Betting on basketball has never been easier – and Bet UK has everything you need to get playing on the latest basketball odds today! Our sportsbook features more than 100 bet options on every NBA game, and offers detailed odds on Euroleague, the Euro Cup, women’s basketball and, of course, the NBA Playoffs. How can you do all of this? Check out our Basketball betting guide below to see the best way to bet on Basketball games.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to bet on basketball, what the best basketball bets are, and how to exploit live odds to your advantage.

How to bet on basketball

Bet UK delivers thousands of basketball betting odds every week of the NBA season, and there are plenty of other games to wager on too. If you’re new to basketball betting and don’t know how to bet, then let us take you through the process. First you need to sign up to Bet UK and make a deposit, before heading over to the basketball odds. Look through upcoming games and live markets, and find an outcome you like the look of.

For example, you might want to bet on Golden State to beat the Mavericks at odds of 2.00. Click or tap on the odds to open up your bet slip, and enter your stake. Check the potential profit for a winning bet, and double-check your stake, before hitting Place Bet.

And there you have it. You’ve bet on basketball and all there is left to do is to sit back and enjoy the game!

Best basketball bets

Basketball offers numerous betting options, catering to various preferences and strategies. Here at Bet UK we make sure there’s something for everyone. And here are the most popular bet types:

Win bet – Simply wager on which team you think will win a game. Because most basketball games go to overtime if it’s a draw, this is usually a win/lose wager.

Over/Unders – Over/Under bets, also known as totals, require bettors to predict whether the combined score of both teams will be above or below a predetermined number.

Handicaps – Handicap bets apply a points handicap to one team, in order to even out the odds. You could, for example, bet on the Heat to beat the Knicks with a -15.5 points handicap. Miami need to win by 16 points for you to win your wager.

Player Points – Wager on individual players to score above or below a set number of points.

Match Parlays – This combines more than one bet into a bigger wager. For example, you could bet on the Grizzlies to beat the Lakers and there be +226.5 points scored in the game.

NBA betting markets

NBA betting is big business here at Bet UK and our community take it seriously. Punters love to wager on points totals in games as a way of following NBA teams they may not support. You can bet on the best NBA odds right here at Bet UK and get access to boosts, special deals and great prices throughout the season.

We also offer outright wagers on:

• NBA Championship Winner
• Eastern Conference Winner
• Western Conference Winner
• Finals MVP Winner

Remember, you need to be signed in to your Bet UK account to place an NBA bet.

Euroleague betting

The Euroleague is Europe's premier basketball competition and offers a diverse range of betting opportunities for fans. Similar to the NBA, popular Euroleague betting options include win bet, over/unders and match parlays.

Euroleague is the perfect basketball league to bet on if you don’t want to stay up all night wagering on the NBA. Iconic teams Barcelona, Olympiacos, Real Madrid, Fenerbahce and Milan compete in Euroleague. Sadly the very best players eventually get picked up by the NBA, but the Euroleague odds remain competitive and are well worth checking out!

Live basketball betting

Here at Bet UK you can access live basketball betting odds throughout the year, and place wagers on games as they unfold in real-time. This dynamic betting format offers a thrilling experience, with odds constantly changing to reflect the on-court action.

We use the latest sports betting software to deliver live, uninterrupted odds changes direct to your device. It’s also possible to follow the live stats that run alongside in-play basketball bets, improving your knowledge and bet choices.

This means you can wager on NBA games in real time and react to events on the court. For example, if the Timberwolves take a shock lead against the Celtics, Boston’s odds may begin to increase. This could therefore be the perfect time to wager on the Celtics at a better price, and keep your fingers crossed that they pull the game around.

To place a live basketball bet simply follow the same steps as you would for any other wager. Sign into your Bet UK profile, make sure your account is charged, and click on the odds you want to back!

Basketball special bets

We know how much basketball betting fans love to dig into the detail. After all, this sport is as much about individual prowess as it is team success, so making sure there are plenty of special bets for specific players is hugely important. With that in mind, we’ve come up with a wide range of basketball special bets to cater for everyone.

Get access to special wagers such as:

Points, Rebounds & Assists – Bet on a player to score over/under a set number of points, rebounds and assists in a single game

First Points Scorer – Wager on who will score first in a game (not inc. free shots)

Triple Double – This is a bet on a player to score 10 or more points, rebounds and assists

Bet Builder – Use the Bet UK bet builder to craft your ultimate accumulator or parlay bet, and did into the details

Pre-Packs – Bet UK does the hard work for you by creating pre-pack combination bets and offering enhanced odds

NBA Draft – Wager on the NBA Draft and predict who will be the first pick this year

NBA Series Markets – You can bet on NBA series rather than just specific games. This is a great way to maximise your bet options and avoid fresh upsets.

For these betting markets, it may be worth looking at free basketball betting tips, particularly when looking at College Basketball rather than NBA bets, most people know about their favourite NBA team but when it comes to College Basketball, there is more of a niche knowledge.

Basketball Mobile Betting

Get the best basketball mobile betting experience when downloading the Bet UK app today! Our app provides players with access to the full Bet UK sportsbook, as well as great casino and live casino games. Trigger great bonuses when you join, access our full range of promotions, and make fast deposits and withdrawals via your phone or tablet.

The Bet UK app hosts every single basketball bet you can get on the website, so you won’t miss a thing. What’s more, you can follow live odds and stats throughout every NBA game, and get access to instant betting whenever you like!

Basketball Betting FAQs

Can I bet on NBA players?

Yes. You can bet on NBA players in every game of the season via the Bet UK sportsbook. Get access to great player basketball odds such as: total points, triple doubles, MVP and first points scorer.

How do I bet on basketball?

You can bet on basketball from your phone, tablet or computer by signing up to Bet UK today. We offer an extensive range of basketball bets, from the NBA and Euroleague through to the WNBA and the Olympics. Simply create a Bet UK account, make a deposit and then check out the basketball odds. Select a market you want to back, enter your stake into the pop-up bet slip, and hit Place Bet to get gaming!

What is the best basketball bet?

The best basketball bet for most players in the over/under markets. This is where you wager on a game to feature more or fewer than a specific number of points. For example, you might wager on the Celtic vs Mavericks game to feature +226.5 points. This is a popular bet because you don’t need to support either team to place it.

A guide to betting on Boxing

At its purest, boxing is a brain-bashing fight fest. Yet boxing is so much more than that. It's the noble art, a sport of heroes and villains, the pursuit of uncomplicated glory. There is no purer contest than that which channels humankind's primaeval instinct to fight.

No other sport is quite like boxing to bet on. Seeking out the victor between two fighters is embracive, stirring and gripping. Your bet is never truly out until one fighter delivers a killer blow.

There are as many as 1,000 professional boxing matches every year. The popularity of boxing has waxed and waned over the years but it’s booming right now. Enormous audiences tune in for the blockbuster pay-per-view bouts between boxing's warriors and the occasional fall guys who enter the ring accepting of the bashing they're about to take and wherever there is boxing, there is betting.

To successfully bet on boxing, you need to know the rules, understand how bouts are fought, know when to back favourites and when to opt for the underdog. Above all, you need to know when to jump on the best boxing bets that can yield a profit. However, it’s also important to remember that in the world of professional boxing, upsets do frequently happen. And for this reason, no bet is ever a dead cert, no matter what the pre-match stats may suggest.

How do Boxing and Betting combine?

For centuries, humans have gambled on ‘things’ that fight. Through time chroniclers have documented the frenzied wagering between observers of battling men, dogs, cockerels, bears and even rats.

Boxing and betting have a unique history. The Ancient Greeks idolised fighters in the early Olympics, viewing them as the pinnacle of the human form. As the supposed offspring of Hercules himself, fabled boxer Theagenes is said to have eaten his winnings from betting on himself to win a bout. His prize from that gambling gain was an adult bull.

Boxing continued through the ages, taking various forms but at its core always merely two opponents punching one and another. By the Victorian era, as sports became more professional and governed by codes, the rules of boxing as we know them had emerged.

By the 1940s and 50s, boxing was inextricably rooted in the criminal underworld. The Krays were all professional boxers in their youth and mingled with boxing champions. New York's murky gangland mobsters had intertwined their influence right through the fighters to the upper echelons of boxing nobility.

Today, boxing is the unadulterated, most compelling of combat sports. Every town in the land has an amateur boxing club and there are around 900 active professional boxers in the UK alone.

Boxing Fundamentals

To bet on boxing, the fundamental rule is to understand the laws of the sport and how each fight is governed.

In simple terms:

• Each boxing bout consists of “rounds” lasting three minutes each.
• There are between nine and 12 rounds per match depending on the format of the contest.
• The winner is the contestant who “knocks out” his or her opponent or wins on points awarded by a panel of up to three ringside judges.
• A knockout is where one fighter ends up on the deck and does not get up by the time the referee counts down from 10.
• Points are awarded to each boxer for events in a match, including knocking their opponent to the ground and for dominating a round. Points are deducted for breaking the rules.

