Labour say small boat chaos ‘is NOT our fault'… while YOU pay for migrants' free swim lessons, uni fees & cinema tickets
Baroness Jacqui Smith branded the record surge 'wholly unacceptable' but insisted it was the Tories' fault.
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She also dismissed deportations to Rwanda as 'a gimmick' and claimed Labour is focused on 'the hard grind' of smashing smuggling gangs.
The Skills Minister told Sky News yesterday: 'This is a problem that, up to this point, we haven't managed to tackle in terms of the numbers who are coming here.
'But it is a completely legitimate claim to say that that is because what is happening is the result of the last government that chose to focus on gimmicks with the Rwanda scheme that returned four volunteers.'
But Home Office stats show arrivals this year are 47 per cent higher than the same point in 2024 and 67 per cent higher than in 2023.
Some 474 people arrived on Monday alone, taking the total since Sir Keir Starmer's landslide to 50,271.
It comes as a Sun investigation this week uncovered a host of generous perks being offered to small boat migrants, including discounts on martial arts classes and dinghy days out plus £1 Aston Villa match tickets for kids.
Others include half-price on e-bikes — when Army veterans and pensioners only get a fifth off.
Among those dishing out deals is Labour -run Rotherham Council — which gives asylum seekers access to the Rothercard, aimed at helping low-earning families with bills.
Around 500 in asylum accommodation in the South Yorkshire town are believed to be eligible.
At Rother Valley Country Park's three lakes they get a 30 per cent discount, slashing the cost of a 90-minute double-handed dinghy or sailing boat rental from £20.70 to £14.80.
Meanwhile, EU nations once critical of Britain's approach are edging towards their own offshoring or third-country returns.
The Labour government binned the Rwanda deportation scheme on its first day in office.
Denmark is in talks with Kigali, Italy has struck a deal with Albania to process asylum seekers, and Germany is considering 'safe third country' returns.
Tory chief Kemi Badenoch vowed she would drive small-boat numbers to zero 'quickly' if she became PM. Asked if she could achieve that, Ms Badenoch said: 'I think that we can ... it wouldn't happen straight away, but it would happen quickly.
'My team are now looking at what we can do in terms of detention centres, but stopping people from coming here in the first place – if they think they're going to be sent to Rwanda and not get here, get a free hotel, get benefits, then they won't come here.'
Her pledge follows Rishi Sunak admitting his 'stop the boats' promise was 'too stark' and ultimately undeliverable.
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Best Betting Sites: Top 10 Online Bookmakers for August 2025
Betting sites are now the go-to choice for nearly every punter when it comes to placing a wager, offering a convenient and hassle-free means of gambling. However, not all online bookmakers offer the same experience. Our review of the betting sites UK punters can find draws on research, experience and first-hand testing to assess each platform's odds selection, security measures, free bet offers and more. By leveraging trusted third-party data and our reporting standards, we endeavour to provide readers with an accurate and up-to-date guide to choosing the best betting sites for them. Rest assured that all of our recommended betting sites are fully regulated and licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and we've even provided a link to their license number on the UKGC website in the table below. 1. Bet365 The last 20 years have seen Bet365 become the industry leader among football betting sites, while their all-round appeal has led to their popularity with all types of punters. The Stoke-based firm caters for their customers with innovative markets on all sports, but they are particularly strong on football and recently backed up this commitment by agreeing a three-year deal to become Uefa's first betting partner for the Champions League. Bet365's European football offerings have an abundance of price boosts, early payouts and free-to-play games surrounding the continent's premier club competition. The only slight disappointment with Bet365's football product is that live streaming of Champions League matches is not available. You can use the Bet365 bonus code INDY2025 to claim a new customer offer which sees players receive £30 in free bets when they deposit and stake £10. New and existing customers can also take advantage of the Bet365 Super Boost, where odds are bolstered on a particular selection in one of the most popular betting events that day. Overall, the positives definitely outweigh the very slight drawbacks on Bet365, and it's not only football that they specialise in. In my eyes, they're up there with the best for a range of different sports, from horse racing to tennis. Chris Wilson, The Independent 2. Tote Tote has been synonymous with horse racing since its launch in 1928. It was created by avid racing fan Sir Winston Churchill and revolutionised how people bet on horse racing. For those unfamiliar with the Tote, it is unique among betting sites as it's run on a pool betting system, with everyone who backed a horse sharing the dividends if that horse wins. We have a guide to Tote betting where you can learn all there is to know. Previously run by the UK government, Tote has changed. While it still uses a pool betting system, it has introduced modern features such as free bets, price guarantees, and live streaming. It all adds up to the Tote becoming one of the best horse racing betting sites