18+ | Commercial Content | T&Cs apply | Wagering and T&Cs apply | Play Responsibly | Advertising Disclosure

Best Betting Sites Ireland (2024)

best betting sites irelandPunchestown 10 December 2024 Kitzbuhel and Paul Townend win for trainer Willie Mullins
Photo Healy Racing
Explore the best online bookmakers expertly ranked by the Better Collective Bookmaker Awards. Throughout the year, a dedicated team of 15 industry experts meticulously analyses over four million data points to pinpoint the platforms that deliver the ultimate betting experience.

Are you looking for platforms that offer the best the best sign up offers, competitive odds, exclusive promotions, and a superior user interface? This page has everything you are looking for.

Our comprehensive list of the top betting sites in Ireland showcases the rankings assigned to each operator during the annual Bookmaker Awards, hosted by Better Collective. With a robust dataset compiled over the past twelve months, we are well-equipped to provide you with an in-depth guide to the best betting sites available.

Betting Sites December 2024

Filter Offers
New Customers
Existing Customers
Trusted & Secure
Licensed in Ireland
Expert Reviews
Boylesports
Bet €10 Get €60 in free bets + €10 Casino Bonus Leopardstown: Money back as a free bet if 2nd to SP favourite
Claim Here
18+. IRE/NI new customers only. €/£70 in FREE Bets (FB) as €/£60 in sports bets & a €/£10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit €/£10. Min stake €/£10. Min odds Evs. FB applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. FB 7-day expiry. 1 FB offer per customer, household & IP address only. Account & Payment restrictions. 14 days to accept €/£10 CB, then active for 3 days. CB 5x wagering & max redeemable €/£100. Game restrictions apply. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. 30 days to qualify. T&Cs Apply.
LiveScoreBet
Bet €10 Get €50 In Free Bets.
Claim Here
New members only. Min €10 deposit & bet on sportsbook (ex. virtual, forecasts & tricasts), placed & settled in 14 days of sign-up. Min odds EVS. Free Bets: valid 7 days on sportsbook. Stakes not returned. T&Cs apply. Click here for full T&Cs.Bet Responsibly. http://Gamblingcare.ie . 18+ GambleAware.org
tonybet
100% up to €100 First Deposit Bonus For Sport Betting.
Claim Here
18+. New Players only. Make your first qualifying deposit of at least €10. Place one or more qualifying bets with a total stake of five (5) times your initial qualifying deposit on sports betting markets with odds of at least 1.5 on single bets or multi bets with cumulative odds of 1.7 and higher. The maximum free bet bonus that can be awarded in this promotion is €100. The turnover requirement for this promotion must be met within 14 days of the date of your qualifying deposit. Terms and Conditions apply. GambleAware.org
bet365
Bet €10 & Get €50 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365
Claim Here
Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required. GambleAware.org
tote
Bet €10 Get €40 in Bonuses
Claim Here
New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Only valid with code B10G40 on registration. €10 min qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min €10 Win + €10 Place). Receive €20 Tote Credit, €10 Free Sports Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. 7-day expiry on free bets & Tote Credit. Your first bet will be your qualifying bet. One per customer. UK & ROI customers only. 18+. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org
Williamhill
Bet €10 and Get €40 in Free Bets Credited as 4 x €10 Bets
Claim Here
18+ Play Safe. New customers using Promo code BB40 only. Min €10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 4 x €10, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 7 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. gamblingtherapy.org GambleAware.org
Unibet
Bet €20 and Get €40 in Free Bets on Racing
Claim Here
18+. GambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min €20 debit card deposit. Place a €20+ bet on Horse Racing at min odds 2/5 (1.4) each leg. Receive 2 x €10 free bets within 24 hours of bet settlement, and further 2 x €10 free bets 7 days later. Valid for Horse Racing only. T&C’s apply.
novibet
BET €30 GET €100 USE BONUS CODE: NOVIRACING
Claim Here
18+ new customers only | Max €100 free bet | Min bet €30 | Min odds 7/10 (1.70) | Bonus Code: NOVIRACING | Free bet stake is not returned | Offer valid until 31.12.2024 | Free bet valid for 7 days | T&Cs Apply. GambleAware.org
SBK
Bet €10 Get €50 in Free Bets
Claim Here
New Ireland and Malta customers only. Min €10 first deposit using Debit Card or Bank Transfer. Place a bet of €10 at min odds of 2.0 and get a €10 Football Bet Builder token upon settlement. A €10 Multiple token, a €5 Horse Racing Multiple token and a €5 Football Bet Builder token will be credited after 24 hours. A further €10 Free Bet token and 2 x €5 Horse Racing Multiple tokens will be credited 48 hours after the qualifying bet has been settled. Full T&Cs apply. Play responsibly, 18+. www.rgf.org.mt , GambleAware.org . #ad
Betway
Get up to €50 in Free Bets if your first bet loses + 50 Bonus Spins
Claim Here
