Depending on your point of view, there are many locations across the world which can be considered as the focal point for betting. There’s no doubt, however, that bookmakers really began in earnest in the UK and have thrived there for many decades.
Following new legislation, many bookmakers are closing their doors to UK based customers but thanks to giants such as William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral, the industry will continue to boom. But what are the main characteristics of UK licensed bookmakers and what do they really offer?
UK Licensed Bookmakers
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Ontario
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SIA (Sports Interaction)
SIA for Ontario residentsVISITKey Terms:New customers only. T&Cs Apply. 19+ Play Responsibly. Ontario only. 19+.
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Ontario
Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario.Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
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Betway
Ontario Sports betting from BetwayVISITKey Terms:New customers only from Ontario (CA). 19+. Full Terms apply. Play Responsibly
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888sport
888Sport for Ontario playersVISITKey Terms:#Ad Full Terms and Conditions Apply. Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly. Eligible iGames conducted and managed by iGO are only available to those physically present in the Province of Ontario. 19+
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Canada (excl. Ontario)Offers not available for Ontario residents.Offers not available for Ontario residents.
18+ only.
Gambling can be addictive, please play responsibly.
If you, or someone you know, has a gambling problem and wants help, please visit https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/en -
SIA (Sports Interaction)
First Deposit Match Bonus up to $250VISITKey Terms:New customers only. Bonus equal to 125% of your 1st deposit up to $250. 6x rollover on deposit + bonus. T&Cs Apply. 19+ Play Responsibly
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ComeOn
Bet $25 and get $100 in Free BetsVISITKey Terms:18+ Begambleaware.org Min. deposit: $20. Wagering requirements (min odds 1.75) must be fulfilled within 30 days before a withdrawal. Accepted payment methods for the welcome offer are: Credit or Debit cards, MuchBetter, Local Bank Transfers, Interact. Any fraudulent or unethical behaviour be suspected in the Player’s Gameplay, the company has the right to reject the withdrawal and confiscate winnings.
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Betway
100% Deposit Bonus up to $200VISITKey Terms:New Canada customers only. Opt-in required. Bonus based on 1st deposit of $10+. 10x bonus wagering at odds of 1.75+. Terms apply
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888sport
100% bonus up to $300 + $10 casino bonusVISITKey Terms:$10 min deposit • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least once with cumulative odds of 1.5 or greater • Wagering must be cleared within 60 days • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days • To withdraw bonus/related wins, wager the bonus amount40 times within 14 days • Casino Bonus expires after 60 days • Wagering limit of $50 per bet Applies • Withdrawal restrictions, payment methods, country & Full T&C’s apply
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Ontario
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bet365
Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets - Registration RequiredVISITKey Terms:#Ad. 18+ New Customers only. Registration Required. Bet £10* & Get £50* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs, time limits & exclusions apply.
Significant Terms and Conditions
• Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5* or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 500% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £50* in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable.
• To release your Bet Credits for use, you must place qualifying bets to the value of your qualifying deposit (capped at £10*) and they must settle within 30 days of claiming the offer. Only qualifying bets placed and settled after claiming the offer will count towards this requirement.
• Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, paysafecard and all other prepaid credit and debit cards, where available, cannot be used for either your qualifying deposit or any subsequent withdrawal of returns from Bet Credits stakes unless we have successfully verified an accepted form of your Identity Documents and you have entered a Postal Verification Code (PVC), or we have successfully verified two accepted forms of your Identity Documents. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
• Bets placed must meet certain conditions to count towards the release of your Bet Credits:
- Must contain at least one selection at odds of 1/5 (1.20) or greater.
- In market/fixture combinations that only have two or three potential outcomes (for example Soccer Full Time Result), where you have placed bets on more than one potential outcome, either pre-match or In-Play, only the outcome with your highest cumulative stake will count.
- Where a stake has been partially Cashed Out, only the remaining active stake will count.
- Where a bet has been edited using our Edit Bet feature, only the new stake on the new bet will count.
- Fully Cashed Out, Instant Games, Gaming, void bets or In-Play bets which are settled as a push will not count.
• Your Bet Credits are non-withdrawable, and Bet Credits stakes are not included in any returns. Any returns from Bet Credits placed will be added to your Withdrawable Balance. Bet Credits cannot be used on certain products, offers/promotions and bet types. See full Terms and Conditions for details.
• Your Bet Credits will be forfeit and removed if your account is inactive for 90 consecutive days.
