Online Bookmakers / Bookies

online bookmakersOn this page you’ll find a list of all of the bookmakers that we recommended. We’ve personally tested each and every one of these and have written detailed reviews covering everything from the sites odds and promotions through to how easy it is to find a bet.

Every bookie listed on this page (and every bookie and casino listed on this site, for that matter) is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Most are also members of IBAS.

Note that you must be of 18 years or older to gamble.  Terms and conditions will apply so please make sure you read these before joining or claiming any offer.

Looking For Betting Offers?

betting offers man with cash

There are hundred of pounds worth of new customer offers up for grabs at the bookies with new brands popping up all the time. You can find a full list of these kinds of bonuses for both sports and casino on the pages below.

Best Online Bookies in the UK

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Platform
Min Deposit
Notes
Visit
Independent
£5

Best Horse Racing Bookie

T&C's Apply. 18+ #ad

One of the best bookmakers in the world for horse racing and football in particular, Betfred invented many of the bet types and offers we are familiar with today. An innovative bookie with a great range of regular and reliable promotions and coupons (such as Double Delight / Hattrick Heaven and Goals Galore).

Betfred are a big player in the industry so as you should expect the sportsbook is packed with resources and features including streaming and cash out.

Independent
£5

Biggest & Best Sportsbook

T&C's Apply. 18+ #ad
Written from personal experience that could be subject to change and location. Customer eligibility is the decision of the bet365.

Bet365 are hard to beat in nearly all aspects, in my opinion. They have, for me, the best suite of long term promotions for regular customers along with one of the biggest sportbooks. I particularly enjoy betting live in play with them, especially when they have sports live streamed.

The vast range of markets means I'm never scratching around for something to punt on when i'm just having a browse and I've always found their odds to be some of the most competitive available. My number one overall bookie who I choose to bet most with.

If you only ever bet with one online bookmaker make sure it is Bet365.

Altenar
£10
Unique Platform

Naturally if you are looking for a site that focuses on UK sports then this does what it says on the tin. Well, it actually covers a ton of sports and events from around the world too, so it is All British Sports + More really. This is the sportsbook from the well known All British Casino that was launched in 2022. It is powered by Altenar, a Maltese platform provider that are big in South America. This means it looks and feels totally different to the usual sportsbooks you are used to.

The brand has been around since 2013 so they are stable and well resourced. This is an ideal site if you want a top top casino with a very good sportsbook attached, a serious alternative to the big names.

FSB
£5
British Institution
T&C's Apply. 18+ #ad

The Pools is the modern online betting site of The Football Pools launched in 2021. Anyone over a certain age will certainly remember The Football Pools, it was a British institution that pre-dated legalised off-track betting by over 30 years. The company is still going today and it is still based in Liverpool, UK. It took them a while to catch up with the times but they finally did and now you can place sports bets and play casino games with The Pools online.

Importantly you can still play all the old pools games too, plus a few more modern innovations. If you want a betting site that is British but not one of the big old high street names then this is a very good option. You don't get to be around for 100 years without understanding your customers either and so in all respects The Pools are very good, whether that be customer support, banking options, general fairness, market depth, features and promotions - they have it all.

Independent
£5

Personalised Offers

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If bookmakers have personalities then BetVictor is the polite gentleman with the top hat and umbrella. Seriously though BetVictor run a very professional operation, their MO is to provide the basics in the best way possible.

You won't get hundreds of promotions each week with Victor but you will find some of best and most reliable odds in the industry with huge market depth. The promos that BV do run focus on value, there are also more personalised offers than other sites that are more tailored to what you want to bet on.

BetVictor have customer retention that only Bet365 can compete with, and that tells you a lot about their product.

BetVictor
£5
New To UK as of 2020
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Parimatch have a very interesting set up. They have been around since the early days of the internet, created in Ukraine in 1994 they went on to dominate the market in eastern Europe and are a well know brand on the continent, although they never launched in the UK. That is until 2020 when they launched a UK site. Interestingly rather than set up from scratch they partnered with BetVictor as a professional brand that already understands the UK market perfectly along with all the regulations.

