Home » football
Peter Addison

Welcome to our guide to the best football betting sites which takes a look at the UK top bookies for October 2024.

We run the rule over the best sites to bet on football online, analysing which platforms to trust for the best footy odds, product features, free bets and promotions. Note that all sites mentioned have current and valid UKGC licences.

Table of contents

Best Football Betting Sites

{"features":{"2":{"id":2,"name":"Casino","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"4":{"id":4,"name":"Cashout","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"5":{"id":5,"name":"Bet Builder","offers":[17087,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17111,17175]},"6":{"id":6,"name":"Betting App","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"1":{"id":1,"name":"Betting Exchanges","offers":[17083,17111]},"3":{"id":3,"name":"Live Stream","offers":[17083,17093,17132,17096,17114,17224,17111,17175]}},"min_deposit":{"17087":"10","17083":"1","17093":"10","17132":"10","17096":"10","17080":"5","17114":"5","17224":"5","17111":"5","17175":"10"},"payment_methods":{"15562":{"id":15562,"name":"Debit cards","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"15280":{"id":15280,"name":"Paypal","offers":[17087,17093,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"15567":{"id":15567,"name":"Bank Transfer","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17080,17114,17111,17175]},"15621":{"id":15621,"name":"Apple Pay","offers":[17087,17096,17080,17114,17111]},"15271":{"id":15271,"name":"Paysafecard","offers":[17093,17096,17114,17111,17175]},"15265":{"id":15265,"name":"Skrill","offers":[17093,17114,17111,17175]},"15272":{"id":15272,"name":"Neteller","offers":[17093,17114,17111,17175]},"15994":{"id":15994,"name":"GooglePay","offers":[17096,17114]},"15266":{"id":15266,"name":"Trustly","offers":[17096,17224]},"16719":{"id":16719,"name":"cheques","offers":[17083]},"16480":{"id":16480,"name":"Instant Banking","offers":[17111]},"15277":{"id":15277,"name":"Rapidtransfer","offers":[17111]},"15268":{"id":15268,"name":"MuchBetter","offers":[17111]}},"sports":{"116":{"id":116,"name":"Football","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"120":{"id":120,"name":"Horse Racing","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"130":{"id":130,"name":"Tennis","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"143":{"id":143,"name":"Greyhounds","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"106":{"id":106,"name":"American Football","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"135":{"id":135,"name":"Aussie Rules","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"109":{"id":109,"name":"Basketball","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"111":{"id":111,"name":"Boxing","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"112":{"id":112,"name":"Cricket","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"114":{"id":114,"name":"Darts","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"118":{"id":118,"name":"Golf","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"119":{"id":119,"name":"Handball","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"138":{"id":138,"name":"Politics","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"124":{"id":124,"name":"Rugby League","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"125":{"id":125,"name":"Rugby Union","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"272":{"id":272,"name":"Sooker","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"113":{"id":113,"name":"Cycling","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"141":{"id":141,"name":"E-Sports","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17175]},"129":{"id":129,"name":"Table Tennis","offers":[17087,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"108":{"id":108,"name":"Baseball","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17224,17175]},"121":{"id":121,"name":"Ice Hockey","offers":[17087,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17111,17175]},"131":{"id":131,"name":"Volleyball","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17224,17175]},"213":{"id":213,"name":"GAA Football","offers":[17087,17093,17132,17096,17224,17175]},"214":{"id":214,"name":"GAA Hurling","offers":[17087,17093,17132,17096,17224,17175]},"148":{"id":148,"name":"Lacrosse","offers":[17087,17093,17096,17080,17224,17175]},"144":{"id":144,"name":"MMA\/UFC","offers":[17087,17093,17096,17080,17114,17111]},"216":{"id":216,"name":"Oscars","offers":[17087,17093,17096,17224,17175]},"212":{"id":212,"name":"Virtual Sports","offers":[17087,17093,17096,17175]},"215":{"id":215,"name":"Motor Racing","offers":[17087,17093,17096]},"201":{"id":201,"name":"Biathlon","offers":[17132,17114,17111]},"147":{"id":147,"name":"Badminton","offers":[17080,17114,17111]},"142":{"id":142,"name":"F1","offers":[17080,17114,17111]},"145":{"id":145,"name":"Netball","offers":[17080,17114,17111]},"209":{"id":209,"name":"Olympic Games","offers":[17080,17114,17111]},"187":{"id":187,"name":"Winter sports","offers":[17080,17114,17111]},"132":{"id":132,"name":"Water Polo","offers":[17132,17080]},"198":{"id":198,"name":"Athletics","offers":[17114,17111]},"199":{"id":199,"name":"Awards","offers":[17114,17111]},"200":{"id":200,"name":"Bandy","offers":[17114,17111]},"202":{"id":202,"name":"Chess","offers":[17114,17111]},"203":{"id":203,"name":"Cross County Skiing","offers":[17114,17111]},"204":{"id":204,"name":"Entertainment","offers":[17114,17111]},"205":{"id":205,"name":"Floorball","offers":[17114,17111]},"137":{"id":137,"name":"Futsal","offers":[17114,17111]},"162":{"id":162,"name":"Gaelic Football","offers":[17114,17111]},"206":{"id":206,"name":"Gaelic Hurling","offers":[17114,17111]},"244":{"id":244,"name":"Kabaddi","offers":[17114,17111]},"123":{"id":123,"name":"Motor Sports","offers":[17114,17111]},"159":{"id":159,"name":"Specials","offers":[17114,17111]},"210":{"id":210,"name":"Squash","offers":[17114,17111]},"110":{"id":110,"name":"Beach Volleyball","offers":[17083]},"292":{"id":292,"name":"Gaelic Sports","offers":[17080]},"260":{"id":260,"name":"Motorsports","offers":[17080]},"178":{"id":178,"name":"Pesapallo","offers":[17080]},"149":{"id":149,"name":"Rowing","offers":[17080]},"588":{"id":588,"name":"TV & 0velty","offers":[17080]},"263":{"id":263,"name":"Trotting","offers":[17080]}},"bonus_types":{"140":{"id":140,"name":"Free Bet","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17224,17175]},"217":{"id":217,"name":"ACCA Insurance","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17114,17111,17175]},"188":{"id":188,"name":"Odds Boosts","offers":[17087,17083,17093,17096,17080,17114,17111,17175]},"146":{"id":146,"name":"BOG","offers":[17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"242":{"id":242,"name":"Extra Places","offers":[17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"179":{"id":179,"name":"Cash Out","offers":[17087,17093,17096,17114,17111]},"243":{"id":243,"name":"2nd to Favourite","offers":[17093,17132,17096,17114,17111]},"221":{"id":221,"name":"Loyalty Club","offers":[17093,17096,17114,17111]},"192":{"id":192,"name":"Refer a Friend","offers":[17083]},"246":{"id":246,"name":"Money Back if Bet Loses","offers":[17114]},"247":{"id":247,"name":"Rewards","offers":[17114]},"248":{"id":248,"name":"Free Bet for Friends","offers":[17114]},"245":{"id":245,"name":"Free Bet Builders","offers":[17111]}},"free_bet_amount":{"17087":0,"17083":0,"17093":0,"17132":0,"17096":0,"17080":0,"17114":0,"17224":0,"17111":0,"17175":0},"tags":{"370":{"id":370,"name":"Paypal","offers":[17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]},"365":{"id":365,"name":"Cash Out","offers":[17083,17132,17096,17114,17224]},"368":{"id":368,"name":"Live Streaming","offers":[17083,17093,17096,17114,17111]},"475":{"id":475,"name":"Enhanced Odds","offers":[17093,17096,17080,17114,17111]},"459":{"id":459,"name":"Placepot bet","offers":[17132,17096,17111]},"371":{"id":371,"name":"Trixie","offers":[17096,17111,17175]},"462":{"id":462,"name":"\u00a320 Free Bet","offers":[17224,17111,17175]},"507":{"id":507,"name":"Free Spins","offers":[17132,17114]},"395":{"id":395,"name":"New!","offers":[17132,17224]},"372":{"id":372,"name":"Yankee bet","offers":[17132,17175]},"477":{"id":477,"name":"\u00a35 Deposit","offers":[17114,17111]},"540":{"id":540,"name":"\u00a340 Free Bet","offers":[17093]},"364":{"id":364,"name":"\u00a330 Free Bet","offers":[17080]},"443":{"id":443,"name":"New Free Bets","offers":[17224]},"366":{"id":366,"name":"Derby betting","offers":[17175]},"367":{"id":367,"name":"Each Way Bet","offers":[17175]},"369":{"id":369,"name":"patent bet","offers":[17175]}}}
[17087,17083,17093,17132,17096,17080,17114,17224,17111,17175]
{"features":{"2":false,"4":false,"5":false,"6":false,"1":false,"3":false},"payment_methods":{"any":true,"15562":false,"15280":false,"15567":false,"15621":false,"15271":false,"15265":false,"15272":false,"15994":false,"15266":false,"16719":false,"16480":false,"15277":false,"15268":false},"sports":{"any":true,"116":false,"120":false,"130":false,"143":false,"106":false,"135":false,"109":false,"111":false,"112":false,"114":false,"118":false,"119":false,"138":false,"124":false,"125":false,"272":false,"113":false,"141":false,"129":false,"108":false,"121":false,"131":false,"213":false,"214":false,"148":false,"144":false,"216":false,"212":false,"215":false,"201":false,"147":false,"142":false,"145":false,"209":false,"187":false,"132":false,"198":false,"199":false,"200":false,"202":false,"203":false,"204":false,"205":false,"137":false,"162":false,"206":false,"244":false,"123":false,"159":false,"210":false,"110":false,"292":false,"260":false,"178":false,"149":false,"588":false,"263":false},"bonus_types":{"any":true,"140":false,"217":false,"188":false,"146":false,"242":false,"179":false,"243":false,"221":false,"192":false,"246":false,"247":false,"248":false,"245":false},"min_deposit":0,"free_bet_amount":0}
[]
Sort by
Expert rating
Expert rating
Newest
Bonus value
Offers
Show all
Free Bet
ACCA Insurance
Odds Boosts
More Bonus Types
Banking
Show all
Debit cards
Paypal
Bank Transfer
More Payment Methods
Features
Any
Filters
Features
All Filters
Reset
Features
Min. Deposit
GBP
Banking Methods
Sports
Offers
Most popular
Popular
10 Results
Reset

