Top UK Betting Sites: Best Bookmakers for December 2024

Top Betting Sites UK - Best Online Bookmakers

Through data from the UK Bookmaker Awards and our own research, we’ve picked out the ten bookmakers we believe to be the best available across the United Kingdom.

1. bet365

bet365 is the UK's most popular betting site and this was recognised in the UK Bookmaker Awards which placed them 1st in a variety categories.

They have one of the most extensive market selections around, enabling users to bet on football leagues and horse racing from around the globe as well as a variety of niche sports, with generous offerings.

They also consistently provide good odds with regular odds boosts ensuring users receive some of the best prices available for specific markets. Their odds were consistently competitive across all major sports and topped the ranks when it came to offering the best horse racing odds.

A good welcome offer is increasingly important and bet365 ranked 1st again in our comprehensive study taking into account bonuses, minimum deposits, odds, wagering requirements, expiry times and more.

Overall, their platform delivers one of the finest user experiences among UK bookmakers, bolstered by superior banking services and an intuitive design.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your bet365 bonus code

2. Unibet

We found Unibet to be one of the most consistent performers across the board. They deliver a quality overall experience, consistently ranking in the top six across all categories at the most recent UK Bookmaker Awards.

Their welcome offer really stood out to us, ranking just behind bet365 in second place. Another crucial feature of any bookmaker is offering competitive odds which Unibet do for all sports and they ranked 4th and 8th for having the best odds in horse racing and football respectively.

Players also have access to a wide array of live streams, which adds an essential component to the modern betting experience and shine when it comes to their customer service and banking features.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your Unibet sign-up offer

3. Sky Bet

Sky is a trusted household name and their betting product matches their reputation. It is an excellent choice for online football betting in the UK, thanks to their superb online platform that is clearly laid out and easy to navigate. The menus load smoothly, and the abundance of well-defined tabs enhances user experience.

Their football markets are easily accessible, making their website and app ideal for those seeking a user-friendly platform. The selection of football markets is impressive, offering a wide range of matches, leagues, and tournaments from around the globe.

Sky Bet also offer numerous price boosts on a regular basis, compensating for any potential odds discrepancies and offering great prices across the board.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your Sky Bet free bets

4. William Hill

William Hill is one of the oldest and largest bookmakers in the UK. It was little surprise to us that they performed well at the UK Bookmakers Awards ranking 4th overall.

They offer an exceptionally wide and diverse range of sports markets - only bet365 ranked higher in the market selection category.

Their football odds are not the most competitive but they do offer numerous price boosts. They also offer odds boosts and accumulator insurance, a unique feature not found on many other betting sites, especially for multi-leg football bets.

They also make up the ground in other sports, particularly horse racing and offer generous welcome bonuses including an extra offer for mobile users.

Their online betting platform, both app and website, is outstanding and very easy to navigate contributing to the overall user experience in which they ranked an impressive 4th place.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your William Hill sign-up offer

5. Coral

Coral is one of the UK’s favourite bookmakers evidenced by ranking high in the majority of categories at the UK Bookmaker Awards. SportingBet was the only bookmaker who exceeded Coral’s banking features with a very low minimum deposit and a wide array of payment methods with fast transaction times.

They offer excellent football and horse racing odds complimented by a range of welcome offers. However, their market selection and customer service was lacking which is important for new players.

For the betting veterans out there who like to stick to the same markets, Coral have everything you need. They offer a great selection of promotions for existing customers, such as the ‘Super Series’ which is a free-to-play game with cash prizes.

Overall the site and apps are very well designed and the markets are clearly presented and easy to locate, covering all major sporting competitions. They secured 4th place at the UK Bookmaker Awards and would be higher on our list if they had more markets and better customer service.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your Coral sign-up offer

6. Ladbrokes

There is very little to choose between Ladbrokes and Coral ranking in similar positions across the categories in the UK Bookmaker Awards.

Ladbrokes also offer generous welcome offers boasting excellent banking options with low minimum deposits. Their website and apps are also very user-friendly and it is easy to find the market of your choice.

However, they just do not provide as many markets to choose from ranking one place lower than Coral in 19th for market selection. Their football odds also do not offer great value compared to the competition, but why excelled when it came to horse racing.

