Home Betting Best Betting Sites in UAE September 2023
Dan Fitch

Welcome to our expert guide to the best betting sites in UAE. We’re going to give you the lowdown on the online betting scene in the UAE, picking out our favourite sites, revealing which of them excel in different categories and information on bonuses, betting tips and much more. Let’s start by revealing our ten favourite UAE betting sites. 

Best Betting Sites in UAE in 2024

 

Key Features of Sports Betting Sites in UAE 

You’ve seen our list of the best betting sites in UAE. They following table shows you the features that you can expect to find at these online sports betting sites. 

UAE Betting Sites Accumulator Deals Bet Builder Cash Out Live Betting Live Streaming
rabona
betway
betobet
shangrila
chashalot
10bet
888sport
mrplay
fansbet
1xBet

Ranking the Best Online Betting Sites 

Having seen our best sports betting sites, you may be wondering how we came to our conclusions. There are many different factors that we use when evaluating online betting sites and in this section we’re going to reveal some of the criteria that’s important to us. 

  • Betting Markets

We like to see a range variety of sports covered and then within those sports, lots of different events, all featuring a deep amount of markets. Though it’s generally a good idea to have accounts with a number of UAE betting sites to give yourself different options regarding odds and promotions, you don’t want to have to be flitting between sites because you can’t find the market you want. The more markets, the better. We feel that 1XBet do a great job of covering lots of different sports categories, all of which are packed with every event you’d want to see, with those events featuring deep market coverage. 

  • Odds

If you place a bet, you’ll naturally want betting odds that are at least competitive. Preferably, you’ll get the best price available on your chosen bet, which is possible by using odds comparison sites to find the bookie offering the most value. The top betting sites have consistently competitive odds across the board. Some bookies will offer good prices on a certain sport and be less competitive elsewhere. Or they will have good prices pre-event and then offer shorter odds in-play. A bookmaker that we find to have consistent odds is Rabona.

  • Live Betting and Streaming

There was once a time when if you placed a bet, you just had to hope for the best. With the advent of live betting, there is now an element of control. If you place a bet and it doesn’t look like it will be successful, you might be able to recoup some of your stake by placing an additional hedging bet, or accepting a Cash Out offer. Or you can use these methods to lock in a guaranteed profit on a bet that does look like it will be successful, once the event is in-play. Live betting also has exclusive markets that aren’t available to bet on before the event starts. A facility that goes hand-in-hand with in-play betting is live streaming, which allows you to watch an event, while you bet on it. Bet O Bet offer both live betting and a streaming service. 

  • Promotion

It’s always nice to be given something extra and bookies provide this with their range of promotions and bonuses. When you open an account at any bookie, you can expect a welcome offer. Often the biggest offers are not necessarily the best, as they may well have strict terms and conditions, that render the deal less lucrative that it first appears. Once you have signed up, you can expect more promotions to come your way. Sports betting sites reward their loyal users with regular bonus deals, as it’s a good way of keeping them happy and retaining their custom. Fansbet really deliver with their range of promotions, giving out regular free bets.  

  • Extra Features

Bookies are always coming up with extra features to help them stand apart from the crowd and improve the betting experience for their users. The Bet Builder function which allows punters to group together several different bets from within the same event, is a great example. So too is Cash Out, which sees users being given an offer on any bet that they place, which changes during the action, in relation to how likely it is that the bet will be successful. These features are massively helpful for sports bettors and it’s fair to say that it’s likely that the industry will develop new features in coming years, which are just as effective. 888Sport are a very established bookie, with a wide range of extra features.

  • Website Design and Mobile

There’s no point in a bookmaker having a wide variety of markets, with great odds and a range of promotions and features, if their website is difficult to use. Ease of use is key when it comes to websites of any kind. If the user experience is not good and they find the site too complicated or buggy, then they’ll go elsewhere. That especially true of betting online sites, as there’s so many of them out there, which naturally creates a lot of competition. Just as important as creating a smooth website for use on a computer, is that it will also translate well to being used on a mobile browser. We also like bookies to provide dedicated apps for iOS and Android devices. 10Bet have a very clearly designed site that’s easy to use, as well as mobile apps.

