Best PayPal Betting Sites

There are a number of different ways in which punters can deposit and withdraw to their accounts and here at BettingOdds.com we've outlined the best bookmakers to bet with using PayPal.

Introduction to PayPal Betting Sites

Founded in 1998 by Max Levchin, Luke Nosek, and Peter Thiel, PayPal started out as Confinity, a company that developed security software. After switching focus to payment systems and merging with X.com, part-owned by Elon Musk, Confinity became PayPal in 2001. With Peter Thiel as CEO, it went public with the new name and leadership a year later in 2002. 

It wasn’t long after this that PayPal was purchased by eBay for $1.5bn worth of its own stock, and soon became synonymous with eBay purchases, accounting for over 70% of payment transactions on the online selling platform. Following many well-selected acquisitions — including VeriSign in 2005 for $370m to boost security support, and Fraud Sciences in 2008 for $169m — PayPal secured its dominance in the e-wallet industry.

PayPal was spun out from eBay in 2015, with Dan Schulman taking on the role of CEO and former eBay CEO, John Donahoe, standing as Chairman. It now operates as the most popular e-wallet payment solution available, completing transactions for its almost 250 million customers in over 200 countries and in more than 25 different currencies. 

In terms of features, PayPal allows for transactions to be completed without sharing personal bank account details with the merchant. Through a simple email activation, a payment can be passed across from your e-wallet via your connected bank account. Taking things a step further, PayPal now offers a buy now, pay later option with certain transactions. It’s also possible to pay with cryptocurrencies, and you can even apply for a PayPal credit or debit account. 

Naturally, this level of flexibility is one of the reasons why PayPal is often the favoured e-wallet option for over 300 online betting sites in the UK.

Benefits of Betting by PayPal

PayPal is recognised by the majority of online punters, and it’s likely that many already hold active PayPal accounts. While this alone is a benefit in itself – removing the need to set up another account with a different payment provider – there are other benefits of betting with PayPal that deserve recognition. 

• It’s free to set up and entails no fees for making deposits;
• Withdrawals are always fast with e-wallets, and in many situations withdrawals to a PayPal account will be instant;
• PayPal is less likely to be excluded from bonus offers than other e-wallets, such as Neteller and Skrill;
• You can save several bank cards on your PayPal e-wallet account;
• Security is tight when you deposit and withdraw with PayPal, with minimal personal details to exchange;
• PayPal One Touch allows you to make deposits literally at the touch of a button. It’s super fast, and convenient.

Best PayPal Betting Sites

Lots of different sites offer PayPal Betting giving customers the ability to deposit and withdraw via this method. Here are some of the best bookmakers that we enjoy using. 

Bet365 

Founded in 2000, bet365 is a household name in the sports betting industry. It’s one of the best options out there for regular promotions, pioneering deals such as the Bore Draw Money Back offer. bet365 is fantastic for Bet Builders thanks to the wide range of markets on offer, and its straightforward navigation ensures picking your selections is an enjoyable process. New customers can pick up £30 in free bets when they bet £10 for the first time.

BetUK

BetUK offers a similar welcome bonus to Bet365 — there’s £30 in free bets up for grabs when you sign up and bet £10 at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater. The site has loads to offer punters, with expert betting tips available for all the top football and horse racing markets. The range of ongoing promos is just as impressive too — there’s an acca club available to join, plus regular profit boosts and free bet builders. 

Betway

Known for its sponsorship of West Ham United, Betway is another major player in the sports betting space. There are a couple of different welcome offers up for grabs here — there’s £10 in free bets available when you deposit £10, subject to 1x wagering at odds of 1.75+. If you’re a fan of casino games like me, there’s a £30 matched free bet if your first acca loses, with 50 bonus spins thrown in on top. Overall, the range of sports markets available is rather impressive, and the Highlights section with Betway Boosts is a great place to start if you’re looking for some inspiration.

Paddy Power

Paddy Power doesn’t do anything by halves — there’s a huge range of markets and promotions available for new and existing customers. It’s a site that consistently stands out from the crowd, through the innovative Beat the Drop quiz betting game, and Paddy’s Rewards Club where you can pick up weekly bonuses. There’s an on-site bet calculator too, which is really handy for planning your next wager. New customers get their first £10 bet back as cash if it loses. Or, click the ‘Get Offer’ button here to bag £40 in free bet builders when you bet £10.