*or currency equivalent
T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. See full Terms. Registration required. Please gamble responsibly! www.begambleaware.org -
Betfred
BETFRED50 - Get £50 in Free BetsVISITKey Terms:New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply; 18+ www.begambleaware.org #ad
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10bet
100% up to £50 welcome bonus. Code: SPORT
VISITKey Terms:New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+. See full Terms apply; 18+ www.begambleaware.org #ad -
Betway
Get up to £90 in Free BetsVISITKey Terms:Opt-in required. Upon weekly qualification, customers will be credited with £/€10 in Free Bets in two £/€5 installments on Saturday and Monday. From 24th September until 18th November 2022, an extra £/€5 Free Bet will be added to Quest to Qatar pot, which half will be credited on 19th November 2022, and the other half credited on 3rd December 2022. £30 Acca Offer New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. Debit card deposits only. Valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Full terms apply.
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888sport
100% up to £250 w/ code 250BONUSVISITKey Terms:#Ad. 18+. £10 min deposit using promo code 250BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly - www.begambleaware.org
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Mr Play
Bet £10 Get £15VISITKey Terms:18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit,: £10, max £15 free bet valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org #ad
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Grosvenor
Double the OddsVISITKey Terms:New customers. Max £10(Exc PayPal). 100% Odds Boost token. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. www.begambleaware.org #ad
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LV BET
Bet £10 Get £10VISITKey Terms:18+ | New UK players after 31.03.2021 | Valid on first Sports bet | Min. dep. £10 req. | Min. £10 wag. on the first bet with min. total odds of 1/1 to qualify | Bet must be settled | Bonus Wag. req.1x on min. 2-fold Acca bets (min. 1/4 odds each selection) with min. final odds of 1/ 1| Virtual and cashed out bets do not qualify | One-time offer | Bonuses credited following working day | T&Cs apply | BeGambleAware.org #ad
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Ontario
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LV BET
100% up to €50VISITKey Terms:18+. New Customers Only. 100% Welcome Bonus up to €50. Minimum deposit: €10. Maximum Bonus: €50. Wagering Requirements: 12x (Deposit+Bonus). Minimum 2 selections with total odds of 2.00. Payment method and country restrictions apply. The offer is valid until 31.12.2021. Bets placed on different selections within the same market or bets placed on equivalent markets are not eligible for this offer. Gamble Responsibly.
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QuinnBet Sports
Bet €10 Get €60 + 10 Free SpinsVISITKey Terms:Bet €10 on any sport of your choice at min odds evens (2.00) or greater and QuinnBet will credit your account with 4 x €10 Free Bets (to use on any Sports of your choice), plus €20 QuinnCasino bonus, plus 10 Free Spins on Asgard Warriors. The 3 x €10 Free Bets, €20 Casino Bonus and 10 Free Spins will be credited the day after your qualifying bet settles. T&Cs apply | 18+ New IRE Customers Only | BeGambleAware.org
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Ontario
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bet365
Get Up To ₹4,000 in Bet CreditsVISITKey Terms:15% of your qualifying deposit in Bet Credits (up to ₹4,000). Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. 18+, begambleaware.org.
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Betway
100% Matched Free Bet up to ₹4,000 If First Bet LosesVISITKey Terms:*New India customers only. Min Stake: ₹250. Max Free Bet: ₹4,000. First bet on any sports with overall odds: 2.00 (1/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ Terms Apply
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Casumo
100% Bonus up to ₹10,000VISITKey Terms:18+ New customers only. 100% Bonus: Opt-in required. Min. deposit ₹700 to receive a 100% bonus up to ₹10,000 (within 7 days from reg.). 6x deposit and bonus wagering at odds of 1.6. T&Cs apply. Play Responsibly. begambleaware.org. Full Bonus terms apply.
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ComeOn
100% Matched Deposit Bonus up to ₹6000VISITKey Terms:India 18+ customers only. You will have a total of 30 days to complete the bonus from the activation date. ComeOn! will double your first deposit, up to ₹6,000. Minimum deposit is ₹200. Maximum bonus amount is ₹6,000. Minimum wagering requirements apply. You will need to wager your bonus before you can withdraw as follows: Sportsbook: 10 x deposit and bonus. Each way bets or bets placed on Asian Handicap are excluded. The ₹6,000 Sports Welcome Bonus will be credited to your account within 24 hours after your first qualifying bet has been accepted. Terms and Conditions Apply.
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Bons
₹1000 Free BetVISITKey Terms:Cashback up to 20% every month, ₹1000 free bet on sport, Rebate 500% in sports bets, COMBOBOOST up to 100% in combo bet
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Ontario
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bet365
Bet Now!VISITKey Terms:Open an account with bet365 today and bet on a huge range of markets with the world's favourite online sports betting company. Registration required.
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PlayUp Australia
Login to View PromotionsVISITKey Terms:Join PlayUp today and you can bet on all the best Racing and Sports. Whether you’re just after the simple stuff like Win/Place and Head-to-Heads or something a bit more complex such as Exotics and Player Props, we’ve got top odds on all the markets you could ever need! So sign up to Australia’s best fixed odds bookmaker now and make your best bet!
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Ontario
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Ontario
A Tradition
Even in the high-tech digital age, there is a very traditional feel to the UK bookmakers. Many have an offline presence with shops located on the high street and the branding employed by each one always looks familiar because of this.
UK online sports are also heavily highlighted on the home page with the English Premier League Football betting markets usually taking centre stage during the season. The full list of markets is also very traditional and unlike many new betting sites from across the world, horse racing is huge here and every race is covered throughout the sporting year.
Elsewhere, cricket, tennis, rugby union, rugby league and boxing are popular while traditional Irish sports such as hurling also get good coverage. If you’re looking for online betting markets which are more prevalent in mainland Europe, examples such as handball and basketball are offered but they maybe aren’t quite as extensive as you would get from bookmakers that are established outside of the UK.
Live play
If you watch television in the UK, advertisements breaks are dominated by bet365. This company were the pioneers in live betting or in-play betting and at half time during any football match, they will push their up to the minute prices.
Others such as William Hill, Coral, Ladbrokes and more have followed suit so that all online UK bookmakers are heavy promoters of in-play betting and live streaming. Cashout is another popular and common facility that allows you to claim a return before the game has ended.
Offers
Like all operators, you can expect to receive a welcome bonus when you sign up for a new account but how do these compare? This is a highly competitive market with new bookmakers cropping up all the time but are the UK companies relying on their reputation?
Trust and longevity are obviously important to any player but eye catching opening offers may be necessary to grow those customer bases. With UK licensed bookmakers, those welcome deals might not actually be that impressive but rewards are certainly there for anyone who remains loyal.
William Hill are a good example of this: Their current opening promo gives a 200% match on your initial credit but there is a relatively low maximum bonus of £20. If you look beyond this, there are plenty of ongoing incentives including (at the time of writing), Money Back Acca Insurance, a football promotion known as Super Sub and a second chance offer in the first goal scorer markets.
Moving across to Coral and their deals are very similar: For new account holders, you can still get that modest bonus of £20.00 although you only have to deposit an initial £5.00 in order to claim it. From this point onwards, the offers keep on coming.
As at October 2015, there are accumulator insurance deals in the football, basketball and American football markets plus a money back bonus in greyhound racing. The standout promo however comes within Coral’s Acca club, where you can place just one multiple bet and claim up to five more, completely free.
These bonus offers vary from bookmaker to bookmaker but they are fairly typical of UK operators: The initial welcome bonus may look small but for those who are prepared to stay for the mid to long term, the incentives get better and better during the online betting experience.
Leaders in Innovation
Paddy Power have their offices in the Republic of Ireland but they are so popular across the UK that it’s not unreasonable to refer to them as a UK bookmaker. That popularity has come from innovative and humorous TV advertising backed by very active social media accounts.
Many try to imitate Paddy Power but few can really match their absurd take on the sporting world. However, Paddy Power’s innovation means that all UK bookmakers are very active on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
These social media portals can also be used for UK sports betting sites to place offers that may not be seen elsewhere. Typically these might include enhanced odds on a certain Premier League game or additional refund promos but whatever they may be, it’s important to follow all of their social media accounts so that you don’t miss out.
Funding
Funding is another area where the traditional UK bookmakers are finally starting to catch up with the digital age. Until very recently, it may have been difficult to find a good selection but in the present day, a whole host of e-wallet providers can now be found.
Obviously, you can still use bank transfers and all the major debit cards but thankfully, there is lots of choice. Neteller and Skrill are common with the UK firms but some of the more obscure e-wallets are also here and, some UK betting sites also take Paypal which is going to make them extremely useful.
UK Bookmakers Fighting Back
Recent legislation means that a number of mainland European bookmakers are pulling out of the UK market but there are many, newer firms such as the UK based GentingBet coming in to take their place.
In the meantime, traditional UK bookmakers continue to thrive and while the UK customer base is grateful for that, they remain popular all over the world.