Bet £10 Get £60 In Free Bets

08/05/24

Bet £10 Get £60 In Free Bets

  • Trusted US brand now available in the UK
  • Ideal for sports on both sides of the pond
  • Numerous promotions and free bet deals
9.9
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 6x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 2 x £10 Bet Builder, 2 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org.

Bet £10, Get £40

22/03/24

Bet £10, Get £40

  • Offers both fixed odds and spread betting
  • Ideal venue for live betting
  • Best value fixed odds bookie for Premier League
9.8
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
18+ begambleaware.org. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. Place a qualifying £10 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. Free bet stakes not included in any winnings from the free fixed odds bets. Free bets expire in 28 days if unused.

£50 in Free Bets When You Bet £10

22/04/24

£50 in Free Bets When You Bet £10

  • Get Best Odds Guaranteed from 08:00
  • Promotions galore from "the Bonus King"
  • Home of the Lucky 15
9.8
4.5 Stars
Use bonus code
Copied
SUMMER50
Copy
Copy
Visit Site
Learn More
0
New customers only. Register with SUMMER50 between 31/05/24 – 14/07/24. 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. Full T&Cs apply.

£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins

05/04/24

£35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins

  • Free bet worth 5% of your total bets
  • Min odds of 6/4 needed
  • 1x free bet available daily
9.7
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
We’ve enhanced our UK Sportsbook Welcome Offer. Get 50% Back as a Free Bet up to £35 (normally £25) plus 10 Free Spins! A minimum of 3 bets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater is required to qualify for the max free bet, which is based on 50% back of first day losses. Even if your account is up, a single £10 Bet at the minimum odds, secures a £5 Free Bet & 10 Free Spins. UK 18+T&C’s

Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365

02/04/24

Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365

  • All feature races eligible
  • Applies to win and each-way bets
  • Available to new and existing customers
9.7
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
Registration required. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

22/04/24

Bet £10, Get £30 in Free Bets

  • Easy to explore thousands of betting markets
  • Football betting specialist
  • Plenty of specials and Price Boosts
9.7
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
T&Cs apply. New cust only. Deposit & Place a Bet within 7 days, and settle a £10 minimum bet at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater, to be credited with 3x £10 Free Bets: 1 x £10 Horse Racing, 1 x £10 Free Bet Builder and 1 x £10 Football. 7 day expiry. Stake not returned. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.

Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses

26/03/24

Bet £20 and get it back as cash if it loses

  • Widely regarded as the punter's friend
  • Extensive horse racing coverage
  • Famous for its novelty betting markets
9.6
4.5 Stars
Use bonus code
Copied
YSKWEX
Copy
Copy
Visit Site
Learn More
0
Place your FIRST bet on any Sportsbook market and if it loses we will refund your stake in CASH. Max refund for this offer is €/£20. Only deposits made using cards will qualify for this promotion. T&Cs apply

Bet £10, Get £20 In Free Bets

01/05/24

Bet £10, Get £20 In Free Bets

  • One Of The Newest Bookies On The Market
  • Regular Price Boosts On Big Events
  • Live Horse Racing Streaming
9.6
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
New members only. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of the E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance (ex E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. 18+

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Football Bet Builders

05/01/24

Bet £10 Get £30 in Free Football Bet Builders

  • Comprehensive coverage of sports worldwide
  • Multiple markets for almost every event
  • Betting Exchange lets you bet like a bookie
9.5
4.5 Stars
Use bonus code
Copied
ZSKAHD
Copy
Copy
Visit Site
Learn More
0
New Customer offer. Place a min £10 bet on the Sportsbook on odds of min 1/2 (1.5), get £30 in Free Bets. Rewards valid for 30 days. SMS verification required. Only deposits via cards will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly

Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets

02/04/24

Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets

  • Covers all major sporting events
  • Live betting and cash out features
  • Superb app for mobile betting
9.5
4.5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Visit Site
Learn More
0
*New members. Offer not available 15/04/23 £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Rules & Exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org. T&Cs apply, 18+

Football Betting This Week: Some Highlights

Every week brings scores of fresh football betting opportunities. Deciding which ones to bet on can sometimes be daunting, so here we spotlight a handful of matches over the next seven days that we’re particularly interested in.

Euro 2024 Sem-Finals

The two biggest matches of this week are the Euro 2024 semi-finals. The first of those will take place on Tuesday at 20:00 when Spain play France. Bet365 has Spain installed as the 13/8 favourite, while France are priced at 21/10. You can get odds of 15/8 about the draw.

On Wednesday at 20:00, the Netherlands will play England. We’re pleased to report that England are the favourites to win, at 8/5, while the Netherlands can be backed at 21/10. Again, if you want to bet on the draw, you can currently get odds of 15/8.

Should you want to bet on any of these four teams to win the competition overall, Spain are available at 2/1, England at 5/2, France at 11/4 and the Netherlands at 9/2.

Copa America

Another soccer competition nearing its conclusion is the Copa America, which is being hosted in the USA. It has also reached the semi-finals stage, and the first match on Wednesday (01:00 UK time) will see hot tournament favourites Argentina play Canada. The second semi-final is on Thursday (also at 01:00) and involves Columbia and Uruguay. The Final of this tournament will be held on Monday, 15 July at 01:00.

The Leading Football Betting Sites UK

  1. BetMGM – The best site in the UK for online football betting in 2024
  2. SpreadEx – The UK’s number one site for football spread betting
  3. Betfred – Look out for football specials, especially for the biggest matches
  4. QuinnBet – ‘Create a Bet’ allows you to build unique football bets
  5. Bet365 – Pays out early if your backed football team goes two goals up
  6. BetUK – Weekly football offer – get a £5 free bet every single week!
  7. Paddy Power – #WhatOddsPaddy – enhanced odds on popular football bets
  8. LiveScore Bet – ‘SQUADS’ – free football game that pays out £2.5m every year
  9. Betfair – The UK’s top betting site for football exchange betting
  10. Virgin Bet – Daily free to play football game Virgin Bet FIVES

Our Top 10 Best Football Betting Sites For October

Our betting experts have rated, reviewed and ranked the UK’s top 10 football betting sites. We’ve compared factors such as best odds, free bets and offers, number of markets, best app and features such as Bet Builders to come up with our list.

1. BetMGM – The Best Site in the UK for Football Betting in 2024

  • Year established: 2023
  • Number of football markets: 2,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal, ApplePay
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]
  • Welcome offer: Bet £10, Get £20 in free bets

At number one on our list of the best football betting sites in the UK we have placed BetMGM. As BetMGM was founded in America you may be worrying that their version of football tales priority over UK football, but that is not the case. Football comes number two in the list of popular sports at BetMGM, behind horse racing, with full coverage of all major and most minor competitions, tournaments and match ups.

betmgm hp

One thing we have to warn you about football at BetMGM is that eFootball gets mixed in with real football. This doesn’t tarnish the football experience at this site by any degree but be warned that if you find yourself surprised that Arsenal are playing Liverpool at 8 am, it’s probably an eSports battle. At this site you can easily switch between matches and outrights, and another handy switch is provided to filter out all games that are not currently live.

BetMGM is currently the betting partner of EPL sides Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United.

What We Like:

  • Free-to-play £2m Golden Goals promotion
  • Betting app on iPhone and Android or mobile browser
  • 100s of markets on top games, including Bet Builders

Room for Improvement:

  • Market coverage not as comprehensive as some rivals but improving all the time

2. SpreadEx – The UK’s Number One Site for Football Spread Betting

  • Year established: 1999
  • Number of football markets: 3,000+
  • Banking methods: debit cards, credit cards (spread betting only), bank transfers, cheques, direct debit.
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 01727 895 090.
  • Welcome offer: 2 x £5 spread bets + £300 cashback

If you are into football spread betting, then SpreadEx is going to be your number one choice. We feel that more people should explore football spread betting as it rewards you more for accurate predictions. The only downside is that should your predictions be hopelessly wrong, you could lose more than your original stake. Football coverage at Spreadex offers over 300 markets per match (for the bigger games, anyhow), which is exceptional, and some reach 500!

spreadex hp

You may be puzzled how there can be over 500 markets on a single football match. Spreadex gets very inventive with its markets, having aspects such as ‘Home Team Goals x Corners x Bookings’, but that doesn’t mean you have to get inventive too! All the common markets such as betting on which side will win (or if it’s a draw), goals scored, bookings and time of first goal are all available if you’d prefer to keep things simple.

