Are you looking for the best online betting sites that are legal for Irish residents? You have come to the right place. BettingGuide has partnered with the best legal, safe, and licensed betting sites that accept players from Ireland.
Sports betting is extremely popular in Ireland, with the country's obsession with horse racing one of the major factors why this is the case.
Football, rugby and golf are some of the other top spots to bet on in Ireland, along with local favourites such as hurling and Gaelic football.
With betting shops in Ireland have had to close their doors in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus crisis, more people than ever before have turned to the internet to have a bet.
Some €9.8 billion was gambled in Ireland in 2019, with much of this coming from sports betting.
Various sports betting sites are available to pick from and each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. We are here to help players to select one to use that is the right fit for them.
Here is our complete guide to betting sites in Ireland - read on for everything you need to know.
In order to help sports fans to pick the best betting sites, we spend a lot of time assessing a range of departments within them. Here are some of the top areas that we look at the most:
We list and compare the betting sites which offer the most sports, betting markets and highest sports betting odds. You can also compare the best betting sites for popular sports below, including the best bookie for popular sports such as football, and horse racing.
All of the betting sites on BettingGuide are legal, licensed and safe to gamble on from Ireland. We only list bookmakers with an Irish gambling licence or remote betting sites that hold reputable gambling licenses from respected authorities such as the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), each bookie needs to comply with strict safety regulations or risk losing their licenses.
The reputation of a sports betting site can make it or break it. How they treat customers has a big impact on their industry reputation, which can always improve or get worse over the years.
Free bets and bonuses are what catches the eye for a lot of people in Ireland. Those who want to snag a bargain will want to make sure they sign up to a site that offers excellent promotions.
All of the best betting sites offer high-value new customer sign up offers to attract new players. It is important to take full advantage of these signup offers, as you can only claim them once (on each bookie), and they almost always offer more value than any other promotion available.
Some punters even sign up to almost every legal bookie available to take advantage of these fantastic free bet offers. But, not all signup bonuses offer good value, and it is important to learn how to spot the best and avoid the worst.
Firstly, look at the wagering requirements on the bonus, to see how much you need to wager the amount to unlock the funds for withdrawal. The best bonuses come with no wagering requirements, but some, require you to wager the bonus 10x the amount, or even more on casino bonuses.
Secondly, check to see what restrictions there are on the bonus, whether you need to deposit using a certain payment method, or if the bonus can only be used on a certain sport, market, etc.
Lastly, it is important to check if you need to enter a bonus code, and what the minimum deposit and bet amount are to qualify for the offer. Not all bonuses have these conditions, but it is crucial to check so you do not miss out on claiming the offer.
Sports betting fans increasingly demand a variety of banking methods be available to use. There is little point in a sports betting site excelling in areas if their banking options are limited.
After making sure the betting site is legal, licensed, and safe, we check to see which payment methods are accepted to be sure residents from Ireland can safely deposit and withdraw money.
All of the betting sites in our list accept a wide range of local and international payment methods ranging from debit/credit cards to e-wallets such as PayPal, Neteller and Skrill.
Most sports betting sites have similar markets. But those who have different sports to bet on are likely to be reviewed favourably compared to those who focus on a limited number of sports.
Tied into the above is the depth of betting markets that are available. For the biggest sporting events, it is now not uncommon for there to be hundreds of different bets to pick from.
Quickly compare the top 10 sports betting sites in our list above, with the number of sports available, the average number of betting markets, and whether the bookie offers free live streaming and a cash-out feature.
bet365 is our number one pick for sports betting, with 30+ sports, free live streams, full and partial cashouts, high betting odds, and hundreds of betting markets.
Those who are experienced with sports betting know the importance of high betting odds. Small differences in prices can rack up in the long run. Which betting sites have the best odds?
Well, you can compare the betting margins for each bookie below, for both live and pre-match markets on cricket, football and horse racing bets.