in the country. The Tote welcome offer is a bet £10, get £30 in free bets scheme, but with the added bonus of 20 free spins on the slot game Big Bass Bonanza. The Tote terminology may require some studying, but once understood, there aren't many betting sites that offer as many options for wagering on racing, while the dividends returned often match or exceed the winnings you'd receive from a traditional bookmaker. There's a free bets club, where punters can earn £10 in horse racing free bets each and every week if they place six or more bets of equivalent value. The Tote app is one of the best-reviewed horse racing betting apps in the UK, scoring over 4.4 out of five on both iOS and Android. The Tote guarantee works similarly to the Best Odds Guarantee on rival sportsbooks, and live streams of UK and Irish meetings are available. You will get better live streaming services elsewhere and working out returns can be confusing at first, but those are only minor negatives for an online bookie that's really upped its game in the last five years. 3. BoyleSports Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Established by John Boyle in 1982, BoyleSports is one of the best bookmakers available in the UK, especially when it comes to golf betting. Each-way betting is very popular with golf punters and Boyles allow customers to choose their own terms. For example, you may want to back Rory McIlroy each-way but you can select six, 10 or 12 places with the odds reflected accordingly. Boyles also run regular promotions around the majors, most notably their early payout feature whereby you'll receive a return if your tournament winner pick is the outright leader after three rounds, regardless of the final result. Away from golf, live streaming of horse racing is available on the BoyleSports site as well as their online betting app and the quality of the stream is excellent. There are various promotions and bonuses available to customers, which are neatly dotted around the site. The BoyleSports loyalty programme, called BoyleXtra, provides free bets and exclusive offers as well as prize draws to ensure you get the most out of your time betting with them. New players can gain £30 in free bets via the BoyleSports sign up offer once they have placed a minimum bet of £10 at odds in excess of evens, while they'll also throw in £10 credit for their casino sites too. It is difficult to find many meaningful faults with BoyleSports, which is why it's received a five-star rating. Their golf offerings are second to none, but they're also very good for other major sports such as racing and rugby betting. Chris Wilson, The Independent 4. Virgin Bet Virgin has been a household name in several industries for decades, but only entered the sports betting sphere in 2019, 15 years after the launch of successful online casino Virgin Games. They were named the ' Rising Star in Sports Betting' at the 2021 SBC awards and have done their image the power of good with their regular women's days for racing and partnership with personal safety app Walksafe. But it's taken until now for Virgin Bet to find its betting niche and stand out as one of the best betting sites when it comes to free bet offers. Virgin regularly run bet and get promotions for high-profile football games, offering punters a free bet that's credited within one hour when they wager above a specific amount for the chosen fixture. Those football offers run at least once a week, as do their horse racing and accumulator free bet promotions. Every Saturday, Virgin Bet offer money back as a free bet on all losing bets for one race shown on ITV, up to a maximum refund of £10. This offer goes from weekly to daily during the big meetings, such as Cheltenham and Royal Ascot. Bettors can also secure a £5 free acca bet each week by staking £5 or more on at least four accumulators between Monday and Sunday. Very few betting sites have as many regular free bet offers as Virgin, who also do the basics really well too, providing competitive odds, a user-friendly site and a well-regarded betting app. There's also extra places, live streaming, best odds guaranteed and free to play games to complete an excellent all-round package. I was ready to mark down Virgin for its underwhelming welcome offer, but that has recently undergone a change for the better. The Virgin Bet sign up offer now features £30 in free bets, having previously been £20, bringing it in line with most rival UK betting sites. My only other issue with Virgin Bet is that they lack the range of markets for some sports when compared to other betting sites. Some users have reported waiting days for withdrawals to be processed too, but I had no issues transferring money in and out via PayPal. 5. William Hill Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ William Hill are as well-recognised a betting brand as you are likely to find having been taking bets since 1934 and they remain a market leader during betting's digital age. Hills have an excellent track record as one of the best online bookies for horse racing, but they do a good job covering several other sports too, including cricket. The £30 in free bets from the William Hill sign up offer can be used to wager on cricket, with Hills placing few restrictions on how their welcome bonus can be used. The number of matches covered and scale of markets is huge, and bettors can create their own unique cricket bets via the #YourOdds service. William Hill regularly have cricket price boosts and the occasional free bet offer for the big international fixtures, bonuses you are unlikely to find on other cricket betting sites. Their in-play cricket service is excellent too, even if they can't provide live streams of games, with live price boosts and a truck load of live statistics all enhancing the experience. The Hills site may look a little dated, but it's perfectly functional, while the app remains one of the best betting apps on both iOS and Android. 