Best Betting Offers – The UK’s Best Online Bookies

Betting Offers at the Best Betting Sites and Online Bookies – Get Started

To get started, take a look at our sports betting sites table. Here we compare all of the best betting sign up offers, ensuring you fully understand what’s hot in the world of online sports.

See any offers you like? Then you can click through to the online bookmaker’s websites and make a deposit with your real money funds. Once you’ve made your payment, the betting funds will be in your account ready for you to use. Want to know more? Simply read on.

How to Cash Out

Cashing out is a handy feature offered at many sportsbooks, allowing you to settle your bet early. Perhaps your team is winning and you want to secure a profit, albeit a smaller one, rather than letting the entire match play out. Or maybe things aren’t looking so rosy and you’d rather cut your losses, taking a smaller hit to your bankroll. Sometimes you can cash out and break even, which is useful if you simply have no interest in keeping the bet in play. 

In any case, cashing out gives punters greater flexibility when it comes to how they bet, and it’s usually a simple process. Let’s imagine you’ve placed a bet on Djokovic to beat Nadal at Wimbledon this year. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to cash out your bet:

1. Check your bet slip or bet summary – This is where you’ll find all your active bets, including the option to cash them out. 
2. Assess your payout – Before you cash out, you should evaluate the payout you’ll get and how it weighs up against what you’re looking for. Maybe Djokovic is off to a flying start and has won the first set 6–1. You might be able to cash out for a smaller return before Rafa gets the chance to turn things around. Say you decide to wait it out and he takes back two sets while Dkojovic looks increasingly tired. You don’t fancy your chances of a win so much now, and decide to cash out at a smaller loss than if you let the bet play out. 
3. Consider a partial cash-out – Some sites let you partially cash out your bet, leaving a chunk in play. This can be a great compromise if you want to cash out a losing bet but are still holding out hope for a turn of events — maybe Dkojovic has just broken Nadal’s serve in the fourth set and is looking more lively. 
4. Check the T&Cs – If you’ve used free bet stakes to place your wager, an early cash-out might break the terms of the bonus. Be sure to check first or the bet will be void, along with any potential winnings.
5. Press the ‘cash out’ button – Your bet will be removed from play and any returns added to your balance, ready for withdrawal or further staking. If you partially cashed out, your bet slip will be updated accordingly.

It’s worth mentioning that early cash-out is certainly no substitute for gambling within your means, and you shouldn’t rely on the feature to mitigate your losses. If you can’t afford to lose the entirety of the stake, you shouldn’t be placing the bet. If you need more information on responsible gambling, visit BeGambleAware.org.

How We Review the Best Betting Offers

To ensure we recommend only the best online betting deals, our experts review the available offers with a range of criteria in mind. However, before we even look at the specifics of a promotion, we ensure the betting site itself is licensed by a reputable body such as the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). 

Once we’re satisfied the site is safe to play at, we take a look at what’s on offer for punters. Check out some of the key factors we keep in mind when reviewing betting site offers below.

Licensing

To feature on GamblingDeals.com, a bookmaker must be licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. We confirm bookmakers meet the necessary regulatory and licensing requirements before promoting sites to our visitors. 

Size of the Offer

Size isn’t everything, but when it comes to free bets, punters are generally happy to take as much as the bookies will offer. We compare different betting deals to bring you the largest ones around that still meet the rest of our criteria — it’s no good having a £50 free bet if it’s going to be difficult to use. Online betting deals can also be enhanced with features like Best Odds Guaranteed, which ensures punters receive the starting price if it’s greater than their original odds.

Terms and Conditions

Every betting site offer comes with terms and conditions attached. As we alluded to above, how restrictive these terms are plays a huge role in the true value of a bonus. Common stipulations include wagering requirements, time limits, minimum odds, and win limits. We review all of these terms before recommending an offer so you know where you stand before getting started.

Available Markets

New UK customers have access to a huge range of betting markets at the best bookmakers. However, many free bets are aimed at a more limited selection of markets. We therefore look out for the best online betting deals that are eligible for the most popular sports and events, whilst also ensuring punters are aware of exactly which markets they can place their free bets on.

Bonuses and Promotions

Does the bookmaker offer a good range of promotions for new and existing bettors? We look for welcome offers and regular bonuses like odds boost and cashback offers, while also confirming that any wagering requirements and withdrawal restrictions are reasonable. 

Sportsbook Size and Depth

Does the bookmaker allow you to wager on a wide selection of sports? What about the betting options – can customers build their own bet? We like to recommend sites that offer a diverse array of sports and bet types to their customers. 

Payment Methods

The best betting sites provide players with several secure payment options. We look out for bookmakers who accept deposits from multiple sources, including popular options like debit cards and PayPal, as well as lesser-known methods such as pay by phone bill.

Customer Support

We check that the bookmakers we recommend offer the best possible standards of customer service. We want to see different ways for bettors to get in touch – such as live chat and direct phone lines – as well as round-the-clock support and speedy responses to bet settlement queries or any other issues that might arise.

Design and Usability

We like to see online sports betting sites and mobile betting sites that are easy on the eye and a pleasure to use. After all, a big serving of sports markets counts for less if the site is a pain to navigate. We also don’t want to see sites and apps with slow loading times or bugs. 

