I’m a football betting expert, and here are my top 5 online bookies
FOOTBALL and betting have always gone hand in hand for me.
Saturday afternoon rolls around, and I am online scrolling through betting markets, on the hunt for value and great bonus offers.
Over the years, I’ve used many different bookmakers for football betting, some good and some not so much.
In this guide, I’m going to share some of my personal experiences with the best bookies in the UK, tell you why you should consider signing up with them, and provide some useful football betting tips along the way.
Here are my top bookies for betting on football online
The following five bookmakers are my personal picks for the best for betting on football online in the UK.
- BetUK – Bet £10 get £30 in free bets
- Spreadex – Bet £10 get £40
- Grosvenor Casinos – Double the odds up to £10
- Ladbrokes – Bet £5 get £20 in free bets
- bet365 – Get £30 in free bets with bet365 bonus code “SUN365”
1. BetUK – Best overall
BetUK sign up
Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets
New customers, 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. Stake not returned. Full T&Cs apply. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
BetUK is a site that I started using later than some of the others, but it quickly established itself as one of my favourites. The site has everything you could want as a football bettor. It covers all of the leagues in detail, has great live-betting options, and has some of the best bonuses. The BetUK Acca Club is one of my favourite promotions, and the Bet-Builder is the best of its kind on the market right now.
- My overall experience score – 5 out of 5
2. Spreadex – Best for spread betting
Spreadex sign up
Bet £10 get £40
18+ begambleaware.org. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. Join and place a £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. Full T&Cs apply
When I want to place some spread bets, Spreadex is the place to go. While it may not have the number of promotions that other bookies have, it has some really competitive odds, and, in my opinion, the best spread betting on the market. The football markets are well populated, and the website and desktop sites are really easy to use.
- My overall experience score – 4 out of 5
3. Grosvenor Casinos – Best for odds boosts
Grosvenor Casinos sign up
When I think of Grosvenor, I think of casinos and slot games, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that they’ve got an excellent sportsbook too. The betting options here are great, and I was particularly fond of the odds boosts they offered. In particular, I head to Grosvenor when I’m looking for the best odds for a big match, as their boosts tend to be the best on the market. As well as this, they have a great sports blog with betting recommendations and stats.
- My overall experience score – 4 out of 5
4. Ladbrokes – Best variety of betting markets
Ladbrokes sign up
Bet £5 get £20 in free bets
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
Ladbrokes is an old favourite of mine. I have always found it to be top of the class when it comes to the number of football markets available. You can bet on everything from the Champions League final to the non-league play-offs and find a broad range of betting options for each. Unlike some bookies, which don’t pay as much attention to lower leagues, Ladbrokes understands how useful these markets can be for bettors. In my experience, the site will always have some of the best prop markets for big matches and always has great promotions and bonuses available for them too.
- My overall experience score – 4 out of 5
5. bet365 – Best for betting on mobile
bet365 Bonus Code: SUN365
New Customers only. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. T&Cs and time limits & exclusions apply.
Like most football bettors, I love using bet365. The operator provides one of the best all-around experiences for football betting. Its mobile app is the first one I go to when I’m looking for good odds and in-play betting options, and I also find it is the fastest to update. This allows me to keep up to speed with all of the action and get the best live odds. It also has some excellent promotions, such as the Soccer Substitute feature, the accumulator bonus, and, my personal favourite, the 2 Goals Ahead Early Payout offer.
- My overall experience score – 4.5 out of 5
What I’m looking for when choosing a football betting site
There are so many bookmakers and casinos out there these days that the choice can feel a little overwhelming. The following criteria are what I use to help me determine whether I want to use a betting site or not.
- Free bets welcome bonus – One of the first things I check with any bookies is their welcome bonus. All the top bookmakers will have them, and most will feature some sort of free bet bonus. Ideally, this will be a football-free bet. I always check for welcome bonuses around the times of big competitions. The start and end of both the Premier League and Champions League can be optimal times for getting top football bonuses.
- Variety of football leagues available – I love betting across the leagues, so I need a football bookmaker that can accommodate that. Any bookmaker worth their salt will offer the top European leagues and the Champions League, but the best are the ones that also provide odds from elsewhere. I enjoy betting on lower leagues and, in some cases, non-league, as there is often great value down there, so I’m always sure to have a thorough check through what is available.
- Easy-to-use mobile app – If you’re anything like me, your weekends are spent pulling your phone out of your pocket to see what the latest scores are. I like to be able just to pull my phone out and see any new scores displayed as updates on my home screen. Mobile apps make this so much easier, and I always prioritise it when I’m on the hunt for a bookmaker. The live-betting experience and mobile apps go hand-in-hand, and they can be a great way of keeping up with the weekend’s drama.
- Convenient payment options – I’ve tried out too many bookmakers to count over the years, and let me tell you, there is nothing as frustrating as one with poor payment options. Landing a big win and then having to wait days for it to be processed is never a good thing, and in some cases, bookies even want you to pay to withdraw your funds. For every terrible bookie, though, there are ten good ones, so don’t waste your time on a bookie that wants to make withdrawing your cash difficult. Check the deposit methods before you sign-up, and if you don’t like them or you feel uncertain, just go elsewhere, there are plenty of options.