6. BetMGM BetMGM is undoubtedly one of the best new betting sites in the UK having begun their journey into the British gambling market in 2023. Arriving with a reputation as one of the best casino sites and sports betting operators in the US, BetMGM have made giant strides in the UK in the last 18 months, aggressively marketing their horse racing and in-play products in particular. You'll find a vast selection of in-play options, from the most popular sports to bet on such as football and tennis, to niche betting events in eSports and table tennis. The data available to punters when live betting on tennis is particularly impressive, with real-time stats and head-to-head records, plus winning first serve and break point conversion percentages all updated by the minute. The BetMGM sign up offer provides new customers with £40 in free bets once you sign up and bet £10. It comes in the form of four £10 tokens that are free to use across several different sports and features, namely football, racing and bet builders. For existing customers, the best promotions are centred around odds boosts such as Golden Silks, which is their daily boosts on horse racing, and golden acca which is a profit boost for football accumulators. We particularly like BetMGM's in-play experience and their international racing markets, with races from America, Dubai, Australia and more all available on a daily basis. however, these in-play options are not limited to horse racing, with football a particular draw too. Chris Wilson, The Independent 7. Betway Betway are one of the most recognisable bookmakers in the country given their huge sponsorship presence in any number of sports, but predominantly football. The simplicity of Betway's Free Bet Club makes it stand out as the best loyalty promotion among the best UK betting sites. Moreover, you don't have to stake a huge amount in order to qualify for the weekly free bets, unlike some bookies out there. With the Betway Free Bet Club, punters who bet £25 per week on sports multiples – either accumulators or bet builders with three or more selections – will be rewarded with £10 in free bets (two £5 tokens). All you have to do is opt in via the Betway promotions page and meet the qualifying terms week to week to collect your free bets. Bettors won't find many betting sites with such a wide range of welcome offers as Betway, who have three to chose from. The new Betway sign up offer is a £30 matched bet and a £30 Uber Eats voucher, or you could opt for a £30 matched bet and 100 free spins on their casino. For those bettors on a lower budget, they can choose a bet £10 get £10 alternative offer. Bettors choose which welcome bonus to go for during the sign up process. What is particularly appealing about the Betway Free Bet Club is how much value you can get back. By meeting the weekly criteria, you receive £10 in free bets for every £25 staked, effectively giving you 40 per cent back to reinvest. It's a great way to get extra bets for your money if you're someone who wagers regularly. Chris Wilson, The Independent 8. Betfred Betfred have been a leading bookmaker in the UK since the 1960s and, after accumulating a large number of high street betting shops since the turn of the century, have since embraced the move to the online betting market. New customers can enter a Betfred promo code then bet £10 to get a £50 welcome bonus, which includes two free £10 accumulator bets, while the remaining three £10 tokens can be used on any sports betting markets. There's no doubt this welcome offer is up there with the best of them, but once you move past the newcomer stage there's lots of ongoing promotions to take advantage of. This includes Acca Flex whereby you can receive a bonus on your football accumulator winnings, or cash back if your multi only fails by one result. There are similar offerings for racing fans too, with 10% bonus funds added to winning Tricasts, Lucky 15s and Yankees for example. The same bonuses can also be collected for winning greyhound accumulators. As well as several accumulator promotions, Betfred's punters can earn sizeable profit boosts with Goal Fever, Double Delight and Hat-Trick Heaven, among other solid football bonuses. Darts, rugby and NFL are all catered for too with ongoing bonus offers found under the promotions tab. Betfred are undoubtedly one of the top 10 bookmakers in the UK in terms of their overall offerings. However, the only reason they don't get a five-star review is because there are a lot of T&Cs to meet in their promos, so make sure you do your homework before opting in. Chris Wilson, The Independent 9. Unibet With sports broadcast rights now split across multiple platforms, betting sites are one of the few remaining outlets where you can watch all manner of sports in one place. Some online bookmakers might only provide coverage of Esports and horse racing, but others have rights to a huge catalogue of sports, including top flight football, tennis Grand Slams and premier US sports. That's where we find Unibet, who claim to offer live streaming of over 40,000 different events each year. To watch any event, bettors simply need to have a funded account or have placed a bet in the last 24 hours. Unibet live streams Bundesliga, LaLiga and Serie A matches, alongside qualifiers for all the European competitions. There's coverage of every UK and Irish race meeting, including Cheltenham and Royal Ascot, and some of the biggest tennis tournaments, such as the