Can I participate in football betting without ID?

Yes, you do. Before you can place bets on Irish licensed bookmakers, you must first register and verify your account with an approved ID. Without this, you cannot bet online.

1 means the home team to win, X means they will draw, while 2 means the away team will win.

What is an accumulator (acca) bet?

An accumulator bet is the type of bet that you combine multiple selections into one bet.

How do I stay safe while betting?

To stay safe, we advise you to follow our betting tips and don’t forget to use deposit limits, time-outs, and responsible gambling tools.

What are the best sites for football betting?

The sites we consider to be best for football betting are BetVictor, TonyBet, QuinnBet, 10Bet, and LVBet

What kind of football markets should beginners focus on?

The recommended football betting for beginners is Match Result (1X2), Double Chance, and Draw No Bet (DNB)

Football Betting in Ireland

Last update at 29 December, 2025⏲️ Reading time: 18 minutes

Football betting has to do with predicting what will happen in a football game and placing bets on those predictions. There is no other sport in Ireland that is as popular as football, and its fans are unmatchable. One amazing thing about online football betting is that there’s always an active tournament to bet on all year round. Football has so many tournaments and betting markets you can bet on. As if that is not enough, bookmakers are constantly coming up with new markets and better betting tools to give punters more betting opportunities and also make it easier.

Betting on Football is legal in Ireland for punters who are at least 18 years of age. In this guide, we’ll be explaining how football betting works in Ireland. We’ll break down the top football betting sites, their popular markets, mobile apps, promotions, and also answer common questions like is football betting legal in Ireland?.

Top Football Betting Sites in Ireland (2026)

There are many football betting sites in Ireland, and we’ve tested most of them. To be able to present you with the best football betting sites, we considered bonuses, betting markets, features, and betting tools. Here are the 5 top bookmakers we’ll recommend to every punter in Ireland.

BetVictor

Promotions & Bonuses: BetVictor bonuses and promotions include Free Bets, Acca Bonus, Bet Builder Insurance, Cash Refund, and Price Boost. This is typically more than what you’ll find on most bookmakers in Ireland. The bookmaker has a welcome bonus that is a match bonus up to €20 when you deposit and bet at least €10.

Odds & Markets: The odds on Football are very competitive, and the markets are some of the most advanced. They have pre-match and in-play betting markets for football.

Features: BetVictor’s features include:

Bet Builder
Bet Statistics
Live Streaming
Acca Boost
Cash Out

Visit

TonyBet

Promotions & Bonuses: Tonybet has a welcome bonus offer. The bonus is a 100% free bet bonus up to €100. In addition to the welcome bonus, it offers other bonuses like the Sports VIP program, Bettor tournament, Odds Boost, and Seasonal Free Bet Offers.

Odds & Markets: Average margin on football matches is around 4.06%, which means it’s very competitive and more favourable to you. Tonybet also has pre-match and inplay betting markets for football.

Features: The football betting features available on TonyBet are:

Bet Builder
Cash Out
Odds Boost
Live Statistics
Quick Bet

Visit

QuinnBet

Promotions & Bonuses: QuinnBet's welcome bonus is a free bet worth €10 when you bet €10. Other than the welcome bonus, there are bonuses like Free bets, Acca bonus, Bet builder insurance, and Yankee bonus.

Odds & Markets: The odds offered on QuinnBet football matches are competitive and favorable to bettors. They have many Advanced pre-match and in-play betting markets.

Features: The football betting features available on TonyBet are:

Bet Builder,
Bet Statistics
Cash Out
Live Streaming
Live Statistics

Visit

10Bet

Promotions & Bonuses: 10Bet has a welcome offer that is a 100% matched bonus that’s up to £50. Other football bonuses available on this bookmaker are the Acca boost, Football early payout, and App free bet.

Odds & Markets: Football odds on 10Bet are very competitive, and they have a pre-match and in-play betting sections that contain many advanced and basic betting markets.

Features: 10Bet football betting features include:

Bet Builder,
Bet Statistics
Cash Out
Live Statistics

Visit

LVBet

Promotions & Bonuses: LVBet has a 100% first deposit sports bonus up to €100, and in addition to that, there are football bonuses such as LV Pot, Acca Boost, and free bets.

Odds & Markets: LVBet offers competitive odds on football matches, and it supports both in-play and pre-match betting markets. The market is suited for all types of players.

Features: BetVictor’s features include:

Cash Out
Bet Builder
Live Match Statistics
Enhanced Odds
Live Streaming

Visit

Best Football Betting Apps & Mobile Betting

Research shows that over 70% of punters prefer to place bets on mobile betting apps rather than the websites. Because of this research, we dedicated time to test many mobile apps in Ireland to know which ones stand out. From our research, we found a few football betting apps that stood out to us. These mobile football betting apps are:

BetVictor

BetVictor has a dedicated mobile app for both Android and iOS users. The apps can be downloaded on the Google Play Store and App Store. The app works really fast and doesn’t lag during our time on it. The app contains features like Bet Builder, Bet Statistics, Live Streaming, Acca Boost, Cash Out, Search function, and an exclusive push app notification. It’s one of the apps we enjoyed using.

10Bet

10Bet football betting on iPhone/Android is available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store. The app is a perfect replica of the website, with a few exclusive features like push notifications. The app contains features like a search function, Bet Builder, Bet Statistics, Cash Out, and Live Statistics. The app works really fast, and we didn’t experience any lag. We definitely recommend 10Bet.

The app is available on relevant app stores, so you can download it there.

