What are the best sports spread betting sites in the UK? That’s what we want to know, and potentially something you want to know, too. That’s why we have put together our own guide towards such betting sites.

Here, we’ll be delving into the best spread betting platforms online for UK gamblers. We’ll also explain what sports spread betting is, how it works, what you need to know when engaging in it, and more. So, if you want to know about UK spread betting sportsbooks, we’ve got you covered.

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  • Spread betting service with fixed odds
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  • Wide range of racing and football markets
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Top Sports Spread Betting Sites in the UK 2024

There is no better way to advise you on the best spread betting sites than by outrightly listing them here. Below, you can see the sportsbooks we recommend for spread betting in the UK.

Spreadex – Includes a Fantastic Range of Sports to Bet On

It’s always great to discover sports spread betting sites in the UK that includes a top range of sports to wager on. After all, sports bettors like to have a choice when it comes to wagering. Spreadex is a site that provides this to you, and it has been operational since 1999. As a result, it provides a top-quality experience, bringing its knowledge and longevity to the table.

A look at the sports betting site of Spreadex

Spread betting is always what Spreadex has been about. The site provides it in a perfect way, too. The spread betting part of the site came about in 2006, with a financial spread betting platform coming not too long after. It did introduce a fixed odds betting platform in 2010 too, meaning that all types of sports gamblers are now catered to. The sportsbook has a licence from the UK Gambling Commission, keeping everything legit and of peak quality. Newcomers becoming a part of the platform will also get to benefit from a great sign-up offer.

Yet it is the selection of sports that stands out about Spreadex the most. As well as options for spread betting on football, cycling, basketball, and so on, the site includes possibilities for volleyball, handball, ice hockey, and more. There are some fantastic guides to spread betting on the site as well, while a mobile betting app also exists to download. That means you can place spread bets on the go. Customer care is something that Spreadex does well too, and there is a nice section dedicated to live streaming of sports.

Pros & Cons

What We Like:

  • Ideal selection of sports to bet on
  • Wonderful mobile apps
  • Top-quality customer support
  • Generous welcome offer for newcomers
  • Long-running brand bringing experience

What We Don’t:

  • Small selection of supported banking options

Sporting Index – Features Excellent Promotional Offers

The Sporting Index brand has been around for a considerable amount of time now. Opening its doors in 1992, it serves as one of the largest spread betting companies within the United Kingdom. Thus, it possesses a licence from the UK Gambling Commission. It’s also available as both a desktop site and a mobile app. One of the key perks about signing up for an account at this spread betting site is the inclusion of top promotional offers to claim.

The Sporting Index homepage

Sporting Index is one of the most reliable companies to become a part of. There is one of the most user-friendly mobile app and sports spread betting sites in the UK, which means you can enjoy spread betting from any location. The site offers a nice choice of sports to bet on, including popular options like football betting, horse racing, tennis, motor racing, and so on. Something else that is excellent about this site is the fact that you have access to tutorials to help you with learning more about spread betting. You’ll also find that the site supports some sought-after payment methods for depositing and withdrawing, too.

There is no maximum limit for withdrawals at the site, which is a great perk. Should you ever need any help while gambling at the sportsbook, you can reach out to a friendly and knowledgeable customer support team. Plus, the fact that there is an enjoyable welcome offer and various ongoing rewards to claim make it even more compelling to be a part of. The site features in-play betting, live streaming of sporting events, and some top-quality odds that you can benefit from as a player there.

Pros & Cons

What We Like:

  • Excellent selection of spread betting promotions
  • Fantastic customer support team
  • Good choice of sports to bet on
  • Ideal mobile apps for Android and iOS
  • Excellent, user-friendly website

What We Don’t:

  • Limited number of payment options

Sports Spread Betting Platforms Compared

The sports spread betting sites in the UK bring their own features to the fore for bettors to experience. As a way of looking at both together, we have put a comparison table for you to see below. See what these spread betting brokers provide to UK gamblers.

Feature Sporting Index Spreadex
Sports Spreads ✔️ ✔️
Financial Spreads ✔️
Welcome Offer ✔️ ✔️
Fixed Odds Betting ✔️ ✔️
In-Play Betting ✔️ ✔️
Live Streaming ✔️ ✔️
Bet Builder ✔️ ✔️
Results Service ✔️
Betting App ✔️ ✔️
Online Casino ✔️

What Is Sports Spread Betting and How Does It Work?

