Best betting sites UK 2023: online bookmakers ranked

Best betting sites UK: January 2023

Here, you can find everything you need to know about the best betting sites in the UK and ensure that you find the bookmaker that best suits your specific betting needs. We are constantly updating our assessments based on each sportsbook’s continuing performance on a variety of metrics, from diversity of odds and markets to generosity and clarity of existing customer offers and promotions. The latest free bets offers, plus the reasoning for our January 2023 rankings, can be found below.

Top 10 best betting sites for 2023

Here are the top 10 best betting sites for January 2023. We review each bookie regularly and update our list accordingly, and you can read our breakdown of more than 25 betting sites below.

1. bet365
2. William Hill
3. Betway
4. Betfair
5. Paddy Power
6. Sky Bet
7. 888sport
8. BoyleSports
9. Tote
10. Ladbrokes

Best betting sites: how do we choose the UK’s best betting sites?

Welcome offer

An attractive welcome offer is a vital feature on all the best betting sites, and customers should always try and earn a high number of free bets when signing up to a brand new bookie.

Best odds guaranteed

Best odds guaranteed is now a massive part of betting, especially for horse racing bettors, with customers aiming to have the best odds possible to earn the biggest amount of money from their winners. Some bookmakers don’t offer this, so it’s a factor we look for from our best betting sites.

Streaming

Live streaming of events is now massive for many bettors and a feature of betting sites now seen as a must-have. It’s something that all the UK’s best betting sites look to do – and it is valuable for customers who are interested in watching horse racing and some of the biggest football leagues in the world after or during placing a bet on an event.

Bet builders

Bet builders are continuing to rise in popularity, especially on the best betting sites in the UK. A lot of punters are now taking to them and clearly excited by the opportunity to combine selections and get some large odds within multiples.

Early payout

Early payout is a crucial part of everyday betting – especially with ever-popular bookmakers such as bet365, Paddy Power and, recently, Sky Bet offering to pay out on football bets if a bettor’s selected team goes two goals ahead, which is a great incentive. It’s a strong initiative and strengthens the bookies’ ranking among the best betting sites.

Speed of withdrawal

The speed of withdrawal is always important for most customers, with many wanting the money back into their accounts as quickly as possible. This is another key factor in deciding our best betting sites.

Variety of payment methods

All the best betting sites have a good selection of payment methods available with a variety of e-wallets, debit cards and Apple Pay.

Best betting sites 2023: bookie-by-bookie breakdown

The top seven betting sites and their offers

1. bet365

Most experienced bettors will have at least heard of bet365 as the company has millions of customers worldwide. bet365 has a terrific sign-up offer that is one of the very best on the market: it is easy to claim and the minimum deposit is one of the lowest around. The sports markets that are available from bet365 are some of the most diverse and innovative in the world with the bookmaker offering some terrific prices on some of the most obscure leagues, as well as the most popular ones. bet365 is also brilliant when it comes to the speed at which withdrawals are processed, some taking just a couple of hours. As such, it is one of the best at gaining the trust of its customers.

• Click here to see the bet365 bonus code

2. William Hill

The legendary high-street bookie turned online colossus has climbed up to the lofty spot of second in our rankings thanks in no small part to the superb welcome offer it is currently running. However, once you’ve joined the site you’ll realise there’s far more reason to recommend William Hill than that. There’s a terrific amount of free racing coverage that becomes a large benefit to the customers as well as some tempting existing customer specials daily, from bet boosts to the free Scratch of the Day promotion. Underpinning these aspects is a reliable sportsbook that’s easy to navigate despite the huge variety of odds and markets available.

• Claim the William Hill sign-up offer

3. Betway 

Betway is now a huge betting brand in the UK, helped by an attractive welcome offer and effective loyalty scheme through which existing customers can earn a good amount of free bets at various points when staying on and using the site. It has a superb website and app for sports betting, with competitive odds that rival the very best bookmakers. Betway is also the best bookmaker in the UK if you’re into eSports, while its site is among the top choices when it comes to free-to-play games, with 4 To Score and 4 To Win great, free fun for fans of football and horse racing respectively.

