Best Football Betting Sites in the UK for 2023
As anyone will tell you, football betting sites do an awful lot of business with punters. In this complete guide to them, you’ll find out everything you need to know about wagering on the world’s most popular sport, including bookmaker reviews, insights into markets, promotions and even betting tips. Let’s kick off with our choice of the best football betting sites around today.
Best Football Betting Sites
- All
Bet £10 Get £40 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 In Free Bets
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets
Get £50 in Bonuses
Get £50 in Bonuses
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Bet £25 or More And Get A £5 Free Bet
Bet £25 or More And Get A £5 Free Bet
50% Welcome Offer up to £50
50% Welcome Offer up to £50
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 In Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 Surprise Bet
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins
Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Bets + 100 Free Spins
Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet
Double The Odds On Your 1st Bet
Top 10 Football Betting Sites
Here is some more information about the best UK football betting sites where you can wager:
- BetMGM – Premier League and acca profit boosts every week
- bet365 – Betting giant is one of top choices for football
- Spreadex – The best choice for football spread betting
- QuinnBet – This Irish sportsbook has great football promotions
- Betfred – We love Betfred’s virtual football offering
- NetBet – A great choice for betting live on football
- 10bet – Pulse Bet feature adds extra element to live betting
- William Hill – William Hill football betting is a UK institution
- Kwiff – Enhanced football odds get a supercharge from Kwiff
- BetVictor – You can play BetVictor’s football prediction game for free
- Grosvenor – Casino giant has turned to football betting
Best Football Betting Sites Reviews
Now we’re going to go into a little more detail, with reviews of our five top online football betting sites. Our experts conducted them, leaving no stone unturned when it comes to the beautiful game. You may notice that these bookies are some of the best betting sites around today. Football is important to them all, so let’s see what our experts made of them:
1. BetMGM Football Betting – Get £40 In Free Bets When You Join and Bet £10
An institution in the United States, BetMGM UK arrived on British shores in August 2023. It didn’t take us long to consider them among the best football betting sites in the UK, and even less time to rank them top of the tree. If you’re looking for a classy betting experience, we recommend considering their offerings.
The site has a cornucopia of football betting opportunities, with thousands of prematch and live odds and markets covering the top leagues and tournaments on the planet. You can bet on everything from the Premier League to Serie A, and international tournaments to obscure competitions.
Whether you want accas, first goalscorer odds, Asian Handicap, total goals, double chance… BetMGM has it all. Even so, we believe top football betting sites should offer that little bit extra, and we are happy with the live and in-play markets, cash out opportunities, and bet builder functions.
What we we liked most was their excellent Golden Acca feature, which offers punters up to five 100% Profit Boosts a week on accumulators of 3 selections or more. Also, don’t turn down the chance to play the BetMGM free Golden Goals predictor for a chance to win up to £2 million.
What we like:
- Football-focused welcome bonus
- Comprehensive selection of football odds and markets
- Excellent live betting function
- Free Golden Goals football results predictor
- Golden Acca profit boosts
What we don’t:
- No tips and stats feature
2. bet365 Football Betting – Bet £10 & Get £30 In Free Bets
Launched in 2000, bet365 has become one of the biggest betting brands in the world. Denise Coates founded the company from a portacabin as an online-only bookmaker. The Coates family have proved their devotion to football, with their longstanding involvement with their local team Stoke City, where they are the majority owners.
When it comes to bet365 football coverage, it can’t be topped. They cover every match you could imagine in great detail, with live streaming often available.
Odds are super-competitive and are stats sections and a tips site, to give you the best chance of winning. There is a great range of football betting offers, with the highlights being Each Way First Goalscorer bets and an Early Payout deal when a team you back goes two goals up.
What we like:
- Big welcome bonus
- Tips and stats available
- Huge array of football markets
- E/W First Goalscorer bets
- 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout
What we don’t:
- No telephone live customer support
3. Spreadex Football Betting – Get £50 In Bonuses
When it comes to spread betting and sports like football, there’s only one sensible choice for punters and that’s Spreadex. If you’re unfamiliar with spread betting, it broadly works like this. You make a prediction and the more accurate you are, the more money you will win.