If you’re new to the sports spread betting sites in the UK, then allow us to give you some further information on what it is. Here is where spread betting is explained. A ‘spread’ is basically a prediction of something happening in a specified market for a given sporting event. It is expressed as a buy-sell range. So, if we take a football match as an example, you have the chance to bet on Total Goals in a specific match. The ‘spread’ for this may be 2.8 – 3.0. If you believe the outcome will be higher than that range, you ‘buy’. In the case of you believing it will be lower, you ‘sell’.

The more right you are with sports spread betting, the more multiples of your stake you have the chance to win. Getting it wrong more often means you can lose out. In our example, it’s likely that a spread betting site believes the example match will feature around three goals. So, you need to determine if you think more or less will be scored and bet accordingly. Naturally, different bettors will believe different things, so there will be some betting on higher and some betting on lower.

Fortunately, there are various markets that you can wager on with spread betting. Once you have a few goes at it, it becomes a lot easier to understand.

Buying

The first time you engage in spread betting, you’ll likely find it to be quite exciting, even if a little daunting. It’s ideal to start out with smaller bets whatever way you decide to bet, and choose a market with a lower volatility to it. Explaining spread betting is simpler with examples, so let’s take the aforementioned example of Total Goals in a football match. Let’s say Manchester City are facing Sheffield United, for example.

The sportsbook has a range of 2.8 – 3.0 in place, suggesting that it believes around 3 goals will be scored in the event. It doesn’t place a focus on a specific team scoring You believe that 5 goals will be scored altogether in the match, though. So, you click on the 3.0 option, which is a ‘Buy’ wager. Then, you enter your stake – let’s say £10 for sake of argument. If more than three goals are scored in the game, you win.

Selling

To put it simply, selling is the opposite of buying. So, you have it in mind that there will be less instances of the market occurrences in a game than the range. Using our example again, your mind is that only two goals will be scored in that football match. So, you click on the 2.8 option and enter your stake of £10. If anything less than 2.8 goals are scored, you win. Of course, 2.8 goals is not even an option in a football match, so if anything less than 3 goals is scored, you win the ‘Sell’ bet.

The difference with this type of bet at sports spread betting sites in the UK as opposed to a fixed odds bet is simple. With the latter, you win the same payout regardless of how many goals more or less are scored than the market number. With spread betting, you win more for every additional goal scored over the Buy price or however many goals below the range aren’t scored. Let’s say that zero goals are scored in the example – that’s 2.8 less than the starting number in the range. So, you would win more than if even a single goal was scored.

Stop Loss/Win

There is another part of betting on spreads explained here as well, which is the stop and stop limit orders. Stop loss orders are ideal techniques for anyone involved in spread betting. Of course, you need to know the difference between stop loss and stop win. A stop loss closes a wager if the spread moves against you by a specified amount. A stop win closes the bet should the spread move in your favour by a specific amount. These can protect a profit or prevent a loss if used correctly and are usually used on financial spread betting.

Let’s say you’re spread betting on the Total Goals scored again. Man City versus Sheffield United. The range is 2.8 – 3.0, and you place a bet on ‘Sell’ because you think only a single goal will be scored. In the end, the goals start piling in. There are seven goals scored altogether, and with each new goal scored, you lose even more. A stop loss or a stop win in place closes the bet before the goals reach that level. So, if you put a stop in place on that ‘Sell’ bet of 4 goals, then you limit your losses from the proceeding three goals in our example.

B2C UK Gambling

Online gambling in the UK is properly regulated and is worth nearly £6 billion. Over the past few decades, plenty of competitive operators have set up shop to offer casino games and sports betting markets. And today keen Brit punters can enjoy a rewarding gaming session while they relax in the comfort of their homes.

We have made it our job to compare hundreds of sites and recommend    the best ones to players like you. Our experts and contributors have first-hand experience with casino and sports gambling. So, you should look forward to an informative and unbiased analysis.

In our guides, we will discuss things like bonuses and how to claim them. We will also explain the various payment methods that you can you to move your funds and withdraw your winnings quickly and safely. Continue reading and to learn all you need to know to enjoy the ultimate UK gambling experience.

