Best Football Betting Sites UK for 2023

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Ladbrokes, Coral, Betfred, Paddy Power, 888Sports, William Hill, and Unibet are some of the best football betting sites in the UK, and out of these, we would say Ladbrokes is taking the lead in all aspects.

As one of, if not the most popular sport to bet on for UK punters, we just had to put together a piece on the very best football betting sites. Quite a few new brands have entered the market in 2023, yet the core bookmakers have remained consistent and elite throughout the years. We’ve highlighted these classic bookmakers in the list below, and they really are some of the most advanced football betting sites you can use at this moment in time.

Our top 5  Football betting sites in the UK

1. Ladbrokes (9/10)
2. Betfred (8.8/10)
3. Paddy Power (8.5/10)
4. William Hill (8.5/10)
5. Unibet (8.3/10)

In our selection, we have given Ladbrokes a 9 out of 10 as it is one of the best football betting sites available in the UK. It has not just a wide selection of the sport but also a very seamless interface which overall enhances the user experience. Betfred and Paddy Power are equally competitive with Ladbrokes, hence are next in our line of explanation.

1. Ladbrokes – Full of excitement and rewards

Ladbrokes first emerged as a top-tier horse racing bookie, but football is now just as good. It has multiple celebrity endorsements with the likes of Chris Kamara, and this shows the trust and prestige of the brand as a whole. It is full of price boosts for popular football games, and it also supports live streaming. Our Ladbrokes football betting article goes into more in detail on what the bookmaker has to offer for this sport.

2. Betfred – Bonuses galore for football

With price boosts, free bets, in-play bonuses, and profit boosts, Betfred is a football betting site that is just teeming with offers. After all, there had to be some substance behind the ‘bonus king’ advertisements, yet Betfred is more than just a site with a few decent offers. The site offers markets for more than 40 global leagues, and for a regular football game, it’s quite common to find more than 100 markets to bet on.

3. Paddy Power – A great overall selection

Paddy Power might hold a great reputation for horse racing betting, but football is the second most popular sport with this brand. Paddy Power covers leagues from all over Europe, and indeed from around the world, and the range of markets is regularly impressive.

4. William Hill – A seasoned veteran of football betting

As one of the oldest and most reputable brands in the UK, William Hill had to make this list. While horse racing is what made William Hill such a success in the early days, football betting has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. With regular free bets and some of the best odds you can find with any online sportsbook, William Hill has to go down as one of the top football betting sites UK. You can find out more about the William Hill sign up offer in this article.

5. Unibet – Youthful yet professional

Unibet is quite a vibrant betting site, with members engaging through the Unibet blog and even posting football predictions on the site. Besides this community vibe, the Unibet football offers are highly professional, such as their Unibet promo code. For major Premier League games, you can often find 300+ markets, and for the overall events covered each year, it is well above 50,000. This is simply remarkable when you compare it to other football betting brands, and the bonuses are fairly good too.

Key events to watch out for in football betting

Champions League

This Champions League campaign has reached the crucial stage as we approach the end of the season. Only a few teams are left and it will be a ruthless battle until the final in Istanbul. As the most coveted club football trophy, the Champions League is always crammed with intense action. The game’s greats such as Messi and Neymar are all involved in this tournament, although they've been eliminated already this year; and it is held every single year.

Copa America

While the Euros are the pinnacle for international teams based in Europe, Copa America is the equivalent for South American teams. This is where football giants such as Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay all clash to fight it out for the title. The best part is that just like the Euros, it doesn’t happen all that often, so bookmakers will regularly pump out promotions for this tournament.

Premier League

If you are based in the UK, this is an event you just have to keep watch of. It is arguably the largest and most prestigious league of all, and with teams like Manchester City and Liverpool making headlines right now, it’s a great time to become familiar with the Premier League. Games are played between August and May each year.

Euro Championships

Besides maybe the World Cup, this is the biggest event in football. It takes place once every 4 years, with the next one due to take place in 2021 due to global events. Here is where the very best international teams in Europe come and battle it out for this prestigious crown.

How to search for the best football betting sites UK

Competitiveness of odds

Every betting market has an odd assigned to it, and by finding sites that give higher odds than others, you’ll win more when you do win. It really is that simple, and different UK betting sites price events at different odds all the time. The trick is to find a site where the average odds are quite high, as this gives you plenty of value.

Welcome bonus

By signing up with a new site, it leaves a bit of a bad taste in the mouth if you aren’t greeted by a large bonus. This is precisely what you should be looking at before choosing to sign up with any site, as the welcome bonus is usually an indicator of whether a site gives out good bonuses overall.

Reload promotions

New player promotions are always nice, and usually the largest, but once you’ve progressed through them you are dependent on reload promotions. This is why this is such an important factor, as football tends to attract some of the most regular reloads out of all other sports. Therefore, there is no excuse not to pick a site with plenty of them available.

Live streaming availability 

In this day and age, live streaming is almost expected at the very best betting sites UK. This provides a bit of a one-stop-shop solution to not only bet on your favourite sports games but watch them live too. Usually, live streaming doesn’t come completely for free, as you must have some money in your betting account to view them.

FAQs – important information on football betting sites 

How can I check that a site is above board and legal?

Typically, you’ll see a betting license listed somewhere on the homepage. Given that this is a legal requirement, it allows you to easily check if a site is operating as it should. For further verification, you can check this out on the main UKGC webpage too.

Can I bet on football with my mobile device?

Of course. The top UK betting sites now have pretty advanced mobile apps that can be downloaded on almost any smartphone. Failing that, you will always have the option to make some sports bets from an optimized mobile site.

How often are football markets available?

Well, football is usually always taking place somewhere in the world. For Europe, the markets are definitely much livelier between August and May, yet there are also football events during the summer months too.

What are some common football bets to make?

Some of the most common and popular bets to make for football includes 1×2, both teams to score, accumulators, correct score, spread, and over/under.

Do I need to wait long for winnings to reach my account?

Not at all. If you are fortunate enough to bet correctly on any football market, your winnings should show up in your real cash balance within a minute or so. If for whatever reason this doesn’t happen, you can always refresh the page for it to go through.

What is an accumulator bet?

This is a form of bet where you combine multiple selections into one long betting slip. This can involve just two games or it can involve up to 15 on many sites. The only catch with accumulator bets is that you must get all predictions correct to win any money.

What is the minimum deposit amount on these sites?

When making a deposit, you’ll usually need to spend at least £5 for it to be accepted. On some sites, this limit is increased to £10, but this will always be shown in the banking section before you actually make a deposit.

Is it quite easy to live stream games?

Yes, although there is usually a requirement that you have made a bet in the last 24 hours, or at least have money in your account. Providing that either of these conditions are met, you will be able to live stream games without any trouble. Simply find a game to stream, click the play button, and the stream should instantly begin.

Are there any ‘special’ football bets to make?

Yes, apart from the main football markets, you can also bet on things such as the top goalscorer, next manager to be sacked, and plenty more.