Football is one of the most popular sports to bet on, so it’s vital for a site to offer an extensive range of markets. From odds on pre-match and in-play markets, we look for the most popular and most obscure. At these top online football betting sites, customers can expect full-time results, Both Teams To Score (BTTS), total goals, and player markets, among many others. There should be extensive coverage of markets and events, including the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, and La Liga.

More and more football betting bookies are finding it necessary to offer live betting and streaming services to their users. One of the most popular ways to bet is to follow the action of a match live, place bets accordingly, and claim exclusive odds boosts and offers. There should also be a solid live-streaming service and schedule so bettors can watch many matches live via a seamless stream all on their phones from wherever they are.

In the ever-changing digital world, it is now more critical than ever for football betting online to be compatible with mobile devices. This should mean that bettors can access and use the site via a browser on their phone or download an exclusive mobile app if one is available. It should replicate the same experience on the desktop and be smooth, seamless, user-friendly and responsive, all with the added convenience and ability to take your bets on the go with you.

Today’s best football betting sites will offer a variety of safe and secure payment methods to customers. This ensures a preferred payment method for everyone and plenty of choice should there be any issues. We look for recognised methods, including Visa and Mastercard debit, e-wallets such as PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and bank transfers. The football betting sites we have recommended all have the latest industry-standard encryption software alongside a license issued by the United Kingdom Gambling Authority (UKGC), one of the most reputable authorities in the business.

Offering good customer service should always be noticed, and that is why it is a key part of the criteria considered before recommending any UK betting sites. Customers need to know that there is support via various methods should they encounter any problems or queries during their betting time. This should be offered via email, live chat, phone, and a strong FAQ page so users can seek answers before contacting the team. One of these methods should also be 24/7, such as live chat.

What our recommended football betting brands offer when it comes to customer service:

If you are ready to get started at one of the football betting sites above, follow the steps below to sign up, ready to start your betting journey.

1. Click the link provided to be taken to the sign-up page of your selected one of the football bookmakers.
2. Enter your personal details like your name, address, date of birth, and email address.
3. Create a unique username and password combination.
4. Verify your account, sign in, and make your first deposit.
5. Go ahead and explore the site and place your first bet!

The top competition in European football is the UEFA Champions League. It takes place on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and the top teams from the leagues across Europe battle it out to make it to the final and be crowned Champions of Europe. It features the likes of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and AC Milan, among many others. Real Madrid have dominated the competition, winning it 15 times in total.

• Best brands for this event: bet365, William Hill, Betway

The biggest and best league in the world, the Premier League is the top flight in English football. From August to May, fans of the beautiful game can enjoy Monday Night Football (MNF), Friday Night Football (FNF), and Saturday Night Football (SNF), alongside the 3 pm kick-offs at weekends. It features Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, and Liverpool, among others. Each season, three sides are relegated from the league, and three sides are promoted up from the Championship.

• Best brands for this event: Betfred, BetVictor, Betano

If you are a fan of Spanish football, you will be familiar with La Liga. The top league in the country with so much history of fantastic footballing sides. It is the league that brought the world prime Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, among many other huge role models in the sport. Many top teams regularly feature in the Champions League and other European competitions from La Liga, such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Sevilla.

• Best brands for this event: bet365, Netbet, William Hill

At the top of the Italian football pyramid sits Serie A. Most recognised for its Italian style of defending, which makes it difficult for other teams to penetrate, it’s an action-packed league with lots of talent. It is home to the likes of AC and Inter Milan, Atalanta, Juventus, Roma, Lazio, Fiorentina, and Napoli.

• Best brands for this event: bet365, BetVictor, Planetsportbet

The biggest league in Germany is the Bundesliga, a competition dominated by perhaps one of its best-known sides, Bayern Munich. A domination that lasted over a decade, other sides are catching up, making it exciting for fans and neutrals to watch. It has sides like Bayer Leverkusen, who last season ended Bayern’s Bundesliga Champions winning streak, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig.