Special Features

Along with a smart design and great functionality, we look for any special features available to bettors. Does a bookmaker offer the request a bet feature, for example? Does it have a betting club or other loyalty programme? Extras like these can make all the difference to your sports betting experience.

Bet Editing

Bet editing is a way to adjust your wagers on the fly before the match or while it’s in play. The feature isn’t offered everywhere, but it can add an interesting extra dimension to your betting. How it works depends on the site, but the premise is broadly the same — you can increase your stake, add or remove lines and markets, or even convert your bet into another type. 

• Ladbrokes’ Edit My Acca feature lets punters remove legs from doubles up to 14-fold accumulators. It works by using the cash-out value of the first bet as the stake for the new edited bet. It’s worth noting you won’t qualify for acca insurance if you use Edit My Acca, although it’s likely you’re removing a leg that’s unlikely to win anyway.
• Bet365 Edit Bet allows you to increase your stake and add, swap, or remove selections from your unsettled bets, whether it’s before the match or while it’s in play, provided the cash out option is available. You can also change bet types, for example from win to each way, or a treble into three doubles. 
• etBet’s Add2Bet can be used to add additional selections to an existing bet. It can be used on bets with early cash-out available, as the cash-out value is used as the stake for the new bet. Currently, you can’t remove lines with this feature.

The main benefit of bet editing is more flexibility for punters. Maybe your bet is looking good and you want to boost your payout by adding another selection, or maybe things aren’t looking so good for your acca and you want to lower the risk of a loss. Bet editing lets you do this.

There are a few drawbacks. As bet editing relies on early cash-out, it’s likely you’ll invalidate wagers placed with free bet stakes. Also, you’re effectively cashing out your bet and placing a new one when you use bet edit, which means you’ll end up paying double the margin or vig. That said, this is often worth it if it means receiving a bigger win or mitigating a loss.

Request a Bet

Looking to place a specific bet but can’t find it on the sportsbook? Some sites offer a ‘request a bet’ feature, which is perfect if you want to construct a wild and wonderful wager. One way to use it is to combine multiple selections into one — for example, a certain player to score the first goal before being sent off. You might also be able to request odds on specific events or outcomes not offered at the site. If only we’d foreseen Emma Raducanu winning the US Open without losing a single set!

Once you submit the request, the bookmaker’s pricing team will decide whether to accept the bet and determine the odds, after which you’ll receive a unique link to place the bet. 

So, how do you actually request a bet in the first place? Some bookies offer functionality directly from their sites, but one of the most popular ways is through social media, often using a hashtag on Twitter. Some sportsbooks that take bet requests in this way include:

• Coral – #YourCall
• Betway – #BetYourWay
• bet365 – @bet365
• Paddy Power – #WhatOddsPaddy
• Ladbrokes – #GetAPrice
• Betfred – #PickYourPunt
• William Hill – #YourOdds
• Betfair – #OddsOnThat
• BetVictor – #PriceItUp

All you have to do is Tweet your request and wait for a reply. Of course, it’s a good idea to send your request in good time so the bookie can respond before the match. There may also be other restrictions on bet requests around in-play betting, early cash out, market restrictions, and more — it’s always worth checking the T&Cs so you don’t waste your time requesting a bet that the bookmaker will never accept.

Popular Sports at UK Betting Sites

There’s plenty to sink your teeth into at UK betting sites when it comes to different sports. Obviously, you’ll find the most markets to bet on around sports like football and tennis, but from motorsports to horse racing or even niche sports like Gaelic hurling, you won’t be short of options. 

You’ll often find betting offers specific to particular sports — they could be free bet stakes on certain matches, or money back offers tailored to the particulars of something like horse racing. Below is a quick rundown of some of the different betting deals you might find. As always, check the T&Cs for market restrictions, time limits, wagering requirements, and  eligible deposit methods.

Greyhounds Betting Offers

The UK is one of only seven countries that still runs commercial greyhound racing events, and many of the world’s most significant races take place here. These include the English and Scottish Greyhound Derbies and the East Anglian Derby; Australia’s Melbourne and Sandown Cups complete the sport’s most prestigious events. If you’re looking to place bets on any of these events, you’ll find no shortage of betting deals at the top bookmakers. 

Since greyhound racing is a similar sporting spectacle to horse racing, there’s much crossover between the two when it comes to betting offers. This means best odds guaranteed and money back if your greyhound loses are two regularly offered bonuses in this sport, alongside the typical free bet offers you’re likely to receive as a new customer at your bookie of choice.

Tennis Betting Offers

From Vancouver to Vienna, tennis takes place more or less all year round, making it one of the world’s most popular sports to bet on. Excitement swells around the sport’s Grand Slam events — the US Open, the French Open, the Australian Open, and Wimbledon — and you’ll find plenty of betting deals in the build-up to these tournaments. 

If you’re picking an outright winner of a major tournament, one bonus you might see is your money back as a free bet if a certain player wins, or certain players targeted with enhanced odds. In his heyday, bookies tended to nominate Andy Murray as this player in the men’s draw, but it could be any of the remaining superstars. 

There are loads of free bet deals to be claimed on the tennis for new betting customers. As Nadal and Djokovic begin their decline — presuming of course that they will at some point decline — tennis free bets could become very useful, since the power vacuum left behind by these greats could make the rest of the field increasingly unpredictable. 

