New Betting Sites UK
Choosing a new betting site isn’t always easy. There's lots to consider: the most generous welcome offer or the best ongoing promotions; the established name or the new kid on the block?
Fortunately, our mission here at BettingOdds is to simplify the process. On this page we’ll explain, without bias, what you stand to gain when you sign up and claim a welcome offer, which T&Cs you’ll need to negotiate, the sports and markets available, and how you can fund your betting account. Let’s begin.
New Betting Sites vs Established Names
The online gambling market is dynamic. Choosing the right betting site often comes down to a matter of timing, finding the ideal welcome offer for you in that specific moment.
As such, it doesn’t necessarily pay to disregard new betting sites in favour of more established names, simply because any sportsbook could offer the perfect reason to sign up at any time.
Our expert reviews, therefore, cover both the best new betting sites in the UK and the major operators already in the space. You’ve probably heard of brands like Paddy Power, 888sport and Betfair — they’re all pillars of the industry, three good examples of what constitutes a comprehensive sports betting experience.
But depending on what you’re looking for, you could be more suited to a less obvious choice.
New betting sites might offer truly outstanding welcome bonuses in order to muscle in on the industry heavyweights, or they may dedicate more resources to ensuring faster withdrawal times, with a modern cashier page to boot. It all comes down to personal choice — our job is not to make the decision for you, but to provide you with the relevant information.
How We Choose the Best New Betting Sites
Our expert team of reviewers will tick new betting sites off against an extensive list of criteria.
We’ll give each site a mark corresponding to each section of the review, allowing our readers to see where its expertise lies and where its weaknesses are. Here are some of the critical areas of our reviewing process:
- Licensing and Safety – Every review begins in the same place, and that’s with a check to see whether the betting site holds an official licence from the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Without this licence, there’s no guarantee that betting markets are regulated, that customer data is held securely, or that winning payouts are certain. We won’t ever direct you towards an unlicensed bookmaker, and you should never wager at one.
- Welcome Bonus – The main attraction for the majority of our readers is the site’s welcome bonus. This represents the apex of the bookie’s generosity, so punters should try and make it count. In order to do so, they’ll need to negotiate a list of terms and conditions — before we recommend a new betting site, we peer behind the curtain on its welcome offer so that we can gauge its true value.
- Choice of Markets – How many sports are available to bet on? And what’s the market depth like within each of these betting categories? We’ve seen some bookmakers offer 50,000+ football betting markets alone, which gives you some indication of how vast these can be.
- Payment Methods – Some new UK betting sites target this area as an opportunity to challenge more established names, providing customers with a long menu list at the cashier page. The more variety here the better — we want to see debit cards and e-wallets sitting alongside prepaid cards, pay by mobile services, and possibly even cryptocurrencies.
- Extra Features – The best new betting sites immediately gain our attention with special features that distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack. Bet building facilities, an extensive list of ongoing promotions, and the ability to live stream sporting action are the kinds of qualities we’re looking for in this part of our review.
- Customer Support – Another way in which new betting sites earn our respect is through the delivery of outstanding customer support. The standout sportsbooks here will offer round-the-clock live chat support, as well as a detailed FAQs page, phone and email services, and active social media accounts inviting customers to get in touch with any queries.
Claim a Welcome Bonus at New UK Bookies
Welcome bonuses come in all manner of shapes and sizes. Before you pick a new betting site and commit to the offer, it’s essential that you first read the terms and conditions.
Here’s what you can expect from sportsbook welcome bonuses — some of our recommended bookies will offer a combination of the following:
- Free Bets – Does exactly what it says on the tin: free bets give customers the chance to win real money at no extra cost. You’ll need to make a qualifying deposit and wager first, after which your betting account will be credited with free bet tokens. £10 in exchange for £30 worth of free bets is a common offer.
- Matched Deposits – These bonuses see the bookie match a portion of your first deposit up to a set amount. A typical offer here would be in the region of 100% up to £50, which would double any deposit up to £50 with the same amount in bonus funds. There’ll be certain restrictions on how you can use your bonus, so read the T&Cs carefully.
- Risk-Free Bets – Risk-free bets act as a layer of insurance on your first wager at a new site. You’ll be covered for your losses up to a specific amount, with the lost wager typically returned in the form of free bets.
- Casino Bonus – Many UK betting sites double up as online casinos and roll two distinct bonuses into one welcome offer. The casino side of the offer tends to be smaller than the betting side — perhaps you’ll receive a bundle of free spins, or simply a £10 bonus to use on a wide selection of the casino’s games. This is a great option for those who know they’ll be gambling in both sections of the site.
Bonus Terms and Conditions at New Betting Sites
We’ve hinted at the presence of terms and conditions when it comes to betting site bonuses, but we’ll dig a little deeper here. Below is a list of the most prominent T&Cs:
- Wagering Requirements – If your bonus has wagering requirements attached, you’ll need to deposit and bet the bonus amount a specific number of times over. Sports betting bonuses tend to have no or very low wagering requirements, but this will be more of a factor for any casino-related rewards.
- Minimum Deposits – Unless you’ve come across a no deposit bonus, you’ll only be able to qualify for an offer by first making a minimum deposit. £5 and £10 amounts are standard here, but more lucrative bonuses might have higher minimum deposits attached.
- Minimum Odds – Many betting site bonuses first require customers to make a qualifying wager of their own before they can get their hands on any rewards. If this is the case, the qualifying wager will have its own set of rules, the most significant of which will be minimum odds. You’ll only pick up the bonus if your first bet at the site is placed on an event that satisfies the minimum odds requirement.