The flip-side is that the more you’re wrong, the bigger the amount you can lose. There are ‘stops’ in place that you can set to prevent you being able to lose too much. Losses can exceed deposit and account balances, though.
Just like other football betting sites, Spreadex also provide regular fixed odds markets on top of their spreads. You can try out both services when you sign up. With their welcome offer you bet £25 on fixed odds and you receive £50 in free bets, which are split between that aspect of their service and spread betting.
With Bet Builder, Cash Out and live streaming, Spreadex has everything that a football fan needs. This includes First Scorer Insurance that gives your stake back as a free bet if the player nets last.
What we like:
- Spread betting on football
- Fixed odds available too
- First Scorer Insurance deal
- 200% welcome bonus
- Good range of features
What we don’t:
- Not as many promos as other brands
4. QuinnBet Football Betting – Get 50% Back As A Free Bet Up To £35 + 10 Free Spins
An Irish bookies with a focus on both greyhound and horse racing, QuinnBet also take football very seriously. The site has a really pleasing and easy to navigate design, with their live sections and football coupons both being very easy to use.
The welcome offer of 50% of your first day losses, is not the most generous, but this is more than made up for by the brilliant array of football betting offers for existing customers available on the sportsbook. There are all sorts of insurance deals, free bets and money back promotions here. It’s fair to say that the other football betting sites that we reviewed do well to match QuinnBet’s offering.
What we like:
- Wide range of football offers
- Stylish site design
- Very generous odds
- Nice in-play section
What we don’t:
- Welcome bonus could be better
5. Betfred Football Betting – Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
Known as ‘The Bonus King’ for their devotion to giving away generous promotions, Betfred trace their history goes way back to 1967, when Fred Done started out with his betting shops. So it’s fair to describe them as a well-established British brand and have been at the forefront of the evolution of football betting sites throughout this century.
When you open an account with Betfred you’ll get one of the best welcome bonuses around. They also have great football promotions for existing users, such as Acca Insurance and their Double Delight/Hat-Trick Heaven bonuses for goalscorer bets. With a top quality sports betting app, a superb virtual section and a whole host of features, Betfred are still going strong.
What we like:
- One of the best welcome offers around
- Top quality betting app
- Double Delight / Hat-Trick Heaven deal
- Superb choice for virtual football betting
What we don’t:
- Website needs a revamp
6. NetBet Football Betting – Bet £10 And Get A £10 Free Bet
NetBet was launched in 2013 and has established itself as one of the leading football betting sites. The beautiful game is very much the priority for this brand, and it’s very easy to navigate around their slick site and find whatever competition you’re interested in. Their football coverage is very deep, with a massive amount of markets available for matches.
There’s a wide range of football bets that get the NetBet Boosts treatment each day, with the odds being enhanced. New customers get their first bet 100% matched and there’s a £5 free bet on offer every week if you place an English football acca. With Bet Builder and Cash Out facilities giving you extra control, NetBet is a solid choice for betting on football.
What we like:
- Slick site design
- Deep market coverage
- Weekly £5 free football bet
- Bet Builder & Cash Out
What we don’t:
- No live streaming yet
How we Rate the Best UK Football Betting Sites
Having seen our rankings of the best football betting sites, you may be wondering what criteria we considered when making our decisions. Here are some of the factors behind our bookmaker ratings that we think are important.