Bookmakers like to prioritise tennis matches on their live streaming services, which means you may also encounter mobile-specific betting offers on this sport. These offers can come in many different forms, but will only be redeemable for those betting on a mobile device. 

American Sports Betting Offers

If you’ve got a penchant for the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, or any other American sports, you won’t have any trouble finding betting offers on these leagues from UK bookmakers. Each one consists of a regular season and a postseason; the former is the league competition, while the latter refers to the playoff period. You’ll see betting deals like enhanced odds and acca boosts flood the market during the postseason, as bookies look to capitalise on the tension. 

American sports-specific free bet deals are available to those first signing up to a new betting site, as are risk-free bets — a popular form of betting bonus at US sportsbooks. Basketball in particular is favoured by many betting sites for live streaming, so you might be offered mobile-specific promotions here if you’re wagering on your mobile device. 

One betting deal we particularly like comes from Bet365 in the form of early payouts. With this promo, the bookie agrees to pay out your winnings on the basketball if the team you’ve backed leads by 20 points at any time in the match, regardless of the final result. This means that even if your team suffers a capitulation in the final quarter, the money is already back in your betting account. 

Football Betting Offers

Below are some of the biggest football competitions in the world and the kinds of bets you might be interested in making.

English Premier League

Regarded by many as the best league in the world, the English Premier League is the home of institutions like Manchester United and Liverpool, and several founders of the football league, including Everton, Aston Villa, and Wolves. The Premier League is made up of 20 teams, with every team playing each other home and away over the course of a 38-match season. 

At the end of the season — which typically runs from August to May — the three bottom teams are relegated to the Championship, English football’s second division. The top seven teams will all qualify to compete for European honours in the following season: the Champions League for positions first to fourth, the Europa League for teams finishing fifth and sixth, and the recently introduced Europa Conference League for the team that finishes seventh. 

If you think Jamie Vardy’s got one more golden boot left in him, or that Newcastle will break into the top six, these are the kinds of wagers you can place at the beginning of or during the season. And on matchdays, expect to see free bets, acca boosts, money back offers, enhanced odds, and much more. 

UEFA Champions League

Formerly known as the European Cup, the Champions League is the premier cup competition in Europe. Only the best teams across the continent qualify, with four clubs submitted from each of Europe’s top leagues: the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, and the Bundesliga. France’s Ligue 1 and Portugal’s Primeira Liga both supply three teams, and the remaining spaces are filled by clubs that have performed well in their domestic leagues.

Once the qualifying rounds are completed in August, 32 teams will be drawn into eight groups of four. The group stage takes place between September and December, with each team playing the others in their group twice, before the top two teams qualify for the knockout stages. After a midseason hiatus, the knockout rounds begin in February, culminating in the final at the end of the season. Barring the final, all knockout games take place over two legs, and since 2021, the away goals rule has been removed. 

Will Manchester City finally break their Champions League duck? Will Benzema and Lewandowski continue their domination over the goalscoring charts? Have your say at all of the best gambling sites. 

UEFA Europa League

Just as domestic leagues have second tiers, so too do European club competitions. The Europa League, formerly the UEFA Cup, is a slightly weaker competition than the Champions League, but it’s still an incredibly difficult trophy to win. 

The format is largely the same as the Champions League, beginning with eight groups of four, but there are some key differences. At the end of the Champions League group stage, the eight teams that finish third in their respective groups all drop into the Europa League knockout draw — these teams will be drawn against the eight teams that finished second in their Europa League groups. Meanwhile, the first-placed teams automatically progress to the last 16. 

West Ham and Rangers both enjoyed great success in recent Europa League campaigns; can they continue their impressive European form? 

The Euros

Every four years — global pandemics permitting — Europe’s best footballing nations compete for the European Championships during the season’s summer break. 24 teams qualify for the finals, cut down from 55 countries that take part in qualification. 

The group stage consists of six groups of four, with the top two qualifying for the knockout rounds. To make up the remaining numbers, the four best-performing third-placed countries in their respective groups will also progress to the next round. After this, ties are played over one leg, finishing with a final in July. 

England were heartbreakingly close to winning their first ever Euros in 2020’s rearranged tournament. Can they find the resolve to go one better than their shootout defeat to Italy? Or will we see the resurgence of the competition’s most successful teams, Germany and Spain, both with three wins?

The World Cup

The football sphere also enjoys its most prestigious competition, the World Cup, every four years. The World Cup is typically another summer tournament, although 2022’s edition is taking place in November and December in Qatar. 

32 teams take part in the finals following a two-year qualification campaign. There are eight groups of four, two qualifying teams in each, and a knockout phase that follows. Brazil is the world’s most successful side with five World Cup wins, but France took the title in 2018 and is widely regarded as the best team, with superstars like Kylian Mbappe in the ranks. Fancy Messi to finally get his hands on the trophy with Argentina before he retires? Surely it’s worth a punt…

The Types of Betting Offers Available at the Best Betting Sites

There are a number of different betting sign up offers out there. The most common are welcome offers that are available to punters at a host of different betting sites. The important thing to note here is that you must be a new player to access these betting deals. If you are already signed up, then you will need to look out for existing bettor deals to take advantage of any promotional funds at the best online betting sites.

