Welcome to OnlineBetting.org.uk, your premier guide to the world of betting and gambling on the internet. Whatever your sport or game we are here to offer expert advice on where to place your bets, with recommendations and guidance based on a combined experience of over 40 years.
On the site we provide up to date and detailed reviews of all major UK bookmakers, as well as a handful of carefully selected online-only sportsbooks and casinos – all of which are licensed and regulated right here in the UK. As well as individual reviews, we have also written a number of guides which recommend bookies based on sport, bet types or offers so that you can find the best betting sites for your needs.
Whilst we prefer to give more detailed advice based on the features you’re looking for or sport you want to bet on, we also understand that some people just want a list of betting sites to try out for themselves. For this reason we’re kicking things off with a list of our favourite bookmakers. For details of promotions for existing customers see our reviews or visit or betting offers page.
Best UK Online Betting Sites
Welcome Offer of the Month
Betfred: Bet £10 Get £50 In Free Bets
It is fair to say Betfred and its founder Fred Done are the most experienced British bookmaker there is today. They are still independent too, which is rare and a sign of how well they know their business. They have been around since the late 1960’s and have seen every major sporting event since the 1966 World Cup. Indeed, Fred and his brother Peter, placed a bet on England to win the 1966 World Cup and using those winnings set up their first betting shop.
Having seen it all before then it is no surprise that Betfred offer one of the best places to bet this summer. The self-proclaimed ‘Bonus King’ has had its finger on the betting public for over 50 years and so it is no surprise to see they have come up with a cracking offer that deserves our welcome offer of the month slot. If you plan to bet on the Premier League, Champions League, darts, snooker, racing or any other sports then we can think of no better deal.
The offer for new customers gives you £50 in Free Bets when you sign up using the code BETFRED50, deposit and bet £10 or more at Evens+ odds – do this within a week of joining. Then you can claim three £10 sports free bets to use on any market and 2 x £10 free bets you can use on accumulators with four or more selections. All the free bets are valid for one week.
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.
New Customer Enhanced Odds Offers & Free Bets
In addition to the standard welcome free bets and bonuses you can read about on this site, many betting sites also run enhanced odds and free bet event specific specials.
If you are planning on betting on a certain event, especially a high profile one (e.g Premier League, Cheltenham, Wimbledon, etc.), then you can sometimes find added value compared to the general welcome offer by taking a bespoke deal.
At OnlineBetting.org.uk we focus on the nuts and bolts of betting but we also have a sister offers site that carefully screens new and existing customer promotions for all sports and events worth knowing about.
From the World Cup to the Ryder Cup, Champions League to Royal Ascot, if you are looking for something for a given sport or event then head over and take a look. We also list a wider range of betting sites if you would prefer to see a longer list of UK licensed operators.
What’s On & Upcoming Major Events
Below we list the major sporting events on now and upcoming to help you plan your betting.
Many bookies often give boosted odds and high value retention offers surrounding these feature events that can boost winnings or reduce loses for diligent punters.
It is often worth waiting until closer to an event start time to utilise the best prices, insurance offers, free bets, money back and other promotions available. You can visit our sister site, featured in the section above, LatestBettingOffers, for event specific odds and deals for both new and existing customers.
Prior to 2016 there was only really a passing interest in the US presidential election in the UK. Yes, it is always a big deal who ends up as leader of the worlds most powerful country but it wasn’t like it is now where it dominates news coverage for months and months ahead. The reason for that is Donald Trump who has single handedly turned the US presidency into a long running soap opera.
In 2016 more money was bet on the US election than any other election in the world in history. One reason for that was the mainstream media completely discounted him until late in the game and those betting early got some fantastic odds on him winning. The betting only increased in 2020 and that is largely due to the fact that the federal gambling ban was repealed in 2018 meaning many US citizens could bet on that election when they couldn’t in 2016. It was reported over $300 million was bet in the US in 2020, which was around double what Nevada took for the Super Bowl in the same year. Globally it is estimated that over $1 billion was wagered on the election.
