The Best Sports To Bet On — Extensive 2025 UK Guide

The added layer of anticipation from placing a sports bet and the potential for a winning payout can increase your enjoyment of watching matches 🍌and events. With such a wide range of sports to choose from, you're spoiled for choice when you fancy a flutter. Buckle up as we walk you through the best sports to bet on, and recommend the top operators for each one.

Introducing Our List of Best Sports for Betting

Maximise your betting experience by having a punt on sports that gauge your interest. With sports events happening yea𒈔r-round, you can always dip into major tournaments with a calculated punt while gaining insights into sports and their strategies.

Let's have a look at what we consider to be the 10𝐆 best sports for bet♑ting.

1. Football — Nets Vast Choice of Markets

Football is the most popular sport in the world, both to watch and bet on. Although backing your favourite team seems the obvious bet as you possess knowledge about them, your bets should always be calculated. The biggest mistakes football punters make is not knowing about the opposition, and placing a wager by follow💦ing their heart or relying on gut instinct.

The football market is colossal, with leading bookmakers offering vast variety and many providing livestreaming for top games, which makes it the best sport to bet on globally. It is wise to scrutinise the stats of teams, head coaches, players and even referees before placing any pre-match bets.

Opting for in-play punts will save you from having to research any data because you can watch how the match unfolds♊ over 90 minutes, and respond with a bet. The bookies will flash up graphics and stats as the game progresses to help steer you towards making a choice of what to place a stake on.

We provide a wide selection of statistics on clubs, players and referees, which include data-driven predictions, courtesy of Kickform.com.

Notable Markets

• 1X2: This final result bet allows you back a single team to either win or draw their mat♏ch, with three possible outcomes — 1 for a home🦩 team win, X for a draw and 2 for an away team victory.

• Both Teams To Score (BTTS): These bets are unique to footba🍰ll, and are based on both teams finding the back of the net during a game.

• Over/Under Goals: Total goals is the most popular Over/Under football betting market, and bookmakers offer predetermined figures for you to have a flutter on — Over/Under 1.5 goals, 2.5 goals, and 3.5 goals.

TPP’s Recommendation for Football Betting

bet365 is on the ball for football betting with constantly generous prices for a vast selection of markets. There are Bet Builders and an ACCA Boost (up to 100%) available for certain top-club games and internationals. Among their outstanding features for football matches are their livestreaming options and impressive bet365 Match Live service, which🍷 displays real-time graphics and stats to helpജ make in-play betting straightforward.

2. Horse Racing — Optimism To Back Outsiders

Most horse races tend to be tighܫt, and there are usually upsets. This makes it exciting to bet on, yet trickier to predict a winner. As there are plenty of betting options and fast outcomes, hoཧrse racing is suitable for both beginners and seasoned punters who can enjoy livestreaming from top bookmakers.

Beginners tend to bet on individual races by picking a horse to pass the finishing line first. Advanced bettors will place a stake on multiple races and/or outcomes. Our team of reliable horse racing tipsters provide you with knowledgeable insights with their horse racing betting tips.

Before having a flutter, take into consideration the weather conditions on race day and vital i🦩nformation about the horse — age, form, weight, and favoured distance. The secret to success is to learn bankroll management, and only place a wager when you have a strong conviction from studying stats and utilising your knowledge of the hors꧙es, jockeys, trainers, and tracks.

Notable Markets

• Forecast Bet: Pred🎶icting tܫhe horses to finish as winner and runner-up.

• Trixie: Comprises three selections and four bets — three doubles and a t💜reble. A minimum of two selections must win to guarantee a return.

• Yankee: Combination of four selections and 11 bets — six doubles, four trebles, and a fou🧸r-fold. A🦋 minimum of two selections must win to guarantee you a return.

TPP’s Recommendation for Horse Racing Betting

Ladbrokes offers the best markets and some unique options for UK and Irish h🍎orse racing. This includes Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am on the day of the race. If the starting price 💟is bigger than your odds, then the operator pays out at the higher odds. There is a plethora of betting markets to have a punt on, including each way, race winner, winning distance, and winning jockey.

