What is Live Betting?
If you’re a betting fan, you’ve surely come across the term live or in-play betting. A feature exclusive to online betting sites, live betting puts you in the heat of minute-to-minute sports action.
Punters in the past could only bet on fixed outcomes. However, all of that has changed with the introduction of online betting and live betting in particular.
When betting on match winners or outright favourites, you must wait for the match (or event) to finish.
With live betting, you can bet on specific events in a match while it’s currently underway.
Why bet on the match winner when you can bet on who takes the next corner?. Events such as this one are just a fraction of the possibilities live betting offers.
Live betting is incredibly popular among UK punters. New and established online betting sites are adding it to their arsenal along with another innovative feature – live streaming.
You can now watch the games you’re betting on in-play and see each second of the action. Thanks to this, you will be fully immersed in the game which gives you an opportunity to make better predictions.
Best Live Betting Sites in the UK
Some of the biggest online live betting sites are from the UK. Popular bookies such as Betfred and STSbet have a lot to offer and come packed with special features including live betting and in some cases live streaming.
UK punters can enjoy betting on live matches at great odds while being able to follow the action from their mobile phones closely.
Below you can see a list of the top UK online bookies with live betting in their offer.
bet365
One of the world’s biggest online betting brands, bet365 is an innovative bookie available to punters around the globe. Over the years, the Stoke-on-Trent product managed to get millions of fans and has signed sponsorship deals with numerous major football clubs. Its ads can be seen on the biggest stadiums around the world and that’s a true testament to bet365’s immense popularity.
The bookie is focused on football but offers betting on all sports you can think of. From football and basketball to tennis and eSports and beyond, you can bet on a variety of events at bet365. You can place live bets on most of these as well. A quick visit to the sports section on the site will tell you all you need to know.
It’s not just the number of sports that’s important. As one of the global leaders in online betting, bet 365 also offers top odds. You can place your wagers on your favourites or bet on live matches at some of the best odds online. No need to shop around – bet365’s got your back.
The live betting section gives you a chance to take a look at the schedule and decide what you want to bet on. Click on an event and you’ll get a complete overview of the bets available and the odds for each. Detailed statistics are also on offer along with live streaming for registered users.
The in-play betting section offers dozens of bets for all the live matches. In tennis, for example, you can place your bets in these markets:
- Next point winner
- Game winner
- Point betting
- Total match or set points
- Total games per set
- Set score after 4 or 6 games
- Game score
What’s even more important is that the bookie has implemented its Bet Builder feature for live matches as well. With it, you can combine selections into a single bet with better odds. This can be pretty great for players who prefer live betting to other bet types.
Add the Auto Cash Out feature and live streaming to the mix, and you get an unbeatable in-play betting experience.
Funding your account at bet365 is very easy. The popular bookie has one of the longest lists of banking options which includes credit/debit cards and a variety of e-wallets. You can check what’s available for your location via the site.
William Hill
A name synonymous with UK betting, William Hill has been around for more than a few decades. Like many others, it has largely moved its business online and is just as successful, if not more.
What puts William Hill above the rest is the number of betting markets as well as the odds which many consider industry-leading.
The bookie isn’t shy of innovation. Its promotions are available to new and experienced UK punters and will boost your bankroll nicely for the matches ahead.
You won’t even need to break the bank for some promos. Simply start betting at William Hill and you’ll get bonuses and free bets aplenty.
From football to volleyball and non-sporting events such as Politics, William Hill has it all. Its focus might be on football and horse racing, but there’s plenty of other stuff to be excited about.
Extras such as top bets and live betting make William Hill one of the greatest online betting sites in the UK. With this bookie, you truly get a world of betting at your fingertips.
You can check the live betting schedule right from the bookie’s menu on the left. It is situated in the Popular tab. Click on it to enter a whole new world of online betting live streaming included. Thanks to this feature, you don’t have to check minute-by-minute statistics or watch the game on TV.
Registered William Hill members can follow the action on their PC or smartphone. Of course, you’ll need a funded account for this. To deposit funds and start betting, you can use Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Skrill, and PayPal.
From what we’ve seen, the odds are great and there’s a good selection of markets overall.
The in-play sports include football, basketball, tennis, cricket, and basketball among many others. You can even bet on live eSports betting events which is quite the expanding market at the moment.
If you’re an avid eSports followed, you’ll find William Hill’s offer quite satisfying.
The full live betting schedule is available at the site. William Hill is quite the extraordinary bookie with industry-leading odds in tow. It has a spotless reputation among UK punters, so if you’ve never given it a try, you might as well do it now.