The 2024 election looks set to surpass that. Not only can more Americans now bet on the contest there is more global interest than ever with Trump running again. That has only been ratcheted up by the fact that Biden decided not to run for a second term following a series of age related gaffs leading to the last minute instalment of VP Kamala Harris as the democrat candidate. That adds a huge amount of uncertainty into the race now, a lot like in 2016, and when there is uncertainty it creates flux in betting markets and those that know what way the wind might blow can find added value.
If you want to bet on the US election choose a bookie with form when it comes to Elections. We would recommend bet365 who have the most expansive markets and the best odds traders so the best odds value.
The Premier League is the worlds biggest sporting competition in terms of revenue, number of people watching, wages, attendance and pretty much any other stat you want to look at; including betting, accounting for over half of bets placed on football in the UK.
Let’s face it the league is elitist and based on money, and for a long time this caused stagnation with three teams dominating the first 20 years; Man Utd, Chelsea and Arsenal. Lately, however, the league has gained a new competitive streak, most notably with Leicester winning in 2015 and then three new dominant forces arising in Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City, who look set to continue their battle in 2023-24, in the way United and Arsenal did 15 years ago – that is except the level is now much higher, as seen with Liverpool coming second in 2019 with an astonishing 97 points.
In the UK 70% of bets are placed on football and nearly three quarters of those wagers go on the Premier League, making this one event responsible for around half of all bets placed. Considering this if you bet on the PL you would be insane not to search around for the best offers and odds from our leading bookies. Read our detailed guide for more.
Watch: Sky Sports, BT Sport & Amazon
The first three editions of the Nations League proved to be certainly more interesting than your average friendly the tournament was designed to replace. So far, Portugal (2019), France (2021) and Spain (2023) have all won the tournament.
While the tournament is definitely second tier it is enjoyable and at least matches teams against competitive opposition, which most fans want to see. It’s not just about the finals either, the fact the tournament offers a route for some nations to qualify for Euros or World Cups certainly adds to the excitement for those that won’t qualify normally.
For the 2024/25 edition some changes have been made. Now the group winners and runners-up in league A progress to a quarter-final stage in March to see who will make the semi-finals in June. There are also promotion relegation play-offs in March too for third placed teams in League A&B against runners-up in Leagues B&C.
England are now in League B having been relegated in 2023 (along with Wales) while Scotland have leap-frogged into League A. That is maybe the magic of the Nations League, no nations are protected.
It’s the pinnacle of European club football and the competition every fan wants to win and this year with no less than four English teams in the competition and this means even more attention than before. Liverpool are of course the record English side in the competition and were finalists in 2018 and 2022 and won the competition in 2019 and they will be looking do to well this year having missed out in 2024.
This year, however, it will be last years champions Real Madrid who will be the club to beat with now 15 titles to their name, winning in 2024 against a Dortmund team that were far better – Madrid just always find a way. Man City will be favourites again having now won their first Champions League in 2023 it could now open the floodgates and it is likely more wins will follow. Arsenal and even Aston Villa cannot be discounted and if they make the knockout rounds anything is possible.
Form 2024-25 the competition has expanded again to 36 teams with a new league phase replacing the group stage. This now means 8 league matches between September and January (no winter break anymore) with four home and four away ties all against different teams. The top 8 go straight to the last 16, those who finish 9-14 in the league contest a two legged play off in February with the 8 winners progressing to the last 16.
From that point it is a straight knockout as we are familiar with. The top 8 league teams are seeded at the last 16 stage but country protection is removed now. The knockout draw in February now also plots out the route to the final, as with the likes of the World Cup, which helps ensure the 8 seeded teams are more likely to make it to the later stages – as if the big teams needed anymore help.
Watch: TNT Sport
The World Grand Prix is a PDC event particularly liked by fans due to the requirement that players must double both in and out of each leg. This generally means the event favours those good at doubling over the big 180 hitters, therefore, it is no surprise the event has been dominated by two of the best doublers in history, Phill Taylor (11 wins) and Michael van Gerwen (6 wins).