• Claim the Betway sign-up offer

4. Betfair 

Betfair has one of the greatest year-round sportsbooks in the UK, underpinned by its terrific range of markets. But on top of this it offers something hardly any other sites do – a fantastic betting exchange. Both are easy to use and have a number of offers for existing customers who sign up. The sign-up offer when new customers join is terrific and is available for all to claim and use on Betfair’s sportsbook. It should be claimed if you are looking for a new offer to use on a bookmaker.

• Claim the Betfair sign-up offer

5. Paddy Power

The self-proclaimed money-back-special king, Paddy Power offers some terrific promotions all year round. One of the best things about the offers is that they come each and every day to existing customers. The welcome bonus is easy to use, giving you a large sum of free bets on its ever-growing and first-class sportsbook. There are constant opportunities to earn free bets with some fantastic promotions and its rewards scheme for customers is the best on the market. Paddy often treats players to free bets or bet builders around big matches so if you are looking for a long-term bookmaker, Paddy Power is the one for you.

• Claim the Paddy Power sign-up offer

6. Sky Bet

Sky Bet should be in everyone’s arsenal of bookies with its fantastic website and app that is available for all UK players. The sign-up offer is one of the easiest to claim and there are a host of fantastic markets to scroll through, especially when it comes to the most popular sports to bet on such as football and horse racing. The platforms are easy to navigate, including the great in-play offering. The site offers a range of different price boosts and brilliant enhanced accas every day, giving customers a wide variety of various betting options to choose from. Live streaming is available on a vast number of sports, mainly UK and Irish horse racing, but also includes some big football leagues. You can also take advantage of the free-to-play games such as ITV7s and Super 6.

• Claim the Sky Bet sign-up offer

7. 888sport

888sport is well known for its industry-leading casino offering, however in recent times the bookmaker has produced an ever-improving sportsbook that continues to show hundreds of markets each month and is well on its way to being one of the best. It has shown a massive improvement of late and continues to demonstrate it is a really strong betting site. There are some terrific odds on niche events – an excellent addition from a popular bookmaker. The great welcome bonus is very straightforward to claim and the website is easy to navigate with strong accessibility. Among 888sport’s strengths are its promotions for existing customers, covering top events all year round.

• Claim the 888sport sign-up offer

8. BoyleSports

BoyleSports is one of the more underrated UK bookmakers, and its sportsbook continues to improve. Its welcome offer is strong and the BoyleSports sportsbook offers a select amount of sports and markets that anyone who wants to bet regularly would want.

• Claim the BoyleSports sign-up offer

9. Tote

Placing bets on horse racing is very popular in the world of betting and Tote is perfect to fulfil those needs, with markets on the many thousands of races that take place throughout the year. It is a one-stop shop for all the types of Tote bets you need and has a well thought-out website to make sure even users new to this type of betting will be able to get to grips with it quickly.

• Claim the Tote sign-up offer

10. Ladbrokes

Ladbrokes used to be known as “the Magic Sign” for a reason. It has high-street pedigree, which has been successfully transferred into the online sphere with a constantly improving website. Ladbrokes has a really big selection of pre-match, in-play and ante-post betting markets that often rivals those of its biggest competitors. The bookmaker covers all of the mainstream sports such as football and horse racing as well as some of the more niche areas such as NFL, Australian Rules football and motocross. Ladbrokes has a brilliant variety of customer promotions, which allow for great opportunities to regularly earn free bets – another reason to keep an eye on what it is offering.

• Claim the Ladbrokes sign-up offer

11. Coral 

Coral’s website and app are brilliant and reflect its status as one of the very best operators in the UK. Its in-play betting feature is really strong and for ease of use it is second-to-none. The free-to-watch live-streaming service showing more than 2,000 events a week is also a positive when betting on the site. It has many additional promotions on top of its appreciable sign-up offer, including a raft of horse racing offers for existing customers. Coral has become a strong site that consistently keeps up to date with all the new and ever-growing markets, such as the highly used prop betting in football, which is now a main part of the offerings on the site through its much liked ‘bet builder’ feature, where you can combine prop markets with the more regular markets in the same bet for a bigger potential return.