3. Tennis — Serves Up Shock Results

Tennis always springs up some surprises as it is an individual sport, and each tournament will have vocal courtside fans rooting for their favourites. Researching stats — especially head-to-head data and the type of surface that suits each player — is important before placing any tennis bets, and you may unearth an underdog with generous odds to p🐻lace a punt.

Take advantage of𓃲 livestreaming from numerous tournaments for in-play betting on individual games, when the m♕omentum could swing from one player to another. There are always plenty of markets widely available.

If choosing an Outright Winner seems risky, you can always bet on who will reach the final at lower odds. This type of wager willಞ maintain your interest in the tournament — unless you pick a player who loses before the final.

Notable Markets

• Match Betting/Match Result: Pick a match winner🅷 from the two opponents. It is best to ꧒first check out their head-to-head results.

• Set Betting: There are two different formats for set betting, namely the outcome of the number of sets contested and a wager on a player to win a specific set (referred to as a Set Winn💯er bet).

• Tournament Winner: Placing a bet on an Outright Winner will see the odds dramati𓆉cally alter as a t♔ournament progresses.

TPP’s Recommendation for Tennis Betting

BetVictor is one of the best places to bet on sports. It is really⛄ an ace throughout the tennis season for fabulous odds and a vast array of tennis markets. The bookie nets interest in the four Grand Slam events, with Wimbledon attracting the most attention. It regularly offers enhanced odds, courtesy of their Bet Boost, for certain tournaments. BetVictor provides tennis livestreaming, enhanced accumulators and Trending Bets that indicate when prices are changing.

4. Cricket — Substantial All-Rounder

Cricket is a complex sport with numerous betting markets aside from an Outright match, Test series, or tournament winner. A Completed Match bet is about making a wager on whether the game will be completed on that day, or if it will end in no result, ꦇwhich happens when enough overs don't get bowled to provide a full 🀅match. This isn't the same as a tie, where they get the same number of runs.

The Over/Under markets, Most Run Outs, Team of Top Bowler, and 𓃲Team of Top Batman are popular team punts. Backing who will win the coin toss is more of a gamble, with a 50/50 chance of winning.

Betting on individual players gets you thinking differently about cricket as a player-centric sport instead of team-based. Backing the top batsman (most runs), top bowler (most wickets), Man of the Match winner, and the highest opening partnership are popular wagers. These markets require a keen eye for the fine details and make cricket arguably the best sport to bet on.

Notable Markets

• 1X2: This simple final result wager allows you back a team to either win or draw their match, with three possible outcomes — 1 fo♒r a home t✃eam win, X for a draw, and 2 for an away team victory.

• Top Batsman: Backi𝄹ng who will hit the most runs out. Tricky to predict, but looking at form and averages can be usef𝓡ul to win this bet.

• Top Bowler: Betting who will take most wickets during an innings, match, or a Test 🔯series. Suited to those who have detailed knowledge of a team.

TPP’s Recommendation for Cricket Betting

Betway is a premier operator when it comes to offe♈ring a great range of betting markets on cricket, whether an international competition or a domestic game in England. There are always great offers available on Betway, such as free bets on top of excellent cricket betting odds for pre-match, outrights, and in-play.

5. Rugby — Tackles Trio of Formats

Rugby is increasing in popularity, both as a spectator sport and among bettors. Both♏ Rugby League (13 players in a team) and Rugby Union (15 players) have similar formats over the 80-minute matches, but there will be different points for conversions, drop goals, penalty kicks, and tries. There is also Rugby Sevens (seven players), with punters interested in the Hong Kong Sevens and World Rugby Seven Series.

Like any team sport, there are plenty of betting markets for rugby. It is rare for games to finish in a draw, as it is a high-scoring and intense game that is ideal for Over/Under b🍒etting.

Tournaments, like the Six N♚ations and the World Cup, are when occasional bettors tend to use their heart rather than their head to place a stake on the Outright Winner, Team To Score First Try, and Top Try Scorer.

Notable Markets

• Anytime Try Scorer: 🌄Picking a player to score a try during the match. A l💞ow odds, low-risk wager.

• First Try Scorer: Backing which player will cross the try line first, which can offer reaso🌺nably higher odds as it is tricky to predict.

