Online Bookies and Sports Wagering in Ireland
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Sports betting is highly popular in Ireland, with most of the country's obsession with horse racing being one of the major contributing factors to these. Rugby, football, and golf are some of the top sports to wager on in Ireland, along with local favorites such as Gaelic football and hurling.
With many betting shops in Ireland being forced to close their shops due to the coronavirus crisis, an increased number of people turned out to wagering on the internet. In 2019 alone, some €9.8 billion was gambled in Ireland, with a significant number of this emanating from online sports betting.
Various sports betting sites are currently available in Ireland to pick from with each one of them having its strengths and weaknesses. But how do you ensure that you play at the best online bookies in Ireland? We are here to help players select some of the best bookmakers to use. Here, is our complete guide of everything you need to know about online sports betting in Ireland.
A Quick Look at Sports Betting Laws in Ireland – What does the law say about betting?
Pari-mutuel and bookmaking betting have one of the longest-standing histories in Ireland. That being the case, Ireland's earliest gambling laws were heavily focused on these venues. The Betting Act of 1931 was responsible for regulating the entire sports betting activities in Ireland up until 2015. Bookmaking in Ireland has been and continues to be one of the most popular forms of gambling for Irish citizens.
With recent legislation, the 1931 law was finally updated, something that's more close to current bookmaking entertainment, also known as the Betting (Amendment) Act of 2015. It was in 2015 when the act was finally signed into law, a move that saw offshore bookmakers and betting exchanges becoming integrated into the taxation requirements and licensing policies of Ireland.
When the amendment act came into force, it meant that it was now legal for online sports betting businesses to offer their services to Irish players, but only after acquiring a betting intermediary or bookmaker license.
How We Choose the Best IE Bookies
Finding the best betting sites Ireland has to offer can be a tedious task since there are several of them (old, new, and upcoming) to choose from here. So, how do you ensure that you play at only the best Irish bookmakers? Our reviews focus on a few important areas for close assessment.
First, we look at matters to do with safety and security. As an Irish bettor, you'd want to feel that any betting site that you choose to use is going to be safe. Hackers have been known to target internet gambling sites, and you should play only at those sites that have strong measures aimed at protecting the personal and financial information of their customers.
The range of sports and betting markets is another parameter that we factor in when choosing a sports betting site to use. Even though many sportsbooks in Ireland tend to have almost the same number of sports and markets to pick from, you should be able to place bets on plenty of major and fringe sports at plenty of betting options.
Promotions, bonuses, and high betting odds are other factors that we consider when choosing a sports betting site in Ireland. Does the bookmaker of your choice offer several enticing promotions and bonuses? What about their odds? Are they competitive enough? Besides being able to find several bonus offers and promotions, you should be able to wager at bookmakers who offer strong odds.
Live streaming and support are other essential elements that we factor in when choosing a sports betting site in Ireland. Are you able to keep up with the latest sporting action through live streaming? Different sports are available for live streaming, especially with horse races from Ireland and the United Kingdom. Are you able to stream such events from your bookie? Also, should you run into any problems or have a question, you should be able to find a swift and professional response 24/7.
List of Irish Bookmakers 2022 – Top 10
With all the above in mind, at this point, we list bookmakers who we believe are in the list of top 10 online sports betting sites in Ireland for 2022:
Betway
Betway is one of the most popularonline bookmakers among Irish sports betting fans based on several reasons. While you can find traditional sports here. This bookmaker has managed to make one of the heaviest investments in esports wagering too.
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Competitive odds
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Superb support
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Great markets
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Enticing welcome bonus for new customers
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Live Chat can be difficult to locate
William Hill
Of the entire sportsbooks in the United Kingdom, none can be compared to William Hill. In Ireland, the bookie is hailed by many players there as one of the top online bookmakers that have been in business for decades.
Bet €10 Get €30 Free Bets
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Plenty of sports betting markets
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Cash-out option
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Live betting
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Acca insurance
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Live streaming is not available on the mobile app
Unibet
An amazing welcome bonus is a primary reason why we list Unibet among the top 10 online sports betting sites in Ireland. Here, new players get a €40 cashback offer on their initial bet.
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Amazing sports betting platform
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Some of the most impressive sports betting bonuses and promos
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Huge coverage of sporting events
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Customer service isn't available 24/7
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Same game parlay builder only available on some sports
Ladbrokes
Ladbrokes is one of those most renowned and one of the longest-serving bookies in Ireland. Among other things, this bookie has a fantastic sign-up offer to new players, and one of the best Ireland sports betting sites.
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Decent horse racing coverage and betting options
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Amazing promotions and bonuses
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Excellent customer support
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A very user-friendly site
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A massive range of sports
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SMS alerts on their mobile app are only for horse racing and football
Bet365
Long considered among one of the most dominant companies in the globe in terms of online betting, Irish bettors will be sure to find plenty of reasons to like about this bookie, their welcome offers being one of them.
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24/7 customer service
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Decent welcome offers for new customers
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A huge variety of sports betting markets
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A responsible gambling section
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Slight delays with live chat services
Paddy Power
Paddy Power is an Irish sports betting brand boasting a proud history in the country. It’s one of those online betting sites with strong promotions, very solid odds, and plenty of betting markets make Paddy Power the go-to sports betting site for many Irish bettors, and ideal for local betting.
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An impressive number of global events and sports to wager on
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Very attractive and fast loading pages
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Simple and very user-friendly site
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Annoying adverts and some large marketing banners on the website
888sport
888Sport is another top online sports betting site that lets Irish players find access to a wide range of football and horseracing markets. The brand is known for its betting offers, promotions, and generous welcome package.
