Updated: 27.08.2025
Sports spread betting is a completely different and fascinating alternative to regular fixed odds betting. Its popularity has been growing in the UK for some time now, and as such more and more betting sites are starting to offer it. We've tested these platforms extensively and come up with the best options for you.
In this article, we'll identify the best sports spread betting sites in the UK and what makes them so good. We'll also give you a comprehensive overview of spread betting, including how it works, the markets it's available on, and how it differs from the regular fixed odds variety.
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MIN. deposit : 5 Free daily odds boost Highly prestigious brand |
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| 18+ New customers in the UK & Ireland only. Min £5 bet at 1/2 odds or higher within 14 days of registration. Excludes PayPal and some deposit/bet types. Get 4x £5 free bets (sports only, 7-day expiry, stake not returned). T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Wide range of offers Price boosts each day |
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| Min £10 deposit with promo code 200BONUS. Full deposit must be wagered 2x at minimum odds of 1.50 to unlock the bonus. Bonus winnings require 5x wagering. All wagering must be completed within 60 days. Max £50 per bet applies. Cannot be combined with other offers. Withdrawal, payment, and country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 5 Extra places and BOG Correct4 football game |
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| 18+ New UK & Ireland players only. Min £5 first bet at 1/2 odds or greater within 14 days of signup. PayPal and some deposit/bet types excluded. Get 4x £5 free bets (valid 4 days, stake not returned). No cashout. Restrictions & full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Very well-regarded bookie Fantastic range of offers |
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| New customers only. Bet £10 and get £50 in Free Bets at bet365. Min deposit required. Free Bets credited as Bet Credits after qualifying bets are settled. Min odds, payment method and bet type restrictions apply. Bet Credits stake not included in returns. 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 users from the UK, Ireland & Malta only. Min £10/€10 first deposit via Debit Card or Trustly. Free bets valid for 90 days. Full 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 only, with promo code H30. Min £10/€10 stake at odds of 1/2 or higher. Get 2 x £15/€15 in free bets after your first qualifying bet settles. Free bets expire 30 days after placement. Payment, player, and country restrictions apply. 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 & Ireland customers only. Min £10 deposit. Qualifying bets: singles, win part of e/w, or multiples at min odds of 2.0. Free Bet must be used at 1.5+ odds and expires in 7 days. Stake not returned in winnings. Additional T&Cs apply. Please bet responsibly. | |||||
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| 18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet £5 to receive 2x £10 Free Bets on selected events (min odds 2.00) + £10 Slots Bonus on chosen games (35x wagering, max £250 withdrawal). Bonuses valid for 7 days. Card payments only. T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org – Please play responsibly. | |||||
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| 18+ New customers only. One £15 free bet max. Qualifying wager must be at 1/1 (2.0) odds or higher. Free bet issued as bonus token; must be used at min odds of 4/5 (1.80). Skrill, Neteller, and PayPal excluded. T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Deep in-play section Widespread racing streams |
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| New customers only. Min £10 deposit and sportsbook bet at 1.5+ odds, placed and settled within 14 days of registration. Win part of E/W bets included. Receive 2 x £10 non-withdrawable Free Bet Tokens – accept within 7 days, valid for 7 days (excludes E/W & multiples). Stakes not returned. Rules & exclusions apply. Bet responsibly – BeGambleAware.org. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Increasingly popular site Free bet refunds on racing |
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| 18+ | New customers only | BeGambleAware.org. Get 50% of your first deposit up to £50. Min £15 deposit (Skrill/Neteller excluded). One per household. Wager 8x deposit + bonus (max stake = bonus amount). Bonus valid for 60 days. Min odds: 4/5 on singles or 2/5 per leg on accas. Some bet types excluded. T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 5 Famous Free Bet Club #BetYourWay for football |
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| 18+ New UK customers only. Min £5 deposit via debit card. Bet must be a football or horse racing multiple with 3+ selections at combined odds of 3.00 (2/1) or higher. Max £30 in Free Bets issued after qualifying bet settles. Offer valid for 7 days after account registration. BeGambleAware.org. Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 Boosted specials on football Various free bet offers |
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| 18+ UK only. Get up to £35 in Free Bets – 50% of your first day’s losses – plus 10 Free Spins. T&Cs apply. | |||||