They ranked 2nd behind bet365 for offering the best horse racing odds, so if the horses are your bag, then Ladbrokes is an excellent choice of bookmaker.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your Ladbrokes sign-up offer

7. SBK

SBK is owned by Smarkets, who operate an award winning betting exchange. SBK is the sportsbook side of things and although they are mobile-only not offering their service on desktop, their platform is easy to use.

The comprehensive analysis conducted by the UK Bookmaker Awards highlighted some obvious strengths and weaknesses of SBK.

They were unrivalled when it came to football odds and provided the 3rd best range of welcome offers behind bet365 and Unibet making them an irresistible choice for football fans who are looking to sign up with a new bookmaker.

What lets SBK down is their horse racing odds and market selection ranking 21st and 19th respectively. That said, it is great to see a newcomer compete with the betting heavyweights. Their football odds, welcome offers and helpful customer service make them deserving of their 6th spot in the UK Bookmaker Awards.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your SBK sign-up offer

8. Virgin Bet

Virgin Bet may be a newcomer to the online betting scene, but they have quickly become an excellent option for anyone seeking a great choice of markets with a decent sign up offer.

They lead the pack when it comes to customer service proving to be extremely helpful and accessible via live chat, email and on the phone. If you are new to betting or simply appreciate quality customer service, Virgin Bet would be an excellent option for you.

They provide a lot of football offers and odds on markets from all around the world, including Europe, South America, Asia, and even semi-pro leagues. However, the odds do not compete with the big guns. They ranked 14th in the UK Bookmaker Awards and we found their horse racing offerings to be the most disappointing during the analysis ranking 25th.

That said, the variety they offer and weekly free-to-play games ensures users can find exactly what they’re looking for, and their price boosts can somewhat compensate for the odds.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your Virgin Bet sign-up offer

9. 32Red

32Red was established back in 2002 as an online casino and earned its reputation as one of the most trusted and best online casinos in the UK.

With these accolades, it is easy to forget that they also offer a brilliant sports betting service. They do not offer welcome offers for sports bets which is disappointing and they do not have many payment options.

However, they performed very well in all other areas in the UK Bookmaker Awards. Their customer service is excellent. They have a very friendly and knowledgeable team that are available 24/7 helping them rank 2nd just behind Virgin Bet.

What really stood out to us, was their football and horse racing odds. They ranked 5th and 6th respectively which is surprising considering they are primarily an online casino.

They also provide a lot of markets to choose from and host live streaming which many leading betting sites do not offer. Combining this with their customer service helped them slide into the top ten and come 9th in the overall UK Bookmaker

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your 32Red sign-up offer

10. BetVictor

We found BetVictor may not excel in any specific areas like most of the above bookmakers do but we found them to be a strong performer across the board. From their competitive odds to customer service, you can not go wrong by setting up an account with BetVictor.

Their odds are among the best available and their interface is superb, offering a slick, user-friendly, and fast-loading platform. They also offer a wide array of both new and existing bonuses for a range of sports.

They fall short when it comes to their selection of payment options and expiry times for their welcome offers, but they make up for it with their odds, customer service and overall quality of their site and apps.

UK Bookmaker Awards Category

• Claim your BetVictor sign-up offer

Biggest Sporting Action This Weekend

The United Kingdom will play host to a great deal of exciting sporting action this week as punters all over the country sink their teeth into plenty of great deals.

The Premier League is back once again with a full slate of enticing fixtures across English football’s top flight. In terms of the highlights, Newcastle United and Arsenal will kickstart the Saturday action with Sunday featuring two great games as Tottenham host Aston Villa and Manchester United lock horns with Chelsea.

In the cricket, England will play the second game in their ODI series against West Indies on Saturday after going 1-0 down in the first game courtesy of a disappointing eight-wicket loss.

Over in the rugby, the much anticipated Autumn Internationals kick off with England hosting the All Blacks New Zealand at Twickenham or now called the Allianz Stadium Twickenham. Also on Saturday, Scotland welcome Fiji which should be an exciting clash. In the meantime, the Premiership takes a breather making room for the Premiership Cup with four games on Friday including Cornish Pirates vs Exeter, Doncaster vs Sale, Northampton vs Leicester and Nottingham vs Coventry.

How We Review UK Betting Sites - What to Watch

Here at AceOdds, we like to look at a range of different factors when deciding which bookmakers truly are “the best”. We combine data, opinion and personal experience to help you make the best choices.