Established in 1998 it was first held in Kent in England before moving to Ireland in 1999, where it has stayed since. It was been held at the Citywest Hotel in Dublin from 2001 to 2019, in 2020 and 2021 it took place in Coventry & Leicester due to corona virus issues. The format sees the 32 top PDC players compete in a straight knockout event with five rounds, round 1 (best of 3 sets), round 2 and the quarter-finals (best of 5 sets), semi-finals (best of 7 sets) and the final (best of 9 sets).
Held over just 6 days it is a captivating tournament that pays well for the players too, with the winner pocketing £120,000 of a total £600,000 prize pool. In terms of betting it is wise to head over to the Irish bookies (e.g Paddy Power and Boylesports) to find the best deals and odds.
Watch: Sky Sports
Newmarket is best known for hosting the 1000 and 2000 Guineas in May, but being the home of the jockey club and one of the oldest and most prestigious flat horse racing courses in the UK it also holds a ton of other high profile meetings, one of which is the Future Champions Festival in October.
The two day meeting sees 14 races over Ladies Day (Friday) and Future Champions Day (Saturday), including 9 group races, a listed race and the much loved Cesarewitch heritage handicap on the final day.
The feature races are (m – miles, f – furlongs):
- Cornwallis Stakes – Group 3: 5f (Fri)
- So Sharp Stakes – Group 3: 7f (Fri)
- Challenge Stakes – Group 2: 7f (Fri)
- Fillies’ Mile – Group 1: 1m (Fri)
- Old Rowley Cup – Heritage Handicap: 1m, 4f (Fri)
- Darley Pride Stakes – Group 2: 1 mile (Fri)
- Zetland Stakes – Group 3: 1m, 2f (Sat)
- Autumn Stakes – Group 2: 1m (Sat)
- Dewhurst Stakes – Group 1: 7f (Sat)
- Cesarewitch Stakes – Heritage Handicap: 2m, 2f (Sat)
- Boadicea Stakes – Listed: 6f (Sat)
- Darley Stakes – Group 3: 1m, 1f (Sat)
The feature races are broadcast live in ITV meaning you can claim many of the high value associated TV racing offers.
Watch: ITV
The British Champions Day is a modern meeting having only began in 2011 but it has already become the biggest single day in the British flat horse racing season. The meeting was created to created to bring together a series of historic group races late in the season to create one of the richest and most watched days in racing.
Each group race represents the final of a British Champion Series division over different distances ranging from 6 furlongs to 2 miles. The races are worth a massive amount, the whole day has a prize fund of over £4.2 million with the richest race being the Champion Stakes carrying a pot of over £1.2 million.
The meting attracts the very best jockeys, trainers and horses at the peak of the their seasons. The day is worth a massive amount to the bookies and this means they love to compete with each other through offers, enhanced odds and free bets. It is generally best to wait until 48 hours before to find the very best deals.
- 13:25 – Long Distance Cup: long distance final (2 miles, group 2)
- 14:00 – Champions Sprint Stakes: sprint final (6 furlongs, group 1)
- 14:35 – Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes: middle distance final for fillies & mares (1 miles 4 furlongs, group 1)
- 15:10 – Queen Elizabeth II Stakes: mile-division final (1 mile, group 1)
- 15:50 – Champion Stakes: middle distance final (1 miles 2 furlongs, group 1)
- 16:30 – Balmoral Handicap: (1 mile, class 2)Watch: ITV
The Ballon d’Or, or Golden Ball in English, has been awarded since 1956 and is given by France Football to the player voted by football journalists from around the world as the best. Although the award has been linked to FIFA in the past it now stands separate to the less cared about ‘Best FIFA Men’s Award’ (formerly the FIFA World Player of the Year) – although the winners are almost always the same.