Betfred

Betfred offers Daily Price Boosts on a wide range of sports betting markets, so you’re never short on great deals at competitive odds. For new customers, there’s a Bet £10 Get £30 free bet deal — the qualifying bet must be a single wager at evens (2.0) or more, which is slightly more stringent than similar offers at Bet365 and Betway. Betfred is one of the best bookies out there for live streaming, ideal for punters who like to bet in play.

How We Rank PayPal Online Betting Sites

Here at BettingOdds.com, it’s our job to bring you all the best betting sites accepting PayPal. We undertake a rigorous review process in order to rank the best sites available. Here’s a selection of the main factors we consider.

Licence and Safety

We only recommend PayPal betting sites that are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Licensed sites must adhere to strict standards regarding responsible gambling, game fairness, and data protection. While there are no guarantees that gambling sites will always comply with the regulations, strict penalties are imposed on any operators that break their licensing terms.

Sign-Up Offer

All the best PayPal betting sites offer new players a top-notch welcome bonus, including rewards such as free bets. With a free bet offer, you essentially receive a token that you can place on eligible markets and keep the profit if the bet lands. Matched deposits are another popular deal where you receive a helping of bonus credit when you deposit funds. We look carefully at the terms and conditions of the offer at hand, as a smaller bonus with player-friendly terms can be more valuable than a larger bonus with strict stipulations.

Variety of Sports Markets

The best sports betting sites offer a huge variety of markets on competitions and leagues from around the world. We want to see great coverage of big football matches in the Premier League and La Liga, alongside lesser-known sports like handball, lacrosse, and hurling. It’s important to have plenty of options within each match too — the best sites allow punters to bet on the minutiae of every game, like the number of yellow cards or the minute of the first corner.

Competitive Odds

As gamblers ourselves, we understand that having access to the best odds is important to punters. We compare market odds across a range of sports betting sites to assess whether a bookmaker can be considered competitive. We also take into account promotions that sweeten the deal, such as best odds guaranteed and odds boosts.

Payment Options

PayPal deposits and withdrawals are easy to set up and quick to deliver your funds. However, we understand that not everyone has a PayPal account, and some may prefer to use an alternative payment method. We carefully review the range of banking options available, looking out for lesser-known methods such as Paysafecard and AstroPay alongside the likes of Visa and Mastercard.

Site Design and Navigation

It’s important for punters to be able to easily navigate a betting site and find what they’re looking for. With hundreds or even thousands of markets live at any one time, it pays to have a site that’s well organised, with clear headings and helpful filtering tools. Of course, having an attractive site with a clear theme and identity is also a big plus.

Customer Support

Helpful and timely customer support is another vital component of sports betting sites. Should any issues arise, it’s important that bettors can speak to an adviser and get the answers they need. A live chat service is often the best way to do this, but it’s also good to see support offered via email and phone, as well as a detailed FAQs section.

PayPal Betting Offers

At online betting sites you’re going to come across a varied range of offers and bonuses for both new and existing customers. Let’s take a look at some of those found most commonly at the best PayPal betting sites. 

Free Bets

Naturally, free bets are exactly what they sound like, and you may see a free bets sign up offer for new customers written as ‘Bet £10, get £30 in free bets’. There will be terms and conditions attached, such as time limits associated with how long the free bets are valid for, maximum winning caps, and sometimes even restrictions on which sports they can be used on. 

Free bets are regularly associated with cashback bonus offers, and they’re often used as a currency in place of withdrawable cash. This means that if you lose your bet with a cashback offer, you will be paid back in the form of free bets or credit on your account. While they can’t be withdrawn, they allow you to at least have another go without spending more cash.

Matched Deposits

A PayPal betting site will regularly offer some form of matched deposit offer to new customers. What this means is that it will match your initial deposit by a certain percentage up to a certain amount. For example, you may see it written like ‘100% up to £100’ which means that any deposit you place, up to £100, will be matched by the online bookmakers, doubling your bankroll. 

