Dedicated to Helping You Find the Best Betting Sites

Welcome to TBS, your number one destination for the best betting sites the web and mobile have to offer. Our goal is to provide you with in-depth and honest reviews about the best and most legitimate UK-friendly online sports betting brands in the business.

Why TBS? We’re a team of passionate and experienced punters who are proud to share with you our diverse and expert knowledge related to every aspect of sports betting. We enjoy gambling but also take it seriously because, at the end of the day, we’re still betting our hard earned money. This makes it all the more important to us that we choose the best sports betting brands the industry has to offer you.

Through our reviews, we can help you in your quest to find the best betting websites that are the most ideal for you. We carefully analyse and test each sports betting site we review, so we can provide you with the most important information regarding their sign up offers, other promotions, betting markets, betting options, banking, support and more.

We cover it all and recommend only the sports betting online brands we trust and where we are customers ourselves. We know what makes a site great and our mission is to share this with you. Welcome to TBS.

 

How Do I Pick the Best Betting Websites?

With so many online bookmakers out there, we know that it can be quite challenging to make your choice when you’re seeking the best betting site. In our experience, we have found that these factors make some sports betting websites better than others:

• Welcome offer – Choose a welcome/sign up offer that you understand and works with your budget. Some welcome offers are better for punters who prefer to casually bet on sports, while others are designed for those who prefer making big bets. Only you know your budget. Always choose responsibly.
• Ongoing offers – The best bookies have more than just welcome offers for their new players. They also offer ongoing promotions and loyalty schemes to their regular punters.
• Markets – If you’re the type of punter who likes to bet on a wide range of sports and/or other novelty markets, you’ll find that many betting websites cover a wide range of both sport and non-sport markets. However, if you’re interested in betting on more local events, minor sporting events or specific leagues, be sure to research sites to make sure they offer what you want before you choose to sign up.
• Odds – Obviously you want to win as much as possible. This is where choosing the best sports betting sites can get a little tricky. It’s difficult to know who is offering the best odds because all bookies claim that they do. If you want the best odds, you may need to have an account with multiple bookmakers, so you can place your bet with whichever one has the best odds for the particular event that interests you.
• Interface and general experience – To be perfectly honest with you, the only way to really know who offers you the best interface and overall experience is to try out all betting sites that interest you. Every site we review meets our approval, of course, but online betting is a very personal experience. Essentially, make sure the site runs smoothly and is easy to navigate to your liking.
• Mobile options – The best online gambling sites offer both a desktop and mobile experience. There’s no excuse for today’s online bookmakers not to have a mobile offering, especially one that is compatible with both iOS and Android devices.
• Streaming options – If you like watching sports as you bet on line, choose online betting websites that have a streaming feature. This lets you stream the sport live. Do keep in mind, however, that steaming options are not always available, and even the best betting sites don’t typically stream Premier League action.

Ultimately, it’s important to choose sports betting sites that match your personal preference.

How we rank our websites

To receive our approval, the sites we review and recommend to you – like the top 10 betting sites above – must meet certain criteria. Here are the good things we look for when reviewing the best sports betting brands:

• Friendly interface – We investigate how fast an online betting site responds and how easy it is to navigate, on both desktop and mobile.
• Easy to sign up – We open betting accounts to find out how straightforward and fast the process is. The best online betting sites UK experiences are those that begin with simple, short and quick registration. It should never be complicated with long loading wait times.
• Easy to place bets – Backing your favourite sports team should be as easy as a few simple clicks of the mouse or taps on your phone. All available betting markets should be clearly marked and easy to navigate, so when you’re ready to place a bet, it should happen almost instantly.
• Great welcome bonus – Behind every great bookmaker is a great welcome bonus. Perks matter! Of course you want to know what’s in it for you, and we let you know what types of offers you can expect when you first sign up, what you need to do to claim them, as well as the terms and conditions that might apply.
• Good odds for interesting events and/or matches – Our list of betting sites contains only those sites with considerably and reasonably good odds for football, tennis, boxing, and any other markets the site might offer. The odds are the probability of an outcome and determines the returns you can expect from a wager if you win. For instance, if a betting site has 4/1 odds, and you place a bet online, this means for every £1 wager the return is £4.
• Attractive ongoing promotions – Good betting sites offer promotions beyond those that are reserved for newcomers. We check to see, not only if a bookie offers ongoing promos, but also how interesting they are. We’ll tell you about the offers and loyalty scheme that give you the highest value and that we think would be of interest to you.
• Extras – Some sites offer more than just your standard betting options, some also offer live betting/in-play betting/in-running betting, streaming options, etc. We’ll let you know about any extras that make the bookie exceptionally noteworthy.
• Wide range of markets – We’ll let you know what markets the sports betting sites cover. This doesn’t include only sports like football, rugby, boxing, horse racing, etc. but all available options, including other sports like darts, snooker, MMA, e-Sports etc., and even beyond sports, such as TV, novelty, political betting markets, and so on.
• Customer support – How reliable and knowledgeable is customer support? Are they friendly? How quickly do they respond to queries and can you contact them 24/7? We find out all the answers, including if the FAQ is helpful.
• Security – It’s safe to say that if there’s one thing the top 100 betting sites have in common, it’s that they are fully licensed and regulated and have high quality security. All the sports book operators in our online betting sites list fully protect and safeguard their customers’ privacy, personal data and funds transfers, around the clock.

