Best European Betting Sites in 2024

Want an Easy Way to Find the Best EU Betting Sites?

When you’re searching for the best betting sites in Europe without expert guidance, you’re likely to get lucky sometimes and others, not. That’s because of two things; 1) there are a LOT of European betting companies out there and 2) the advertising each of the betting sites puts out is not always accurate. For success every time, you need something to steer you.

The list you see here is full of all the information you could possibly need to find the best European sports betting sites around. This insight is gained from the hard work our review team carries out to find the top operators in the business. What’s more, we’re constantly updating our information, so that we always know it’s accurate.

Simply by adding us to your browser’s favourites, you’re never more than a click away from finding the best bookies on the European market. Sportsbook sites that deliver less than they promise can be frustrating, but with our help, there’s no reason why you’ll ever visit one again. With our resource in your back pocket, you’ll always know where to go.

About Online Betting in Europe

The EU is a large European body that contains 27 different nations, with many of its economic affairs being governed by Brussels. When it comes to sports betting, the laws vary depending on the country you’re in, as each has its own legal framework that falls under the auspices of the governing body – the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA).

For instance, in Spain and Germany, Euro sports betting sites are subject to local and state-level regulations. Whereas in Holland (a.k.a. The Netherlands), sports wagering is governed at the national level by the Dutch Gaming Authority. Since Britain exited the EU in 2020, they’re no longer considered part of this market.

Despite all these many different methods of governance, rules and regulatory bodies, the EU market operates pretty well. The European Commission’s over-arching regulations keep everything tightly managed, however, not all are required to be licensed. What can’t be mistaken though, is the passion for sport, right the way across Europe.

Sports to Wager On in the European Market

There is perhaps no more diverse geographical region than Europe when it comes to sporting endeavours. Football sits at the very top in terms of popularity, but there are literally dozens of other sports that you can wager on. In addition to the global phenomenon that is soccer, there are a number of popular sports like rugby, athletics, swimming and of course, horse racing.

That’s not to forget other hugely popular sports like cricket, tennis, badminton, volleyball, boxing and relatively new entrants into the scene, MMA. Then you’ve got motor-based sports like Formula 1 racing, Grand Prix motorbike racing and endurance events like the Tour de France that run each and every year across Europe.

Of course, you’re not limited to sports that occur in Europe as a European bettor, which means that there are the likes of NHL hockey, NBA baseball, NFL football and Major League Baseball. Further to that, there are US college sports like NCAA basketball and football to choose from, so in terms of real-world sports, there’s an incredible amount of choice available.

Not Forgetting Esports, Of Course!

Thanks to the advent of high-speed internet, esports has become incredibly popular in recent years. Competitively playing major console titles like Call of Duty, Fortnite and League of Legends, top players like Johan Sundstein and Anathan Pham earn 7-figure incomes each year, so what we’re not talking about here is a minor pastime.

In 2021 alone, there were 885 separate events catering for both individual and team competitions. The biggest ever audience for a single esports event was 5.4 million, illustrating just how widely watched. While this might pale in comparison to the likes of the Superbowl and the Aintree Grand National, it’s a figure that’s not to be sniffed at.

Last year the esports industry was said to sit at a whopping $1bn and it’s a figure that’s climbing all the time. Offering the same levels of excitement and betting options as real-world sports, esports is followed by millions across the globe, so when you’ve had enough of traditional sports, there’s plenty to get your teeth stuck into.

What Kind of Bets Can You Make on Sports?

Visit any Euro sportsbook site worth its salt and you’ll gain access to more sports wagering than anyone has time to enjoy in full. As we’ve already mentioned, there are countless sports markets to enjoy in Europe, with a range of different ways to enjoy your gambling.

The types of sports wager you’ll encounter will typically include:

Moneyline bets: this is the most basic type of sports wager you can make, as you stake an amount of money on whether team A or team B will win in a Team A vs Team B scenario. Should you predict the outcome correctly, you’ll win an amount based on the odds that were offered before the event began.

Win/lose/draw bets: similarly to moneyline bets, win/lose/draw bets allow the bettor to wager money on predicting the correct outcome. The difference is that you can bet on a stalemate occurring, meaning that you’re not betting on one or the other.

Accumulator bets: If you want to win big, then a great way to do so is with an accumulator bet. In a horse racing scenario, an accumulator or ‘acca’ might involve betting on the winner of 5 different races, with all your predictions needing to come in.

Under/over bets: Another bet you can make on sports is the under/over bet, which essentially means you need to predict the total number of points or goals being scored during a competition.

Special bets: Something else that can make things more interesting are special bets, with peripheral events being wagered upon. Occurrences like the number of corners during a match of football or the number of sixes during a cricket test match are all possibilities that can be wagered on.

In-play bets: Last up, we have in-play bets, which are exactly what they sound like. For extra excitement, you can bet on events as they unfold, with options like ‘cash out’ being available, based on how things are going for your chosen team or sportsperson.

Bonuses and Promotions Available

Sports betting sites in Europe are just like any other kind of business, meaning they need to attract customers and keep them loyal. As such, bonuses are offered as an incentive, so that you choose their services over those of another company.

The types of sports betting bonuses available typically include:

Welcome bonuses: Often referred to as a ‘deposit bonus’, welcome bonuses are offered to players just joining the site and will include things like free bets, free funds or enhanced odds.
Loyalty bonuses: Also known as ‘reload bonuses’, loyalty bonuses reward players who deposit more funds into their account i.e. showing their loyalty to the site in question.
VIP program: While this might not be a specific bonus as such, it rewards players for playing long-term with a points system that offers incentives like free bets, merchandise or straight-up cash.

How We Find the Best Betting Sites

Our expert review team has the experience and knowledge to know what a great Euro sports betting site looks like. This allows them to see which operators are worth your time and which aren’t, with the following being just some of the many metrics assessed:

• Customer service availability 24/7/365
• Online security provided for players
• Number of accepted payment methods
• Total number of sports betting markets offered
• Welcome bonus fairness re wagering requirements

This is just a small slice of the many metrics our team reviews, which is what allows us to be so confident about the sites we recommend.