Best Live Betting Bookmaker Sites 2024

Want to know the very best live betting bookmaker sites to place your in-play bets? Here we give you all you need to know about live betting: what it is, how you can do it and which betting sites  give you the best live betting experience. Why not start live betting on football, tennis,  GAA or your favourite sport today after reading our live betting guide?

Table of content

• Live Betting
• What is live betting?
• How does live betting work?
• Live betting sports and markets
• Live betting rules and restrictions
• Live Betting Apps
• Live the live betting experience to the full
• Live Betting Strategies
• Top 3 live betting sites
• FAQs

Do you like to place a bet on a sports event before it begins, only to regret your choice a matter of seconds after the event has started? Did you know that nearly every betting site now offers you the opportunity to place bets on a sporting event after it has already begun. That means you can bet in response to what has already happened, and select from literally hundreds of live betting or in-play markets as an alternative way to win money betting on sports events. This is now the most popular way of betting on sports, and is far from a gimmick – it is the very present and future of sports betting. Why not climb onboard and bet on a live sports event that’s happening at this very moment?

Live betting, also known as in-play betting, is available on almost every single betting site. In fact, when you visit a betting site, it is often the very first market that you see. Usually there is a title such as ‘live now’. That means that the sports events you can see are currently in progress. But whereas before that would have meant it was too late to bet on that event, now betting sites provide literally hundreds of opportunities to bet on a game or event that is in progress, with the odds that you see relating directly to what it happening in the moment. Using a combination of large teams and modern technology, betting sites are able to adapt their odds in that very moment to reflect the current events of the game: the score, injuries, the weather, or indeed anything else that can impact the result of a sports event. It’s almost hard to believe it’s possible, but it is! So why not join millions of bettors worldwide by betting on sports events that have already begun.

Which sports can you enjoy with live betting? All of them. Which markets are available for live betting? Perhaps more than you can imagine. Here is an idea of the sports you can bet on, along with some of the most popular markets and different ways of enjoying live betting on a particular event:

• Football – Bet on nearly every conceivable game and take advantage of live betting favourites such as next goal and even whether there will be a goal in the next five minutes. Live betting football is simply huge!
• Rugby – Bet on the next type of score, who will score next and plenty of other in-play betting favourites
• Horse racing – See the odds evolve after the race has begun.
• Greyhounds – Likewise with greyhounds, react to evolving odds on the race winner
• GAA – Who will score next? What will the margin of victory be? What will be the next type of score? Bet on all of these and more
• Tennis – Quite literally bet on who will win the very next point in what is one of the most popular live betting options
• Golf – A slow-burner like gold adapts perfectly with live betting and you can follow events on the course and bet accordingly
• Snooker – Snooker is another slower sport that lends itself perfectly to in-play betting, reflecting the action on the table
• Darts – Who will win the next leg? React as the game unfolds with this and plenty of other live betting options.

“But what are the rules and restrictions?” you may ask. Well, fear not, because live betting really isn’t very different from the regular pre-event betting that you may be more accustomed to. Sure there are some differences, but the fact is online sports bookmakers make it extremely easy to place in-play bets.

The first thing to consider is that live betting markets can be a little different to pre-event markets, which of course reflects the fact that the game or even has already begun. Also, you must consider that the displayed odds will change rapidly: again reflecting the fast-evolving nature of the situation. But just as with regular pre-event betting, you can browse the markets, click on the selection and price that attracts you, and quickly enter your stake amount to place your bet. Many betting sites actually make this process possible with the simple click of a button so you don’t waste a second in placing that in-play bet when you want to make it.

You will see that markets are temporarily suspended often due to the fact that an on-field outcome will be in progress. Yet odds are usually reestablished quickly. And of course another consideration is the cash-out amount stated will be constantly evolving to once again reflect the current situation. Other than that, it really couldn’t be easier to place an in-play bet. Don’t take our word for it, check it out and see.

The fact is, like so many other modern-day services, betting operators have had to adapt to mobile. These days more people place bets on their mobile devices than on desktop. And in terms of live betting, where the landscape is constantly evolving, being able to place a bet ‘on-the-go’ is even more important that before. And so the sports betting app is now as common as can be. Here’s what you should consider for your choice of live betting app: 

• Compatibility: Does the bookmaker you want to use have a native app for your device, or is it just an adapted version of the website? This may not be a big deal if everything works well on the hybrid version. But if there is a native app for your device, why not download it and compare – you may just find you were missing a trick not downloading the app earlier.
• Bonuses and features: Does the mobile app offer up all the features and bonuses that you can avail of on the regular site? Does it have additional bonuses and features that are only available on the app?
• Live betting offering: How well does the app suit live betting in terms of the support functions and features, and ease of navigating around events and markets and then placing a bet. If there is any inconvenience or heel-dragging at all, don’t persevere.