Bonuses and Promotions
The many bookies that are competing with one another, use football betting offers as a way to attract and keep users. We look for generous welcome offers that deliver genuine value and a wide and varied range of regular promos.Customer Service & Payments
This is the type of thing that users can overlook, but which are vitally important. Deposits and withdrawals need to be quick and easy, with plenty of options. When there’s a problem, a helpful customer service team needs to be available 24/7, through a number of contact methods.Depth of Coverage
Football betting sites will all cover the big events in some detail, but what separates the best from the rest, is how deep they will go with their market coverage. We also pay attention to the number of more niche competitions that are featured.Football Features
There are certain sportsbook features that are important to football fans. Bet Builder and Cash Out facilities are something of a must. Live streaming adds to the experience, while a mobile app is always useful. Additional content, such as tips and stats are appreciated.Safety and Security
Here is another factor that can be overlooked by punters, who are more focused on the fun part of online football betting! Safety and security are very important. You are trusting bookmakers with your personal details, financial information and money. They need to be licensed and trustworthy.
Key Features of Top Online Football Betting Sites
The following table shows the various features that are available at the top online football betting sites.
| Sportsbook | Acca Offers | Bet Builder | Cash Out | Handicap Markets | In-Play Betting | Live Streaming |
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| William Hill | |
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| Kwiff | |
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| BetVictor | |
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Best Football Markets to Bet on
In this section we’re going to take a look at some of the different type of markets that you can expect to find at top football betting sites in the UK right now.
Match Winner/Match Result (1×2)
Click on any football match at an online bookmaker, and the first market that you’ll see will be for the match result. It can also be known as 1×2 betting or the Match Winner. In the case of the former, the 1 represents a home win, the x is the draw and 2 is an away win.
When you bet on this market at football betting sites, you are wagering on the result in 90 minutes, plus any added time. It does not include an extra time of penalty shootouts, that can sometimes be used to decide games in cup competitions. To bet on the overall result, including extra time and penalties, you will need to bet on the To Qualify market, or on the competition winner market, if it’s a final.
Both Teams to Score (BTTS)
This is one of the most popular markets at UK football betting sites today. As the name suggests, you are betting on both teams to score in a football match. It is often shortened to BTTS. As is the case with the match result market, only goals scored within 90 minutes plus any stoppage time, count.
One of the reasons that this market is so popular is that bettors do not have to worry about the result. You can just sit back, enjoy the match and hope for plenty of goals. You can if you wish combine BTTS and the match result markets to get better odds. Many bookies offer this additional option.
Correct Score
If you want to be even more specific when it comes to predicting a result, then the correct score market is the one for you. You have to pick the precise final result in a football match. Naturally, this is a lot more difficult than simply predicting the result and, as a consequence, the football betting odds are bigger. Sometimes punters will back a number of correct scores, in order to increase their chances of picking a winner.
Double Chance
With double chance bets, you get two chances of backing a winner. You are basically betting on a team not losing or the match not ending in a draw. If you back a team in this type of market and they either win or draw, then you will be a winner, hence the term ‘double chance’.
When betting on a double chance market at football betting sites UK punters can expect to see smaller odds, than is the case with the match result market. This of course makes sense, as you are backing two of the three possible outcomes. You cover either a Home Win or Draw, Away Win or Draw, or Home Win or Away Win.
Draw No Bet
If you want better odds than the double chance market is able to supply, then perhaps Draw No Bet would be a more appropriate choice. With this result-based bet, you back a team to win and if the match is drawn, the bet is voided and you receive your stake back.
This is a smart bet for cautious punters using football betting sites and is often a sensible option when backing sides playing away from home. You’ll find the odds for a team in the draw no bet market, are somewhere in-between what you’ll find with the match result market and the double chance market.
Goalscorer Markets
There are a number of different types of goalscorer markets at the best football betting sites. We’ll run through them individually.
- Anytime – You are betting on a player to score at anytime during a match. Extra time and penalty shootouts are not included.
- First – With this bet you have to pick out who will score the first goal in a match. With this being more difficult, the odds are bigger than in the anytime goalscorer market.
- Last – You can also bet on who will be the last goalscorer in a game. Again, the odds are more generous.
- Next – This is a market that can be found with live football betting. You wager on who will score the next goal, so once the first goal goes in, the market is reset and you can bet on who will score the next one.
- 2 or More – If you think that a player will score more than once, then you can bet on them to score two or more in a game.
- Hat-Trick – A hat-trick is when a player scores three goals in a match and you can get big odds on a player achieving this.