Parimatch in the UK, therefore, is run by BetVictor, which means you get the same product and quality that they have which includes: high level deposit protection (you will literally never see that with another white label), low payment limits for deposits and high limits for withdrawals, one of the best in-play services, streaming, bespoke promotions and more.

The perfect site for those that want to play with a new betting site but do not want to compromise on quality

BtoBet
£10

Classic No-Frills Site

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Mr.Play have been around a while as a casino but recently launched a new sportsbook. The site is out-of-the-box ready given it is BtoBet powered, which means it offers customers around 10,000 pre-match markets a month and more in-play. The site also provides horse racing markets, which is rare with newer sports betting products.

Part of the Aspire Global network, Mr.Play is a well backed brand which is evident from the customer support which stays open until midnight, loads of banking options along with good limits and features such as cash out. The casino side is also better than most other bookies, given this is where they've made their name, with games from over 40 studios.

This may be a new betting brand but you wouldn't notice any difference vs the bigger traditional sites.

Independent
£10
Copy Top Tipsters
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Many people have copied bets from successful tipsters, football pundits and horse racing commentators before but what if you had a place where you could not only see the suggestions of tipsters but copy them too? What CopyBet does, as the name suggests, is allow you to copy bets from tipsters automatically, potentially saving time and effort.

CopyBet offer a standard fixed odds sportsbook, very much like all other bookies, and his includes the mod cons like cash out, in-play betting and lots of retention free bets, bonuses and other offers along with all the markets you would expect (including racing). This acts as a standalone sportsbook in its own right but the other side of the product is the ability to track and follow tipsters.

You can see all sorts of stats about the tipsters from risk profiles to the amount of time they have played, the bets they have made and their profits and loses. You can research tipsters and then choose to track them automatically at different ratios. You can set loss limits to control spending. Great innovative new product for those that already like following tipsters. It can also be linked to a Betfair Exchange account.

FSB
£10
UK Based Racing Specialist
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BetGoodwin, rebranded from Goodwin Racing, offer a rare opportunity to bet with an actual UK independent bookmaker. Goodwin Racing, set up in 1997, became the UK's biggest bookie taking phone bets and are also recognisable from their stands at UK racecourses. They were founded in East Sussex and are still there today, employing people in the local economy and paying all UK tax.

In 2021 they moved online in partnership with top provider FSB. Goodwin provides the extensive knowledge of UK punters and all of their experience of what they want and FSB provide the very nice platform and in-play interface. It is a nice match and delivers a very good sportsbook, for racing especially where they have a lot of added value retention offers.

Kambi
£5

Big Sponsors Of British Sport

T&C's Apply. 18+ #ad

There are certainly better sign up offers available than Unibet's but I promise you there aren't many sites that can boast the same market range and features. Plus, once you're in the list of regular customer offers is long. Very long.

As one of Europe's biggest bookies they have tens of millions of customers, massive market depth and stream over 40,000 events each year. Unibet's price boosts are renowned for their great value and with a European focus you can often find offers on sports here you won't find elsewhere.

A very honest and open company with high user retention rates, which tells you all you need to know about the quality of the brand. Customers vote with their feet, and there is a queue for Unibet.

FSB
£10

Family Run Irish Bookie

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Quinnbet, unlike many new betting companies these days, are owned by a family rather than an investment company. The owner, Sean Quinn, was a multi-billionaire and one of Ireland's richest people but still there are values with this betting site you rarely find with other new brands.

This manifests itself in a very traditional sportsbook that focuses on the main markets that most people care about such as horse racing, football and classic British sports. The site is powered by FSB (although Quinnbet hold their own gambling license) but that doesn't mean the character does not shine through, in existing customer offers especially. A very good option for those looking for something new with a classic twist.

Kambi
£5
Virgin Quality & Style
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Virgin Bet is a licensed brand, it is run by Virgin Bet Ltd not the Virgin Group but as we know Virgin don't just license their brand out to anyone and levels of quality are expected to be upheld. This is exactly what you get with this brand. An incredibly stylish yet simple site in the Virgin style and a genuinely great sportsbook that is packed with markets, offers good odds value and plenty of existing customer promotions.