New ROI customers only. Min Deposit: €5. Maximum Free Bet: €50. Overall odds: 1.50 (1/2) or higher. Free Bets available upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 50 Bonus Spins credited on placement of qualifying bet. 50x bonus wagering applies as do weighting requirements. Bonus Spins only available on selected games. Debit card deposits only. Offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. 18+ GamblingCare.ie. Terms apply. Dunlewey.org
BetVictor
Get up to €60 in Free Bets
Claim Here
18+ New customers only. Opt in, place your first bet of €10 or more on any sports market. Get up to a €60 match in Free Bets. Offer available until 23:59 IST on 31.12.2024. Free bets expire after 7 days. T&Cs apply. gamblingcare.ie | Please gamble responsibly.
bzeebet
Bet €10 get €10 in Free Bet
Claim Here
18+. New customers only. Min deposit: €10 and Min Bet: €10. Qualifying bet must be placed within 14 days of registration. Qualifying bet must be placed on min odds of Evens (2.00). Free Bets will be awarded within 24 hours after qualifying bet has been settled. Free Bet is valid for 14 days. Rewards: €10 Free bet valid for all sports events, except golf. Full Terms Apply | GamblingTherapy.org | Play Responsibly
talkSPORTBET
Get up to €50 in Free Bets on Any Sports
Claim Here
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet up to €50 (min. €20) on any sports at 2.00+ odds within 7 days. No Cash out. Get up to 2x €25 in free bets. Bonuses expire in 7 days. Card payments & Apple Pay only. T&Cs apply. gamblingcare.ie | Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org
PaddyPower
€30 IN FREE BETS WHEN YOU PLACE A €5 BET
Claim Here
New Customer offer - Use promo code YSKAST. Place a min €5 bet on the sportsbook at odds of min EVS (2.0) and get €30 in free bets. Free bet rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Debit Cards & Apple Pay will qualify for this offer. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. 18+.
Betfair
Get €50 in free bets When you place €10 bet on Sportsbook
Claim Here
Place a min €10 bet on Sportsbook on odds of min EVS (2.0), get €50 in Free Bet Builders, Accumulators or multiples to use on any sport. Rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via cards or Apple Pay will qualify. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly. GambleAware.org.
AKBET
Up to €100 Winnings Boost on your first Acca
Claim Here
Applies to new UK/IRE customers who sign up with promo code AKACCA100. Place your first bet as a multiple (minimum 3 selections) and AK Bets will boost the profit gained on that initial bet by 25% in the form of a Free Bet up to a value of €100. 18+ | GambleAware.org
Ladbrokes
€20 In Free Bets Ker-Ching - When you bet €5 on horse racing
Claim Here
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. Dunlewey.org GambleAware.org
quinnbet
Bet €10 Get €50 plus 10 Free Spins
Claim Here
New Republic of Ireland customers sign-up and place a first bet of €10 or greater at minimum odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get €50 in Free Bets plus 10 Free Spins when your qualifying bet settles! Republic of Ireland 18+ T&C apply. BeGambleAware.ie Gamble Responsibly. Ireland Customers Only. GambleAware.org
spreadex
Get €40 In Bonuses.
Claim Here
18+. Place a qualifying €25 fixed odds bet at odds of 1/2 or greater. Qualifying bet cannot be placed in-play or cashed out early. A first free €5 fixed odds bet will be credited upon settlement of the qualifying bet. 4 x following €5 free fixed odds bets will be added to your account on consecutive days. Free bets and spins must be claimed within 28 days of opening. Free bet/spin stake not included in any winnings. Ts&Cs Apply. Dunlewey.org. GambleAware.org
CORAL
Get A €40 Free Bet - When you bet €10 on Sports
Claim Here
18+ New UK+ROI Customers only. Min deposit & bet €10 at min odds 1/2 to qualify for 4 x €10 free bets. Certain deposit methods and bet types excl. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
FITZDARES
Place your first sports bet of €50 or more and get €25 in Free Bets, plus 10 spins
Claim Here
New customers only, aged 18+. Min deposit €10. Place a €50 bet on any sport at at odds of Evens (2.0) or greater to qualify for three free bets on settlement: €10 on Football, €10 on Greyhounds and £5 on Virtual Sports, plus 10 Free Spins on Reel King. Free Bet & Spins expire in 7 days. Additional T&Cs apply. Please bet responsibly. GambleAware.org
NETBET
€20 Free Bet On First Settled Bet.
Claim Here
18+ New customers only. €20 free bet for the first settled sports bet. FreeBets valid 7 days. T&Cs apply. Dunlewey.org GambleAware.org
MrPlay
Bet €10 Get €15.
Claim Here
New Players only, This offer is available once per household. New Players only, 1st Deposit, Min Deposit: £10, max £15 bonus, valid for 14 days, bets must be placed at a min. odds of 1/1 (2.00) or greater and be settled within 14 days of placement. System bets not eligible. T&Cs Apply. Dunlewey.org GambleAware.org
10Bet
100% Up To €50 Welcome Bonus.
Claim Here
18+. The minimum qualifying deposit for this promotion is €15. To be eligible for this promotion, players must input MATCH10 in the "Bonus Code" field when making a qualifying deposit into their Sports Cash Account. Your qualifying deposit and bonus must be wagered five (5) times on: (1) settled single sports bets with odds of at least 4/5 (1.80); or (2) settled combo bets with odds of at least 2/5 (1.40) per selection before you can withdraw your bonus and any winnings resulting from it. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org