In 2024 the awards will be held in late Octover at the Theatre du Chatelet. Lionel Messi has won the award a record 8 times and Christiano Ronaldo is in second with 5 trophies, both remain on the list this year. Of the 10 players to win the award more than once Kevin Kegan is the only Englishman to win the award more than once, with George Best, Michael Owen and Bobby Charlton (winner of first ever Ballon d’Or) the only other home grown winners.
The winner for 2024 is unlikely to be home grown but there is a great chance it might be won by a Premier League player for the first time since Michael Owen won in 2001 playing for Liverpool.
The Breeders Cup was established in 1982, not very old in British horse racing terms but in typical American style it has smashed its way to the top of the worlds best meetings by offering staggering amounts of prize money. This year the fund is expected to exceed $35 million, which beats any UK meeting by a country mile.
Despite the name the Breeders’ Cup is a series of races over two days. It moves around each year but for 2024 it will be held at Del Mar for the third time. The races are held on both turf and dirt tracks and range from 5 furlongs to 1 1/2 miles. There are 14 races, five on Friday and 9 on Saturday; 12 of which have grade 1 status. The biggest and final race (late night UK time on Saturday) is the 1 mile 2 furlong Breeders’ Cup Classic on dirt, which has a prize pot of $6 million alone.
The biggest turf race precedes the Classic, the Breeders’ Cup Longines Distaff, a one and a half mile run with $4 million prize fund. Even the lower races that would often be counted as filler at other events offer at least $1 million.
Obviously given the lavish amount of cash to be won the Breeders’ Cup attracts a lot of interest around the world and UK bookies like to get in on this and will have their best prices and promos around 24-48 hours before the main races.
Watch: NBC
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Read our sports betting guides to find the best bookmakers whatever your passion. Discover what bets are available and how to place them, what are the major competitions and tournaments, where is live betting and streaming available and where can you get the best odds and payouts? Plus we explain common terms and give a little bit of history too.
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Modern online gambling allows you to deposit and withdraw to and from betting accounts using a vast array of payment options. Our banking guides discuss the difference in funding methods, bookmakers that accept them, how to use them, fees, security, limits, bonus availability and more. Whether you want to use an e-wallet, bank account cash alternative or even real cash we will tell you how.
About Our Online Betting Guide
At OnlineBetting.org.uk we provide impartial betting advice whether you are a complete novice or you have been doing this for years. All guides and reviews are written by Matt (that’s me) and our in house team, or by carefully selected and vetted expert writers. We update our offers daily and we revise our reviews and guides regularly.
A little introduction to me, Matt. I have been betting for many years in all formats, I love all sports and games and as we all know there is no better way to get into an event than by having a cheeky flutter. Everything written on this site comes from first-hand experience and has been fully tried and tested by either myself or our team or our expert writers. I aim to guide you through all things betting from old school bookmaker’s shops to modern bookies that solely offer online betting tools. We assess the pros and cons of online vs betting shops, conventional desktop sites, mobile betting, payment options, offers/promotions, live betting and betting with streaming and more.
I am a diehard Liverpool FC fan and I truly love my football but I also like watching and going to, Horse racing, Dog racing, Cricket, Tennis, Darts, F1, Rugby, Golf, Snooker, Boxing and even the odd NFL game. If you watch a sport or game in my opinion it is worth placing a bet on it but given the wide range of choice and offers available in the world of online betting it is often hard to know who to bet with. In my own experiences I have made some mistakes but I have found a lot of gems that can make betting on events a lot more fun, and profitable.
Maybe you want to find the best bookmaker for betting on football for example, or you might want to know how to bet with cash online, who offers Cash Out, live streaming, who has the best mobile app or who provides the best live betting – whatever your query or question we have complied a comprehensive resource to online betting to help answer it.
Here we list good, established, UK licensed (by the Gambling Commission), reliable betting sites for punters and by having a good relationship with these companies in many cases we are able to offer you exclusive and one-off deals you cannot find direct with the bookmaker. If you like what we do come back and visit us often and see what’s new, share the love too and tell your friends about us.