US Open and Australian Open. NHL, NBA and MLB bettors can live stream the majority of matches from their respective US leagues, with streams often carrying the TV broadcast commentary, but without the annoying advert breaks. All events can be viewed alongside live stats and in-play betting options. It's a top level in-play service that works well on both desktop and mobile, although phone screens can become slightly crowded. Live streaming only adds to an award-winning bookie, Unibet having been recognised as the European Sportsbook of the Year in 2006, 2008 and 2009 by the international magazine Egaming Review, while they were also crowned Sportsbook Operator of the Year at the 2014 IGA Awards. The Unibet sign-up offer is also one of the biggest available on UK betting sites, offering new customers a £40 welcome bonus when they bet £10. However, the bonus is heavily caveated with the free bets split up into a £10 free bet builder and a £10 free accumulator, while the remaining £20 is a casino bonus for use on Unibet's best online slots. Rival betting sites make stronger first impressions, but it shouldn't put prospective punters off a betting site with regularly offers, specialising in racing promotions, competitive odds & top class live streams. 10. NetBet NetBet's rise to prominence in the UK betting market is down to their dedication to bet builders, which are a relatively recent phenomenon in the bookmaking industry. Bet builders enable punters to pick and choose several potential outcomes within one game or event and combine them on one slip at accrued odds. It's similar to an accumulator except the focus is usually on one specific match, although the best bet builder sites will allow you to combine selections across multiple matches and even multiple sports. NetBet is one such bookmaker. They pride themselves on their bet builder product and boast one of the largest lists of sports on which bet builders are permitted. Many betting sites restrict their bet builders to just football, but on NetBet you can choose football, cricket, basketball, American football, ice hockey, baseball, rugby and AFL. Even NetBet's promotions page is dominated by bet builder offers, with football punters often rewarded with a free £5 bet just for placing a £10 bet builder on a specific game, while similar offers are commonplace during the NFL season. The NetBet sign up offer is one that's steadily been improved in recent years and anyone thinking of joining now can claim £20 in free bets, which is double the amount they previously offered. The free bets are split into four £5 denominations - 1 x free bet builder, 1 x free acca, 1 x free horse racing bet and 1 x free UFC bet - and are unlocked by wagering £10 on any sport at odds of evens or greater. On top of that, NetBet are giving new customers 25 no wagering free spins. They've also quickly moved up the rankings for UFC betting sites after becoming the official betting partner of the MMA organisation for the UK and Ireland. This had lead to a flurry of UFC offers and promotions bettors won't find on rival betting sites. I've experimented with several bet builder sites over an extensive period and NetBet was a clear winner. Being able to combine NFL bet builder picks with NBA selections on one slip is a real treat for US sports fans especially, and the full list of sports you can include on your bet builder is impressive, opening up an entire new dimension for regular punters. We also keep an eye out for new betting sites making waves in the UK market and a select few can hold their own when compared with the biggest brands. We've been testing the newest UK bookmakers to find the best options for football, horse racing, free bets, price boosts, accumulators and more. Here's what stood out: 1. Bet442– Best New Football Betting Site Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ Anyone who has any knowledge of football tactics will know exactly who Bet442 is being aimed at. Taking its name from the most famous football system of all time, Bet442 does a lot to please fans of the beautiful game. There are regular special offers, such as Bet442 giving out a £25 free bet for the Club World Cup when a bettor places an ante-post wager on the 2025/26 Premier League season. Bet442's sign up offer is regularly updated, recently becoming a bet £20, get £20 offer that should work better for football punters having previously been a racing-based welcome bonus. The £20 in free bets consists of a £10 free bet and 2 x £5 free bet builders, all of which can be staked on football. Bet442 do have some permanent football-related promotions, including an acca boost of up to 77 per cent on winning multiples and a well-built Bet Builder tool that those familiar with any other Aspire Global betting sites will recognise. 2. BetGoodwin – Best New Horse Racing Betting Site Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ BetGoodwin focuses on horse racing, and their promotions reflect that, including the BetGoodwin welcome offer of 50 per cent back on your first day losses (up to £25). They have the biggest range of money back racing offers of any betting sites with punters able to recover up to £100, credited as free bets, should their selection finish second to a 50/1 shot or bigger, be beaten by a nose, lose by under half a length in a chase or fall when leading at the last obstacle. The first past the post promotion is another nice touch from BetGoodwin, meaning they'll pay out the initial result of a race and the official result should they differ. BetGoodwin's best odds guaranteed promo is only active from 10am on race day, which is later than some betting sites, but it does cover all UK and Irish races, as well as