Best Betting Sites
How Do We Review the UK’s Best Betting Sites?
Our review process is the most robust in the marketplace. We go through the sign-up process personally, deposit funds and test every product from bet placement, Cash Outs, bet type and bet settlement to ensure it’s the best possible experience from start to finish.
Not all bookmaker betting sites are the same. Some will be strong on horse racing, some on football, some major in tennis, cricket and golf and others on specials markets and politics.
We aim to find the best sites that combine all factors, add value to your experience and importantly play fair when it comes to customer service and security. You can be sure all are fully licenced by the UK Gambling Commission. If they don’t match up to our expert team’s expectations, then they simply don’t make the cut and they shouldn’t get your business. Here’s what we ensure is covered:
Bonus offers and free bets
In a competitive marketplace you can rightly expect a clamour for your business and the first interaction with your newfound betting site should be a rewarding one. We break down the Terms and Conditions attached to any sign-up offer, deposit bonus or free bet to ensure it is genuine and achievable for those who want to take it up. We cover wagering requirements, qualifying attributes and provide the information you need to avoid any confusion. There is nothing more frustrating than not getting what you signed up for and thanks to our team of industry experts we make sure that doesn’t happen.
Market variety
There is little point signing up to a new betting operator and not being able to place a wager on something that you can bet on with others but not at your new bookmaker. Market choice is important to us and it should be to you. Our recommended sites deliver choice and access across all genres, from the Cheltenham Festival in horse racing to elections in politics, TV specials to prime-time international events.
Mobile experience
22bet betting markets Betting on the move with online bookies is what punters have come to expect from the best online betting sites in the UK. The days of having to make a phone call or having to find high street betting shops, filling in the slip and waiting in line are long gone. Nowadays the leading online betting operators will have mobile optimised websites and seriously clever apps that allow you bet with one or two clicks wherever you are and whenever you want, signal permitting! We test the mobile experience to the hilt and if it doesn’t deliver, we let you know.
Sign-up process
In recent years the sign-up process for an online betting site to avail of the best bookmaker offers has become more complicated but that is truly in the customer’s favour. Completing the customer verification process at the outset of joining a new betting site is streamlined, simple and secure and once completed allows you to withdraw faster, utilise more payment methods, have access to better promotions and feel secure in your relationship with your chosen bookmaker.
Expect to provide the following information as a minimum and anything unique or different is fully disclosed in our expert reviews:
Photographic ID
Full Name and Address with Post Code
Date of Birth
Security Questions – Mothers Maiden Name / First Pet Name etc
Proof of Address / Utility bill within 3 months that clearly shows your name and address
Payment Method Details – Credit /Debit Card or eWallet information for your first qualifying deposit
These days all this information can be provided directly online – uploading documents to a secure portal within the operator’s website is simple to do. Customer Support can verify an account in minutes and the delay to being a fully operational customer is practically a thing of the past with the best betting sites.
It makes sense to have this information to hand when signing up. If you prefer to provide it when making a withdrawal following a win, as some operators will allow, it is a tiresome experience when all you want to do is cash out your winnings.
Payment methods and banking options
Never have so many options been available to UK betting customers when setting up an online betting account. The traditional method for online transactions of Credit and Debit Cards are still the most commonly used, as you would expect. But these days the use of eWallets like PayPal, Skrill, Neteller and other newer options are open and accessible with most operators online.
Our in-depth sportsbook reviews detail these options in full transparency for every betting site we recommend. We explain the monetary limits, deposit and withdrawal times for each service and what to do when you need to change from one to the other.
We also take time to consider each option as the initial transaction for a user. Some operators will allow eWallets as a first deposit option but will not qualify that deposit for a sign-up bonus, free bet or deposit match and this is something to be aware of when signing up and placing your first bet.
Industry reputation
We care what existing customers think of the most popular betting sites we review and break it all down here on Gambling.com.
Our team of reviewers take time to check the forums, test the customer service and delve into pain points that existing customers have with betting operators. Whether it is a promotion that didn’t deliver, a new product experiencing teething problems, or a disputed bet that wasn’t handled properly you can trust us to know and have an opinion on it.
We also take time to fully appreciate the high points of these elements, which site is xbit bet the quickest to assist a customer, has the best live chat, the best ongoing rewards and the most innovative approach to user experience. Existing customers are a great guide to which brand is going to suit you best and we take that to the heart of our recommendations.
Security and support
We ensure that all our recommended betting sites provide a secure transactional environment for payments, document storage, betting history and personal details. We test their customer support, their response time and efficiency in dealing with you as the consumer in a fully compliant and, most importantly, a regulated and licensed environment.
Licensing and legislation
Every single betting site we recommend is fully licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. We display license numbers, corporate details, customer support information and everything you need to know to be certain that you only interact with the safest and most transparent sportsbook betting operator options online. If they don’t match up, they simply don’t appear on our site.
Odds and pricing
To some, the competitiveness of the prices and odds offered by a bookmaker is the sole reason for betting with one operator over another. The UK marketplace is fiercely competitive and variances in the odds of a single event can be startling. That’s why it often pays to have more than one account. Having several accounts can be extremely handy if you want to get the most value for every bet you place online.
