A developer is hoping to build up to 100 homes in a village near Cambridge

Proposals to build up to 100 homes in a village near Cambridge have been branded as “inappropriate”. Great Shelford Ten Acres LLP has submitted an outline planning application for the residential development of land off Cambridge Road in Great Shelford.

The developer said the plans would deliver a “high-quality residential scheme that responds positively to the surrounding built form and landscape character while addressing identified housing needs within the district”.

Of the new homes, 50 would be made available as affordable housing. The site extends to around 3.98 hectares and is currently in agricultural use.

The homes would comprise a mix of sizes including one, two, three and four bedroom properties. According to the current proposals, the affordable housing would be delivered as a mix of flats and houses including terraced, semi-detached, and detached properties.

The developer said that the delivery of 50 affordable homes would “deliver long-term social and economic benefits to the local community” as well as providing “housing opportunities for households currently unable to access the market”.

Concerns have been raised about whether the development is appropriate. Great Shelford Parish Council has “strongly” objected to the proposals on the grounds of there being “no demonstrable unmet need” for the development.

The parish council also said that bringing construction traffic and other vehicles onto the site “promotes conflict with vulnerable cyclists and students travelling to both Trumpington and Sawston”.

The parish council brought up the worry that the “only” transport link is one bus along the A1301, which goes into Cambridge via Addenbrooke’s Hospital. The council said the site has “very little connectivity by public transport and is therefore wholly dependent on car use”.

Central East Integrated Care Board (CEICB) said the development would be “likely” to have an impact on Shelford Health Centre, adding, “it would appear that they do not have capacity for the additional growth resulting from this development”. To mitigate the impacts, a developer contribution has been suggested by the NHS board.

One local said: “The proposal would permanently remove protected Green Belt land that helps preserve the village’s rural setting, prevents urban sprawl, supports wildlife, and maintains the open character of the area. Once developed, this land cannot be replaced.”

They added: “A scheme of around 100 homes would significantly alter the character of this valued green space which is central to the lives and wellbeing of many local residents.”

A similar concern was raised by another local who said that if the development was given the go-ahead, it would “irreversibly destroy” the Green Belt land. Dozens of other objections have been lodged since its submission in May.

The heritage railway is bringing back its annual festive steam train experience with new interactive features for 2026.

The journey brings to life the magic of Christmas with onboard entertainment by Santa and his elves, all while travelling through the wintry North York Moors.

Services will run on November 28 and 29, December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, and December 22 to 24.

Once again, the NYMR is teaming up with Wise Owl Theatre Company to bring the magic to life.

This year introduces a new character, Gingersnap—a classic, playful festive character who arrives on a baking tray after a kitchen mishap.

Other returning cast members include Elton Elf, the musical genius; Chef Custard, Santa and Rudolf’s personal chef; and Joey Marshmallow, the trickster Elf.

Children will receive a festive book and a gingerbread man plush toy as a keepsake.

The roundtrip journey between Pickering and Levisham lasts around an hour, with plenty of holiday cheer both on and off the train.

Pickering Station will also host additional activities, including a Naughty or Nice Scanner, Christmas-themed fete games, a Write and Post Your Letter to Santa station, and festive songs performed live on Platform 2.

The Christmas emporium will be open at Pickering Station, where gifts are available as a stocking filler treat or a memento of the festive cheer. The tearoom will also be open, offering plenty to enjoy, whether that’s while waiting to board or after the journey.

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.nymr.co.uk/santa.

The 29-year-old died in a Cambridgeshire prison in October 2024

A woman found with drugs in her system when she died is thought to have obtained the drugs after they were brought into a prison illegally. Jamie Perfect, 29, died on October 14, 2024, while an inmate at HMP Peterborough.

Perfect was remanded to the prison on October 4 after being charged with assaulting an emergency worker. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has released a report into her death, after she was found unresponsive in her cell on October 14.

The report said Perfect had a “history of substance misuse” and she tested positive for several drugs when she arrived at the prison. These were opiates, cocaine, cannabis, and benzodiazepines – which are prescription medicine used to treat anxiety.

She was placed on a drug stabilisation unit for assessment and monitoring, and was also prescribed medication to help with drug withdrawal. On October 10, a prison guard carried out a routine check of her cell.

She was found with an “improvised vape which contained an unknown substance”. Perfect was placed on a disciplinary charge.

A hearing was held the next day where she denied the charge, and a hearing was adjourned for her to obtain legal advice. At around 7.20am on October 14, Perfect was found unresponsive on her bed.

The report added: “The officer radioed a medical emergency code and staff started CPR. When ambulance paramedics arrived at 7.42am, they assessed that Ms Perfect was dead and pronounced life extinct.”

A post-mortem confirmed the 29-year-old died from aspiration pneumonia caused by polypharmacy, which is the use of multiple drugs. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman said that an opioid named tapentadol was found in her system.

This was not prescribed while she was in prison, so it “must have been brought into the prison illegally”, the report said. The report added that they do not know how Perfect obtained the drug.

The report said: “The last HMIP report found that Peterborough had taken important steps to limit drug supply but like all women’s prisons, had no body scanner to detect secreted items, which was a risk.

“It also found that the prison’s drugs strategy covered both the men’s and women’s prison so issues more specific to female prisoners, such as trading medications, were not addressed. In December 2024, Peterborough issued an updated drugs strategy for the women’s prison.