greyhound racing. BetGoodwin Pros BetGoodwin Cons ✓ Various £100 free bet racing offers ✗ Sign-up offer only applies to first-day bets ✓ Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG) BetGoodwin Welcome Offer Review 3. LiveScore Bet – Best New Bookmaker for Free Bets Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ LiveScore Bet is the perfect new bookmaker for those who get their kicks out of free bets. The LiveScore Bet sign up offer provides £30 in free bets after a first deposit and bet of £10, while ongoing promotions include refunds for losing bets on Saturday's early Premier League game and selected horse races. As a regular acca bettor, I took full advantage of the weekly free £5 acca bet up for grabs on LiveScore Bet. Just opt in and place four or more acca bets, wagering a minimum of £5 on each, to claim the reward. LiveScore Bet Pros LiveScoreBet Cons ✓ Regular free bet offers on football and racing ✗ Fewer markets than some other new bookies ✓ Weekly free bets via acca club ✓ Early payout and accumulator insurance on football bets LiveScore Bet Sign Up Offer Review 4. talkSPORT BET – Best New Bookie for Price Boosts Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ Launched in 2022, talkSPORT BET offers tons of price boosts across multiple sports, but none more so than football. Their Lucky Dip tool adds an extra element of fun, giving random enhanced odds on selected bets. If you aren't a customer already, there are regular special talkSPORT BET sign up offers to choose from. Recently, they've run sign up offers tied to Royal Ascot, the Club World Cup and Wimbledon. The regular welcome offer is pretty good as UK betting site go if you don't join talkSPORT BET during a major sporting event and you. Bet £10 and receive a £50 bonus, consisting of £25 if free bets and a £25 casino bonus. talkSPORT BET Pros talkSPORT BET Cons ✓ Daily boosted odds ✗ Live betting odds could be sharper ✓ Good selection of permanent free bet offers ✓ Regular special sign up offers TalkSPORT BET Sign Up Offer Review 5. QuinnBet – Best New Betting Site for Accumulators Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ We've found QuinnBet to have one of the largest number of betting offers of any betting sites UK punters have to choose from. Not all the offers are great, but the plethora of accumulator and system bet promotions they have are good. Punters can claim a free £5 bet every day by wagering £50 or more on accas (3+ selections), horse racing Yankees, Lucky 15s or bet builders. There's also a daily acca bonus promotion which rewards bettors with a free bet, up to a maximum of £50, Successful forecast, tricast, and yankee bets will receive a 10 per cent profit boost, while NFL and NBA bettors can insure their accumulators. Just place an NBA or NFL acca with five or more legs, and if one leg lets you down, QuinnBet will refund your stake in free bets. Finally, all accumulator and system bets qualify for QuinnBet's weekly money back offer, meaning bettors can get 25 per cent of their weekly losses refunded as free bets. QuinnBet Pros QuinnBet Cons ✓ Great selection of accumulator offers ✗ Large stakes required to unlock free bets ✓ Horse racing bettors well catered for ✓ Excellent customer service team QuinnBet Welcome Offer Review 6. BzeeBet - Best New Betting Site For Bet Builders Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆☆ Every online bookmaker now has a bet builder tool, but the best betting sites are the ones that have built on the original concept. Bzeebet allows punters to put together bet builders for Australian Rules, American football, baseball, basketball, cricket, ice hockey, rugby league, rugby union, football and tennis, way more sports than the average betting site. They also allow you to combine up to 30 markets from one event into a single bet. But more than the range of markets and sports is the ease with which bettors can construct their bet builders. If a bet builder is available for an event on Bzeebet, there will be a tab at the top of the page. From there, it's just a matter of combining the selections you want into a single bet. Bzeebet can certainly do more to raise their stock among betting sites with the Bzeebet welcome offer and their range of promotions areas to improve on. But when it comes to bet builders, they are doing something right. Bzeebet Pros Bzeebet Cons ✓ Simple and expansive bet builder tool ✗ Lack of offers for existing customers ✓ Regular bet boosts on a range of sports Bzeebet Welcome Offer Review 7. Betano - Best New Betting Sites UK For Sign Up Offers Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★☆ Betano are one of a handful of betting sites that consistently produce special sign up offers for new customers to take advantage of. Whether that's boosting the odds on Manchester United to win the Europa League to 50/1 or offering Galopin Des Champs at 30/1 to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup, there's usually something different to go with their permanent welcome deals. The standard Betano welcome deals give punters a choice between a bet £10, get £30 in football free bets or a horse racing-specific promotion worth up to £40 in free bets. The standard and special sign up offers run by Betano are simple to understand and don't contain any wagering requirements. They are a nice introduction to one of the newest betting sites in the UK. The only problem is which one do you choose? Betano Pros Betano Cons ✓ Regular special sign up offers ✗ Odds could be more competitive ✓ Official Europa League and Aston Villa betting partner ✓ Daily odds boosts Betano Sign Up Offer Review 8. CopyBet - Top New Betting Site For Tips Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★☆ CopyBet's unique selling point is that it allows you to follow and copy the bets of sports betting tipsters, giving you the opportunity to benefit from their knowledge. It's easy to check out which betting experts are in form and to start following them, while you are able to access the profile of each tipster to see their stats over the entirety of their time using CopyBet. However, there's a lot more to it than just being a platform to follow tips, and they have built one of the best football betting sites in the UK. The CopyBet sign up offer gives new users £20 in free bets and the entire sum can be wagered on any pre-match of live football market. New users can also claim a 15 per cent daily profit boost token, which can again be used for football betting. CopyBet will regularly boost the odds of several selections for big football games, while their acca boost promotion is far more achievable than some accumulator betting sites offer with a winning double landing a five per cent boost, and up to a 20 per cent profit boost for successful five-folds. There's also the chance to win a £50 free bet or your favourite football team's shirt with their weekly free-to-play score prediction game. CopyBet strikes me as being a fair betting site with the way they structure their offers. There are elements we'd like to see improved, such as cleaner sportsbook pages, but football bettors should find plenty to like. CopyBet Pros CopyBet Cons ✓ Hundreds of tipsters to follow on a transparent platform ✗ Confusing sportsbook layout ✓ Free-to-play score prediction game CopyBet Sign Up Offer 9. 7Bet - Best Betting Site For Fast Withdrawals Launched in the summer of 2024, 7Bet already provides a strong betting service, They mainly cater towards football punters with their promotions, such as money back on losing bets if a match finishes goalless, although their early payout offer does cover tennis, basketball, baseball, American football and ice hockey. I noticed plenty of little touches you won't find on some new betting sites, such as a dedicated horse racing section with several streaming options and a good in-play service. What also caught the eye are the payment options and commitment to being among the best fast withdrawal betting sites. 7Bet pledges to process withdrawals, no matter the payment option, the same day as the request is made. Any withdrawal from 7Bet will take no longer than three days, although in my experience, they were able to transfer my funds in a matter of hours. 7Bet Pros 7Bet Cons ✓ Most withdrawals processed the same day ✗ Poor mobile betting service ✓ Good selection of offers for existing customers 7Bet Bonus Code 10. Betiton - Betting Sites With Cash Out Most of the best betting sites offer a cash out function, allowing bettors to lock in an early profit or cut their losses on losing wager. But how cash out works differs from one online bookmaker to the next, with some restricting which sports or bet types they offer cash out on. Betiton cover most bases when it comes to cashing out, offering the tool for both single and accumulator bets, while also giving punters the option of a full or partial cash out. Partial cash out lets bettors claim some winnings earlier, while leaving the remainder in play on the bet. The best live betting sites are often the top picks for cash out betting too and Betiton's superb in-play service, where the odds update in real time, means the cash out figure is regularly updated. Once bettors have hit the cash out button, I found Betiton would process the request very quickly. Betiton Pros Betiton Cons ✓ Cash out offered on a variety of sports and bet types ✗ Lack of offers for existing customers ✓ Stylish integration of stats into event pages ✓ Seamless cash out process Betiton Welcome Offer Why Trust Us Chris Wilson, a betting content producer and sports reporter at The Independent, has spent over a year testing and reviewing dozens of betting sites across the UK to come up with a list of the best online bookmakers. Chris has used a range of strict criteria when evaluating betting sites, with each site needing to provide high-value promotions and offers, a wide variety of games and payment methods, efficient customer service and a positive, enjoyable overall experience of gameplay. In addition, each betting site that The Independent recommends is fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission, ensuring that punters are kept safe while betting and that their details are secure. Choosing the Right Betting Sites Having examined the best betting sites and the latest newcomers, now is a good time to consider what makes a bookmaker right for you. These are five areas worth considering when evaluating the betting sites UK punters can choose from. 1. Payment Options The best betting sites make it easy to manage your money. While you'll often need to use a debit card to qualify for a sign-up offer, most licensed UK betting sites support a variety of other payment methods once you've joined. The list of Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal betting sites is now extensive as more operators accept e-wallets, while pre-paid cards and bank transfers via services like Trustly are also widely accepted. 2. Special Features Most betting sites now offer some kind of bet builder tool or in-play betting, but the best bookies go way beyond that, providing cash out functions on a variety of sports or letting you live stream an event. A quick scan of the betting site and its help section will normally provide all the information you need on their special features, but keep an eye out for temporary features like free-to-play games and competitions, which some UK betting sites run regularly. 