Consider the same scenario if you were shopping online for a particular item. Its price may vary at several different online outlets and whilst you may be prepared to pay a little more to get the item quicker or to receive loyalty points at a certain outlet, it is still an important decision that you have to make when other choices are available to you.
Betting online is very similar. Whilst Best Odds Guaranteed or Enhanced Odds are available with many online operators, our reviewers try to establish a pecking order with our recommended sites in terms of their prices and odds. Do they match up to the best most of the time and do they aim to lead the way with the markets that are most common and expected?
Our reviews focus on this and give you the information you need to make an informed choice. However, there is no substitute for shopping around and having several operators available to you from our best betting sites list.
Streaming options
Having a bet can be a great thrill. However, if you’re on the move and not viewing the results unfold, it can take away from the experience. Many betting sites now offer the option to watch the action via a live stream once you have placed a bet. A small minimum stake applies but for a wager of as little as 50p, you can watch the result of your bet unfold from the moment you get involved until the end.
If this is crucial to you be sure to check out our best live streaming betting sites that provide this service with the smartest user experience possible. There are many to choose from and the quality varies from site to site.
User experience
The biggest issue faced with the UK betting audience is getting the ideal user experience they want from an online betting site. Are the sports you want to bet on easy to navigate to, does the operator lay out the options in a way that makes finding what you want simple and efficient?
Can you track your bets, check your profit and loss or take an early Cash Out when you want to change your mind and if you want to withdraw how long does it take?
These are paramount and a huge focus for our review team when they deliver a final verdict and score on a betting site. The look and feel and style of a site might be skewed to a certain type of sports bettor and you will see in our reviews that we pay attention and know the difference.
Understanding what you need is important and knowing that we care about that will help you to make the best choice. Remember, it is your choice and not ours – the right site is out there, maybe even a combination of two or several sites is what you need to get every facet covered and unlock free bonuses.
Take the time to read over our reviews and find the best one for you, from user experience over mobile versus desktop or tablet, the payment options, the customer service and loyalty schemes, the bonus on offer and the markets and pricing.
Our Team of Online Betting Industry Experts
Our bookmaker reviews team is made up of regular active sports bettors, ex-betting industry employees, traders and odds compilers, customer support staff and tech-savvy marketeers. No one person can cover all aspects of an online betting site review, so we pool resources to make the complete and definitive guide on the internet.
With regular and in-depth updates to each submission, covering every bonus and sportsbook change as it happens, you can be sure that we have the most comprehensive rankings, industry information and detail available at all times so your decision is as simple as it should be before making your sports bets.
This is true whether you are just starting out with online betting or a hardened pro who wants VIP support and bells and whistles from your online operator.
The Gambling.com Group team has rightly received awards for just this process from industry peers and panels. We pride ourselves on transparency and dedication when it comes to informing our users. We remain committed to backing up our process and our way of working by improving and striving for progress through recruitment, customer feedback and information gathering that other sites can only attempt to emulate.
What the Best Online Betting Sites Offer
The best online betting setting sites will invariably offer a bit of everything that is important to the user. Great market coverage and excellent customer service, aligned with the speed of process and entertainment, will be at the core of all online betting platforms.
When we decide who is the best and what marks out a serious betting operator from the rest we want the following things to stand out:
Streamlined, secure and straightforward sign-up process.
No hidden requirements, ease of process and ability to complete in a one-time efficient sitting is paramount.
Sign up bonus / free bet / deposit bonus
An introductory offer that is accessible, achievable and valuable. No hefty wagering requirements, difficult terms and conditions or hidden loopholes.
Mobile experience and multi-platform use
How does the platform work when on the move, what is it like when under the most pressure i.e. 3 pm on a Saturday afternoon! Can you access on a laptop, phone, and tablet with equal usability?
Loyalty promotions and rewards
How does it cater for loyalty and rewards if you are a regular player? VIP clubs, free bet schemes, bet insurance and bonuses. What level of play is needed to qualify for additional benefits and how difficult is it to achieve them?
Payments
From debit card deposits to eWallets, how long does it take depositing into your new account, what methods can you use and what are the time limits? More importantly how long does it take to withdraw your winnings? Speed of access to funds is crucial when deciding on which bookmaker to choose online.
Markets and In-Play betting
Many sites will be comparable in terms of sports and markets they offer but do they match up when it comes to price competitiveness and In-Play odds? Are the In-Play options robust and varied, do they allow Cash Outs and quick turnover on the sports you want? Can you choose between decimal and fractional odds at the click of a button?
Specialisation
Is an online betting operator the best for football, tennis or horse racing? Do they cover American sporting events like NFL or basketball better than others? We call out the specialities and the deficiencies to make sure you are in the right place from the get-go. You don’t want to be faced with a predominantly online casino site that has just added a sportsbook on the side as an afterthought.
How to Identify Fully Licensed and Legal Betting Sites in the UK
If we recommend a certain online betting platform then you can be sure it is fully licensed and legal to operate and accept your custom in the UK. If you are considering a certain platform to bet on sports and can’t find it on Gambling.com, then beware. All of the operators you’ll find on our site are fully vetted in person by our expert review team and we display all of their corporate information and bona fides as a matter of course.