• Half-Time/Full Time: A single bet 𝔍on two ou𓃲tcomes, which team will be leading at half-time and which side is the winner at the final whistle.

TPP’s Recommendation for Rugby Betting

A huge array of interesting rugby betting markets and consistently favourable odds are delivered with aplomb from sportingbet. Their standout feature for the oval ball game is the intrica🐼te details and insights provided for each match, courtesy of stats and live updates.

6. Greyhounds — Fast Out of the Trap

Greyhound racing brims with excitement, and the final result is determined in a matter of seconds after the race starts. Placing a wager on the winner is the ultimate dog betting market, but stats should be studied to make an iไnformed wager.

You can also choose a combination 𓃲forecast of the first two dogs home in a race. If you 🎃are chasing higher odds, then you need to select the correct order of the greyhounds to finish first and second. While it's possible to back a greyhound each-way in every race, bookies usually only pay out at a quarter of the odds on the dog that finishes runner-up.

It is advisable to research the running style, speed, stamina, and pre-race stats for each greyhound, as well as their favoured traps. There are early pacers (who brea♎k fast from the start), middling pace (dogs that avoid initial traffic before going hell for leather), and the stayers (who have strong endurance).

Notable Markets

• Odd/Even Trap: Bet on the winner coming from an odd or even trap 📖number is a 50/50 gamble.

• Tricast: H🎀aving a f👍lutter on a trio of dogs for a one-two-three finish in any order.

• Place Insurance: This is when you get your stake back if the greyh🍃ound you picked finisꦰhes second or third.

TPP’s Recommendation for Greyhounds Betting

As Coral sponsors numerous dog tracks, it is no surprise that they offer highly competitive fixed-odd prices for greyhound races. Coral provides a vast variety of greyhound bettꦕ♚ing markets with daily meetings in the UK on top of global dog races, which include Australia and Ireland. If Coral has the odds for a UK dog race, then they will provide livestreaming.

7. Martial Arts — Punching Chance on Fights

Martial arts betting covers a variety of combat sports suc🍎h as boxing, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, kickboxing, Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, and wrestling. Thorough research on strengths, weaknesses, and recent performances of fighters alongside strategic betting should𝔉 pay dividends.

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fights are extremely popular with punters, and the UFC has a constanඣt flow of combat fights if you fancy a flutter. Just a single🌸 error can change the course of the contest, which makes these fights unpredictable.

Boxing matches are usually high-profile, so betting tends ꩲto be about big rivalrie♔s, comeback fights, and title battles. It is advisable to study how fighters behave at their press events and weigh-ins. Also consider that the decisions by judges can make or break a close fight.

Notable Markets

• Method of Victory: Betting on the way💝 a fighter triumphs, because with combat sports there are always plenty of methods to register a win.

• Outright Winner: Backing which fig🎃hter♍ will succeed, although odds will be low for the favourite.

• Round Betting: Choosing which roun꧋d t🅺he fight will come to a conclusion.

TPP’s Recommendation for Martial Arts Betting

The Pools deliver the knockou🎶t punch to many online spor꧑tsbook rivals for fight nights, including Bet Boosts. Offers consistently competitive odds and superb coverage for a plethora of martial arts betting markets, including superb MMA/UFC options.

8. Esports — Ultimate for Skill & Strategy

Esp𓃲orts betting is one of the fastest growing ways 💙to bet on sports, and perfect if you fancy ✱a flutter on the adrenaline-fuelled arena of games. Incredible feats of skill and strategy have attracted a whole new legion of fans to sports betting.

Professional gamers compete in lucrative esports tournamen🧜ts with prize pools that can run into multi-millions and billions wagered on the outcome.

It's bes♈t to initially stick to familiar esports games that offer cutting-edge action and valu🔜e bets. The interest in betting options is tailored towards 5v5 gameplay events, which include Dota 2, Overwatch 2, and Valorant.

Notable Markets

• Fantasy Betting: Pi🌳cking a roster and gaining points ba🧜sed on different achievements.

• First Blood/Kill Betting: Predicting which team will draw the꧋ first blood or make the initial kill.

• Map Winner Betting: Choosing ♌which team will win a specified map, rather than winning the whole match.