With that in mind, here are some of the bad things we watch out for:

• No licence to work in the UK – Bookies must meet basic legitimate betting websites UK standards as put forth by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). We don’t review illegal sites.
• Website is slow – If a site takes forever to load, we’re not interested in what they have to offer, as they clearly haven’t taken the time to provide the best online gambling experience to their customers.
• No welcome bonus and/or interesting promotions – As we already covered, perks matter! No welcome offers or ongoing-promotions shows that a brand doesn’t value its players.
• Difficult to navigate the product – You shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to find out what online betting websites have to offer.
• Betting options are too limited – If there’s only a few markets and restricted betting options, you’re not getting a full experience.

What to expect when opening a new account

If you’re new to the world of internet betting on sports, you will likely be surprised at how easy it is to place a wager. However, before thinking about how to bet on sports, you first need to register with the online bookie of your choice and open a new account.

The sign up process of the best gambling sites is always straightforward, easy to follow, and should be completed in a few simple steps. You will be required to provide certain standard pieces of personal information. This typically includes:

• Full name
• Current address
• Date of birth
• Current email address
• Telephone number

You will also be required to create a username and password. It is very important that you make sure the information you provide is legitimate and accurate.

Once your account is created, you can proceed to deposit funds into your account by choosing one of the available banking options. These options may include credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards, eWallets, Wire Transfers, Cryptocurrency, etc.

With your first deposit, top sports betting sites will offer a welcome bonus of some kind, this may be a Deposit Bonus, Free Bet, or Money-back special. Be aware that sometimes you will need a promo code to validate the offer or you may only be eligible to claim it when placing a bet.
As soon as your account funds are ready, you can begin betting right away. How to bet online is simple:

• Choose the market you want
• Select the betting option(s) you want
• Place the amount you want to bet
• Bet

Keep in mind, when you’re ready to withdraw for the first time, you will need to provide identity verification (e.g. driver’s license, passport, etc.) to prevent fraud and identity theft.

How do sports betting offers work?

The top sports betting sites always offer their customers offers. It is how they stay competitive with other online gambling sites. The following is a basic idea of how these offers work.

Welcome Offers – these are designed for new punters only and are almost always awarded with a punter’s first deposit. While the top online bookmakers may offer different benefits to their new players, the following are the two most common:

• Deposit bonus – Often given in the form of a 100% match bonus, this means that what you deposit is equally matched by the online bookmaker (e.g. deposit £20 and you’ll get £20, so you start off with £40 total in your account).
• Free Bets – This is the most common welcome offer. It typically involves making your first deposit and placing a low deposit (e.g. £5 or £10) on specific odds (e.g. odds of 1/2
  or greater) to receive a certain amount of free bet (e.g. £20) from the sports book.

Money-back specials and bonus accumulators are also sometimes offered to new players.
Ongoing promotions – Online sportsbooks usually offer additional promotions to their punters, as well. Most are time-limited offers released for certain sporting events, such as the FA Cup, the EFL Cup, the Euro, the World Cup, the Olympic Games, etc. That said, they may also include longer running promotions that include best odds guaranteed, ACCA savers, etc.
There are also loyalty schemes (some are by invitation only), that give players the chance to earn perks, such as exclusive rewards, faster withdrawals, and so on.

Keep in mind that all promotions have terms and conditions. There are certain rules that must be followed (e.g. using a promo code, betting on certain markets, place bets on certain odds, etc.), in order to claim the offer and benefit from it.

