Irish punters can bet online with a huge range of Irish betting sites. Setting up a betting account is essential to take full advantage of the features offered by these sites. To help you find the best Irish betting site for you, use our guide to the best online betting sites, which includes a top 10 list, the five best new bookmakers.
bet365 is widely regarded as the best betting site due to its extensive range of sports markets and generous promotions. If you're looking for the optimal betting experience, bet365 is your best bet.
bet365 is rightly regarded as the best Irish betting site and with over 50 million sports betting customers worldwide, it is a worthy gold medal winner in our top 10 list of the best sports betting sites.
It is clear to see why bet365 attracts a large number of Irish players. There is quite simply no better Irish betting site in terms of user experience, competitive odds, betting markets, and exciting features for existing customers.
As well as the regular odds being the best on the market, bet365 provides regular price boosts and enticing enhanced odds super boosts that often elevate short-priced favourites to even odds in both horse racing and football betting markets. bet365 also has one of the best free-to-play games on the market, the Six Horses game is run every weekend and a similar one for football betting. Other existing customer offers include regular enhanced odds and an accumulator boost that can enhance winnings by up to 100%.
While bet365 excels in many areas, there is room for improvement in its banking options and customer service, as well as more free bet offers for existing customers. Currently, deposits can only be made using debit cards, PayPal, or Apple Pay, while rival Irish betting sites offer a wider range of options.
BOYLE Sports is a well-known name in the betting industry, particularly for its live-streaming options and regular odds boosts. The betting market is highly competitive, and BOYLE Sports stands out by offering a diverse range of betting options, including enhanced odds, live streaming, and in-play betting, catering to different types of bettors, especially in popular sports like football and horse racing.
Irish betting site BOYLE Sports is second in our list of the best betting sites in Ireland. BOYLE Sports is great for horse racing betting especially thanks to its premier live-streaming option and regular odds boosts during the big Festivals.
BOYLE Sports also rates highly for its banking capabilities thanks to its expanded options, including Neteller and Skrill, which bet365 lacks. We have also found the customer service to be especially quick and helpful, which is an often underrated aspect of any betting site.
Although some have reported bad customer service, for customer service but we have had a good personal experience, as they resolved an issue regarding free bets quickly and easily with free bets credited almost instantly.
BetVictor is renowned for its competitive betting odds, especially during major events. They offer good odds that attract many bettors, although they may not always be market-leading. This makes BetVictor a strong contender in the competitive landscape of betting platforms.
BetVictor is by no means a new Irish betting site, but it is one that has improved a lot in recent years and is a justified bronze medal winner in our list.
The platform feels cutting edge, and horse racing is easy to navigate to, with it located just below football betting markets on the sidebar. When you are there, you will see odds boosts and the next races. Once you click on the race you want to bet on, you can easily access the ‘lengthen your odds’ promotion, just one of a number of existing customer offers.
BetVictor’s evolution really bloomed during the recent Cheltenham Festival where the betting site offered the best odds on 275 Cheltenham betting markets throughout the four days of this year's Festival.
William Hill is a solid all-rounder betting site, offering an industry-standard minimum deposit to make sports betting accessible to new users.
Positives include William Hill Radio, which is an unrivalled way to keep up with racing on the go, as well as regular free bets during the best betting events of the year. This year at Royal Ascot, you can get a free bet every day of the meeting. On top of that, William Hill's live streaming option is second-to-none, which is great for in-play betting.
From a user-experience point of view, the William Hill website could still be improved with a slightly dated feel compared to the likes of Betfred which have undergone recent refreshes. That dated feel also means you may miss key features, like in-play betting markets.
A final thing to note about William Hill is that you now must opt-in for best odds guarantee rather than it being applied as standard, as with a lot of competitors.
Betfair offers both a sportsbook and an exchange, providing a wide range of betting options for users. To activate promotional offers aimed at new customers, Betfair requires a qualifying bet, which is the minimum bet amount and specific odds that must be placed to receive bonus rewards such as free bets or casino credits.
Betfair's sportsbook covers a vast array of sports, including football, horse racing, and tennis, while the exchange allows users to bet against each other, often resulting in better odds. This dual offering makes Betfair a versatile platform, ideal for both casual and serious bettors.
Betfair is unlike any of the online bookmakers on our list of the best online sports betting websites as it is both a traditional sportsbook and exchange.
The Betfair sportsbook stands above other betting sites in Ireland due to its sports betting markets and Acca Edge existing customer promotion, which gives punters the option of accumulator bets insurance or an accumulator bets boost on better terms than the industry standards.
Betfair offers a similar promotion for bet builders. Bet builder insurance is a great option for Irish punters looking to improve their football betting experience. If one leg of your 5+ leg bet builder lets you down, you will receive your stake back, up to €10, as a free bet, thanks to Betfair's bet builder insurance.
