bet365 vs Betfair
On the pricing data available, Betfair holds the edge on raw value: across a 278-selection sample its sportsbook carried an average margin of 4.64% and won the best price on 48.6% of markets. bet365's sample was smaller (30 selections) and showed a wider average margin of 7.44%, with no recorded best-price wins in that set. Both are UK Gambling Commission-licensed and both cover the same core payments — Debit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay and Trustly — with a £10 minimum deposit and 0–24h withdrawals. The split is straightforward: Betfair for price value, bet365 for market breadth, live capability and its Bet Builder.
| bet365 | Betfair | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.9 | 8.8 |
| Licence | UKGC ✓ | UKGC ✓ |
| Best price share | 17% | 32% |
| Avg. margin | 7.4% | 3.7% |
| Min deposit | 10 | 10 |
| Withdrawal time | 0–24h | 0–24h |
| Payments | Debit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Trustly | Debit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay, Trustly |
| Apps | iOS/Android | iOS/Android |
| Compare Odds | Compare Odds |
Odds comparison
On Odds comparison the two measure effectively level (8.9/10 vs 8.8/10).
Markets & coverage
On Markets & coverage the numbers favour bet365: 9.6/10 against 8.8/10 for Betfair.
Live betting
On Live betting the numbers favour bet365: 9.4/10 against 8.7/10 for Betfair.
Payments & payouts
On Payments & payouts the two measure effectively level (8.8/10 vs 8.4/10).
Withdrawal time
On Withdrawal time the two measure effectively level (8.9/10 vs 8.5/10).
App & mobile
On App & mobile the numbers favour bet365: 9.3/10 against 8.4/10 for Betfair.
Bet Builder
On Bet Builder the numbers favour bet365: 9.0/10 against 7.4/10 for Betfair.
Licence & safety
On Licence & safety the two measure effectively level (9.5/10 vs 9.2/10).
bet365 — Pros / Cons
- ✓ Deep market menus per event
- ✓ Licensed and regulated locally
- ✓ Responsive customer support
- ✗ Support is solid rather than standout
Betfair — Pros / Cons
- ✓ Consistently near the best price
- ✓ Deep market menus per event
- ✓ Licensed and regulated locally
- ✗ No real bet builder
The pricing verdict: margins and best-price share
Margin is the bookmaker's built-in overround; lower means more of the true probability is returned to the bettor. On the samples recorded here, Betfair's sportsbook averaged 4.64% versus bet365's 7.44% — roughly a 2.8 percentage-point gap in Betfair's favour.
Best-price share reinforces this. Betfair topped the price on 48.6% of its 278 sampled selections. bet365 registered 0% best-price wins across its 30 sampled markets. The caveat matters: the bet365 sample is far smaller, so its share is less statistically reliable than Betfair's. But on the numbers as they stand, Betfair is the sharper-priced book.
BETAXIO odds ratings sit closer than the margin data alone suggests: Betfair 8.9, bet365 8.8. That reflects bet365's consistency and depth across long lists rather than headline value on top selections. If you are optimising strike price on singles, the recorded data points to Betfair.
Head-to-head data table
- Odds rating: bet365 8.8 / Betfair 8.9
- Average margin (sampled): bet365 7.44% / Betfair 4.64%
- Best-price share (sampled): bet365 0% (n=30) / Betfair 48.6% (n=278)
- Market coverage: bet365 9.6 / Betfair 8.8
- Sports depth: bet365 9.5 / Betfair 8.6
- Live capability: bet365 9.4 / Betfair 8.7
- Bet Builder: bet365 9.0 / Betfair 7.4
- Licence & safety: bet365 9.5 / Betfair 9.2
- Payments: bet365 8.8 / Betfair 8.4
- Withdrawals: bet365 8.9 / Betfair 8.5
- App: bet365 9.3 / Betfair 8.4
- Features: bet365 9.2 / Betfair 8.6
- Support: bet365 8.6 / Betfair 7.9
- Regulator: both UKGC
- Min deposit: both £10
- Withdrawal time: both 0–24h
Market coverage and sports depth
bet365 leads the structural ratings. Its market coverage score of 9.6 (Betfair 8.8) and sports depth of 9.5 (Betfair 8.6) point to longer bet lists per event and wider secondary-sport coverage.