The platform is powered by Kambi, the best when it comes to third party interfaces. They offer minimum deposits from £5 and they have top class customer service, again as you would expect from a brand with this name. Honestly a site that can easily compete with the other big brand names in the industry, as Virgin always seem to do.

SB Tech
£10

Biggest Football League Selection

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10bet go along with the philosophy bigger is better and this is no bad thing in bookmaking. Not only do 10bet have one of the largest first deposit bonuses around they have more than enough markets for you to play with all that free cash.

Famed particularly for covering more football leagues than any other bookie and being one of the best places for accumulator betting offers this makes 10Bet an awesome football bookmaker.

Regular offers are outstanding with a mix of reliable long term existing customer promotions alongside event specific free bets and insurance having been common in the past. Consistent bettors will find a lot of value here.

FSB
£10
Exceptional Customer Service

Fitzdares are a brand for those that want loyalty to go both ways with their sportsbook. The company began as a private members club and bookie in London and Gloucester, which they still run, and have launched an online sportsbook to complement that. The thing is they have mirrored their attitude to customers from the private clubs in their online product. This means customers are seriously values and this is evident through their customer service, banking limits, promotions and features that you can't find anywhere else now, such as phone betting.

You don't need to be wealthy to bet with their online sportsbook like you do with their clubs but everyone is included online and made to feel valued. One of the best bookies you've seen for decades, in a league with bet365, which is saying something.

Independent
£5

Biggest Bookie With Every Product

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Ladbrokes are the absolute perfect one stop betting site, they literally do everything in the world of bookmaking and gaming and provide every betting feature imaginable, so if you want it all at your fingertips in one place then get an account here.

Being a colossus of the industry the bookie have all the best features including high level streaming, awesome depth of market, and great daily promotion and price boosts on top sports. A particularly great bookmaker for horse racing and football punters and one of the few that has the clout to develop their own in house features and free to play daily games.

If you like minimalist design, however, then Ladbrokes will not be your cup of tea, but if you want a completely stocked bookie for life then this is one of the best options there is.

Kambi
£5

50 years Experience

If you've walked around any major town in Britain you will likely see the Grosvenor casino sign at some point. The group have been going since 1970 and run over 50 land-based casinos including some of the 'super casinos' that were planned in the early 2000's. It is no surprise therefore that Grosvenor also have a fully stocked sports product, powered by Kambi. It's not a replacement for a stand alone bookie but it certainly does everything a typical bettor would need, and the fact it is backed by such an experienced company means there are a lot of features you won't find at other casinos with sportsbooks, including a £5 minimum deposit level.

As with many casinos that have moved into sports this site is aimed more towards those that want to both play games and place bets without the hassle of having to log into other sites. They also have an award winning poker product.

For existing customers the resources and experience behind Grosvenor means you get looked after, both in terms of promotions (usually a dozen or so at a time for casino and sports) and loyalty rewards. The Grosvenor One, for example, lets you link your online account to real-world casino play allowing you to earn rewards whether you play online, in their casinos, or a mix of both.

Independent
£5
Modern & Independent
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Midnite was an eSports betting specialist that launched in 2019 and became so popular that in 2022 they upgraded to a fully fledges sportsbook with all the markets any typical punter would want. Of course eSports is still a big part of the site and for those that like it there are no other comparable bookies in terms of market coverage and depth. If you don't bet on eSports though this is still a great site.

What makes it good is it is built in house and you can clearly see they have taken time with the platform delivering a very friendly and calming user experience. Where so many sites are now clones this one makes a refreshing change.

Playbook Gaming
£10
Made For UK Punters

Rhino are the featured in-house brand from Playbook Gaming who have built their own proprietary platform. Despite only being around since 2021 the platform is already attracting good brands because of its design. This is the stand out feature with Rhino, the platform is exceptionally easy to use and very well thought out. It puts betting markets at the centre of everything and dispenses with all the noise and filler you get with other sites.

You won't find a market or get a bet on quicker with any other brand than Rhino. If that is one of your main concerns as a bettor then this has to be on your list of sites that you use. Playbook is also UK based and the site is ideal for UK punters.