Free Bet Offers

Free bet offers are among the most popular types of welcome bonus betting promotions. They essentially give you the ability to wager a small amount of real money, in return for a free bet on a sports market of your choice. For example, you might see something like this when you check out a football betting site:

• Deposit £10 and Play with £40

This means you need to make a minimum deposit and pay £10 of your own money. In return, you will get £30 of bonus funds to use on top of your initial deposit, bringing your total betting balance up to £40.

Free bets will come with terms and conditions attached to them, such as game restrictions and maximum winnings. There will impact how you use the bonus so make sure you read the small print before you sign up. If you want to know more about free bet bonuses, then check out our free bets guide that explains how to make the most of your free bets.

£10 Deposit Free Bets

In most cases, you’ll need to deposit a certain amount to unlock your free bet bonus. A £10 deposit free bet is a solid deal, as many bookies will require larger deposits of £15 or £20.

It’s important to read the terms and conditions before opting into a £10 deposit offer — some promotions will require you to fulfil wagering requirements before withdrawing any winnings from your bet, while others will only be unlocked once you actually place a bet with your own cash.

£5 Deposit Free Bets

A £5 deposit free bet is a great way to kick off your betting experience, as it doesn’t commit you to a large deposit and gives you the chance to try out the site with some risk-free bets. 

Ladbrokes and Coral are among the sites that regularly offer these types of bonuses. The only drawback is the size of the free bet may be lower compared to other promotions that require larger qualifying deposits.

Matched Deposit Offers

Matched bonus deals are another new customer bonus that some of the best betting sites offer. The way they work is that the bookie will give you a percentage of your original deposit, for example:

• 100% Up To £100

This means that the sports betting sites will give you 100% of your original betting stake up to the value of £100. So if you deposit £50, then you will get £50 worth of bonus funds, but if you you won’t receive anything extra if you make a deposit above £100.

The amount a bookie will match your deposit differs from site to site, with some bookies going as high as 300%. This is rare, however, and these promotions will come with stricter terms and conditions.

One of the key terms and conditions to be aware of are wagering requirements. These stipulate the amount you must pay before you can claim any winnings you may have made from the bonus.

No Deposit Offers

In certain cases, you can get a no deposit bonus when signing up with the best online bookies. For example, you might see something like this:

• £50 No Deposit Bonus

A no deposit bonus is when an online bookie gives new UK players £50 worth of bonus funds just for signing up. Once you create an account and opt in to the promotion, you will be credited with the £50 bonus.

Remember to look out for terms and conditions such as payment method exclusions here. What’s more, you may also be required to satisfy wagering requirements on your potential winnings, so make sure you understand the terms before claiming.

Cashback Offers

Cashback bonuses, also known as risk-free bets, are a common type of welcome bonus at many online bookmakers in the UK. To claim a cashback offer, you place your bet as normal. If it loses, the bookmaker will return your stake. Cashback betting bonuses generally look something like this:

• £20 Risk-Free Bet

Refunds for losing bets might be paid in cash which you can withdraw straight away, but it is more likely that they will be returned as free bet credits. Either way, it’s easy to see why you can think of a cashback deal as offering insurance against a bad bet.

Most online bookmakers will set a maximum refund amount for moneyback bonus offers. This will usually sit somewhere around £20, though some bookmakers are more generous. You may also be offered cashback as a percentage of your losing bet rather than the full amount. As with any betting bonus offer for new UK players, it pays to check out the terms and conditions of any cashback bonus you want to claim.

Bonus Codes

When claiming any form of bonus, be it a free sports bet, a cashback offer, or a matched deposit bonus, you should look out for bonus codes. While some bookmakers automatically add bonuses when you perform a given action, such as signing up for a new account or making your first deposit, others require you to manually opt-in. This might be as simple as ticking a box, but you might also need to type in a bonus code. If you don’t want to miss out on any freebies, it pays to keep an eye on any requirements at your end.

Casino Bonuses

It makes complete sense that many sports bettors also enjoy playing and betting on casino games, so you’ll find that the best betting sites offer casino bonuses in tandem with online sportsbook bonuses. There will, of course, be terms and conditions of use — wagering requirements, minimum deposits, time limits, and payment exclusions are all important factors to consider. In any case, be sure to understand what’s required before accepting a casino bonus.

Mobile Betting Offers

There are many benefits of downloading betting site apps — one that’s not so obvious is the possibility of unlocking bonuses exclusively available to app users. These offers are much like those found on desktop betting sites, but may be sent to you once you enable push notifications, or as a welcome bonus when you initially download the app. Available on iOS and Android devices, you might see offers such as a 100% up to £50 welcome bonus, or Bet £15 Get £10 free bets. Be mindful of terms and conditions of use, and read through the fine details before accepting a mobile betting offer.  

Betting Bonus Terms and Conditions

It’s important to be aware of the terms and conditions associated with a particular betting deal before getting started, as it would be disappointing to find out about certain limitations of a bonus once you’ve already used it. Here at GamblingDeals.com, we endeavour to make it as clear as possible what the restrictions are of each promotion. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most common terms you’ll come across, so you know what to expect moving forward.

Wagering Requirements

Wagering requirements are where you must wager the value of your bonus a certain number of times over before being able to withdraw any associated winnings. For example, 35x wagering applied to a £10 free bet bonus would require £350 in placed bets to clear the requirements and withdraw anything you had won with the free bet.