“While it says that diversion of medication is the most significant drug-related issue among female prisoners, it does not say how that will be tackled.”

In its findings, the Ombudsman found that the clinical care provided to Perfect was of a “good standard and was equivalent to that which which she could have expected to receive in the community”.

It was also satisfied that Perfect had not been prescribed tapentadol by the prison. However, it commented on the prison’s drug strategy from 2024, in relation to the “diversion of medication in the most significant drug-related issue among female prisoners”.

The Ombudsman said the strategy didn’t say how the issue would be tackled. It added: “We would expect this to be addressed within the drugs strategy, especially given its significance within the women’s prison.”

An HMP Peterborough spokesperson said: “We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ms Perfect and we recognise how difficult this process will have been for them. Whilst there are no recommendations for the prison in the Ombudsman’s report, we will continue to do all we can to support those in our care.”

There’s no shortage of betting sites in the UK, but deciding which is the best online bookmaker can be tricky, given the turnover in operators and regular changes to betting offers.

The Independent has made it easier to find a trusted betting site by evaluating over 50 licensed and regulated bookmakers, including established brands and new bookies.

We’ve narrowed it down to a list of the top 20 bookmakers in the UK, with each betting site tested personally and our rankings updated regularly.

We closely monitor UK betting sites and update our rankings accordingly. Below, we’ve also provided detailed reviews of each of our picks, with our ratings re-evaluated regularly.

1. Betfred

Betfred is among the best UK betting sites for free bets, with the generous Betfred welcome offer and a range of ongoing promotions providing free bet bonuses for both new and existing customers.

New users can claim £50 in free bets when they deposit and stake £10 and place a wager at evens or above, with tokens credited shortly after the qualifying stake settles.

Beyond the welcome offer, Betfred runs regular promos including money back specials, in-play free bets, accumulator offers and free to play games featuring a range of prizes.

Other plus points for Betfred include the app, which is one of the highest-rated betting apps in the UK, and a fast-responding customer service that answered our queries quickly.

It was disappointing to see Betfred reduce the payment options available, dropping services like PayPal and Skrill, although they do offer fast withdrawals on the banking platforms that remain.

Pros

✓ £50 free bets for new customers is a valuable welcome offer

✓ Raft of ongoing free bet offers for existing users

✓ Strong acca and racing-specific rewards

✓ Speedy customer service

Cons

✗ Limited choice of payment options

✗ The website could be more intuitive and easier to navigate

✗ Free bets expire within seven days

2. SpreadEx

Spread betting is a gambling niche that rewards bettors for how accurate their wagers are, rather than a simple win-or-loss scenario. SpreadEx are the UK’s top spread betting site, packaging that with a financial spread betting service and a fixed-odds sportsbook.

Spread betting carries a greater risk and reward element compared to a standard bet, with punters able to secure large profits from small stakes, or greater losses, depending on the outcome.

SpreadEx educates those interested in spread betting on a platform that performs brilliantly on both desktop and mobile. And for those not interested in spread betting, the fixed-odds sportsbook is excellent.

The SpreadEx sign-up offer is unmatched among UK betting sites, offering up to £100 in free bets as part of a special welcome bonus for the World Cup. Most of the free bets are for fixed-odds bets, but some are for spread betting, giving curious bettors a chance to try that type of wagering with minimal risk.

There’s a good selection of offers on SpreadEx, including odds boosts, enhanced payouts on accumulators, early payouts, referral schemes and money back offers for racing.

The SpreadEx site can be a little overwhelming for novice bettors at first, but we found it straightforward to navigate after some practice.

SpreadEx does an excellent job of providing punters with a spread betting platform, but it’s more than that and ranks as one of the best all-round betting sites on the market.

Pros

✓ Large welcome bonus

✓ Sport and financial spread betting options with tutorials

✓ Good selection of sports betting offers

✓ Excellent app

Cons

✗ Spread betting comes with greater risks

✗ SpreadEx platform could be more novice-friendly

✗ No free-to-play games

3. Bet365

Bet365 has long been towards the top of the list of best UK betting sites and doesn’t look like going anywhere anytime soon, as they continue to provide an excellent service to bettors.

They have some of the sharpest odds on nearly every major league, as well as some of the best in-play tools available, with the biggest selection of live streams of any online bookmaker, taking their live betting service to the next level.

Football-specific promotions such as early payout, price boosts and accumulator offers keep regular players catered for, although it would be nice to see a greater range of offers for other sports.

A new bet365 welcome offer wouldn’t go amiss either, but overall, it’s hard to find fault with such a quality operator as bet365, which offers some of the fastest payouts among UK bookmakers and have one of the best-rated apps.

Pros

✓ Strong odds across nearly every sport

✓ Excellent in-play tools and live streaming options

✓ Reliable and user-friendly app

✓ Fast withdrawals available on several payment options

Cons

✗ Fewer free bet promos than rivals

✗ Bigger sign-up offers available elsewhere

4. Betway

The World Cup is fast approaching and Betway have hit the front early as one of the best World Cup bookmakers by releasing two eye-catching offers, both of which are available on a mobile-friendly platform.

The Betway sign up offer has been boosted for the World Cup, offering new customers £60 in free bets when they register. It’s the biggest welcome bonus among UK betting sites and can be unlocked from as little as £10.

The other World Cup offer from Betway is a free bet bank builder that involves the firm’s free bets club. Traditionally, Betway’s free bets club with two £5 free bet tokens when they wager £25 or more on trebles.

