• Football Betting

  • Tennis Betting

  • Ice Hockey Betting

  • Basketball Betting

  • eSport Betting

  • Horse racing Betting

What are the main sports at the bookmakers?

The sports betting industry has experienced dynamic transformations over the last few years thanks to the digital revolution and relaxed government restrictions. Consequently, it has surged in popularity not only in the UK but around the world. Today, sports betting is a fast-growing market offering great potential to both operators and punters. Some of the most popular bettors can expect at bookmakers include:

Football

Football is arguably the leading sport at online bookmakers. The majority of bookies offer comprehensive football betting coverage as it is popular around the world. Millions of fans travel to support their team as well as catch the action on television. It is a must for every sportsbook to offer the top 5 leagues as well as the Champions League. Both globally and domestically, sports and betting are the same thing, but football and betting have become synonymous.

Basketball

Another popular sport to place bets on, this fast-paced, end-to-end game is loved by many people. Millions of people around the world enjoy watching basketball in different leagues and tournaments. Bookies also allow punters to wager on all basketball events from EuroLeague and NBA to Champions League and NCAA. The good thing about this sport is that most sportsbooks offer a range of markets giving bettors many valuable opportunities.

UFC

Despite being around since the late 90s, the UFC’s popularity only boomed very recently, and bookies were quick to take advantage of it! Today, fans and gamblers not just from the Championship’s native US, but from all over the world, are able to enjoy UFC betting and support their favourite fighter in the hexagon. Due to how recently the Championship gained traction in the UK, many bookmakers either don’t offer bets on UFC matches or provide players with a very limited selection, but there are a few who pride themselves on offering a wide range of matches from all weight classes and multiple markets for each.

Tennis

Tennis betting is a vast market, with thousands of fans placing bets on tournaments every day. The sport is also a common sport to bet on as it holds events for nine months in a year, offering plenty of opportunities to bettors. What’s more, it has a lot more variables and markets in comparison to any other sport. Punters can choose to bet on one of the four majors – Wimbledon, Australia Open, French Open, and US Open as well as the end of the season ATP Tour finals. Or bet on their favourite player.

Horse & Greyhound Racing

With annual bets of more than £2.5 billion, horse and greyhound racing is ranked the third spectator sport in Britain after football. Every year, there are more than 100,000 races in the UK alone, giving players thousands of opportunities to place and win bets. While there are different ways to bet on greyhound and horse racing, the most popular racing bet is a horse or greyhound to win, place or show.

Another common way to bet is to bet Across the Board – placing a bet on one animal to win, place, and show.

Cricket

Cricket betting is massively popular among bettors from all over the world. The sport gives the average punter 365 days a year in which s/he can place a bet. There are exciting tournament and series taking place every year including Indian Premier League, English County Championship, T20 matches, ODIs and Test matches. And with cracking odds, it’s easy to see why the sport is popular among bettors.

eSports

Gambling on eSports is much bigger than anyone can imagine. Currently valued at approximately £900 million, the eSports market is expected to grow in the coming years. Every major odds comparison platform has already included esports in its portfolio. With every passing event, the prizes and rewards get bigger and the views increase. And where there is money, players, bettors, viewers, and sponsors will follow.

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Rugby

While it can be challenging to get precise figures, the level of support, global viewership, and level of participation in rugby betting is relatively lower than sports such as football, horse and greyhound racing, and tennis. However, this is expected to grow as new fans and bettors become enthralled with the game.

Golf

Golf betting has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years – so much that it’s becoming one of the most popular competitions in the UK to wager on. While there are only two men’s golf tours to bet on – the PGA Tour and the European Tour, there are lots of players in the tournament to wager on.

Boxing

Another popular betting sport, boxing is one sport that is quite difficult to predict its outcomes in events and matches, making it exciting to bet on. The sport, like others, offers plenty of opportunities to wager and win some nice money. Additionally, bookies offer competitive odds and several ways to bet on the sport. Bookmakers will currently be focused on what the betting odds will look like for the much-awaited Anthony Joshua vs Tyson Fury contest to decide who is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the World.