Half-Time/Full-Time
This type of bet requires you to make two predictions. First, you have to predict the result of the match at half-time and then, you have to predict the result of the game at full-time. Being this specific means that you can boost the odds that are available in the regular match result markets. It’s a good way to get some value if you think a team will win easily, as you can back them to win in a half-time/full-time bet with the bookies.
Handicap Football Betting
A football betting handicap can be applied to favourites in order to make markets more even and appealing to punters. So if a team is a big favourite and too short a price for a bettor to back and get value, they might look in the handicap betting markets and back that team with -1 or -2 goals.
The team would then not just have to win, but do so by a sufficient margin to overcome the handicap. With Asian handicap football betting, the possibility of a draw is removed. So the handicap applied will include a fraction of a goal, such as -0.5 or -1.5, making a draw impossible.
Over/Under Markets
The most popular over/under market is 2.5 goals, where you bet on whether there will be over 2.5 goals in a game (three or more), or under (two or less). You can also bet on other goal totals at football betting sites, such as 1.5, 3.5, 4.5, etc. Then you can bet on instances in a match, such as the number of corners, or cards shown. This is another type of market which you can bet on without having to worry about the result.
Outright Betting
A long-term investment is betting on outright markets. You can bet on which team will win competitions such as the Premier League, FA Cup or Champions League. Then there are relegation and promotion markets, plus ones for a top four, six or half finish. You can even bet on major football events that are years away, such as which nation will win the next World Cup. There are also markets available featuring individual players, such as who will be the top goalscorer in a competition, or who will be named as the PFA Players’ Player of the Year.
New Football Betting Sites UK
UK punters never have to wait too long before more new football betting sites are launched. It’s a lucrative industry, so companies are regularly trying to gain a foothold with a fresh brand. That’s good news for bettors, as new bookmakers keep existing sportsbooks on their toes and often introduce innovative features. They also tend to have generous welcome offers and bonuses, as this is a relatively simple way for an unknown new brand to attract customers.
A good example is Kwiff, which was launched only a few years ago. It’s a brand that launched with a unique concept, which is for their odds to occasionally be given a big boost on bets that you place. You never know when your bets will receive this bonus and they will also supercharge your cash outs and present you with surprise bet opportunities. There’s no other bookmaker quite like Kwiff and this distinctive brand quickly became a favourite with those betting on football.
Where to Get the Best Football Betting Odds
If you’re playing a bet, then it’s natural to at the very least want a competitive price and value betting odds, or even the best available. Should you want to check where you can find the best prices for an event, there are odds comparison sites out there that make the job very easy. You’ll find our recommended football betting sites regular amongst the bookmakers offering the top prices.
No sportsbook can always have the best prices, so we’d always recommend building up a portfolio of bookmaker accounts, which you can dip into to get the best football odds. Amongst that portfolio, having an account with bet365 is a must. They generally offer great prices, but they are given a further boost with their Full Time Result – Enhanced Prices offer. Bet365 thus provide enhanced odds when you bet on the match result for selected matches in top competitions.
Live Football Betting
There was once a time that when you placed a bet before a football game, all you could do was cross your fingers and hope for the best. Football betting sites now offer live betting on matches, which gives you a lot more control. With football betting in play you can take up the option to Cash Out on bets and take an early profit, or place additional bets that cover your existing position. Or, you can wait until the action starts and see how the game is going, before making your mind up about a bet, with dedicated live markets provided that are not available pre-match.
We think NetBet are are a good option for live football bets. As well as providing a Cash Out facility, they have a SnapBet feature which allows you to bet on a goal being scored within specific time periods. You can bet on there being a goal in the next 30 seconds, one minute, five minutes or ten minutes.
Spread Football Betting
Spread betting started with financial markets and was extended to sports, including football. It’s a form of betting that can intimidate people as it is possible to lose a lot of money, but it is possible to add ‘stops’ which control how much it is possible to lose, so in that sense it’s not much different from placing a regular stake on a single bet. Essentially, you make a prediction and the more accurate it is, the more you win and the less accurate, the more you lose. This is represented as a Sell-Buy range.