Spreadex is the current front-of-shirt sponsor of Sunderland in the Championship, and are the back-of-shirt sponsor of fellow Championship team Cardiff City.

What We Like:

  • Choose spread betting or fixed odds
  • Thousands of available football betting markets
  • Mobile app makes it easy to place your best football bets

Room for Improvement:

  • More reload offers and promotions would be welcome
Peter Addison profile-image
Peter Addison
Enhance your returns

Spread Betting Can Really Pay Dividends

Spread betting rewards you for accuracy. The more ‘right’ you are with your bet, the more money you will make. Say you think Arsenal will beat West Ham by at least two goals, then you will earn more via a spread bet if they win 4-0 than you would with fixed odds betting. Care needs to be taken though, as you can lose more than your stake if your bet goes awry. If you are new to spread betting, begin with very small stakes.

3. Betfred – Look Out for Football Specials, Especially for the Biggest Matches

  • Year established: 1967
  • Number of football markets: 2,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafecard
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 0800 028 7747
  • Welcome offer: Bet £10 to get £50 in free bets

Betfred is a huge name on the UK gambling scene, which means it is big for football. If you were to head to the Betfred site right now we are willing to bet that the site’s football offerings are up front and central. The site lists that day’s top matches in order of interest to UK punters, so expect the EPL, EFL and Scottish football right at the top, followed by the top leagues in Europe and finally, the rest of the world.

betfred hp

The front page entries for football will just list the ‘1X2’ odds so if you want to explore more extravagant bets, you’ll need to click on the event you are interested in. This will list all the available markets for the event. One thing to look out for is ‘#PickYourPunt’ which are pre-selected bet builders. Some of them will have boosted odds, so if you like the look of the single match aspects that have been made into an acca, then add it to your bet slip to take advantage of that odds boost.

Betfred is the official betting partner of Manchester United and has sponsored Bolton Wanderers and RCD Mallorca in the past. They sponsored the Scottish League Cup from 2016 until 2019.

What We Like:

  • All major and most minor football competitions and tournaments covered
  • PickYourPunt Bet Builder offers on football
  • Enhanced accas – the more selections, the bigger the bonus

Room for Improvement:

  • Traditional layout and design could be updated

4. QuinnBet – ‘Create a Bet’ Allows You to Build Unique Football Bets

  • Year established: 2017
  • Number of football markets: 2,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, Revolut & Monzo
  • Mobile app: iOS and Andorid.
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]
  • Welcome offer: Get £50 of first-day losses back as a free bet up to £35 plus 10 free spins

Despite QuinnBet’s association with horse racing, we think highly enough of its football offering to hand it a place in our top list of the best football betting sites in the UK. Again, as with most UK sites, football takes centre spot on the QuinnBet home page. You will see the latest matches prioritised, and you can easily switch to live games, upcoming games, outright and the top leagues in the UK. If you prefer wagering on European football then you can switch to the ‘Euro Coupon; which will list all the top games in La Liga, the Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue One and much more.

quinnbet hp

All matches will have around 150 markets, although games in less popular leagues won’t enjoy so much coverage. There is very little live streaming at QuinnBet (and especially not of UK football), but you can always watch the graphical representations of games that are available to keep in touch with the latest action. QuinnBet also has a bet builder which at this site is called ‘Create-A-Bet’. With the top games you will find some pre-defined Create-A-Bets with slightly enhanced odds.

QuinnBet currently sponsors Dundee United and Hibernian, two of the most historic clubs in Scottish football history.

What We Like:

  • Strong welcome offer with free spins included
  • Comprehensive in-play offering on football
  • Create-A-Bet on almost all football matches

Room for Improvement:

  • Horse racing is still clearly the main event here

5. Bet365 – Pays Out Early if Your Backed Team Goes Two Goals Up

  • Year established: 2023
  • Number of football markets: 4,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, ApplePay, Google Pay, Trustly, PaybyBank, PaysafeCard, Click to Pay, Bank Transfer
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 0800 028 8365
  • Welcome offer: Bet £10, Get £30

Bet365 is simply the biggest betting site in the UK as More people bet at Bet365 than any other site in the UK, It is probably the biggest site for football betting in the UK too, although biggest is not always best. Actually, you won’t find ‘football’ available for betting here at all, as bet365 for some unfathomable reason calls it ‘soccer’. The day’s big games are always listed on the left-hand menu, and once you’ve used bet365 a few times ‘soccer’ will magically appear in the ‘Frequent Visited’ section of the site too, so football bets are never more than a click away.

bet365 hp

Bet365 does provide live streaming of football, but only really games in Germany, Holland and many non-European countries. It is able to provide live audio commentary of some games (such as internationals) but not EPL/EFL matches. One neat feature of football betting at bet365 is the ‘Bet Bulider Quick Pick’. If you’re a frequent bet builder you can quickly build your bets with this feature, switching quickly between player bets, result, goals, corners and cards.

Given bet365’s Stoke-on-Trent background, it’ll be no surprise for you to learn that bet365 is the main sponsors of Stoke City and has been since 2012. The club is owned by bet365 and plays at the bet365 Stadium.

What We Like:

  • Early Payout Offer – 2 goals up
  • Unrivalled selection of football markets
  • Bet Builder and Bet Builder+

Room for Improvement:

  • Site design is arguably outdated

6. BetUK – Weekly Football Offer – Get a £5 Free Bet Every Single Week!

  • Year established: 2012
  • Number of football markets: 2,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal, ApplePay
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]
  • Welcome offer: Bet £10, Get £30 in free bets

BetUK is a site that always seems hot on football offers. For example, during the 2024 Euros it offered a £1 free bet builder every time that England or Scotland (ahem) won a match. There is also the long-standing weekly football offer that deals you a £5 free bet each and every week if you qualify for it. Just place at least one £10 bet builder bet on any football market (minimum odds Evens) and you will get your free bet for that week.

betuk hp

If you have been paying attention you’ll know we’ve already mentioned BetUK once, as it’s run by LeoVegas, the same people who run BetMGM. This means that the set up, look and feel of BetUK is identical to what is on offer at BetMGM. So we have to warn you again about eFootball matches being mixed in with games that are actually played on grass. If you click ‘All Leagues’ the eFootball menu will collapse and all listed leagues and competitions will appear, with the most popular ones on top of the list. All countries with pro football leagues make it into this menu.