We detail the best bookmakers, including bet365, Boylesports, Ladbrokes and Betfair and what makes them shine above others.

Find the Best Betting Sites in Ireland

First, let's narrow it down to the top ten and what they have to offer to keen punters. We will consider the following factors: such as: free bets, money-back specials, a top-notch user experience and most importantly bookmakers you can trust.

Below we highlight the best bookmakers available to punters in Ireland.

  1. bet365 offers - offering the best odds and extra place specials
  2. Boylesports offers - excellent Festival specials and customer service
  3. Betfred offers - excellent existing customer offers and very easy to use
  4. Paddy Power offers - competitive daily offers, price boosts and excellent betting experience
  5. Betfair Offers - fantastic overall betting experience
  6. Tote offers - the lucrative World Pool and placepots
  7. William Hill offers - competitive welcome offer and an expansive market selection
  8. Coral offers - excellent offering for existing customers and a wide range of banking options
  9. Ladbrokes offers - intuitive user experience and a high-value offer
  10. BetVictor offers - excellent sportsbook offering and great for horse racing odds
  11. Unibet offers - strong focus on horse racing
  12. Betway offers - high-value welcome offer

The best betting sites available in Ireland listed on this website are tried and tested prior to displaying them on irishracing.com.

1. bet365

The world’s leading bookmaker, bet365, is the best operator for competitive odds and boasts a strong welcome offer, having recently updated it from 'Bet 10 get 30' to 'Bet 10 Get 50' which represents a 500% bonus. It is a firm favourite with horse racing fans and you won't find many racegoers who don't have a bet365 account. Its extra place offers make it well worth signing up for.