Independent
£10
Rival To Betfair Exchange
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BETDAQ were one of the first betting exchanges, set up alongside the more well know Betfair in 2001 it became the main rival to the worlds biggest exchange. The brand was bought by Ladbrokes in 2013 as a way to give the old high street giant access to the exchange market. The combined resources of BETDAQ and Ladbrokes (now part of the even bigger Entain group, including Coral) allowed the site to grow, with fixed odds betting added alongside exchange markets in 2019.

The site also now offers a full casino along with sports pools betting and trading tools, although the brand has also been sold back to its original owner, so is no longer part of the Entain group. The brand has remained true to itself though, and if anything has found its own personality again since the sell back, and is still one of the best alternatives to Betfair.

Altenar
£10
Serious All-Rounder
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Lottoland have been around since 2013 and most people will recognise the name thanks to their quirky ads but they will automatically assume that Lottoland only do lottery. It is true they do lotto and they do it very well, hence why they have become well known for being able to play big games like PowerBall, but not many people know they also offer casino games, slots, bingo and since 2021 a sportsbook too.

The sportsbook isn't just some after thought, it is good quality in its own right. Powered by a third-party provider known as Altenar the interface is easy to navigate and nice to look at. Altenar made their name in the Americas and that means there are not that many UK sites that use it, meaning it looks different to the usual new sites out there. With around forty different sports available and many that you would not easily find on other sites this is a good option for many punters. Of course, if you also play bingo, casino games and lotto then this might be your perfect site.

BetConstruct
£10

Excellent Sports Betting Interface Especially In-Play

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Well established in Europe and even running high street betting shops in its native Armenia, VBet may be new to the UK but they are certainly not new to the industry. In fact, one of the biggest benefits to UK bettors is VBet's ability to offer such great range and depth when it comes to lesser known European leagues and markets. They can boast more than 50 betting categories, and over 30,000 live betting events each month.

Their sportsbook platform is provided by BetConstruct, which means live inplay bettors get access to their excellent multi view function. The platform is one of the more intricate and business like, so anyone who takes betting seriously will love it, but recreational bettors shouldn't be put off either, the stats tool in particular is really fun to use.

With cash out and plenty of promotions usually available, VBet is a sportsbook worthy of your attention.

FSB
£10
Clean, Tidy, Stocked
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Nice and tidy FSB betting site that doesn't pretend to be more than it is. This brand is UK owned and aimed at the UK and Irish markets and you can tell that instantly from the focus of the site. It's all about the sports and markets but for those looking for offers there are more here than you get with most of the big names covering all major sports, accas, daily deals, etc.

If you want a bookie that is clean with loads going on with all sorts of offers then really we can't think of many better options. If you also like to bet with brands that are based in the UK, which is rare these days, this is a good option too.

BtoBet
£10
Interesting Market Selection
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Don't be put off by the name of this site, yes this is a gaming site as you can tell but it also has a very good sportsbook attached to it too. Ideal for anyone who wants a very good casino site (over 50 providers and thousands of games) but also wants a proper sportsbook available without having to visit another bookmaker.

Here you get all the traditional markets, which includes horse racing, but also a lot of non-UK focused sports and leagues. Vegasland is logically good for US sports but also a ton of other markets and events that the normal bookies shy away from.

One of the nicest things about Vegasland is how it looks. It has a bright theme with a very intelligent menu system that allows you to find markets quickly - which is the point. This is backed up by lots of payment method options and very good customer support.

Independent
£10
Will You Be 'Kwiffed'?
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Kwiff are a thoroughly modern betting brand set up for the online gambling age where most people bet on their mobiles. Kwiff have a desktop website but the brand is best enjoyed on mobile. The company started out in 2016 but more recently had a complete overhaul and now offer one of the best betting experiences on the move.

Like all other serious sites they have all of the markets and typical features along with a full casino section. What makes this site special is the process of being 'kwiffed'. This is a feature that randomly boosts the odds of your bet at placement (and also for cash out), however, unlike other bookmaker odds boosts these are seriously big and can often magnify the payout several fold.