If no winner emerges from the set number of rounds, as often happens, the judges will return:

• A unanimous decision (UD) - where all three judges agree on the points awarded.
• A split decision (SD) - when two of the three judges awarded a fighter more points than their opponent.
• A majority decision (MD) - when two of the judges picked a winner while the third had concluded a draw.
• A draw - where two of the judges decide the contest ended evenly, or where two of the judges pick a different victor and the other determines the bout was a draw.

Betting On Boxing - Know Your Boxers

Some boxers are household names and always will be. Think Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Frank Bruno. The current generation of big names in boxing includes Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder.

Fighting style and celebrity status can determine a fighter’s draw at the box office. It’s a prudent betting strategy to remove the hype out of the markets you’re perusing before a bout. Big names attract big money bets. That alone can impact the bets offered on a fighter's chances.

Flamboyant boxers win popularity contests before they even enter the ring. Arrogant fighters are loved or loathed without ever winning a belt. Show-boating boxers can be crowd-pleasers or sudden hate figures purely based on their performance in pre-match trash talk and “stare downs”.

Boxing is an emotional sport like no other. That’s what makes it such an exciting watch. But it pays to do a little research on a fighter rather than base your bets on public personas, notoriety or celebrity status.

It’s also essential to note that there are 17 weight classes in boxing. Each fighter is entered into a class dependent on how heavy they are.

This can form a solid base on which to build a boxing betting strategy. You may choose to follow bantamweights, featherweights or heavy weights for example. You can then identify the best in each division along with those emerging as the next big thing and then pick your bets accordingly.

How Do Boxing Markets Work?

There are a handful of boxing bet types that tend to dominate the markets for each bout.

You will find that the bets available on boxing are fewer than the multitude offered in other sports betting markets such as football, tennis and cricket. That means to develop a successful strategy for betting on boxing requires carefully selected wagers.

If you’re not quite sure how boxing betting odds work and how they are calculated, why not check out our betting odds explained blog for more information.

Outright Winner Bets In Boxing

As much to the point as a punch in the chops, an outright bet is simply backing one fighter to beat the other. Often, the favourite in a boxing bout will be priced at a relatively short price. You'd have to put a sizeable stake on to achieve a decent return but there are ways to bolster the odds in this type of fight. This is a fairly simple bet that follows in the footsteps of the likes of football betting and horse racing betting.

Winning Method Bets In Boxing

A winning method bet involves predicting just how the eventual victor will win a bout. You have a straightforward choice in most markets. Either your chosen winner will emerge from the fight victorious by:

• A knockout (KO)
• The decision of the judges
• A technical knockout (TKO) whereby the referee decides a boxer can’t continue in the fight.

If a boxer is a heavy favourite in a bout, you will gain better odds by betting that they will win as a result of a KO. If you determine that one fighter is far superior to the other, there may be a good chance they will win with a knockout.

Alternatively, a boxer may approach a fight from a highly tactical perspective. One contestant might aim to see out each of the rounds in a bid to leave the decision on who wins to the judges. Remember, judges are human and their award of points can be somewhat subjective.

Betting on a points win can be a good strategy to consider when backing the non-favourite in a match. Or it can be the pick when two fighters are evenly matched in the odds and will cancel each other out in each of the rounds meaning an eventual victory on points is likely.

In some cases, a boxing match may end in a technical decision. This usually happens when the match needs to be stopped for reasons such as injury, and in such cases, the judges’ scorecards will be referred to in order to identify which boxer was winning at the point the match had to be stopped. As long as a pre-set number of rounds have been completed, the technical decision means boxing betting results will be settled as a win for the declared victor.

Boxing Rounds Explained

Round betting is where you select a specific round, or group of rounds, in which you expect the winner to knock out his or her opponent, or for one fighter to be declared unfit to continue and therefore lose.

If the outright odds are low, round betting is a good way to identify additional value from a fight. It might, at first glance, appear to be a pick akin to sticking a tail on a donkey but round betting has its merits.

Some boxers start a bout quickly and may have form for knocking out opponents early in a match. In this case, opting for your expected victor to win in one of the opening rounds may make sense. You can expand your chances of a win here by selecting a fighter to win in rounds one to three (the odds will be shorter in a group of rounds bet than a specific round bet).

Alternatively, some boxers are steady sloggers. They might start slowly and eventually ground their opponent down. Here, you would pick a later round, or group of rounds, in which you predict the winner will eventually claim victory.

Remember, unlike many sports, boxing bouts can be over really quickly. Often, winning a fight comes down to one strategically placed punch or a lucky strike just in the right place when an opponent’s guard is momentarily down. Mike Tyson won 26 of his first 28 professional bouts by a knockout in the first round. Some boxers have even gone an entire career only ever winning with a first-round KO.

Boxing Strategy

There’s a lot of entertainment when watching your boxing. Alongside this, confident bettors tend to place a few small bets on a whim, a hunch or by picking their favourite fighter. But that type of approach often doesn’t tend to yield much of a profit over the longer term.

For many fans, a boxing betting strategy is the preferred way to select which bets to place. Betting strategies don’t necessarily need to be overly complex - though you can dive into tactics as deeply as you wish.

At its core, boxing is a simple sport; two opponents go toe to toe with the aim of knocking each other out. Therefore many boxing betting strategies come down to studying each boxer and making a decision as to which odds offer the best value.

You may want to consider form in recent matches, the outcome if the two boxers have clashed previously, what shape each boxer is in directly before the match, how their sizes and weights compare and whether boxers tend to perform better on home soil or when they travel internationally to a bout.

With two boxers who are in peak shape, the winner of a bout will be the one who punches hardest, hits their target most decisively, and displays the superior footwork and defensive skills necessary to avoid the blows of their opponent. The nuances and complexities of boxing emerge when you add in the rules of the sport and the tactics and characteristics of individual fighters.

You can potentially increase your chances of a winning boxing bet by studying the form of each boxer ahead of the fight. You can maximise the probability of winning in the secondary markets by assessing the characteristics of each contestant and how they attempt to ‘manage’ their bouts; helping you identify which bets look to have the most favourable odds.

Ultimately, the winner of a boxing match is often simply the bigger, the heavier and the stronger fighter who has put more into training for the match than their opponent. And that is what makes betting on boxing so entertaining. So, enjoy the adrenaline of a bout, cheer on your hero and stay within your limits.

For more betting guides check out our blog.

Guide to Betting on eSports

Bet UK's online betting doesn't just hit the target with traditional sports but also features betting on the new ever-growing esports market. A growing favourite with bettors worldwide, the global esports betting market continues to grow with well-known teams such as Fnatic, G2, Cloud 9 and Liquid paving the way as the leaders in League of Legends betting.

Here at Bet UK, not only do we offer a huge range of sports betting markets, you wager on League of Legends in esports betting UK markets, you can also bet on DOTA 2, bet on CS-GO and more! You can bet on single matches or add multiple different selections to your bet slip as you browse esports odds to create an accumulator with larger odds.

How are odds calculated for eSports?

Even if you're new to esports betting, you'll have a wide selection to choose from at Bet UK. Whether you're placing a bet on League of Legends or you prefer to browse the Dota 2 betting markets, or you're looking to place a call of duty bet, we'll have all of the top markets.

However, placing esports bets can be completely different to some of the other online sports betting we offer. Every match, whether it's the leading markets in League of Legends betting, CS, or Dota 2, will have a match favourite. Within the betting odds, you'll also be able to predict who will win a specific part of each game, including maps, kills and in-game objectives.

The Biggest esports Events

The popularity of eSports continues to grow, with new introductions of online video games being added to betting markets regularly. The esports calendar continues all year round, and we'll also have all of the esports betting odds for the key tournaments that we've listed below.

League of Legends Betting

One of the significant eSports betting markets at Bet UK is League of Legends. For those new to esports, this game is one of the most popular worldwide, with League of Legends teams from Europe, the USA, China, and South Korea all battling it out for places with the League of Legends World Championships on offer.

As well as the World Championships, there is also the League of Legends MSI tournament, so there will be plenty of opportunities to browse the LOL Betting Markets. Whether you're looking to bet on outright betting of each game, who'll win the number of games in a specific match, or the number of towers to be taken. League of Legends betting markets can change throughout the match, so be sure to take a look at the live in-play betting options when taking a look at all of the esports odds.

Bet on League of Legends

CS Betting at Bet UK

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive or CS, as it is more commonly known in the eSports world, is a first-person shooter that sees two teams face off against each other in major tournaments across the globe. The biggest of those is the Major Championship, and the team with the most victories is Astralis. Here at Bet UK, we offer top esports betting odds for all major leagues and invitationals, including total maps betting and individual rounds for each game. As well as our betting odds, we'll also have top CS betting predictions for big events throughout the year.

Bet on CS

eSports Betting on Dota 2 at Bet UK

See the top teams in the world clash in Dota 2. Played between two teams of five players, this game is all about defending your own area on the map. First developed back in 2009, the game has developed into an online phenomenon, and The International is one of the most-watched esports tournaments in the world.