So if the spread for the total corners betting in a match was 9.2-9.7, you would sell if you thought that there would be less than 9 corners and buy if you thought there would be more. Let’s say for example that you sold. The less corners there were, the more you’d win, so a game with only 5 corners would win you more than one with 8. Yet if you sold and there were more than 9, 15 corners would be more financially painful than 10. Spreadex is absolutely the number one choice for spread betting as the leader of that wager type among football betting sites.
Virtual Football Betting
With football matches taking place all over the world, then there are generally live matches taking place that you can bet on. Yet at certain times, on days where traditionally there are not many games played, such as a Monday, you might find that there is a lack of choice. This is where virtual football betting can be a handy alternative. Virtual betting simulates events across a range of sports, including football.
You can watch virtual football matches being played and bet using all of the regular markets that you will be familiar with, when gambling on regular games. With games kicking off every few minutes, 24/7, there’s always something to bet on for football fans, with the realistic graphics and gameplay making virtual games a close alternative to the real things. Of all the football betting sites offering virtual betting, we feel that Betfred are the best choice, with an attractive virtual section, packed with different options.
Football Betting Apps
No matter where you are, football betting apps enable you to place wagers provided you have an internet connection. As long as you have your phone, or other mobile device with you, then you can tap on your sportsbook app and easily place a bet. You can even use a betting app to place bets on a match that you’re actually watching live in the stadium.
Though bookmakers’ websites tend to work very well on mobile devices, we prefer the security that comes with a dedicated app. They are normally quicker and easier to use, as well. In our opinion, these are the three best apps available from football betting sites.
- Betfred – Bet £10 Get £40 In Bonuses
- bet365 – Bet £10 & Get £30 In Free Bets
- QuinnBet – Get 50% Back As A Free Bet Up To £35 + 10 Free Spins
Top Football Betting Offers & Promotions
Football betting sites have some great bonuses and promotions available. They can often be very generous and massively improve your chances of making consistent profits. We’re going to take you through some of the most popular football promotions.
- Acca Insurance – It’s annoying when you place a football acca and just one selection lets you down. With acca insurance, if only one of your picks loses, then you get your stake back in the form of a free bet. This is offer is available at Betfred, amongst others.
- Accumulator Bonuses – Another common type of bonus for multiples is a football accumulator bonus. The more selections you choose, the bigger percentage bonus the bookie will add to your winnings. 10Bet have such an offer, with a 5% bonus applied to a treble and that percentage increasing, right up to a 100% bonus for an acca with 16 selections.
- Bet & Get Deals – With bet and get deals, you place a bet for a certain stated amount and in return you get a bonus. If you bet £10 on a four-fold football acca at NetBet, you get a free £5 bet.
- Cashback Promos – This type of promotion sees you get cash back if you bet on a game and certain things happen, such as the crossbar being hit during the match. QuinnBet have a brilliant range of these type of promotions.
- Early Payouts – With early payouts, you get your winnings as soon as a certain criteria is met within the match. At bet365, if you back a team to win and they go 2-0 up, they pay your winnings immediately, regardless of what the final score is.
- Free Bet Clubs – Free bet clubs will reward your loyalty by giving you free bets, often on a weekly, or even daily basis. BetVictor has one of the best free bet clubs around.
- Price Boosts – With price boosts, bookmakers will enhance the odds beyond the level they were originally set at. Often there can be a special section on the website, with enhanced football bets that have received price boosts, being added daily. Grosvenor are a betting brand that have such a section.
Here are some of the best deals that you can take advantage of when placing your football bets.
Bore Draw Money Back from bet365
Nobody likes a 0-0 draw, unless they’ve placed a wager at bet365. This betting brand softens the blow of having wasted 90 minutes of your life, by refunding the stake on losing bets, if the game finishes 0-0. This applies to correct score, half-time/full-time or scorecast bet, on any football game.
