Low & No Minimum Deposit UK Betting Sites
With so many bookmakers focusing on the high rollers, it can sometimes feel impossible to get started with sports betting in the UK unless you have hundreds of pounds to spare. However, that isn’t the case. UK sports betting sites are accessible to pretty much everyone, regardless of what sort of budget you’re on — and in fact, you can get started for as little as £5 at many sites.
Even better, there’s even a subsection of betting sites that not only allow users to make small deposits, but actually encourage it — basing many of their bonuses around making small deposits or bets. These sites aren’t always easy to find. Though don’t stress out, because our chief editor assigned the LowPlays expert team the task of finding the very best UK sports betting sites that accept a small minimum deposit.
And after months of researching and testing out these sites first-hand — the results are in.
Top Five Minimum Deposit Betting Sites
In the UK, we’re lucky to have a lot of bookmakers that accept a low minimum deposit. However, simply having a minimum deposit isn’t enough to make it on this list — and instead, here we’ll be covering sites that not only accept minimum deposits but encourage them through a variety of bonuses and fee-free deposit options. And when you add in this criteria, five sites stand out.
bet365
18+. For new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply. Registration required.
bet365 has been plying their trade in the UK since 2001. Since that time, they’ve consistently been regarded not only as one of the best bookmakers across the UK but pretty much across the globe. For users on a tight budget especially, they’re arguably the best betting site.
That’s because to play at bet365, the minimum deposit is only £5 — so no matter what your budget, you can play here. Once you do sign up, you’ll have a wide array of bonuses and promotions to ensure that your first deposit stretches as far as possible.
Coral
For sports bettors in the UK, Coral is one of the very best options for online sports betting. First being launched way back in 1926, Coral is about as British as it gets — and is arguably one of the most recognizable betting shops in England. Over nearly 100 years of operations, they’ve developed an iron-clad reputation.
For bettors interested in traditionally British sports like cricket and football, you’ll be happy to know that Coral covers just about every type of market that you’d ever want to bet on. Additionally, you’ll also find they consistently offer a wide array of promotions for existing customers.
Ladbrokes
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
While Ladbrokes has long been a favourite for UK sports bettors, it’s only recently that they’ve also started a reputation as one of the best minimum deposit sports betting sites. Minimum deposits of £5 are accepted. And even better, when you sign up to Ladbrokes using our links and make your first bet of £5, you’ll get £25 in free bets.
It’s not just the welcome bonus that is friendly to players on a tight budget either. Because Ladbrokes consistently offers a variety of different existing player bonuses for different sporting events. Many of which only require a £5 bet to claim.
Unibet
While headquartered in Malta, Unibet has long been available to sports bettors across Europe and the UK. First started in 1997 from humble beginnings, Unibet hasn’t forgotten its roots. As such, throughout their history, they’ve tended to focus on making sure that users of all budgets would be able to enjoy their platform.
Fast forward 25+ years, and that’s still a core tenet of how they operate. Unibet users can look forward to betting across a wide variety of sports across the globe like football, boxing, and rugby. So no matter what your budget is or what your favourite sport is, Unibet will cater towards you.
Spreadex
Mixing sports betting and financial trading, Spreadex has been one of the most unique sportsbooks since it first launched in 1999. And while in my opinion this did hinder them in their beginnings, they’ve quickly developed a reputation as one of the best places for analytical sports bettors — especially if you enjoy betting the spread.
A lack of minimum deposit-friendly new player bonuses can make Spreadex look a little unappealing to some. But once you look past that, they’ve got a lot of unique features. So while I typically wouldn’t recommend Spreadex for someone looking for a more mainstream betting experience, if you’re willing to do your research and try something a little bit different, then Spreadex will be for you.
Regulated UK Betting Sites with Low Minimum Deposits
When considering which UK betting sites to play at if you’re on a budget, there are really two main things that you should check. The first thing is obviously that it accepts a low minimum deposit, and secondly that it is a regulated betting site.
Sticking with low minimum deposits is financially responsible. However, if you play at a site that is unregulated then that money is liable to be stolen, and you may as well be flushing it down the toilet. For that reason, to optimise your responsible gambling, not only should users on a budget be looking at sites that accept a minimum deposit, but also exclusively at sites that are regulated and are licensed to operate in the UK.
