The success and enjoyment you yield from online betting activities come down to a few different things. One often overlooked area is actually the bookmaker itself. To pick the best bookmakers in the UK would give you a better experience, fewer issues, and more room to succeed with your strategy.
Is there a single best bookmaker in the UK?
The short answer here is no. There is a list of licensed and safe bookmakers, and you should never deviate from this list. There’s a list of bookmakers with the best odds. There’s even a list of bookmakers that are best for horse racing betters. But, that’s all there is: lists. The reason behind there being no single best bookmaker is because we all have different needs, so we need to weigh up the pros and cons of each.
Universal things to look out for
Before looking at the things that depend on you, there are some universal things that we all need to look out for.
Firstly, the bookmaker must be licensed by a credible body. This is the only way to ensure the company is being properly regulated and that your money is subsequently safe. Though, there’s no harm in looking at reviews to see if customers are having issues with withdrawals and random account suspensions.
Secondly, you want the best odds. There’s never going to be a situation where poor odds are acceptable, so make sure the broker you’re using is competitive.
Thirdly, most bookmakers have welcome bonuses and incentives to attract new customers. Whilst you shouldn’t choose your bookmaker purely on the bonus (unless you’re splitting hairs), you should rule out any bookmaker that isn’t offering you a welcome bonus. There’s too many that do, so it would be a wasted opportunity.
Finally, ensure the company has good customer service. This is something that we all need, and whilst it often goes neglected when signing up, you will be thankful when you inevitably have a query or issue to resolve.
Subjective things to look out for
Now are the things to consider about yourself before making a decision. What sports do you like to bet on? If it’s football, do they have all of the leagues that you may want to bet on? Or is this a bookmaker that is more focused on horses…
Secondly, betting types within that market and sport is also important. They may have bets on all the games you’re interested in, but do they have a broad range of betting types? If you’re an expert on picking out Both Teams to Score in Both Halves, you shouldn’t pick a bookmaker that doesn’t offer this bet regularly.
Of course, you should check to see if the bookmaker is available in your country. You may be restricted to a small list of options, and it’s better to start here than find out the best one you have researched isn’t available.
Finally, we all have different methods of payment that we prefer. Some use PayPal to avoid it showing on bank statements, whilst others prefer the ease of a bank card. Check to make sure the bookmaker has the payment method that you prefer.