getting stuck into football betting for a while, there’s never been a better time to take the plunge. The quantity and quality of football betting sites have never been better. There are also more features, special offers, and betting markets than ever before. 

After reading this article, you have all the information you need to start betting on the beautiful game. All you need to do now is pick one of our recommended sportsbooks, create an account, grab the welcome offer, and start having fun. 

FAQ

Where can I learn how to bet on football online?

Right here, in this article. We’ve listed the best sportsbooks, the top football bets you can place, given you tips on making money, and more.

What is a football spread bet?

With regular, fixed-odds football bets, you wager on a specific outcome. With spread bets, you’re given a range of outcomes and predict whether the actual result will be higher or lower.

What are the best football betting sites in the UK?

Some of the top UK online bookmakers include BetMGM and SpreadEx

What is football in-play betting?

Regular football bets are placed before kickoff. As soon as the match begins, you can begin football in-play betting instead, placing wagers while the action is going on.

How can I learn how to win football bets?

You’ll find five excellent football betting tips in this article. In general, we’d recommend using special offers, building up slowly, and doing plenty of research before making any football bets.

Users must be 18+. If you are having trouble with gambling then help and advise can be found at begambleaware.org