Some sites will include both your qualifying deposit and the value of the bonus in the wagering requirement calculation. For example, if you deposited £30 to claim an additional £30 with a 100% deposit bonus, at 35x wagering, you’d be looking at £2,100 (35 x £60) in total wagers before unlocking withdrawals on anything you win with the bonus funds. Always read the full terms and conditions to understand how your bonus will be affected by wagering requirements so you aren’t caught unawares if you strike lucky with a free bet.

Time Limits

Time limits apply to every betting site offer you’ll come across, as these ensure punters stay active at the sportsbook after claiming their bonus. Of course, free bets for specific sporting events will need to be placed before the match kicks off, but other restrictions apply too. For example, punters will usually need to fulfil the wagering requirements attached to a betting deal within a fixed time period. Ideally, punters should have at least 30 days to use their free bet and fulfil the wagering, but some bookmakers impose tighter timeframes.

Minimum Odds

Betting site offers will usually require punters to place their bets at set minimum odds or above. As many free bets are claimed as part of ‘bet £5 to get a £5 free bet’ style offers, rules on minimum odds stop bettors from guaranteeing a profit with extremely safe bets. In practice, this means you may have to place your bonus bets at odds of evens or above. If you’re using fractional odds, evens will be written as 1/1, while those of you using decimal odds will see 2.00. So, be sure to check the terms before you get started so you can calculate your potential returns accurately. 

Win Limits

One of the more straightforward conditions you’ll come across are win limits. Exactly what they say on the tin, win limits restrict your payouts from a bonus to a certain amount. Don’t worry, these limits won’t be in place when you’re betting with your own money, but when you’re using free bets from the bookies, they’ll usually have caps on how much you can collect.

Excluded Payment Methods

Some sites exclude certain payment methods from their bonus offers, and these terms can vary from site to site. The exclusions most often include e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill, and usually are put in place due to transaction fees levied on the casinos by these services. In any case, check the full T&Cs before you make your deposit or you risk missing out.

Betting Offers for Existing Players

While it definitely pays to be a new customer, existing players can also grab some brilliant betting deals and betting sign up offers. It’s pretty simple for the best online bookies. If a site doesn’t look after it’s loyal players, then those players may walk away. But what does it mean to find an amazing existing customer betting deal? Let’s take a look at some of the best promotions available to existing players in the UK.

Accumulator Insurance

Accumulator insurance policies (or acca insurance for short) are a great betting deal to look out for. The way they work is to offer you a refund on your bet if your acca loses by one leg. This is a great option for those who have been let down by the barest of margins, but remember that if more than one selection fails, you can’t claim any insurance back. There may also be terms and conditions applied to the free bet credits awarded to you by the betting site.

Betting Refunds and Cashback

Betting refunds give you your stake back if something happens during the sporting event that protects your welcome offer bet. For example, the original sports betting offer might have stated something like:

• Get your money back if Raheem Sterling scores first

In this example, no matter what happens with your sporting event bet. If Sterling gets the opener then your new player bet is protected. Let’s say Man City score first via Sterling. However, they lose to PSG 3-1. Well you will get your money back. This type of existing customer betting offer is a great way to help you protect yourself when placing your bet.

Request a Bet

The ‘request a bet’ feature available at many top bookmakers allows you to create a personalised if you haven’t found what you’re looking for in the available markets. Let’s say there’s a Premier League game at the weekend: the request a bet feature will allow you to come up with a prediction for that match – say, two yellow cards, Harry Kane to score the first goal, and a 2-0 scoreline at half time. By tweeting this scenario to the bookmaker, or by submitting your request via the betting site, you may be able to see what odds the bookie will offer. Ladbrokes, for example, uses the hashtag #GetAPrice, while Betfred’s hashtag is #PickYourPunt. 

Build a Bet

Some bookies have created automatic bet builders for their websites and mobile betting apps. Using a bookmaker’s build a bet form allows you to combine and delete different wagers for a single event, and see instant updates to the odds.  It is effectively a single match-accumulator that allows you to boost your odds on any one event. These promotions aren’t available at every site, however, and those that are may only be applied to specific sports such as football. 

Betting Odds Explained

If you’ve ever seen betting odds displayed in another country you’ll have noticed there are different ways of expressing them. Many betting sites give customers a choice of which type of betting odds to use, as there is no difference in payouts. Rather, these styles are simply different ways of expressing the same thing. 

Take a look at the main types of betting odds below — it’s best to use whichever feels the clearest and most natural to you. Nevertheless, it’s helpful to be aware of how each type works so that you can easily interpret betting bonuses, whichever format is used.

Fractional

Fractional odds are the favoured style in the UK and Ireland. They state the potential profit from a particular stake. For example, a 3/1 bet of £1 would pay out a £3 profit plus your £1 stake back, so £4 in total if you win.

The same goes for shorter odds — a 1/2 bet with a £20 stake would pay out £10 profit if it won, plus your £20 stake back. It’s also easy to spot even money bets with fractional odds, as these are displayed as 1/1. 

Decimal

Decimal odds are more common in Europe — they state the total return rather than the profit. For example, odds of 2.5 with a £1 bet state exactly what’s returned — £2.50. That £2.50 consists of £1.50 profit, plus your £1 stake.

