Since its establishment in 1934, William Hill has become a cornerstone of the UK betting landscape. In this expert review, we'll analyse its sportsbook, promotions, and user experience to determine if this industry veteran still holds its place as a top choice for UK punters in 2025.
William Hill review: An honest overview
William Hill offers a comprehensive betting experience rooted in decades of trust. New customers are typically greeted with a welcome bonus structured as a “Bet £10, Get £30/£40” in free bets. The platform's core strength lies in its extensive sports coverage, featuring over 30 markets with a deep focus on UK staples like football and horse racing.
For betting on the go, William Hill provides highly-rated mobile apps for both iOS and Android, which deliver the full functionality of the desktop site, including live streaming. The operator supports a wide array of payment methods, from debit cards to e-wallets, with a reputation for fast withdrawals. However, customer support is a notable weakness, with heavy reliance on chatbots and a lack of direct phone or email contact for online users.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| A trusted brand with a history since 1934 | Customer support lacks human contact (chatbot, no online phone/email) |
| Extensive sports coverage with over 30 markets | User complaints about account restrictions after winning |
| High-quality mobile apps for iOS and Android | Limited promotions for existing customers |
| Wide range of payment methods with fast withdrawals | Key payment methods like PayPal are excluded from the welcome bonus |
| Live streaming available for selected sports | Website can feel cluttered or dated to some users |
William Hill bonuses and promotions
This section breaks down the value William Hill offers to both new and existing customers, from the initial sign-up offer to ongoing daily promotions.
Welcome bonus for sports betting
The primary welcome offer for new UK customers is a “Bet and Get” promotion. While the exact value can vary, it is commonly structured as “Bet £10, Get £30 in free bets” or “Bet £10, Get £40 in free bets”. To claim, new users must sign up using a specific promo code, such as R30 or G40.
After registration, you must place a qualifying bet with a minimum £10 stake at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5). Once this bet settles, the free bets are credited to your account as multiple tokens (e.g., 3 x £10 or 4 x £10).
It's also worth noting that William Hill typically runs a separate and compelling welcome offer for its casino product, such as “Stake £10, Get 200 Wager-Free Spins,” providing a strong incentive for players who enjoy both sports and casino gaming.
A summary of the terms and conditions
Before claiming the sports welcome bonus, be aware of these critical terms:
- Eligibility: New UK customers aged 18+ only.
- Payment Restrictions: Deposits made via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, or ecoPayz are not eligible for the bonus.
- Expiry: Free bets expire if not used within 7 days.
- Usage: Free bets are non-refundable and cannot be withdrawn as cash.
Existing customer promotions
William Hill provides several ongoing promotions to reward existing players:
- Acca Freedom: A versatile feature for accumulator bets. It gives punters a choice: either boost the odds of an acca with three or more legs or take insurance, which refunds your stake as a free bet if one selection fails.
- Bet Boosts: Daily enhanced odds are offered on selected events, with a particular focus on boosting prices for popular football and horse racing markets.
- Build Your Odds Freedom: Similar to the Acca Freedom feature, this allows punters to boost the odds of their own custom-built same-game accumulators.
- Scratch of the Day: A daily free-to-play game where you can win free bets, prize draw entries, or other rewards by matching symbols.
- Free or 4: A free prediction game where users select matches in which they think a specific number of goals will be scored to win free bets.
- Bonus Drop: A daily free-to-play game offering the chance to win cash prizes or free spins for the casino section.
Despite these offers, it's fair to say that William Hill's promotional calendar for existing players can feel more limited compared to some key competitors.
William Hill sports betting markets review
William Hill's sportsbook is extensive, covering over 30 different sports. Its primary strengths are in popular UK markets, with deep coverage of football, horse racing, greyhounds, cricket, and tennis. Alongside these, it offers a solid range of niche markets, including Gaelic sports, politics, and TV/Specials like Eurovision and reality show outcomes.
Betting odds and value
William Hill's odds are competitive but often “middle of the road” when compared to the very best prices on the market. The bookmaker's average payout percentage hovers around 94%, which is solid but not industry-leading.
A crucial feature for racing punters is Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG), which is available on all UK and Irish horse racing. This ensures that if you take a price on a horse and its Starting Price (SP) is higher, you get paid out at the bigger odds. However, it's important to note that this applies only to bets placed from 10 am on the day of the race. For serious racing bettors, this is a slight drawback, as many competitors offer BOG from the evening before or earlier in the morning. Odds can be displayed in fractional, decimal, and American formats.
Live betting experience
The in-play betting platform at William Hill is robust, offering live betting on all its available sports markets. The interface features real-time odds updates, in-game statistics, and visual match trackers to help inform your bets. A major highlight is William Hill TV, a live streaming service that allows users to watch selected events, including horse racing, football, basketball, and tennis, directly on the site or app.
While full cash out is available on many in-play markets, the absence of a partial cash out feature is a notable drawback. This lack of flexibility limits a punter's control over their bets compared to rivals like bet365, representing a significant competitive disadvantage.