Pros and Cons of Sports Spread Betting

As is the case with anything, sports spread betting has its own advantages and disadvantages. You need to know about these before you join the best spread betting platform in the UK. Take a look at what the pros and cons of this betting activity are below:

Pros of Spread Betting:

  • Greater potential rewards available
  • Only as risky as you want it to be
  • Useful stop-loss and stop-win tools
  • Many markets available
  • Alternative way of betting against a favourite

Cons of Spread Betting:

  • You stand to lose a lot, depending upon the market

How to Place a Sports Spread Bet

If you’re new to sports spread betting, you’ll want to know the best way to go about placing such a bet. Below is a simple guide to becoming a part of a spread betting platform and proceeding with such wagers.

Step One – Sign Up for an Account

Signing up for an account at Spreadex

You will need to open an online account at one of the top spread betting sites in the UK as a first step. This will only take a couple of minutes to complete, requiring you to enter certain pieces of information about yourself.

Step Two – Make a Deposit

Entering card details at Spreadex

Once your account has been fully opened, you can navigate to the cashier page via your account and select a preferred payment method. Then, enter an amount to deposit, any details of the payment method and click on ‘Submit’.

Step Three – Visit the Sports Lobby

The available events to bet on in the ‘Football’ category at Spreadex

With your account opened and funded, you can navigate over to the sports betting lobby. Find your preferred sport to bet on and then clicking on the ‘Spread Betting’ button will display all the spread betting opportunities. Locate an event, click on it and see everything available.

Step Four – Place a Spread Bet

Betting on the 1st Arsenal goal in a match against Everton

When you find the market(s) you want to place spread bets on, you need to click on it or specifically click on the ‘Buy’ or ‘Sell’ option. Then, enter an amount to stake on that market before confirming the wager.

Step Five – Withdraw Your Winnings

Making a withdrawal via card from Spreadex

Navigating back to the cashier will allow you to request a withdrawal from your account. The amount available for withdrawal will be displayed. You then need to choose whether you want a card or bank transfer payment and what amount you want to take out.

Spread Betting Versus Fixed Odds Betting in the UK

There is a lot that can be said about the differences between standard sports betting and spread betting on sporting events. With a fixed odds bet, you are either right or wrong. There’s no two ways about it. When it comes to spread betting though, the more you are right with your wager(s), the more money you have the chance to win. In essence, you’re rewarded for your skills and knowledge. Spread betting is also only as risky as you want it to be. Thanks to the fact that you can manage your stakes and utilise tools like stop loss and stop win, you’re a lot more in control.

Of course, there is also the chance that a wrong decision in spread betting will go against you in a big way, too. That’s not the case with fixed odds betting. If you lose, you lose your stake, and that’s it. Losing with spread betting can be a lot more detrimental, unless you engage in smart wagering.

Spread Betting Versus Points Spread Betting

A point spread represents the oddsmaker’s and then the betting market’s best estimates on the numerical separation between two competitors. Sometimes that spread can be as small as half a point or upwards of 50 points, depending upon the sport(s) in question. For example, in the NFL, if the Kansas City Chiefs are at +1.5 and their opponents the New England Patriots are at -1.5, the latter team are favoured by 1.5 points. So, if you bet on them and they win by 2 points or more, you win your bet. The Chiefs are the +1.5 point underdogs. Betting on them means they need to either win or not lose by more than 2 points.

Spread betting covers a lot more ground than points spread betting. The latter of these simply focuses on the final outcome of an event, rather than a variety of different markets within a single event. Point spread betting is a great way to wager on big professional sports teams like those in the NFL and NBA, for example. Spread betting offers all of this and more, though.

Know the Spread Betting Prices

It’s vital for you to know about the different spread betting prices, especially considering sportsbooks tend to utilise different odds formats. In the UK, it is common for prices to be displayed in the form of fractions when betting on sports.

Fractional odds on the winner of the NFL Super Bowl at Spreadex

Fractional odds, like 16/1 on the Dallas Cowboys or 50/1 on the Chicago Bears winning the NFL are simple to understand. The easiest way to go about this is to convert it into how much you will win/how much you stake. So, if you stake £1 on the Cowboys in this example at 50/1, you win £50 should they be victorious.

Decimal odds are another popular way of odds being displayed at sportsbooks.They’re a bit easier to work with upon first glance. The decimal odds number represents the amount you win for every £1 wagered. This is for the total payout, rather than the profit on top of your stake. So, your stake is already included in the decimal odds format, making calculations easier. If we look at an example again – Chelsea are facing Man United at 4.00 and 1.30, respectively. If you wagered £50 on Chelsea, you could receive a total payout of £200 (£50 x 4.00). Betting the same amount on Man U would result in a payout of £65 if they won, which easily displays which the favourite and which the underdog is.