With their Road to ‘26 promotion, punters will get an extra £10 in free bets when they join the free bets club and complete the wagering requirements. The extra free bets are held by Betway and released to bettors during the World Cup, giving users the chance to build a sizeable free bet war chest.

To go alongside their World Cup offers, Betway regularly boost the odds on a range of sports, while they have two free-to-play games for racing and football fans: 4 to Win and Fixture Frenzy.

We discovered most of what Betway has to offer via mobile device with the site designed to be viewed on a smaller screen, while the Betway app is one of the highest rated among online bookmakers.

Pros

✓ Great selection of World Cup offers

✓ Two free-to-play games with great prizes

✓ Highly-rated betting app

✓ Deep selection of player prop markets on various sports

Cons

✗ Lack of live streaming

✗ Offers could be easier to find

✗ Customer service options could be improved

5. Paddy Power

Paddy Power is arguably the UK’s most famous bookmaker these days, thanks to a series of clever advertising promotions and a continuous stream of social media content that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

However, there’s plenty of substance under all the style with Paddy Power now the home of the best value sign up offer. The operator recently improved their welcome bonus, making it a bet £5, get £40 in free bets promotion.

Unlike so many other welcome offers from betting sites, there are no restrictions on how the free bets can be used, while Paddy Power give users 30 days to wager their bonus.

That’s the first of many offers punters can benefit from with a Paddy Power account and the bookie has to be one of the best football betting sites when it comes to promotions, with regular free bets and price boosts.

The same goes for horse racing, while all bettors can benefit from being a member of Paddy’s Rewards Club, which dishes out free bets each week.

There’s also a great selection of free-to-play games on Paddy Power, offering cash prizes, free spins and bet boost tokens, while the mobile app scores well on all devices.

The main drawback to Paddy Power are the lack of competitive odds on certain events. Bettors have reported consistently finding better prices elsewhere, although there’s the potential to make up for that lost value via all the offers.

Pros

✓ The best value welcome offer in the UK

✓ Regular promotions for football and horse racing

✓ Great selection of free-to-play games

Cons

✗ Odds could be more competitive

✗ Faster withdrawals to e-wallets are required

6. BOYLE Sports

Independent rating: 4.7/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £40 in free bets.

Areas for improvement: A more reliable betting app and faster withdrawals

Verdict: BOYLE Sports are the top betting site for accumulators, able to choose between enhanced winnings or insurance, while regular acca bettors can secure a free bet acca for every five they place. Boyles need to improve their mobile app, but that’s a minor drawback for an operator that offers a welcome bonus with very few restrictions and is punter-friendly, while Boyles offer early payouts on a larger range of sports than most bookmakers.

7. William Hill

Independent rating: 4.7/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £30 in free bets

Areas for improvement: The desktop site is dated.

Verdict: William Hill stands out for football and horse racing bettors, offering some of the top odds on both sports. There’s a great range of in-play and live betting tools available at one of the UK’s best-established bookies.

8. Kwiff

Independent rating: 4.5/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £40 in free bets

Areas for improvement: More markets and streaming options.

Verdict: Kwiff is more of a novelty betting site, but it sets itself apart from competitors with unique features and a wide range of promos and boosts. The chance to get your bet ‘Kwiffed’ at any moment, meaning the odds are enhanced significantly, makes this a fun site to use.

9. Coral

Independent rating: 4.5/5

Welcome offer: Bet £5, get £30 in free bets

Areas for improvement: More competitive odds on certain sports.

Verdict: Coral is one of the best-known betting sites in the UK, and its online offering delivers a great sports betting experience. We like the value bettors get from using Coral when it comes to free-to-play games and unique features, such as the Coral Racing Club.

10. Ladbrokes

Independent rating: 4.5/5

Welcome offer: Bet £5, get £30 in free bets

Areas for improvement: Mobile app could be faster and more reliable on iOS

Verdict: Ladbrokes is tough to separate from its sister site Coral and excels in several categories, such as daily promos and odds boosts, range of sports covered, depth of markets and general ease of use. It’s arguably better for football bettors than Coral and is one of the top World Cup betting sites for this summer.

11. Tote

Independent rating: 4.5/5

Welcome offer: Bet £5 get £20 in free bets

Areas for improvement: More betting tools

Verdict: Tote is one of the most well-known horse racing betting sites, thanks to a unique pool betting system, but they have branched out from that in recent times, offering more traditional racing offers, while introducing sports betting. It’s now a one-stop shop for all bettors, backed up by an excellent customer service record.

12. Virgin Bet

Independent rating: 4.5/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £30 in free bets

Areas for improvement: More betting features, such as partial cash out, and faster withdrawals.

Verdict: Virgin Bet has an excellent selection of markets for all the big sports, with its football free bet offerings and racing promotions making it a great choice for punters who want to bet on the country’s most popular betting events.

13. NetBet

Independent rating: 4.4/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £20 in free bets

Areas for improvement: The welcome bonus could be more generous, and there could be more racing offers.

Verdict: NetBet offers a solid app and desktop experience and we particularly like the range of football offers they have available, with regular bet and get promotions. They also have a link with UFC, making this one of the premier MMA betting sites.

14. talkSPORT BET

Independent rating: 4.2/5

Welcome offer: Up to £40 in football free bets

Areas for improvement: Could expand markets and offers for less popular sports.