Bet builder and special features
William Hill provides powerful tools to help punters craft unique wagers:
- Bet Builder (Build #YourOdds): This feature allows you to create a same-game accumulator by combining multiple selections from a single event. For example, in a football match, you could combine the match winner, a specific player to score, the total number of corners, and a player to be carded into one single bet with its own unique odds.
- Request-a-Bet (#YourOdds): This social media-driven feature allows for truly bespoke wagers. A punter can construct a unique bet scenario, post it on X (formerly Twitter) with the #YourOdds hashtag while tagging @WilliamHill, and the trading team may price it up and make it available on the site for you and others to bet on.
Additional betting features
Beyond the sportsbook, William Hill operates a full suite of online gambling products.
Casino games
The William Hill casino suite features over 700 games, including a vast library of slots, progressive jackpots, and classic table games from top providers like Playtech and NetEnt. It also includes a high-quality live casino powered by Evolution Gaming.
Bingo and lottery options
The platform offers dedicated bingo rooms with various game types, including 75-ball and 30-ball variants. Additionally, you can bet on the outcomes of major lotteries from around the world, such as the Irish Lotto and NY Lotto.
Virtual sports
A dedicated virtual sports section offers continuous, computer-simulated events for sports like horse racing, football, and greyhounds, providing betting opportunities 24/7.
William Hill site experience
Here we evaluate the usability and performance of William Hill's desktop and mobile platforms.
Website design and navigation
While the platform is functionally intuitive with a useful search bar, its visual design is frequently described as dated or cluttered, lacking the modern, clean interface of newer competitors. However, a notable strength is that its performance remains robust and responsive, even on slower internet connections, which is a significant plus for users with less-than-perfect broadband.
Mobile betting experience
William Hill excels in mobile betting, offering dedicated apps for both iOS (rated 4.7/5) and Android (rated 4.3/5). The apps provide the full functionality of the desktop site, including account management, all betting markets, and live streaming via William Hill TV. The apps are secure and support modern features like biometric login (Face/Touch ID) and 2-Factor Authentication.
Betting limits
The platform is accessible to all types of bettors. The minimum stake is very low, starting at just £0.03 for single bets and £0.01 for multiples. At the other end of the scale, the maximum payout is high, reaching up to £2,000,000 for major football leagues and competitions.
Customer support
In my assessment, and reflecting widespread user feedback, customer support is William Hill's most significant weakness. While support is technically available 24/7, it is heavily automated. The live chat primarily connects users to a digital assistant (chatbot), making it difficult to get personalised help from a human agent for complex issues.
Furthermore, phone and email support are no longer offered for online customers. For common issues, there is a very detailed and well-structured FAQ section. However, the most effective way to reach a human representative is via their dedicated support team on X (formerly Twitter).
William Hill payment methods
William Hill provides a comprehensive range of banking options for UK customers, all of which are free of charge.
How to deposit
You can fund your account using any of the following methods:
- Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard, Maestro)
- PayPal
- Skrill
- Neteller
- Apple Pay
- Paysafecard
- Bank Transfer
The minimum deposit is £5 for most methods (£10 for some), and funds are credited to your account instantly.
How to withdraw
Withdrawals are processed efficiently, with times varying by method. To give you the clearest picture, here are the options ranked from fastest to slowest:
- Visa Direct: Within 4 hours
- PayPal and other e-wallets: Within 24 hours
- Standard Debit Cards: 1-3 working days
- Bank Transfer: 3-5 working days
The minimum withdrawal is £5, and you will be required to complete identity verification (KYC) checks before your first withdrawal can be processed.
Why choose William Hill for sports betting?
William Hill's greatest strengths lie in its long-standing reputation as a trusted UK brand, its vast selection of sports markets, and its excellent mobile apps. For nearly a century, the name has been synonymous with betting, and its modern platform continues to offer incredible depth, particularly in football and horse racing. The iOS and Android apps are market-leading, providing a flawless and feature-rich experience.
However, the bookmaker has notable weaknesses that cannot be ignored. The impersonal customer support experience, which heavily relies on a chatbot and lacks direct phone or email contact, is a significant drawback for anyone who values accessible help. This is compounded by user reports of account restrictions, particularly after successful winning streaks.
This bookmaker is best suited for punters who prioritise brand trust, market variety, and a top-tier mobile experience above all else. If you value these aspects over having the absolute highest odds or needing frequent access to human support, William Hill is an excellent choice. It remains a rock-solid and reliable platform for most UK bettors, provided you are aware of its customer service limitations.
William Hill FAQs
William Hill’s non-US assets are owned by Evoke plc, which was formerly known as 888 Holdings, following an acquisition from Caesars Entertainment in 2022.
Yes, William Hill is fully licensed and regulated in the UK by the Gambling Commission under account number 39225.
Yes, William Hill offers Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing. This applies to bets placed from 10 am on the day of the race.
You can bet on over 30 sports, including football, horse racing, tennis, cricket, and darts, as well as niche markets like politics, TV specials, and esports.
The live chat is a chatbot and there is no phone or email support for online customers. The most reliable method to contact a human agent is through their official support account on X (formerly Twitter).