Best Betting Apps 2023

Picking the best betting app can be a daunting task with so much choice. Our experts have tried and tested dozens and highlight their favourites.

Discover all you need to know about betting apps, which ones provide unique features and most importantly which ones are safe.

Pros and Cons

Are Betting Apps Safe?

Yes, betting apps provided by legit online bookmakers are safe. On this page, we’ll explore all aspects of the apps and show why our top seven are the best in the business.

We’ll look at what to look for to identify a safe site, and how to make sure that the app you download is genuine.

bet365 – Best Betting App for Security and Performance

The bet365 app is at the top of many categories. It provides its players with an all-around betting experience. We have tried this several times and placing bets is easy. But we’re also impressed with how secure it is.

Once you have downloaded the app, you will be able to (depending on your device) set up not only Face ID or Touch ID but a specific four-digit code. This is selected by you and must be entered to gain access to your account.

Furthermore, there are firewalls and premium SSL encryptions in place to protect your data.

As a market leader, the bet365 app also promotes excellent offers and have highly competitive odds meaning it’s a great choice for players on the go.

Best Betting App by Category

Best Betting App For Bonuses – Paddy Power

The Paddy Power App is rated as our best mobile-betting experience for bonuses. This is down to the fact that it provides a reasonable welcome offer of a £20 risk-free bet, and allows Apple Pay deposits.

Furthermore, the ongoing offers for existing players are second to none. There is a daily prize wheel as well as an excellent loyalty scheme. Players can earn up to a £10 free bet every week. This is becoming less common in the UK so it’s something we really like to see.

Furthermore, there are several markets to choose from within most sporting events, meaning there are a good number of options for bettors.

In our review of Paddy Power, we also explore how easy it is to place bets, as well as look at the betting odds they offer. It competes with the best in the industry for good reason.

Best Betting App for Horse Racing – 888Sport

As far as betting on horse racing goes, 888Sport is the best mobile experience. You’ll find competitive odds on the daily UK and Irish markets as well as interesting promotions. During the busy festival periods, you’ll also be able to take advantage of unique betting offers.

On top of that, it has impressive live streaming options.

The 888Sport app gets an incredible 4.4/5 rating on the Apple app store and recently revamped. It’s one of the most forward-thinking betting apps and one that we enjoyed during testing.

You will be able to download it if you are playing from the UK or Ireland. However, the app is not available in any other jurisdictions.

Best Betting App for Football Betting

Our expert has picked the bet365 app for the best at football betting. Although all of our recommend apps deliver excellent football betting options.

The best football betting sites offer great betting odds and good market depth meaning that there is a wide range of choices for players. This should also apply to dedicated apps. On top of that, regular offers can be found on the sport meaning it’s a good idea to have more than one app to be able to take advantage of those.

Furthermore, they all provide safe and easy to use betting apps, so you can bet with peace of mind.

How to Pick the Best Sports Betting App

Security

At legit, we take a safety-first approach. We use this as an umbrella term to cover the likes of licences, payment methods, bonuses and so on but also for site security.

As a first step, players should ensure that they are downloading the correct app. This might seem obvious but there are copycats out there. The best way to do this is to have a quick check of who the app is provided by you can check this in either the iOS app store or Google store easily.

Furthermore, there are steps you can take to prevent harmful apps. We recommended you do this before downloading a betting app. Simply head to your app menu and select security settings.

The best betting sites are of course secure. They are protected by SSL encryptions and will have firewalls to protect your data. All of our recommended betting apps have these as a minimum so you can download those with confidence.

Licence

Look for where a bookmaker is licensed before downloading the app. At legit, we only promote sites that are fully licenced to operate in the UK.

To be able to provide betting services in the UK, companies need to hold a licence with the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC). You can look for the badge on the footer of the site

A licence ensures that sites behave fairly and provide safe betting environments. This of course applies to both their mobile web versions and betting apps too.

So, if you see the badge you can be sure you’re playing with a legit online bookmaker.

Trusted Payment Methods

Once you’ve found a betting app you like the look of, check what payment methods are on offer. This is arguably even more important for mobile users.

One of our favourite depositing methods for apps is Apple Pay, or G Pay, depending on your device. You can conveniently deposit into your betting account only your fingerprint or Face ID. This is one of the most secure ways of depositing.

The same applies to withdrawals. Bear in mind that you won’t be able to withdraw to every method. In all of our reviews, we highlight how long you should expect to wait for funds, and if it is possible.

Our top picks for safe payment methods are:

• PayPal
• Apple Pay
• GPay
• MuchBetter
• Skrill
• Neteller

All of these offer extra layers of security.

Betting Apps and Bonuses

It’s common for players to sign-up to take advantage of a new player promotion. This is because these tend to be the best betting offers. But, some are better than others.

Use this quick checklist to ensure that you are receiving a fair deal:

Of course, you may also see app-specific bonuses, although they are rarer than you might think. We will update accordingly if this changes.

All of our recommend betting apps provide good value welcome offers so you can be sure you’re getting a fair deal.

