In today’s world, paying for things online has become the norm. There are plenty of options for making digital payments, and with such high demand, new ones are regularly appearing on the market. One of the reasons that online sportsbooks and betting apps have been able to flourish is because it’s now so easy to pay for things online.
Since we’ve become used to having a selection of trustworthy digital payment methods when we’re spending money online, we’ve also come to expect a better payment experience. Customers want secure digital payment methods that have options and are processed instantly. Betting sites have been responsive to market demands and keep up to date with the latest payment methods available.
The best betting sites UK punters can create accounts on include some big names in the industry that have been around for decades, and some smaller new brands that have exploded onto the betting scene. These leading sites all offer their customers an assortment of digital payment options.
In this article, we’ll discuss the leading payment methods and then go over which payment methods are accepted at each of the best UK betting sites.
Leading payment methods
The classic payment method of the digital era is using a debit or credit card. Since 2020, using a credit card to make deposits at betting sites has been banned by the British government. Debit cards remain one of the most popular payment methods.
The physical debit card has largely been replaced by e-wallets. An e-wallet is an app that holds a digital version of the user’s actual bank cards. E-wallets are tied to the user’s mobile device because they are typically an app. This means that the most popular e-wallets are operated by Apple (Apple Pay), Samsung (Samsung Pay) and Google (Google Wallet).
Many people also like to use separate payment apps. These are typically – though not always – linked to a bank account but they can be used as a limited account. This can help people keep an eye on their spending or divide up their budget more clearly. The original payment app is PayPal. Other popular apps have emerged in recent years and include Skrill, Neteller, Wise and Cash App. One important thing to note about payment apps is that many only operate in certain regions.
Paysafecard has rapidly become one of the favourite ways to pay online because it limits overspending and protects the user from fraud. Since paysafecard is essentially a prepaid debit card, it can be used at most places online.
Below, we’ve highlighted some of the best betting sites that the UK has to offer. We’ll tell you what payment methods each one accepts and some of the major selling points of each sportsbook.
talkSPORT BET
Most people know talkSPORT as the leading sports radio channel, and a destination for stats and in-depth sports information. What more people are discovering is that in 2022, the company launched a sportsbook – talkSPORT BET. All of its decades of industry expertise have been poured into the site and it shows.
Although talkSPORT BET currently only accepts deposits made by Mastercard or Visa debit cards, this doesn’t hold it back much. It offers odds on 30 sports and has a very user-friendly site.
Planet Sport Bet
Planet Sport Bet is another new face on the market. It was launched in 2021 and is associated with the leading sports channels, so it’s obvious why it’s such a big success. It caters especially to racing fans, who will find all UK and Irish horse races live-streamed on the site. Planet Sport Bet has odds on plenty of other sports too and regularly offers special bonuses and promotions.
The site allows users to make deposits via Visa, Mastercard and Maestro debit cards. It also accepts bank transfers and checks. Hopefully, we’ll see more digital options added soon.
Spreadex
Spreadex has been one of the most popular betting sites for years. As the name suggests, Spreadex is the go-to sportsbook for spread betting. It has plenty of the more traditional betting options and offers odds on 25 sports. This isn’t as many as its main competition but all of the most popular betting sports are included.
Spreadex accepts deposits through the major debit cards (Mastercard and Visa), as well as Switch, bank transfer, cheques and direct deposit. It does not currently support any payment apps on its site.
BoyleSports
BoyleSports was launched in Ireland in 1982 and has found a big audience in the UK as well. This is because it’s a top-notch sportsbook with competitive odds on a massive 42 sports. If you’re looking for football odds, everything from the big European tournaments to the upcoming St Mirren v Kilmarnock match and even the MLS has odds on BoyleSports.
BoyleSports also accepts more payment methods than almost everyone else. At BoyleSports, bettors can make deposits via Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Neteller, Skrill, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, paysafecard, bank transfer, Trustly and several others, depending on their location.