How to Find eSports Tips

Looking for an exclusive insight into the next big esports tournament or not sure to pick from in the esports betting odds? Here at Bet UK, we have you covered with our selection of eSports betting tips that will feature all of the bigs sports on offer, so whether you're looking to place a LOL bet or you're on the lookout for CSGO betting predictions, you'll find them all in our esports tips.

Guide to betting live on eSports

One of the draws of esports is the fast-paced action that can happen instantly. All of the esports betting odds we have at Bet UK will offer live in-play betting for each of the games in play, so whether you're watching Fnatic league of legends team or the top players across Dota 2 or Starcraft, you'll be able to place a bet on the next in-game action. If you're looking for our eSports live betting , then head over to our live in-play betting page at Bet UK and click esports. Here you'll find all the latest odds and betting combinations.

More Betting Guides

Looking for more insight into the main eSports we have on offer at Bet UK, then why not browse our specific betting guides where you'll find all the key details on how to bet on League of Legends, CS and Dota 2. Not only that, but we'll also tell you the key teams to look out for and who could come out on top in the biggest tournaments. For more information check out our betting guides page.

Guide to placing bets on the League of Legends game

Riot Games’ League of Legends is one of the biggest eSports platforms in the world. With top leagues and LOL eSports competitions happening in the USA, Europe, China and South Korea, every region has top sides vying for the prestige of winning the League of Legends World Championship.

Given its popularity, it's no surprise that League of Legends betting and eSports Markets have become so popular and open up new avenues for current fans to follow their favourite League of Legends teams in a different way.

From the first game of the season to the final at the Worlds Championships, Bet UK will have all of the LOL betting markets and top eSports odds, so you'll have the chance to place an eSports bet on every game victory.

Can you bet on League of Legends?

The simple answer to that question is yes! Bet UK offers top eSports betting on all of the biggest leagues operating in the sport. Not only that, alongside LOL betting odds, we'll have esports betting tips and, more specifically, League of Legends betting tips which punters can view before each of the main events

How to find odds for LoL

If you're new to online betting or eSports betting, one of the first things you'll need to do is to interpret and understand the odds on offer before you delve into the League of Legends betting markets. Like many other traditional [sports betting markets such as Football or Cricket, punters can place an eSports bet on the winner of all the LOL matches being played.

Alongside LOL betting markets before a match commences, during the games, punters can also browse League of Legends betting markets in-play. This means players can wager on who will take the first objective, who will take the first dragon, first baron or which team will take first blood while the action is taking place.

Bet on League of Legends

What League of Legends markets are offered during a game?

Throughout a game punters may notice many League of Legends in-play betting markets and we've provided explanations to some of the eSports markets they're likely to encounter during League of Legends matches

What is betting on first blood in League of Legends?

One of the first LOL betting categories punters will come across is First Blood Betting. Normally occurring in the first 5-10 minutes of a game, the first blood is the first kill of an enemy player. Punters can browse the LOL betting markets and wager on who will commit the first blood kill, just like the winner of the game.

What is first dragon betting in League of Legends

One of the main objectives offered with a League of Legends game is the Dragon mob. Available periodically in each match, punters can place an eSports bet on who will take the first of these ingame objectives.

What is first baron betting in League of Legends

Alongside the dragon on the game map, one of the other global objectives punters can bet on players winning first is Baron Nashor. Normally available as both an in-play market and before each game, the odds for this are determined by which team has successfully secured the objective in previous games.

How many games can I bet on during each League of Legends Match?

Like many other multiplayer online battle arena games, during the regular season, teams will compete against each other once in the League of Legends league tournament format. However, during the finals of those competitions or during the world championship, it will revert to a best of five format.

League of Legends Tournaments

Like many sports, League of Legends has tournaments that run alongside the main league throughout the season. First up is League of Legends MSI or Mid Seasonal Invitational, where spring split winners will go head to head for the first worldwide trophy on offer. However, the biggest tournament where LoL Betting will take place is the League of Legends World Championships.

Live In-play League of Legends Games

As with many of the sports available at Bet UK, we also have live in-play eSports betting markets available on League of Legends. With many punters actively watching the game, they may wish to wait until after the pick and ban phase of a game to make their selection as it's here they'll see which champions are being played. Each champion can have a different effect on the game, and if they are currently in the META, this could also influence your decision.

Remember at Bet UK, whether you're choosing to place a bet on the LCS or the current games happening in the LCK, we'll have all of the live in-play eSports betting odds, so you'll always have the chance to bet on who'll take the nexus in-play.

League of Legends Tips

Throughout all of the League of Legends season and across all of the Leagues, we'll be selecting all top eSports betting tips so you can place a LOL bet with the right information.

League of Legends FAQs

What is League of Legends?

For those bettors who have zero knowledge of eSports or eSports betting, let's offer a quick explanation of this online video game. Developed in 2009, League of Legends is a MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena Video Games) game where players compete in teams of five across a structured map attempting to destroy a structure called the 'Nexus' in the other team's base.

What does the League of Legends Map look like?

Split into three main walkways for players to mobilise their champions down. The first aim of the game in LOL eSports is to take opponents towers within that lane to gain lane priority. There is a section of the map in between lanes called the jungle, which also offers players the chance to increase their level by killing camps. But levels also increase by killing opposing champions and other high-level mobs such as Baron, Dragons and Rift Herald.

What is the difference between the LEC and the LCS?

Before placing an eSports, it's important to know which country and indeed which league you're actually betting on. The LEC is the primary tournament that is played in Europe and operates in a league format that features ten teams who face off weekly in the spring split, summer split and the finals of each of those. The winners of the summer split, and two other teams from the league will head to Worlds. The LCS is a similar tournament that operates in the USA and also has ten key teams which compete in spring and summer tournaments, with the winners of the latter also heading to the World Championships just like the LEC.

Who are the top LEC and LCS teams?

Within the LEC, there are ten teams. However, G2, Fnatic, Rogue, and Mad Lions are the top well-known teams. However, in the LCS, it's Cloud 9, Team Liquid, TSM and Golden Guardians who are the ones to watch.

What other League of Legends teams are there?

Those familiar with the eSports betting world will be aware that teams from all over the globe feature. In League of Legends, the other primary leagues alongside the LEC and LCS the most popular league in Europe and the USA, are the LCK, which operates in South Korea the LPL, which features teams from China.

What is the Pick and Ban Phase?

Before every competitive League of Legends game, there will be a phase where players select their champions for the upcoming game. They will also ban other champions from the selection process, which means their opponents will not have the ability to pick them.

What are the roles played by competitive players?

There are five different positions or roles that you will see a professional eSports players play. These are top laner, jungler, midlaner, adc and support.

What does META stand for in League of Legends?

Used both during a game and to help people make educated decisions before placing a bet on League of Legends, META stands for the 'most effective tactics available.

Where can I view League of Legends Matches?

Game developers Riot offer those who want to view LOL matches live and in person at various locations across the globe. However, for those who wish to watch League of Legends from home while browsing the LOL betting markets, there are live streams for each game on Riots website, YouTube and Twitch.

If you're looking for more betting guides, check out our blog where you can also find a fantastic eSports betting guide

Football is recognised as the world's most loved sport, being played on the streets everywhere from Stockholm to Sao Paulo, and watched all over the globe on millions of TV sets. Thanks to the widespread broadcasting of football, you don't need to be in the stadium to enjoy the buzz of two teams going at it. And even if you don't support one of the clubs involved, football betting can make each match important, adding to the engagement and anticipation of every game.

Before you start betting on football, it’s important to understand how football betting markets work, the types of bets that are available and what football betting odds mean. So let’s look further into all the football betting essentials, including how to bet on 'The Beautiful Game', what you can bet on, the different types of bets you can make, and the main competition formats you can expect.

How to guide on placing a bet on football

From international showpieces like the World Cup and European Championships to the top domestic club leagues like the Premier League and La Liga, football gives us a packed calendar full of meaningful matches to bet on. Football markets offer some of the most high profile competitions in the world, as well as a plethora of domestic competitions to dive into. Whether you like to place regular bets on football, have the occasional punt from time to time, or are getting started with sports betting, it seems there is never a shortage of fixtures on which to place wagers - but what are the kind of bets you can make?

Match Betting

Many of the available football bets you will see concern the outcome, or events within, a match between two teams. Betting on the outcome of a football match is perhaps the most common type of bet placed within football betting markets. However, along with backing who will win a particular match, there is a range of markets that are typically offered on each game, and we will break down the different types of match bets available in more detail further down the page.

Competition Betting

It isn't just the winner of matches, or events within matches, which you can bet on. There are markets for the overall winner of competitions that allow you to place a bet on the eventual champion. It could be a knockout tournament played over a period of a few weeks (such as the World Cup and European Championships), European knockout competitions spread over the course of a season (such as the Champions League and Europa League), or domestic league seasons which last for the majority of the year (such as La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga or The Premier League outright betting).

This type of betting allows you to predict the best team over the course of a competition, rather than just one game. This might mean that there is less chance of an upset or unlikely outcome. But not always - remember Leicester City's amazing Premier League title win in 2015/16? They were available at 5,000-1 to become champions at one stage.