MansionBet
MansionBet is one of the fastest-growing online bookies on the UK market. Launched in 2018, it’s a completely legit online bookmaker licensed by the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner.
It didn’t take long for UK punters to recognize the bookie’s value. With a great number of sports markets and pretty solid odds, it has become the favourite betting site for thousands of punters.
As a relatively new arrival on the online betting market, MansionBet had to work hard to attract punters in the UK. It got the attention of everyone with its odds and promos as well.
The online bookie has plenty of attractive offers for new and loyal punters including acca boosts, free bets, insurance on Premier League bets and a variety of horse race promos as well.
In terms of betting markets, you can wager on football, horse racing, tennis, basketball, American football, motor racing, and many other sports. All are accompanied by a large number of betting markets which span fixed bets, outrights, handicaps, and more. The odds are pretty solid. While not industry-leading, you’ll find many bets of value at MansionBet.
One of the betting site’s highlights is definitely the live betting section.
Available on a range of sports that include football, basketball, tennis, and even ice hockey, snooker, and pool, MansionBet’s in-play betting section is a real blast. The markets are nicely organized.
For example, on football matches, you can browse all markets at once or pick Main or Goal betting only. This is great for punters who love to bet on goals rather than bet on match winner, handicaps, or other markets.
The live betting interface has a very fast learning curve. Even beginners will likely find their footing at MansionBet fast no matter the device they’re on. The simple layout and design make the site navigation quite intuitive so you shouldn’t find it hard to place your bets and follow second-to-second action.
MansionBet’s live betting section is great and it would have been excellent if the bookie offered live streaming. A feature many industry giants offer, it’s something MansionBet should consider adding to its site.
Live streaming will allow its punters to follow the action anytime and anywhere which can truly make a big difference when you bet on matches currently in-play. Other than that, the live betting platform is one of the site’s top features and a reason enough for you to check MansionBet out.
In terms of banking, the site has partnered with a number of leading payment providers. You can deposit with credit and debit cards as well as e-wallets including Skrill, Neteller, Trustly, Sofort, giropay, and Paysafe card.
STSBet
MansionBet might be among the fastest-growing UK betting sites, but STSBet is among the fastest-growing in Europe. Currently trying to expand its reach across Europe, STSBet is quickly gaining the attention of thousands of fans.
With a long list of sports betting markets, a variety of bet types, ease of use and convenience and great odds, it is fast becoming the favourite of many UK punters.
From the moment you enter the site, you can see that this bookie does things differently. Its colourful theme and simple design offer ease of use across all devices.
However, the surprises are more than just cosmetic. Under the hood, STSBet impresses with a long list of sports and betting markets. Its odds are great too – far better than what new bookies have to offer.
The Premier League is in the focus at this betting site, but other sports have not been forgotten. As the team running STSBet says, the site is designed for football and tennis fans.
Legendary Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel is the company’s brand ambassador which shows its dedication to football.
At the same time, STSBet offers a variety of other sports markets for UK punters that include badminton, golf, darts, table tennis, and eSports among many others.
And, while you can bet on all the usual ‘culprits’ such as outrights, match winners, goal betting, and handicaps, STS also pays special attention to live betting.
It covers thousands of live events per month along with voice commentary and live streaming on selected sports. That’s what puts this bookie a step ahead of the rest.
The live betting interface is intuitive enough so you won’t have trouble using it on any device. There are dozens of in-play markets you can bet on and lots of sports as well.
STS is very invested in eSports, seeing it as an emerging market on the online betting scene which we loved. It offers live betting on the biggest LoL, DOTA2, CS:GO, and e-football tournaments for everyone who loves to bet on this sport.
To bet and watch live games at STSBet, you must fund your account first. This can be done with a number of leading payment methods including Visa/Mastercard, and a variety of e-wallets. The list includes:
- Zimpler
- Trustly
- Neteller
- Skrill
- Klarna
- ecoPayz
- MuchBetter
- ozan
You can also use prepaid cards such as Paysafe to add funds to your bankroll and start betting on live matches.
Betfred
Another major online bookie, Betfred is the favourite of thousands of UK punters. It is, hands-down, one of the most popular bookies on the UK market.
Betfred’s interesting bonuses and promos give you the opportunity to bet for nothing and you get a wide range of sports markets including the Premier League, horse racing, and tennis.
The first Betfred betting shop was opened in 1966 and the bookie hasn’t stopped growing since. Bit by bit, Betfred reinforced its presence across the UK, opening over 1,300 shops.
When it was time to move online, Betfred moved forward and never looked back. It is now one of the most successful independent bookies in the world, licensed and registered by the UK Gambling Commission.
