The number of bookmakers on the British market these days seems endless.
Whether you are watching the Six Nations in the pub or up early to catch some Super Rugby, you will no doubt be bombarded with adverts for betting companies.
For those who want to place a bet, the UK online bookies list seems impossible to navigate, putting off those who are unaware which are the trustworthy, reliable platforms with whom it is safe to have a flutter.
This guide will help you sort the wheat from the chaff, in good time for you to have a punt on the winner of this year’s Gallagher Premiership.
Betting sites that accept Google Pay
What makes a bookie trustworthy?
All that many people know of some bookmakers are the too-good-to-be-true sign up offers they advertise in their outlandish campaigns.
Cutting out the noise and getting beyond the shiny free bets is no easy task, but a crucial one if you are to part with your cash.
After all, that is what you are doing, even if it is with the hope of winning much more, but nonetheless, you need a guarantee that your money is in safe hands.
It almost goes without saying that it is necessary to steer clear of any bookmaker that is not regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. This should not be an issue if you are signing up to any betting app that you have seen advertised in Britain, but still, the internet can be a murky place. If you come across a name you do not recognise and there is no info about the UKGC, why take the risk?
On a more every day level, apps and sites that run smoothly and quickly are big pluses.
Websites that crash regularly are frustrating at the best of times, but when you are attempting to place a bet and you are left wondering if it has gone through, or if it failed and you miss out on a winner, that’s just blood-boiling levels of annoyance.
When we do get those winners, we want to see some evidence pretty quickly. For so long having a bet on your phone was seen as much more convenient than going to the betting shop, apart from when collecting your winnings, which could take days.
Now, though, the most reliable platforms are getting that cash to your bank account within a couple of hours.
Problems, even with the best platforms, are inevitable. When something does go array, having people you can talk to is paramount.
That is why, in 2023, good customer service ratings are worth noting if you want a bookie you can trust.
Finally, like with so many things, gambling can become addictive.
If you are not a regular punter you may have concerns about the risks involved - actually, you would be wise to - but, thankfully, the best betting apps nowadays have built-in features such as deposit limits and cooling-off periods that keep us grounded.
Now that we know what to look for, let us run you through the most trustworthy apps and sites that rugby fans should use.
Sky’s coverage of rugby might not be what it once was, but it should still be the number one choice for fans betting online.
Sky Bet are leading the way when it comes to safe betting, with their Safer Gambling section prominent on their website.
As well as the now common cooling-off periods and deposit limits, Sky Bet go the extra mile, with profit and loss trackers, information about time spent on the app and even a self-exclusion feature, letting you block your own account for up to five years.
Helplines and safety campaigns are clear for all to see on a website you can trust for keeping yourself safe.
Within any industry, when you want to know who is reliable, it is worth finding out who the industry itself has been giving awards to.
Recently, in the UK betting world, that has been Bet365, who won three prizes at the latest UK Bookmaker Awards.
One of the categories they were victorious in was banking, which was down to how they are able to process some withdrawals within two hours, while some apps struggle to do that in two days.
A huge sportsbook, plus more live streaming than you could ever want, it is no surprise they also won in the betting experience category. It may not be the first thing we think of when considering trust, but if most people are enjoying the experience, the chances are Bet365 are very reliable.
Known once upon a time as Victor Chandler, BetVictor has been a top player in the UK betting scene for a long time.
That in itself should not make it trustworthy, but it has other characteristics that make it so.
The Bet Victor app is a real pioneer thanks to its excellent customer service features, offering probably the best support available on the market, plus the speed of the app means you might never even need the customer support.
Sometimes, all that you need to make a bookmaker reliable in your eyes is them offering the bet you want at the right price.
William Hill is therefore one of the most trustworthy names in the business.
Like most best bookies today, the site guarantees the best odds, but the size of its sportsbook, with a huge number of sports, events and markets, is up there with the very best.
Despite the wealth of information, the app runs smoothly and - most importantly - remains easy to navigate, so when you want a niche bet on the Chile blindside flanker at the Rugby World Cup this year, William Hill might be your place to start.