But it’s not only the outright winner of competitions that you can bet on. In league formats, you can place wagers on whether a team will finish in the top 2, 3, or 4 positions and so on. You may also place a bet on whether a team will be relegated to the division below after finishing in the bottom two or three positions. Or you could pick the specific teams you think will be relegated. For example in English Premier League relegation betting, you might place a bet on one or more teams that you think will be relegated to the Championship come the end of the season.

Each-way betting in football means you can pick a team to win a competition, or simply reach the final. This effectively halves your stake into two different bets - one for the tournament win, and the other for reaching the final, or in the case of a league format, coming second.

Individual Football Player Betting

While football is a team sport, it also relies on the brilliance of individuals. As such, there are individual accolades that you can wager on. Top goalscorer in a particular competition is a popular example of betting on individuals. There are also events relating to individual players that you can bet on within matches - we will cover this in our section on the different types of football bets available.

Each year, there are several awards handed out to the best players in a country (e.g. PFA Player of the Year), continent (e.g. Ballon d'Or), or around the world (e.g. FIFA World Player of the Year). You may also find markets for the winner of these awards, available to bet on every season.

In-Play Football Betting

Over the past few years, football betting online has been taken to the next level with in-play betting. This type of live football betting sees the odds change as the match progresses. In general, most of the markets available before a match will also be available in-play. But there can be some exceptions, such as the first goalscorer for instance.

In-play betting offers the opportunity to 'see how the land lies' before placing a bet. It means you can wait for certain odds to lengthen before pouncing, or just watch some of the action to get a feel for the game before placing a wager.

In-play betting also means that you can adapt your betting style depending on how the game seems to be unfolding, potentially recovering some of the losses you think might be incurred if the game doesn’t seem to be going how you originally anticipated.

Which Types Of Football Bet Are Available?

Now let's hone in on football match betting specifically. Which kind of bets can you expect when betting on a match? Here are some of the most common:

Match Outcome In Football Betting

This might be the most common type of bet in football. Match outcome requires you to predict the outcome of a fixture. So you would place a wager on either team winning, or a draw. Depending on which team is more highly rated, who is playing at home, and recent form, odds can vary significantly for a match outcome.

Over/Under Football Bet

An over/under bet in football is whether there will be over or under a certain amount of goals during a game. This is typically set as 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and upwards. If you think that a game is bound to produce a few goals - perhaps due to the weakness of the respective defences - you might be tempted by the odds for an over, whereas when two teams with misfiring attacks and solid defences meet, the under might seem more attractive.

For example, a bet on under 2.5 goals means that the match would need to finish 1-1, 2-0, 0-0 or any combination where the total number of goals in the game was under 2.5 i.e. 2 or less.

Remember, the odds are likely to reflect the defensive and attacking capabilities of two teams - so just because two teams tend to score a lot of goals, that doesn't necessarily mean that the value is in the over. As with other types of football match bet, factors such as form and team selection should also be considered.

Correct Score

When you place a bet on the correct score, there is typically higher risk than a match outcome or over/under bet. A correct score bet simply requires you to predict the final score at the end of the match. This is a potentially more profitable bet which you can lengthen the odds of further by betting on a correct score double or accumulator (we will cover these types of bets further on in this section). If you have a hunch that a game will finish as a particular scoreline, a correct score bet can be your chance to cash in. A good way to approach correct score betting is to consider if one or both teams will score at all. Once you have decided, then settle on the number of goals.

Both Teams To Score

Both teams to score (also known as BTTS and goal-no goal) is along the same lines as a correct score bet, but is a simpler choice - will both teams score during the match, or not? If you bet 'yes', a score of at least 1-1 is required for you to win, while taking 'no' on a BTTS bet in football sees you win if the game ends 0-0, or 1-0 to either side. BTTS has become popular on the in-play market, with events such as goals, substitutions and tactical changes having the ability to swing the odds.

Goalscorer Guide

Has a striker on one of the two teams found their shooting boots in recent weeks? Or perhaps a midfielder has a record of popping up with goals against a certain team? These are reasons why you might choose to place a first goalscorer bet, which quite simply requires you to pick which player on either team will score the first goal. This is a high risk but potentially profitable market, and seems sure to have you on the edge of your seat until the net bulges for the first time!

Handicap Guide

Handicap betting refers to a betting system that imposes a certain handicap on the favourite before the match starts. For example, if Bayern Munich played Schalke, a handicap market could have heavy favourites Bayern at -2 and underdogs Schalke at +2. That means if you placed a handicap bet on Schalke, you would win the bet if they won, drew, or lost by less than two goals. Conversely, if you picked Bayern in the same handicap market, they would have to win by more than two goals for the bet to win.

A football handicap bet could be part of a three-way handicap market, which would also have a betting option for the handicap tie (a handicap tie would be if Bayern won by two goals in this scenario), or in the case of no draw handicap betting, using decimal handicaps of 0.5, 1.5, 2.5 and so on, can ensure that there is no draw option, as the final handicap score will always be a win for either team.

Handicap betting is a way of 'levelling the playing field' in football matches with a heavy favourite and a big underdog. For example, the normal match outcome odds for Bayern Munich vs Schalke might be very slim for Bayern the favourites, making a punt on them appear pointless. Equally, you might think that Schalke have such a small chance of winning that there is little point in making a wager. With a handicap market, the odds are made more attractive thanks to the application of the respective handicaps.

Accumulator Guide

Whether it is a double (two selections), a treble (three selections), four-fold, five-fold or upwards - an accumulator bet relies on all your selections winning in order for you to win the bet. However, if you pick five teams to win on an accumulator, also known as an ‘acca’ and they are all victorious, you can expect much higher winnings than if you had bet on them in five separate bets. That's because accumulators multiply together to give you a 'jackpot'. But remember - it just takes one selection to go wrong for your accumulator to return nothing.

When it comes to football accumulators, one of the most popular forms is to bet on a number of matches happening on the same day, or over the course of a few days. This means that win or lose, the result can be known reasonably quickly. Other types of football accas can include bets involving matches across a variety of leagues or competitions, or on matches taking place over the course of a season.

Odds Guide

As with all types of sports betting, one of the most important pieces of information to look at when betting on football is the odds on offer for the wager you’d like to make. Being aware of the odds, along with your own opinion of how individual teams or players will perform can help you to find value in football betting markets.

If we take a typical bet on the outcome of a match between Manchester City and Sheffield United as an example. You might see the odds for the game shown as:

Manchester City: 1/6

Sheffield United: 15/1

Draw: 8/1

The underdog - in this case, Sheffield United - would typically be listed at longer odds to win the game. This means that if you backed them to win and they went on to win the match, your profit would be larger than if you had backed the favourites, typically listed at shorter odds, and that team ended up as winners.

In this example, backing Man. City to win the game would mean that for every five pounds you bet on this outcome, you would receive a pound returned if the bet was successful. In this instance, a £5 bet on Manchester City to win the match would return £6 (£1 profit plus your initial stake) if they did in fact win the game. Conversely, betting on Sheffield United to win would mean that if successful, a £1 stake would return £16.

The available odds in a market represent the likelihood that a particular outcome will unfold. Longer odds mean that something is less likely to happen, and therefore while these bets can result in higher profits if successful, they do usually carry more risk. Understanding betting odds is therefore fundamental to identifying which bets you wish to back.

football betting Competition Formats

So which are the competitions you should be looking out for as a football bettor? In this section, we look at the most prominent cups and leagues that are contested, along with popular bets to make on outright markets.

Betting On International Football Tournaments

Seen by some as the pinnacle of the sport, tournaments such as the World Cup and European Championships only come around every four years, when they are sure to be the focus of sports fans and casual punters. After a long qualification process, the countries left in the competition will battle it out for international supremacy. These tournaments typically start with a group phase, followed by a knock-out competition which culminates in a final. While they are usually won by the traditional powerhouse countries - such as Brazil, Germany or Italy - every now and then, you might get a surprise winner. Think Greece at the 2004 Euros!

There is also the UEFA Nations League, which was set up to replace international friendlies. This can provide countries with an alternative route to the World Cup and European Championships qualification play-offs.

Popular bets include the winner, top goalscorer, a winner/top goalscorer double, naming the finalists, and predicting which teams will qualify from the group phase.

Betting On European Football

As the world’s most popular sport, it follows that betting on football is a big deal. As home to some of the biggest tournaments in the beautiful game, European football is watched by a global audience stretching to billions every year.

Football in Europe is dominated by the ‘big five’ domestic leagues along with the Champions League and the Europa League played out between qualifiers from individual nations.

Then every four years, the European Championships roll around featuring the major nations which make up UEFA, the governing body of football on the continent.

As well as betting on the results of matches and tournaments, every kick of a ball, every incident in a match, every passage of play and every feat achieved by individual players can be backed in online football betting.