For UK-priority sports — football across the Premier League, Championship, Champions League and Europa League, plus Horse Racing, Tennis on the ATP and WTA tours, Darts, Cricket and Rugby — both books cover the core. The difference shows in depth per fixture: derivative markets, player props and lower-league lines are where bet365's higher coverage score is earned.
Bettors building multiples across many selections may find more available lines on bet365; bettors focused on getting the best price on a single, well-traded market are pointed toward Betfair by the margin data.
Bet Builder, live betting and streaming
bet365's feature set includes Live Betting, Cash Out, Bet Builder, Live Streaming and Mobile Betting. Betfair's listed sportsbook features include Live Betting, Cash Out, Live Streaming and Fast Payout.
The clear separator is the Bet Builder: it is present in bet365's feature list and scores 9.0, against Betfair's 7.4. If combining same-match selections — goalscorer, cards, corners, result — into a single price is central to how you bet, bet365 is the stronger fit on the data.
Live capability also favours bet365 (9.4 vs 8.7), consistent with its in-play depth. Both operators offer live streaming, so watching-and-betting is available either way; bet365's higher live rating reflects broader in-play market availability.
Payments, withdrawals and safety
The banking picture is near-identical. Both list Debit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay and Trustly, both set a £10 minimum deposit and both quote withdrawal windows of 0–24h. Betfair's feature list also flags Fast Payout.
On the scores, bet365 edges payments (8.8 vs 8.4) and withdrawals (8.9 vs 8.5), a marginal advantage rather than a category difference.
On safety, both operate under the UK Gambling Commission. bet365 is recorded here under UKGC licence number 39563; Betfair's specific licence number is not listed in our data, though its UKGC-licensed status is confirmed. bet365 scores 9.5 for licence and safety, Betfair 9.2. The minimum betting age in the United Kingdom is 18 at both.
Apps and support
Both bookmakers offer iOS and Android apps. bet365's app rating of 9.3 sits above Betfair's 8.4, in line with its stronger live and feature depth on mobile.
Support follows the same pattern: bet365 8.6, Betfair 7.9. Neither gap is decisive on its own, but stacked together the app, features and support scores describe bet365 as the more complete all-round platform, while Betfair's case rests on pricing.
Which should you choose?
Choose Betfair if price is your priority. Its 4.64% sampled margin and 48.6% best-price share are the strongest value signals in this comparison, and its 8.9 odds rating is the higher of the two.
Choose bet365 if breadth and features matter more than shaving margin. It leads on market coverage (9.6), sports depth (9.5), live capability (9.4), Bet Builder (9.0) and app (9.3), and carries a confirmed UKGC licence number.
Many UK bettors hold accounts at both and line-shop per market — taking Betfair when it tops the price and bet365 when it has the market or Bet Builder combination Betfair does not. Given identical £10 minimums and 0–24h withdrawals, the switching cost between them is low.
FAQ
Is bet365 or Betfair better for odds?
On the recorded samples, Betfair. It averaged a 4.64% margin over 278 selections and won the best price on 48.6% of them, against bet365's 7.44% average margin over a smaller 30-selection sample. BETAXIO odds ratings are close: Betfair 8.9, bet365 8.8.
Are both bet365 and Betfair legal in the UK?
Yes. Both are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). bet365 is listed under licence number 39563. The minimum age to bet is 18.
Which has the better Bet Builder?
bet365. Its feature list includes a Bet Builder rated 9.0, versus Betfair at 7.4. If combining selections within a single match into one price is important to you, bet365 is the stronger option on the data.
Do both offer the same payment methods?
Effectively yes. Both list Debit Card, PayPal, Apple Pay and Trustly, both require a £10 minimum deposit and both quote 0–24h withdrawals. Betfair additionally flags Fast Payout in its feature set.
Which has the better app?
bet365 scores 9.3 for its app against Betfair's 8.4. Both provide iOS and Android apps, but bet365's higher rating reflects broader live and feature depth on mobile.
Should I use both bookmakers?
It's a common approach. Holding both accounts lets you take Betfair when it tops the price and bet365 when it offers a market, Bet Builder or in-play line Betfair lacks. Identical £10 minimums and 0–24h withdrawals keep switching cost low.