OpenBet
£5

Streaming For Most Sports

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Coral are quite literally the best all round betting site for the average punter. They have some of the highest value deals going for both new and existing punters that doesn't require a large outlays to use. This is a perfect site for typical low stakes punters who like to bet £10's not £100's.

Coral are one of the most exciting brands in bookmaking, vibrant and fun but still maintaining a very professional book with tons of features including streaming and tons of regular free bets for existing customers. The Coral connect scheme also allows you to bet online and in store using the same account.

There is not much the Coral don't do, if you are looking to find just one bookmaker to bet with forever then you seriously can't go far wrong with Coral.

SB Tech
£10

Continental Outlook

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NetBet are a great bookie for anyone wanting to move on from the usual big players. This size of the book and market depth within is very good and there are some fantastic regular promotions for tennis and football in particular.

The brand is older and bigger than you might imagine dating back to 2001, and both the sportsbook and casino are big in Europe. NetBet like to innovate too, and became the first licensed UK site to provide Bitcoin payments in 2016. It's not accepted anymore, but it shows they are willing to try new things.

An online only bookie with a very modern website that is particularly good for football betting.

BtoBet
£10

Vibrant Casino-Sportsbook

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Karamba are one of the new style casino sites that popped up in the mid-2000's offering users something different to the clunky old sites of the time. Over the years they have developed a loyal following of people who love the design and the ethos of the brand. They have maintained a style that customers like for over 15 years and following a face-lift in 2015 Karamba became one of the best sites on mobile.

Yes, they may be known for gaming, but to see them only as a casino would be a disservice to their sports product which outperforms expectations - their branding probably doesn't help in this regard, fun as it is - parrots and sports betting don't usually go hand in hand.

Their sports betting is powered by BtoBet, regarded as one of the best third party platform provider out there. This means the site is fully stocked with markets, including racing, and a host of betting features with an especially good live betting interface. They also offer very strong odds, so dismiss them at your peril.

Altenar
£10
Unique Platform
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Pub Casino is from the same group as All British Casino, so you can safely say this is a very British brand aimed at UK punters from the get go. While the outlook may be very British the software they use to power the site is from Altenar, a provider that isn't as common in the UK. This means you get a highly unique site with a very homely feel.

While the name suggests this is a casino site, and it is it has tons of great games, the sportsbook is very good on its own merits. There is good depth and the site is very easy to use with all the mod con features. The real USP of this brand though is how they reward loyal customers with cashback. This is a site for those looking for long term value as opposed to short term cashback.

Kambi
£10

Part Of The Kindred Group

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32Red are one of the most famous online casinos around having been going since 2002. It would be unfair though to brand them solely as a casino since the brand were one of the first casinos to set up a sports product. Initially they launched 32Redbet back in the 2000's but this wasn't enough to compete with the big old betting brands, and so in 2014 they launched a new sportsbook attached to the main 32Red site called 32Red Sport. This was such a success that tons of brands followed, Mr Green being one of them, but it is important to remember 32Red were one of the first.

This extra time in the sports market has given the brand an edge over its competition making it truly one of the best all-rounders out there if you want a good sportsbook plus solid games provided by Microgaming among others.

In 2017 32Red were bought by the Kindred Group (i.e. Unibet) and this has bolstered the knowledge and experience around sports betting, taking the site to a new level and making it a place that real sports bettors can respect.

Kambi
£10

Excellent On Mobile

LeoVegas are of course, as the name suggests, better known for gaming than sports, but they have had a sportsbook since 2016 that operates on the Kambi platform and provides pretty much anything the average punter would need for betting along with some good offers and a world class promotions package.

The company, set up in 2011, is now part of Royal Panda but the brands have been kept very separate with the Panda even vacating the UK market to make room for Leo the Lion. Both brands in the group have a strong focus on the customer and this is reflected in their fair terms and open approach. LeoVegas have some of the best retention of users and in such a competitive market there has to be a good reason for people to keep coming back.

As with most brands better known for casino this isn't a replacement for one of the big bookmakers, but for those that want excellent games with a solid sports betting product all under one roof they are are worth a look.