Best Betting Sites in the UK

Betway – Offering both pre-game and in-play sports betting markets, Betway is a proud principal sponsor of West Ham United Football Club. With your first deposit, you can get up to £30 in Free Bets. Furthermore, all punters are welcome to take part in Betway Plus, the sportsbook’s loyalty scheme that awards players a Plus Point each time they wager. The more Plus Points a player has, the higher they’ll rise in the tiered system for the chance to enjoy exclusive bonuses and offers. The company was established in 2006 and offers an extensive array of markets, including football, horse racing, Esports, darts, golfing, greyhounds, UFC/Martial Arts, Politics and more. Betway’s mobile app is available for both Android and iOS.

Ladbrokes – Enjoy a vast variety of bonuses at London-based Ladbrokes. Since its first land-based beginnings back in 1886, Ladbrokes has remained one of the biggest betting companies in Britain. With Ladbrokes online, you can get the up-to-date Premier League odds or bet in-play on the latest live action. You can get odds on everything from football, to tennis at Wimbledon, to the next big boxing fight and much more. The new customer offer is bet £5 and get £20 in Free Bets. There are many ongoing offers, as well, including Cashback Offers, Free Odds Boost for every Premier League live game, and more.

Coral – You will almost always see Coral in just about any top 20 betting sites lists you come across online. That’s because Coral is one of the leading sports bet UK operators, offering British punters a safe, reliable and responsible betting experience. Its new customer offer gives players £20 in Free Bets with a £5 bet, while its ongoing offers range from Free Bets and Cashbacks, to Bet Filters and Best Price Guaranteed. Coral offers different in-play and sports betting options, which each option having their own sub-categories to explore, such as various football leagues, different weights for boxing, etc. With easy navigation for both desktop and mobile, Coral is certainly one of the best bet sites around.

888sport – A subsidiary of 888 Holdings Plc, 888sport debuted in 2008 and has since built a dynamic sports market that includes over 35 sports, successfully appealing to a diverse range of tastes and budgets. In-play betting is available for both desktop and mobile and 888sport offers a number of premium betting promotions, including a Bet £10 and Get £30 in Free Bets welcome offer. The site also offers a unique bet calculator that gives customers the advantage of running through a “plethora of permutations” before they ante-up. The calculator takes into account 888sport’s leading football odds, stake and other necessary data to provide you with an educated idea of how profitable your wager will be.

10Bet – Since 2003, 10Bet has proven itself to be one of the leading sites in the betting industry. This premium sportsbook gives new punters a 50% up to £100 First Deposit Bonus and offers great odds on UK football, tennis and horse racing. It also has a wide range of markets including North American sports like American football, basketball, baseball, and ice hockey, as well as more modern sports like e-Sports, MMA, and many more. Live betting is among its extra features as are several ongoing promotions, including those exclusive for mobile punters. 10Bet is also the Official Principal Sponsor of EFL Championship side BlackBurn Rovers.

LeoVegas Sport – Arguably one of the best – if not the best – mobile sportsbook, LeoVegas Sport is relatively new to the industry, having only come onto the digital scene in 2016. A proud sponsor of both Norwich City FC and Brentford FC, LeoVegas Sport puts a world of sports odds in your hands. Whether you want to back your favourite football team, set up an accumulator, or place a bet on tennis, this betting site gives you the opportunity to really let loose and explore your betting options. In addition to ongoing promotions like Bests Odds Guaranteed on select horse races and their LeoVegas Bet Club that provides weekly rewards, you can kick off the fun at LeoVegas Sport with a 50% Matched Free Bet Welcome Bonus of up to £50.

BetBright – BetBright’s simple and easy-to-use interface makes browsing among its diverse sports markets and betting options a breeze. Although it offers many markets, its major ones include Horse Racing, Football, Golf, Tennis, Europa League, Greyhound and Virtual Sports. A mobile-first betting site, you’ll find that many of BetBright’s promotions are app only offers, including its welcome offer of 25% In-Play Special as a free bet on all net daily losses, with a £10 deposit and a minimum 3 in-play bets at odds of 1/5. BetBright is the official shirt sponsor for EFL Championship club Nottingham Forest.