LeoVegas Sports Betting App Offer

One of the most unique bonuses is the LeoVegas profit boost. To qualify for the welcome offer, players need to place an in-play bet from their mobile device. If you place it from a desktop, you won’t get the boost.

LeoVegas are well-known to be a mobile-first site so it’s no surprise that this is the case. It’s an interesting offer and not one that we’ve come across before. They will match the profit of your first bet up to £100. This also applies to a number of betting markets.

The best part about this promotion is that there are no wagering requirements. The extra winnings are paid in cash meaning you can withdraw.

In our experience bonuses and bets are often limited to being placed on mobile at LeoVegas. So, if you’re looking for an exclusive app bonus then LeoVegas sportsbook might be for you.

Best Betting Odds and Markets on Mobile

It’s not unheard of for online bookmakers to provide fewer markets on their mobile app than desktop sites. In saying that, it often applies to in-play betting.

With this in mind, we recommend that you check out our betting site reviews to get a full breakdown of what you can expect. We dedicate a section on each to the mobile offering.

In our reviews, we’ll also highlight how to identify if an app is providing competitive odds or not.

Placing a bet on the go should be a simple process, and your betslip should show clearly. As well as being a more enjoyable experience, it can also be a sign of a legit betting app.

Navigation

Before determining how good a sports betting app is, we test how easy it is to navigate. This includes everything from downloading the app, registering, claiming bonuses and placing bets. All of these are extremely important.

If you’re considering a new betting app, you should give it a try before you go ahead and deposit to avoid disappointment. The best apps will be clearly signposted and load quickly.

It can be a frustrating experience if an app takes a long time to load or update odds, especially in a live betting scenario. Therefore, it’s best to know before you start betting.

Availability

This might seem obvious, but not all betting apps are available to all users. It can be the case that only an iOS app is available and not an Android or vice versa.

Therefore, you should check this out before joining. There will also be some restrictions on which version of the software you will need to have, so make sure your device has the latest update installed.

Best App for Live Betting

Betting in-play is high on our priority list when we consider betting apps. This is because you have the power to bet on anything, anywhere. If you’re out and about, you can still place a bet on your mobile app.

In-play markets tend to be slightly different to pre-match as you’re able to bet on set time periods. For example, you can bet on a goal being scored in the next 10 minutes, or a certain number of corners in the following 10-minute period. It’s therefore important that you have a reliable betting app.

The live betting section is usually in a separate area of the sports menu instead of the main navigation as with bet365 and Paddy Power.

Live Streaming

Live streaming is an important aspect of live betting. Not all online bookmakers provide this, and not all provide the same level of streams either.

It is quite an expensive feature to host, and it’s worth bearing in mind that the likes of the Premier League will rarely be broadcast on betting apps. In saying that, you can find a wide range of sports including horse racing, American sports, tennis, golf and much more.

Betting apps that do provide live streams include Paddy Power, bet365, Unibet, and William Hill. They also provide a picture in picture style streams so that you can continue to navigate around the site while having the stream open.

This is a nice touch that shows that these apps have been designed with users in mind. Because of that, we also see it as an additional trust factor.

Furthermore, you will be able to watch streams on full-screen which is not a desktop option. Often on desktop, it will be only a small window which can be frustrating so we see this as a real plus for betting apps.

It’s worth mentioning that you’ll need to have a funded account in order to watch streams, or have placed a bet within a 24 hour period. In most cases, you’ll also need to have a bet on a specific horse or greyhound race to watch that. It’s fairly standard across all apps.

Unibet App for Live Streaming

Having tested dozens of betting apps, we rate Unibet high for live streaming. Simply head to the sports menu, and you’ll see a ‘streaming’ tab in the menu below. Here you will have access to all the live streams available in your country.

The list is extensive and there is even a tv guide showing you upcoming events for several months. We like how easy it is to find, with many sites making it difficult to access.

Furthermore, the range of sports is excellent and the quality of the streams themselves are top of the range.

We should mention that although they are free, you will need to have funds in your account, or have placed a bet within the previous 24-hour period. This is standard for most betting apps in the UK.

Live-Action Animation

If live streams are not available, let’s say on a Premier League match – animations may still be an option. Most bookies provide these, and they are easy to access on betting apps.

An animation will show where the ball is in the park, what team is attacking if there is a corner etc. It’s basically a live commentary. Furthermore, match stats will usually be shown too.

Although not as good as a live stream, it can still come in handy for live betting to better understand how a match is playing out. We should note, however, that markets can be suspended if there is a specific action such as a dangerous free-kick or penalty, so be mindful of that.

Best Apps for Cash Out

The cash out function on a betting app comes into play during the match. Players can choose to abandon their bet early for a set pay-out to guarantee a return despite the return. Therefore, you want to be sure you’re placing your bets on a reliable app.

It’s also worth noting that although a bookmaker may advertise cash out, it might not be on a huge number of events. Once your bet is placed, you should be able to tell whether cash out is available or not.

What to consider before cashing out a bet:

• How likely is your bet going to win/lose?
• Are you getting value?

The answer to these questions can be difficult to answer, especially the likelihood of your bet outcome. You can use the odds to guide you, but ultimately, anything can happen.