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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+ New players only. Welcome Bonus: Max £15 on 1st deposit (min £10). Valid for 14 days. Qualifying bets must be settled within 14 days at min odds of 1/1 (2.00). System bets excluded. Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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MIN. deposit : 10 New specials bets each day Multiple acca promotions |
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| 18+ New UK customers only (excl. NI). Mobile exclusive. Opt-in required. Min £10 stake at evens (2.0+) within 30 days. Free Bet awarded after qualifying bet settles. Free Bet valid for 7 days. Cashed out and Free Bets excluded. One offer per customer, household & IP. Also: UK/IRE only. Max refund £/€20 on win or win part of e/w outright singles (5+ runners, 1st bet per race). Free/void/antepost bets don’t qualify. T&Cs apply. | |||||
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| 18+ New customers only. Deposit, opt in, and place a £5 bet at 2.00+ odds within 7 days (cashed out bets excluded). Get 2 x £10 Free Sports Bets (set events, 2.00+ odds, 7-day expiry) + £10 Game Show Bonus (selected games, 40x wagering, £250 max withdrawal). PayPal and card payments only. Geo restrictions & T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. | |||||
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| New UK customers only. Use promo code BETFRED60, deposit and place a £10+ Sports bet (min cumulative odds Evens) within 7 days of signup. First bet must be on Sports. Get £20 in Sports Free Bets, £10 in Lotto Free Bets, and 50 Free Spins (20p each) within 48h of settlement. Extra £20 Free Bets added 5 days later. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Payment restrictions apply. SMS verification and/or ID/address proof may be required. Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
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| 18+ New players only. Welcome Bonus valid on first deposit. Min £10 deposit, max £40 Free Bet. Wager at least £20 at 1/1 (2.0) odds or higher within 14 days. System bets excluded. PayPal, Skrill & Neteller deposits not eligible. Full T&Cs apply. | |||||
The gambling options in the UK are very different, and we'll explain the main differences in detail. For now, it's best to stick to the basics.
In spread betting you have to choose a market with a number of different outcomes, such as total goals in a football match. The bookmaker might make a prediction as to what the expected final result is likely to be, which is given as a small range. This range is called the 'spread'. It is exciting. You then decide whether the result will be above or below that range.
For example, in an illustrated explanation of online sports spread betting, let's revisit the Total Goals market mentioned earlier. The bookmaker may set the spread at 2.3-2.5. If you think there will probably be more than 2.5 goals (e.g. at least three), you choose to bet on that side of the market. If you think there will be two goals or less, you choose that side instead.
Spread betting may be growing in popularity, but it's still far behind regular fixed odds betting. As a result, you don't have as many choices when it comes to betting sites. However, there are still some excellent contenders for the title of 'best sports spread betting site', and these are your top options at the moment.
SpreadEx does offer fixed odds markets but, as the name suggests, spread betting is definitely their priority. They're one of the most experienced sites in this area, having been around since 1999 and are still based in the UK. The founder of SpreadEx is a former City trader, so it's no surprise that they offer financial spread betting alongside their sports betting section.
The latter is absolutely packed with betting opportunities. Football has the most individual SpreadEx spread betting markets, but you can also bet on horse racing, greyhound racing, tennis, golf, eSports and much more.
SpreadEx is particularly good for newcomers. For starters, they have an absolutely fantastic help section that explains both basic and advanced spread betting with incredible clarity. There's also a huge sign-up offer, with up to £300 cash back on spread betting within the first 28 days. Read the SpreadEx review >>
Along with SpreadEx, Sporting Index are the most famous spread betting specialists around at the moment. They have an even more impressive track record dating back to 1992 and claim a hefty 70% market share for spread betting in their native UK. While you can't bet on financials here, they do offer an excellent selection of sports spread betting markets alongside a solid fixed odds section.
The range of football markets is extensive, both in terms of the competitions covered and the types of bets available. You'll also find Sporting Index spread betting opportunities on horse racing, cricket, snooker, tennis and more, and this site is strong in both pre-match and in-play betting.
The new account offer here isn't quite as impressive, with just £25 to spread bet with, but you can get a further £75 through a referral deal. There's also a fantastic training center with detailed tutorials for newbies in both text and video. Read the Sporting Index review >>
In UK Sports Spread Betting, you simply decide whether you think the outcome will be lower or higher than the site's prediction. If you think it'll be lower, you 'sell' the market. If you think it will be higher, you 'buy' it.
A key point about online spread betting is that neither the size of your winnings nor your losses are fixed in advance. Instead, they depend on how right or wrong you are. This is calculated by multiplying your stake by the difference between the spread and the final outcome.
