Your safety and security are the two most important factors when joining a new betting site. They’re both guaranteed by the license and the security measures the site employs. All of our reviewed bookmakers are properly licensed by the top authorities. The UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority are the most prominent governing bodies. If either licenses the bookie you want to join, you’re in good hands.

Of course, the site needs to be SSL encrypted too. SSL encryption will keep the data you enter at the site in check and safe from prying eyes. We don’t even look at unlicensed bookies’ ratings, so you can trust that our recommended sites are 100% legit.

As mentioned, a betting site must be legal to appear on our list. Most of the bookmakers we have ranked have an MGA or UKGC license. The UKGC licenses the best online bookies, including juggernauts such as Bet365 and William Hill. When it comes to the permit and legality of the bookie, we make no compromises. Either the bookie owns a proper license, or it doesn’t make it to our list.

A good betting site will always be reliable. It must pass our tests with flying colors regarding its trustworthiness. If it passes our license and security checks, we can safely say that it’s trustworthy, reliable, and worthy of appearing on our list. We don’t rank unreliable bookies that have been bashed by users online. All of the sites featured on our list have been very much praised on the Internet thanks to their outstanding features, various sports markets, and excellent bonuses and offers.

When our team reviews betting sites, they scan the Internet in-depth to learn what users think of the bookie. While not a deciding factor, a bookie’s reputation on the web is always considered. We convey positive and negative feedback when writing our online betting site reviews. Paired with other factors, we try to paint a clear picture of what you should expect from that particular bookie.

Don’t confuse reputation with popularity. A popular website may not be legal, safe, and trustworthy. On the other hand, a reputable site may not be that popular, but it gives you the best chances to win.

The best betting sites for sports will always have the best odds online. If you shop for odds, it becomes clear that not all bookies are identical. New sportsbooks may rely on bonuses and promotions more than good odds. The highest sports odds are almost exclusively found in the top 5 bookmakers rating in the UK, USA, Canada, and Australia.

But why shop for odds when you can find all the top betting sites with premium odds on this page? You need to look at our page if you’re unsure what good odds are. Check the review for each website on our list and make your pick. You won’t go wrong with each site featured on our page – they’re all legit and feature the best odds for football and many other sports.

Your safety and security are the two most important factors when joining a new betting site. They’re both guaranteed by the license and the security measures the site employs. All of our reviewed bookmakers are properly licensed by the top authorities. The UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority are the most prominent governing bodies. If either licenses the bookie you want to join, you’re in good hands.

Of course, the site needs to be SSL encrypted too. SSL encryption will keep the data you enter at the site in check and safe from prying eyes. We don’t even look at unlicensed bookies’ ratings, so you can trust that our recommended sites are 100% legit.

The markets and various bet types are at the core of each online sportsbook. These can confuse beginners as there are dozens of bet types and hundreds of markets. But that’s why we’re here. We’ll break down some of the most important bet types you will see at online bookmakers and the most popular markets.

The most famous bet types online include match-winner, outrights, handicaps, and parlays. There are many others, of course, but these are the most popular ones. Let’s start with the first–match winners. It is the most straightforward bet you can place, involving picking the home or away team to win. As the name explains, you’re betting on the match-winner.

Betting on outrights means betting on a single team to win it all. These bets are prevalent in markets such as the World Cup in football or the NBA League. Outrights can be pretty lucrative, especially if you place them at the beginning of the league or tournament. Of course, they also require a lot of luck since there’s no way of telling what could happen in a full season of football or basketball (or any other sport).

The top sportsbooks online will also offer a vast range of handicaps. Handicaps are a bit trickier than match winners but very valuable and easy once you get the hang of them. Also known as point or line betting, handicaps are used to even out the field when there’s a massive difference in the teams’ quality. To put it simply, with a handicap, a bookie gives a virtual advantage to the weaker squad and a disadvantage to the favourite.

Finally, parlays are pretty popular in the UK and are a type of bet that groups two or more wagers. Depending on the company, a parlay can be created with as few as a couple of picks. Usually, most parlays go up to 12 picks per slip.

Regarding markets, there are hundreds on offer at the biggest sportsbooks on the Internet. Lesser-known sports usually feature fewer markets, but massive sports such as football can have hundreds of markets on offer, including pre-match and live betting options.

Betting markets are similar to prediction markets found in stock markets. Both involve predicting the future and are equally challenging to predict right.

When betting online, you will have to put money on your bankroll and withdraw your winnings if you manage to win your bet slip. In the past, players would take their money to a betting shop counter and be done with it. However, it’s the era of online betting, and things are done a bit differently.

The good news is that things are even easier nowadays. Depositing the best bookmakers online can be completed in seconds, provided your payment option is funded. Bank transfers have been the most popular payment option for quite some time, but new options such as e-wallets and cryptocurrencies have emerged as the better option.

All transactions at online sportsbooks are made through the Cashier or Payments page. This page can be found on your account and is quite easy to navigate. More often than not, bookies have a How To guide describing the deposit/withdrawal process step-by-step. Even if you’re a newcomer, you shouldn’t have trouble following the on-screen instructions and depositing them into your real money account.

Your best and fastest options to do so are e-wallets such as Neteller, PayPal, and Skrill. They offer fully safe and instant deposits and pretty fast withdrawals too. Since they accept players from many countries outside the UK, such as India, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and South Africa, they can be used anywhere globally.

You must get those winnings back to your account when you win something at a bookie. Withdrawing money is just as easy as depositing, although withdrawal times are often quite slow. Of course, good betting sites will pay your winnings instantly via e-wallets – those are the ones you should be going for.

Free bets are the most popular bonus you can get at online sportsbooks. Of course, they’re not the only ones. There are plenty of other bonuses and promotions you can get your hands on that will boost your bankroll. You can use them all to your advantage, placing bets on riskier markets that will hopefully pay off.

Besides free bets, welcome bonuses are a popular freebie for new players. As the name suggests, these are sign-up bonuses that will most likely cover a portion of your first deposit. For example, a bookie may offer a 100% cover of your first deposit up to £50, which will double your money to play with from the beginning.

Some bookies may choose to cover your next few deposit bonuses. Remember that you should always read the fine print before claiming a reward. The bonus T&Cs hold valuable information without which you can’t meet the requirements and claim any eventual winnings.

Bookies also use a host of promotions to entice regular users to continue depositing and betting. Promotions can cover a specific sport or be available in particular markets. Just like bonuses, they come tied to a set of terms and requirements you should read. Bookmaker promotions are a great way to add funds to your bankroll, keep betting, and possibly win.

You may have heard about free bets, but there’s more where that’s coming from. Online sports betting sites have loads of bonuses and promotions on offer. Below you can see the most common bonuses, promotions, and specials available at the top betting sites in 2023.