- Promotions such as odds boosts, free bets – When Saturday comes, you should be greeted with a selection of different betting features and promotions to take advantage of. Odds boosts, cashout features, early payouts and acca insurance are among my favourites, and I will always place my bets on bookies that offer these. I can’t remember the last time I placed a football bet that didn’t utilise at least one bonus feature, so you can rest assured that there are plenty available. If you’re using a bookmaker that doesn’t provide you with any boosts or bonuses, then it’s time to find a new one.
My top bets for football
One of my favourite things about betting on football is the number of different types of bets you can place. The following are some of the bets I typically place and my thoughts on them.
- Match result – The easiest type of bet to place is on the match result. While it is the simplest market, I still think it is one of the best for value, and it is one of the most likely to be part of a promotion.
- Half-time result – Half-time result markets can be difficult to call, but they can be a great way of finding value in a game where the match result market isn’t offering much.
- Full-time result – The full-time result market is very similar to the match result. However, it will be different in cup ties. For example, a match result market in a cup tie may cover the winner after extra time or penalties, while the full-time market will only cover 90 minutes.
- Both teams to score – Both teams to score markets, sometimes marketed as BTTS, can be a lot of fun to bet on. One of the great things about these bets is that winning is still possible until the end. If team A is winning 4-0, then any result bets are going to be over, but a BTTS market is still open, as the result doesn’t matter, you just need both teams to hit the back of the net. Some bettors enjoy pairing these with a match result bet, but it’s not something I would recommend.
- Anytime goalscorer – Anytime goalscorer markets can provide some great winning opportunities. These are the kind of markets I like to explore if I’m feeling speculative, as there can be some great value. For example, a defender might have a knack for scoring from set-pieces, and their team are playing a team with a poor discipline record. You are likely to get great odds on a defender scoring, and given the above circumstances, there is a possibility it could happen.
- Total goals – Total goals markets are presented as over/under bets, and they can be a great way of getting value out of a game. Like both teams to score, these bets tend to stay active until the final whistle, especially if you’ve gone for a lower bet, like over 1.5. A weekend accumulator on total goals can often make watching the score roll in fun, and there is also some good winning potential with these bets.
- Winning margin – Winning margins bets are difficult to get correct, so I wouldn’t recommend placing big money on them. Getting the exact score a team wins by is difficult, so I would ensure you research before exploring this market.
- Double chance – Double chance bets, while reducing your odds, can be a smarter option if you feel unsure about a result. In a double-chance bet, you are covering two outcomes. For example, Manchester City are playing Man United, and you think United aren’t going to win, but they could sneak a draw. You could then bet a double chance on Manchester City or a draw.
- Total corners – The total corners market is one of the most popular prop markets to bet on. Like some of the other markets we’ve discussed, this one is great because it stays active until very late in the game. Corners can stack up quickly, especially in the later stages, which can make this a particularly exciting bet to place.
My top tips and strategies for football betting
- Specialising in a particular league: When I first started betting, I would always bet on random football matches and leagues, only to constantly fall short and end up out of pocket. I quickly realised that, as someone who was a supporter of a lower-league team, I would be much better off betting on the leagues I was watching week in, week out. I began utilising my knowledge of these leagues and stopped wasting my time betting elsewhere. Ask me anything you need to know about EFL League One or League Two, and I will have an answer; ask me about Ligue 1, and you will get a blank expression. There are so many football leagues in the world, and if you try betting on them all, you will probably lose. Sticking to one or two leagues that you can learn inside out will be much more beneficial in the long term.
- Sign up at multiple bookmakers: When I tell people that I am a football betting expert, one of the first things they ask me is which bookmaker they should be using. My answer is always the same – the one that works best for you. There are so many bookmakers available these days that you would be wise to take advantage of that. I don’t have a go-to bookie when I’m betting on football. Instead, I check the odds and bonuses that each of them are offering and then use the one that suits my bet the best. Having accounts with multiple bookmakers will give you the freedom to ensure you get the best odds and claim the best bonuses.
- Stay in control of your bankroll: This is a piece of advice I can not stress enough. Making sure you stay on top of your bankroll is absolutely fundamental to enjoying sports betting. Betting can be a lot of fun, but you should only bet what you can afford to lose. The first thing I do when I sign-up with a bookie is set a deposit limit. It’s not difficult to do this, with bookies presenting you with the option when you sign-up. Doing this and regularly checking my profit and losses (once again, very easy to do on your account page) has helped me maintain a healthy relationship with sports betting throughout my life.
- Do your research: People will often show me accumulators where they have made selections from different leagues. I’ll ask them why they’ve chosen to back a certain team, and they will look at me as if I’ve got ten heads. Most of the time, their answer is that they were the favourite. I’ll then find myself ranting about the team’s form or why it’s not a good idea to back them. The point is that you should always make sure you do your research before you place a bet. The odds might suggest that a team is better, but digging a little deeper sometimes shows that it might not be the wisest bet to place.
- Don’t bet with your heart: The most common mistake I encounter from football bettors is betting with their hearts or allowing superstition to determine their bets. Refusing to back a team based on some sort of personal bias can be silly. For example, if you’re an Everton fan, you shouldn’t just bet against Liverpool every week because they are your local rivals. This can lead to you losing some serious money. This goes both ways. I support Shrewsbury Town, but I’m not going to back them to beating Manchester City or even winning League One because, unfortunately, it’s almost definitely not going to happen.
About the author
Liam Hoofe
Liam is an experienced iGaming and sports betting journalist based in Cardiff. He has worked in the sports betting industry since 2017 and has provided content for some of the biggest casino and betting brands in the UK. He has also covered football and other sports for both regional and national newspapers.
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