Select A Good Sportsbook
The UK has a thriving online betting market and there are a number of reputed and licensed betting operators in the market. You need to find a sportsbook that you feel comfortable with and then sign-up for an account which should take you no more than a couple of minutes.
Some of the popular sportsbooks in the UK include the likes of Bet365, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Betfair.
These are some of the factors that you need to keep in mind before you decide which sportsbook is right for you:
Online gambling websites in the UK will not be able to process credit card payments from April 14, 2020. So you will have to see which payment method you are comfortable with using and then look for a sportsbook that offers this option. If you like to use cryptocurrencies, then your sportsbook options in the UK is limited as many sportsbooks are not crypto friendly.
Online gambling websites in the UK will not be able to process credit card payments from April 14, 2020. So you will have to see which payment method you are comfortable with using and then look for a sportsbook that offers this option. If you like to use cryptocurrencies, then your sportsbook options in the UK is limited as many sportsbooks are not crypto friendly.
The top betting websites in the UK are licensed and regulated, which means it is safe for you to play. We still encourage you to take the time to read the latest player reviews on these sites and then decide for yourself which one is the best for you. If you decide to sign up with a smaller and less popular sportsbook, you need to check for its licensing information.
Funding Your Account
Before you can place your first bet, you need to ensure there are funds in your account. Click on the banking options and then select your preferred mode of payment based on the options available.
So if you select your debit card as a mode of payment, you will have to click on the deposit button, enter the amount you wish to deposit and then enter your debit card details and make the payment. The deposited funds should not take more than a few minutes to show up in your account.
Placing a Bet
Once you register for an account, you can click on the sports betting portal and have a look at the different sports on offer. Since football is the biggest and most popular sport in the UK, you will find a long list of football matches for you to bet on. Apart from football, there are a number of popular sports which you can bet on too.
Some of these sports include boxing, basketball, cricket, cycling, golf, tennis, rugby, hockey, horse racing, MMA, motorsports and volleyball. Click on the sport that you want to bet on and you will see a list of upcoming and current matches which you can bet on.
Different Types of Sports Bets
There are a number of different bets that will be on offer depending on the type of sport you choose:
- Outright Winner: If you decide to bet on a football game, the most common bet will be picking an outright winner. However, there are a number of other bets that will be on offer and these bets are usually referred to as side bets or prop bets.
- Team That Scores First: You need to take a punt on which team you think will score first. If the team you bet on scores first, you get a winning payout.
- No of Goals: Sportsbooks will give you the option to bet on how many goals the forwards will score. If the player you select wins, you get a winning payout.
- Final Result: This is a bet to determine whether the game will finish in regular time, go into extra time or end up going into penalties.
- Card Penalties: This is to decide which team will finish with the most number of yellow and red cards.
- Coin Toss: This bet has a 50/50 probability and is based on which team calls the coin toss right.
- Player of the Match: Before the start of the game, you can pick which player you think will be the standout player and win the player of the match award.
The odds for these prop bets are usually very high which means you can get a big payout for a small bet. However, since the odds are high, your chances of winning are very low.
How to Read the Odds
Sportsbooks take into consideration a number of factors before they decide on the betting odds. A better favourite is someone who has high odds of winning and the underdog is someone who has low odds of winning.
For example: if you have a game between favourites Manchester City (1: 10) and underdogs Crystal Palace (10: 1), this is how you have to read the odds. If you put down £10 and back the favourites Manchester City and they win, you will receive a payout of £11 which is return of £1. If you decide to back the underdog Crystal Palace and they pull off a surprise victory, then your £10 bet will result in a 10 x 10 = £100 return.
Most sports bettors are eager to win big and tend to back the underdog because the higher payout is always enticing. However, it is also a sure way to lose cash as you have to look at multiple factors and use logic not emotion when placing your sports bet! Do keep this in mind at all times!
Final Tips
Keep these tips in mind before you start betting on your favourite sports:
- Find a sportsbook that offers you a great welcome bonus
- Make sure the sportsbooks covers the games you like to bet on
- Check if the sportsbook offers in-play betting i.e. the ability to bet during the course of the game
- Don’t exhaust your bankroll at one go
- Always keep your personal and financial information private and don’t share it with anyone else
- If you feel you are spending too much money on sports betting, get yourself on a self-exclusion list and reach out for support.