These are a nice sweetener for joining a new online bookmaker, however you should be mindful of the terms and conditions attached. They will vary from site to site, and contain requirements that always significantly limit your chances of landing any withdrawable winnings from your bonus. As such, it’s important to see offers, such as matched deposits, as a way of trying out a new site to see if it’s the right one for you, or to have a bit of fun without the cash element. These terms and conditions can include things such as wagering requirements that denote the amount of times a bonus must be played through before a withdrawal can be made. For example, if you accept a 100% bonus up to £100 with a wagering requirement of x35, this means you will be wagering £3,500 (100 x 35) before you can withdraw anything associated with the bonus. 

Cashback

Cashback offers take the edge off a lost bet by returning a proportion of your wager to you in bet credits. While the name suggests you will gain something back in the form of cash, it’s highly unlikely to be the case.

They are a great opportunity to soften the blow of a loss, but naturally they come with stipulations attached. Among other conditions, a bettor may find there are minimum odds requirements, maximum stake eligibility, specified markets and betting types the cashback can be used in. 

PayPal Betting Site Features

With ever-growing competition, it’s important that a sportsbook offers as many additional features as possible. With the best PayPal betting sites, you can regularly find the latest technology, features and betting opportunities around, so let’s now take a look at some of the most popular ones available.

Live Streaming

Nowadays, many of the best PayPal betting sites offer live streaming of sporting events. What this means for the punter is an opportunity to watch a game live, via the sportsbook site itself, without having to subscribe to a TV sports package. 

All you usually need to do to access a live-streamed game is set up an account with your chosen PayPal betting site and make an initial deposit. It’s often the case that live streaming and in-play betting go hand in hand – watching a match, getting a feel for who may win, who may score, or even which side will achieve more free kicks, is inherently beneficial for guessing how things might turn out. The best PayPal betting sites do not usually charge customers for live streaming a match. As long as you have an in-credit betting account, there should be no charges to watch a game. 

In-Play Betting and Cash Out

In-play betting, also referred to as live betting, is the act of making bets while a game is in progress. This can be a particularly exciting way of betting as it’s usually associated with watching a match at the same time, getting an understanding of the players or teams, and predicting what may happen in the remaining minutes. 

The majority of betting markets instantly become in-play when the whistle blows for the start of a game, however there are quite a few options that are solely in-play opportunities. This includes bets on:

• Next player to score
• Next player to get booked
• Who will win the current half
• Who will be substituted during that half

Cashing out lets you settle a bet while it’s on to win, albeit with a reduced payout on what you’d land if the result played out. Perhaps you have a feeling that things are going downhill for the favourite and you want to cash out your potential winnings before the result goes against you.

Bet Editing

Bet editing is the ability to amend a bet once it’s already been placed. Perhaps you want to add to your acca, or remove something that suddenly doesn’t seem so likely to pay off – this is where bet editing comes into play. Usually available as both a pre-match and in-play option, this feature is technically the cancelling of one bet, cashing out, and immediate placing of another. So be mindful that you may negate or invalidate any associated bonus offer by cashing out midway. Plus, of course, there are variations from site to site, with some offering just the chance to decrease a current bet, whereas others will allow for additions to be made to your betslip.

Live Odds

Live odds are what a bookmaker offers to bettors during in-play betting, and they’re not available for wagers placed pre-match. They are as they sound: live and therefore liable for fluctuation as the game progresses. Live odds are calculated using complex computer systems, or quite often traders working as odds compilers who calculate the price of a bet depending on the current situation in the game. Typically associated with football, punters might want to take advantage of live odds if something dramatic occurs mid-match. Perhaps a player has had a few near misses and you can sense he’s going to score – this is when live odds come into play, and you can check the odds value and place your bet while the game is in play. 

Request a Bet

Also known as a bet builder, request a bet is a system that allows punters to request a certain, unique bet via a hashtag on Twitter. The best PayPal betting sites all have unique hashtags that will alert them to the request, where they will then calculate and offer odds to that individual. Naturally, with a one off bet, you may be more likely to encounter higher prices than if you pick an already advertised selection of odds, however if you really have your heart set on backing a certain outcome, then requesting a bet may be your only option. Starting out as a phenomenon unique to SkyBet with #RequestABet, other bookmakers have tagged onto the idea. Ladbrokes goes with #GetAPrice, and PaddyPower opts for #WhatOddsPaddy, to name just a couple. 