Odds in the decimal format are always above 1. So the equivalent of 1/5 would be 1.2 — a successful £1 bet in this scenario would return £1.20, with £0.20 of this being profit. A helpful way to remember this is to note that 2.0 is evens, the same as 1/1 — so anything below 2.0 offers shorter odds.

A benefit of using the decimal format is that it can be easier to work out the value of shorter odds. The difference between 8/10 and 4/6 is not immediately obvious, but we can tell that 1.8 offers a larger payout than 1.67.

American

American odds are less common at UK betting sites and may feel a little strange at first. But once you get used to them they’re just as straightforward as the fractional and decimal formats. 

The American moneyline format is expressed in terms of positive and negative numbers. They’re based on either what would be won from a £100 stake, or what stake is required to win £100.

For example, if you placed a bet at odds of -150, you’d need to bet £150 to win £100 profit. Conversely, a winning bet of £100 at odds of +150 would pay out £150 profit, and you’d receive your £100 stake back. Smaller stakes work in the same way — a £1 bet at odds of +400 will return £5 in total for £4 profit.

As with any odds, stakes that are less round numbers will be harder to work out — a £12 bet at -300 returns £16, for £4 profit. However, when it comes to placing your bet the bookmaker will always state your potential winnings. The main thing, therefore, that we can easily see that +400 pays out more than +300, and -400 pays out less than -300.

Free Bet Clubs

Another popular way for existing players to pick up some betting bonuses is via free bet clubs. While they differ slightly across the wide range of UK bookmakers, free bet clubs are simple enough: punters opt in and place a certain amount in bets throughout the week to pick up a free bet in return. At Betway, you’ll receive two £5 free bets if you place £25 in accumulators before 23:59 BST on Fridays.

Best Odds Guaranteed

Put simply, best odds guaranteed means you’ll be paid out at the best odds offered on your bet if it wins. That means even if you place your bet well in advance of the event and the odds then improve, you’ll benefit from the enhanced price. These offers are most commonly associated with sports where ante-post betting is popular, such as greyhound or horse racing.

Loyalty Schemes

Loyalty schemes are one of the most popular offers for existing customers. They’re often based on a points system, and players who amass enough will receive benefits not available to those outside the scheme. Of course, each site runs their loyalty scheme differently, but the basis is generally similar across each online sportsbook — it could be based on the number of bets made, the amount you’ve deposited, or something else. Naturally, those who are most active on the site will gain the most loyalty points and thus see the most benefit. Prizes can be anything from free bets or cash, all the way to high-end rewards such as holidays. 

In-Play Betting Bonus Sites

In-play betting promotions are some of the most exciting offers available at online bookmakers. Instead of placing a bet before a match kicks off, you’ll jump in mid-game and respond to what’s happening in real-time. 

Bookies know that many punters find this an exciting way to bet, whether you’re watching an event with friends or just keeping tabs of what’s happening on your phone. As a result, there’s a good range of in-play betting bonuses out there for new and existing customers.

Betting offers for in-play markets come in all shapes and sizes. A straightforward in-play bonus could involve a £5 free bet to be used any time during a sports match. Usually, there wouldn’t be any wagering requirements or other restrictions attached — you’ll keep all your winnings if your bet lands. 

Wagering requirements do often apply to betting deals that are part of welcome offers, but are generally much more player-friendly than casino bonuses. Often, you’ll only need to wager the bonus 10x or even just 1x to withdraw your cash.

More intricate in-play betting deals include Betfred’s Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven promotion. With this offer, instead of using a free bet, you’ll start by placing a real money bet on the next player to score in any of the eligible games. Pick correctly and the bonus will kick in — if your player scores a second you’ll get paid double, and if they score a hat-trick you’ll get paid triple the odds. Once the bet settles, you’ll be paid in real cash within 24 hours.

Live Streaming Betting Bonus Sites 

Live streaming is another valued feature of sportsbooks and complements in-play betting. With live streaming, punters can watch a game unfold live from their betting site or app. This not only gives you the chance to enjoy a match live, but it also enhances the in-play betting experience.

By watching a match live, bettors can gain a greater sense of the ebb and flow of the game. While stats are useful for informing in-play bets, being able to assess the game yourself is even better. Additionally, watching a game live increases the excitement as you cheer on your bet, whether it be Virgil van Dijk to receive a yellow card or Emma Raducanu to win the next set.

So, while the best betting offers may be what initially grab your attention, it’s well worth seeking out sites that offer in-play betting and live streaming in addition to great bonuses.

Sports Betting Markets and Offers

The top UK betting sites feature a whole host of sports markets, from outright bets on who will win a particular competition to niche bets on the minutiae of individual games. Different sports bring different betting offers and opportunities, so if you’re interested in everything from boxing to Formula 1, it’s well worth having a browse for the best deals. Equally, when there’s real money at stake, it may be best to stick to what you know. So if you’re a cricket fanatic who isn’t interested in much else — don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of relevant betting deals and markets available.

Football Betting Offers

Football is the most watched sport in the world, so naturally there are tons of betting markets available. Punters can have a flutter on most leagues around the world — some of which you may never have heard of! 