£5 Minimum Deposit Betting Sites
£5 minimum deposit sports betting sites tend to be the smallest minimum deposits allowed at UK bookmakers. These sites are geared towards users on the tightest of budgets — allowing you to get started for a fiver. Besides that though, they function pretty similarly to other sites. You’ll still get access to the same types of markets and sports to bet on. And while bonuses won’t come as frequently, you’ll still be able to find a couple here and there.
£10 Minimum Deposit Betting Sites
If you have the budget to sign up for a £10 minimum deposit UK bookie, you’ll have quite a few more bookmakers to choose between. In fact, the vast majority of UK bookmakers will accept a £10 minimum deposit. Though with that being said, there are some sites that while they may accept a £10, they tend to lock their bonuses behind terms that may require you to make a bet or deposit of over £10. As such, while they may be a £10 minimum deposit site by definition, they don’t really feel like one.
For that reason, we’ll be going through three sites that not only accept a £10 minimum deposit but actively support it.
Virgin Bet
Flying under the Virgin banner, Virgin Bet is Virgin’s attempt of getting into the lucrative UK sports betting market. Virgin has long been about value. And with Virgin Bet, that’s no different. To get started playing at Virgin Bet, you only need to follow our links to sign up, and then make a first deposit of at least £10
Even better though, if you use that £10 to make your first bet, you’ll instantly be awarded with £20 in free bets. And while the above may be a welcome bonus, as an existing user I can tell you that this sort of bonus comes up time and time again, and existing players can look forward to a load of free bets when they play with Virgin Bet.
BetVictor
18+ New customers only. Opt in & bet min £10 on any sports market at min odds of 1/1 (2.00)+ No cash out. Get £20 in Free Bets, £10 Live Casino Bonus + 30 Free Spins for selected slots. 40x wagering for the bonus, max withdrawal £250, valid 30 days. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit Card/Apple Pay Payments only. T&Cs Apply.
Founded in 1946, BetVictor is another UK bookmaker with a pretty legendary reputation. While BetVictor does also have an online casino under their umbrella, it goes without saying that most people (including myself) mainly regard them as a sports bookmaker. And one of the reasons for this long-standing following is due to their consistently low minimum deposits.
£10 is all it takes to make a deposit at BetVictor. And when you do, you’ll pretty much always be able to claim some sort of welcome bonus. Exactly what this bonus will be tends to vary based on what promotion they’re currently offering and what sport you place your first bet on. However, typically they do tend to keep the best bonuses for users betting on football.
BoyleSports
18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs apply
BoyleSports is a betting group that first launched in 1982 in Ireland. And while they don’t yet quite have the reputation of other sites that we’ve covered so far, they have nevertheless continued growing in popularity. Additionally, when it comes to bonuses, they’ve developed something of a niche for offering a particular type of bonus.
When it comes to BoyleSports, early payouts are the name of the game. If you place a stake on a qualifying bet and either lead at half-time or by a certain number of points, BoyleSports will pay you out early regardless of the end result of the contest. It’s a pretty good bonus. And you can try it out when you sign up to BoyleSports and make your first deposit of £10.
Pros and Cons of Minimum Deposit Betting Sites
UK bookmakers that accept low minimum deposits are great for users on a budget. However, that’s not to say that they’re perfect. And below, we’ll be going over the good & the bad of minimum deposit betting sites.
Pros | Cons |
Available to get started even on a tight budget | Bonuses may not suit high rollers |
Huge variety of sites | Certain deposit methods may come with fees when you make a low deposit |
Can stretch your money with promotions | |
Can be a cheap way to take advantage of special features like live streaming | |
Encourage responsible gambling |
Pros and cons of minimum deposit betting sites by payment method
PayPal
The global giant of e-wallets is one of the trusted payment methods across the globe. And thanks to its popularity, most UK bookmakers will accept PayPal when you make a deposit.
