Live streaming has quickly become one of the most sought-after features at bookmakers in the United Kingdom. While offering the chance to watch your favourite sports live, it also allows you to place live bets alongside, enhancing the experience.
To find out more and how you can start to watch and bet on your favourite sports in real-time, keep reading below as we cover everything from the benefits of live streaming, what is required to watch, making the most out of it, the best bookmakers and lots more!
Live streaming is when bettors can watch all of the action from a sporting event live on a bookmaker's website or app while placing their bets at the same time. It is a great way for fans and bettors to get really involved in a match and get the most out of their betting experience. Being able to watch along and track, amend, and place new bets adds that extra bit of excitement and anticipation.
Bookmakers typically offer various sports for live streaming. Bettors can expect to watch football matches, horse racing, tennis, cricket, golf, and more, meaning they are never without access to their favourite teams, players, countries, and horses.
Live streaming is great for bettors who enjoy getting involved with live in-play betting as it offers plenty of opportunities to claim limited-time offers and exclusive odds on the action. It also allows for amending bets according to the action as it happens, enabling cash-out options if a bet is not going in your favour or the game is going in another direction.
One of the biggest advantages of having live streaming available on a platform is that it is almost always accompanied by the ability to place live bets. This enables bettors to watch along with the action, place and amend bets accordingly, and really get involved with a game or match.
Another advantage of live streams at bookmakers is that there tends to be more coverage of sports than what is shown on regular TV. This includes football matches that may not be broadcast live, as well as horse and greyhound races. There is also the chance to watch some niche sports and events that may not otherwise be broadcast on terrestrial TV. It is a super accessible way to watch and even bet on these events that you would not be able to otherwise!
Watching live also helps you make more informed and accurate bets, as you are able to respond to action as it happens. It often helps bettors make better betting decisions and enables things such as cashouts. There are also features such as real-time stats that can help contribute to your bets, as well as the ability to have multi-view options for watching more than one of the games at once!
When trying to access live streaming services at bookmakers, there can often be some requirements that must be met by bettors in order to be able to watch. We have covered the most common of these you can expect to come across in more detail.
Most bookmakers will require for you to sign up for an account with the site in order to access its live streams and watch your chosen event. Simply complete the registration process to create your account and be up and running in minutes!
Often a site may request for bettors to place a minimum bet in order to view its live streams. Ensure to check what these are in order to place a qualifying bet and go ahead and view your desired live stream.
For some tips and tricks from our experts on how to place a bet online, head over to our full guide here.
It is also not uncommon for sites to require customers to have a funded account in order to benefit from its services such as live streaming. Check for any minimum requirements and ensure that your account has funds available at all times to prevent you from running into any obstacles.
Make sure that you have a stable internet connection to have the best possible experience using a bookmaker's live streams. This will help you avoid issues such as buffering and picture quality.
Ensure that the device you are using is compatible with a site in order to access the available live streams. If you are using mobile, check if there is a dedicated app available to be downloaded for the best possible experience.
Geographical restrictions can also become an issue if you are in a location that a platform does not allow or support. Some streams can vary by region so where you are located can contribute towards your access to any live action.
We have put together a list of the best bookmaker brands for live streaming below to help you pick where you want to sign up to.
One of the biggest names in the industry, bet365 is a giant in the world of sports betting. So it is no surprise that it sits at the top of our list for being the home of some of the best live streaming services. It covers a huge range of sports, from football, cricket, horse racing, darts, ice hockey, tennis, and more, with lots available to stream and bet on live! It offers a fully compatible platform on both desktop and mobile devices so users can take their betting and streaming on the go while also offering a dedicated mobile app.
A long-serving sports betting brand, Betfred is a household name known for offering a top sports betting platform. Home to one of the largest selections of sports to bet on, it also features lots of options for streaming sports events. Its streams are of top quality and across an incredible range, including horse racing, greyhound racing, football, snooker, tennis, and more. The platform is easy to navigate, including when searching for what is being shown live, and is fully accessible on both desktop and mobile.