Verdict: TalkSPORT BET is a great option for football bettors due to their free bets club, regular odds boosts and free-to-play games that are largely tied to the sport, though horse racing also receives a good amount of attention. Another big selling point of talkSPORT BET is the much-loved betting app, which scores highly among users on both iOS and Android.

15. BetMGM

Independent rating: 4.7/5

Welcome offer: Bet £5 at evens on any sport, get £40 in free bets.

Areas for improvement: More payment options and faster withdrawals

Verdict: BetMGM have quickly settled in as one of the UK’s top betting sites with a good selection of offers for existing customers. The BetMGM app is one of the best in its class, the sign up bonus is above average and they are planning a strong collection of World Cup free bet offers.

16. Midnite

Independent rating: 4/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £30 in free bets

Areas for improvement: Needs to launch a dedicated Android app

Verdict: Midnite’s bet club rewards promotion will appeal to regular bettors, with three different ways to qualify. You can either place a minimum of five £5 win singles each week to unlock a £5 free bet, or place a minimum of 2x £10 accas each week to unlock a £10 free bet. The third option is to place a minimum of one £10 bet builder bet single each week to unlock a £5 free bet.

17. Betfair

Independent rating: 4/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £50 in free bets

Areas for improvement: Could make the welcome offer more flexible and add more promotions for existing customers.

Verdict: Betfair has carved a reputation as one of the best betting sites in the UK, and its wide range of sports markets and competitive odds will keep users coming back again and again, while the exchange is another interesting feature, often offering market-beating odds on big events.

18. Sky Bet

Independent rating: 4/5

Welcome offer: Bet 5p, get £30 in free bets

Areas for improvement: Desktop load speed can be slower than mobile

Verdict: Sky Bet has become a major player in the UK betting scene, with their free-to-play football prediction game Super 6 an ideal introduction to the brand for many punters. Their best asset is their in-play betting product, with Sky Bet’s app quite possibly the fastest way of placing a bet in conjunction with what is happening on the field of play.

19. Betano

Independent rating: 3.9/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10, get £50 on free bets

Areas for improvement: Sharper odds on non-football events and improvements to the Android app

Verdict: Betano will appeal to football bettors, who can claim £50 in free bets when joining and are treated to regular price boosts, early payouts and free-to-play football prediction games. Betano could do more in other areas, but there’s a free bets club, an excellent app if you are on iOS and the Lucky Dip features, which offers enhanced odds on most sports.

20. BetTom

Independent rating: 3.9/5

Welcome offer: Bet £10 Get £20 in free bets

Areas for improvement: Android app is not available.

Verdict: BetTom is a solid new betting site having launched in the UK in 2025. Their strengths cater mostly to fans of horse racing and greyhound racing betting, with best odds guaranteed available on both. They also pay first past the post on all UK and Irish horse racing, while football fans can avail of bets rolling over when your player get subbed off, plus up to 25% acca boosts available on most sports every day.

Our betting experts have come up with some advice on how to select a betting site, laying out the main factors to consider when evaluating whether a site might be right for you.

What do you want to bet on?

Consider which sports you want to bet on before joining a bookmaker, and assess their coverage of your preferred sports.

Most bookmakers will cover football and horse racing – the two most bet on sports in the UK – but there’s a difference in how each bookie will cover those sports, and other popular events like tennis, golf and boxing.

Overall, the odds, number of markets, in-play options, offers and niche betting services like specials markets differ from one betting site to another, so it can pay to look around before signing up to a site.

Look beyond the welcome offer

While the welcome offer is valuable and a big consideration, it’s worth seeing what other promotions a betting site might run.

Check on what offers a betting site has run recently via its social feeds and consider the regularity of any offers. Also, remember to check what the offers are for. For example, do they only run one-off promos for huge betting events like Cheltenham, or do they run regular promotions for Saturday racing or Premier League football?

Check banking options and withdrawal speeds

Check to see if the betting site carries your preferred banking method, as they all have different options.

In addition, it is advisable to find out the withdrawal speed for transactions and whether some methods are faster than others. Speaking to a customer advisor can be useful if the help section doesn’t carry withdrawal speeds.

Download and test the app

Bettors who like to bet on a mobile device should check what mobile service any potential bookmaker provides. Not all bookies have apps, while some only provide apps for Apple devices.

If they do have an app, download it and check the functionality, looking at loading speeds, ease of navigation and the in-play service. While bettors can get a good overview of a betting app from the reviews on the app store, nothing beats an in-person evaluation.

Check Trustpilot reviews

It can be helpful to check reviews of betting sites on Trustpilot, though context is key when looking at Trustpilot scores. For example, reviews from punters complaining about poor slot payouts or account restrictions aren’t helpful when looking for the best betting site for accumulators.

Look at the volume of reviews, filter them by most recent and read a sample size to see what bettors are unhappy with. If in doubt over a bookmaker, remember that first hand experience is invaluable to get a more complete picture.

As part of our evaluation of the best betting sites in the UK, we also monitor new betting sites that are becoming popular and starting to challenge the established names.

We have tested all the recently launched online bookmakers, and we re-evaluate our ratings each and every month based on the criteria detailed above.

Below are our new betting sites UK rankings:

1. 247 Bet

247Bet went live in 2025 and has been working around the clock to stand out from the crowd, with up to £50 in free bets available as part of a new sign-up offer.

They have recently expanded their sportsbook and now offer odds on over 30 sports, with a wealth of pre-match and in-play markets available for most events.