First Scorer Insurance from Spreadex
With first scorer insurance from Spreadex, you are protected should your chosen scorer take their time to deliver. If you make a first goalscorer bet and the player that you’ve picked scores the last goal instead, you’ll receive your money back. The stake will be refunded in the form of a free bet, up to a maximum of £25.
Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven from Betfred
Another first goalscorer based bonus comes from Betfred. You place a first goalscorer bet and if your pick opens the scoring, you then have a chance of scooping an extra bonus. If a player scored the first goal and then scores a second in the match, Betfred will settle the bet at double the odds. If they get a hat-trick after scoring the first, you’ll be paid at treble the odds. This offer is open to pre-match and live bets, with winnings paid in cash.
How to Claim Free Football Bets
By now, you may be eager to sign up with one of our recommended best football betting sites and take advantage of their welcome offer. In this section we’re going to take you through the process of signing up and earning your welcome deal. We’ve used Betfred as an example, but you’ll find that the process is broadly similar, regardless of what bookie you decide to register with. At Betfred, you can get £40 in bonuses, when you sign up and bet £10.
Step 1: Register
Go to the Betfred website and click on the green button marked ‘Register’ to begin the process. Fill in your personal details, select a username and password and agree to the terms and conditions. Make sure that you enter the promo code WELCOME40 during the registration process, in order that you qualify for the bonus.
Step 2: Deposit
Now it’s time to deposit some money. You have to place a £10 bet to get the bonus, so you’ll have to deposit at least that amount. You’ll be presented with a choice of deposit methods. In terms of this deal with Betfred, you need to use a debit card to qualify. If using another bookmaker, check which payment methods are eligible and all their other rules regarding the first deposit. Your opening deposit at Betfred must be made within seven days of registering.
Step 3: Bet
Next up, it’s time to place your qualifying bet. The bet must be settled within seven days of you registering, so don’t pick any event that’s too far ahead. You must stake at least £10 at odds of 2.0 (Evens) or greater. Totepool bets and virtual markets are not eligible and you must not use the Cash Out facility on your qualifying bet.
Step 4: Bonus
Betfred will give you your bonus within ten hours of your qualifying bet being settled. You will receive £3 in free bets and £10 worth of free spins. You have seven days to use these bonuses before they are revoked. The free bets can be used on any sportsbook markets.
Step 5: Verification
Before you can make a withdrawal, you will have to verify your identity. Football betting sites do this to ensure that you are who you claim to be, preventing issues such as underage gambling or money laundering. You need to submit a form of identification, such as driving license or passport, along with a proof of address, such as a recent utility bill.
Step 6: Withdraw
Within 24 hours of submitting your ID, you should be verified. You are now free to go to the banking section and make a withdrawal.
Most Popular Football Leagues & Competitions to Bet on
At our recommended football betting sites UK punters can bet on football competitions from across the world. These can range from the biggest events, to the smallest. Here are some of the most popular football competitions and tournaments that especially appeal to UK bettors.
Premier League Betting (EPL)
Arguably the most popular sports league club competition in the world, we’re talking about the English Premier League. More competitive than many other European leagues, the English top flight sees many of the planet’s top footballers performing in front of passionate, noisy fans. The Premier League is generally the first competition listed on football betting sites, with plenty of promotions based around its matches each week.
Champions League Betting (UCL)
The top teams from England and the rest of Europe compete in the UEFA Champions League every season. A lengthy group stage provides plenty of matches to bet on, before the action gets really exciting in the knockout stages. Each season, the biggest clubs look to become kings of Europe, with a fascinating mix of styles on display. With the bulk of the matches being played on midweek nights, the Champions League is a staple for online football betting fans throughout the season.
Europa League Betting (UEL)
Second only in terms of prestige to the aforementioned Champions League, betting on the Europa League is also popular with UK punters as there are always British teams from both England and Scotland involved. Whether it’s the extensive qualifying that takes place over the summer before the tournament proper, which kicks off with the group stage or the knockout phase packed full of play-offs and two-legged ties, there’s so much to wager on.
