UK Bookmakers with Live Betting – December 2024

Betting Sites with Wide Market Selection

When wagering, flexibility is crucial. Therefore, the number of available markets should be decent. Punters need to have a playing ground to choose and compare various outcomes and values per bet. Some live betting sites might have an outstanding selection for basketball while completely falling off the radar regarding tennis. However, most sportsbooks offer immense amounts of football markets. If you care about the possibilities and options, we have compiled a quick assessment of platform ranges based on the three disciplines below. 

Analysis of Top-3 In-Play Betting Sites

Sky Bet – Live Broadcasts

One of the market leaders when it comes to all things digital entertainment. They have licences for many top tournaments; therefore, registered punters can follow the events with a quality video package. BetBuilder is available for live betting. Generally, most markets are offered for football with over 2000+ outcomes per top competition.

Bet365 – Widest Range of Outcomes

One of the trailblazers for implementing new features, this live betting website offers countless markets for top sports. You can see more than 1700+ outcomes for premiere football events. The lineup of tournaments is also immense, including top competitions such as the Champions League and niche low-tier events like Challenger and ITF in tennis.

LeoVegas – Top Live Betting Tools

This live betting site is focused heavily on In-Play wagering. While the choice of events might be below the two previous operators, they offer fair odds – the average margin is around 6%. There is a convenient switch that allows you to see only the events that are being streamed on the platform. Additionally, they offer deep statistics, instant betting with a quick bet feature, Bet Builder for live matches, and a promotion aimed explicitly at In-Play stakes.

Most Popular Sports for Live Betting UK

You can wager many disciplines on In-Play, from classic sports such as football, tennis and basketball to more niche choices such as table tennis and Wrestling. Below are the most popular ones for live betting among punters from the UK. 

⚽Football. The one that offers you the most choice is the one chosen by the most. Due to increased wager count, live betting sites are not afraid to allow punters to stake on more options. This creates a very flexible and high-quality In-Play environment. Typically, you can find the most outcomes and markets when backing teams in more top-tier tournaments such as the Champions League or the English Premier League. Additionally, many betting sites offer live football streaming, which is crucial for a quick decision-making process for In-Play wagering. 

🏀Basketball. One of the best and most strenuous sports to wager on live. The bookmakers offer all kinds of markets, especially in leagues such as the NBA or top European Cups. You can pick from quarter totals, handicaps, player statistics and more. You can take advantage of Cash Out and re-wager the winnings on the other market if you see an opportunity for a valuable bet. The pace of a basketball match is very high; therefore, the In-Play wagering seems to be a perfect match for this sport. 

🎾Tennis. Another sport where everything changes in the blink of an eye. Game after game, you can punt on different points, set totals, unforced errors, correct scores, etc. The tournaments in this sport are running around the clock, every single day of the year, so there is always something for you to pick from. Whether it’s the ATP/WTA circuit, Grand Slam or lower-tier ITF and CHallenger championships, the bookmakers tend to offer at least some kind of coverage. However, the less popular the cup is, the fewer markets will be available for live betting.

🕹️Esports. While it might not sound serious, lately, the cybersports tournament scene has been on a yearly rise. From League of Legends World Championships to DOTA 2’s The International. From EAFC eChampionsLeague to CS 2’s Majors. The competitions offer many various ways for live betting sites to cover them. Markets include frags, map handicaps, totals, player statistics, round-by-round results and correct scores. The streaming of these events is also present at almost any sportsbook of choice, thanks to an easy way of embedding Twitch broadcasts. 

Tips on How to Wager In-Play Efficiently

In general, there is not much difference between pre-match and live betting. However, there are some additional measures to take into account. Below, you can find our expert-crafted advice to help you decide on a bet easier on live betting sites.

• Analyse the Event. Ensure you know as much as possible about the match you are about to make a bet on. Consider everything necessary, from the injuries to the current form to how the team had been performing since the start of the game. For instance, look at the tournament picture when it’s a cup clash. Maybe the match does not have any weight for one of the competitors, so that they might underperform. 
• Watch the Game. Doing so allows you to see the flaws of teams and the pace of the game to equalise on it. If you have some expertise in the sport you are backing, you can quickly assess action and wager a thoughtful stake. Sometimes, statistics cannot represent the actual situation on the pitch, giving you an additional edge. 
• Monitor the Odds. As you can see, the odds are about to drop. You can take advantage of that and wager some while they are still high and competitive. Later, you can Cash Out the stake for some profit or protect yourself if you see that the situation is about to take a turn.
• Get to Know the Markets. First of all, you must learn what options you are offered to make considerable thought and choose the best possible outcome. This will help you boost your chances and add more potential value bets to your hand. 
• Pay Attention to Key Moments. Some instances, such as many fouls or dirty play, disqualification or a red card, can drastically change the pace and scenario of the match. Note such moments and try to find a way to wager correspondingly.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Live Betting

Whenever a game is already live, there are plenty of pros and cons to consider. Firstly, you have much more control over the stakes, and you can pick and choose not based on assumptions but on actual situations In-Play. The odds, however, typically are lower, and the margins, especially at the start of the game – skyrocket. Live betting sites offer many tools for gamblers to play more conveniently, though this type of betting is still complex to the point where it fits experienced punters more. You need to be prepared to take quick action, not to miss out on valuable prices, to know when to place a bet, when to Cash it Out, or how to indicate a potential change of pace in a match. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Jane Brown Author and gambling enthusiast