What are the differences between bookmakers regarding sports?

Bookmaker’s decision to create a unique betting experience is derived from research, experience and specialization. All operators create unique features custom made for their betting site, which creates a supply pull effect on the inelastic betting market, some of which are discussed below.

William Hill has a feature dubbed #YourOdds. It is run via Twitter and tries to capture the influence of the social media platform and direct it to its site.

Coral has a promotion called Build Your Bet which aims at improving interactions on markets for maximum output. Skybet has My Bet which is a one-stop shop for all activities on the gamer’s bets.

Sportingbet and Betway have explanations for the individual sport. However, Betway has more expansive explanations for the sport, while Sportingbet has head to head statistics for each market.

Why compare Sports Betting odds?

One of the most important keys to being a successful bettor is understanding the chances of a team or player winning in comparison to the betting odds on offer. Continually finding value wagers and betting on them can help punters be successful in gambling. Consequently, it is essential to perform a betting odds comparison between different bookies and betting exchanges. Conducting extensive betting odds comparison before placing a bet helps bettors profit from high payouts in case of a win.

Bettors can use betting odds comparison websites to help get the best odds as rummaging through the thicket of different operators, markets and events can be quite a task.

Why compare different sports betting bonuses?

Besides doing betting odds comparison, taking advantage of betting bonuses is a great way to boost a punter’s bankroll. And the good thing is that there is no shortage of bonuses and promotions. Many bookies have a variety of offers and bonus promotions for their existing and new members. With so many bonuses available at different bookmakers, it is essential to compare the betting bonuses to ensure a punter gets the best deal.

There are three main criteria to use when doing a sports betting comparison of the bonus offers. These are the size of the bonus – both in absolute and percentage terms, the wagering requirements, and the terms and conditions of the bonus.

Which bookmakers have the most risk-free bets for sports?

Risk is the chief determinant of whether a gamer decides to join any bookmaker. Betting is a win or lose game, and as such, bookmakers use this concept to their advantage to have the highest retention rate in the industry. This is handled in terms of betting offers, features and bonuses, as discussed below.

A majority of the sportsbooks have free bets for new customers that apply for even less popular leagues such as the Drone Racing League. A free-risk bet, or also known as free bets, here means a bettor gets their money back if they lose a bet. Bookies that offer this type of bet include Betway, 1XBet, William Hill, Bwin, Paddypower, Betfair, and Unibet to mention a few.

Cash Out – this is a feature that enables a gamer to withdraw his or her bet before its maturity. This feature gives the player another chance in getting back his stake in case he/she changes his/her mind. Betway is best known for this.

Is Sports Betting Legal in the United Kingdom?

Gambling has been legal in the UK since 1960 and is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission according to the Gambling Act 2005. The gambling laws in the UK are not focused on restricting gambling but rather regulating the behaviour of betting operators.

The laws ensure that:

  • Bookies and other gambling operators conduct their activities fairly and openly
  • Vulnerable people and those under the age of 18 are protected from gambling activities
  • Gambling does not become a source of crime or associated with crime or disorder.

FAQs

The number of sports punters can bet on is important when choosing a bookmaker. Some bookies that offer the most comprehensive coverage include 888sport, Bet365, Betfair, Betfred, Betsafe, BetVictor, Betway, Ladbrokes, Netbet, Paddy Power, Sky Bet, Unibet, and William Hill.

The best sports to wager on are those that easily give a player an edge over the market. Arguably, popular sports like football and basketball are the worst since there is a lot of money on those markets that the lines are very efficient.

The best sports to bet on are those whose market is not efficient and are easy to model such as tennis and boxing.

Placing bets with a bookmaker that offers better odds even by fractions can make a huge difference for football accumulator returns. While football odds change very often, Marathon Bet is known for offering the best football betting odds.

When it comes to betting odds comparison, Pinnacle is undoubtedly the market leader. Although it may not have a shiny interface with thousands of live betting markets, the bookie is great for punters who care about long term results with the best odds.

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