FA Cup Betting
The oldest football competition in the world is the FA Cup. With random draws, there is the opportunity of the biggest Premier League clubs meeting in the early rounds, while there is also the chance of non-league and lower league sides pulling off a giant-killing. The showpiece final at Wembley remains a special day in the football calendar.
Football League Betting (EFL)
When it comes to attendances, the English Championship is one of the biggest leagues in Europe. Each season, clubs fight it out to win a lucrative promotion to the Premier League. Below the Championship there are League One and League Two, creating a huge number of games every weekend and plenty of midweek action.
Scottish Football Betting
Over the border in Scotland there are four divisions in the Scottish Professional Football League system. The various divisions are small, with every team facing each other four times. That means that in the Premiership, the Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers contest the Old Firm derby on a regular basis. They also often meet in the latter rounds and finals of the Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup.
European Football Betting
Outside of the UK, there is plenty of coverage of European leagues provided by football betting sites. LaLiga, featuring the Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, is probably the most popular league, but Italy’s Serie A is arguably the most competitive these days. You’ll also find Germany’s Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1 covered in depth, along with all of the smaller leagues in Europe.
World Cup Betting
Every four years, the World Cup takes place and every football fan on Earth turns their attention to it. The latest tournament was held in Qatar in 2022 and saw Argentina crowned as world champions, when they beat the holders France. We now have to wait until the summer of 2026 for the next World Cup betting extravaganza, with the tournament set to be jointly hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.
International Football Betting
The other big international tournament that gets UK users of football betting sites excited is the European Championship. The South American equivalent is the Copa America, while in other parts of the world there is also the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup. International teams have a regular schedule with qualifying for these events and the World Cup, with European sides also playing in the Nations League.
Football Betting Strategy & Advice
Here are some strategies to consider when using football betting sites.
Strategy 1: Combine Likely Winners
If there’s a hot favourite then it’s likely that they will be available at a very short price. They may not seem worth backing individually, but when combined in an accumulator, they can add up to a decent price. You can even combine several short-priced bets from the same match, using a Bet Builder tool.
Strategy 2: Find Teams on the Turn
The sweet spot for a football bet, is when a trend seems reliable and then suddenly turns. That could be a team on a long losing run that finds a win, or a low scoring side where the goals start to flow. Such moments will present the opportunity to place a value bet. To find such instances, study the stats and past results. You might notice that a team are losing by more narrow margins and are due a win, or that a side have an xG in a football match that suggests that they’ll start scoring soon.
Strategy 3: Look for Value
We mentioned the concept of a value bet in our last point. A value bet is when the price for a wager on football betting sites is bigger than it really should be, based on the true probability. Unfortunately, there is no way to reliably know the true probability of anything in football, but with research and experience, you can spot instances where there odds don’t make much sense and can then take advantage.
Glossary of Football Terms
If you’re relatively unfamiliar with football, then there might be some terms that we’ve used, which you didn’t understand. Here’s the lowdown on what they mean.
- Offside – This is a rule concerning attacking play. If an attacking player is in the opposition half, they must have at least two opposition players – which includes the goalkeeper – between them and the goal, when the ball is played to them. If that is not the case, then the referee will call an offside decision and the opposition will have a free-kick.
- Penalty Shootout – If a cup match is drawn after 90 minutes and there still isn’t a winner after another 30 minutes of extra time, then the game will go to a penalty shootout. Each team takes five penalties. If there is not a winner after the five penalties, it goes to sudden death, with the teams taking turns to take penalties until one scores and the other misses.
- Qualification – This can refer to a team winning to go through to the next round of a cup competition, or finishing high enough in a league system, to make it through to the knockout stages of an international or European tournament.
- Replay – Some cup competitions, such as the early rounds of the FA Cup, have replays if a match is drawn, rather than extra time and penalties. The two teams play again, with the side that were playing away, hosting the replayed match.