Offering a top live betting and streaming platform across many different sports is Fitzdares. The site is super easy to get started with, with a simple sign up process and just a funded account required in order to start benefitting from the live streams. Enjoy all of the action from the biggest events in football, horse racing, tennis and cricket, all from the comfort of your own home or on the go with the Fitzdares mobile app.
Another bookmaker with top live betting and streaming features is Midnite. Its detailed in-play betting section is easy to locate on the site, where bettors can explore all of the live markets across a wide range of sports. Whether you are a fan of football, horse racing, table tennis, or rugby, there is a market for you! It is one of the go-to sites for horse racing live streaming too, with lots of the action shown from all over the UK.
BetVictor is another established sports betting brand in the UK that is a popular destination for live streaming. It shows over 30,000 live horse racing events a year from tracks all around the UK and Ireland, as well as live football matches, greyhound racing, tennis, cricket, darts and more! The streams run smoothly and are in high definition, ensuring a top-quality experience for bettors. There is also a huge range of live betting markets available to use alongside!
To help you get the most out of your live streaming experience at a bookmaker, you can combine it with live in-play betting. We have provided some top tips on how to do this below.
Watch Out For Player Form and Momentum Shifts
Throughout the match, keep an eye on certain in-form players and see how they are playing. This can help you place more informed bets on a player doing well. It is also important to notice any shifts in momentum during the action and use signs of this to place and amend bets accordingly.
Manage Your Spending Wisely
Make sure you monitor and track your spending at a site, especially when betting alongside watching live action. It can be easy to get carried away and spend more than you think, so ensure you keep track of what you have spent and set yourself a budget. You can even use various responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limits, so you know how much you have to spend.
Use Cash-Out Options and In-Play Stats
A great benefit to live betting and streaming is that bettors will have the ability to cash out on a bet should the action look to not be going in favour of it winning. This enables you to still make a profit or get your initial bet back to place another. Also, being able to see in-play stats can help to judge what possible bets to place throughout a game.
Watch in HD
There are also simple things that can help to make your live streaming and betting experience even better, such as watching the action in high-definition to ensure the best possible picture quality. Also, using headphones to listen in will further enhance the experience giving you a feel of the live atmosphere.
As with most things that involve modern-day technology, there are some potential issues that can arise during your time watching live streams.
Lagging and buffering are the most common issues users may encounter. This is when the live feed is slow or interrupted, affecting your ability to watch along. This cause can be easily identified and fixed, as it is often due to internet speed or low-quality settings. Check yours and see what the cause is and how you can fix it.
Access restrictions are another possible roadblock to a seamless live streaming experience. Your ability to watch live streams may be prevented by a platform if your account has not met the necessary criteria. Always check this before trying to view a stream and ensure your account has been set up right, is funded, or has a qualifying bet placed if required.
Compatibility issues are another potential challenge that may arise when attempting to access live streams if a site cannot be accessed via a certain browser or device. To help avoid this, make sure to check before using any streams what browsers and devices they can work on. Some may not be compatible on mobile unless you download an app.
If you are still experiencing the same trouble even after troubleshooting any issues you encounter when trying to access a live stream, customers can reach out to the site's support team for further assistance.
https://www.livescore.com/en-gb/betting-sites/understanding-betting-odds/
https://www.livescore.com/en-gb/betting-sites/glossary-of-horse-racing-terms/
It is important to practice responsible gambling wherever possible, especially when placing live bets. Setting and sticking to a strict budget is essential to ensure that betting remains a bit of fun and keeps your spending under control. There are several responsible gambling features available at bookmakers to help support responsible gambling habits including deposit limits to stop you from spending more than you can afford, as well as time limits and self-exclusion tools. For further support and information regarding responsible gambling, or if you are growing concerned about your own gambling habits, there are organisations such as GamCare and GambleAware available to reach out to.