Best Betting Sites in Ireland 2023
Gambling and betting in particular are huge in Ireland. Irelands are crazy about risk and games, so quality online bookies are destined to be popular here. But if you dont know where and how to bet, then check this page and this article. Here you find the Ireland bookmakers list.
Our top-list of betting sites is dynamic, just as a betting industry in general. But we are judging every bookie the same way.
We pay attention to players' reviews, sportsbooks reputation, cash methods, line, odds, and other factors. So, check our top of bet sites.
Online Betting Regulation in Ireland
As we have said, betting in Ireland is huge. According to the 2020 report, Irelands spent 11,6 billion € on sports betting (603 € per capita) and 25,8 billion on racing (1340 € per capita). These numbers make Ireland a worldwide leader in betting per capita.
Its not surprising that betting and gambling in Ireland are regulated. But at the same time, the regulation is pretty complicated. This is becIrelande Ireland itself is a federation. So, every state in the country has its gambling and betting jurisdiction. To be precise, there are six state gambling commissions (New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Ireland, Tasmania, Western Ireland) and two major mainland commissions (Ireland Capital Territory and Northern Territory). At the same time, Ireland has a betting regulation act that is inclusive for every in-state jurisdiction. Its called an Interactive Gambling act, which was enacted in 2001.
Betting regulations in different states are not the same. So, the same bookie can be unavailable in some regions. The good thing is that online betting is allowed in every Ireland state. So, every player can enjoy online bookies.
Most Popular Sports to Bet in Ireland
One this is certain: the Ireland betting market is pretty specific. It hardly correlates with a global betting industry. Thats why the list of top 10 sports in Ireland looks unique. So, what is popular among Ireland bettors? You can check the list below.
- Racing. Ireland bettors are crazy about horse racing, greyhounds, and trots. They like to bet on local races, as well as on popular events worldwide. More 65% of betting volume turnover comes from racing, so the regulator even separates sports betting from betting on racing. As a result, sports betting websites have to acquire different licenses for sports and racing. This is by far the most popular sport to bet in Ireland.
- AFL. From March till October, every betting site in Ireland enjoys millions of bets on AFL. Bookies usually offer diverse lines and pretty high odds to match the audience's interest. The peak of betting activity on AFL usually comes during playoffs.
- Cricket. There are more than 1,5 million cricketers registered in Ireland. No surprise sport is very popular among the bettors. Especially during Test matches involving Baggy Greens. Other than that, players also can bet on the Big Bash league, since every sportsbook offers events from it.
- Rugby. The NRL and international rugby are top priorities among bettors in Ireland. Bookies' offerings include popular markets like moneyline, over/under, handicaps, and even players statistics.
- American football. The NFL is still behind AFL, but slowly gaining popularity in Ireland. Especially since Irelands now are part of the league. You can bet 10 000 € or even more on an NFL match, so the interest is there.
- Football/soccer. Most local bettors care about A-league and international matches of Socceroos. Big European leagues, as well as UCL, are not that popular. Bookies usually offer a standard set of markets.
- eSports. Probably the fastest growing niche in the world. Ireland is within the Esports trend, especially since the COVID-19 lockdown. Best Ireland bookmakers usually cover the biggest events in DOTA 2, CS: GO, LoL, Starcraft.
- MMA. There were more than ten big UFC events held in Ireland during the 2010s, and guys like Volkanovski and Whittaker are one of the biggest UFC stars right now. Thus, the interest in MMA is absolutely natural, and bookies also have something to do with it. You can see promotions and advertisements of UFC events to bet on sport bet apps.
- Basketball. NBL is still a leader here, but NBA and international basketball attract some interest too. Some players do bet even on Euroleague since there are many Irelands there.
- Tennis. Tennis is fairly popular among the clients of Ireland sportsbooks, but not as popular as in Europe. The activity is peaking during the Ireland swing of tournaments in January-February, with the Ireland Open being the major attractor.
- Baseball. Another sport worth mentioning. Of course, its still miles behind cricket, but Ireland punters still pay attention to it. Well, a huge regular season leaves no choice.