Pros
- Zero fees on most sites when depositing
- Can be used for depositing and withdrawing
- Avoids sharing sensitive information directly with the betting site
Cons
- PayPal does have a history of data breaches
- Not eligible for all deposit bonuses
Debit Card
Arguably the most straightforward way of depositing to a sports betting site is to do it directly with a debit card. While depositing directly with a debit card used to be a bit of a security concern, advancements in encryption technology have largely made that a thing of the past.
Pros
- Super convenient
- Instant deposits
- Does not require you to sign up for any external services
Cons
- Your bank may charge fees when depositing this way
- Not available for withdrawals
Skrill
Way back when online sports betting was getting started, Skrill was one of the only payment methods that would allow you to make a deposit to a sports betting site. As such, they’ve developed something of a legendary reputation. And while they have been waning in popularity in recent years, they still remain one of the most popular depositing methods.
Pros
- Long history
- Accepted by virtually every UK sports betting site
- Extremely safe and secure
Cons
- Can attract fees
- Depositing via this method may disqualify you from certain bonuses
Top Tips for Finding a Great Betting Site With a Low Minimum Deposit
Finding a site that offers a minimum deposit isn’t overly difficult in the UK. However, finding a great site that not only supports low minimum deposits, but also encourages them through a variety of bonuses is a little more challenging. Fortunately, there are some ways for the average user to sort out the good from the bad.
- Check Reviews — The first and easiest way to check out a site is to read the reviews. While this is in no way a sure thing as other users can sometimes bitterly leave bad reviews when they have losses, finding unbiased reviews like those from LowPlays can be a great way to get a feel for a site.
- Look for Proof of Licensing — When it comes to sports betting, licensing is everything. That’s why your first stop when looking should always be to see if they have the proper licensing to operate in the UK. If they don’t, they’re not worth playing at.
- Investigate Promos & Bonuses — A great way to check out how minimum deposit friendly a site is is to check what bonuses they currently have on offer. If they only offer bonuses that require you to make a bet far beyond that of the minimum deposit, that’s a good indication of how they’ll be treating you.
Betting Tips and Strategies for Betting on a Budget
If you’re on a budget, it’s imperative that you make every pound count. For this reason, we’ve polled our team to collect their top tips and strategies for betting on a budget.
- Take Advantage of Bonuses — Bonuses are the key to making a little go a long way. With them, you can often get bonus cash when you make a deposit — or sometimes free bets that can be as good as doubling or even tripling your initial deposit.
- Use Unit Based Betting — Unit based betting is the secret to all successful sports bettors. With it, rather than betting the same amount on all bets, you split your bankroll into 100 units. Then, you work out the likelihood of your bet winning. The more likely your bet is to be a winner, the more you bet on it. As a general rule, with heavy underdogs you should be betting one unit — and with massive favourites, you shouldn’t be betting any higher than five units.
- Gamble Responsibly — Taking advantage of a UK betting site with a low minimum deposit is a great start for responsible gambling — but it’s only the start. Set yourself limits, don’t chase losses, and never make more than one deposit in a single day. If you find yourself struggling with this, you’ll be able to find additional betting in the responsible gambling section of all legitimate UK bookmakers.
UK Minimum Deposit Betting Sites FAQs
Which UK bookmakers have the lowest minimum deposit?
In the UK, you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to sports betting sites that accept low minimum deposits. However, one of the smallest minimum deposit requirements belongs to bet365 who only require a £5 minimum deposit.
Can you claim a bonus with a minimum deposit?
Whether or not you will be able to claim a bonus with a minimum deposit will depend on the site. With that in mind, most sites will allow you to claim a welcome bonus if you bet £5-10 on your first bet.
Are there any £10 minimum deposit betting sites?
£10 minimum deposit bookmakers are very popular in the UK. As such, you should have no trouble finding a site that accepts a £10 minimum deposit or even lower.
Why do sites have minimum deposit requirements?
Betting sites need to enact minimum deposit requirements to make the process of transferring funds worth their time. Additionally, many payment methods may charge fees if the minimum deposit is too low.
What is the best depositing method for a minimum deposit?
The best depositing method for a low UK deposit will vary from site to site. However, depositing via PayPal or directly through your debit card is usually the most popular method due to the lack of fees.