BtoBet
10
BtoBet Platform
T&C's Apply. 18+ #ad

The HeySpin sportsbook is run by Aspire Global and runs their own BtoBet Platform. While it is definitely a casino first, hence the name, the fact it has chosen a leading platform makes it very good by default on its own. You have all the sports, including racing and being BtoBet it is all very nicely packaged and professional. The in-play betting platform is especially renowned for being quick and easy to use.

If you like to play games as well as place sports bets but you don't want to have to move between different brands to do so then this is a seriously good option. The sportsbook has sufficient depth and scope that it would suit the typical punter. This is testament to how good third party platforms are these days. HeySpin is a casino that is able to operate a top level sportsbook. It is what AG do best and why they operate so many brands.

Independent
£5

Massive Irish Bookie

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Boylesports are an Irish betting site and this means they offer one of the best places to bet for horse racing, golf, and football in particular - not to mention Gaelic football and hurling. Regular bettors on these sports can guarantee great value regular promotions daily that will add tons of value to your wagers over time.

Boylesports are one of the biggest bookies from Ireland and so they have all the features you would expect from a big player, a great addition to any sports betting portfolio.

They are never the best for introductory promotions but certainly one of the best for all customer offers, demonstrated through their high retention.

UK LawWhen online bookmaking became a thing, there was no specific law in place to deal with them in the UK, who were still playing catch up when it came to the era of the internet. There were laws for bookmakers in general, of course, but the internet was something of a modern day Wild West, filled with unscrupulous and untrustworthy characters that were out to make a quick. As a consequence, a decision was make to come up with some very specific laws and regulations that online bookmakers would have to follow if they wanted to offer their business to British customers.

This was done by passing two gambling acts that looked specifically at the world of internet gambling, the first of which was the Gambling Act of 2005. This act ensured that any gambling that took place online was open, fair, and honest. It added some order to an otherwise ungoverned world, like a sheriff riding into a lawless town and kicking the bandits into shape… which is an odd analogy we know but yeehaw, deal with it.

This didn’t clarify everything, though, and as the industry developed a decision was made to pass another act that would help to define certain aspects of the online gambling world. The 2014 Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act clarified some of the previously vague grey areas. The two acts together define how things work for online bookmakers and casinos in the modern era, including the fact that a bookie has to have a licence from the UK Gambling Commission if it hopes to entice UK-based punters to use its services. Licensed companies are then bound by law to ensure that your money is safe and, because the UKGC is an independent organisation, governing parties can’t interfere. If a company doesn’t have a licence then they’re breaking the law and your money is at risk by betting with them, so always check their validity on the UKGC’s website by using the Public Register.

How Do Online Bookmakers Make Money?

Piggy Bank CalculatorThe burning question that you might really want the answer to is how, exactly, a bookmaker makes their money. Don’t mock, it’s a valid question, and it’s not actually as simple as ‘people losing their bets’.

The simple answer is that they fiddle the odds by building in margins. That’s not to suggest that they’re doing anything wrong, merely that they balance the odds of a market in a way that means they will always make a profit regardless of any given outcome.

Example

Say you’re betting on the flip of a coin. The actual odds of it landing heads or tails are evens or 1/1 (2.0 in decimal), . It’s got to be one of them, so it’s 50/50 on the outcome. Bookies, however, treat this as though it’s a 5/6 (1.83) outcome either way when they set their odds, meaning that they get a margin whichever way it lands.  If they can guarantee an equal weighting of bets on both possible outcomes then they will always win.

Building in a margin means that a bookie ensures they are in profit as often as possible, regardless of the outcome. Say a bookmaker takes £100 worth of bets on a coin landing on heads and the same amount of money on it landing on tails. If he paid out at evens then he’d get £200 in and pay £200 back out again (on average), whichever way around the coin landed. By building in, say, a 5% margin the bookie takes in £200 of bets but only pays out £190 in winnings. He’s earned himself £10 profit and doesn’t need to worry about the results.

Obviously in this instance the result was binary which works perfectly when explaining the concept, yet in sporting events there are normally several possible outcomes that the bookie has to consider. Still, it gives you an idea.

