The best sites for betting on football

Last season I backed Cardiff City to win the Championship. Now, aside from watching them finish rock-bottom, and every log-in being mocked by that open bet for nine long months, there was something even more painful: my father had placed the exact same bet elsewhere and would've pocketed double.

Know when to compare odds

Odds comparison isn't always worth the effort. When we checked prices across 50 matches on the four most popular betting sites, most odds were so similar that recording them became tedious. Actually, it pivoted into a UX battle of how quickly could we navigate through fixtures rather than any meaningful test of value. So when should you take the time?

When you make outside bets

It's true that big-name bookies provide largely the same value over day-to-day match results. But when you step into long-shot or special bets, the gaps get wild.

Arsenal to win the Premier League might only vary between 27/10 and 11/4 (more intuitively, 3.7 and 3.75) but the same for Nottingham Forest (third position for the majority of last season) varies between 500/1 and 1,500/1. Those who think that's irrelevant ("it'll never happen!") need only cast their minds back to 2016 when Leicester City won the title against all odds.

When the odds accumulate

Tiny odds gaps can balloon fast when you're stacking results in an acca. Since each selection multiplies your total return, even a 0.5 difference per leg can make a surprisingly big change overall.

When betting in different markets

Just because a brand had the best odds for a particular selection in a particular game, it doesn't mean they will always have the best odds for every selection in every game. But if you tend to stick to the same type of bets (maybe you have a weekend ritual Match Result + BTTS acca) you'll notice which operator generally gives you the best prices for that type of bet.

How to quickly unearth the best odds for a particular bet

Odds vary a lot. Not just by bookie but by match, market, minute, and the current alignment of Mars. Mix in surprise boosts and other unpredictable promos, and it's easy to give up comparing altogether, settling for whatever your default betting app serves up... even when there's better value just a click away.

There are, however, a few quick fire ways to help you find the best value with little effort.

Quick tips

• Use an odds checker. Let others do the heavy lifting. Bud do avoid over-reliance: they can be laggy and force a ton of ads down your throat. Treat them as your scouting report for an overview of the situation.
• Check multiple bookies directly. Have a few accounts handy so you can quickly cross-check actual prices. Four or five well-chosen, diverse sites will do. Check my list below for some good options.
• Look out for enhanced odds. Boosts and specials can make the difference. Very few services help you here but they do exist. Betting.Bet consolidates up-to-date match promotions like this not just free bets. As with any offer, check the small print before placing bets.

Pro tip: Compare returns, not just odds

My go-to football betting sites

It's not just odds. UK bookies offer all sorts of benefits to make your football betting more enjoyable and rewarding. Here's my current regulars for footie.

bet365

Amazing in-play markets for football and live streaming.

Sky Bet

Regular boosts, acca insurance, and free-to-play Super 6.

All British Casino

Acca and odds boosts plus 10% of all losses back!

BetVictor

Daily free bets, regular football promos, and free-to-play Predictor.

Bet365 speaks for itself. BetVictor don't necessarily provide the best odds but they constantly give you the chance to win and earn free bets via an array of existing customer promotions like the daily prize wheel, score boxes, and rewards when there's goals on Champions League week. And whilst BetVictor Predictor may not have as high of a jackpot as Sky Bet's Super 6, it's enough to keep you coming back regularly. Speaking of whom, Sky Bet's consistent odds and easy-to-use interface mixed with their soccer specials mean they also make the list.

New to my football betting arsenal, All British gets a mention thanks to their 50% boost on all football accas (fourfold and up). And although there's no initial free bet to welcome you, you will earn 10% cashback on all losing bets. That's an on-going thing, not just a one-off. (Worth bearing in mind: it's not just the sign-up bonuses that should attract you to new betting sites.)

10% Cashback on Losses

Claim this offerAll British Casino. Cashback is cash without restrictions. No max cashout.

In case you were wondering...

The two betting sites alluded to way up in the introduction are BetVictor and UK favourite Sky Bet. Similarly established names, totally different returns from the same bet. But don't worry, I didn't ignore my own advice in seeking out the best value; it was just a random free bet thanks to the weekly free-to-play prize wheel.

Let's not make that mistake again, eh...