  • Ranked number one at the Bookmaker Awards for Welcome Bonus, Horse Racing Odds and Betting Experience.
  • Its extra places and ITV races price promise are among its most popular existing customer offers.
  • A high-value new customer offer.
  • Known for holding its prices for longer than other bookmakers.
  • Simple-to-use mobile app, even for the betting rookie.
  • Live streaming option so you can watch every race on the go.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Welcome Bonus

1

Horse Racing Odds

1

Betting Experience 

1

Market Selection

3

Banking 

8

Customer Service

17

Overall

1

Visit our bet365 offers page.

2. BoyleSports

One of Ireland's biggest bookmakers, offering an excellent welcome offer to Irish customers and plenty of specials during major festivals, it's easy to see why it is one of the favoured horse betting sites with our audience.

  • Best Odds Guaranteed from 8am every day for Irish and UK racing.
  • Live streaming option - watch horse racing anywhere.
  • Superb customer service offering.
  • Betting odds ranked in the top ten at the Bookmaker Awards.
  • High-value new customer offer and plenty of specials during major festivals.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Customer Service 

3

Horse racing odds

9

Banking 

10

Betting Experience

13

Market Selection 

14

Existing Customer Offers

16

Horse Racing Odds

18

Welcome Bonus 

19

Overall 

5

Visit our Boylesports offers page.

3. Betfred

If you haven't already signed up with Betfred and claimed its excellent sign up offer, then you are missing out. Betfred is a historic and long-lived horse betting site which offers great value offer for new and existing customers. Betfred is one of our favoured horse race betting sites.

  • Ranked number one for existing customer offers at the UK Bookmaker Awards.
  • One of the best welcome offers for value.
  • A very intuitive mobile app.
  • Excellent customer support service.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Existing Customer Offers

1

Customer Service 

8

Banking 

9

Welcome Bonus 

13

Horse Racing Odds 

13

Betting Experience

14

Market Selection 

22

Overall

20

4. Betfair

The world's number one online betting exchange, offering something a little different for Irish customers and lots of added benefits to those who do sign up.

  • Provides an excellent betting service for horse racing players. Use the exchange to back or lay (bet against) a horse.
  • Access fixed-odds betting.
  • Great ante-post odds for big races and festivals, including Cheltenham and Royal Ascot.
  • Excellent banking options and swift withdrawal times.
  • New players can claim a competitive welcome bonus

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Betting Experience 

5

Banking 

6

Horse Racing Odds

10

Market Selection

13

Welcome Bonus

14

Customer Service

16

Overall

8

Visit our Betfair offers page.

5. Paddy Power

Among the best bookmakers, Paddy Power is one of the most notorious. Bettors can wager safe in the knowledge their money is secure and enjoy a wealth of betting offers and price boosts on racing's big days.

  • An excellent welcome bonus presenting a 400% bonus.
  • Best odds guaranteed from 8am on the day of the race.
  • Non runner no-bet options for big festivals.
  • Money-back specials for major races and meetings
  • Excellent price boosts for hot favourites

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Betting Experience 

11

Horse Racing Odds

11

Customer Service

14

Banking 

17

Welcome Bonus 

17

Existing Customer Offers 

19

Market Selection

20

Overall

21

Visit our Paddy Power offers page.

6. Tote

The Tote's world pool has thrust the operator back into the limelight this year and is one of the best bookmakers. Customers can get cracking odds on the world pool available on select racedays and is a betting site well worth signing up for.

  • Competitive free bets
  • Tote’s pool betting serves up something a little bit different. Pool betting is when all the money for a race goes into one ‘pool’ and is paid back out. This means prices on less fancied horses are often bigger.

  • Its famous Placepot, Jackpot and Scoop6 add to the enjoyment of betting with this operator for all betting fans.
  • The World Pool is an excellent initiative and is available on big racedays when you can find bigger odds than most bookmakers.
  • Tote offer excellent and engaging fantasy games, including 'Ten To Follow' every jumps and Flat season

Visit our Tote offers page.

7. William Hill

One of the oldest and best bookmakers around, William Hill is a major bookmaker. There are lots of added bonuses when you sign up with William Hill and is therefore considered one of the best bookmakers.