- Sending Off – When a player commits a serious offence, or a series of lesser offences, they can be sent off the field by the referee. A player is shown a red card when they are sent off. For a particularly bad foul they might get a red card straight away, while for a series of lesser foul they could be shown two yellow cards and then the red.
- Stoppage Time – This is the added time that is played at the end of the first-half or second-half, which the referee adds to make allowance for any stoppages, such as when there are injuries.
- Substitution – Managers are able to replace a number of players that start in their team, with substitutes during the match. They might make a substitution for tactical reasons, or if a player is injured.
- VAR – This stands for Video Assistant Referees. In big football competitions, there are officials watching video replays of contentious incidents and they can inform the referee if they think a serious mistake has been made, which can they be reviewed.
Big Brand Football Betting Websites
In any industry, there are big brands and smaller enterprises. This goes for football betting too. When punters are considering signing up with football betting sites new ones might be deemed too risky. It’s human nature to be more drawn to names that you know, which is why new bettors are likelier to sign up for the long-established William Hill football betting service, rather than a new bookie.
People are familiar with bookmakers that have traditionally had a high street presence, such as Ladbrokes or Coral. Then there’s Sky Bet, which is known for their association with the Sky TV channels and Betfair, who built a reputation by having a ground-breaking, unique product. Paddy Power football betting commercials, have made the Irish brand a household name.
The advantage with the bigger brands is that they often have a wider range of features than smaller bookmakers. They also tend to have consistently strong odds. Often newer bookies can be more innovative and offer more generous bonuses, but there’s a lot to be said for sticking with the tried and tested football betting sites.
Can Football Betting Predictions be Trusted?
Football betting tips are big business. You’ll see them in newspapers and mainstream betting publications such as the Racing Post. Bookmakers have their own websites featuring tips and broadcasters feature them too. Then there’s the scores of smaller independent websites and tipsters on social media.
So can you trust the advice of those making these predictions? With many companies and individuals charging for this service, it’s an important question. Before following any of their tips, we’d suggest monitoring how their predictions fare for a number of weeks. If they’re consistently recording profits and you think that the explanations behind the tips make sense, it’s likely that their advice can be trusted.
Football Betting Stats
Statistics are very important for football betting sites. Their oddsmakers will base their market prices on two overriding factors. The first are statistics and they will then adjust the odds, based on how much money is being wagered by punters. So if a team have won each of their last ten games and are playing a side in the relegation zone, who they also have a dominant record against in past fixtures, it’s likely that these stats will be reflected with short odds.
Football betting stats can also be the tool that helps you to beat the bookie. Their odds are only an interpretation of the statistics and sometimes they get it wrong. Do your own statistical research and you’ll often be scratching your head at why a bookmaker has made a pricing decision, giving you a chance to take advantage.
Top Free Football Betting Tips
Now it’s time to throw a few football betting tips your way.
Tip 1: Time To Do Your Homework
If you’re using football betting sites regularly then it makes sense to do your homework. That means plenty of ready. Team news is an important thing to take into account before betting, while statistics can highlight opportunities.
Tip 2: Small Wins Add Up
There’s a temptation to place bets that can land you a massive payday, but big odds are big for a reason and will rarely be successful. Winning regularly with smaller odds is a more reliable strategy. Don’t be greedy and be ready to secure an early profit if Cash Out is available.
Tip 3: Follow Trusted Tipsters
Yes, one of our tips is to follow the advice of tipsters giving tips. While we appreciate that’s somewhat meta, it makes sense. Tipsters who are employed by major publications and bookmakers, are generally kept in work because they are good at what they do. If their bets consistently land over time, try following their advice and see if it boosts your profitability.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed our guide to football betting sites. As you will have learned there are a wide variety of quality options for UK punters right now. If tasked to recommend just one of our favoured football betting sites, then we’d point you towards BetMGM.
FAQs
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A writer and editor for some of the top names in the gambling industry for nearly 20 years, Dan also works as a freelance sports journalist for publications and websites such as ESPN, FourFourTwo and LiveScore.
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