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A wide variety of deposit methods such as cards, bank transfers, and PayPal depositss
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A very user-friendly mobile app ideal for online betting while on the go
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A highly reputable and one of the biggest brands in the industry
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888sport tends to lower its limits on sharp bettors
10bet
Bursting onto the sports betting scene back in 2003, 10bet is one of the most experienced brands out there. Irish players love it because of plenty of sports betting events (more than 65,000) per month, close to half of which are covered in the live betting section.
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A reliable app with cash out feature
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Consistent loyalty and reload bonuses
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Best average betting odds margin of 4.9% compared to the average 6% in the industry
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Some bonuses at 10bet tend to come with high rollover requirements
BetVictor
A traditional British sportsbook that currently offers players top-class online options, BetVictor is an excellent choice for Irish fans looking to join a sports betting site in 2022. The brand comes with a fresh look design that's consistent across the main website.
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Plenty of withdrawal options that punters can use
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Higher maximum withdrawals
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High available betting odds on most markets
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Live streaming restricted to active players
Mr Green
Mr Green is undoubtedly one of the most famed Ireland sports betting brands having gone live back in 2007. Now active in the Irish market, bettors find the brand attractive due to its innovative interface, enticing offers for new customers, and a nice range of live and pre-match markets.
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A clean platform with a minimal design that's available in a stylistic color green
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One of the largest sports selections to bet on
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An excellent range of betting odds on several sports
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Mr Green for Ireland doesn't have a live streaming feature on their site
Comparison Table of Irish Online Bookmakers
How to Bet on Sports Online in Ireland
The excellent news for customers is that getting started with online sports betting in Ireland is very simple and quite easy to do, with plenty of bookies having the same betting process. Here's how to go about sports betting in Ireland:
Step 1
Find a reliable sports betting site in Ireland. Here, you have to consider things such as available banking methods, site security, and available bonuses among others.
Step 2
Sign up with a site of your choice. Luckily enough, the sign-up process at most Ireland bookmakers is fast and easy.
Step 3
Fund your new account to start betting. Again, there are plenty of payment methods available for Irish bettors.
Step 4
Find your favorite sport and start betting.
Payment Methods for Irish Punters – What are the most popular banking methods?
Funding your online betting account is crucial and betting sites have to offer a wide range of payment methods for customers to use. Luckily enough, Irish punters have plenty of banking methods available for them. Some of the most popular ones that you can find from Irish bookies include:
- Visa
- Mastercard
- PayPal
- Bank transfers
- Skrill
- Neteller
- Paysafe card
- Bank transfer
- Apple Pay
- Trustly
- EcoPayz
- MuchBetter
- PaybyPhone
Betting Offers & Promotions at Irish Gambling Sites
Online bookmakers offer different types of offers and promotions in their bid to attract new players and retain real ones. Irish bettors are a lucky lot since they have plenty of offers and promotions at their disposal. Some of the most common betting offers and promotions that you can find at Irish gambling sites include signup or welcome bonuses, cash bonuses, reload bonuses, no deposit bonuses, free bet bonuses, match play bonuses, and bonuses on loss. Others include loyalty bonuses and high roller bonuses.
Popular Sports for Wagering in Ireland
Irish bookies onlinesports betting sites offer their customers the choice of wagering on a massive range of sports from professional sports to fringe sports such as Gaelic sports and darts. However, the following are the most popular sports for betting in Ireland:
Football
Wagering on football is popular in Ireland. Even though plenty of major wagering markets heavily focuses on the EPL, Irish punters do have a crack at the best odds at other competitions such as the Irish League, the Champions League, the Europa League, and other international soccer events too.
Horse Racing
Undoubtedly, horse racing can be said to be the bread and butter of Irish sports bettors, with Irish horse racing known to be one of the most popular in the world. Wagering on horse races is necessary for any Irish sports betting enthusiast, and available at plenty of Irish bookies.
Tennis
While players from Ireland haven't enjoyed much success on the WTA or the ATP World Tour, nevertheless, tennis remains massively popular in Ireland and one of the most popular sports to wager on in the Irish market.
Golf
With gambling part of the Irish culture, it comes as no surprise to find that golf is one of the most appealing sports for Irish bettors to wager on. Most bookies in Ireland cover bets related to golf. Their offer range from providing plenty of betting options on golf to covering a wide range of golf events.
Greyhound Racing
Greyhound racing is highly popular in the Emerald Isle, and rest assured of finding plenty of Irish sports betting enthusiasts placing bets on this thrilling sport.
Boxing
With Conor McGregor and Katie Taylor being just of the two biggest fighters to roll out of Ireland, it's not surprising to see plenty of bettors in Ireland wagering on Boxing.
Cricket
Lately, wagering on cricket seems to be on the rise in Ireland. Even though football and horse racing seem dominant, cricket betting seems to be picking up pace in Ireland too.
Mobile Sports Betting Apps – Are apps better in comparison to mobile sites?
Unlike a few years back where one had to pay a visit to a physical shop to place bets, such isn't the case as of today. Now, players can place bets while on the move thanks to plenty of sports betting apps that aid them to do so. But why would you choose to wager via the mobile app, especially if you are an Irish bettor? Several reasons push players to wager via mobile apps. For instance, mobile apps come with the promise of convenience. With apps, you can literally place your bets anywhere, anytime.
Most importantly, mobile apps come with app-only offers, a big reason why many bettors in Ireland find wagering via mobile apps ideal for them. With such offers, there's a chance to increase your bankroll. Still, mobile apps come with other helpful features. For example, features such as notifications and stats are mostly found in apps.
Mobile apps are also ideal since they have increased privacy compared to mobile sites. With mobile betting apps, there aren't any cases of privacy concerns to deal with. Unlike mobile betting sites where you may have to go through numerous betting sites before finding one that's ideal for you, such isn't the case with apps.
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