It pays to know which leagues to follow, how each competition works and how to spot a little value that could provide an edge in your football picks to return a profit. Once you understand the basics of football betting, taking a look at European markets can offer a whole new world of options.

European Competitions

The UEFA Champions League is the most glamorous club competition in football. The annual tournament pits the biggest clubs and the best players in the world against each other.

The Champions League plays out in preliminary rounds before the group stage proper. The winners and runners-up of each pool then enter the knock-out stages which run through to the final usually played in late May or early June.

The premier teams from each country tend to qualify from the group stage, but from the round of 16 onwards, almost anything can happen because of the sheer quality of each team that has made it through.

Betting on the Champions League provides a range of opportunities, from selecting the overall winner of the tournament to betting on the outcome and events unfolding in individual Champions League matches throughout the season. And as one of the highlights of the European footballing calendar, Champions League final betting is always popular with fans as the two remaining teams go head to head for the chance to lift the European Cup.

The Europa League runs alongside the Champions League and sits second in terms of prestige. Betting on the Europa League is an entertaining affair thanks to its breadth of competition and unpredictable outcomes.

The Europa League tends to feature some of Europe’s less fashionable - yet mostly still massive - clubs. There’s a huge amount of games (almost double that of the Champions League) and there’s often a lot of goals and plenty of upsets, which means there’s plenty of opportunity to make all kinds of different European football wagers.

The Europa League follows a similar format to the Champions League with the additional edge that teams can move between the Europa League and the Champions League at certain stages of each competition.

Betting On The Biggest Domestic Leagues In European Football

The premier competitions in European domestic football are:

The English Premier League

With fans all over the world as well as in the UK, Premier League betting is one of the most popular markets of any domestic football competition. The Premier League season runs from August to May, with each of the 20 teams playing 38 matches.

Bet on the Premier League

The Bundesliga in Germany

With 18 teams each playing 36 games across the season which runs from August to May, there is plenty of opportunities to bet on the Bundesliga, with the top four teams at the end of the season qualifying for a spot in the Champions League.

Bet on the German Bundesliga

Serie A in Italy

Italy’s top professional league features 20 clubs including the likes of Lazio, AC Milan and Inter who each play 38 games between August and May. Famous for a slightly slower-paced, defence-orientated style, football in Italy has some of the most passionate fans in attendance and betting on Serie A is popular throughout the world.

Bet on Italy's Serie A

La Liga in Spain

Home to giants of club football Barcelona and Real Madrid, La Liga regularly attracts some of the most famous players in the game and has been rated as the top league in Europe by UEFA more times than any other. It’s perhaps no surprise that La Liga betting is also incredibly popular, with 20 clubs each playing 38 games during the season which usually runs from August to May.

Bet on Spain's La Liga

Ligue 1 in France

Featuring 20 teams that each play 38 games between August and May, there are plenty of opportunities to bet on Ligue 1, France’s top-flight domestic football league. With some high profile clubs such as PSG, as well as a number of fierce rivalries, there’s always entertainment to be had throughout the season.

Bet on France's La Liga

The unique nature of betting on the top tiers of European football is the breadth of quality on offer and the unique nature of each league. Which league is best is a debate as fierce as the rivalries which exist in each one:

• The English Premier League (EPL) is the wealthiest top division in the world.
• The Bundesliga attracts the largest average attendances.
• La Liga has the two richest clubs in the world.
• Ligue 1 can claim to be the fastest improving - propelled by the successes of the national team and Paris St Germain.
• Serie A is enjoying a huge renaissance in the quality on offer and its pure competitiveness.

Some of these leagues are dominated by one or two clubs such as Barcelona and Real Madrid in Spain. Others have a handful of clubs likely to be in the running for the title each year such as the ‘top four’ in England. That can mean that the biggest teams are usually priced at short odds. It also means that an upset with a less likely winner could return a healthy profit.

Beyond the dominant clubs in each European league, there is enormous competition between those who tend to occupy the midtable positions and those who perennially battle against relegation. The annual fight against the drop in the EPL is as intense as the race for the title and generates almost as many column inches in the press.

Scouring Europe’s Other Leagues For Value Bets

It’s also worth looking further afield for some of the most exciting football in Europe. Take the Turkish Süper Lig which is renowned for the passion of its fans and the intense competition between the clubs of Istanbul - Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Besiktas.

The Portuguese Primeira Liga annually produces some of the finest young players on the continent plus teams who regularly perform better than the odds suggest in European competitions. Meanwhile, the Dutch Eredivisie has a legion of loyal followers who lap up the action for the entertaining football on offer.

To really gain an edge when betting on football it can even pay dividends to become an expert on one of the lesser-backed leagues. The Polish Ekstraklasa, Scottish Premier League and the Championship in England are as varied in the football on offer as they are the individual intrigue as to which teams will prosper.

Europe’s Best Cup Competitions To Bet On

Alongside league football in Europe, each nation has an assortment of cup competitions that operate on a knock-out format.

The FA Cup is the oldest cup competition in the world. Played in a one-leg format, the FA Cup is renowned for its ‘magic’ which regularly produces surprise results with the big clubs being knocked out by lesser opposition, and FA Cup betting can sometimes provide unlikely wins. Likewise, the Coupe de France is played in a similar format and actually tends to produce more upsets than its English equivalent.

Spain’s Copa del Rey differs in that all ties from the round of 32 to the semi-final stage are played over two legs. That means the top sides tend to be favoured as they are less likely to be knocked out by weaker teams.

The Coppa Italia only pits teams home and away in the semi-finals while the DFB-Pokal in Germany seeds teams in the early rounds meaning top Bundesliga sides are guaranteed to come up against opposition from the lower leagues. This either produces a near-certain outcome or a massive shock result.

How To Bet On European Football

The breadth of European football means there are dozens of competitions to bet on and thousands of matches every week. Once you’ve picked your league, competition, team or player to follow, the best chance of making a profit is to understand the bets on offer.

European Football Outright Bets

One of the most popular bet types is simply backing a team to win a tournament. This type of wager is known as an “outright”.

You don’t necessarily need to pick a winner before the competition starts. You can bet on a victor as the competition progresses but the odds will tend to fall as the likely eventual champions become clearer.

Match Result Bets In European Football

Match result markets are self-explanatory. The options are for a team to win the game within 90 minutes or you can bet on the outcome being a draw.

A double-chance bet allows you to cover two out of three outcomes of a match. You can back the home team or a draw, or the away team or a draw. The likelihood of a successful bet increases but the odds will be lower.

You will also find half-time/full-time bets. You are gambling that a team will be winning, drawing or losing at half-time, followed by them winning, drawing or losing at full-time. The odds on this type of bet tend to be higher than straight match result picks.

Over/Under Bets in European Football

The most popular type of bet in the over/under betting market is to predict that there will be over 1.5 or 2.5 goals in a match but it can be a higher number.

This is where research into the form of the teams can really pay - both in attack and defence. If a strong side with in-form goalscorers is coming up against a weaker defence, then over bets might be the ones to pick. If two defensive line-ups are facing each other, the under will often be the ones to look at.

Correct Score Betting In European Football

Difficult to get right, but the rewards can be high if you predict what the final score will be after 90 minutes of play. However, sometimes certain teams have a tendency to play out certain scorelines. For example, sometimes sides will have a tendency to gain a 1-1 draw. This could be as a result of the pattern of their play. Some teams go a goal ahead then try to hang on and later concede, while some have a habit of snatching a last gasp equaliser. Take a look at the form of each team and see if there is a trend like this.

Individual Player Markets In European Football

There are a huge number of bets you can place on individual players in games doing certain things. The most common is who will be the first goalscorer, the last goalscorer or will score at any time during the match.

You might find really good odds offered on a defender scoring who tends to come forward during attacking set-pieces or a player who is the manager’s favoured taker of penalties.

You will also find bets offered on who will receive a yellow card, who will be sent off or even how many shots on target a player will have. Some players are simply disciplined more often during a match than others or some will shoot on sight of goal and have more shots per game. Researching player stats can reap rewards with these types of bets.

Handicap Betting In European Football

Handicap betting is now incredibly popular in European football markets. A handicap is applied in a way that effectively levels the playing field between two teams.

Typically a strong team will have a -1.5 handicap against a weaker team, who will, in turn, have a +1.5 handicap. Simply this means your team would need to win by two goals or more when betting with a -1.5 handicap. If you choose to bet on the +1.5 handicap, your bet would win if your team won, drew, or lost by only one goal. All manner of other handicap levels are usually available on matches, including Champions League handicap betting options.

Accumulator Bets In European Football

Accas are massive in football. You combine multiple selections from more than one market and the odds will be multiplied to create a potentially massive payout, even on relatively small stakes. Lots of research here can really pay off if you pick a winning combination, and of course, it pays to understand how accumulator bets work before making your picks.

European Football In-Play Betting

Another type of betting which is now huge during football matches is gambling on outcomes as the match plays out live. The number of options you can bet on as the game is “in-play” can be enormous and adds to the pure entertainment of watching a fixture. With the quality of football on display in competitions such as the Champions League, in-play betting only helps to make the action on the pitch even more engaging.