  • Safety and Security

Players from the UAE are generally using bookmakers from different countries. Some might not be that familiar, creating a potential worry regarding their safety and security. You can be assured that all of our recommended bookmakers are licensed by bodies that ensure that the bookies abide by their rules and regulations. They also use the latest security technology to make sure that your money and personal details are safe from potential hackers. If security is a concern, it makes sense to use a well-established bookmaker that you can trust. Betway falls into this category.

Best Betting Sites in UAE by Category 

When it comes to evaluating the best betting sites, it’s natural to find that some excel in certain categories and are perhaps a little weaker in others. Below you’ll find our awards for betting sites in UAE, across a number of different categories. 

Best Overall Betting Site Lucky Block Best Betting App 10Bet
Best New Sportsbook Bet O Bet Top For Special Features 888Sport
Best Special Offers Fansbet Range Of Payment Methods ShangriLa
Top For In-Play Bet O Bet Best Odds Value Rabona
Strongest Security Betway Top For eSports Betting 1XBet

Types of Welcome Offer on Betting Sites for Sports in UAE 

When you open an account with an online sportsbook you will be able to enjoy some kind of welcome offer. These offers can vary in type and sometimes even the same type of offer can be described in different ways. 

Some sign-up bonus offers require a promo code that you’ll need to enter when registering, while others do not. The differences and the variety of different terms used, can make things confusing if you’re not used to online betting. In this section we’re going to run through some of the welcome offers you’ll see from betting sites in UAE. 

Deposit Bonus 

This is perhaps the most common kind of welcome bonus that you’ll see in the UAE. You make an initial deposit and will then receive a deposit bonus, of a certain stated percentage. Often the bookie will 100% match your initial deposit with a bonus payment. It’s also common to see betting bonuses for an amount smaller than your initial deposit such as 50%, or larger, such as 200%.

These offers can give you a lot of flexibility in regards to how you use your bonus, but they can also have some wagering requirements that must be met, before you can withdraw any winnings. So for example, you might be expected to bet the bonus amount three times (which would be typically expressed as x3), before you can withdraw anything. 

Free Bets

Another of the common bonus offers for new users, involve free bets. These offers are often known as ‘Bet and Get’, as they’ll be expressed as ‘Bet X amount and Get Y amount in free bets.

Generally the amount that you get as a free bet will at least match the amount of the qualifying bet and will often exceed it. The free bets will often have some stipulations, such as there being minimum odds on what you can use it on, but there will generally be no wagering requirements on any winnings. 

Risk-Free Bet

Some betting sites for sports will give out risk-free bets as bonus offers for new customers. With this deal, you sign up, deposit and place a first bet. If it wins you get your stake and winnings back. Should it lose, your stake is returned, either as cash, a bonus amount that must be used for betting, or sometimes as a free bet.

As you can see, there’s no type of risk with this bet, as at the very least you’ll get your stake back, so that means you can perhaps take a risk with your opening bet and back something at big odds. It’s perhaps not the most generous of betting offers, as the bookie isn’t really giving anything away.

No Deposit Bonus

Very occasionally you see betting sites with free bonus and no deposit offers for new customers. With this type of welcome deal, more common at an online casino, you just have to register to get some kind of bonus. No deposit of bet is necessary. It’s not a very common welcome offer and at this moment in time there’s no betting sites in UAE with such a sign-up deal. 

Bonus Terms on the Best Betting Sites with Free Bets 

Whether it’s a welcome offer or a promo for existing users, we’d always recommend you to read the terms and conditions thoroughly. They contain all the rules that must be abided by, in order to successfully receive the offer from the bookie. 

If you’re new to using betting online sites, then some of the words and phrases used can be unfamiliar. Here is a guide to some of the common ones that you’re likely to encounter from providers. 

  • Timeframes

When you open an account, you might have to deposit and/or place you first bet within a certain timeframe to get a welcome bonus. With any type of free bet or bonus sum that you receive, there is also typically a timeframe within which it must be used. 