3. Sports Coverage & Markets It's always worth checking if your preferred sport is covered by a bookmaker. Some newer betting sites don't always offer horse racing odds, while some may niche sports may not be covered. If your sport is listed, check the markets available to make sure there's plenty of choice and compare the odds available on other betting sites to make sure the online bookmaker has competitive pricing. It's also worth checking whether you can place a bet builder or if the bookmaker offers special offers on your chosen sport. 4. In-Play Service A recent study by Optimove in the United States found that nearly half of all bets were placed in-play in 2024, with a good live betting service now of paramount importance to some bettors. Most in-play bets will be placed on betting apps, so check to see how an app performs in that regard, measuring the speed with which odds update and the markets available in-play. The best betting sites will offer live streaming, audio commentary or computer animations to help bettors follow the action, providing a one-stop shop when it comes to watching sport and having a bet. 5. Customer Service If you ever need help, responsive customer support is absolutely essential. Live chat is ideal, but even an email reply should be quick and helpful. If there's no support option or you find reports of poor customer service on Trustpilot and Reddit, it may suggest the bookmaker doesn't put users first. Recommended How To Bet On Football A Guide To Wagering With Online Bookmakers Types of Horse Racing Bets How We Rank The Best Betting Sites UK We rank betting sites using first-hand testing, transparent evaluation criteria, and strict editorial standards. Each site listed has been assessed not just for its welcome offers but also for how well it serves bettors over time. Here are the key factors we considered when compiling our best betting sites rankings. 1. UK Gambling Licence & Regulation All the betting sites on our list are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). This is a non-negotiable starting point for any online bookmaker. It ensures the bookie meets legal requirements around fair play, data security, customer funds protection, and responsible gambling protocols. 2. Trustworthiness and Transparency We evaluated each betting site's reputation based on: Public user reviews Industry standing Clarity of terms and conditions We favour bookmakers that lay out the terms and conditions of promotions in plain English and that demonstrate a track record of resolving customer issues. Sites with vague bonus terms and hidden exclusions are marked down accordingly. 3. Desktop & Mobile Usability Each betting site is put through its paces on both desktop and mobile devices. Ease of navigation (can users find odds quickly?) Page load speed App usability and responsiveness Sites that feel sluggish, cluttered, or confusing are marked down with a clean design and interface, a must-have for the best betting sites on our list. 4. Quality of Offers and Promos It's easy to get drawn in by offers that promise 'bet X, get Y' or those that pledge to massively increase your initial deposit. We've looked beyond those headline-grabbing sign-up offers and considered the following: How accessible the welcome offer is (e.g. minimum deposit, odds requirements) Whether ongoing promotions are available to all users, not just new ones Variety across sports (e.g. football boosts, horse racing insurance, acca clubs) We try to avoid sites that push large bonuses with excessive wagering or unclear conditions. 5. Commitment to Safer Gambling Safer gambling isn't a slogan, and the actions of betting sites in this regard speak far louder than words. We prioritise betting sites that take safer gambling seriously. That means: Easy access to deposit limits and time-outs Clear links to self-exclusion and support services Proactive account monitoring without hindering in control punters A bookmaker's approach to player welfare is a key factor in our ranking. We only recommend betting sites that make it easy for users to stay in control. What to Bet On Today - 13 August Tottenham have the chance to secure a second piece of silverware in the space of four months when they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Uefa Super Cup this evening. Europa League holders Spurs are massive underdogs with most online bookmakers for the meeting with Champions League winners PSG, despite the French side having yet to play a game in pre-season. It was an exciting first night of EFL Cup first round action with former winners Middlesbrough and Blackburn sent packing by lower league opposition, while Bromley claimed the scalp of Ipswich. And there are five more ties this evening to enjoy, including Birmingham vs Sheffield United in a clash of two Championship promotion hopefuls. Leicester are also hoping to go up this season, but they face a tricky trip to Huddersfield tonight, while the football odds on betting sites make League 1 Bolton favourites to beat Sheffield Wednesday. We are down to the last 16 of snooker's Saudi Arabia Masters, where we are guaranteed a new name on the trophy after Judd Trump's shock loss to Oliver Lines on Tuesday. Lines' reward for beating Trump is a meeting with Ali Carter, while Ronnie O'Sullivan, fresh from a 5-0 thrashing of Joe O'Connor, takes on Chang Bingyu in the evening session. There are two fixtures in The Hundred today with the Southern Brave facing the Northern Superchargers in the first clash before Welsh Fire host Manchester Originals with the hosts seeking their first win of the tournament. Today's Betting Tips PSG vs Tottenham Predictions Responsible Gambling A recent study by the UK Gambling