To get a better idea of what we're talking about, let's look at some examples of both buy and sell markets.
If you have any experience with sports betting, you've probably come across over/under markets. Sports spread betting works in a very similar way, and taking the under is known as 'selling' a market.
Here’s an example of a successful sell bet:
Mechanically, buying in spread betting works the same way as selling. Using our previous analogy, it is the equivalent of taking the over in a traditional over/under market.
Here’s an example of a losing buy bet:
Sports spread betting is more complex for bookmakers to implement than fixed odds, so you'll usually find fewer sports covered. However, it's usually the more niche markets that are omitted, with all the major sports usually still covered. Below you'll find some of the most popular spread betting sports that are widely available.
As with fixed odds bookmakers, football dominates spread betting sites. Not only will it be covered on every platform, but it will always have the most individual markets.
The best soccer betting sites offer pre-match and in-game odds on Total Goals, Bookings, Corners and more. You can also bet on the main fixed odds market - the match result - although things work differently here. The most common way to do this is via a handicap, where the favorite might start with 0.05 goals, while the underdog starts with 0.25.
American sports have become increasingly popular to bet on in the UK, and the NFL is the biggest of the bunch. During both the regular season and the playoffs, you'll usually find plenty of NFL spreads available to bet on.
Taking a simple Match Winner bet is pretty rare here, even via handicap. The most common bet type is actually Over/Under Points, with this market offering nice, simple spreads. Total Touchdowns is the main alternative, but sites like SpreadEx also offer markets on Field Goal Yardage... and even Touchdown Scorers Shirt Number!
The nature of golf scoring is absolutely perfect for spread betting. At the start of a major tournament, you'll be given a spread for each golfer's final score (under or over par). This spread will usually only cover two or three shots, leaving you plenty of room to make a big profit either by selling or buying.
Golf coverage tends to be excellent at spread betting sites. You'll usually find not only the majors, but also all the major tour events. As with football, both pre-match and in-play betting is usually available.
Horse racing is widely available for spread betting, with tracks around the world represented. Not only that, but platforms like Sporting Index even offer live streaming of daily races.
Spread betting on horse racing usually works on a point system. For example, with 10 runners, a horse might be worth 50 points to win, 25 points to finish second or 10 points to finish third. Each runner is given a predicted point spread before the race, so - if you buy one at 20 - you'll win if it finishes second or first.
Like the NFL, the NBA has grown in popularity in the UK over the past decade. It's now an integral part of the spread betting section at most sportsbooks.
Betting on a team to win is simple enough in Basketball Spread Betting, where each side is given a spread between 0-100 based on their chances (in this market, they finish with 0 'points' if they lose and 100 if they win). You can also bet on the margin of victory, total points, team points or 1st quarter points.
In terms of the number of markets, Tennis is easily one of the most popular sports to spread bet on. Even between the four Slams, you'll find betting opportunities on men's and women's tour events almost every day. SpreadEx also offers free live streaming of the action.
Similar to horse racing, Match Winner betting is based on a point system where players are awarded points for winning individual sets and the match overall. You can also get spreads on the number of games or even the points each player will win.
While beginners are advised to start small and focus on simple markets, experienced traders can use more sophisticated strategies to maximize their chances of long-term success. One advanced approach is market hedging, which involves taking positions on both sides of a spread in different markets to minimize risk. For example, you might buy total goals in soccer while selling bookings to take advantage of the correlation between aggressive games and higher card counts. This technique requires careful research, but can smooth out volatility between bets.
Another useful method is staking. Instead of placing a single large bet, you gradually increase or decrease your position as the market moves in the game. For example, if you buy corners at 9.8 in a soccer match and notice that the intensity of the attack is increasing, you can increase your position for a greater payout potential. Conversely, if the game slows down, you can reduce your exposure. This flexible approach makes spread betting more dynamic than fixed odds betting.
Sports spread betting has a lot in common with financial trading, particularly in the way profits and losses are calculated. Both are based on buying and selling within a defined spread, and in both cases your risk increases as the outcome moves away from your entry point. The difference is in the underlying market. In sports, outcomes are tied to real-world events such as goals or points, while in financial trading they are tied to asset prices, indices or commodities.
For punters with trading experience, spread betting may seem intuitive. But unlike financial markets, where price movements can often be hedged using derivatives, sports outcomes are binary and irreversible. Once a football game is over, the result cannot be changed. This makes proper risk management even more critical, as there is no way to "spread" losses over time, as traders can in the stock markets.