How To Find Value In Betting On European Football

In its simplest terms, finding value in football betting means identifying an edge to help pick a market that will return a profit.

Because there are so many games in European football, with so many individual outcomes of competitions, matches and events during play, there is always value to be found somewhere.

There are all manner of calculations and strategies used by experienced punters to find value. But the basics of finding value in European football betting are to:

• Identify underdogs who have a chance of victory.

• Research results to find a team who may be coming into form at just the right time to upset the odds.

• Identify a team whose likelihood of victory has been “underplayed” by the odds.

• Follow football stats services to identify certain traits of teams. For example, a team may get a lot of corners in a match or more than the average number of yellow cards.

• Monitor in-play betting markets to spot opportunities where odds change to provide better value.

All of that barely scrapes the surface of how to bet on European football. But that is the beauty of the beautiful game. Betting on football can be as simple or as in-depth as you make it, just like the game itself. Above all, have fun when betting and know your limits.

Betting On Domestic Football Leagues

As a global sport, domestic competitions take place all around the world and it’s usually possible to place bets on matches taking place in a range of different domestic leagues.

These leagues - such as the Premier League in England, Serie A in Italy, La Liga in Spain, Bundesliga in Germany, and Ligue 1 in France - can be considered the 'bread and butter' of our football diet, giving us a steady stream of fixtures across most of the year.

For example, Premier League betting, provides opportunities to bet on all of the games that take place over a season, as well as which team will be crowned champions once the season is over. The same is also true for Serie A betting for the Italian football season and La Liga betting for Spanish domestic football.

Popular domestic league football bets include the winner, which teams will be relegated, top goalscorer, next manager to leave their post, and if a team will finish in the top four.

So whether you’re a die-hard football fan or someone who is simply interested in finding the best betting options, this amazing sport continues to give us so much joy and excitement, along with a world of betting opportunities season after season. And while there are always teams who are considered to be the elite of world football, upsets do happen, which means that sometimes even the most unlikely of bets can pay off.

Betting on greyhounds remains one of the most exciting and traditional ways to place sports bets in the UK. And, even though the greyhound industry has shrunk in recent years, there is still a dedicated, passionate community that thrives on this sport.

If you’re new to greyhound betting then get ready to explore this fascinating, welcoming sport. From the nightly dogs' races at Doncaster and Crayford, to the biggest meetings of the year held at Central Park and Perry Bar, we’ve got you covered with extensive greyhound odds, special bets and live streams.

In this guide, we’ll explain how greyhound racing works, how to bet on greyhound dogs, what the best markets are and how you can live stream greyhounds every night of the week.

Discover the best greyhound racing bet options, what happens in the Greyhound Grand National, and ways to play the odds to your advantage!

Guide to Greyhound markets

Before we look at how to place a greyhound bet, it’s worth exploring the various bet types you can wager on. Here at Bet UK, we offer four main bet types on each race: Win, Each Way, Forecast and Tricast.

Here’s a bit more about how these types of greyhound markets work:

Win – A straightforward bet where you back one dog to win the race. If it wins, you win your bet.

Each Way – A popular bet choice in greyhounds and horse racing alike. Each Way bets require you to split your stake in half. One half-backs your dog to win, and the other half backs it to come first or second. If it finishes second, only the second half of the bet pays out. Each Way bets in greyhounds act as ideal insurance covers, giving you a greater chance of winning.

Forecast – A forecast bet in greyhounds if when you bet on which dog will finish first and second. This increases your risk but also your odds, so the potential payout is greater. You can also bet on dogs to finish in either position.

Tricast – Like a forecast bet but involving three dogs, the tricast is tricky to get right. But if you can select the top three places in a race you’re likely to win a big payout.

How to bet on greyhounds

Placing a greyhound bet is pretty straightforward – even if you haven’t bet on the sport before. The Bet UK sportsbook is packed with greyhound odds from race meets across the country, and there’s always a race coming up if you miss one!

To bet on greyhounds first you need to sign up for a Bet UK account or log in to your profile. Make sure you go through the registration process properly and trigger any promos or offers before making a deposit. From here, head over to the Bet UK greyhound odds and explore the markets available.

Our sportsbook features Next Off, Daily Meetings and Ante Post markets. If you want to place a wager today, either check out the Next Off tab for the latest race times and race lists, or click on the Meetings tab for races taking place later in the day.

Once you’ve found the race you want to wager on, click on the timestamp and you’ll be taken to the race card. Here, you can see each runner and their stats, such as name, colour, number and form. Then, click on the odds you want to back, enter your stake in the bet slip and click Place Bet to complete the process.

The Ante Post markets feature odds for races coming up in the future – sometimes weeks and months in advance. You can wager on these races at better odds because there is no guarantee the dogs featured will definitely run. Greyhound betting fans generally stick small amounts on these markets, knowing that the bigger odds can still lead to decent profits.

Some greyhound racing fans will place bets on an entire days worth of racing in an each way accumulator, if you're looking to do this, check out the BetUK Acca Club, which can provide profit boosts to your accumulators.

Biggest events for Greyhound Racing

There are some big races to keep an eye out for in the greyhound calendar, including…

English Greyhound Derby – The Derby is effectively a tournament that stretches over six weeks in May and June, with 192 dogs competing. There is a £175,000 prize fund for this epic challenge. And of course, you can place a Greyhound Derby bet of every race of the competition!

Grand National – The Greyhounds Grand National has run since 1927 and is one of the few races to feature hurdles. Dogs vault over the jumps at remarkable speeds, with a £7,500 prize for the champion.

The Laurels – The Laurels runs in Birmingham every year and boasts a £10,000 winning purse. Demesne Bear broke the record for the longest odds winner of the Laurels in 1995 with a starting price of 14/1.

St Leger – Another race at Perry Bar with a £10,000 winners’ prize, St Leger was first to run in 1928. Space Jet set a track record of 42.59 sec over 710 metres when winning in 2021.

The Oaks – Reserved for female dogs only, the Oaks covers just 480 metres and boasts a £15,000 first prize. Ballymac Trend won with greyhound odds of 25/1 in 2020. The favourite has a 42% record of winning the Oaks.

Greyhound Terminology

• Ante-post – Place a bet on the outcome of the even
• Forecast – A bet relating to the first two dogs to cross the finish line.
• Going – Speed of the track - judged by an official track handicapper.
• Grade – The official rating of the race, levels are determined by the ability of the participants.
• Lay bet - To bet against something happening.
• Odds - The price of a selection
• Open race - A race at the highest level of greyhound racing.
• Reverse forecast - A variation of a forecast where you’re picking the first two greyhounds without predicting their exact positions.
• Place - A dog that finishes in the top two of a traditional six dog race.
• Puppy – A young greyhound, specifically under the age of 2.
• Tricast - A bet where the punter identifies the top three dogs.
• Trap – The starting box that dogs are in before the race.

How to read greyhound racing form

An integral part of placing any sports bet is to do your research beforehand. And each race card in the Bet UK sportsbook features the racing form for every dog running. Greyhound form indicates the previous result of each dog, so you can see which ones are ‘in form’ and which ones are struggling for results.

Here is an example of greyhound form: 14245. The numbers indicate the finishing position from the dog’s previous races, with its most recent result on the right. So, this dog finished fifth in its last race, but five races ago it won. Perhaps its form is declining.

Greyhound live stream and betting

You can watch greyhounds live online and bet on all the action via the Bet UK sportsbook. We offer Bet UK greyhound stream services to our entire sports betting community, so you can keep on top of every win.

To live stream greyhounds and bet with ease, all you need to do is log into your Bet UK profile or set up an account today. You can stream via the app and on desktop, and bet on every race!

For more information on Watching sports live check out our blog!

Greyhound Betting FAQs

What does SP mean in greyhound betting?

SP in greyhound betting refers to the Starting Price. If someone bets on the SP, they will be given whatever the odds were when the race began.

What to look for when betting on greyhounds

Tips to look out for when betting on greyhounds include the odds and the form. A dog with short odds and good form is more likely to win its race, but the profit margins will be shorter.

Are greyhounds reliable to bet on?

Yes. Greyhounds are fairly reliable to bet on because, unlike in horse racing or motorsports, there is no human influence when the dogs are running. Therefore the starting prices are usually a good reflection of how races will pan out.

Is greyhound betting like horse racing?

In many ways greyhound betting is like horse racing betting. The core bet types – Win, Each Way, Forecast and Tricast – are available when betting on greyhound races. What’s more, sportsbooks and racecards are structured in much the same way too.

What is the biggest Greyhound Race in the world?

The biggest race in the UK is the English Greyhound Derby. However, the English Greyhound Derby is nowhere near the biggest in the world, that honour goes to the Melbourne Cup which is the crown jewel of Australian Greyhound racing and is currently the biggest Greyhound event.

What is the biggest Greyhound stadium in the world?

The largest Greyhound stadium until 2020 was the Belle Vue. However, it has seen been closed and demolished, leaving Swindon Stadium as the largest existing Greyhound stadium in the UK.

