A Bookmaker accepts and pays out amounts of money risked on sports events. While the vast majority of online Bookmakers can’t compete with the odds available on Betfair, there are legitimate reasons why punters might choose to use them.

 

Bookmakers QUICK START GUIDE

I Don’t Understand Bookie Odds. How Do They Work?

How popular formats work: Easily Convert Your Betting Odds To Different Formats

How Do Bookmakers Consistently Earn Money? What’s Their Trick?

Their advantage over players, is known as the ‘overround’: How Do Bookmakers Earn? How Big Is Their Edge?

How are Odds Conceived? Who Sets the Prices?

The betting exchange (i.e. the public) decides: Wisdom Of Crowds Theory & The Betting Exchange

What Bookmakers are Easiest to Profit From?

“Softs” types are a lot easier to beat than “Sharps”: The Difference Between Sharp & Soft Bookmakers

I’ve Seen Adverts for Bookmakers. Which One Is Best?

Important factors to assess: How To Choose The Right Bookmaker

For the best odds: Pinnacle Sports — The Best Online Bookmaker For Professionals

Why the Betting exchange is (generally) a better option: Betting Exchanges — Why Bother Betting Elsewhere?

If the Betting Exchange Has the Best Odds, What Do Bookmakers Really Offer?

The advantages: Why Use Bookmakers Instead Of The Betting Exchange?

Best Odds Guaranteed: List Of Best Odds Guaranteed Bookmakers

Promotions: The Different Types Of Free Bets & Promotions Explained

Why Was My Bookmaker Account Locked or Closed?

If you’re profitable, closures are inevitable: Prevent Bookmaker Accounts Being Restricted Or Closed

A Bookmaker Isn’t Paying Up. What can I Do?

Follow these steps: How To Resolve Disputes With Casinos & Bookmakers

Want to learn more?

This is just an overview. If you’d like to find answers to more specific questions, then check my Sports Betting Q&A.

 

RECOMMENDED Bookmakers

1. Betfair — £100 in Free Bets

There’s really no comparison to Betfair in terms of what they offer their players. It’s the most innovative sports betting company of all time.

As you may already be aware, Betfair started out with the Betting Exchange. But many players were (and still are) reluctant to conform to the unfamiliar ‘Back & Lay’ system, as well as the decimal odds format. So Betfair created a bookmaker tab on their existing site so that it catered to everyone.

Betfair’s Sportsbook isn’t just a tag-along, either. It rivals just about any other Sportsbook in its own right. This is because it offers some key advantages:

  1. Easy access to the Betting Exchange. If you’re new to sports betting and want to start out slowly, you don’t have to venture into the (somewhat risky) trading environment straight away. But the option is there: you can use the Betting Exchange — and any other Betfair product — all under one account.
  2. Best Premier League odds. Betfair boasts the lowest average match overrounds since 1/1/18, compared to leading UK bookmakers (verified by OddsChecker). So if recreational football betting is your thing, it’s a wise choice.
  3. Best odds guaranteed. An essential feature for any racing Sportsbook, in my opinion. Betfair’s BOG applies to both UK and Irish horse race winner markets and selected UK and Irish greyhound race winner markets. It’s honoured on any price taken on singles and multiples after 8am on the day of the race.
  4. Exchange games. Betfair’s ‘Back & Lay’ betting exchange works great on virtual games, too. Take Blackjack as an example:  you’re shown all cards on the table and have to decide whether you’d like to bet for or against the (virtual) player. The odds are set by competing bettors — so the house edge is low. Mathematicians out there will fair the best.
  5. Excellent signup bonus. Betfair’s excellent Bookmaker signup package is far more generous than their Betting Exchange bonus. You can place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets. Repeat up to 5 times to receive maximum £100 bonus. 18+ only. Terms & conditions apply.
claim up to £100 in Free bets

SIGN UP TO BETFAIR TODAY

 

Other Approaches: