How to Choose a Betting Site
How to choose a betting site in the UK: check the licence, compare the odds, payments and features, and make sure the safer-gambling tools are easy to find.
Jump to a chapter
Tap a step to jump straight to it in the video.
About this video: How to Choose a Betting Site
How to Choose a Betting Site is a short narrated video guide from Sports and Casinos. How to choose a betting site in the UK: check the licence, compare the odds, payments and features, and make sure the safer-gambling tools are easy to find.
In addition, the video runs for 1 min 16 sec and works on any phone, tablet or computer. For example, you can use the chapters above to skip straight to the part you need. After that, read the full written guide for worked examples and answers to common questions.
Also, every video guide has its own page, so you can bookmark it or share it with a friend. However, offers and terms change often, so always check the latest terms before you sign up.
Because each chapter is short, you can also rewatch one step at a time. Then, once the idea makes sense, compare the current offers and pick the one that suits you. Meanwhile, keep an eye on expiry dates, since most free bets only last a few days. Above all, only bet what you can afford to lose.
Read the transcript
Here's how to choose the right UK betting site for you.
Start with the licence. Only use sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Find the company name in the site footer, and check it on the Commission's public register. If it isn't listed, don't sign up.
Odds matter more than the welcome offer, because you'll bet at their prices long after the free bet has gone. A ten pound winner at five to two pays back thirty-five pounds, against thirty-two fifty at nine to four.
Then check payments and withdrawal speed. Some pay within hours, others take days. Look for a good app, and the features you use, like cash out, bet builders and live streaming.
There are three broad types: big high-street brands, newer online-only sites, and betting exchanges, which often have the best prices but take commission. None is automatically best.
Finally, make sure safer-gambling tools are easy to find: deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion. Every UK licensed site must take part in GAMSTOP.
Read the full guide for more. Eighteen plus. Please gamble responsibly.
More video guides
18+ only. Gambling can be addictive; please play responsibly. Free, confidential help: BeGambleAware.org or the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.