In what must be quite the scoop, BetUK is the official betting partner of the EPL’s dominant side, Manchester City.

What We Like:

  • Daily BetUK football specials
  • Wide selection of pre-built Bet Builders
  • Fast payouts, almost instantly with specific Visa debit card

Room for Improvement:

  • Website could be more navigable

7. PaddyPower – #WhatOddsPaddy – Enhanced Odds on Popular Football Bets

  • Year established: 1988
  • Number of football markets: 3,500+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, PaysafeCard, Rapid Transfer, MuchBetter, bank transfer
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 0800 056 5275
  • Welcome offer: Get £20 in free bets when you bet £5

PaddyPower is another site famed more for horse racing but football remains high among its priorities too. The set up of the football section at PaddyPower is somewhat unique and very useful. First up are ‘#WhatOddsPaddy’ specials which are featured bets for which the normal odds have been enhanced. The second section is the site’s most popular accas, that is, accas that have been placed by site users. You can see how many times a particular acca has been backed and then see if you want to take it up yourself.

If you’re a fan of football transfer betting, PaddyPower is the best platform for these markets.

paddypower hp

There’s plenty to like about the PaddyPower site, such as their ‘power prices’. These are selected combo bets which, if wagered upon, will give you significantly powered-up odds! They are also one of the very few sites to offer multi-match bet builders!

You can even ask for prices on specific bets – just pop across to X/Twitter or Instagram and tag your offer with #WhatOddsPaddy and you might get a reply. The site will also have a number of pre-defined offers.

PaddyPower has not ventured into football sponsorship very much but they did sponsor Huddersfield Town for the 2019-20 season and uniquely too, by announcing their name would not be on the front of the Terriers’ shirts for that term.

What We Like:

  • Get price boosts on your accas
  • #WhatOddsPaddy – ask for odds on socials or take pre-defined offers
  • Power Prices – even more enhanced odds!

Room for Improvement:

  • Refund welcome offer only applies to losing bets

8. LiveScore Bet – ‘SQUADS’ – Free Football Game That Pays Out £2.5m Every Year

  • Year established: 2021
  • Number of football markets: 2,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat ; Email: [email protected].
  • Welcome offer: Bet £10 get £20 in free bets

For many years people have used LiveScore to keep in touch with football events, no matter which event, and where they happen to be. If you wanted to know the latest happenings in any football game, then consulting the LiveScore site was your best choice. You could even set notifications so that if a goal goes in during a match you have a keen interest in, you’d be quickly informed.

livescore home

LiveScore branched out into sports betting and has created an excellent football betting site. Odds boosts are always available, as is the free-to-play Squads game in which top-notch performances from your elected EPL players really pay you dividends. Just sign in at the LiveScoreBet site to see who has been selected for you – you can be awarded a maximum of five players per week,

The site also has a range of popular bet builders which come pre-selected but you can always build your own too as long as all selections feature in the same match. Many top games get price boosts as well, which will enhance your returns if you choose to wager on them.

What We Like:

  • Free to play Squads game – share in an annual pot of over £2.5 million!
  • Pre-selected bet builders and price boosts on top-class matches
  • Tons of stats – perfect for the football nerd!

Room for Improvement:

  • Mobile-first means it’s not great on web

9. Betfair – The UK’s Top Betting Site for Football Exchange Betting

  • Year established: 2000
  • Number of football markets: 4,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, PaysafeCard, Rapid Transfer, MuchBetter, bank transfer
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat 24/7; Email: [email protected]; Phone: 0844 871 5000
  • Welcome offer: Get £40 in multiples when you bet £10

Betfair is by far the most popular exchange betting site available in the UK, and its football coverage is exceptional. You can literally bet on anything at Betfair and if a bet is not available at the site, you can contact the site and they may offer you odds for it. Oh, and just in case exchange betting confuses you, fixed odds betting is available too.

betfair hp

If you are more accustomed to football fixed odds betting then the set up of Betfair may confuse you. If you want to bet on something (‘back’) the odds are in blue. If you want to bet against something (‘lay’) the odds are in pink. If you bet you set your stake. If you lay you set how much you are looking to win. By far the most popular football markets are ‘1×2’, but if you click on any football event you can see all the markets available. Note that at the exchange odds are flexible – you don’t have to take the most popular football odds as other odds may be available, and you can even offer your own odds (although there is no guarantee someone will take your bet).

Football fixed odds betting is a simpler affair. Just click the ‘Sportsbook’ button at the top of the main menu. This site has offers that you won’t find at the exchange, such as popular bet builders and odds boosts. Betfair also pays out early if your bet is winning at the end of 90 minutes, no matter what happens during time added on.

Betfair is a current global partner of Barcelona, and has previously held the same role with Liverpool.

What We Like:

  • Football bets paid out on 90 minutes – before stoppage time
  • Daily odds boosts – check the site for football enhanced odds
  • User requested prices with #OddsOnThat

Room for Improvement:

  • Clunky layout a hangover from the Exchange
Ian Bruce profile-image
Ian Bruce
Get the Best Odds

Better Odds With Exchange Betting

Exchange betting is so popular because it generates more rewarding odds. Because sites like Betfair don’t have to worry about their margins, they can simply allow their site users to set their own odds. This means you are practically guaranteed the best odds at betting exchanges, no matter the bet you wish to place. The only downsides are you have to pay a small commission on your winning bets (but not enough to lessen the advantages) and the amount of money you can bet is limited by the amount of liquidity that’s available.

10. Virgin Bet – Daily Free to Play Football Game Virgin Bet FIVES

  • Year established: 2017
  • Number of football markets: 2,000+
  • Banking methods: Debit cards, PayPal
  • Mobile app: iOS and Android
  • Customer support: Live chat ; Email: [email protected].
  • Welcome offer: Bet £10 get £20 in free bets

Virgin Bet is the sister site of LiveScore Bet, which we have already mentioned. Football is the top drawer for punters at Virgin Bet, and you can easily switch between the day’s most popular bets and all leagues and competitions with the click of a mouse. You can also select matches that are available for live streaming at the site, upcoming games, games from the world’s biggest leagues, international games and games that will be televised (on terrestrial or satellite TV, not at Virgin Bet).

virgin homepage

You can also check out the site’s price boosts at any time, and the extensive football in-play markets. Virgin Bet also has the free-to-enter FIVES game, which – to be fair – is LiveScore Bet’s SQUADS game, just with a different name! More people play FIVES than SQUADS though, as Virgin Bet has annual payouts for this free-to-play game topping £4 million.

