Choosing A UK Bookmaker For Sports Betting

June will see the return of English professional football and UK racing which will delight sports fans around the world. Although fans will not be able to attend the fixtures due to them taking place behind closed doors, the fact that some of the countries top sporting events have resumed have brought some normality back to the nation. 

Many will also be looking forward to placing bets when full play resumes with bookmakers at the ready with betting offers and promotions to kick start the season again. With so many bookmakers to choose from, some may not know which are the best to bet with. There are many factors to take into consideration when choosing a bookie and so we’ve put together this quick guide to help you make that decision. 

Reputation

Although a bookies past may not always reflect their current offerings, if they have a positive reputation, it is a good sign that they are a solid bookmaker. Bookies such as William Hill, Bet365, Ladbrokes and Coral have been around for decades and have built up a strong reputation by offering an all-round excellent service. 

Odds

When you place a bet, you want to ensure that you’re getting the best odds possible as the bigger the odds, the bigger the returns should your bet win. The difference in odds and potential returns may not seem like a lot based on just one bet but over time the difference can add up.

When placing your bet, you could compare the odds at multiple bookies to find which one is offering the highest. However, this requires you to have an account with numerous bookmakers. Alternatively, you could choose to bet with a bookmaker which offers competitive odds on a consistent basis which is what many punters choose to do.

Betting Offers

Betting offers come in various forms and some can have a dramatic impact on your profits. Some of the most common betting offers include free bets, refunds on losing bets, bonuses on winning bets, price boosts, best odds guaranteed and more. If you don’t have an account with a bookie yet, you may also be able to claim any welcome offer that is available. The value of these offers can range from anything from a £5 free bet all the way up to £100 and so comparing sign up offers should be on your list.

Some bookies offer a lot more betting offers than others and the number of and the quality of the offers provided by a bookie is often the deciding factor with some punters when deciding on which bookie to bet with.

Betting Markets & Sports

The vast majority of online bookmakers allow customers to bet on a number of popular sports such as football, horse racing, tennis, darts, boxing and more. However, if you’re looking to bet on slightly less popular sports, it’s best to check that you’re able to with a bookmaker. Some bookies have a wider range of sports offers and allow customers to bet on Futsal, Trotting, Handball, Chess and even politics and TV shows such as I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here.

The same applies to betting markets. With some bookmakers you may find that there are around 200+ markets for some sporting events but less than 100 with other bookies. Some of the less-popular betting markets can be interesting and fun to bet on such as whether a certain player will make X number of fouls in a football match or how many metres a player will cover in a game. It’s also possible that you could find more value in these markets due to less data being used to determine the bookmakers’ odds.

Betting Limits

This will only apply to a small percentage of bettors as the majority will be betting within the allowed ranges of the bookies. However, even if you are not betting ridiculous amounts, some bookies may limit stakes on certain events or sports. For example, if you were to place a large wager on a Water Polo match in South Africa, it may look suspicious and not be accepted by some bookies whereas the same wager on a high-profile football match would be fine. If you are looking to bet on less popular sports with higher stakes, it is worth checking if there are any limits with your bookie.

Hopefully, you’ll be able to find a bookmaker that you’re happy with which ticks all the boxes for the things you’re looking for. Remember to always bet with a bookmaker which is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission to ensure play is fair. You’ll usually find the licence information in the footer of the bookies website.

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