Commission found that certain types of gambling are more likely to lead to problem gambling in the future. Using casinos - online and in-person - and betting on sports scored highly on the UKGC's Problem Gambling Severity Index, and it's crucial that bettors understand that using gambling sites comes with risks. Gambling should be seen as a form of entertainment, not a way to generate income. Regardless of how much you know about sport or betting, there is always the possibility that your bet may not win. It is important to only wager money you can afford to lose, and never try to recover losses by placing further bets. These are two of the most important principles for anyone who gambles. Most reputable betting sites offer tools to help you stay in control of your gambling. Features such as deposit limits, self-assessment questionnaires, and session reminders can support you in managing the time and money you spend online. If you feel you need a break, you can use options such as time-outs or self-exclusion to temporarily or permanently step away from gambling. Should you ever feel that your gambling is becoming difficult to manage, don't hesitate to seek help from the organisations listed below. BeGambleAware – For free, confidential help and advice GamCare – A national helpline, live chat and support group Gamblers Anonymous UK – A self-help group offering peer support meetings National Gambling Support Network (NGSN) – A network of local organisations providing treatment and support Gambling Therapy – Provides global online support and resources NHS Northern Gambling Service – Specialist clinics for problem gambling treatment GAMSTOP – free service that enables people to block themselves from all online gambling companies licensed in the UK. Recommended How To Bet On Horse Racing Spread Betting Explained What Is Handicap Betting? Best Betting Sites UK: FAQs What are the best betting sites for 2025? Personal preference plays a big role in deciding the best betting sites and punters may be best served by joining a selection of betting sites in order to maximise the wide range of offers available. If I had to pick my top five betting sites, it would include bet365, BoyleSports, Unibet, Betfred & BetVictor. Which bookmaker gives the best odds? The betting site with the best odds varies from sport to sport, with William Hill often claiming to have the best racing odds, based on results from odds comparison sites. As a general rule, bet365, Unibet and William Hill tend to provide the best value odds for a wide range of sports. Can betting sites refuse to pay out? It is unusual for betting sites not to payout when a wager has won, but there are examples of payouts being denied for various reasons. Bookmakers have cited the odds displayed for games being wrong as a reason to deny payouts, voiding the bet. If involved in a dispute with an online bookmaker, bettors can contact the UK Gambling Commission or IBAS (Independent Betting Adjudication Service) for help. Which betting sites accept credit cards? As of April 14, 2020, UK betting sites and online casinos are banned from accepting payments made via credit card. The UKGC also encourages betting sites to prevent e-wallet payments where the funds have been transferred from a credit card. How do you block betting sites? If you are worried about your gambling activity, there are several ways to block access to betting sites. GAMSTOP is a free service that blocks access to all registered betting sites UK bettors can access, while BetBlocker, Gamban and GamBlock can prevent betting sites from appearing on your device. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. 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The Independent
16 minutes ago
- The Independent
UK economic growth slows to 0.3% in second quarter of 2025
Growth in the UK economy slowed to 0.3% in the second quarter of this year, new official figures show. However, the figure was stronger than the 0.1% level widely expected by economists after an uptick in activity in June and revised data for earlier in the quarter. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.3% for the quarter, after 0.7% growth in the first three months of the year. It came after the economy grew by 0.4% in June. ONS director of economic statistics Liz McKeown said: 'Growth slowed in the second quarter after a strong start to the year. 'The economy was weak across April and May, with some activity having been brought forward to February and March ahead of stamp duty and tariff changes, but then recovered strongly in June. 'Across the second quarter as a whole, growth was led by services, with computer programming, health and vehicle leasing growing.'
The Independent
16 minutes ago
- The Independent
School and college leavers wake up to A-level results
Students across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are receiving their A-level results today, with over a quarter of entries expected to achieve top grades. Pre-pandemic grading standards for A-levels in Wales and Northern Ireland returned in 2024, following England's return to normal grading for GCSEs in 2023. Education leaders have warned of persistent and stark divides in A-level results between different regions, largely due to the legacy of the pandemic and long-standing socio-economic factors. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson stated the government will not 'stand by and accept the entrenched inequalities' that blight the life chances of many young people. Many students will use their results to confirm university places, with a record number of 18-year-olds potentially securing their first-choice university, and thousands of clearing places available.