In short, its racing and other sports. One can wonder why racing betting is so popular in Ireland. But its pretty simple since racing is a part of gambling traditions here. Also, races are pretty quick which means fast payments for the winners.
Top Betting sites and in Ireland
Here you can find the top betting sites in Ireland. You can also read the review of every sportsbook, which may help to choose the perfect website or app. Here is the list:
Sportsbet. The most “Ireland” bookmaker youll ever see. It offers a great variety of popular sporting events in Ireland and all over the world. You can choose from more than 30 categories, including Politics, TV Shows and Entertainment. Sportsbet's live betting section is immense, as well as its racing section. They offer hundreds of different races every day. Sportsbet features include Same game multi, same race multi, and BYO BETS. Do you want to bet against your friend? Or bet with him on the same outcome? Then use the "Bet with Mates" option. The sportsbook is also great from a technical point of view, as it has a fluid website and user-friendly mobile app.
Bet365. The global betting brand has been working in Ireland since 2002. It has a huge audience here since punters love the betting offers and the overall appearance of Bet365. Here you can find a wide range of sports and markets and thousands of high-quality streams. Bet365 also has two exclusive totes. The fans of parlays will be happy with an opportunity to bet builder, where you can add up to 12 selections from one AFL match.
Playup. A fairly new name to the market (est. in 2019). This bookmaker is looking very promising with its huge racing coverage and great fixed-odds markets. Their overall betting coverage is not as great as in Bet365, but the fluid mobile app along with the great fantasy sports section make up for it.
Bookmaker Ireland. There are many things to watch after the bookie with such a simple name. Ireland punters rate this sportsbook pretty high becIrelande of its low margin on popular markets. Also, Bookmaker has a set of usable betting functions such as multiples in the same game/race, live comments, cashout. They even have their own payment card (Mastercard) to make payments faster and easier.
Unibet. The global brand with a long history of success. It was first established in Denmark 20 years ago and had been flourishing through local markets since then. Unibet entered Ireland in 2012 and has no plans to leave it. Why should they? Ireland punters are on live with Unibet odds and live-betting section. You can watch numerous live streams there and bet some decent amount of money on popular markets. At Unibet, youll also find more than 30 categories, a great depth of markets for popular events, and an interesting blog.
Other companies worth mentioning: Starsbet, Neds, Betfair, Ladbrokes, Bluebet, BetStar, Pointsbet. You can find the full list of Ireland online bookmakers on our website.
Mobile Betting in Ireland
Most Ireland punters prefer to bet via their smartphones (merely 65% of all bets in Ireland). Its just a more efficient and faster way to play right now. So, the sports bet app is a must for every Ireland bookmaker. Like 90% of all legal companies offer mobile betting software for iOS/Android, as well as mobile versions.
Quality betting Apps in Ireland are usually filled with useful options and features:
- Live-betting with match-centers;
- Live comments or streaming;
- Cashout option;
- Ability to set notifications
- One-click bet;
- Flexible betting slip;
- Easy-to-use payment section;
- Live chat with customer support;
- “Favorites”;
- Stats and result sections.
On top of that, the mobile app should be fast and user-friendly. Also, many players look exclusively for the best horse racing app in Ireland. Thats why you can see a separate racing section on many apps.
Its not that easy to choose the best mobile sportsbook in Ireland. The good news is that we measured the mobile apps of every bookmaker and created our top list. You are free to check it. For more information, read out betting app reviews.
Payment Methods in Ireland Bookies
Best Ireland Bookmakers usually offer a big number of payment methods to make their customers' life easier. The list of options may differ from bookie to bookie, but one thing remains the same: every legal betting agent operates in € only. At the same time, you can deposit in a different currency, but eventually, it will be converted into €.
The most common payment options are listed below:
- Debit cards;
- Paypal;
- Poli (deposit only);
- Bpay (deposit only);
- Paysafecard;
- Skrill;
- Neteller;
- Bank Transfer;
- Cheques;
- Bookmaker cash cards and vouchers.