  • Great odds, specials and insights into racing.
  • Huge market selection ranking number two at the Bookmaker Awards.
  • Overall betting experienced ranked in the top ten at the Awards.
  • William Hill radio is an added bonus. Listen to the channel at home or out and about so you don’t have to miss any of the day’s racing.
  • Excellent welcome offer - one of the most claimed on our site.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Market Selection 

2

Betting Experience

4

Horse Racing Odds

7

Welcome Bonus

9

Existing Customer Offers

16

Banking 

18

Customer Service 

19

Overall

5

Visit our William Hill offers page.

8. Coral

Fancy owning part of a racehorse? Live the dream and join Coral. That's just one of the many benefits of joining Coral, a horse betting site known for it's excellent welcome offer and customer experience.

  • Terrific sign up offers
  • Existing customer offers are strong for horse racing bettors.
  • Banking options ranked at number two at the Bookmaker Awards.
  • Great value ante-post, early-prices and each-way value
  • A members' club with plenty of added bonuses, including the chance to own a share in a racehorse

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Banking

2

Existing Customer Offer

4

Welcome Bonus 

5

Betting Experience

8

Horse Racing Odds

8

Customer Service

13

Market Selection

17

Overall

4

Visit our Coral offers page.

9. Ladbrokes

best betting sitesDown Royal 2 11 24 Envoi Allen and Darragh O Keeffe win the Ladbrokes Champion Steeplechase Grade 1
Photo Healy Racing
Steeped in history and tradition and thanks to its racing expertise, there is a whole host of benefits when you sign up to this bookmaker.

  • Competitive welcome offer with a high bonus at 400%.
  • Banking options are excellent ranking at number three at the Bookmaker Awards.
  • Terrific existing customer offers and bet boosts.
  • Easy-to-use format also makes it one of the best betting sites for overall betting experience.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Banking 

3

Betting Experience 

6

Welcome Bonus 

7

Customer Service 

9

Horse Racing Odds

11

Market Selection 

18

Overall

7

Visit our Ladbrokes offers page.

10. BetVictor

A great value offer for new customers, BetVictor remains to this day, one of the best bookies. The UK offer is particularly strong and you get the additional pleasure of enjoying free casino offerings.

  • A strong focus on horse racing and offers competitive odds.
  • Terrific existing customer offers including the BetVictor loyalty club.
  • Customer service is excellent.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Horse Racing Odds

6

Customer Service 

7

Banking 

11

Welcome Bonus 

11

Market Selection 

13

Betting Experience

13

Horse Racing Odds 

14

Overall

20

11. Unibet

This betting site continues to be popular with bettors and its welcome offer is one of the most claimed.

  • Strong focus on horse racing with high-profile ambassadors and insights into racing
  • Existing customer offers ranked at number three at the Bookmaker Awards.
  • Competitive welcome offer with the added bonus of the casino offering
  • Terrific odds and banking options.

Category

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Welcome Bonus 

2

Existing Customer Offers

3

Betting Experience

3

Horse Racing Odds 

4

Banking

4

Customer Service 

6

Market Selection 

10

Overall

2

12. Betway

Betway is one of the most popular betting sites with bettors and there is good reason for it. The site is easy to use and there is a strong focus on horse racing.

  • An excellent welcome offer for new customers.
  • Access to racing ambassadors including ex-jockey Katie Walsh.
  • Live streaming so you can watch horse racing on the go.

The best betting sites by category

The Bookmaker Awards are a good pointer to which bookmakers provide the best offers, odds, payment methods and existing customer offers. Inform your decision and take a look at which bookies came out on top.

Welcome Offers

Almost all online bookmakers offer incentives to new players. New customer offers vary between betting sites and different events such as Cheltenham and Royal Ascot. when new customer offers are well worth taking advantage of.

Some major horse betting sites turn off their welcome offers for the Aintree Grand National when people will open new accounts without an incentive to bet again.

Standard welcome offers provide new customers with free bets based on their first deposit or first bet, but they always come with extensive terms and conditions.

Welcome Offers 

Bookmaker Award Ranking

bet365

1

Sky Bet

2

Unibet

3

William Hill

4

Betway

5

Betfair

6

Ladbrokes

7

Coral

8

888sport

9

Sportingbet

10

Paddy Power

11

Odds

Betting sites offer different odds, but bet365 is known for having excellent odds. To get the best odds available, it's recommended to have multiple betting accounts though so you can compare and find the best price.