  • Minimum Deposit

This refers to the minimum amount that you need to deposit when opening an account in order to receive some sort of welcome bonus. 

  • Minimum Bet

For both welcome deals and bonus offers for existing users, you may be asked to make a minimum stake on your bet, in order to trigger the deal. 

  • Minimum Odds

When it comes to both qualifying bets and free bets, you may be set minimum odds. So if the stated minimum odds at 1.8, you must place a bet at that price or higher. 

  • Wagering Requirements

If you receive some sort of bonus, there is often wagering requirements that must be fulfilled. This means that you have to bet the amount a certain amount of stated times, before you can withdraw any winnings.

Choosing from the Top UAE Betting Sites 

If you’re a resident of UAE, there are some specific issues that you need to consider, related to your location. Even the best betting sites will be no use to you, if they do not provide the average requirements for a UAE resident. Here are some of the things that you need to consider. 

Do They Accept UAE Bettors?

Most bookmakers have a list of countries that they accept bettors from. Generally, they will geo-block anyone that is outside those nations. So if you’re in the UAE and you can access a betting site, then the chances are they will accept players from the UAE and you’ll be able to sign up.  Check with customer support if you’re not sure.

What Are The Currency Options?

Though you might be able to access a bookmaker from the UAE and sign up for an account, they might not necessarily accept the dirham as a currency. Generally there will be a way around this, such as using an e-wallet to convert your currency, but there will be fees. It’s therefore better to look for free betting sites that will accept the dirham. 

Which Payment Types Are Available?

The legal situation regarding betting in the UAE means that most players will choose to deposit from e-wallets. UAE & Dubai betting sites will generally support a wide range of e-wallet payment options, but you might want to check that they have your favourite one. 

Do They Have Relevant Sports?

There are certain sports that are very popular to bet on for UAE players. Online football betting sites are not difficult to find, but you may have to look around a little to find bookies that cover more niche sports that are popular in UAE, such as camel racing. 

Is The Site Available In Arabic?

It always makes things easier when a website is available in your native language, even if you are able to read and understand another one. If Arabic is your preferred language, look around to find a bookmaker that supports this option. Some bookies, especially new betting sites, can be somewhat limited in their language options.

As we touched upon in the last section, there are some major sports which are particularly popular with bettors from the UAE. Football is undoubtedly the most popular these days. It’s very easy to find betting sites for football, as it’s the biggest sport in the world.

With other sporting events, it’s not always so easy. Here’s a list of the top sports that we expect to see from any betting sites serving players from the UAE. 

  • Football
  • Cricket
  • Horse Racing
  • Camel Racing
  • Tennis
  • Golf
  • NBA / Basketball
  • NFL / American Football
  • eSports
  • Motorsports
  • Boxing
  • MMA

Best Football Betting Sites 

Football is the most popular sport for UAE bettors. The global game has a packed schedule of matches from around the world. Various national leagues, European club tournaments and international competitions are all shown by UAE sports channels and are well covered by football betting sites. 

The Premier League in particular is hugely popular in UAE, as it tends to be around the world. A mix of an entertaining style of football, passionate crowds, historic clubs and many of the top players in the game, combine to make it a compelling product. Even new football betting sites cover the Premier League and its games in real detail.

Football tends to be prominently displayed at every bookie, but some go the extra mile, with great features and lots of betting offers that are specific to the sport. Of all the betting sites for football, we recommend Rabona. 

Best Football Betting Site in UAE

First Deposit Bonus $150 + $10 Free Bet
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Horse Racing Betting Sites 

The interest in football from the UAE tends to be aimed at foreign rather than domestic competition. In contrast, you can find genuine world class horse racing action from within the UAE. There is consequently a real demand for quality betting sites for horse racing. 

Horse racing in the UAE attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators each year, this is a sport that is part of the fabric of the nation. It’s home to Godolphin racing, one of the biggest thoroughbred stables and breeding operations, which is famous across the world.

The country hosts the world’s richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup, at the Meydan Racecourse. Here are the top ten horse races in UAE, which you can place wagers on at horse racing betting sites. 