Virtual Sports 

Another PayPal betting option is that of virtual sports. Virtual sports are fixed odds events and matches that use a random number generator (RNG) to decide the outcome. Bookies can neither know the result in advance, nor influence the outcome of a match. Despite being virtual, punters see the same result no matter where they are in the world, and equally the outcome is always the same for everyone. Games are typically a lot shorter than in real life – for example, football matches last a matter of minutes, which means you find out the results a lot quicker. In addition, there is no seasonal play like in real life games, so virtual sports are available all year round.

Alternatives to PayPal

If PayPal doesn’t float your boat, there are many alternatives to choose from. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular options. 

Neteller – one of the closest matches to PayPal in terms of service, Neteller is an e-wallet set up in 1999. It hosts millions of customers around the globe and supports over 22 currencies. While it offers great levels of security and transaction speeds, Neteller is often excluded from betting site bonuses so be sure to read through the offer’s T&Cs carefully if this is your preferred payment method. 

Skrill – with headquarters in London, Skrill provides a global e-wallet service that supports over 40 currencies. It’s free to set up, however there may be fees associated with withdrawals made through Skrill. Similarly to Neteller, Skrill is largely excluded from bonuses and offers so check through T&Cs before making your deposit. 

Visa – Visa debit card is still one of the most popular payment options, providing simple withdrawal and deposit options that are available at virtually every online casino and sportsbook around the world. Nevertheless, withdrawing from a betting site via Visa can be one of the slowest methods around, unless you are eligible for Visa Fast Funds, in which case you will have access within just a few hours at fast payout betting sites. 

Mastercard – much like Visa, MasterCard is another hugely popular payment method at UK betting sites, with millions of customers worldwide enjoying its services. It’s almost certain that any betting site you choose will accept a MasterCard deposit. Mastercard has a high level of security, and it’s rarely, possibly never, excluded from a betting bonus. 

Trustly – using an Open Banking method of transaction, Trustly is possibly one of the most secure methods of depositing available as there’s no need to share your banking details beyond Trustly’s highly-secure platform. Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Trustly is relatively new to the UK but it’s gained a huge amount of popularity in other countries, such as Sweden where it was originally founded. 

Paysafecard – Paysafecard acts as a deposit method but isn't viable for withdrawals. Purchased from physical stores as cards with set values, you simply input your Paysafecard PIN into the online bookie by way of deposit. It’s probably the best way of keeping a close eye on your gambling balance because once you have spent the money on your card, there’s no way of depositing any more without topping it up or buying a new card. Similarly, there’s no need to hand over any of your personal information during deposit, so it’s great for the security conscious. 

Compare and Select One of the Best PayPal Betting Sites

Now you know everything you need to know about betting with PayPal, take a look through our suggested betting sites and compare what each has to offer. Once you’ve decided which best suits your needs, click through and accept your welcome offer!

Why You Can Trust BettingOdds.com

Here’s a breakdown of why you can trust us as a reliable source of top betting sites accepting PayPal.

What We Do

BettingOdds.com is an independent gambling affiliate website, with a clear mission to simplify the betting experience for our readers. We provide explanations of how betting odds work, and offer tips for bets you can place yourself. We also publish impartial, in-depth reviews of UKGC-licensed betting sites, and rank them by quality in a range of key areas. The result is a definitive resource for punters interested in sports betting, and those looking to sign up to a new site with quality bonuses, odds, and special features.

Users can also follow us on Twitter, where we regularly share our latest expert tips on popular sports markets.

How We Do It

Our commercial team reaches out to a range of UK betting sites that we believe provide an exceptional gambling experience. This includes established, renowned operators along with up-and-coming sites that have demonstrated their quality. Once we have a partnership with a betting site, it can appear in our rankings across the site.

The experienced writers and editors at BettingOdds.com are responsible for all the content on the site, from our in-depth guides to our operator reviews and betting tips. Anthony Eadson is our in-house betting co-ordinator — Anthony has over 10 years of experience in the sports betting industry and is a trusted source for tips and analysis.