• Best brands for this event: Spreadex, Betway, bet365

The UEFA Europa League is the second tier of European competition, taking place each season alongside the Champions League. Teams knocked out of the Championship League join as the rounds progress. Matches occur on Thursday nights following the Champions League action on Tuesday and Wednesday. The competition has been dominated by Spanish side Sevilla, with the club having won the trophy seven times in total.

• Best brands for this event: Fitzdares, Betano, bet365

The two most popular international tournaments for football betting are the Euros and the World Cup. Taking place every four years, two between them overall, they bring countries and fans together over the summer months. Spain has won the most Euros titles, while Brazil has won the most World Cups.

• Best brands for this event: William Hill, Betfred, bet365

December is a busy month for football, with the Premier League, EFL, League Cup, and European football tournaments all on the go.

This month sees plenty of mouth-watering ties in the Premier League, including the Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool, the London derby between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, and the Manchester derby as Manchester City face Manchester United.

In Europe, it is week six for the sides in the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League as they continue the battle to progress to the next stage. Some of the standout fixtures see Liverpool travel to Girona, Bayer Leverkusen welcome Inter Milan, Arsenal face Monaco, Borussia Dortmund play Barcelona, and Juventus face Manchester City at The Etihad. Meanwhile, in the Europa League, Tottenham travel up the country to face Rangers.

The League Cup quarter-finals take place the week before Christmas, with Arsenal vs Crystal Palace, Newcastle United vs Brentford, Southampton vs Liverpool and Spurs vs Man United.

Then we switch our attention to Boxing Day and New Year’s football, and there is plenty more Premier League and EFL action to take us through to the end of the year, with just two days that do not feature any EFL action.

The best football bookmakers offer many different betting markets. We have picked out the most popular and summarised them below to help you decide which type of market is most beneficial for your betting business.

Place a bet on the overall result of a particular match at the full-time whistle. Win your bet if you get it right!

You can wager on both teams to get on the scoresheet, and if they do, you will win your bet.

Correctly predict the total amount of goals scored in a match by selecting an over or under total. For example, if you bet on there to be over 2.5 goals in a match where 3 are scored, this will be a winning bet.

Select who you think will be the first to score a goal in a match and get it right to win your bet.

Bet on the exact score of a match between two sides at full-time to win your bet.

The best betting sites can offer more unique and uncommon betting options that differ from the standard win, draw, and loss markets. This includes more specific markets, such as placing bets on the total number of corners or yellow cards. Players’ special markets are becoming popular additions to football betting sites, such as shots on target and goalscorer markets. Team stats prop bets such as goals scored in each half and clean sheets markets are another great option available to bettors, alongside the ability to place longer-term bets on managers, league winners, and top goalscorers during the season.

To continue to be one of the best football betting sites, brands may leverage the use of certain technology to offer a more personal experience to their users. This can include AI-powered recommendations providing bets for users based on their past behaviour and preferences at a site. The ability to customise betting feeds is another new feature that could be incorporated, alongside the ability to turn on notifications for bettors’ favourite teams and players so they never miss an update. Gamification elements could also be added, such as earning points or badges for placing bets in a bid to help promote and encourage responsible engagement.

Responsible gambling is crucial. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, please seek help. The UK offers support through organisations such as GamCare and GambleAware. These organisations provide confidential advice and support to individuals affected by gambling. Remember, gambling should be fun, so please gamble responsibly.

When choosing the best betting site for you, it is always important to check that there are markets and events you are interested in that are available to bet on. This, alongside good offers for new and existing users and the ability to bet on the go on your phone, ensures convenience and extra excitement when using a site. It is also important to look out for a football betting site’s license and responsible gambling features. A license issued from a reputable gambling authority ensures safe and secure betting, while responsible gambling features allow users to set the likes of deposit limits and time-outs on their accounts should they require.

The best welcome offers for football betting are free bets.

Football betting sites with a license issued from a reputable gambling authority ensure a site is safe and secure to use.

BTTS, Match Results, and Over/Under Goals are the most popular markets for football betting.

Yes! Users can live stream matches when signing up to any of the football betting sites above as long as they are logged into their accounts.