The Betfair sportsbook also has a wide range of existing customer offers, including regular free bets, as well as an intuitive interface which highlights popular bets and multiples. The Betfair exchange offers the opportunity to ‘back’ or ‘lay’ bets against other punters, which can often unlock better odds.
As no other betting site in Ireland on this list has both a sportsbook and exchange, Betfair ranks highly, but the Betfair exchange could be more user-friendly, especially to those new to exchange betting, while customer service is also an area for improvement. Also, you should note that the free bet promotion can only be used on accumulators or bet builders, which are a popular form of football betting.
Paddy Power is known for its humorous marketing strategy, but its sportsbook is no joke. The free bet offer is also very attractive as it is currently tailored for Royal Ascot.
Slightly unlucky to be so low on our list of the best Irish betting sites, Paddy's is a serious player thanks to its user-friendly platform, along with free bet promotions for both new and existing customers and unrivalled sports markets. It should also be noted that during March’s Cheltenham Festival, Paddy's paid out for 117 places during the four days of racing, beaten only by Sky Bet, so it's great for each-way bettors.
It's also a great option for other forms of sports betting beyond horse racing, like football, thanks to its innovative substitution guarantee. This means if you back a player to score and they are replaced at any point, your bet moves to their replacement. This offer is also valid on bet builders and live betting and has since been replicated by other bookmakers like bet365.
Paddy's can rocket up our top 10 list of sports betting sites by offering better odds and payment options.
Coral is renowned for its unique existing customer offers. These promotions often include free bets valid for a specific period, typically ranging from 7 to 30 days, with conditions such as the stake not being returned and limitations on the types of markets where the free bets can be used.
Coral is not a betting site that rests on its laurels, with constant innovation at the heart of one of the best online bookmakers in the country.
These innovations include the Coral racing club, which gives you the taste of owning a horse without having to spend any money and their latest existing customer offer, the Coral Rewards shaker. Rewards include odds boosts, free bets and free spins which gives you a good reason to come back daily.
Beyond those bells and whistles, Coral offers a solid sports betting platform and excellent banking options. If Corals’ odds improve, the cornerstone of any great betting site, then expect it to go up in our rankings.
Betfred has recently undergone a significant platform overhaul, enhancing user experience and streamlining navigation. This update includes a more intuitive interface, faster load times, and improved mobile compatibility. Additionally, Betfred has updated its welcome offers and bonuses, which now come with specific requirements, including minimum odds, significantly impacting bettors' decisions when selecting betting markets.
Betfred has certainly caused a positive impression thanks to its enticing free bet new customer offer, which is hard to beat, as you can see from the terms above.
The Betfred website has undergone a recent refresh, which has led to many improvements in terms of user experience. The horse racing section is easy to find and the races have icons which show which offers are running on them like profit boosts and extra places.
Those existing customer offers and its sleek new design make Betfred worthy of a place on your roster of Irish betting sites, but it needs to be noted that you need to opt in to best odds guaranteed.
Novibet is known for its generous free bet welcome offer, which requires new customers to place qualifying bets. These qualifying bets must meet a certain minimum stake at specified odds within a designated time frame to unlock various free bets or bonus credits as part of the welcome promotions.
Novibet is one of the newer Irish bookmakers to irishracing.com and it has proven a hit with our readers, mainly due to its generous free bet welcome offer.
Beyond its free bet promotion for new customers, Novibet’s website is genuinely unique among other sites mentioned on our list, with tabs for trending price boosts and a generous accumulator bets boost.
Novibet can improve by offering more competitive odds and a wider range of international racing betting markets or ante-post betting markets. However, if you are looking for a modern-feeling online sports betting site in Ireland to use on any upcoming action then Novibet is a great option.
Reviews taken on 19th June 2025
Midnite offers a variety of promotions, including free bets and free spins for casino games. Additionally, they provide promotional free bets for accumulator betting with the Midnite Acca Club.
Similar to Novibet, Midnite is a newer online betting site to irishracing.com and also has a modern feel, which has helped it earn the final place in our top 10 list of the best online bookies.
There is also the ‘Midnite club’ which gives you free bets and free spins for casino games if you are a regular customer throughout the week, which is a positive.
What holds Midnite back is the limited payment methods, with just debit cards and PayPal available, but this is something that could be expanded soon. The live betting options are also limited when compared to the big names.
If you are looking for a new sports betting website to sign up to, then below you will find four new online bookmakers that have launched since October 2021 that we can recommend.
Not all of the new Irish betting sites will be able to compete with the bigger, more established brands in our top 10 list, but they still have plenty of betting features, including mobile betting options, and free bet promotions that we have detailed in our rundown below.