No single betting site consistently offers the best odds on individual horses or races.

Horse Racing Odds

Bookmaker Award Ranking

bet365

1

Ladbrokes

2

888Sport

3

Unibet

4

Sky Bet

5

32 Red

6

William Hill

7

Coral 

8

BoyleSports

9

Betfair

10

Paddy Power

11

Betting Experience

Betting experience is a key consideration when choosing a betting site. Ease of use, mobile app and live streaming were all taken into account when scoring betting sites.

Betting Experience 

Bookmaker Award Ranking

bet365

1

Sky Bet

2

Unibet

3

William Hill

4

Betway

5

Betfair

6

Ladbrokes

7

Coral

8

888sport

9

Sportingbet

10

Paddy Power

11

Banking

It is important to consider first of all which payment methods you are comfortable using and then which operator meets your needs. In this category banking methods plus deposit and withdrawal methods are analysed and considered.

Banking

Bookmaker Award Ranking

SportingBet

1

Coral

2

Ladbrokes

3

Unibet

4

LiveScore Bet

5

Betfair

6

Sky Bet

7

bet365

8

Betfred

9

BoyleSports

10

BetVictor

11

Market Selection

Most UK and Irish betting sites cover most UK and Irish events such as Cheltenham, Punchestown or Grand National.

International events such as the Breeders’ Cup in America and the Melbourne Cup in Australia are also covered but if you have an interest in horse racing from other countries make sure to check if your betting site covers those races.

Market Selection

Bookmaker Award Ranking

Zetbet

1

William Hill

2

bet365

3

LiveScore Bet

4

Virgin Bet

5

SportingBet

6

Sky Bet

7

Betway

8

32 Red

9

Unibet

10

Where to spend your free bets today

Once you have signed up to a betting site and claimed your free bets, you can then enjoy spending the bonuses.

Racing experts produce a 'nap of the day' following extensive form study to serve up their most confident selection of the day. This is a great place to start.

Today's Nap

Ascot 2.25 Strong Leader
Strong Leader followed up his Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle success with a cosy win in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury last month and could again be hard to beat. However, The Wallpark is progressive and looks a serious player as he bids to round out a five-timer. Last year's winner Crambo is unbeaten at this venue and cannot be ruled out, while the Haydock scorer Shoot First is still developing as a stayer and is another to note.

Overall best bookmaker

Having taken all of the above categories and results into account, the best overall bookmaker has been determined and it is no surprise to see bet365 take the top spot. In second is Sky Bet followed by Unibet who rated particularly well for existing customer offers.

William Hill and Betway made it into the top five through range of markets, betting experience and welcome offers.

Best Bookmaker 

Bookmaker Award Ranking

bet365

1

Sky Bet

2

Unibet

3

William Hill

4

Betway

5

Betfair

6

Ladbrokes

7

Coral

8

888sport

9

Sportingbet

10

Paddy Power

11

Sign up to betting sites in a few simple steps

Once you have chosen a betting site that suits you, check out the advertisements on irishracing.com which will often have enhanced sign up offers or bonus codes.

Signing up is usually very simple and you just need to fill out a form with your personal details. You will then receive an email from the betting site with a link to verify your new account. When you click on that link you should be ready to deposit money into your new account and start betting.

Upcoming top-class horse racing events

  • Ladbrokes Christmas Festival
  • Where: Kempton Park Racecourse
  • Feature race: King George VI Chase
  • When: Thursday December 26 - Friday December 27
  • Leopardstown Christmas Festival
  • Where: Leopardstown Racecourse
  • Feature race: Savills Chase
  • When: Thursday December 26 - Sunday December 29
  • Coral Welsh National
  • Where: Chepstow Racecourse
  • Feature race: Welsh National
  • When: Friday December 27

Check the following when signing up to a betting site

At first glance most horse betting sites are similar and follow the same functionality and menu options whereby you first select 'horse racing', then select the event, and then the participant you wish to place a bet on, however, what should you be looking at when deciding on the best betting site for you?