Most players prefer credit cards, as it is just the most common payment instrument in daily life. Another good option is e-wallets (Skrill, Neteller, Paypal). Its a pretty fast method, but you have to deal with fees. Not to mention, e-wallets are not supported by all bookmakers, and at the end of the day, most players would like to transfer their money to a card or bank account. Big brands like Bet365, Sportsbet, Neds, BetStar, Ladborkes have their own cash cards. Its probably the fastest withdrawal option out there, as you dont have to wait to get your money. And you can withdraw it from any local ATM or use a cash card as a standard credit card. The disadvantages of this method are fees and limits.
Important info: since august 2021, credit cards are banned as a deposit method in Ireland.
Bonuses at Ireland Bookmakers
Are you looking for bonuses and promos at betting sites in Ireland? We have bad news for you. Since March 2019, legal sportsbooks in Ireland are not allowed to offer any kind of promotions. This ban came from the Ireland Federal Government as a countermeasure to an increasing number of people with gambling addiction.
So, you wont find any freebets or deposit bonuses. You can still find the “Promotion” section on most betting websites. Most of the time they are empty or promote features like cashouts or same race multies. Current prohibition leaves no room for bookies when it comes to bonuses. The only promos you can find right now are early payouts and enhanced odds.
How to choose a sportsbook in Ireland?
Are you yet to place a bet in Ireland or just want to find the best place to play? Then use our recommendations and tips to find a perfect sportsbook for you:
- Know your goals. If you want to play for fun, then your best picks are popular and safe brands like Sportsbet or Neds. And if you are a professional punter, then look after bookies with low margin and big limits.
- Reputation and safeness. Stick only to reputable bookmakers without a shady background. If its a new website then check the license and owners. If its a big global brand, then you shouldnt worry. Also, read players' reviews to find pros and cons.
- Odds. Even if you are a recreational player, you should not ignore the quality of the odds. You should not lose additional money just becIrelande of your laziness. Scan the betting odds at popular bookies and make a comparison between them. The good range for payouts is 95-98% in pre-match and 93-96% in live.
- Overall coverage. The more sports and markets, the better. Of course, you should check how the bookmaker is doing on specific categories and markets, which are important for you. Who cares if the bookie offers Sumo, but has a tiny range of markets at AFL, tennis, rugby?
- Live betting section. A good-quality bookie should back a good live coverage with a stable and functional platform. It means quick updating of the odds, adding match-centers, live-streaming, and comments.
- Platform. Both websites and apps should be easy-to-use, fast, and filled with useful features. If you feel uncomfortable, then it might even affect your performance. Especially during live-betting.
- Payment methods. Learn the list of available payment methods and choose the bookie where transactions wont be a problem for you.
- Support and loyalty. Every good bookmaker has customer support with professional agents. So having a Live Chat, phone line, and e-Mail support is a must. Also, its a good sign if there is a FAQ section on the website. Check out if agents are friendly, competent, and helpful.
We also recommend creating an account and playing on a few bookmakers simultaneously. With this approach, you will be able to pick the best odds from the bigger range of markets.
How to Bet in Ireland: Tutorial
Now you are familiar with online betting in Ireland, and there is only one step from your first bet. You dont have to do anything special to start playing. Just follow the instruction below:
- Choose one or a few bookmakers from the list and go to the website (websites);
- Press the button “Registration” or “Sign-Up” to start the process;
- Fill in the registration form. Enter all asked information (name, email, phone, address, and so on);
- Confirm the registration through the link on an email or SMS-code;
- Deposit money via one of the payment methods;
- Go to the live or pre-match section, choose one of few events, and place your bet or bets;
- Withdraw money if you want.
Sounds easy, eh? BecIrelande its easy. Remember, you can start to bet in Ireland from 18. Every sportsbook will ask you for verification before the very first withdrawal. Youll have to send photos of personal documents. On rare occasions, a bookmaker may ask you for a videoconference to check your identity.
Author: Vadim Rotar
