Updated: 15.05.2025
One of the most exciting developments in the world of sports betting in recent years has been the live betting revolution. Punters in the pre-internet era could never have dreamed of being able to bet on a sports event as it was ongoing, but thanks to advances in online technology, it is now possible to follow an event and bet as you watch the action unfold.
This dynamic, modern form of betting has captured the imagination of UK punters, and is one of the fastest growing forms of betting in the country. To help you get started in the world of in-play betting, we’ve analysed and tested the most popular live betting sites, to find which has the most attractive offers and which provides the best in-play betting experience.
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MIN. deposit : 5 Free daily odds boost Highly prestigious brand |
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| 18+ New UK+IRE customers. Paypal and certain deposit types and bet types excluded. Min £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days on sports, stake not returned, restrictions apply. T&Cs apply, | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Wide range of offers Price boosts each day |
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| £10 min deposit using promo code 200BONUS • The bonus will be applied once the full deposit amount has been wagered at least twice with cumulative odds of 1.50 or greater • To withdraw any winnings from your bonus, you must wager the bonus amount at least 5 times • All deposit and bonus wagering requirements must be completed within 60 days • This offer may not be combined with any other offer • Wagering limit of £50 per bet Applies • Restrictions apply to withdrawals, payment methods and countries & full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 5 Extra places and BOG Correct4 football game |
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| 18+ Eligible UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 4 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Very well-regarded bookie Fantastic range of offers |
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| For new customers only - Bet £10 & Get £50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Innovative social features Free soccer betting tips |
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| New UK, IE & Malta users only. Min. £10/€10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Trustly. Free bets expire in 90 days. T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Outstanding track record Fixed odds & spread betting |
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| Don’t miss our exclusive World Cup offers for new and existing customers. Terms apply. Full details available here. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Excellent track record New Bet Boost each day |
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| New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 30 Specialise in horse racing Boost on football accas |
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| 21+, new UK + IRE members only. Min deposit £10. Singles, win part of e/w or multiples at odds of evens (2.0) or greater qualify. The Free Bet must be placed at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater. Free bets expire in 7 days. The Free Bet stake is not included in the returns . Additional T&Cs apply. Bet responsibly. | |||||
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9
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| 18+ New Customers opt in, bet £5 & get 2x £10 Free Bets for set events (odds 2.00+) + £10, Slots Bonus, selected games, 35x wagering to withdraw max £250. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card Payments only. T&Cs Apply | BeGambleAware®: Gambling Help & Gambling Addiction | BeGambleAware | Please gamble responsibly | |||||
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10
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| New customers only. Max one free £15 bet. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater. Paid as bonus token with min 4/5 (1.80) odds req. Skrill, Neteller & PayPal not eligible. T&Cs apply. 18+ | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Deep in-play section Widespread racing streams |
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| *New members. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook, placed & settled at 1.5 min odds within 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. 2 non-withdrawable £10 Free Bet Tokens: accept in 7 days, valid for 7 days from acceptance (ex. E/Ws & Multiples), stakes not returned. Click here for Rules & Exclusions. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Increasingly popular site Free bet refunds on racing |
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| 18+ begambleaware.org; New bettors get 50% of deposit up to £50; Once per household; Min deposit £15 (no Skrill/Neteller); Wager a total of 8 times deposit + bonus, with max qualifying bet stake equal to your initial bonus amount; Bonus expires after 60 days; Min odds of 4/5 on singles, or 2/5 per leg for acca; Some bet types excluded; See full terms; See full terms; Terms apply; 18+ | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 5 Famous Free Bet Club #BetYourWay for football |
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| New UK customers only. Min Deposit: £5. Maximum Free Bet: £30. First bet on a Football or Horse Racing multiple with 3+ selections. Overall odds: 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. Debit card deposits only. This is offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ BeGambleAware.org Full terms apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Boosted specials on football Various free bet offers |
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| Get a Free Bet up to £35 based on 50% of your first days losses plus 10 Free Spins! UK 18+ T&C's apply. | |||||
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15
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MIN. deposit : 10 Money-Back football deal Exceptional mobile apps |
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| Terms apply | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Acca protection & boosts Wide range of deals |
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| 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets no eligible. Full T&Cs apply | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 New specials bets each day Multiple acca promotions |
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| New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Payment method restrictions. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.**18+. Opt in. UK/IRE customers only. Max refund £/€20. Win or win part of e/w outright singles only. 5 or more runners. 1st bet on each race. Free bet expires after 7 days. Free/void/antepost bets don’t qualify. T&Cs apply | |||||
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18
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| 18+ New Customers only. Deposit, opt in and place a £5 qualifying bet at odds of 2.00 or greater within 7 days of opening a new account; excludes cashed out bets. Receive 2x £10 Free Sports Bets, valid on set events only at odds 2.00 or greater, expires in 7 days. Plus a £10 Game Show Bonus, selected games, wager 40x to withdraw a max of £250. PayPal and Card Payments only. Geographical Restrictions and T&Cs Apply, See Below. Please Gamble Responsibly. | |||||
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| New UK customers only. Register using the promo code BETFRED60, deposit and place first bet of £10+ on Sports (cumulative Evens+) within 7 days of registration. First bet must be on Sports. £20 in Free Bets to be used on Sports, £10 in Free Bets to be used on Lotto and 50 Free Spins (20p per spin) credited within 48 hours of bet settlement. Further £20 in Free Bets credited 5 days after settlement. Bonuses have a 7-day expiry. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or Proof of I.D and address may be required. Full T&Cs apply. Terms & Conditions Apply | |||||
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20
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| 18+, Welcome Bonus: New Players only. Valid on 1st deposit only. Min Deposit £10. Max Free Bet £40. Min turnover of £20 must be placed at odds of 1/1 or greater, and settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. PayPal, Skrill and Neteller deposits not eligible for promotion. Click to see full T&Cs | |||||
The quick development has grown from a niche sector of the betting landscape to a major component of the UK betting scene with all reputable bookmakers competing for live wagering users. We’ve conducted a thorough look at the UK industry and compiled a list of the top sites for in-play betting. Interesting trends are emerging rapidly. More options are currently available for users.