If you did not know, the betting margin is essentially how much a bookie "charges" you to place a bet. Simply put, the lower the betting margin, the higher the odds.
Below are the results of our latest independent betting margins tests. We analyse and test a range of betting odds across different markets, leagues and sports, to give an overall idea of the margins that betting sites charge.
As you can see below, the margins of the sports vary quite a lot from the best (MansionBet) to the worst (Casumo).
It is increasingly the case that people prefer to place their sports bets on a mobile device. Sports betting sites therefore need to work hard on their mobile sites and mobile apps to stand out.
We test the mobile betting apps, and mobile optimised betting websites to see which bookies offer the best mobile betting experience.
Compare which betting sites offer betting apps on Android and iOS below, and the results of our tests on our best betting apps in Ireland page.
Anyone who has ever had an issue with their account on a sports betting site knows the importance of customer support. We check to see what options are available to users.
We believe the best betting sites should offer 24/7 customer support with several methods of contact including a live chat, email, and free phone number.
This is certainly not the case across all betting sites, but the top five in our list all offer a top-tier, 24/7 customer support with several contact methods.
Lastly, we look at what unique features a sports betting site in Ireland has to offer. Is there live streaming of sports to watch after having a wager on the action? What about deals like free bet clubs and acca insurance for existing users? And can users cash out on their bets?
Naturally, it is often the case that a bookmaker or a sportsbook that is available to join in Ireland has a particular strength in one or two sports.
While it is sometimes popular to find a sportsbook that excels across a range of options, it is usually the case that even Ireland's best betting sites have a weakness or two as well.
Here are some of the different sports that are available for wagers at betting sites in Ireland:
Compare the best sports betting sites for Irish players in our tables below. You can compare which sports bookies offer the most sports, betting markets, and the highest odds for cricket, football, and horse racing.
Football is without a doubt one of the top sports to bet on in Ireland, with the best betting sites ensuring they have a lot of markets and promotions available in this area as a result.
A large number of Irish players at clubs in the Premier League helps to maintain interest in the competition, while local leagues are also likely to be of high interest to Irish football fans.
For betting on football in Ireland, people are certainly spoiled for choice. Bookmakers such as Bet365 and Paddy Power are among those that will be a great option for this global sport.
Additionally, those who would prefer to use an Irish sportsbook could go for BoyleSports, with the likes of Unibet and 888 Sport also on the list of bookmakers worth considering for football.
Betfair is up there with the most appealing choices too, especially for those who want to use a betting exchange alongside a traditional top betting site for the beautiful game.
Overall, there are several fantastic football betting sites available for players from Ireland that offer football matches from all around the world, hundreds of betting markets, high odds and free live football streams.
It is hard, to sum up just how important horse racing is in Ireland. It might even be the most popular sport in the country, even ahead of football, when it comes to online betting.
Of course, the links between horse racing and betting are obvious too. A day out at the races without having a wager or two would be very unusual - betting is a big part of the experience.
Irish betting sites are well aware of the country's obsession with horse racing so there are usually many great options at most of the top bookmakers that we recommend on the site.
Among the important factors to look out for when searching for the best betting sites in Ireland for horse racing is live streaming. After all, if sports fans are going to have a bet on the race of the day, they are going to want to be able to watch it to see if they have a winning wager.
Bet365 is widely thought of as a top betting site globally, so there is no surprise that it is very strong when it comes to betting on horse racing in Ireland too. Widespread live streaming of races in the UK and Ireland is one of the reasons why, while Bet365's odds tend to be good too.
Regular promotions on horse racing betting can also be found at various sportsbooks and bookmakers in Ireland as well. Enhanced odds and best odds guaranteed are some of the promotions that are often made available for horse racing.
Unibet, BoyleSports and Paddy Power are some of the other top betting sites in Ireland for horse racing, so fans of the sport of kings should consider signing up for an account with those sites.