For football bettors, there are some good offers, including early payouts, accumulator boosts and cash back on selected bets if a game finishes 0-0. Tennis punters can also get 10 per cent cashback on in-play losses each week.

The bet builder tool on 247Bet is available on six different sports and there’s a good selection of betting options to use, while odds are competitive too.

The next steps we’d like to see from 247Bet are improvements made to its app, which hasn’t been well reviewed so far, and the addition of a few more live streams to enhance its in-play betting service.

Pros

✓ Over 30 sports to bet on

✓ Good selection of football promos

✓ Bet builder tool enabled on 6 sports

Cons

✗ 5x Wagering requirements on sign up offer

✗ App is poorly rated by real world users

2. HighBet

HighBet launched in 2021 but underwent a major facelift in 2025, returning with a new look and new offers, including a weekly sports rewards club offering £15 in free bets and £100 cashback.

The free bets are unlocked by wagering set amounts on certain bet types, such as bet builders and accumulators, while the cashback kicks in after wagering a minimum of £20 on the sportsbook, with bettors receiving 10 per cent back on total losses.

Racing bettors will be pleased to see a first past the post guarantee, while HighBet have gone non-runner money back on all UK and Irish races, a safeguard most bookies only offer during the major meetings.

There are also early payouts, acca boosts and enhanced odds available across HighBet, who have built a user-friendly site with clear instructions on all its offers.

The welcome offer is a bet £10, get £30 promotion, which is about standard for a sign up bonus, but is let down slightly by restrictions on which sports and bet types the free bets can be used on.

HighBet Pros

✓ Weekly free bets

✓ Strong focus on UK racing

✓ Non-runner no bet on every UK & Irish race

HighBet Cons

✗ No Best Odds Guarantee

✗ Restrictions on free bets with sign up offer

3. Pub Sports

Pub Casino are widely regarded as one of the top new online casinos in the UK and they have now ventured into sports betting with an equally good product.

Given the nature of their pub theme, they’ve gone particularly big on live betting, with their in-play offering being up there with the top new UK bookmakers.

On testing, we noted how good their tennis in-play experience was, with a stats feature to rival any major bookmaker including point-by-point updates, head-to-head stats and a timeline of events.

Beyond in-play betting, you’ll find acca boosts on all football multis of four or more selections up to 50%, while horse racing fans will get a comprehensive list of obscure races from both north and south America.

Pros

✓ Excellent in-play betting experience

✓ Price boosts on football multis

✓ Global horse racing odds

Cons

✗ Lack of ongoing sports promos compared to casino

✗ No matched deposit on sign up

4. BetCrown

BetCrown is a brand new UK betting site and they’ve launched with a conservative yet simple bet £10 get £10 offer for new customers.

It may not be the most valuable sign up offer among the new bookmakers we recommend, but they make up for it in other areas, such as premium customer support, fast payouts and secure payments.

Indeed, one of the most appealing aspects of BetCrown’s product is their array of banking options.

You’ll get the traditional debit card and bank transfer methods, but there’s also a slew of modern banking alternatives such as Skrill, PayPal, Neteller, Neosurf, plus Google Pay and Apple Pay.

The sportsbook itself is packed with competitive odds prices across all the sports you would expect and more, while their betting promotions section is better than some of their more established counterparts.

It’s clear they want to compete with the best football betting sites as their promos include two goals up early payouts, bore draw refunds when your game finishes 0-0, acca boosts up to 75%, plus standard features like cash out and bet builders.

Pros

✓ Beginner level welcome offer

✓ Excellent customer support

✓ Loads of banking options with fast payouts

Cons

✗ Below par sign up offer value

✗ Promos are football heavy

5. 7Bet

Launched in the summer of 2024, 7Bet already provides a strong betting service. They mainly cater to 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.

What stands out on the offer page are the regular deposit bonuses. 7Bet ran a deposit bonus offer during the Grand National, while each week of the football season, they give punters a free bet when they deposit and wager a minimum of £50 on football.

We noticed plenty of little touches you won’t find with some new sportsbooks, 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.

7Bet pledges to process withdrawals, regardless of payment option, the same day the request is made. Any withdrawal from 7Bet will take no longer than three days, although in our experience, they were able to transfer my funds in a matter of hours.

Pros

✓ Fast payment service

✓ Regular deposit bonuses

✓ Great selection of football betting offers

✓ Live streams for selected race meetings

Cons

✗ Poor mobile betting service

✗ The website could be easier to navigate

✗ Sign up offer could be more generous

How we rank and review betting sites

My rankings are based on a bookmaker meeting a wide range of criteria, with first-hand testing and strict editorial standards in place to reach our conclusions.

Below are some of the key considerations when reviewing bookmakers and compiling our rankings for the best online betting sites:

License and regulation

All our recommended online bookmakers are licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. The UKGC maintains high standards of fairness and accountability, ensuring bookies meet legal requirements for fair play, data security, customer protection, and responsible gambling protocols.

They have the ability to hand out huge fines and suspend licences, such as fining NetBet £650,000 for breaching money laundering and social responsibility guidelines.

Bettors are advised to only ever use UK-licensed betting sites, as offshore or unlicensed bookies don’t carry the same level of protection or guarantees.

Usability

Time during the review process of an online bookmaker is split 50/50 between the desktop and mobile sites or app. App reviews on both iOS and Android are taken into consideration.