What is the biggest event in the UK Greyhound Calendar?

The biggest race in the UK is the English Greyhound Derby, consisting of 500 metres, this race has a prize of £175,000, which is the largest total in the UK.

How many Greyhounds are typically in a race?

There are usually six dogs in a race but there can be a much larger number of dogs in a race, you can find out how many dogs are in a race by checking the latest greyhound odds.

Can I watch a race while Greyhound betting?

Yes! By using the live streaming service attached to BetUK, check out our Greyhound live streaming to find out how to watch a particular race when betting on Greyhound racing.

National Hockey League Betting Guide

NHL betting is growing in popularity here in the UK – so much so that even sports fans unfamiliar with ice hockey are looking to place NHL bets. Of course, you don’t have to be an expert to wager on sport, but it certainly helps to know a little of what’s going on before diving into the ice hockey odds!

That’s why we’ve created this mini guide to explain everything you need to know about NHL betting. Below, we’ll take you through how to bet on NHL, what the best ice hockey bets are, and why UK players are getting more accustomed to the intricacies of betting on hockey.

You’ll discover the best hockey odds available to Bet UK players and how to maximise your knowledge of games and players without even leaving the sportsbook!

Best National Hockey League bets

The National Hockey League is the biggest ice hockey league in the world, and spans both America and Canada. Teams compete from October to June every year, and are split into Eastern and Western Conferences. Within these conferences there are two divisions, meaning teams can compete with closer rivals more regularly. Finish top or second in your division and you land an automatic place in the first round of the playoffs. The top runners-up in the Eastern and Western conferences also get wildcards into the playoffs.

Here are the best NHL bet types you can use at Bet UK…

Win bet – Wager on which team you think will win a game. Because NHL games go to overtime if it’s a draw, this is usually a win/lose wager. However, you can bet on the draw within regulation time, as you would when betting on football or rugby.

Double Chance – This is a great bet type if you want to bet on two of the three match outcomes (home win / draw / away win). Your odds are smaller but your chances of winning are greater.

Over/Unders – Over/Under bets give you the chance to wager whether the combined score of both teams will be higher or lower than a predetermined total. In NHL, the over/under line usually sits at five goals.

Handicap – Apply a points handicap to one NHL team and level out the odds. You could, for example, bet on the Redwings to beat the Hurricanes while also carrying a -3.5 goals handicap. The Redwings would need to win by four goals or more for you to win your wager.

Player Specials – Bet on individual players to score a set number of goals, take a set number of shots, or points gained from goals and assists.

How to bet on the National Hockey League

If you’re looking to bet on NHL for the first time then there are some easy steps you can take to get started! First you’ll need to log into or sign up for a Bet UK profile. You can do this in minutes by hitting the ‘Open Account’ button or downloading the Bet UK app. Enter your details, pass security checks, and then make a deposit to get started.

Once your account is charged and active, head over to the Bet UK sportsbook and check out upcoming games (use the search bar to find them if you need!). You’ll see the odds for every game, and simply click on the outcome you want to back. The bet slip will pop up, and you can enter your stake and check your potential profit, before hitting Place Bet.

There are two core types of NHL bet. The first is in-game betting on match events like game winner and first scorer. The second is outright betting on season-long markets such as Stanley Cup winners and MVP. Remember, you need to be signed in to your Bet UK account to place an NHL wager.

Live National Hockey League betting markets

Bet UK offers an extensive range of NHL live bets to suit every player. Use our reactive live odds and updated stats bank to craft your bets and time them to the perfect moment. Live betting is a great way to get closer to the action and perhaps even grab a bargain wager at a great price.

Bet UK uses the latest online software to bring you fast odds that accurately reflect what’s going on in the rink. Coupled with our updated stats and puck positioning software, you can effectively watch games without needing to see the action for yourself.

Remember, live betting odds react to events on the ice. So, if the Maple Leafs score two early goals against the Oilers, their odds are likely to shrink. But perhaps this is the perfect moment to back Edmonton, with the expectation that they’ll bounce back before the game is over!

NHL special bets

The great thing about betting on NHL odds at Bet UK is the access to special bets. We make sure our players get the best betting treatment, as well as being able to unlock great odds. Below are some special wagers you’ll likely encounter when placing NHL bets with us…

Player Multi Goals – Back a player to score at least two goals (including overtime) or even wager against them. This betting market stretches to three goals for select players too!

Player Points – In the NHL players are awarded points at the end of games for their goals and assists. You can wager on players to earn one, two or three points.

Player Shots – Bet on a player taking a total number of shots in a game over or under a set figure. For example, Over 2.5 shots.

Period betting – Wager on a team to win a specific period of the NHL game, or even a correct score in that period.

If you're looking to place bets on these markets, the best way to do so is through either a bet builder or an accumulator bet, if you're looking to place an accumulator bet, check out the BetUK Acca Club for profit boosts on your acca.

National Hockey League Mobile Betting

Enhance your NHL mobile betting adventure with the Bet UK app, now available for download on iOS, Android and Windows! Experience the complete Bet UK sportsbook, along with an array of casino and live casino games, and get your journey started today. You can access incredible bonuses, take advantage of a wide range of promotions, and enjoy swift deposits and withdrawals on your mobile device. With the Bet UK app, you'll find all the NHL bets available on the website, ensuring you don't miss a beat. Keep up with live odds and stats for every hockey game, and place instant bets anytime you desire!

National Hockey League FAQs

Can I bet on NHL players?

Yes. You can bet on individual NHL players during every game of the season. It’s also possible to wager on the MVP markets, and who will star in the Stanley Cup.

How do I bet on NHL?

The best way to bet on NHL is to join Bet UK today, either via the website or the Bet UK Casino app! Use your tablet, phone or computer to create an account, get some ID details checked, make a deposit and then head over to the sportsbook. Search for your favourite NHL team or just pick a game that’s of interest, and select the odds you want to back. Enter your stake in the bet slip and hit Place Bet to complete the process.

Guide to betting on politics

Political betting is all about timing. Back the right candidate at the right time and you could walk away with a windfall from even a very small bet. Those who sided with Donald Trump to win the US election back in 2016 will tell you that – and understanding when the political odds are almost too good to be true can make a big difference to your profit potential.

These days you can bet on politics in the same way you wager on football, tennis or any other sport. Never has the political field been more dominated by individuals – Trump in America, Boris Johnson in the UK, France’s Marine Le Pen and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil. However, we're beginning to see the end these faces and new blood is coming through the ranks.

Regardless of your politics, we have to accept it is these populist figures that have shaped the worldwide politics betting landscape in recent years. Bookies are less certain than ever before about the outcome of elections – and this is great news for punters!

In this guide, we’ll take you through how to bet on politics, what the best political bets are and why the latest election odds are priced the way they are. You’ll learn the basics of political betting, how to spot a great outside tip and when to time your bets to perfection.

How politics works

Political betting works in much the same way as outright markets in sports bets such as golf. There are few ‘one on one’ matches in politics, and instead, the odds effectively focus on which one of a number of candidates will win an election. Like golf, you can bet on a varied number of individual options.

Of course, the scope of political betting is practically endless. Punters can reliably wager on:

• General elections
• Presidential elections
• Party leaders
• Referendums

But there are then more detailed bet types within these core wagers, such as:

• Vote share
• Who will be in government
• Next prime minister betting
• When countries could vote to leave the EU
• Will candidates win in the first round of voting
• Gender of the next president

These smaller bets tend to spring up the closer we get to an election. So, for example, when heading into the 2024 US election there will likely be a raft of odds on everything from the presidential candidates and their VPs, right through to the colour tie that might be worn by one of the candidates during an inauguration.

Can I bet on elections?

It’s a simple enough question but many bookmakers don’t offer election betting odds. Here at Bet UK you can bet on many upcoming elections. This includes both the UK election and the US presidential election, which are both slated for 2024.

Elections betting can be fiercely competitive, especially when there is no guarantee of which party will win. The 2016 presidential election is a perfect example of when the polls and bookies were stunned by the result. Everyone expected Hillary Clinton to beat Donald Trump, but it was the 9/1 outsider who claimed victory.

Other surprise election results in recent times include the snap 2017 UK election when prime minister Theresa May lost her majority, the 2021 Chilean election when Gabriel Boric fended off populists to sweep to power, and Portugal’s 2022 socialist triumph.

To bet on politics, simply sign into your Bet UK profile or open an account today, and head over to the politics betting page of our sportsbook.

Guide to betting on UK Politics

If you’re looking to get started with political betting then the UK is an ideal place to begin. The UK holds elections every five years unless there is a snap election. The country votes for MPs to represent the 650 constituencies in Westminster.

It is these MPs who make up the numbers in the House of Commons, and the leader of whichever party has the most seats becomes the prime minister. However, to govern effectively a party must have more than 50% of the Commons. If they don’t, they’ll need to go into coalition – like the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats did between 2010 and 2015.

Betting on UK politics therefore focuses on the general election and how the chips fall once the country has voted. Pollsters will work their entire lives trying to predict election results and still not get it right.