Overall there are also several great online horse racing betting sites to choose from if you do not live near a licensed racetrack. We rank and compare the best online horse race betting sites that offer the most races around the world, live streaming, and Best Odds Guaranteed (BOG).
Gaelic football is one of Ireland's top sports and, as such, it is very popular for betting too.
When searching for GAA football betting sites, fans of the game are likely to value a good range of markets and strong odds among their top reasons for signing up at an online sportsbook.
Although Gaelic football does not have a high profile outside of Ireland, the best betting sites in the country work hard to offer this option to their customers from the country.
This is why Bet365 is up there with the best betting sites in Ireland for Gaelic football, with their understanding of local markets helping to make sure they meet the mark for the sport.
Another big benefit of joining Bet365 is that the sportsbook is simply deeper than the vast majority of the alternatives, with lots of different sports and markets to select wagers from.
Great customer service and support is vital for GAA fans in Ireland, which is why we recommend Paddy Power and BoyleSports among the top options for the sport as well.
Along with Gaelic football, hurling is one of the best Irish sports to bet on in the country.
GAA betting sites that we recommend need to have a strong range of markets to pick from, as well as live in-play options for those who are tuning in to watch the big game of the day.
The All-Ireland Senior Inter-County Hurling and Football Championships is up there with the most important sporting events of the year in Ireland, so naturally this draws a lot of attention when it comes to GAA betting in the country.
At this time of the year, sports fans who love hurling can expect to have a decent choice of promotions and bonuses to pick from at online sportsbooks and bookmakers as well.
Paddy Power, with its Irish history, is a natural choice for hurling betting in Ireland. Players who sign up for an account at Paddy Power can expect to have options such as markets for the Championship Top Scorer and the Hurler of the Year. BoyleSports is a good Irish pick as well.
Good value GAA betting odds can also be found on the William Hill sportsbook in Ireland too, while Betfair is a solid choice as a result of a deep selection of GAA betting markets.
Boxing has always been a popular sport to bet on in Ireland, not least because the country has such a long and proud history of producing some of the best fighters in the world.
Take Katie Taylor, for example, who has helped to raise the profile of women's boxing around the world almost single-handedly in recent years after taking the bold decision to turn professional.
Most of the best betting sites in Ireland will have good markets for the top fights of the year. But boxing fans will want to make sure the bookmakers that they join have fights to bet on most weekends, not just when a big name such as Anthony Joshua is getting into the ring.
Ideally, players will also have the chance to bet on various markets in the sportsbook, such as the total number of points a fighter scores, or the round in which the bout comes to an end.
With all of that in mind, there are a few top Irish betting sites that we can recommend for boxing. Among them are Betfair and BetVictor, which tend to have great value odds for boxing.
The advantage of signing up for the Betfair sportsbook is that it gives boxing fans access to the company's betting exchange, which often has even better value prices for fights as well.
Other great Irish betting sites for boxing include Betway, Mr Play, Paddy Power and Bet365.
The last of the sports we picked out to look at is cricket, which continues to grow in popularity across Ireland, partly thanks to the recent successes of the country's international team.
With matches taking place around the world at all times of the year, the best betting sites in Ireland for cricket will never leave fans of the sport short of something to bet on.
One of the great things about betting on cricket is how much variety there is available. From Test cricket matches between powerhouses of the game like England and Australia to global Twenty20 leagues, there really is something for everyone in Ireland who likes to bet on cricket.
In-play betting is particularly well suited to cricket as well, with the momentum of a match able to swing quite wildly during the course of a single over.
For those seeking the very best betting sites in Ireland for cricket, Coral is a great choice. This online bookmaker has a better selection of markets on its cricket sportsbook than most rivals.
Ladbrokes and William Hill are up there with the top options for cricket too, while Irish betting sites that tend to specialise in the sport include BoyleSports and Paddy Power as well.
Compare our list of the best online cricket betting sites in Ireland here. We rank and compare the online betting sites that offer the most cricket matches, highest odds, free live streaming and more!