• Claim the Coral sign-up offer

12. Mr.Play

Mr.Play is another bookmaker that many bettors may be unaware of, but is great for those looking for a solid welcome offer, a great selection of sports and satisfactory odds.

You can bet on everything from football and horse racing to floorball and futsal on the easy-to-use website and app.

• Claim the Mr.Play sign-up offer

13. BetVictor

BetVictor has been in the industry since 1946 and continues to be a pioneer with its online offering. It has now become one of the most trustworthy online bookmakers and has a very good record for customer service, which is a major plus point for many using the site. The welcome offer is very generous compared with some of its closest rivals, giving the site a boost in general, and there are also attractive bonuses for existing customers. It allows them a great chance to look around the brilliant sportsbook, offered on both the website and mobile site. 

• Claim the BetVictor sign-up offer

14. SportNation

A bookmaker who has started to become more popular within the industry, SportNation is a good alternative to some of the more well-known and traditional high-street names.

Its welcome offer isn’t one of the best in terms of the free bets given compared with some rivals, but the SportNation Rewards system more than makes up for it, with free bets or withdrawable cash up for grabs every week.

• Claim the SportNation sign-up offer

15. Spreadex

Spreadex is the second bookmaker on our list that offers both a sportsbook and exchange, and both have very good appeal for new customers looking to use either of the popular betting platforms.

The layout is clear and differentiates in an aesthetic manner when you are on either the sportsbook or exchange, and the website is well made visually to make it clear what events are available to bet on in-play as well as other popular forthcoming events and the more niche markets.

The welcome offer is good in relative terms to others on the market and it means customers can have a nice amount of free bets available, but it’s vital to keep in mind that your losses can still exceed the original deposit required.

• Claim the Spreadex sign-up offer

16. PariMatch

PariMatch is one of the new bookmakers on the block compared with many of the well-known sites on our list but it has recently proved popular among Telegraph Betting readers, who have been taking advantage of its terrific sign-up offer in droves.

Its contemporary-feel pages have an easy-to-read layout that complement a very good sportsbook. The number of markets shown in the sports section is matched by some brilliant existing customer offers to be used on the site, ensuring it does not look out of place alongside its top online rivals.

It is also a bona fide site to watch during major sporting events because PariMatch already has a track record of eye-catching offers around events such as Cheltenham and the Euros.

17. Betfred

Betfred, now acknowledged as one of the very best betting sites in the UK, has continued to improve in recent months, and customers recognise it from a host of sponsorship deals at big horse racing, tennis, darts and football events. It has built a good reputation as one of the best destinations for terrific football markets alongside daily enhanced odds and has one of the best welcome offers out there for new customers, which allows punters to earn £60 in bonuses when signing up. Meanwhile, Betfred’s PickYourPunt is continuing to grow rapidly in popularity and lets customers combine odds on all the favourite and most popular football markets.

• Claim the Betfred sign-up offer

18. Unibet

Unibet has been something of an underrated bookmaker, but in recent years has improved to become one of the best bookies around. Its welcome offer alone is enough to flag it up as a real competitor with some of the very best sites in the market. The sportsbook has a massive range of markets with a lot of new markets continuing to be added to the site with statistics-based markets now being used on some of the biggest football matches. The experience for desktop and mobile make it a perfect online bookmaker for any bettors, with the price boosts one of its selling points.

• Claim the Unibet sign-up offer

19. Grosvenor 

Grosvenor is known for its high-street casinos and at times its very well-produced sportsbook has flown under the radar, although the unique sign-up offer does set it apart from some of the top bookmakers in the UK. The interface is very easy to use and it’s very quick to both deposit and withdraw funds, however it may be a betting site more suited to a casual player, or someone who wants to also play on the Grosvenor casino.

• Claim the Grosvenor sign-up offer

20. STS 

The Polish operator STS is relatively unknown in the UK but its sportsbook offering cannot be lightly dismissed.

The site isn’t the most accessible or and doesn’t match the quality of some of the more established UK bookies, and the wagering requirements on its welcome offer should be made apparent when signing up as it can be tough to withdraw funds, but if you like football it has a great depth to its markets with some good odds available.