We look at the performance of each online bookmaker for a range of factors, including ease of navigation, loading times, user-friendly design, responsiveness, page load speed, app usability and more.

Competitive odds

Using our own odds comparison tool allows us to check which bookmakers boast the most competitive prices, noting which bookies consistently appear at the top of our rankings.

We check the competitiveness of odds across the top sports and major events in the UK and abroad. If bettors aren’t consistently getting good value from a bookmaker, they won’t be recommended.

Betting features

Betting sites provide a huge array of bet types and tools to punters, with cash out and bet builders expected as standard. But the best online bookmakers build on those standards, providing partial or automatic cash out options, while giving bettors the chance to put together a bet builder on multiple sports, not just football.

We also check to see whether bookmakers provide comprehensive stat packs and live tracking options, helping bettors make smarter, more informed decisions.

Offers and promotions

Each welcome offer is evaluated on its genuine value, taking into account minimum deposit requirements, winnings caps and ease of use. That said, a competitive sign-up bonus is only the first step. The bookmakers featured here also provide ongoing promotions, with the best bookies offering daily incentives

These offers come in various forms, such as free bets, money back schemes, odds boosts, extra place races, profit boosts, and more.

Customer support

The best betting sites provide a range of customer support options, with live chat or a telephone service preferred for instant resolution of any issues.

Response times should be high and all queries should be dealt with efficiently. If a site does not deal with enquiries and problems in an acceptable timeframe, then we will not recommend it.

Safer gambling

Promotion and implementation of responsible gambling regulations is of paramount importance, and the way in which a bookmaker approaches player welfare is a key factor in our rankings.

Bettors should know how to access any safer gambling tools they wish to use, while bookmakers should be on hand to recognise and support any bettor potentially dealing with a gambling addiction.

Exchange betting sites have been around since the start of the century, but they remain a niche area of gambling due to the perceived complexity of betting on an exchange.

For those unaware, when betting on an exchange, punters are betting against one another, rather than betting with a bookmaker. Bettors have the option to back a bet, as they would with a traditional bookmaker, or lay a bet, which means they are wagering on that selection to lose.

Other bettors set the prices, so the odds are usually higher than most fixed-odds betting sites, and punters can trade between back and lay bets to lock in a profit. Operators make their money by taking a percentage of any winnings.

There are only a handful of exchange betting sites in the UK. Here are our top three:

1. Matchbook

Matchbook were one of the original exchange betting sites, but it’s only recently that they’ve started to challenge the dominance of Betfair.

The big advantage Betfair had over Matchbook was liquidity, which is how much money there was in a market and, therefore, how easy it was to place a bet. Matchbook have closed the gap in this regard, while their odds have been recognised as some of the best in the UK.

Matchbook also charge just 2 per cent commission to UK and Irish customers, while they run a sign up offer featuring 110 days of zero per cent commission.

There are other perks to using Matchbook, such as rebates on losing bet builder and accumulator bets, and money back on golf offers.

Matchbook also has an excellent mobile app, and in our opinion, has now moved ahead of Betfair.

Pros

✓ 2 per cent commission

✓ Money back offers

✓ Excellent mobile service

Cons

✗ Less liquidity in some markets

✗ Fewer markets

2. Betfair

It’s not like Betfair has become a bad choice for exchange punters, particularly as there’s still more liquidity in their markets and they boast better odds on major sports, like football.

Those are two big plus points, as is the fact that Betfair’s trading system is slick and easy to use once you understand how to work an exchange. Betfair also have more markets than Matchbook, giving bettors a greater choice.

Betfair charges a 5 per cent fee on all net winnings, while the exchange welcome offer is a bet £10, get £10 deal. Punters are advised to go with the Betfair sportsbook welcome offer of bet £10, get £50 as they only need one login with Betfair to access the sportsbook, exchange and online casino.

The other big issue with Betfair is the lack of offers for existing customers. Betfair exchange users won’t find too many free bets waiting for them.

Pros

✓ Large liquidity in most markets

✓ Great choice of betting markets

✓ Tried and tested platform

Cons

✗ Small welcome offer

✗ Lack of ongoing promotions

3. EasyBet

EasyBet is a betting exchange that delivers a strong experience across several areas, but particularly excels with bet builders.

Their bet builder tool is simple to use and covers eight sports, including football, MMA, cricket, rugby and major US leagues. Users can combine up to 12 markets from a single event, which will be enough for most casual and more regular bettors.

The platform also runs consistent bet builder incentives – including two £5 free bet builder bets each week on Premier League fixtures when staking £20 or more – and EasyBet’s offers are clear and accessible.

The biggest knock against EasyBet is the lack of a betting app, but the desktop site adapts well to the small screen, and bettors will find they consistently get better value for money on an exchange than with a fixed-odds bookmaker.

Pros

✓ Bet builder available across a wide range of sports

✓ Regular free bet builder promotions each week

✓ Strong selection of ongoing offers

Cons

✗ Fewer sports covered than rivals

✗ No betting app

NetBet might not be the first name that comes to mind when thinking of World Cup betting sites, but it more than holds its own.

What stood out about NetBet during our testing was the breadth of football markets – from bet builder quick bets to a massive array of handicaps, NetBet offers more depth than some more established bookmakers.

NetBet also get the better of several rival UK bookmakers when it comes to free bet offers.

They regularly run bet and get promotions for World Cup games, while users are also well catered for with acca boosts, early payout options and regular enhanced odds.