If you are betting on a legit app that offers competitive odds, then you can almost say yes to getting value. However, cash out is always requires you to forfeit extra winnings, so do bear that in mind.

The Betfair App and Cash Out

We rate Betfair as one of the front runners in terms of their cash out function. It is available on a wider range of markets than other bookmakers, and they also provide partial cash out.

This applies to their fixed odds within the main sportsbook section, and not the betting exchange. It’s best to think of both of those as separate sites as they provide different experiences.

Cash out is easy to access on the app and is clearly shown in the betting slip (when available). The cash out amount moved with the odds when we tested it, meaning it is kept up to date, which is great.

Best Betting App Features

Additional features can be found on betting apps. While these are not necessarily unique to the app as opposed to the desktop version, they can sometimes only feature on one version.

Bet Builder and Betting Apps

This allows players to place multiple same game bet. This means you can select many selections from the same game and combine them in an accumulator bet. Previously, this was not offered but bookmakers due to the complex nature of creating the odds for it.

You’ll find that bet builder comes with several different names, for example, it is called Add2bet.

Being able to select some selections such as first goalscorer, shots on target by a specific player, player to be booked etc. can increase potential winnings by increasing odds. Of course, you need more outcomes to win so it’s not an easy win.

We found that placing these on our top betting apps was simple, and the betslip was loaded without any glitches. Overall, it’s an interesting feature a betting app to have, and one which we recommend.

Push notifications

When betting on mobile, we also recommend that you turn on push notifications if the option is given. The reason we say that is because some betting sites will send you unique promotions this way.

We prefer it to receive emails as it means you get notified of the offer only when using your device. Furthermore, it won’t make your email inbox full.

Stats on Betting Apps

When betting on sports, it’s handy to be able to see recent stats. The good news is that many online betting sites provide these, some of which are excellent on the betting app.

For example, William Hill provides stats courtesy of Opta. Opta is widely regarded as the most reliable sports stats and provides a large number of them. These include player bookings, goals, chances created and the team expected goals and so on. This information can be used to select where your next bet will be.

Again, not all betting apps provide these and there are not many that use Opta. We find that being able to access these stats quickly is important. With William Hill, they are available as a drop-down on each event they have priced up. It is one of, if not the best example on the market.

Best Betting App for Tips and Blogs

Content is growing massively on betting apps with players becoming savvier. They are looking for the latest tips from experts and guides to help them understand complex betting.

Blogs give betting sites the chance to showcase their sponsorships and ambassadors and push their special markets and odds. One app that does this particularly well is Paddy Power.

Simply open up the app and click on one of the banners linking to an article. From there, you will find yourself in Paddy Power News. It features daily articles with horse racing tips, golf tips and much more. If you’re looking for inspiration for your next bet, then it’s definitely worth checking out.

On the Paddy Power app, the pages are easy to read and scroll through with excellent usability.

Radio on Betting Apps

This is an interesting one and not something that we come across often. But William Hill offers a radio station for its players. They focus on horse racing and greyhounds to provide insight into the day’s events and even live commentary. It’s unique and gets a big tick from us.

On top of live radio, there are also several podcasts that players can listen to. So, if you’re travelling to work you can log in to your William Hill app and pick a podcast. We found them to be highly entertaining and informative. We recommend you check these out.

What is a Betting App?

A betting app is a downloadable betting site that allows players to place bets from a mobile device. This includes a wide range of smartphones from Apple to Android, and of course tablets too.

The app will be specifically designed with mobile users in mind and will have a different layout compared to the desktop version. With space limited it often means that menus are reduced, and can sometimes in turn reduce the number of betting opportunities.

With our top betting apps, we have discovered that this doesn’t have to be the case. The likes of bet365 and Betfair provide the same number of markets on their app compared with the desktop.

You may also have heard the term mobile web or web app. These are not the same as a downloadable app. This simply refers to loading the internet on your mobile and visiting the betting site.

We have found that most online bookmakers make an effort to ensure that the user experience on the mobile web is also a good one, so which is better?

It comes down to personal preference, although we do prefer an app. This is because they tend to provide a better overall experience. In saying that, some betting apps need some work done to them, but all of our recommended sites boast excellent versions.

The NetBet App and Mobile Web

We’re highlighting the NetBet mobile web version as one of our favourite mobile sites. It is clearly been optimised for several devices and is easy to use.

The NetBet app is also an excellent user experience, it receives 4.1/5 stars on the Apple app store which is hugely impressive for a betting app. However, we found that the mobile web was just as good. This is not the case with all online bookmakers.

How to Download a Betting App

Tips and Tricks for Betting Apps

Placing bets on an app should be an enjoyable experience. We’ve compiled a list of our top tips to get the most out of your mobile app betting experience.

Conclusion

In summary, a good betting app requires some things, none more so than top security features and excellent usability. You should now be able to pick a betting app with confidence and have an expectation of how it should work.

Bear in mind that a lot of the factors come down to personal preference, so make sure that you are happy with your choice before downloading and signing up.

Check out our recommend betting apps to discover the safest and best in the business.