Betfair effectively pioneered live betting in the UK and across the world with their betting exchange model, in which the fixed odds pre-event market went live as soon as the event got underway. For many years Betfair was the only UK betting firm offering live betting, and although the rest of the pack have caught up, they are still the go-to company for in-play betting, particularly in the main Match Winner markets in football, and Race Winner markets for horse racing.
Pros
Cons
If you’re betting live on the Betfair exchange, you may find that you struggle to get your live bets on in some of the minor markets that attract fewer punters.
One of the biggest names in UK betting, William Hill have used all of their decades of betting experience to develop a live betting platform that is one of the best around. Their live horse racing betting markets are particularly popular and cover all of the races in Ireland and the UK. They can also boast one of the best live streaming bookmaker services in the industry.
Pros
Cons
Ladbrokes have grown from a brand that was primarily known for their horse racing connections to one of the UK’s most popular sports betting platforms. Their live betting service is one of the most comprehensive around, and they offer an impressive variety and depth of in-play betting markets, particularly for football events. Their cricket and tennis live betting coverage is also excellent, and you can find plenty of specialist in-play tennis markets such as Next Game Winner and Number of Aces.
Pros
Cons
Ladbrokes have grown from a brand that was primarily known for their horse racing connections to one of the UK’s most popular sports betting platforms. Their live betting service is one of the most comprehensive around, and they offer an impressive variety and depth of in-play betting markets, particularly for football events. Their cricket and tennis live betting coverage is also excellent, and you can find plenty of specialist in-play tennis markets such as Next Game Winner and Number of Aces.
Pros
Cons
A high profile and long-running promotional campaign has established Bet 365 as one of the most popular and well-known in-play betting operators in the UK market. This reputation is well deserved as the site provides a wealth of features for the in-play betting fan and is particularly strong when it comes to live football betting. Combined with an excellent live streaming service, this makes Bet365 the go-to site for many in-play football fans.
Pros
Cons
Ireland’s biggest bookmaker has made a name for themselves by offering a user-friendly, entertaining betting platform that often provides markets other bookmakers won’t touch. But Paddy Power have clearly taken their live betting seriously and have produced an intuitive in-play product that is easy to use, even if you are a newcomer to this type of betting. Famous for their horse-racing association, Paddy Power are also popular with live football betting fans.
Pros
Cons
In the early days, live betting was focused on the main Match Winner or Race Winner markets, but the number of in-play betting opportunities has grown enormously. A live betting punter in 2025 can choose from a staggering array of markets, including a variety of handicap betting options, player performance markets and over/under betting opportunities. It seems that the only limit on live betting is the ingenuity of the bookmaker!
Football betting has seen the biggest expansion of in-play markets and some high-profile football games can offer over 100 different live betting options. The most popular remain the Match Winner and Correct Score markets, but it is also possible to bet on a variety of player performance markets including First or Last Goalscorer, as well as Over/Under goals markets, Asian Handicap. It is also possible to bet on niche markets such as Number of Corners, and Number of Cards, as well as combination markets that pair Match Winner with Number of Goals.
Horse racing is the sport that provided the first live betting opportunities for UK punters and it remains a popular focus for in-play betting fans. The main in-play horse racing market remains the Race Winner, but the best live betting bookmakers will offer a variety of other options, including Place markets and markets that cover winning distances, combinations of finishing order, and whether there will be a photo finish. Live betting aficionados who use the betting exchanges will also be able to bet against a horse in-running by using the Lay option.
In many ways, golf is the perfect sport for those who are getting into live betting. There is always plenty of betting action for events on the PGA and European Tours, but a golf tournament is played out over four days, giving live punters plenty of opportunity to refine their strategies. Tournament Winner remains the most popular in-play golf bet, but you can also wager on Number of Birdies, Group markets, in which a selection of players are grouped together and Final Score markets.
Betting on a live event can be one of the most exhilarating ways to enjoy betting on sport, and for those who have the right skills and who do their homework, it can be a profitable experience. But it can also be risky. It takes time to master the art of in-play betting, but to help you get started, our live betting experts have put together some useful advice to reduce your risk and boost your prospects.
Live betting has revolutionised the UK betting scene and millions of betting fans now get involved in the live betting markets. Whether you are betting on football or horse racing, tennis or golf, live betting offers a combination of excitement and volatile prices that bring a new edge to the betting experience. The top UK bookmakers are battling to offer punters the best in-play prices and service, so there has never been a better time to hone your strategy, choose your sport and try your hand at live betting.
