Looking for the best UK online bookmakers? The UK, as you probably know, stands for the United Kingdom. But the term is generally used interchangeably with Britain, Great Britain, and England. Technically, the United Kingdom can mean many things, but to the sports bettor in England, Great Britain, Scotland, Wales, or Ireland looking for a reliable Internet sports betting site, there is no difference.
The online bookmakers that do the best job servicing the United Kingdom and some other European countries have been doing so for some time. Unlike in the United States, there have been legitimate UK online bookmakers for many years, for good reason.
According to estimates in 2014, the online sports betting marketplace in the United Kingdom is estimated at £650 million ($1.1 billion).
American online bookmakers have been forced to operate offshore because the United States government is not ready to embrace US based options within the online sports betting industry, unlike UK bookmakers who have been supported through their nation's infrastructure for a very long time.
Both Canadian bookmakers and Australian bookmakers also enjoy support from their governments through a legal infrastructure that regulates and allows licensed businesses to provide their betting services to players around the world.
Top Rated UK Bookmaker Sites For 2024
| Sportsbook Name | Bonus | Canada? | Visit | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MyBookie | $1000 | Yes | Visit Site | Read Review |
| Bookmaker | $500 | Yes | Visit Site | Read Review |
| Betonline | $1000 | Yes | Visit Site | Read Review |
| Sportsbetting.AG | $1000 | Yes | Visit Site | Read Review |
Football Rules UK Sports Betting Action
In the United States, the most wagered-upon sport is professional football. The National Football League (NFL) is easily the most popular sports category wagered on at the best USA bookmakers back in America. But at UK online bookmakers, what US sports fans call soccer is appropriately termed football.
And the football leagues in the UK provide far and away the most popular sports bets in England, Ireland, Britain, Scotland and even in many Asian and South American countries as well. The best UK online sports betting sites are big on English Premier League and English Championship League football action.
The UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League are always offered, as well as proposition and futures bets. The mobile sports betting experience is huge in the UK as it is in the United States, and the top European Internet sportsbooks all deliver an excellent mobile platform.
United Kingdom Internet Bookmakers Support Cricket, Rugby, Darts, Snooker
Both rugby and soccer, hugely popular sports bets in the United Kingdom, are derivatives of the original sport of football, which can be traced back to 1280. That is why Rugby Union and Rugby League football are just as popular as Association Football (soccer) league in much of Europe.
The most popular UK online bookmakers cover Super League, Challenge Cup, Internationals rugby competitions, and other matches, as well as the ever-popular pastimes cricket, darts, and snooker. Betting on snooker or cricket online is virtually unheard of in the United States, but in the UK, it is huge.
Equally popular in both the United Kingdom, as well as across the pond is betting on horse races online. The cream of the crop in the UK online sportsbook industry offers action on the biggest international horse racing events, as well as all legs of the US Triple Crown.
Legitimately Licensed UK Bookmakers Have the Government's Approval
On the other pages of our website, we mention the importance of locating Internet sports betting sites that are legally licensed and registered. The same holds true with UK online bookmakers as it does with US sportsbooks.
Accordingly, we do not recommend opening and funding real money sports betting accounts with any UK-friendly bookmaking operation that isn't recognized legally in that part of the world. All gambling, off-line and on, in the United Kingdom is closely scrutinized and watched over by the Gambling Commission.
This is a legal arm of the United Kingdom's government, with oversight provided by the Department for Culture, Media and Sports. The Gambling Act of 2005 was an Act of Parliament that brought UK gambling law to the 21st century.
It simply makes no sense to deal with unlicensed UK online bookmakers when the top performers are all legally registered with the British government to offer Internet sports betting options.
Therefore, we do not identify a UK online bookmaker as a viable option unless legitimate licensing is present. After that, we look for stellar operations in several areas. As a UK resident, you want quick and dependable payouts. Since you are usually watching a sporting event away from home, you demand an excellent mobile sportsbook experience.
You want quick and speedy betting slip confirmation, virtual and physical banking centers, and the most generous lines and odds on football, soccer, rugby, and the other sports you wager on.
Rest assured that the best UK online bookmakers are represented here, the list of which could be considered a "Who's Who" of the most recognized sportsbook operations in the United Kingdom.