There’s also a good offering for tennis and niche sports that are popular around Europe, such as basketball and ice hockey.

• Claim the STS sign-up offer

21. Matchbook

Matchbook is a new betting exchange that enables punters to bet against each other rather than a regular bookmaker, and many more on the scene are now looking to get involved in this type of betting.

The welcome offer is strong because it allows customers less familiar with betting exchanges an easy introduction to the platform’s operations and how to make money through it.

• Claim the Matchbook sign-up offer

22. QuinnBet

QuinnBet is a family-run Irish bookmaker that launched its online sportsbook in 2017, which means some punters may not have had the pleasure of using this platform. Although it is currently one of the newer and smaller sites on this list, it still manages to hold its own with a great sign-up offer and promotions that will be more than enough for the casual bettor.

• Claim the QuinnBet sign-up offer

23. NetBet

NetBet is known for its first-class casino but the bookmaker shouldn’t be underestimated. It also offers a very good sportsbook that should be given more credit and is an operator that could challenge some of the more established bookmakers in the future. The markets are expansive and ever-growing, with the bookmaker continuing to improve with time.

• Visit NetBet

24. 10bet

10bet is one of the easiest sites to use in terms of its accessibility and the bookmaker has a brilliant sign-up offer that is available to new customers. It will need to add innovative promotions and offers associated with the top sites to get anywhere near our top ten, with live-streaming also a clear and notable absentee. Nonetheless, it covers a great variety of the most popular sports and markets that the majority of the players will be looking for from their bookmaker and boasts a user experience that is simple to use and navigate for all.

• Claim the 10Bet sign-up offer

25. SBK

App-only betting platform SBK – powered by Smarkets – is a refreshing newcomer to the industry, and the bookmaker has a very well-presented mobile app that enables you to interact with fellow punters. Whether you want to share your bets with people in the online community or take advantage of other bettors’ tips, this “true price” sportsbook service offers plenty of markets on the biggest football, horse racing, cricket and tennis events.

• Claim the SBK sign-up offer

26. FansBet

Established in 2016, FansBet has been growing at an unprecedented rate of late, because of its  accessibility online and how straightforward it is to use the sign-up offer. The three-step sign-up process is one of the easiest to complete and the website itself is one of the very best for navigation. The welcome offer is also favourable – with new customers receiving a brilliant sign-up offer that gives them a good number of free bets. Certainly a good option for any punters who are already signed up to the big names and searching for a new bookmaker.  

• Claim the FansBet sign-up offer

27. Casumo

Casumo is a site on the up and is regularly improving. Originally a casino-focused bookmaker/site, in recent times it has offered appealing sportsbook markets on football, horse racing, cricket, rugby and tennis. As a result, its rising standard is being reflected by greater bettor appeal and so increasing popularity. There are more than 2,000 casino games to choose from with no shortage of options, meaning that the sign-up offer is appealing for both casino and sports bettors, with a generous amount of free bets available.

• Claim the Casumo sign-up offer

28. Betiton

Betiton is a good betting site with established markets and offers customers an array of different sports to bet on regularly. The site is growing in terms of the casino, which features many different types of roulette-based games as well as blackjack. One area in which the bookmaker can improve is in the football markets offered, as there are no prop markets available, which most of the best betting sites have available. Betiton does have a bet builder section, which is now a must-have in the industry, while there’s also a World Cup Lobby where you can play inventive games to win prizes.

• Claim the Betiton sign-up offer

29. Bwin

Bwin is customer friendly with all the main markets and matches for any given day on its homepage (not something all betting sites do) and a feature that entices the punter to place a bet on the day’s action straightaway. The best part about its site is the ‘Acca Builder’ option that gives you the form of all the sides in the most popular leagues along with the games, allowing you to easily put together an informed accumulator selection with minimal hassle.

• Claim the Bwin sign-up offer

30. LiveScore Bet

The first thing that is noticeable about LiveScore Bet is the sign-up offer, with customers able to earn £20 in free bets from a £10 qualifying bet. In the horse racing section, there is in-depth content above each race taking place in the UK that helps punters if they are unsure what to back. LiveScore Bet also offers a free-to-play weekly football game called ‘Squads’, in which customers can pick five players and if any – or all – of them score during a gameweek, they will receive cash prizes, which is a really nice addition to the LiveScore Bet offering and adds a really nice dynamic to the site.