One other format to consider is the American odds. These always use a baseline value of $100 and utilise + and – in the odds. If the New England Patriots have -135 odds, they are the favourite and you have to risk £135 to win £100 from the sportsbook. If the New York Giants are facing them with +350 odds as the underdogs, you only need to risk £100, but should they win, you win £350.

If you want to get involved in spread betting sites in the UK, then you may want to know about the most popular markets to wager on. Below, there is a list of these markets that you can check out and experience.

  • Team 1/Team 2 – Prediction of which team will win a game and the margin of victory.
  • Winning Margin – The winning margin of one team over the other.
  • Total Goals – Total number of goals scored in a football game.
  • 1st Match Goal – The time, in minutes, of the 1st goal scored in a match.
  • Total Sets – Prediction of the total number of sets played in a tennis match.
  • Total Goal Minutes – The total time, in minutes, of all goals scored in the match.
  • Corners – The total number of corners taken in a football match.
  • Outright Winner – Wagering on the overall winner of a tournament.

Best UK Sports for Spread Betting

There are certain sports in the United Kingdom that stand out as being more popular with bettors than others. Some of these also make for ideal spread betting options over others, too. Take a look at the best sports in the UK for spread betting purposes below.

⚽Football

There is so much that you can wager on if you engage in football spread betting. As well as betting on the overall winner of a tournament or match, you can place spread bets on total goals scored, how many corners occur in a game, the time the 1st match goal will be scored, total number of goals scored in the match cubed, and more. Plus, so many football matches happen throughout the years that this sport is pretty much constantly available for spread betting.

Cricket

Cricket has been a favourite sport in the UK for a long time now. Like football, a series of inviting markets exist for you to wager on as a spread bettor where cricket is concerned. This includes betting on the specific team to win a match, a draw result to occur, the total runs scored by a specified team, total runs scored by an individual batter, prediction of what the team score will be at the time of the next wicket, and more. Again, a series of different cricket tournament exist for players to bet on throughout the course of the year.

Horse Racing

We all know that horse racing is a large spectacle in the UK, too. So, why wouldn’t you be able to engage in spread betting on these events? Popular horse racing markets for spread betting include Double Numbers, allowing you to bet on the total of the racecard numbers of the winning horses for all races, Favourites, offering bets on the total performance of the horses sent off as favourite for all races, and Winning Distances, giving you the chance to bet on the total of the winning distances for all races.

Rugby

For rugby spread betting, the options are split up into different categories – Match Markets and Team Markets. Within each of these categories, you have the chance to wager on a variety of possibilities. Try spread betting on the total number of points scored in a match, the total shirt numbers of all try scorers in a game, the total minutes of all tried scored in the match, or even certain handicaps.

Our Top Tips for Sports Spread Betting in the UK

Want to get started with spread betting as a UK player? Take a look at some of our top tips to remember when doing so as a way of getting a bit of an advantage.

  • Don’t Bet Too Soon – Wait until the last minute before you wager to take advantage of late team news.
  • Consider the ‘Sell’ Option – If the circumstances are right, don’t forget about using the ‘Sell’ spread bet.
  • Ignore the Hype – Don’t be influenced too much by hype around major sporting events – if you disagree, use your own knowledge.
  • Specialise in a Specific Market – Concentrate your bets on one or two markets to improve your chances of success.
  • Know the Rules – Become familiar with the rules of each market prior to betting on anything.
  • Take Notes – Make sure you record your wins, losses, bet amounts, win amount, starting and finishing balance, etc.

Responsible Gambling in the UK

All sites operating in Britain are required perform KYC processes to prevent underage gamers from accessing their service. In the UK, over 200,000 people have gambling addiction while around 1,200,000 are at high risk. So, all top sites offer self-exclusion programs to customers who want to stay on top of their game.

GamCare offers support and professional counselling for free to individuals facing gambling addiction. In addition to a 24/7 national helpline, the organisation also offers face-to-face meetings with an expert. Other organisations include, the National Council on Problem Gambling, Gamblers Anonymous and Gordon Moody Association.

Conclusion

Sports spread betting sites in the UK can provide plenty of entertainment to gamblers. There is a lot to experience, and the potential to win big is there, depending upon how a game goes. Make sure you familiarise yourself with spread betting on the different markets, gather as much information about a match as possible, and as always, have fun!

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