VirginBet also offers daily price boosts and you can watch football matches at this site (and via the app) for free – although don’t expect to be able to watch EPL or UCL matches, or England games. Like its sister site LiveScore Bet, VirginBet is a football statto’s dream so if you’re a football number cruncher you can really enhance your betting game with stats.

What We Like:

  • Beginner-friendly mobile betting app
  • Weekly £5 free bet when you bet £5 on selected matches
  • Back pre-selected football bet builders or back your own

Room for Improvement:

  • Not so great on desktop

How We Pick The Top Football Betting Sites

To compile our 10 top football betting sites, we’ve looked at multiple aspects of every UK bookmaker. Here’s the criteria we use to choose our best online betting sites for football.

Football Betting Odds

An important ranking factor is to look at which site has the best football odds. While free bets and bookie bonuses get football fans through the door, we’re looking for sites that offer value long-term.

In-Play Football Betting

Live football betting has never been more popular as fans increasingly look to bet on the go from their iPhone or Android devices. Therefore, we consider the best sites for in-play football betting as a key part of our review criteria.

Bet Builder Availability

Football Bet builders are big business and now pretty much all the top UK football betting sites offer them. Bet builders let fans completely customise their bet with same-game selections on everything from passes completed, to red cards and goals from outside the box.

Football Accumulators

Accumulators – or accas – are often the main reason fans bet on football online. To find the best site for football accumulators, we look at how easy it is to quickly build accas, best acca odds and bookmaker offers such as acca insurance or acca boost.

Variety of Markets And Competitions

This criteria looks at the breadth and depth of each bookie’s offering. We’re looking for a wide range of competitions and matches to bet on but also a deep offering of market type, such as player props, outrights, specials and stats betting.

Mobile and App Experience

An estimated 70% of online betting revenue came via mobile devices in 2020, meaning football bookmakers that don’t offer a slick mobile experience are missing out badly. Our rating system judges the best apps to bet on football, looking at user experience, reliability, speed and many other factors.

Easy To Deposit And Withdraw

Getting money into and out of your account is a priority for football bettors. We take into account the betting sites with easy deposit and withdrawal flows, including choice of payment methods, time taken to process withdrawals and security.

Cash Out Availability

If you cash out a bet, you can take the returns currently offered by the site before the market has closed. If it’s a winning bet, you can lock in your winnings. If it’s a losing bet, you can recover a percentage of your losses. We feel that cash out is a crucial aspect of any leading football betting site, especially in tandem with live betting

Football Betting Offers

No bookie review would be complete without a look at the promotions and offers, including free bets and bonuses. We consider new customer offers but also existing customer bonuses when picking our top football betting websites.

Responsible Gambling Features

Sites are now able to offer multiple tools that should help you gamble safely. These include time-specific deposit limits, maximum stake limits, reality checks, time-outs and even self-exclusion. A site should also offer advice on how to gamble responsibly and links to external gambling help services.

Customer Support

There seems to be a sad trend of late in which the bots are taking over online football betting sites’ customer live chat. We prefer sites that get you to a real person to help you out as speedily as possible, bypassing bots altogether if possible. Other contact options such as email addresses and phone numbers are also good to see.

Industry Reputation and Trustworthiness

Last but certainly not least is a look at the betting sites for football you can trust. All the bookies in our reviews are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.

Why Trust Our Football Betting Site Reviews

At Safest Betting Sites we have an experienced award-winning team of football betting industry experts, who have reviewed and rated hundreds of UK bookies over the years. We don’t mean to brag, but we really do know what we are talking about. Most of us like the Saturday acca at the bare minimum, but we all have experience in placing or best football bets. We are always looking for new football betting sites too, as we like to keep on top of the UK football betting industry.

It’s our aim therefore to be the kind of football betting information site that we would like to find ourselves. We’d want news on new sites, plus information about the latest deals, bonuses and promotions from established bookies, and useful advice on football betting strategy. It’s our aim to be so useful to the average football betting punter, that such people head back to our site, time and time again.

We want to be number one, and we can only do that if we establish a genuine sensation of trust, which is precisely what we always strive to do.

Best Football Betting Free Bets And Bonuses

Whether it’s a new football betting site or an established brand, almost all bookies offer bonuses such as free bets. Football betting bonuses are typically created to attract new customers but many bookmakers have existing customer offers to keep their players betting on football.

The Best Football Betting Offers Compared

Compare the best football betting offers, with details and promo codes of the UK’s top 10 sites.

Bookie Free Bet / Bonus Promo Code
BetMGM Bet £10, Get £40 No code needed
SpreadEx Bet £10, Get £40 No code needed
Betfred Bet £10, Get £40 WELCOME40
QuinnBet £35 Free Bet + 10 Free Spins No code needed
Bet365 Bet £10, Get £30 No code needed
BetUK Bet £10, Get £30 No code needed
Paddy Power £20 losing bet refund YSKWEX
LiveScore Bet Bet £10, Get £20 No code needed
Betfair Bet £10, Get £30 ZSKAHD
Virgin Bet Bet £10, Get £20 No code needed

New Customer Bonuses

Here’s some examples of football betting offers for new customers:

  • Bet and Get: This offer rewards a settled bet with free bets as a bonus. For example, Bet £10, Get £30 in free bets. Usually, the qualifying bet will have restrictions such as minimum odds or multiple legs of an accumulator. There will also be conditions on the free bets, such as what you can use them on. Commonly, the stake will not be returned from the free bets.
  • Deposit/Bet Percentage Bonus: This offer usually rewards a first deposit or first bet with a percentage of the amount in free bets. For example, with a 100% deposit bonus, a £10 deposit would be rewarded with £10 in free bets. Again, there will be terms and conditions applicable to both the qualifying criteria and the bonus.
  • No-Deposit Free Bet On Football: This offer is far less common and usually only pops up when new football betting sites are looking to be aggressive during key events such as the World Cup. As the name suggests, the free bet is awarded on registration, without you having to deposit or bet. The free bet will almost certainly be small and have quite restrictive T&Cs.
  • Odds Boost Welcome Offer: This promotion typically offers inflated odds on a very likely outcome in a prominent football match. For example 10/1 on Harry Kane to have a shot in an England Euros match. It’s almost akin to a risk-free football bet, where the bookie is willing to give away a certain value to attract new customers. The max bet is usually low, such as £1 and there will often be restrictions on how you can use the winnings.