Race  Surface Distance Grade Age of Horses
Jebel Hatta Turf 1800m Group 1 4yo+
Kahayla Classic Dirt 2000m Group 1 5yo+ pureblood Arabians
Godolphin Mile Dirt 1600m Group 2 4yo+
Dubai Gold Cup Turf 3200m Group 2 4yo+
Al Quoz Sprint Turf 1200m Group 1 4yo+
UAE Derby Dirt 1900m Group 2 3yo
Golden Shaheen Dirt 1200m Group 1 4yo+
Dubai Turf Turf 1800m Group 1 4yo+
Sheema Classic Turf 2400m Group 1 4yo+
Dubai World Cup Dirt 2000m Group 1 4yo+
 

With such a rich racing heritage in the UAE, bookmakers need to be at the top of their game when it comes to horse racing. Of all the betting sites for horse racing, 888Sport is our pick. 

Best Horse Racing Betting Site in UAE

Place Your First $10 Bet And Earn $30 In Free Bets
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Best Cricket Betting Sites 

Cricket is another sport where there is a lot of top class action going on in the UAE. The IPL has been hosted in Dubai, while the 2021 T20 World Cup took place in the UAE, after they replaced Australia as the host nation. Pakistan have used the UAE as their home for test matches and limited overs games. 

Meanwhile, cricket is growing in the UAE both internationally and domestically. The UAE national team and a member of the ICC and a UAE T20 league will soon be launched. Throw in international and domestic matches and competitions from around the world and the best live sports betting sites, have plenty of cricket action to cover. 

Cricket matches are perfect for betting, especially when they go in-play and the match can swing in many directions, no matter whether it’s a limited over game or a test match. There are some great cricket betting sites available in the UAE, with Betway being our recommended choice. 

Best Cricket Betting Site in UAE

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Payment Methods on Top Betting Sites in UAE 

Something that can easily be overlooked when choosing between new betting sites is how convenient it is to deposit money and make withdrawals. It’s an essential function that people tend not to focus on too much, as they naturally pay more attention to welcome offers and betting related features.

Payment methods are especially important in the UAE, due to the legalities of betting, which we will go into. Here are the available payment methods for UAE users. 

Debit Cards and Credit Cards

Visa and Mastercard are generally the most popular methods of payment in the UAE. It’s also the most supported payment method at bookmakers, but card payments are not necessarily the wisest choice for UAE users. With online gambling being illegal in the UAE, making payments that can be easily traced to your bank or credit card company, is a risky business and there are safer options.

Bank Transfer

The same is true for bank transfer. It’s a popular payment method in UAE and widely supported by bookies, but lacks privacy. In addition, as most bookmakers do not accept Emirati dirham, so there will be conversion charges from a bank.

E-Wallets

A wise route for UAE players to take is to use an eWallet. Options such as PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller are generally available at bookmakers. Currency conversion is relatively painless and payments are very quick. Most importantly, eWallets provide a degree of separation between your bookmaker account and your bank account.

Cryptocurrencies

Perhaps the most secure option of all is cryptocurrency. Most bookies that are serious about appealing to UAE players will enable cryptocurrency like bitcoin as a payment method. Cryptocurrency transactions have far more privacy than any of the other deposit methods mentioned.

Payment Method Fees Min Deposit Max Deposit
Credit Card/Debit Card 0% $10 $10
e-Wallets 0% $10 $10
Bank Transfer 0% $10 $10
Cryptocurrency 0% 0.0001 BTC 0.00045 BTC

Mobile Betting Apps in UAE 

The rise in technology when it comes to mobile devices such as phones and tablets, has meant that online bookmakers can now be enjoyed wherever you are. Gaming companies optimise their websites to ensure that their free betting sites work seamlessly on mobile browsers, while increasingly, they also produce dedicated mobile apps.

We recommend using mobile apps rather than using an online bookie via a mobile browser. Though the browser versions tend to work very well, apps are more secure and faster. 

The best live sports betting sites produce apps for both iOS and Android devices. There are lots of good betting options out there, but we particularly like the apps from 10Bet.