With so much interest in sports betting in Ireland, it is not a surprise to see that new betting sites are being launched in the country on a regular basis to try to take advantage of this passion.
It can be hard for sports fans to keep up with the latest developments when it comes to all the new betting sites in Ireland, but luckily we keep our ear close to the ground in this area.
Here are five of our favourite new bookmakers and sportsbooks that are now offered in Ireland.
Let's kick things off with Mr Play, which is a casino and sportsbook aimed at Irish gamblers. On the Mr Play sportsbook, customers can expect to find football and horse racing among the top priorities, while there are also plenty of markets for the likes of Formula One as well.
Guaranteed best odds prices are offered on all UK and Irish horse racing by Quinnbet, making this a natural choice for fans of the sport of kings. Quinnbet even offers virtual sports to bet on, for when there is no live-action available for a wager.
Betiton is one of the newest betting sites available in Ireland, but it is already making a splash in a very competitive industry. The new bookmaker's sportsbook has great markets for football and racing, as well as other sports such as tennis. Regular promotions are offered here as well.
Another top new online betting site in Ireland is MansionBet, which like a lot of sites also has an online casino attached to its sportsbook, giving a variety of betting options to its customers. At MansionBet, customers will find lots of markets are offered for niche sports such as snooker.
SportNation is the last of the best new betting sites in Ireland that we want to highlight here. New users can get a free bet for joining the site, which makes it an attractive option. Live streaming is also available for horse racing for those who sign up to the SportNation sportsbook.
Online betting laws in Ireland are a lot clearer than in some other countries around the world.
While there is some confusion about whether some forms of offline betting are permitted in Ireland, online sports betting sites are 100% legal to use in Ireland.
Recently introduced legislation has given the green light for sports betting sites to operate in Ireland, whether they are from local companies or those that are based overseas.
Not only is sports betting via the internet permitted, but it is also allowed for companies to offer online casinos and poker sites in Ireland too.
One thing that it will be important to keep an eye on is the fact further updates to online betting laws in Ireland have been considered in the country for a number of years.
Part of the reason for this is the lack of overall regulation for the online betting industry. While neighbours the United Kingdom have the Gambling Commission which regulates sports betting sites, there is no comparable organisation in place in Ireland at the current time.
Should the Gambling Control Bill - which was first floated in 2013 - be formally passed in parliament it could result in changes to online betting laws in Ireland in the future.
For now, sports betting fans in Ireland can be assured that there is no chance of them breaking the law by having a wager on the top race of the day or the big football match of the week.
Which is the best betting site in Ireland?
There are several excellent sports betting sites available in Ireland, but bet365 is one of the best for sports including football and horse racing.
Is online sports betting legal in Ireland?
Yes, online sports betting legal is 100% in Ireland. A bookmaker or sportsbook can run online markets in the country regardless of whether they are Irish or if they are based abroad.
While there has been a lot of public debate over the Gambling Control Bill since it was first introduced in 2013, this is yet to pass parliament and progress here appears to have stalled.
Even when it does, it is likely that there will be increased regulation for the sector, but online sports betting is virtually guaranteed to remain fully legal in Ireland.
Which are the best betting sites in Ireland?
We pick out the best betting sites in Ireland so players know they are joining a sportsbook or a bookmaker that is safe and secure, has great odds and a wide range of sports and markets.
Various sites tend to excel in certain departments, but among the best betting sites in Ireland are options such as BoyleSports, Paddy Power, Bet365, 888 Sport and Unibet.
Some of the above Irish betting sites also have an online casino attached, increasing the betting options that are available to those who sign up for an account.
Are there any new betting sites in Ireland?
New betting sites in Ireland are being launched on a regular basis. Right here is the best place to find out about the country's latest sports betting options - and whether they are worth joining.
Some of the new betting sites in Ireland that we recommend signing up for an account with include Mr Play, Quinnbet, Betiton, MansionBet and SportNation.