The bookie will work out the probability of something happening, alter the odds a little to build in their margin, and then offer these odds to punters. The margin is their fee for providing the service.

How Can Bookmakers Afford Sign Up Free Bets?

Carrot on a StickBuilding in margins is one thing, but how is it that bookmakers can afford to give new customers free bets? After all, there’s no margin in giving people something for nothing.

The simple answer is that bookmakers normally earn huge profits each year and therefore a few free bets won’t hurt them all that much.

The longer answer is that free bets are used to entice new customers onto the site in the hope that that customer will continue betting with the bookie in the future. All industries do the same thing; supermarkets run special price drop promotions to get you through the door before putting them up again; banks offer 0% interest for a limited time in the hope you will take out a credit card and keep it long term; a language tutor might offer your first class free in the hope you sign up for the term. We already know that bookies have a margin built in to their odds, so it naturally follows that they will win in the long run the more that people bet with them.

Let’s put it another way: not everyone who places a bet with a bookmaker is as wise as you. They won’t visit a site like this to find out about free bets and offers. We know the odds are in the favour of the bookmaker, even when they’re giving you something for free, but this doesn’t mean free bets and bonuses are not worth taking.

The thing to remember is to only use these offers for bets you would have placed anyway, this is the best way to get added value as a customer.

How Do Bookmakers Reward Loyalty?

RewardsIn exchange for your loyal custom, most bookmakers will offer some sort of reward. This normally takes the form of something like a free bet every week as long as you’ve bet X amount in the days leading up to it, or perhaps the boosting of odds for certain events.

Some bookies also have rewards programs that see you gain points for everything you do on their site, which you can save up and then swap for gifts or free bets and the like. They are often tiered too, and the higher your tier the better your rate of reward. You might be surprised at what you can get if you have enough points – even holidays and such.

They all work slightly differently but the scheme might look something like this:
*PNT = Points Needed For Next Tier

Tier £ Wagered Points Earned PNT
1 £20 5 100
2 £20 10 500
3 £20 20 1,000

So the higher your tier the more points you earn per pound spent.

These ongoing promotions are often updated and added to and can be a lot of fun; some really enhance the enjoyment of a bet such as Betfred’s Double Delight where you get extra winnings if you bet on a player to score and they go on to score more than one.

Bookies know if they look after you you’ll keep betting with them, so it’s in their interest to keep you sweet.  The lower overheads in operating a bookmaker online vs the real world also means offers are naturally more generous when you delve into virtual betting.

Responsible Gambling and Complaints

Gamble ResponsiblyAs well as promising to keep your money safe and to operate with transparency, bookmakers also try to ensure that their customers gamble responsibly. This includes the ability to limit how much you can deposit into your account in a given period of time and also the option to lock yourself out of your account completely.

If you feel that you’re losing control then make sure you do something about it whilst you still can. Only ever gamble with money that you can afford to lose and seek help immediately if you think you might need it. The sooner the better. There is now a choice of independent sources of support and advice, Be Gamble Aware.


ComplaintsIf you’re feeling aggrieved at the way that you’ve been treated by a bookmaker then your first port of call is the company itself. Bookies have a responsibility (dictated by their licence) to ensure that disputes are settled as quickly and as fairly as possible.

Sometimes, though, no amount of communication with the company will solve your problem. To be honest, this is unlikely to happen, but if it does then you should know there’s somewhere else you can turn. That somewhere is the Independent Betting Adjudication Service, or IBAS. They’ll do what they can to solve your problem.

If it’s relevant to your complaint you might also want to turn to either the Advertising Standards Agency or the Gambling Commission, too.

Tax On Betting and Gambling Winnings

Tax Football moneyReady for some good news? You do not have to pay any tax on either the stakes that you place or any winnings you might receive.

Bookmakers, betting sites, online casinos, bingo sites and even lottery sites, on the other hand, have to pay a point of consumption tax on all UK profits (if they are a legal site of course) regardless of where they are based.