Best Sports Betting App in UAE

100% Deposit Bonus Up To $100
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Top Tips for Making the Most of Free Betting Sites 

If you’re new to the world of betting, then having a little bit of advice is always useful. There are many betting prediction sites out there that produce such advice, along with lots of other resources. 

Yet while you’re here, you might as well take in some of our words of wisdom. In this section we’re going to give you some advice that will help you towards profitability. Making money from gambling sites is not easy, but neither is it impossible. These tips will help you to make a profit rather than a loss. 

Stick To What You Know

When you open an account with an online bookie, there might be a big golf tournament on, or the final of a tennis championship, or a heavyweight title fight in boxing. When such high-profile events are taking place, it’s tempting to get involved and place a bet, but you should resist temptation unless it’s a sport that you really follow.

Start your betting journey by focusing on the sport that you know the most about. Furthermore, concentrate on the league or competition that you watch the most of, should that be applicable. So, if you’re a football fan who mainly watches the Premier League, stick to that at first, rather than betting on other leagues.

In time, you’ll build up your betting knowledge to a point where it is transferable and you’ll be able to identify opportunities in sports that you don’t follow at all. For now, keep it simple and stick to what you know.

 

Identify The Value Range

In the last point we stated that it’s possible to find betting opportunities, even within sports or competitions that you don’t follow. It’s not a skill that you should expect to develop overnight, but long-term it’s certainly possible. The starting point is to learn how to identify value bets.

A value bet is where the odds on offer for a selection do not reflect the true probability of the bet being successful. So, how do you go about determining that? It involves judgement, so it’s not an exact science, but you can use facts to back up that judgement.

Again, it helps by starting with a sport and competition that you know. So a Premier League football fan, from their knowledge of watching a competition, might think that Liverpool have a 75% chance of winning a match, for which the odds would be 1/3 (1.33).

If the actual odds are Evens (2.00), which implies a 50% chance of success, that would be a value bet. Once you can start identifying value within sports you know, it’s possible to see such possibilities elsewhere.

 

Research, Research, Research

Sometimes you’ll find a value bet from your own knowledge. Perhaps you’ve been following the form of a team or player, or have noticed something in that game, that can be applied to a bet. So, with a football team that are in good form, but normally concede a goal, you might find some value in the both teams to score market.

Relying on your own knowledge is one thing, but you’ll open up a lot more opportunities to find value bets, if you out in some work. This means doing some research. There are lots of sports statistics sites out there on the internet and many bookies actually host their own statistics sections.

Check out the statistics that relate to any event that you’re interested in betting on and also keep up with the latest news. The more you know, the better chance you have of beating the bookie.

 

Tipsters Can Show The Way

When it comes to applying the principles that we’ve talked about, your model should be professional betting tipsters. As part of their work, they do just as we’ve described. Firstly, they follow sports and competitions that they are interested in and become experts on the subject.

Then they do their research and apply their ability to find value bets. It’s nothing more complicated than that. Tipsters can be found at the many betting predictions sites, which often publish their profit and loss. Even if the P/L isn’t shown, you can easily follow their tips for a while and see if they are profitable.

As well as simply following their advice, take note at how they come to their conclusions and the logic that they apply. From this you will learn lessons which can be applied when finding your own bets.

 

Conclusion 

We hope you enjoyed our guide to the best betting sites in UAE. As you’ll now know, though there are some restrictions for gamblers from UAE, there are actually plenty of quality options available. We’d recommend caution in regards to what payment types you use and employing a VPN is a good idea.

Ultimately, online betting from the UAE is practised widely, even if it isn’t technically legal. With plenty of betting sites with free bets and promotions available to new customers, we’d recommend trying two or three different ones at least. In terms of our favourite, we like Rabona.

Top Rated Sports Betting Site in UAE

First Deposit Bonus $150 + $10 Free Bet
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FAQs

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Dan Fitch

Dan Fitch

Dan is a freelance journalist who has written for the likes of ESPN and FourFourTwo. Also a regular tipster for Betfair, Dan has been writing about sports betting for some of the biggest names in the industry, over many years.