Betfred offers a steady stream of promotions to new and existing customers. From free bets to acca insurance and best odds guaranteed on horse races, Betfred is an excellent bookie for UK punters. Offers such as #PickYourPunt allow you to build your own bet which puts the betting site head and shoulders above others.
Since live betting and streaming are some of the most important factors punters look for at online betting sites, Betfred hasn’t forgotten about them at all.
The live betting platform includes all the top sports as well as minor leagues and events from across Europe and the world.
You can bet on football, cricket, tennis, horse racing, golf, and baseball live among many other sports. The odds are great too. During our Betfred review, we found them to be close to what the top dogs offer or even a bit ahead in some cases.
You can click on the match you want to bet on live and you’ll get fully-detailed statistics that can help you predict better.
Following matches as they unfold is also possible via the Betfred app (Android and iOS) if you have a funded account. To start betting for real money, you can use a variety of banking options including PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, Visa, Mastercard, and many more.
Popular Questions
How do live bets work?
Unlike fixed bets, live bets will change constantly after the event starts depending on its course.
Let’s put things into perspective: you have Team A as the overwhelming favourite with odds that won’t get you a great return.
After a couple of minutes, Team B surprisingly scores.
The odds will change to reflect this.
Team A will remain the favourite, but the odds will be higher as their chances of overcoming that goal and winning are now lower.
It’s the same with any other live betting market.
The moment something changes in the match, the odds will change to reflect it. This gives you a better chance to win. If you follow the match closely, you may predict what happens next and this often comes at great odds.
How do I win a live bet?
Winning a live bet isn’t any different from winning any other bet.
To win, you must correctly predict what happens in a match. In terms of live betting, you won’t have to wait for the match to end – you can simply, for example, guess the next scorer right and you’ll have the money in your pocket.
Of course, we strongly recommend you start small, especially if this is your first experience of this kind.
Once you get to know how the system works, you can bet as much as you want. Bet responsibly, though – you don’t want to spend all your cash in one instance.
How are live odds calculated?
Live odds are usually calculated by a computer after the bookie has already set the pre-match odds.
Depending on what happens, the computer then recalculates the predictions and adjusts the odds accordingly. It’s one of the latest and greatest inventions on the online betting market.
Live betting has become so popular recently that it is absolutely customary for a new online betting site to have it.
From a financial point of view, the main benefits for playing at the top live betting sites are:
- Potentialy increased betting margins.
- Reduced risk.
Nonetheless, from the bettor's standpoint the thrill of live betting is substantial.
Live betting adds to the excitement and fervor, which contributes to the initial excitement of the bettor actually engaging in a live telecast.
Live betting, or as it is sometimes called; bet in running, is responsible for nearly half of the betting on sports online today.
It is fantastic since the bettor can bet on the event after it has already started.
For example, in a football match a person can bet at live betting sites on the results of a game to the very last minute.
In fact, many sporting events currently have betting odds accessible right up to anticipation of the actual result.
Live Betting Summary
Advantages of Live Betting sites
- Live betting sites surrender a considerable amount of return on a standard live bet. More so than on land bets. In other words, live betting is extensively to the advantage of the bettor.
- Bettors have the opportunity to wait and see in which direction the event is moving, thereby making a more informed guess about the outcome.
- It is just more exciting, thrilling, and suspenseful. Things move quickly, which causes more exhilaration.
- There are much more occasions to bet with live betting.
- Bettors never have to be concerned about getting bored. Every moment of the event is an opportunity to make a bet. Winning has never felt so reachable.
- Bettors can hem-in a profit in the middle of an event by changing the direction of their bet. For example, if a person bets on A to beat B in a soccer match. In the middle of the event if the bettor sees that B is winning, they can change their bet! Easy as one, two, three.
Note the Delay in Live Betting
When a bettor places a live bet, they will observe a delay in meting out the bet.
The UK betting sites usually place a seven-second delay upon the appointment of a live bet. This gives the live betting sites the chance to act in response to the action and either delay the market or modify their prices appropriately.
In addition, this guards against the chance that some bettors may be receiving their computer images a bit before the bookmaker's, or actually are in attendance while making their bets.
However, if the odds become less in the seven seconds while everyone waits for their bet to go through, the bet will be cancelled and the same selection will be proposed at a lesser price.
If the odds extend within the seven seconds, bets will be accepted and the bettor will receive the better odds.
In summary, live betting is becoming more and more popular and will continue to grow.
Thanks to the Internet, bettors can place their bets from the convenience of their own homes.
In addition, it permits a more well-informed guess of the results and an informed bettor can more than likely turn a profit.