Ahead of the semi-finals there’s two straightforward free bet promos. If you place a £10+ double on both matches at minimum odds of 1/2 you’ll get a free £5 bet for the final.

Users can also claim a free £5 bet on England vs Argentina when they place a £10+ pre-match bet builder on the game with at least three selections and minimum odds of 3/1.

The second of the World Cup semi-finals takes place tonight as England take on reigning champions Argentina, with the winner advancing to take on Spain in the final on Sunday. Here’s our football tipster Becky Ashton’s England vs Argentina predictions.

“While England might not have torn teams apart so far, we have seen a real grit and determination from this squad to overcome the injuries, red cards and conditions to keep alive their hopes of replicating those achievements of 60 years ago.”

England vs Argentina prediction 1: BTTS and England to win 5/1 Midnite

“As you’d expect, there are plenty of good offers on this one, and a good way to get more for your money is doubling up on Kane and Messi to have at more than one shot on target each (15/4).

“I love this offer from William Hill, especially as they have 30 attempts on target between them already.”

England vs Argentina prediction 2: Kane and Messi both over 1 shot on target – 15/4 William Hill

In this section, we’ve taken a look at the most common payment methods used on UK betting sites. Some methods are more widely accepted than others, but the following are the most commonly found:

Debit card

Withdrawal timeframe: 4 hours – 3 days

The most widely accepted payment method on online betting sites and often required to qualify for sign up bonuses. Traditionally, debit card withdrawals have taken days to process, but the introduction of Fast Funds means some UK betting sites can process debit card withdrawals in as little as four hours.

Bank transfer

Withdrawal timeframe: Instant – 5 days

As is the case with debit cards, many betting sites will accept deposits and withdrawals made by bank transfer. This was previously one of the slowest payment methods; however, Pay By Bank has transformed this option, with funds arriving in a matter of minutes at sites that cater to the newer method.

E-wallets (PayPal, Skrill, Neteller)

Withdrawal timeframe: Instant – 24 hours

There is a large selection of e-wallets now available, all offering instant deposits, but Skrill, Neteller and PayPal are the three biggest providers, with the latter most likely to be found on betting sites. Withdrawals using this option tend to be processed in a matter of hours, although a growing number of UK betting sites have stopped using e-wallets due to the fees involved for them, with Betfred recently dropping PayPal and Skrill.

Apple/Google Pay

Withdrawal timeframe: Instant – 24 hours

Many gambling sites have embraced Apple Pay, and, to a lesser extent, Google Pay. These methods make deposits extremely simple as they don’t require punters to enter any bank details, and withdrawals can be made with just a few taps on your mobile. In particular, Apple Pay betting sites are becoming more common as bookmakers start accepting the payment method, even for welcome offers.

Paysafecard

Withdrawal timeframe: 1 hour – 3 days

This method works in a similar way to e-wallets, though as is the case with Skrill and Neteller, it is less widely accepted and rarely qualifies for welcome offers. The pre-paid card makes it easy to keep a limit on spending, but very few bookmakers offer withdrawals using Paysafe.

Trustly

Withdrawal timeframe: 10 minutes – 24 hours

Instant transfers are available with Trustly, with no bank details needed and limits between £10 and £10,000. It’s one of the most secure methods to complete a transfer and is becoming increasingly popular with online bookmakers.

Pay by mobile

Withdrawal timeframe: N/A

Users can normally deposit via pay by mobile, with deposits sometimes processed nearly instantly, but pay by mobile is not a valid method for withdrawals on UK betting sites.

Research released by the UK Gambling Commission highlights that some gambling activities are more strongly associated with future harm than others. Sports betting was among the highest-scoring categories on the Commission’s Problem Gambling Severity Index.

Gambling should be viewed strictly as discretionary leisure spending. Set clear limits, only use money you can afford to lose, and resist the urge to chase losses in an attempt to recover previous bets. UK-regulated operators are required to offer a range of safer gambling measures. These can include deposit and loss limits, cooling-off periods, reality checks, affordability checks, and self-exclusion schemes designed to help customers manage their activity.

If your gambling starts to feel out of control at any stage, free and confidential help is available, and you should consider contacting one of the support organisations listed below.

We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes described the Falklands War as “a sad part of our history” and said his side felt their World Cup semi-final against England “wasn’t just a football match” in light of historic and current tensions over the territory.

Build-up to the semi-final was dominated by tensions over the Falkland Islands, a British overseas territory 300 miles off the Argentinian coast which are known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina.

Buenos Aires has repeatedly claimed sovereignty over the territory and Britain and Argentina fought a war over it in 1982 after Argentina’s far-right military dictatorship invaded, in which over 900 people were killed.

Argentina lost the war and the territory remains British, but it is still a flashpoint in relations between the two countries and is frequently referenced at football matches and in chants.

Paredes said after their 2-1 victory in Atlanta that the players had been spurred on by memories of the war, and defended them for holding a banner referencing the dispute.

He said: “Sadly, it is a sad part of our history, for everyone involved in that chapter of our history. And it hurts. We knew we were playing for them too. For all the people, for our entire nation. I believe we did it in the best possible way.

“We always wanted to convey that for us, it wasn’t just a football match. We were aware that it wasn’t just that. It was very important for our entire country. And I think we feel immense joy.”

Some Argentina players sang a popular chant, “For the Malvinas, for Diego [Maradona] and for Leo [Messi]’s last one”, after they beat Switzerland to set up their semi-final against England.