- Time Limits – All good things must come to an end. Bonus offers not only have an expiry date within which new customers must claim, but claiming them also triggers additional time limits. One will be set against the use of the bonus as a whole, and there may be another relating to completion of wagering requirements, if applicable.
- Market Restrictions – Similarly to minimum odds, your bonus might not be eligible to use on every betting market available at the site. This is particularly relevant if a promotion has been offered in the build-up to a major event, with bonuses specifically targeting that event.
Payment Method Exclusions – Although the best betting sites come with an extensive list of payment methods, not all of them will qualify users for bonuses. Debit cards are the only option guaranteeing bonus pick-up, while deposits made with newer banking technologies like e-wallets and prepaid cards are often excluded.
Sports and Markets at New Bookmakers in the UK
Wondering which sports you can bet on at the best new betting sites in the UK? Here’s a small sample of what you can expect to find:
- Football – Enjoyed by billions of people across the world, we can guarantee that there’ll always be football to bet on. Your bookmaker will run markets on all of the biggest competitions in the world, as well as those played in smaller footballing nations. The possibilities are practically endless here.
- Tennis – Tennis’s instant point-by-point action makes it one of the most popular sports in the world for live betting. Turn your bet slip towards the grandeur of one of the sport’s four Grand Slam events, or focus on one of the lesser-known tournaments from the ATP and WTA tours.
- Horse Racing – A popular British pastime since the 1600s, picking a winner at the races is part of our heritage. Online bookmakers will run markets on all the biggest events in the world from Melbourne to Abu Dhabi to the US.
- American Sports – The tide of American sports is well and truly upon us here in the UK, with popularity growing year on year. Markets on American football, basketball, ice hockey, and baseball will represent a large portion of what’s available at your bookie.
- eSports – Your teachers at school no doubt told you that playing video games was a waste of time, but the professional institution that is esports gaming begs to differ. League of Legends, Call of Duty, Fortnite, Counter-Strike, and Rocket League are some of the most popular betting markets in this growing category.
Payment Methods at New UK Betting Sites
There are many different ways in which you can fund your betting account, with new payment methods constantly introduced. Here are the most common:
- Debit Cards – Comfortably the most popular payment method at UK bookmakers, and for good reason. Every site accepts them, and deposits made through a debit card will always be eligible for bonus rewards. The one major downside is that withdrawals tend to be slow.
- PayPal – e-Wallets offer betting site customers a few points of difference to debit cards: faster deposits and withdrawals, without the need to share any banking information with the bookie. PayPal is the most popular option in this payment category, but deposits made with PayPal will often be disqualified from picking up bonuses.
- Skrill – Skrill is another e-wallet that offers much of the same functionality as PayPal, including quick transactions and payments authorised by linked account information as opposed to bank details. Users may encounter the same bonus eligibility issue here.
- Neteller – A third e-wallet option often on the menu at UK betting sites, again with many of the same pros and cons as PayPal and Skrill.
- Trustly – A bank transfer service that runs on open banking technology, Trustly connects bettors to betting sites quickly and easily. You won’t need to create an account to use Trustly, but your bank must subscribe to its services in order for you to access it. Look out for bonus eligibility in your bonus’s T&Cs.
- Paysafecard – If you’d like to use a payment method that makes it easier to keep a tight purse, then prepaid cards like Paysafecard are a good option. Only preloaded funds can be spent with Paysafecard. To fund your betting account with this method, you’ll need to buy Paysafecard vouchers and upload the associated PIN at the cashier page. Deposit limits are strict and most sites can’t process withdrawals, so this option won’t suit everyone.
- Pay by Mobile – If you’ve got an active mobile phone then that’s all you need at a pay by mobile betting site. Simply key in your number and your network provider will pay for the deposit on your behalf, before charging you at the end of month. Strict deposit limits and no withdrawals are the downsides here.
The Best New Betting Sites for Mobile
The majority of our online lives can be carried out on a mobile device, and gambling is certainly no different. Every new betting site that comes to market will be compatible with mobile iOS and Android operating systems, which means you can place bets on the move via your mobile browser.
Enhancing the mobile betting experience are native apps, designed and distributed by betting sites to offer greater convenience and functionality for mobile players. We recommend downloading these apps for a few reasons:
- The push notifications mean you’ll never miss a bonus or promotion
- Apps can be customised to your preferences
- Having app data stored on your device speeds up loading times
- User feedback constantly drives app upgrades
In contrast, there are a few things to consider before you download:
- You’ll need to be on a compatible mobile device, potentially requiring a system upgrade
- Playing in an app sometimes consumes more battery life than playing in a browser
- Downloading apps takes up memory space on your device
Sign Up at the Best New Betting Site
Have we answered your questions about new betting sites? Then take a look at our recommendations for the best new betting sites in the UK, compare welcome offers, and find the perfect bookmaker for you.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Best New Betting Sites
Are new betting sites safe?
We’ll only review licensed betting sites, which means we guarantee that every recommendation of ours is safe to play at. Never place a bet at an unlicensed site.
Can I use a credit card at new betting sites?
No. The UKGC banned the use of credit cards at all of its licensed sites in 2020.
What is an acca?
Short for accumulator, an acca is a type of bet that combines multiple selections into one bet slip. The odds of each individual selection are multiplied together to generate bigger payout potential, but the likelihood of winning an acca is smaller as a result. To win an acca, every selection must come good.