Naturally they vary but a typical UK online bookmaker will have a big list of markets, together with strong odds and they will certainly promote betting in play and live streaming, which is huge in the UK. Welcome bonuses may be small but it’s all about the long term where loyalty is rewarded with ongoing deals.
It’s been an interesting period for the gambling industry in the UK but thanks to those established names, it continues to expand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Best UK Events for UK Bettors to bet on
The United Kingdom is a hub for global sport and there is a host of sporting events taking place here each year. In fact, it all starts on New Year’s Day when the final of the PDC World Darts Championship is decided. January is fairly quiet but we do have a major snooker event in the shape of the UK Masters while the third round of the FA Cup brings in the teams from the top two divisions.
Spring starts to usher in some of the best horse racing events of the year and they don’t come any bigger than the Cheltenham Festival. Four days of world class racing culminate in the Cheltenham Gold Cup which is run on the Friday of the festival.
As soon as Cheltenham ends, preparations begin for the Grand National in April with the Epsom Derby following on in June. Other excellent horse racing meets to look out for include Royal Ascot and the St Leger.
For football betting fans, we mentioned the FA Cup and this competition concludes with the final in May. The Premier League also comes to an end in this month while Scottish football also comes to a climax.
Cricket will then take over and England will host a number of test matches, one day internationals and T20 internationals across the summer. Rugby Union offers plenty too with the Six Nations getting up and running in February and divisional championships also taking place across the UK.
Tennis is hugely popular among the betting community and Wimbledon fortnight is the focus of attention.
These are the main events from across the calendar year but this is a lively country for many other sports and there’s always something to bet on in the UK.
How to Deposit and Withdraw with Online Bookmakers in the UK
Making a deposit or withdrawal is very simple and while the process will alter slightly depending on which bookmaker you use, it’s all straightforward. Once you have signed up and logged in, you should see a button at the top of the page marked ‘deposit’ or ‘cashier’. Click on this and you will have the option to add funds to your account.
From this point, select the wide range payment methods that you wish to use: Bookmakers should offer bank transfers and debit cards as a minimum but many will add eWallets such as Skrill and Neteller and possibly even PayPal.
Select the option and enter either a card number or an account number in the same way that you would if you were making any purchase online. You may be asked for further essential details such as card expiry date and CVV number. Now, all you have to do is enter the amount that you wish to deposit. Hit the confirm button and, depending on the method you use, the transfer should be instant.
In terms of withdrawals, the process should be similar but you should find that you can only withdraw funds to payment methods that you have already used for deposits. If you want to take any money back, find your preferred method, enter the amount you wish to withdraw and confirm.
Both deposits and withdrawals are very simple but if you do have any queries, you can simply fire over a question to customer service through live chat.
Biggest UK Bookmakers vs New UK Bookmakers
This is a question that we are frequently asked: Should a bettor stick with an old, established brand or would it be better to opt for a new bookmaker? It’s a good question and it’s fair to say that if a company has been around for decades, they will have built up a reputation for trust and fair play.
That’s important and experience has to be earned but you can still feel secure when signing up with newer UK bookmakers. In order to check on how they safeguard your details when you play online, there should be an About Us page which will explain details on firewalls and how they employ Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to keep your information safe from third parties.
New UK bookmakers may not have that experience but they can score in other ways. Many will look to offer more betting markets than their established competitors and they may look to list a wider set of gambling bonuses and promotions.
Competitive odds can also help to give new online bookmakers the edge. Throughout this site we have listed a number of recommendations for you to follow. Some are older bookmakers while others are relatively new to the scene but we think they all offer value and choice for all customers.
Low Deposit Bookmakers
With many UK bookmakers, you can start playing online from a deposit as low as £5.00. There is no set figure in this respect although with many outlets, that figure is doubled to £10.00. There seems to be little difference but the amount that you add could have a big bearing in terms of a bookmaker’s welcome offer.
If you find a bookmaker with a low deposit level of £5, it could be a good idea to take advantage of this if you just want to check the site out. If you’re happy to take a look at the sports markets and the sports that they offer without committing too much of your own money, this is the way to go.
The argument against doing this lies in the nature of the welcome offer. These introductory bonuses will differ depending on who you use but it’s quite typical to provide a percentage match on your opening deposit of 50% to 100%.
Therefore, if you make a £5.00 deposit and get a 100% match you will only earn a £5.00 bonus whereas you could get a maximum of a £50.00 match or even higher.
Once again, our bookmaker reviews will explain deposits and welcome offers in greater detail so you can assess each sportsbook individually to decide whether you want to commit to a low or high deposit.