And several Argentina players unfurled a banner reading “The Malvinas are Argentinian” as they celebrated victory over the Three Lions in Atlanta, which has sparked backlash.

The UK’s business secretary Peter Kyle described the banner as “entirely inappropriate” and said the government expected Fifa to conduct an investigation into it; the team could be sanctioned for violating the governing body’s rules on political expression on the pitch.

Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul said before the game: “We understand it’s a football game that transcends; it brings back memories of what Diego [Maradona] did.

“We sing songs about our Malvinas heroes, mainly to remember them, but we have to understand that it’s a football match and that the Malvinas have to be discussed elsewhere. What happened was an atrocity and we always remember the fallen, but what we want is to win this match to get to the final.”

Councillors voted unanimously to back a motion for council leader, Councillor Carl Les, to contact Minister for the Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris outlining their objections to the plan.

The vote was taken at the authority’s full council meeting at County Hall in Northallerton yesterday (Wednesday, July 15).

It comes after the Home Office revealed plans to house up to 3,750 people at Linton, and former RAF bases at Bicester in Oxfordshire and Barnham in Suffolk, with about 1,200 single men potentially located at the North Yorkshire site.

Cllr Les said there was a “sense of urgency” because the government had already begun its due diligence process.

“It’s important that we make our views known on behalf of the residents that this council represents.

“Let’s be clear, this is not about illegal migration. It’s not even about the policy of housing asylum seekers — I hope we can all agree that they should be housed safely and with dignity.”

But he added: “As was decided by the Home Office four years ago, this is not the right location for many reasons.”

RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Photo: Google.

Councillor Malcolm Taylor, executive member for highways and transportation and member for the Huby and Tollerton division, which includes the former base, said Linton was still the wrong place, as it had been when a similar proposal was put forward in 2022.

He added: “If anything, the compelling case is now stronger not to house them in that rural village than it was back in 2022.

“I fully recognise that government policy is to relocate asylum seekers from hotels across the country into disused former military bases, and I can see some logic behind that.

“However, the site that they choose to relocate those asylum seekers from hotels has to be suitable for communities and for asylum seekers themselves.”

Councillor Stuart Parsons, leader of the North Yorkshire Independents group on the council, also backed the motion and suggested members should be prepared to stand outside the base to stop government access if necessary.

“I think it’d be rather funny if we all chained together outside Linton-on-Ouse airbase,” he said.

“I don’t particularly want to be attached to certain people, but I will swallow my pride.”

Councillor Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, an unaffiliated independent member, supported the motion, but added: “Where are you suggesting is suitable? And can you find me the resident across North Yorkshire or across this country who wants to live near such a site?”

Reform councillor, John Mann, called on the authority to go further and press the government for a “fundamental reform of our broken asylum system”, adding: “North Yorkshire residents deserve a council that is prepared to challenge the national policy not merely its local consequences.”

In response, Councillor Simon Myers, executive member culture, arts and housing, said: “I’m afraid everything becomes an opportunity for people to start their election campaigns — I wish they wouldn’t. Let’s conduct the business of the council.”

Councillor Steve Shaw-Wright, leader of the Labour group, also urged councillors not to debate national immigration policy, before suggesting that it was former Conservative minister and now Reform MP, Robert Jenrick, who opened hotels to house asylum seekers.

He added: “We have to accept that when migrants come, they don’t come here for an easy life. They are leaving really, really terrible situations, a lot of those caused by us, and we have to accept that.”

Alistair Roberts, 37, had recently returned to Tokyo to be with his fiancée.

A Scottish man who disappeared in Tokyo has been detained in the country. Alistair Roberts, from Glasgow, was reported missing from the Japanese capital after leaving a poker match in a notorious red-light district on Saturday.

The 37-year-old had not been in touch with his fiancée or friends after leaving the game in the early hours of the morning.

He had recently returned to Tokyo to be with his fiancée who last heard from him at 3am, according to his friend. However his phone died and no one was able to reach him.

His disappearance was described as “insanely out of character,” with his loved ones fearing the worst.

The Foreign Office has today confirmed to the Record that he has been detained in an update on his his ‘missing‘ person’s case.

The last sighting of Alistair was captured on a live camera stream of Kabukicho, a notorious red-light district known as the ‘sleepless town’. He was last seen around 4:30am on July 11 leaving a poker establishment.

A missing person’s report was believed to have been filed with Tokyo police who maintained at the time that he was not in their custody. Alistair’s friend also claimed that attempts to contact the UK embassy were made.

Extensive appeals were made across social media over the last few days to find Alistair.

Expats, travellers and locals were urged to come forward with any information they may have had on him.

An FCDO Spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man detained in Tokyo and are in contact with the local authorities.”

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In Normanby, officers seized a Ford Transit van after spotting it being driven by a man, despite the vehicle being insured to a woman. The driver fled the scene after noticing police.

A purple Surron bike was also seized in Billingham following a collision with a BMW on Low Grange Avenue at around 8.50pm on Friday, July 10. Officers attended the scene and removed the bike.

The following day, police recovered a suspected stolen bike in Grangetown after checks revealed it had been stolen from the Sheffield area.

Meanwhile, an illegal bike was seized in Middlesbrough’s Park End area, where an 18-year-old man was reported for summons for driving without a licence or insurance.

Highlighting the force’s ongoing efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour, Cleveland Police said: “We won’t tolerate illegal bikes – not on our streets.”