Existing Customer Bonuses

Many bookies also offer existing customer bonuses in an effort to retain your loyalty and keep you playing. Sometimes referred to as “reload offers”, here are some examples of the types of existing customer offers from UK bookies.

  • Weekly Bet Club: Bet a given amount of money in a week to earn a free bet. For example, bet £25 between Monday and Sunday to get a £5 free bet. Usually, you will need to opt in to this and remember to check the terms and conditions on how to qualify and how you can use your free football bet.
  • Bet and Get: Just like the new customer offer, bookies will sometimes offer existing customers a ‘bet and get’ offer. Sometimes this is to coincide with major events or matches and it’s often to reactivate players who haven’t bet with them for a while.
  • Bet Builder Free Bet: Bookmakers – particularly new football bookmakers in the UK – like to shout about their features and will often incentivise players to try things out using free bets. This is why Bet Builder free bets are quite common at the moment. Usually, the maximum stake is £1 and other terms and conditions will apply.

Football Free Bets: Claim Your Bonus

When opening an account with a new football bookie in the UK, you’ll almost always be able to claim a bonus.

Browse offers in our list of top football betting sites and check if you need a promo code – usually, you don’t. Then it’s as simple as following the steps to get your free football bet added to your account. Typically the flow looks like this:

  • Register for your account and include your free bet promo code if necessary.
  • Make your first deposit – make sure it matches the minimum amount to qualify for the promotion.
  • Place your qualifying bet – again make sure it meets the requirements, such as minimum odds or minimum accumulator legs.
  • Wait for your bet or bets to settle.
  • Check your balance for your free bets.

Sometimes you will have to wait for your free football bet to be credited but if you are in any doubt, contact the bookie’s customer support.

Using Your Free Football Bet

Depending on the bookmaker and the offer, your bonus will vary. It might be a single free bet, it could be split into smaller free bets such as 4x £5 or even a bundle of different bet types such as £5 free football bet and 50 free casino spins.

In-play Football Betting: Live And Direct

In-play football betting is offered by pretty much all UK football betting sites. As the name suggested, it’s a feature that offers live football betting while the match is ongoing. Depending on the football betting app or site you’re using, the options will vary.

Some bookies offer a rich in-play betting experience that almost mirrors their pre-match offering, whereas some only provide a limited selection of in-play markets, such as the next goalscorer or match result.

The best sites for in-play football betting also provide stats and graphic visualisations in close-to real time, meaning you can follow the action closely even if you’re not able to watch the game.

And then there are live streams – many competitions have deals with UK football betting apps to provide live streams of matches embedded in the betting experience.

Football Bet Builders: A Creative New Era

Football Bet Builders are big business in the industry these days, with most UK bookies introducing the feature since around 2021.

Depending on the bookie you’re with, the name will vary – whether it’s Build-a-Bet, Create-A-Bet, Bet Builder, they’re essentially the same thing. The option to combine same-game multiples into a single bet. Some sites have expanded to include multi-game Bet Builders.

The options are vast, with selections ranging from player props such as “to have a shot on target” to team totals such as “more than 4 bookings”. Some top UK football betting sites also offer the option to combine multiple Bet Builders into your football accumulator.

Liam Austen-Rondi profile-image
Liam Austen-Rondi
Get Better Returns

Bet Builders Build Better Odds

You can enhance the returns from your winning bets with a Bet Builder. Instead of placing straight bets, combine your bets with other aspects of the same match to create your unique bet. Even if the odds of each separate bet are tight, the overall odds will be much better than betting on each aspect individually. One word of warning though – keep your bet builders down to three or four individual selections. The more aspects you add, the less likely your bet builder is to generate a return.

How to Cash Out On Football Betting Sites

Any bet you’ve placed at a football betting site should be available to cash out, no matter when you placed your bet, and if the event itself has started or not. To cash out a bet, where available, just search for it among your betting history, usually among ‘unsettled bets’. If cash out is available, then your potential cash out returns will be indicated (which will be less than your ‘market closed’ returns) along with a button marked ‘cash out’. Click the button and confirm you want to cash out if that is your desire.

Most Popular Football Betting Markets: A Short Guide

The addition of player props and stats betting means the best football betting apps and sites offer hundreds of markets on matches in most of the top leagues.

One thing to bear in mind is that most football betting markets apply to regular time only – not including extra time or penalties unless stated otherwise.

Here’s our guide to the top betting markets offered by all UK football betting sites.

Match Result Betting

The match result is the straightforward, go-to market and it’s often called ‘1X2’ at online football bookies. It’s just a bet on the final outcome of a match.

Goalscorer Betting

This player market lets you bet on the first goalscorer, last goalscorer, or a player to score at any time during the match. There are also markets such as “to score a hat-trick” and “to score twice”.

Correct Score Betting

Correct score is one of the most straightforward football betting markets. Just predict the exact score at the end of the match.

Both Teams To Score

Short for ‘both teams to score,’ with BTTS, you decide ‘yes’ or ‘no’ based on your preference. There are also BTTS markets for each half of the game.

Over/Under

Over/Under can be applied to various scenarios. Usually, a line is set on goals, corners, or cards. Simply choose whether there will be more or less than the line set by the bookie.

Double Chance

Double chance lets you bet on two outcomes of a match. For example, one side to win or draw, making either result a winner for your bet.

Handicap Bets

Handicap betting involves the bookmaker giving one team an advantage or disadvantage to level the playing field. For example, if Team A has a -1 handicap, they must win by two or more goals for your handicap bet to win.

Half Time/Full Time

HT/FT lets you combine the result at half-time with the full-time outcome. For instance, if a team is expected to dominate, you can back them to lead at both half-time and full-time.