Two of the core political betting UK markets are:

UK elections

The most popular bet here is to predict which party will win an election and be in government. Usually, it’s a straight shoot-out between the Conservatives and the Labour party.

Tip: If a party has a big poll lead at the start of the election campaign then it’s usually worth backing the underdog to claw back some of that advanate. The underdog’s odds will likely shrink, at which point you could bet against your original bet to make a sound profit. This is exactly what happened in 2017 when Labour surged as soon as the snap election was called.

Next prime minister

This is a more fluid betting market than the election betting, because the prime minister can change at any time. David Cameron quit in the wake of the Brexit reful in 2016, Theresa May was ousted by her backbench rebels in 2019, and Boris Johnson recently lost his job as Prime Minister!

Tip: Betting on the next prime minister requires a dedication to following UK politics. If a PM is set to be replaced before an election then it’s worth considering backing the candidates that don’t align themselves with their leader. For example, if a populist Tory is prime minister, it’s likely the next one would be more centrist if the incumbent is toppled.

Guide to betting on US politics

US politics betting ramps up towards election time but in fact the four-year cycle is peppered with changes to the odds and fluctuations in the market, thanks to the fascination we have with American politics.

For example, way back in the 2000s very few people had Barack Obama down as even a candidate for the 2008 election. His name only truly surfaced during the Democratic primaries in the year leading up to the vote – and even on election day he was not guaranteed to beat John McCain.

American politics usually boils down to two candidates. One from the Republicans, and one from the Democrats. And we can see this binary reflected in these American politics betting markets…

2024 US election

The 2024 US election will likely pit Donald Trump against either Joe Biden or Kamala Harris. However, the uncertainty over which Democrat will face ex-president Trump is leading to fluctuations in the market.

Indeed, the likes of Pete Buttigieg, Michelle Obama and even Dwayne Johnson have seen their odds rise and fall in recent months. We still don’t know if Biden will run again, or if Harris will throw her hat in the ring. All this means is that the 2024 US election odds are a maelstrom of turbulence.

Tip: If you think an outsider like Pete Buttigieg could run in 2024 then it’s worth backing them early before their price crashes.

US midterms betting

Misterms betting is the time where politics betting experts focus on parties, rather than individuals. And it’s fair to say there has been a big swing in favour of the Republicans since Biden was elected in 2020.

All the polls indicate the Republicans will win majorities in both the House and Senate in 2022. For punters, this is a chance to wager on what looks like two dead-cert outcomes. It’s also possible to bet on individual states but it’s always worth reading around the political battles in each territory before placing a bet.

Tip: Throw a Republican House and Senate win into the same bet to enhance your profit potential.

Donald Trump

These days much of the market is cornered by Donald Trump. That’s because he attracts so much attention that punters are willing to stake a small wager on him winning elections, just in case he achieves it. This tactic made a lot of people profit in 2016 when Trump beat Clinton to the White House.

Tip: Trump’s odds for the 2024 election are low because it’s unlikely any other Republican will challenge him for the nomination. But his odds could greatly inflate come 2024, so it’s probably best holding off backing him just yet.

World politics

Our election betting odds aren’t restricted to only the UK and US. In fact, every year we drop more odds to preview whichever elections may be on the horizon. This includes the Brazilian election and the Swedish election, both of which could see big changes in government.

It is also possible to bet on referendums, such as IndyRef and whether another country will leave the EU. If there is a second Scottish independence referendum then be sure to check back at Bet UK for the latest odds and markets on the poll.

Politics FAQs

Want to know more about political betting? Check out these answers to our frequently asked questions…

Q. Can I bet on politics?

A. Yes! Bet UK offers extensive political betting markets from across the world of politics. This includes UK election betting, placing 2024 US election bet, and even backing the next British prime minister.

Q. How does political betting work?

A. Political betting works the same as sports betting. Generally, you will back either an individual or a party to succeed at an election, and if they do then you’ll win a payout. Golf is the sport most like politics betting because each individual is fighting for the same prize.

Q. When is the next UK election?

A. The next UK election is not scheduled until the summer of 2024. However, there is a possibility that a snap election may be called before then.

Q. Can I bet on Donald Trump?

A. Yes. You can bet on Donald Trump to win the next election and be US president once again. You can also bet against Trump by backing his rivals Joe Biden, Kamala Harris and Ron DeSantis. Keep an eye on Bet UK for more Trump odds the closer we get to the 2024 US election.

Ultimate Guide to Snooker Betting

Betting on snooker may sound pretty straightforward when you first see the markets in Bet UK’s sportsbook – but this is actually a complex and intricate sport, which is perfect for punters who love detail.

Whether you’re new to the sport or an experienced snooker betting fan, the game has something to offer everyone. The bet range is huge – from simple wagers on who will win a match, through to detailed bets on which colour will be potted first, who will win the next frame, and the correct score.

Snooker’s strategic gameplay and intricate shot-making have contributed to its widespread popularity. As a result, it’s become a popular market for sports betting enthusiasts here at Bet UK. And we want to show you what you’re missing out on!

In this snooker betting guide we’ll take you through the stages of how to bet on snooker, detail the best snooker bets, and of course look at the World Snooker Championship.

How to place a bet on snooker

Let’s start with the basics. You can bet on snooker at Bet UK within minutes when you sign up today. Simply hit the joint button at the top of the homepage, or download the Bet UK app! Enter your personal details, pass our ID and security checks, and make your first deposit.

After that, it’s time to head over to the Bet UK sportsbook and explore the latest snooker odds! You can find all upcoming matches and outright markets in the sportsbook. Find a bet you want to back, click on the odds and the bet slip will open. Enter your stake, check the risk and potential payout, and when you’re happy hit Place Bet to complete the process.

So, that’s how you bet on snooker. But of course there are scores of different types of snooker bet out there for players to get their teeth into. If you’ve never bet on snooker before then you might not be aware of the huge range of wagering options available to you.

Below are some of the best snooker bets that could be right for you…

Best snooker bets

Match Betting – This is the most straightforward bet, where you simply wager on the outcome of a match, predicting the winner. Matches can be as short as a few frames, or as many as best-of-35.

Frame Betting – Bet UK lets you bet on individual frames, both before games and live, and the correct score. Here, you predict the correct score in frames between the two players. This can be more challenging than match betting, but it often offers higher odds and potential returns.

Handicap Betting – In handicap betting, we give one player a head start in terms of frames, allowing you to bet on a more level playing field. This can be an interesting option when one player is heavily favoured over the other, especially at the World Snooker Championship.

Tournament Outright Winner – You can also bet on the outright winner of a snooker tournament here at Bet UK. This can be a challenging bet to win, but the odds are typically higher, providing larger potential returns.

Highest Break – This bet involves predicting which player will score the highest break (a consecutive series of points) in a match or tournament. It can be an exciting bet, as it requires you to study players' break-building skills and form. To help with this, check out the Bet UK stats alongside every match.

Remember, you can use the Bet UK live stats and ball positioning software to “see” the action in real time and make smarter bet choices!

World Snooker Championship betting

Betting on the World Snooker Championship is hugely popular and acts as the World Cup or Super Bowl of the snooker community. The world’s top 32 players compete in Sheffield every spring, and there’s always a wave of qualifying rounds and tournaments to get stuck into too.

It’s often the case that bettors won’t wager too much on snooker throughout the year, but then focus heavily on the Worlds. This means you need to do extra research if you’re out of the loop. So, here are some top snooker betting tips for the action at the Crucible…

Study past performances – It’s important to analyse the previous years' tournament results and players' performances since then, to identify patterns and potential upsets. Snooker, unlike tennis or darts, has more upsets than you’d think.

Look for value bets – The World Snooker Championship is a long and gruelling event. With multiple rounds and potential surprises, it's important to look for bets that offer value and high potential returns. Use the stats at Bet UK to help make these bet choices.

Consider form and momentum – The form of players heading into the World Championship can be a crucial factor. This is the last tournament of the season, and comes shortly after the Players Championship, WST Classic and the Tour Championship. Players who fare well in these events are likely to impress in Sheffield.

Monitor injuries and fatigue – It may sound strange but snooker players do suffer injuries, and need to be fit to go deep at the World’s. Indeed, fatigue is a real problem in long games and can significantly impact a player's performance. Keep an eye on players' physical condition and recent match history, and see how late into the night they’ve played in previous games.

Snooker FAQs

What are the best snooker tournaments to bet on?

The World Snooker Championship is the best snooker tournament to get on because of the wide range of bet options and matches available to players. Other great snooker tournaments to bet on include: Players Championship, The Masters, UK Championship and the Shanghai Masters.

Can I bet on snooker at Bet UK?

Yes. Bet UK offers extensive snooker betting odds from the world’s biggest tournaments, including The Masters, the Players Championship and the World Snooker Championship.

What is the best snooker bet?

There is no guaranteed winning wager when betting on the snooker, and most bettors tend to back the favourite in the match winner odds. However, other great bets to place are: frame bets, highest break and handicap bets.