Date established: Early 2023
AKBets is a familiar name to those who frequent the betting ring, but they launched an online betting site in Ireland just over two years ago and have established themselves among the bigger names.
That is down in no small part to their odds as they ranked among the top 10 for prices in betting markets for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. The site itself is no frills with horse racing presented when you first arrive, giving you easy access to those competitive odds while recent price changes and enhanced odds are nicely presented.
Away from racing, there is an impressive number of sports betting markets for a new online bookmaker, including a comprehensive bet builder section and live betting tab.
Date established: November 2022
Launched in November 2022, talkSPORT BET is a collaboration between the UK broadcaster and BV Group, the organisation behind BetVictor. That means talkSPORT BET uses the same platform as BetVictor, so the site is intuitive, has plenty of existing customer offers like best odds guaranteed and regular free bets, as well as a seamless live-streaming service and an in-play betting option.
What lets talkSPORT BET down is the lack of unique existing customer offers when it comes to horse racing, like more options for free bets. The site does have other existing customer offers, so this is certainly an area it can expand, which would be welcomed.
The LiveScore Bet website feels as fresh as you would expect from such a recently launched product while there is also a good range of sports betting markets, competitive odds and engaging existing customer offers like extra place races, money back if your horse does not win, an accumulator club and best odds guaranteed.
LiveScore Bet is part of the same organisation behind the live score app, and therefore it is no surprise that the in-play betting option is particularly strong with an in-play tab front and centre when you log in.
All of these are what you would expect from a more established betting site, so that’s a positive. The site is let down by its customer service with email the only way to get in touch with somebody beyond a ‘virtual assistant’ while payment methods could be expanded to include the likes of Skrill and Netteler.
Date established: January 2023
The newest online bookmaker on our list of the best new sports betting operators, Bzeebet was only launched just over two years ago.
The colour scheme and website have a modern feel, but it is let down by the inability to make the window smaller and the limited traditional sports betting markets. However, Bzeebet is a great option if you are looking for niche sports like esports, with NBA2k and Call of Duty betting available, which lend themselves to live betting as well as a handy bet builder option for football wagering.
Unfortunately, there is no option for antepost and international betting, which other firms have as standards, and there is also no best odds guarantee promotion. If Bzeebet addresses this, it would go up our rankings of the new best betting sites.
Monday (17th November) - Navan’s rearranged meeting includes top-level Irish racing, with the Fortria Chase and Lismullen Hurdle headlining. Kopek Des Bordes starts his campaign over fences.
Tuesday (18th November) - Limerick provides Tuesday’s jumps card. The maiden hurdle (1.40) looks deep, attracting runners from leading stables.
Wednesday (19th November) - Dundalk stages the only racing in Ireland, with a competitive 6f sprint handicap drawing regular all-weather specialists.
Thursday (20th November) - Thurles holds its traditional Thursday jumps card, highlighted by a beginners’ chase with several returning winter horses.
Friday (21st November) - Evening all-weather racing returns to Dundalk, including a rated race over a mile featuring improving three-year-olds.
Saturday (22nd November) - The Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown is the day’s main event, often shaping the early-season pecking order among Ireland’s top hurdlers.
Sunday (23rd November) - Punchestown’s John Durkan Chase is the Grade 1 attraction, while Cork runs a supporting jumps card with a valuable extended-handicap chase.
Monday (17th November) - Exeter, Plumpton and Leicester all race over jumps on Monday, with Newcastle providing evening all-weather fare. Exeter’s feature is a competitive staying handicap hurdle (3.20).
Tuesday (18th November) - Lingfield, Kelso and Sedgefield stage Tuesday’s jumps fixtures. Newcastle hosts another night-time all-weather meeting, featuring a 0—90 sprint handicap that continues to attract large fields.
Wednesday (19th November) - Warwick, Hexham and Ffos Las offer midweek jumps cards, with Kempton running an all-weather evening meeting. Warwick’s novice handicap chase (2.10) is the highlight of the day.
Thursday (20th November) - Wincanton and Warwick headline Thursday’s jumping, including a veterans’ chase worth £30,000. Lingfield, Southwell and Newcastle appear on the all-weather roster throughout the afternoon and evening.
Friday (21st November) - Ascot, Chepstow and Catterick all race over the sticks. Ascot’s mares’ handicap hurdle (2.25) should prove informative for future graded targets. Dundalk and Southwell supply the evening racing.
Saturday (22nd November) - Haydock hosts the prestigious Betfair Chase, the showpiece event of the weekend. Ascot and Huntingdon back it up with strong supporting cards, while Wolverhampton and Newcastle complete the all-weather action.
Sunday (23rd November) - Sunday’s British racing includes meetings from Exeter and Windsor. Exeter’s conditions hurdle (3.10) looks a potential stepping-stone for horses heading towards major winter festivals.