  • Which bookmaker site offers the highest-value welcome offer
  • Are the existing customer offers good value once you have signed up?
  • Check if the betting site offers live streaming.
  • Look for betting sites that offer best odds guaranteed
  • Make sure the site is registered to operate within Ireland. Betting sites must comply with strict rules to meet licensing criteria , ensuring they are well-run and your money is safe.

How are the best betting sites selected?

When it comes to identifying the best betting sites available to Irish customers, we use bookmaker awards data sets collected over twelve months.

Furthermore, our team has a deep knowledge of horse racing and the betting industry. Racing experts Vincent Finegan, Johnny Ward and Emma Nagle, plus Betting Expert's Stephen Harris are among our exceptional team.

About the bookmaker awards

The Better Collective Bookmaker Awards are held annually and take into account a wide range of factors, including detailed data sets and user reviews. This ensures we provide an accurate assessment of each betting site rather than taking the opinion of a single reviewer.

The bookmakers are ranked in a number of categories including:

  • Horse racing markets
  • Odds
  • Market selection
  • Customer service
  • Banking
  • Betting experience
  • Welcome bonus
  • Existing customer offers
  • Football markets

This gives an exceptional overall review of an operator and take into account the factors most important to punters.

How is the data complied for the Bookmaker Awards?

The bookmakers are ranked out of 23 for each category listed above, allowing you to assess each operator for the categories most important to you.

  • Twelve months of data collection which draws on 4 million data points
  • Live testing regularly with updates released at the beginning of the year
  • Horse racing markets are regularly assessed throughout the year, including ante-post, pre-race, in-play and the number of markets on offer
  • The generosity of the markets on offer from each operator
  • The number of sports markets on offer to bettors with an interest in betting on a wide range of sports

You will also find the best betting offers and free bets which present excellent value for Irish customers.

Take a look at these new betting sites

If you have an extensive list of betting sites to your name, you can also consider these lesser-known new bookmakers who offer competitive welcome offers and an excellent customer experience once you are signed up.

    The irishracing.com team comprises a number of individuals with many years of experience in the horse racing and betting industry, including editor Vincent Finegan and racing pundit Emma Nagle. The annual Bookmaker Awards results are used to highlight the best offers on the market. You can bet in the knowledge that the recommended sites are secure and trustworthy.

Vincent Finegan
Vincent, who lives on the Curragh in Co. Kildare, is the editor of irishracing.com and has almost 40 years experience in the horse racing industry. He writes a weekly blog on this website covering all aspects of the sport and presents our Irish Angle video show on Mondays. He is a dual winner of The Irish Field naps table.
Emma Nagle
Emma grew up on a racing yard which got her involved in racing from a young age. Having worked in racing media on a freelance basis for a few years she joined irishracing.com full time in 2023. She has ridden as an amateur and still works with horses.

Further Reading

  • Cheltenham offers
  • Existing Customers offers
  • Promo Codes
  • Free Bets

    FAQs Betting Sites in Ireland

    Which are the best betting sites?

    Every betting site is different and suit some people more than others, hopefully this guide will help you to choose. A good place to start is with which bookmakers ranked highest at the annual Bookmaker Awards. bet365, Betfair, William Hill and Betway are ranked in the top five.

    bet365 offers fantastic odds, Paddy Power is known for money-back specials, Betfair is the world's most famous online exchange, while the Tote offers something different with its pool betting and its iconic placepot.

    Are betting sites trustworthy?

    Generally betting sites 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.

    Which is the most trusted betting site?

    All licensed bookmakers are regulated so we can recommend any of the bookmakers registered on irishracing.com.

    Which betting site is best for competitive odds?

    The betting sites offering the best odds for bettors are usually bet365, Unibet and Ladbrokes determined by the Bookmaker Awards. You will find some of the best odds around during major festivals, including Cheltenham, Punchestown, the Grand National at Aintree and and Royal Ascot.

    How do I choose a betting site?

    There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a betting site and the Bookmaker Awards draw on four million data points to give you rankings for:

    • Odds
    • Welcome offers
    • Banking Options
    • Betting experience
    • Market selection