Online Betting Vs. Betting Shops

Have you found yourself wondering what the difference is between online sportsbooks and traditional betting shops? Here’s the gist:

Online sports betting

• You need to create an account and provide personal details and ID
• You can place bets only once you have an account and you have made a deposit
• You can bet 24/7, anytime, anywhere..
• There is a variety of cash out options.
• There is a huge range of betting options.
• Higher odds.
• In-Play betting on both desktop and mobile.
• Limited live-streamed events.
• Wide range of bonuses and promotions.
• Many sportsbooks to choose from at your convenience.

Betting shops

• You need to enter the local bookie shop and head to the designated area dedicated to the sport you want to bet on.
• You place your bet by filling out the appropriate slip.
• You hand your slip and money to the cashier and they will place your bet for you and give you a receipt.
• If you win, you give your receipt to the cashier to collect your winnings
• There are only certain times of the day when you can bet, bookies aren’t open 24/7
• There is a very large range of betting options
• The odds are lower than online sportsbooks
• In-play possibilities are extremely limited
• There’s a great range of live-streamed events

In essence, the main difference between the two is online sports betting is more readily available, quick and convenient. Its in-play and cash out options have revolutionised the industry.

Licensing and Regulation of Sports Betting in the UK

No matter where you may choose to bet online, for your own protection, always ensure that the site is legally licensed to operate. All legitimate gambling sites UK-based are licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission. This governing body was established in 2005 and created for the sole purpose to regulate commercial gambling in the UK.

It requires all gambling brands who want to operate in the UK market to meet certain strict requirements and regulations to ensure that these operators provide a transparent, consistent, fair, secure and responsible environment to their patrons. All sites licensed by the UKGC will display the Gambling Commission logo. Make sure you see it before you sign up.

Conclusion

We look forward to helping you find the best betting company that is most ideally suited to the type of online sports betting experience you want.  We’ve made it our mission to compare betting sites, so you don’t have to. No two bookmakers are created equal and each one has its benefits and its flaws. By thoroughly testing these sites and putting them through our critical ranking system, including betting options, offered markets, welcome offers, ease of sign up, and so on, we provide you with a detailed and honest overall impression of the UK’s best betting sites. Our ultimate goal is to help you find your perfect match!

FAQ – TBS Top Questions Answered

Why trust TBS?

We are a team of veteran punters who are committed to sharing our experiences with you about the top online UK betting sites we have personally researched, tested and reviewed. We are passionate about online sports betting, and we believe that our knowledge and expertise as punters can benefit you as you seek to get the most out of your online betting experiences. Serving as a comprehensive and honest resource covering the many aspects of online bookmakers, TBS is your one-stop-shop for information about the best sports betting sites the UK has to offer.

Is online gambling legal in the UK?

Yes. Online gambling is legal in the United Kingdom for persons who are over the age of 18. That being said, simply because it is legal to gamble in the UK, this does not mean that every online gambling site is legally run or allowed to accept real money bets from UK players. Only those site who are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) are permitted to operate in the UK market and serve UK punters. Online bookmakers that are legal in the UK will state that they are licensed by the UKGC and will have a Gambling Commission logo displayed on their website.

How do I make a deposit?

This should be a very straightforward process at all top gambling sites. Once you’ve signed up for an account, click on the balance, which should prompt a number of options, one being “Deposit”. Simply enter the amount you wish to deposit using the banking method you prefer and confirm the transaction. Most banking options are quick and you should see the money you deposited into your account almost right away.

How are my winnings paid out by online sports betting sites?

Funds that are available for withdrawal in your account will be paid out through one of the site’s banking options. It is common for most online sports books to require you to make a withdrawal with the same method you used to make your deposit. The only time a different banking option may be required is if the deposit method is not available for making withdrawals. It is not uncommon for your withdrawal to take multiple days to process and for you to receive it. Also, it is important to note that with your first withdrawal, you will be required to provide ID (e.g. driver’s license passport, etc.) for verifications purposes for your own protection against fraud. Also, if some of the funds in your account is bonus money, you may not be eligible to withdraw these fund until you meet certain terms and conditions.

What do I do if I or someone I know has a gambling problem?

Gambling addiction does not discriminate and can effect anyone, regardless of age, gender or heritage. If you believe that you or someone you know has a gambling problem, you will find that most online betting sites provide you with tools and resources to help you stay in control of your gambling. These often include setting deposit limits, taking temporary breaks, self-exclusion, and contact information for organizations that offer help and support, such as the National Gambling Helpline at www.begambleaware.org. Always remember that above all else, betting should be fun. When the fun stops, so should you. Bet responsibly.