TPP’s Recommendation for Esports Betting

Parimatch ofဣfers a competitive selection of eꦐsports betting options and esports markets — esports games, first person shoot ‘em up games, and real-time strategy/battle arena type games. A key feature of Parimatch is that you can pick from your choice of odds formats to bet on esports that includes American, British, European, Hong Kong, Indonesian, and Malaysian.

9. Golf — Teeing up the Tournaments

Golf𓆏 offers numerous betting strategies, including head-to-head match-ups and the outright tournament winner. As so many players are chasing top honours, there are significantly long prices available and the opportunity for an outsider to triumph.

The slow pace of the game allows you time to scrutinise the readily available stats from boo𒅌kies (players form, course history, and head-to-head) as golf really is a data-driven sport, and you'll want to identify value bets.

In-play wagers are perfect for golf tournaments as they are generally competed over days, with the winner not dec𝔍ided unt🐻il the last round has been completed.

Notable Markets

• Leader After the First Round: Wagering on the player who will lead the tournament after the first round, which tends to of♔fer good odds.

• Outright Winner: Betting on either the winner of a specific day or 🥀the overall tournament champion, with odds usually being favourable.

• Top Finish: Backing th☂e top finish markets offers different variati🐟ons, such as top 5, top 10, and top 20.

TPP’s Recommendation for Golf Betting

bwin golf betting markets are vast, and this bookie heavily promotes Outright bets on the winner of tournaments, alongside their wealth of in-play offerings. You can place a wager on smaller events (such as PGA) and 🍒the elite events. The scope of their boosts and specials gives them an advantage over rival operators.

10. American Football — On the Ball for Long-Term Bets

The much-hyped, razzamatazz of the annual NFL ⛄Super Bowl is the epitome of American Football. Yet, College Football and the Canadian Football League (CFL) also feature with top online sportsbooks.

Leading up to the Super Bowl, held every February, there are months of NFL 🐈bets on offer with Outrights proving particularly popular for individual matches and long-term punts. Many bets are the perfect way to get you invested in the entire series of NFL games rather than only one contest.

There is𓆏 much more to NFL betting than just backing a team to win. As the NFL is a highly tactical league, the bookies provide punters with extensive stats to display vital information on players, teams, head coaches, and form. NFL match betting is ideal for newcomers to the sport, because it is a straig🔯htforward punt on which team will win a game.

Notable Markets

• NFL Match Winner: A wager on one team to win is easy, as draws are scarce until the playoffs. Bookmakers offer an NFL𝓀 match bet of overtime when the teams are level after regular time.

• NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP): Placing a long-term gambl♏e on who wins the MVP at the end of the season.

• NFL Highest Points Scored: Bet🔯ting on a player to finish with the most points from a match, most likely to be a quarterback or a w𓄧ide receiver.

TPP’s Recommendation for American Football Betting

Matchbook is a betting exchange. This operator puts you in control to set fav🅰ourable odds and play di🥀rectly against others in the NFL sports markets, which feature impressive cash-out and in-play options.

There are exceptionally good Podcast Tips for NFL betting, a𝓀nd their customer support is top-notch despite no💝t being available 24/7.

What Makes a Sport the Best To Bet on?

Sports demand a global appeal, bringing excitement to supporters and bettors. Watching the action unfold through livestreaming offers you the edge to identify critical moments during a match to place a wager𒁃.

Here are some essentia꧟l elements we look for when it comes to strategy and objective for sports betting:

Promotional Opportunities for Sports Betting

Top bookmakers will constantly be trying to attract new players through a bonus and promo. We have exclusive betting offers with our trusted partners of leading online sportsbooks. Always check the wagering requirements in the terms and conditions before you sign up for any betting deals or betting promo codes.

These are the most popular betting offers:

What Makes a Specific Sport Right for You?

Determining which sports are b🌳est suit🔯ed to you depends on a wealth of factors. You must decide whether you want to back adrenaline-pumping sports like football and rugby or can patiently wait for the final result over a long period of time for outcomes from golf and tennis.

All sports tend to offer markets for both short-term and long-term bets. You should also consider whether you feel comfortable with volatile odd🌳s or more predictable odds, which depends on whether you are a cautious bettor.