Even experienced punters can fall into traps when approaching spread betting. One of the most common mistakes is overestimating volatility. For example, punters often assume that a Premier League game will be a high-scoring affair, only to see a cautious tactical battle end 1-0. Misjudging the likely range of outcomes can lead to heavy losses, especially with larger stakes.
Another common mistake is chasing losses. Because losses in spread betting can exceed deposits, it is tempting for bettors to immediately increase their bets in an attempt to recover. This rarely ends well. A far better approach is to set strict stop-loss limits before the market opens and stick to them. Finally, many traders ignore market timing. Entering a position too late, when the spread has already adjusted, often leaves little room for profit. Successful spread betting requires patience, timing and discipline, not just intuition.
While the way sports spread betting works is slightly more complicated than fixed odds betting, the actual mechanics are still extremely straightforward. It involves the same basic steps of finding the market you want, adding it to your bet slip, setting a stake and placing your bet.
However, for additional clarity, here's a step-by-step example of how to place a spread bet on football using Sporting Index.
These are the three main distinctions between the two forms of gambling.
In general, you'll find fewer spread betting options compared to fixed odds. The biggest bet types should still be available, but they will be adjusted to be compatible with spreads, often using either a handicapping or points-based system.
With fixed odds betting, you know exactly how much you'll win or lose when you place your bet. With spread betting, the size of your profit or loss is determined by how right or wrong you are.
You'll find fewer special offers on spread betting websites, with promotions generally limited to 'cash back' or 'money back' offers. However, for many punters, the additional control and potential for higher profits with spread betting outweighs this drawback.
As with fixed odds sports betting, there's no clear and defined way to make a profit on your spread betting. However, there are definitely certain steps you can take to dramatically improve your odds, and these are five of the most important online spread betting tips.
Betting on spreads is a whole different ballgame from betting on fixed odds. Don't jump in at the deep end. Instead, experiment with the smallest possible bets to begin with (usually $0.05) and build up from there as your confidence grows.
Just because you can bet on something doesn't mean you should. If you know soccer better than any other sport, that's where you should focus your spread betting. Similarly, focus on teams - or even players - that you're familiar with.
There's a huge amount of statistical information and analysis out there, most of which can be used - free of charge - to inform your spread betting. Many expert tipsters also offer free advice which, even if it's not specifically about spread betting, can be very helpful in this area.
If you're just starting out, stick to low-volatility markets. Examples in soccer are Winning Margin and Total Goals. Even if you get on the wrong side of these spreads, you won't lose a lot. Later on you can mix in more volatile markets with lower stakes.
Betting on spreads in-play can be lucrative, allowing you to take advantage of opportunities that simply aren't available before the game. But even more important is knowing when to cash out. When a spread bet goes the wrong way, it's often better to cut your losses before they get out of control.
When you're just starting out with spread betting, the language involved can be quite confusing. To help clarify things, here are explanations of the most common terms you're likely to hear.
Chances are, if you're like most punters, you've stuck to fixed odds betting. If you're looking to experiment, spread betting is a very tempting alternative.
Spread betting on sports gives you much more control than fixed odds betting. It can also be more satisfying, as the size of your winnings increases according to how 'right' you are. However, spread betting is also more volatile, and the fact that you don't know how much you'll win or lose means it's not for the faint-hearted.
If you're interested in giving it a try, we'd highly recommend doing so at one of the UK's best sports spread betting sites - either SpreadEx or Sporting Index. Follow the tips in this article, bet intelligently and responsibly, and you should have an enjoyable and exciting betting experience.
Yes - spread betting is perfectly legal for UK punters. All legitimate spread betting sites in the UK are licensed and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Absolutely. The NFL is one of the most popular sports for spread betting. While you can place simple match winner bets, it's more common to take over/under bets on total points.
It can happen. As with regular sports betting, there is no guarantee that you'll make a profit. However, if you're smart, you have the potential to make bigger profits on spreads than on fixed odds.
Of all the outcomes of a particular market, the 'point spread' is the specific range reserved by the sportsbook. You cannot bet within this range, only above it by 'buying' the market, or below it by 'selling' it.
Like all gambling, sports spread betting is inherently risky as you could end up losing all the money you deposit into your account. With spread betting, your losses can also increase depending on how "wrong" you are. However, if you moderate your stakes and bet responsibly, you can certainly manage this risk.