Outright football bets are common and include betting on the winners of major tournaments, including:

• Premier League
• FIFA World Cup
• UEFA Champions League
• UEFA European Championship

As for individual matches, there are tons of options available. Punters can stick to betting on match results and players to score, or get a bit more niche. Popular football markets include:

• Full-time result
• Full-time score
• Score at halftime
• Team to win to nil
• Player to score anytime
• Player to score first
• Player to assist
• Player to receive a card
• Time of first goal/corner/throw-in
• How many goals/corners/throw-ins in a ten-minute period

As for football betting deals, they’re some of the most readily available at online UK bookmakers. There are various different types of football betting offers. For example, enhanced odds and acca boosts give your own real money bets greater payout potential, while free bets put you in with a shout of winning without having to lay down any of your own cash. 

Some of the best football betting offers include:

• Free bets
• Enhanced odds
• Acca boosts
• Acca insurance
• Early payout
• Money back
• Deposit bonus

While free bets and deposit bonuses are the most common incentives for new customers, other types of football betting offers pop up in welcome bonuses too. What’s more, free bets are often made available for existing punters, either as part of free bet clubs or as an incentive to bet on high-profile matches, such as a Champions League or FA Cup final. 

Bookmakers are continually coming up with new ways to liven up sports betting, and different sites have their own approaches when it comes to bonuses for existing players. For example, Bet365 has its own version of a money back promotion called Bore Draw, where bettors will receive their stake back if their bet loses on a match that finishes 0–0. So, be sure to check out a bookmaker’s range of promotions before you sign up, as there’s plenty more up for grabs beyond a site’s initial welcome offer.

Horse Racing Betting Offers

Horse racing is one of the UK’s oldest and most popular forms of gambling, so it’s no surprise there are plenty of betting markets and offers available online. Let’s kick off with some of the different types of bets you can place:

• Each way – effectively two bets, one or your horse to win and one on it to place
• Place only – a bet on a horse to finish in one of the places; this could be first, second, third, or fourth, depending on how many are competing in the race
• Forecast, tricast – involves predicting which horses will come first and second
• Trixie – a multi bet where you bet on three horses across three different races

Once you’ve got your head around the bets, you can check out some of horse racing’s biggest events:

• Cheltenham Festival
• Royal Ascot
• Epsom Derby
• Kentucky Derby
• Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

While bookies regularly offer promotions specifically aimed at horse racing events, fans of this sport can benefit from broader welcome bonuses too. New customers can pick up free bets and bonus credit when they sign up and deposit funds into their account, or when they place their first bet. The free bets and deposit bonuses up for grabs for new customers are often eligible for betting on horse racing, so you can try your luck without committing as much of your own money.

Popular horse racing betting offers also include money back deals — here you can get your stake back either as withdrawable cash or as a free bet if your horse falls in a jump race or loses a race by a length. ‘Best Odds Guaranteed’ is another popular promotion as it ensures punters receive the best odds when they place a bet before a race. This means that if you place your bet at an early price, you won’t miss out if the odds improve during race day.

Cricket Betting Offers

Cricket may not be the first sport that comes to mind when you think of betting, but there’s a great range of competitions and markets to wager on. Whether you’re interested in international or domestic cricket, five-day test matches or T20 games, it’s well worth having a look at the current available markets and offers.

Some of the most prestigious cricket tournaments you can bet on include:

• The Ashes
• Border-Gavaskar Trophy
• Cricket World Cup
• T20 World Cup
• Indian Premier League
• Big Bash League
• T20 Blast

Once you’ve picked out a tournament or specific match to bet on, there are plenty of options. You could go for the team or nation to win a championship, or choose one of the following examples of match bets:

• Match winner
• Team – top batter
• Team – top bowler
• Player of the match
• 1st wicket method
• 1st over total runs

As for cricket betting offers, some bookies will dish out price boosts and other bonuses for big matches, while you can also use any bonus credit picked up from a matched deposit offer on this sport.

Boxing Betting Offers

The attention boxing receives is a little more sporadic than other sports, but when legendary names like Tyson Fury or Deontay Wilder enter the ring, UK punters flock to the scene. Sites with the best free bets will let you use them on a range of sports, but there are some boxing-specific betting deals up for grabs too.

One popular offer is round betting insurance. Just place a bet on your chosen boxer to win in a certain round, and if they win in the round before or after, your stake will be refunded as a free bet. One sportsbook you’ll find round betting insurance at is Betfred, which offers it on selected DAZN fights. 

If you’re interested in boxing, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye out for special offers if there’s a particularly big fight coming up. You might also see betting deals around larger sporting events that include boxing, like the Olympics or Commonwealth Games.

As for the specific boxing bets you can place, here’s a taste of the action:

• To win fight
• Fight outcome – KO, TKO, disqualification, decision, technical decision or technical draw
• Round betting
• Total rounds
• When will fight end
• Fight to go the distance

Formula 1 Betting Offers

Certainly one of the most glamorous sporting events, Formula 1 has an avid following around the globe. The annual World Championship is made up of a series of Grand Prix races, and bookmakers are often flooded with promotions in the lead-up to each one. You could get your mitts on free bet tokens, odds boosts, or acca insurance.

Formula 1 has also seen some more unusual bets in its time. When British superstar Lewis Hamilton was just 12 years old, Ladbrokes took a bet that he’d win a Formula 1 race before the age of 23 — a highly speculative wager that was priced at 40/1. We suggest only making such bets for entertainment purposes, and you’ll likely have to do so through a sportsbook that takes bet requests.