Here are some useful questions t𓆏o guide you:

1. What sport(s) are you most knowledgeable about?

   Being a fan♈ of a certain player and/or team has an obvious flaw of bias, but the positive aspect is you are armed with knowledge. You need to do your research about the opposition to make an informed punt. To make your betting experience enjoyable, it is advisable to kick off with straightforward markets.

2. What sport(s) are you most passionate about?

   Sports betting should gauge your interest and be about enjoying your favourites, which will ultimate🐓ly increase the entertainment v💖alue by placing a punt on the outcome.

3. Are you seeking high profits?

   If you are chasing the big bucks of sports that can🐎 reap a high profit margin, then you should consider sports that offer higher odds and potential payouts. The winning odds🎃 will always play a big part in your success.

4. What kinds of markets interest you?

   Different sports naturally have different kinds of markets, and there is generally a vast variety to t💝ailor your bets.

5. Local or international events?

   You will wish to know whether the operator covers your favoured sports in the local an🀅d/or internat🌠ional arena.

6. How much does livestreaming matter to you?

   Many leading bookies often offer livestreaming on some sports, with some Pay Per View options for other sports. With livestreaꦍming, operators will most likely display graphics and stats, saving you time from scrutinising data yourself. Many sports are als🌱o televised, giving you the chance to engage in live betting as the action unfolds.

How To Choose the Best Sport for You To Bet on

Before you dip into sports betting and pick the best sport to place a wager, i❀t is important to determine what your short-term and long-term goals are.

You may wish to make extra money, feel influenced because friends are gambling, or simply feel that having a flutter will hike up the enjoyment of sports betting — es🏅pecially through livestreaming.

♔ Factors to consider before placing a bet include the available markets for certain sports, the popularity, offers, insights, and stats, as well as livestreaming for in-play wagers.

The Importance of Stats for Sports Betting

In-dept🍌h data is readily available from bookmakers for most sports. The goal of online spoཧrtsbooks is to come up with accurate predictions to make a healthy profit.

Bookies build algorithms by combining betting transaction data, historic match stats, and statistical analysis. With access to most of this information, this has become a real game-changer for bettors. Properly poring over vital statistics and employing the knowledge from them to make calculated betting decisions increases your chances of scoring a winning bet. It also can eliminate any personal bias towards any favourite players or🌳 teamꦦs.

Our football data available on TPP Stats Hub is a valuable tool to analyse performance stats. Mix in your personal knowledge about individual players, teams, head coaches, and officials to enhance your chances of success.

Are Some Sports Easier To Predict Than Others?

The unpredictability of sports is partly what makes it so exciting. Althౠough some sports and their markets are highly complex, it it is the quality of the bet itself, rather than the sport, that ultimately determines your success.

Team sports can be more predictable dueܫ to the varied strengths and weaknesses of indi🍸vidual players, whereas sports like golf and tennis tend to be less predictable.

We suggest focusing on specific markets for particular sports to make betting enjoyable and entertaining. It is also advisable to formulate a solid sports betting strategy to identify market opportunities.

Out of Your Comfort Zone: Betting on Multiple Sports

Feel free to explore different bets and sports once you are familiar and confident with what each wager means for your favoured sports betting. To potentially earn higher payouts, cautious bettors may wish to gradually increase the size of their stake, whereas confident punters could try their luck on an Accumulator 🐲or Bet Builder.

When you venture o🧔ut of your comfort zone for sports betting, any favourable odds can sway your selection process. Always question your pick if your preferred bet is an outsider and there is no evidence to suggest that your wager is nothing more than a lo🧸ng-shot gamble.

The smartest bets devised will be down to knowledge, research and strategy rather thꦯan a gut instinct. These factors play a key role in how you should choose the sport to bet on.

The PuntersPage Final Say

Successful sports betting requires knowledge, skill, and strategy, but above all, enjoyment should be your top priority. A well-placed bet adds to the experience and creates a pers🐼onal investment in the outcome of a match. Whether you prefer regularly backing heavy favourites or using logic to uncover promising markets and attractive odds from leading bookmaker🦹s, the choice is yours.