• Claim the LiveScore Bet sign-up offer

31. BritainBet

BritainBet’s layout isn’t the most appealing at first glance with no sign of odds or markets on the first page. However, when you delve deeper there’s a lot of football and horse racing to choose from, as well as the League Of Legends eSports, which continues to gain popularity among its users. The site could be better in terms of accessibility and layout, however for markets offered it is very competent and worth checking out if you do not currently have an account.

• Claim the BritainBet sign-up offer

Best betting sites: how do we select the UK’s best betting sites?

Once you have signed up to your brand-new betting site and claimed the welcome offer, you will need to know what you are expecting regarding promotions and rewards.

That’s where we come in: to help you know which is the best betting site for you to sign up to for your specific needs. We have signed up, deposited and bet with every bookmaker on our list to ensure we are well placed to advise you on the best betting sites in the UK.

We evaluate all the bookmakers according to the same criteria below.

Best betting sites: sign-up bonus and free bets

A key factor in a punter’s decision to join a sports betting site is the value of its sign-up offer. Bookies are constantly updating and competing with each other to get new customers and so there are a lot of excellent sign-up offers, such as William Hill’s or Paddy Power’s.

We look at how much you get in bookmakers’ free bets which can be important for customers, as well as all the different factors to each offer. These include wagering requirements, how long your free bets are valid for and how long it takes for them to be rewarded.

Wagering requirements are now a common part of betting and they can regularly catch out punters, even some of the more experienced bettors. Our best betting sites all have some of the most easy to understand wagering requirements which in turn allow customers the best chance of earning a high variety of free bets, and among the best are bet365 and Betfair. There can also be wagering requirements in order to proceed with a withdrawal, although the vast majority on our list do not have any.

Usually, bookmakers will give you seven days to use your free bets once they have been awarded to your account, but this can differ with some bookies. Free bets are usually given to you instantly after making either a qualifying deposit or qualifying bet. However, some are paid out after your qualifying bet is settled. You may also be given the free bets from betting sites in different bundles, such as two £10 bets or four £5 bets. 

Best betting sites: sign-up process

The user experience for every one of the best betting sites will always begin with the sign-up process and how easy it is to complete. An easy way to enter your details and get set up with an account is vital as it will give you an understanding of how the rest of the website will function. We take a look at how long a bookie’s sign-up process takes, how many details it asks for from you and how easy it is to give the information.

Best betting sites: sports markets

The main reason people will look to sign up to a betting site is to be able to place bets on their favourite sports to watch and wager on. These can vary, so we always look at the variety of betting markets each bookmaker provides.

Both experienced bettors and the casual punter will look at the betting markets as arguably the most important factor when picking a betting site, and are often swayed by those that offer markets others don’t. All of our bookmakers offer markets on the major sports that the majority of users will be looking for, including football, horse racing, golf, tennis and boxing.

The difference lies in some of the more niche leagues and sports. Examples include bet365 with its football markets for many different leagues on offer and William Hill’s excellent TV and Specials markets for election betting or reality shows such as Strictly Come Dancing and I’m a Celebrity, which set it apart from its competitors.

Best betting sites: loyalty promotions and rewards

Once you sign up to your brand new betting site, you will need to know what you are expecting regarding promotions and rewards once the welcome offer has been used.

Some bookmakers have free bets clubs, which are terrific for a weekly reward. A prime example is Betway. You qualify for the bet club by betting a required sum each week with the bookie to receive free bets each week.

There are also free-to-play games on many of the online betting sites, including 888sports Up For 8, Paddy Power’s Beat The Drop and Grosvenor Sport’s Million Pound Picks. These games have varying levels of difficulty and prize money.

Money-back specials, where you place a bet and get your money back in free bets if it loses, early payouts and odds boosts are all promotions bookmakers will have on our list, such as Paddy Power, Betfred and BetVictor. Best odds guaranteed is one that a lot of punters, especially in horse racing, will be looking for and the majority of the bookmakers on our list provide this.