What are the features that really compliment the live betting experience? How can you really make the most of in-play betting? Here we point out those betting site offerings that will really maximise your live betting enjoyment and success.

Cash-out: It doesn’t matter if you placed the bet before the event started or after, now your bet is ‘in-play’, keep a close eye on events and the cash-out option that is available. If you’ve bet on a team to win and they go two goals ahead in the opening ten minutes, you might not need to wait out the remaining 80 to claim your cash, for example. Always keep close tabs on what you can take out, and this is especially true when the tide is beginning to turn. Check out partial and automatic cash-out options too which build further upon this great innovation.

Live streaming: Talking about keeping a close eye, you really should be following the event you have bet on to ensure you make the right decisions with cash-out and further in-play bets. Many sites offer live streaming of events, even to mobile, so for a full, rounded live betting experience, watch the event too.

Pulse Betting: A newer innovation, pulse betting (and sometimes marketed under a different name) allows you to place a bet on an outcome in a particular time limit. A typical example of this would be for a site to offer odds on a goal being scored in match in the next one, five or ten minutes. This can really keep things interesting.

Stats centres: Some sports betting sites offer incredibly insightful odds based upon betting markets. Maximise your wins by delving deep into the numbers.

Live betting bonuses: And of course look out for the incredible number of in-play betting bonuses that betting sites love to offer out. It’s increasingly all about the live betting experience for bookies, and they reveal their ambitions with bonuses and promotions to match.

Here’s a big question: Are there any tips or strategies that I should know about to be more successful in live betting? Well, here at betyou.ie we like to help where we can, so these are some of our top live betting tips:

• Don’t just watch the odds, watch the event too – Keeping a close eye on the odds and the accompanying stats can tell you a lot, but not everything. For a properly informed decision with your bet you should be following the event live too, meaning watching it if possible. Only then can you really have a feel for how a game is progressing.
• Get familiar with the in-play markets, and decide which you feel more comfortable with – It’s tempting to be like a kid in a candy store with live betting, as there are just so many options. However, just as you should with pre-event betting, take your time to sus everything out. After a while you will begin to understand which in-play markets you have a better sense of, and of course which you have more success playing. And never ever bet more than you can afford. Ever.
• Use the features – Sports betting sites invest millions developing features to attract customers. Take your time to explore these features and ascertain the real benefits of these. For example, Pulse Betting can be a nice way to jump on board a football game when you sense a goal coming. Cash out options are brilliant for when you get cold feet on a bet, and stats services can really help frame your decision with your bet.
• But avoid gimmicks – And of course try to establish as quickly as possible which features and bonuses are simply gimmicks to part you from your hard-earned cash. Play sensibly, and play with small stakes during your exploration period.

BoyleSports’s Live Betting

At betyou.ie we love BoyleSports because it has got such an Irish focus. And then the In-play betting is great too, and works particularly well on the BoyleSports mobile betting app. Avail of all of the BoyleSports live betting features such as BetBuilders and cash out, and you can be sure that there will be a bonus around the corner, as there always seems to be with this betting site. With live scores and results too, this is a site that offers and all-round live betting experience. 

FansBet’s Live Betting

FansBet is a relative newcomer on the scene and has a different ethos to most bookies. It also has a great live betting offering. There are all of the sports on offer that are popular in Ireland, with lots of markets to match. And you’ll love the features. As well as cash out there is Pulse Betting on football. How does this work? bet on a goal to be scored in the next half a minute, minute, five minutes or ten minutes. You hit the jackpot depending on the period in which a goals is scored within those parameters. With live events calendars, in-play scores and informative statistics, this is a site that is really taking the in-play market by storm. 

10Bet Live Betting

10bet’s live betting offering is top drawer. With a host of features including full and partial cash-out, Add2bet, Betbuilder and Pulse Betting, this bookmaker’s dedicated betting apps for android and iOS are super responsive for your live betting needs. You can navigate around easily and place bets quickly, which is always important for your in-play betting. There is no doubt that 10bet put plenty of focus on live betting, and with a staggering number of sports and markets available for in-play betting, we’re sure you’ll love this site as much as we do.