Dinoblue, 2.45 Navan - Dinoblue is worth taking a chance on in this cracking renewal. She has a good record fresh and has won on seasonal debut three times before. Her proven stamina over longer distances will be an asset on this stiff track in testing conditions.
Its Not Over Yet, 12.25 Navan - Its Not Over Yet, would ideally want to race over further, but in these conditions 2m4f will probably be more than adequate. She is not the most consistent performer, but has been running well recently and the addition of a tongue-strap and cheek-pieces for the first time should eke out a little improvement and she is worth a small each-way play.
Limerick 3.35 Mossy Way Mossy Way beat all bar the useful Koktail Brut on debut at Fairyhouse and again advertised his claims when fourth behind Le Labo in a Thurles bumper that has produced a list of subsequent winners. Tip Of The Wings is an obvious threat having won a point-to-point in decisive fashion at Daramona House in March and was sold to current connections the following month at Aintree for 95,000 pounds. Lord Lackendarra has plenty of experience and showed some promise on a number of occasions including when third at Tramore this summer.
As somebody who has over 10 years of online betting experience and writing about sport for over five, I was able to combine both of my passions over two years ago.
Since then, I have written about sports betting for a major UK publication and recently moved to irishracing.com to bring my expertise in Irish bookmaker offers.
I have written about how to start betting, free bet promotions, the best football betting sites, bonus bets and various niche sports markets, including virtual sports, for the last two years and have developed a deep understanding of the market and what readers want from the best betting sites.
The rankings and opinions that you find on this page are not just the personal views of the writer or the irishracing.com team.
We have also analysed the Trustpilot, App Store and Google Play ratings of the leading bookmakers to help inform our top 10 list.
One thing to note is that most Trustpilot reviews will be negative. Human nature means consumers are much more likely to leave a negative review of an online bookie than a positive one, even if they have benefited from sports bets promotional offers aimed at new customers.
That means that any Trustpilot rating over 2.5 can be considered very good, and anything over 3.5 is exceptional.
Both expert opinion and user-generated reviews are essentially the opinions of individuals, and we did not rely wholly on that to produce our top 10 list.
We have access to various data sources within the betting industry and have utilised these to help shape this page.
This includes but is not limited to recent industry analysis of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, which saw BetVictor come out as the best betting site in terms of odds and Paddy Power as the second best for places. Additionally, pre-match betting was highlighted as a crucial aspect, showcasing its integration with various sports and betting features.
Look out for features including payment options, user-friendly experience, free bet promotions and existing customer offers.
The Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) was only set up in 2024 after new legislation was passed, so it is still in its infancy, but it is likely to play a similar role as the UK Gambling Commission in the UK and will soon begin to issue licences for sports betting.
That means that the online betting firms covered in this list will soon come under the jurisdiction of the GRAI. While organisations can now register their interest for a gambling licence, they are not yet required to have one.
Responsible gambling tools also play a key role in our rankings, as their importance cannot be overstated.
All of the bookies detailed here meet a high standard when it comes to responsible gambling tools and have features like deposit limits, cool-off periods and links to relevant third parties like the National Gambling Helpline.
One thing to keep an eye out for when signing up to an online bookmaker site is any household restrictions that may apply when signing up for free bet welcome offers.
Typically, free bet sign-up offers will be limited to one per household and/or per IP address.
This should be detailed in the terms and conditions of the free bet offer, so read those carefully and make sure you consider this before completing the sign-up process.
Many operators are run by the same parent company, which may restrict customers to one welcome offer across their portfolio of brands.
Examples of brands that are owned by the same parent company include Coral and Ladbrokes as well as BetVictor and talkSPORT BET. Again, make sure you check the specific terms and conditions of each free bet offer carefully before trying to claim it.
Many top Irish betting sites excel across multiple sports, with our best golf betting sites guide highlighting the platforms that offer competitive odds and specialized markets for major championships and events.
Every betting site is different and suits some people more than others. Hopefully, this guide to the leading bookmakers will help you to choose.
Generally, sports betting operators are trustworthy, but like any industry, there are black market operators. There are some simple steps you can take to ensure that a betting site is trustworthy. Check if the betting site is promoted on irishracing.com as we only promote trustworthy companies. You can also check betting forums to see what other punters have been saying about the betting site.
All licensed bookmakers are regulated, so we can recommend any of the bookmakers registered on irishracing.com.
Here are some key reminders for players to keep in mind while gambling:
For more, visit www.safergamblingweek.org
The sports betting websites offering the best betting odds are usually bet365, Unibet and Ladbrokes. You will find some of the best odds around during major festivals, including Cheltenham, Punchestown, the Grand National at Aintree and and Royal Ascot.