Best betting sites: deposit/withdrawal

Each bookmaker has its own way of depositing and withdrawing funds and we judge the best on a number of criteria. We are looking for the online betting sites with the lowest deposits, the quickest transactions and with the most varied payment methods, including eWallets and PayPal. 

It is important that bookmakers enable customers to deposit and withdraw their money simply and safely. These are problems that punters regularly raise concerns about regarding the betting sites they use. The variables here include how long you have to wait for your withdrawal to reach your account, which is usually five working days, and who has the lowest withdrawal amount.

Best betting sites: what payment methods are available to sports bettors?

There are various payment methods that can be used by customers when they sign up to the best betting sites. All bookmakers in our list offer deposits and withdrawals via the most popular method – debit card.

Other methods include e-wallets such as Trustly, PayPal, Skrill and Neteller, while the convenient Apple Pay is available on many of the best betting sites. 

Best betting sites: mobile betting and desktop experience

A lot of punters look to have a bet via their mobile devices, so we have taken into account how good each online betting site runs on phones and tablets. The app and website must both be clearly laid out, easy to navigate and should not have any complicated features that slow down the user journey, with bet365 the best in our opinion.

We are always looking for all of the best sports and the most popular to be right near the top of the page for customers, while also having a big range of in-play markets and forthcoming sporting events visible most of the time on the home page. Navigation to each market should be simple and each function, such as cash-out, should be clear for the user to see.

This will also include live streaming of sports, with a lot of bookmakers offering the service but with different requirements. Some ask you to place a minimum bet on the event while some may be free to stream, with all our betting sites above having some form of live streaming.

Best betting sites: online bookmaker security 

A legitimate worry for anyone looking for an online betting site will be how regulated the site is, which is why every bookmaker on our list is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. We have also personally looked at and betted with all the operators you see on our website, as we ensure they are the safest for users to bet with.

Some are also commissioned by gambling commissions around the world, and we have the significant terms and conditions below each of the operators, and you can read the full terms and conditions on their individual sign-up pages once you click through.

Best betting sites: football

Football is the most popular sport for betting in the UK. Punters are consistently looking for new sites that have innovative markets and a strong selection of odds and offers.

The Premier League has provided some terrific moments this season with some of the best players in the world in action and a fantastic number of goals being scored. You can use the table above to find the best welcome offers so you can make the most of betting on the world’s favourite division.

Football accumulators are one of the most popular types of bet, so finding the sites that offer the best promotions for accas is a must. These can include insurance-style offers where you get your stake back if one leg lets you down or bonuses if you land an acca with a certain number of legs.

When seeking the best betting sites for football, you should look out for the same features that we have pointed out above.

You want a good sign-up offer, a wide range of leagues and competitions, and one with the most markets to help you make your bet.

Click here to find the best football betting sites.

What’s happening in the world of football this week?

There’s another big week of football coming up as the Carabao Cup quarter-final ties take place across Tuesday and Wednesday evening.

League One side Charlton Athletic travel to Old Trafford on Tuesday to face Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United side and Newcastle United host Leicester City at St James’ Park.

The next evening Nottingham Forest are at home to Wolves and Southampton welcome Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to St Mary’s Stadium.

The Premier League resumes on Thursday evening as under-pressure Chelsea manager Graham Potter takes his side to Craven Cottage to face south-west London rivals Fulham. 

Horse racing continues with this week’s schedule including cards at Ayr, Doncaster and Exeter.

Best betting sites: how to choose the best betting site for you

Different players will be looking for different things when choosing an online betting site, and you should weigh up all the above points when making your selections.

You are not limited to having just one online bookmaker account, and if more than one online betting site ticks the boxes for you then use several.

Best betting sites: best new betting sites

There are a lot of new bookmakers entering the industry and aiming to compete with some of the very best regarding all aspects of their sites.

Some of the UK’s best new betting sites have features that are better than the current industry standard, while others are still aiming to learn and pave their way to compete.

It’s vital that as a customer you constantly look out for new betting sites as there are a lot out there with significant new customer offers that can help boost funds.

Best betting sites: how do the UK’s best betting sites compare?