Getting Mobile with Your Football Betting

Pro gamblers might spend hours seated in front of their PCs searching out the best football betting odds for their predictions. But that’s not something we don’t have the time to do, and we suspect it might be something that you don’t want to do either! To this end, we always look for sites where the mobile betting betting experience is exceptional.

All the top football betting sites make their mobile-optimised version of their site an exceptional, user-friendly experience. We champion those that make mobile betting simple, speedy and rewarding. If a site has a downloadable app that you can install to your iOS or Android-powered phone or tablet, then that’s cause for a Peter Crouch-style robot dance!

The best football betting apps on iPhone and Android devices now match or better their desktop equivalents, with purpose-built products offering a great user experience. Features supported by the top football betting apps include:

  • In-play mobile betting
  • Live streams / live graphic visualisation
  • Biometric security (Face ID or fingerprint login)
  • ApplePay and Google Pay
  • Notifications on events and promotions

Most Popular Football Leagues and Competitions to Bet on

Unsurprisingly, Premier League betting is by far the most popular choice among UK fans but there are competitions all over the world and throughout the year to enjoy. Here’s a quick overview of some of the most popular.

Domestic Football Club Competitions To Bet On

England

Spain

  • La Liga
  • Segunda División
  • Copa del Rey

Germany

  • Bundesliga
  • Bundesliga 2
  • DFB-Pokal

Italy

  • Serie A
  • Serie B
  • Coppa Italia

France

  • Ligue 1
  • Ligue 2
  • Coupe de France

Argentina

  • Argentine Primera División
  • Primera Nacional

Brazil

  • Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
  • Campeonato Brasileiro Série B

Netherlands

  • Eredivisie
  • Eerste Divisie
  • KNVB Cup

Portugal

  • Primeira Liga
  • Liga Portugal 2
  • Taça de Portugal

Continental Football Club Competitions

  • UEFA Champions League: The premier club competition in Europe, featuring the top teams from various European leagues. The competition starts with a group stage and progresses to knockout rounds.
  • UEFA Europa League: The second-tier European club competition, featuring teams that finish lower in their domestic leagues and those eliminated from the UEFA Champions League group stage.
  • UEFA Conference League: The third tier of UEFA club competition featuring teams that finish lower in their domestic leagues.
  • FIFA Club World Cup: Annual club competition featuring the champions from each continental confederation.

International Football Competitions

  • FIFA World Cup: Held every four years, featuring national teams from around the world.
  • UEFA European Championship (Euro): Held every four years, featuring national teams from Europe.
  • Copa America: Held every four years, featuring national teams from South America.
  • AFC Asian Cup: Held every four years, featuring national teams from Asia.
  • Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON): Held every two years, featuring national teams from Africa.
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup: Held every two years, featuring national teams from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
  • OFC Nations Cup: Held every four years, featuring national teams from Oceania.

Football Betting Tips

New to football betting? Want to get some top tips on how to get the most out of your football betting endeavours? Then you’ll hit the back of an onion bag with these tried and tested nuggets of advice when betting on football.

  1. Start with Small Stakes

    If you are new to betting on the round ball game and placing wagers at online football betting sites, then it’s best to keep your wagers small at first. Once you’ve tasted success with your football betting, then it is time to, literally, raise the stakes.
  2. Analyse Team Form and Player Performance

    Betting is a game of numbers, statistics and trends. If you want to maintain a successful ‘career’ betting on football, then the deeper the statistical analysis you manage to undertake of leagues, competitions, competing sides and even individual player performances, the more successful you are likely to be.
  3. Explore Different Football Betting Markets

    When placing football bets, most people stick to ‘1X2’, backing the winners of a match or the draw. There are a great number of options when it comes to football betting, from BTTS (both teams to score), over/under, draw no bet and so on. Why not expand your betting horizons with other football betting options and see how you get on?
  4. Bet With Your Head, Not Your Heart

    Football is a game of passion, we all know that. If you are betting on football, there’s a 99.9 per cent chance you’re a football fan. Don’t back your favourite teams, players and nations just because your heart tells you to. Football betting is a game of probability and statistics, not emotions and feelings-based decisions.
  5. Manage Your Bankroll

    It’s easy to become unstuck with football betting. If you don’t keep a hold of your betting, then you may find yourself losing more money than you intended, and it’s a slippery slope that can lead to ruin. Never bet with money that you cannot afford to lose. If you are no longer enjoying your football gambling, then stop. And if you need help, ask for it.
  6. Use Football Betting Bonuses and Promotions

    Make sure you take advantage of any football betting bonuses and promotions you find offered, as you will be betting with the site’s money and not your own. However, be sensible – don’t make £50’s worth of bets that you would not normally make just to get a £5 free bet.
  7. Remember to Bet Responsibly

    If you ever find yourself betting purely for the ‘thrill’ of betting as opposed to keeping things light, or if you feel you are spending too much time or money betting, then you may be in danger of developing gambling issues with your football betting. Also, if your betting is getting in the way of other, more important aspects of your life, then it is probably time to take a break.

The Final Whistle

It’s no surprise that there are so many football bookmakers catering to fans of Britain’s favourite sport. What might have surprised you is just how good the best football betting sites are. For example, the American brand BetMGM has adapted beautifully to the British market, and the other sites featured here are similarly impressive. Have fun picking your teams and good luck with your bets!

Bet £10 Get £60 In Free Bets

08/05/24

Bet £10 Get £60 In Free Bets

  • Trusted US brand now available in the UK
  • Ideal for sports on both sides of the pond
  • Numerous promotions and free bet deals
9.8
5 Stars
NO CODE REQUIRED
Play Now
Learn More
0
New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 6x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 2 x £10 Bet Builder, 2 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. 18+. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org.

FAQ

What are some new football betting sites?

Which is the most trusted football betting site?

Are there any bookies with no ID verification?

How can I bet on football?

Can I stream football matches at the best UK football betting sites?

 

Peter Addison
Peter Addison

Peter is one of the most well-known and well-respected names working in the field of online sports betting today. Having a Bachelor of Arts degree, Peter has worked for many high-profile publications in the industry, both online and in the real world. He joined the SafestBettingSites team in 2021 and has provided millions of words ever since. When not writing, Peter enjoys performing and writing music, gaming, reading and he is a massive movie buff, with a particular love of Japanese cinema and anime.