In the past many companies based themselves in the likes of Malta or the Isle of Man in order to limit the amount of tax they had to pay, or even avoid it completely.  This changed when the point of consumption tax was introduced, so whether your betting with a bookie based on London or Luxembourg they will still pay tax when you bet with them. Saying that betting with a UK based bookie also means they are contributing to the local economy in ways that foreign based companies are not, through jobs, rents, etc.  If you are patriotically minded therefore seek out a British based bookie and keep your money in the country.

The bookies aren’t stupid, though, so even though they do pay some tax they find ways to pass that onto the customer. This might be through an increase in their margins, for example, but whatever happens they’re unlikely to take on the full amount of tax themselves. There’s nothing you can do about it, but it’s always worth knowing and bearing in mind. At least whatever you win is yours to keep without worrying about having to declare it to HMRC.

Should you have an extremely large win though it is worth informing the revenue service.  You can declare these as gambling winnings, there is no penalty or fee to pay, and it ensures you are safe in the future if anyone wanted to investigate where the cash came from.

What are Platforms & White Labels?

Platform ProviderYou may have seen these terms tossed around a bit and wondered what they meant. Most bettors don’t know much about what goes on behind the scenes but it can actually have a fair amount of impact on your betting possibilities.

That’s because the platform your betting site uses will come with specific betting features. The platform is essentially the template for the website, what that site is capable of doing, and the features it offers. There are a number of different platform providers and they all have their own style, which is why some sites looks similar, and you might get on better with one than another.

They also have their own features. For example, a bet builder is a betting feature, and not all platforms provide this option. Fast markets and Pulse Betting are another, where you can bet on events to happen within the next few minutes in a football match, for example. So if you love in play betting then choosing a bookie powered by a platform that provides these options would be a good shout.


White LabelsA white label refers to a betting brand that is using a platform provider’s license and platform in order to get up and running quickly as a business.

Platform providers offer the full package – they like to call it a turnkey solution; as in all you need to do is pay them, turn the key, and you’re up and running – which means a new brand can start taking bets without putting in too much leg work.

It’s a bit like buying a personalised t-shirt; the t-shirt has already been designed by the company, but you decide what message gets printed on it.

The difference is that where a bigger company will have their own license and may even integrate a platform provider’s content with some of their own, all white labels using one provider will operate on the same license and be limited to that one platform provider’s choice of products and services.

Biggest UK Bookies

William Hill ShopThere are a shed load of bookies currently operating in the UK, the market has never been so saturated, but if you are the cautious type and are only interested in betting with the biggest then there are a few names you should consider.

The benefits of betting with a bigger bookmaker can be things like:

  • More reliable
  • Greater resources
  • High number of products
  • Availability of betting markets and bet types
  • Extra betting features
  • Generous offers

Not that you won’t get some of these things with smaller companies too, but the weight and depth of bigger brands is clear to see in comparison.

Broadly speaking you can class any bookmaker that you find on the high street as one of the biggest; we are talking about Ladbrokes, Betfred, Coral, William Hill, and Paddy Power.

That’s not the full picture though, because sites like Bet365, Betfair, Unibet, and BetVictor do not have a high street presence but are absolute giants of online betting.

This, in no particular order, is what each of the biggest bookies are best known for:

Bookmaker Reputation
Ladbrokes Horse Racing, Betting Exchange
Betfred Bonuses, Tote Betting
William Hill Traditional Markets, Live Streaming, No Nonsense
Coral Greyhounds, Great Value, Coral Connect Card
Paddy Power Niche, Comedy, and Irish Markets, Wacky Promotions
Bet365 100% Independent, Long Term Offers, Huge Book
Betfair Invented the Betting Exchange, Low Margins
Unibet Continental Markets, Price Boosts, Honesty
BetVictor Best Football Odds, Stylish Website, Perfect App

Of course there is so much more to each site than the few attributes listed here, so check out our full reviews for the bigger picture.

Why Trust Our Recommended Bookmakers?

We only recommend bookies that we use ourselves and on a regular basis too, so we have real experience of them and know for certain that they are licensed to operate in the UK. If you bet with one of the bookmakers that’s on this page then we can promise that your money will be as safe as possible and that the company will conduct itself fairly and lawfully. The only thing we can’t guarantee is that you’ll win your bets – that bit is down to you!