We have collected vast amounts of data and carried out extensive market research on UK Bookmakers to uncover exactly what payers want in their betting experience. We have combed through the following areas:

Sign Up Offers

This is the real “allure” of bringing in new customers - or, for keeping existing ones. The majority of bookmakers will do everything in their power to make their offers seem irresistible, but it’s important to weigh them all up against one another. After all, one man’s “bet £10 get £20” could be another’s “bet £10 get £40”.

We constantly update and track offers from all available bookmakers throughout the course of the year, ensuring everyone has a fair and honest understanding of what’s out there.

Betting Markets & Odds

It’s a fairly simple concept for most people to understand: the better the odds, the more money you stand to win. In addition, the more betting markets that are available, the more likely it is that you’ll find something to suit your needs.

Whether it be special events, a different sport or even virtual games, there are more ways to bet than ever before. We are constantly looking at how markets change and with that, we’re able to suss out which bookmakers are giving you the best value.

Customer Service

As is the case with most industries, you need helpful and accessible customer service. When you have a technical issue or general concern, there’s nothing worse than not being able to get through to an agent or member of staff.

From a live chat function to speaking with someone over the phone, we’re in an era where first impressions matter. If your customer service isn’t up to scratch, there are ten more bookmakers waiting around the next corner for extra business.

Live Streaming

In the modern age of sports, very few things are as popular as live streaming. While classic television channels still exist and thrive, streaming services are becoming increasingly more relevant with each passing day.

So, as you can imagine, bookmakers also want to get in on the action. It’s not going to make or break a bookmaker, but if live-streaming options are available, it’s going to be a big entry in the pros column.

Best Betting Sites - Better Collective UK Bookmaker Awards

The annual UK Bookmaker Awards offer an interesting insight into how different bookmakers operate. As opposed to working off word of mouth or one shiny new offer on a billboard, it breaks down the key ingredients that transform a good bookie into a great one.

This industry-focused event looks at the data behind the odds and ranks them in a string of different categories. With a team of 15 people using more than one million data points over the course of twelve months, there’s a lot to break down.

As you can see, we’ve taken heavy inspiration from these awards when determining the best betting sites to fit your needs. Below, we’ve taken the time to run through the key winners from the most recent ceremony.

• Best Football Odds - SBK
• Best Horse Racing Odds - bet365
• Best Markets Selection - ZetBet
• Best Customer Service - Virgin Bet
• Best Banking Options - Sportingbet
• Best User Experience - bet365
• Best Welcome Offers - bet365
• Best Sports Bookmaker UK - bet365
• Best Sports Bookmaker UK Players’ Choice - bet365

How is the UK Bookmaker Awards judged?

The UK Bookmaker Awards are judged after extensive data driven market research over a 12-month period which entails the following:

• Large-scale survey on betting habits, markets and sports on all main sites
• Review of data collected ongoing each month
• Country-based focus groups held to clarify findings and gain a better understanding of bettors
• Awards categories confirmed by market research
• Data review on a monthly basis
• Weighting of all data based on survey results and final scoring

For more info on the judging process, click here.

UK Bookmakers Licensing and Regulations

All UK bookmakers are required to be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, meaning they will abide by all UK consumer protection laws - which includes data protection and data privacy.

The focus is on keeping players safe, with the UKGC’s aim being to ensure gambling is safe, largely by being tough on compliance and enforcement as well as providing safer marketing and advertising.

Responsible Gambling

While gambling is often just a fun hobby for many, it can quickly turn into something more sinister. When you’re betting on different markets, whether it be daily, weekly or monthly, it’s important to stay in control - and there are a number of services that can help you do that.

The majority of UK bookmakers have a string of safety features that can be utilised. This includes reminders of how long you’ve been using the app/website, deposit limits, self-exclusion and more. The aim of these initiatives is simple: to help keep things comfortable, easy and safe. You may also want to consider keeping track of your wins and losses, giving you a clearer picture of when would be a good time to take a step back and avoid chasing losses.

To assist you in maintaining control and enjoying your betting experience, we recommend the following organisations:

• GambleAware
• GamCare
• Primary Care Gambling Service
• MoneyHelper
• National Problem Gambling Clinic
• Gamblers Anonymous