As for the more standard bets, check out the following:

• Race winner
• Drivers Championship outright winner
• Constructors Championship outright winner
• Driver-Constructor Championship double

Golf Betting Offers

With many golfing tournaments taking place across the calendar every year, you can be certain to find golf betting deals at top UK bookmakers. Common offers include free bets, enhanced odds when you place bets on specific markets, and acca insurance in case one leg lets you down. 

Some of the biggest competitions to take place every year are:

• March – The Chevron Championship
• April – The Masters
• May – The PGA Championship
• June – The US Open and US Women’s Open, and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• July – The British Open and Amundi Evian Championship
• August – AIG Women’s Open

Keep your eyes out for betting offers in the run up to these events — for example, Betfair offers no suspension on PGA Tour outright winner bets up to 200/1, meaning you can cash out even if the market is suspended. 

As for the specific markets available for each of these tournaments, check out the following for inspiration:

• Outright – to win a tournament
• Each way – like in horse racing, you bet on a golfer to win and a back-up bet on them to place
• To place – betting on the golfer to finish within a certain ranking, which could be top 10 or top 20 depending on the tournament
• Round betting – betting on who will be top of the leaderboard after a particular round
• To make/miss the cut – the ‘cut’ refers to the number of points required to progress in a tournament

Accumulators

Another type of bet that is very popular with fans of all sports is the accumulator. This bet, also known as an acca, involves combining multiple markets into one bet. Each of the outcomes must happen for the bet to win — for this reason, accumulators typically offer larger payouts and plenty of thrills along the way. But, be warned, it just takes one leg of your accumulator to fal for your whole bet to lose, so make sure you choose your wagers carefully. 

Online betting offers often focus on common markets such as a team to win a particular match or be crowned champions at the end of a season. Other betting deals may aim to catch the eye of potential punters with more obscure bets, such as Tomáš Souček to make three tackles in West Ham’s next fixture. Arguably, the best betting bonuses are the ones that give players the broadest choice of which markets to bet on.

Payment Methods at Betting Bonus Sites

The best betting sites support a broad range of banking options, giving punters the flexibility to choose whichever method suits them. However, it’s also important for bookmakers to clearly state which payment options are valid for unlocking bonuses. Indeed, many qualifying deposits are only valid if made using certain payment methods. 

Check out some of the most widely-used payment methods at betting bonus sites below.

Debit Cards

Almost universally accepted by UK bookmakers, debit cards are among the most trusted payment options for bettors. Debit cards issued by payment networks such as Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro are readily available to most people and offer instant deposits and little to no transaction fees. Encryption technology deployed by both banks and bookmakers makes debit cards a secure payment method, too. 

When it comes to claiming betting offers, debit cards are always a sound option. Many betting deals that require a qualifying deposit only accept payments made with Visa or Mastercard, so if you’re happy using one of these, you should be set.

e-Wallets

Most bookmakers support deposits and withdrawals via e-wallets such as PayPal and Skrill. These digital wallets are an ideal choice if you don’t feel comfortable entering your debit card number online or prefer to keep your betting money separate from your main bank account. Other advantages of using e-wallets include top-notch security and faster withdrawals than debit cards.

One of the drawbacks of making payments with e-wallets is that they’re not always eligible for deposit bonuses. Betting sites may not make it obvious that this is the case either, so be sure to check the terms and conditions before attempting to claim an offer.

Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards are another good banking method for punters who’d prefer not to share card or bank account details with sports betting sites. One of the most popular prepaid card systems in the UK is Paysafecard, which is available to buy both online and in brick-and-mortar retailers. 

Available in various denominations between £10 and £100, Paysafecard vouchers carry 16-digit codes which you simply type into your bookie site account to make your deposits. Although some betting sites may allow withdrawals to My Paysafecard accounts, this is generally a deposit-only option.

As for bonuses, deposits using prepaid cards are typically less likely to be eligible. More flexible bookmakers may allow them, however, so be sure to check those T&Cs.

Pay by Phone Bill

The pay by phone bill option is one of the newer payment methods available to UK punters. Services like Boku allow bettors to make deposits by entering their mobile number rather than any sensitive bank or debit card details. The deposit amount is then added to the bettor’s monthly phone bill once the SMS confirmation code has been entered. 

Stringent deposit limits apply to pay by phone options, while withdrawals also aren’t possible with this method. As for bonuses, you’ll have fewer options available when using a service like Boku compared to a debit card, but there are some eligible promotions out there.

Bitcoin

Another option for making payments at sites with betting deals is a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. With Bitcoin, gamblers can add and withdraw funds to and from their casino accounts in an instant — no more waiting around for your funds. To get started, you’ll need to have some BTC stored in a crypto wallet. Then, you can set up the transaction at the casino’s cashier page. 

Although Bitcoin payments are stored on the public ledger, there’s a much greater degree of anonymity than with other casino payment methods. As for their availability, crypto casinos are still relatively rare in the UK, but they are increasing in popularity. It’s also worth noting that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are highly volatile and can fluctuate dramatically in value, so make sure to do your research before you opt to use this payment method.

Ready to Place Your Bets?

Now that you know what to look for when it comes to the best online bookmakers, you should be ready to claim a top betting site deal? Alongside our rankings, we’ve reviewed dozens of top bookies to make sure you’ve got access to everything you need to know. Once you’ve found one you like, you can click through to the sign up page and claim your betting offer.