Our aim is to provide straightforward, valuable resources for punters like you, whether you’re looking for a new sports betting site or simply keen to get some information.

How We Generate Revenue

We don’t run ads on our site, as we feel it’s important for our readers to enjoy browsing our range of guides and reviews without being bombarded with spam or pop-ups. Instead, we generate revenue through commissions, which we receive when you click through to a betting site from one of our pages and sign up. Users aren’t charged a penny for using our site, just given the opportunity to claim great deals across a vast range of the best sports betting sites in the UK.

How We Train Our Staff

We are a small team with many years of experience in the online gambling industry. New staff that are brought on board follow our ethical approach from day one, ensuring we’re focused on informing our readership in a responsible manner. As such, our content team follows a strict editorial code, focused on accuracy and honesty without encouraging readers to gamble. Our content is framed around the belief that gambling should be perceived as a casual pastime, never as a means to make money.

Our commercial team works with our partner operators to ensure we’re accurately displaying their promotions and associated terms and conditions. Senior team members have also completed responsible gambling training with GamCare, the leading provider of support for people affected by gambling addiction in the UK.

Our Experience

BettingOdds.com launched in April 2020 as part of the Moneta Communications Ltd Affiliate Network. Moneta Communications Ltd has been in operation since 2005 and has a network of over 50 sites. As such, we are well placed to offer expert information to our readers, informed by a tradition of responsible practice. 

Our site features a huge range of expert guides and reviews of sports betting sites. As gamblers ourselves, we have built up years of experience in all areas of betting — we know which offers are worth your while, and which sites offer the most competitive odds and the best range of markets.

Responsible Gambling with PayPal

Responsible gambling is about gambling for fun, without putting yourself or others at risk of harm. For the most part, it’s a valued and entertaining pastime — it’s important to see betting as exactly that, rather than as a means to make money.

There are multiple warning signs that you or somebody else’s gambling habits may be causing harm, such as becoming stressed when unable to gamble, betting more than you can afford to lose, and feeling unable to stop.

It’s important to follow responsible gambling practices in order to protect yourself and others and help to prevent addiction. Have a look at our top tips below.

Use Trusted Websites

Licensed sports betting sites are required to implement certain features in order to aid and encourage responsible gambling practices. These include on-site limiters such as deposit, spending, and time limits. Licensed operators are also audited to ensure they monitor customers’ activity on the site, particularly those that are placing large bets in a short amount of time. All the PayPal betting sites featured here are licensed, so as long as you pick one of our trusted sites you’re good to go.

Use Secure Payment Methods

The UKGC banned the use of credit cards for gambling in 2020, highlighting the importance of using appropriate payment methods to bet responsibly. This also applies to security — if you’re using an e-wallet like PayPal, be sure to choose a strong password that you don’t use elsewhere and set up two-factor authentication (2FA). If you’re using a debit card, be careful with sharing your card details and ensure you’re signed up to a licensed site.

Set Your Own Budget

It’s important to set a clear budget for gambling, whether it be at the start of a gaming session or for a period of betting over a weekend. It’s vital you never bet more than you can afford to lose, and setting a budget can help with that. Some customers may prefer to use on-site limiters on deposits, time, and spending, which prevent you from betting more once you reach the limit.

Don’t Bet on Markets You’re Not Familiar With

It’s always best to stick to sports you’re familiar with when there’s real money involved. Of course, there may be sports you don’t necessarily watch that you’re interested in placing a bet on, but you should always do plenty of research beforehand. After all, there’s nothing more satisfying than a bet coming up trumps after taking the time to check out the form guides and experts’ predictions.

Only Bet with Money You Can Afford to Lose

It’s worth underlining again that you should only bet with money you can afford to lose. If you feel stressed by the potential outcome of a bet, you shouldn’t place it. Keep gambling fun by sticking to a clear budget, and never consider betting as a means to make money.

Don’t Try to Win Back What You’ve Lost

Losing is an inherent part of gambling — after all, if bets only ever won there wouldn’t be any bookies in business. It’s important to accept that it might not be your day and move on to a new activity once you’ve spent your budget, as chasing your losses may be a sign of gambling addiction.

Frequently Asked Questions About PayPal