Quinnbet

Quinnbet also made it to the top of our list. It has apps for Android and iOS users, and they can be downloaded from their respective app stores. QuinnBet app is user-friendly and intuitive, plus it also has an exclusive push app notification to give you updates on major sports and important info. The features available on QuinnBet include: Bet Builder, Bet Statistics, Cash Out, Live Streaming, Search Function, and Live Statistics.

Among the many sports betting apps in Ireland, BetVictor, 10Bet, and QuinnBet are the football betting apps that stand out for us. They have the features beginner and advanced level players need to play comfortably. If you’re considering a mobile app, you can go for any of these.

Popular Football Betting Markets & Odds Explained

Every type of sports betting has markets you can place bets on, and football is not an exception. The football betting market has to be one of the most detailed markets there is. There’s so much to bet on during weekdays and weekends. Let’s break down the types of football betting odds and markets you’ll find under football betting and explain to you how they work. Here’s the football betting market explained.

1. Match Result (1X2)

This is the most popular type of football betting market you’ll find. It’s mostly the market that new players are used to. In the match result market, you get to choose who will win, lose, or if the match will be a draw. It’s usually displayed as “1 X 2” and here’s what they mean:

1 = Home team to win
X = Draw
2 = Away team to win

Let’s say you see a match like Manchester United vs. Chelsea. It means Manchester United is home while Chelsea is away. Imagine that Man U is given 2.10 odds to win, while Chelsea is given 3.10 odds to win, and the draw odds are 3.40.
This means:

If you bet £10 on Manchester United, you’ll get a return of £21 if they win.
If you bet that they will draw, and they do, you will get a return of £34.
If you bet that Chelsea would win and they actually do, then the same stake will get you £31 in return

2. Over/Under Goals (e.g., Over 2.5)

In the over/under goals market, you’re not predicting who wins. You’re only predicting how many goals the match will produce. It’s usually displayed as:

Over 2.5 goals → which means 3+ goals needed to win
Under 2.5 goals → means less than 3 goals are required in order to win

This is the type of market you use for leagues that are known for high scoring, and when you trust the attackers. This is usually used by more advanced bettors and in the in-play betting section.

3. Both Teams to Score (BTTS)

Both Teams to Score is the type of market where you only need both teams to score a goal. It doesn’t matter who wins the game.

Imagine Liverpool vs. Arsenal, and there’s a BTTS :

BTTS “Yes” = 1.80
BTTS “No” = 2.00

If both Liverpool and Arsenal score at least once, a €10 bet on Yes would get you a return of £18. If either team fails to score, a £10 bet on No would mean that you have a return of €20.

These odds are there to show how likely the bookmaker thinks it is that both teams will find the net. When you see that the odds offered are lower, it’s more likely to happen.

4. Correct Score

This is a bit riskier than other types of betting markets. Under the correct score market, you must predict the exact final score of a match. Though the market is riskier, it also comes with higher payout potential.

An example of this market is Manchester City vs. Tottenham:

1-1 draw. The odds on this market can be 6.50
2-1 Manchester City. Odds of 8.00
3-2 Manchester City. Odds of 22.00

If you place a £10 bet on 2-1, your return if it happens will be £80. Before you touch this market, consider recent scoring patterns, head-to-head results, and team form. It’ll help you make more informed predictions. And, don’t forget that the Correct Score market is highly unpredictable.

5. Accumulators (Accas)

Accumulators are also called accas, and it’s the type of bet that lets you combine several selections into one single bet. For your acca to win, every one of your selections must be correct. Because the odds on an Acca multiply, even small stakes can produce big potential returns. An example of Accas is

Example: Arsenal to win, Over 2.5 goals in Liverpool vs. West Ham, and BTTS in Newcastle vs. Wolves, all combined in one selection.

6. Handicap & Asian Handicap

Handicap betting is the type of betting that levels the playing field when one team is much stronger than the other. The way it works is that the bookmaker gives one team a virtual advantage or disadvantage, and your bet is settled after that handicap is applied.

Imagine that there’s a match between Man City and Sheffield United. You are giving Man City a minus-one-goal start. This means Man City must win by 2 or more goals for your bet to win.

7. Goal Scorer Markets

Under this type of market, you bet on which player will score during the match. They are very popular among advanced bettors, and they are mostly used in Bet Builders because they pair well with shots, cards, and goal-related selections.

The most common types of goal scorer markets are:

First Goal Scorer
Anytime Goal Scorer
To Score 2+ Goals
Player Shots on Target

8. Double Chance

This market lets you cover two outcomes with one bet. Instead of choosing just one outcome, like who will win, you can combine two possibilities and reduce your risk.

The different types of Double Chance options are:

Home/Draw (1X): Home team to win or the match ends in a draw
Away/Draw (X2): Away team to win, or the match ends in a draw
Home/Away (12): Either team can win, but they must not draw

9. Draw No Bet (DNB)

Draw No Bet (DNB) is the type of market that removes the draw from the equation. If you pick a team to win, but the match ends level, your stake is refunded. To make it simpler:

If your team wins, your bet wins
If the match is a draw, your stake is refunded
If your team loses, your bet loses

Football has both pre-match and live football betting markets. Some of the markets apply to both pre-match and others to in-play betting markets.

How to Bet on Football Online

Now that you know the types of markets you can bet on, it’s time to take you through the process of how to bet on football. Here’s a detailed explanation of football betting for beginners.

Creating an Account
step 1
To start betting on football today, you must first find a bookmaker that is licensed by the Revenue Commissioner and create an account with them. You can choose from our recommendations. During registration, you’ll be asked to provide your basic personal information, such as name, date of birth, address, and email. This information is collected strictly to comply with Irish gambling regulations.
ID & KYC Verification
step 2
After registration, you will need to provide the bookmaker with a valid, approved ID for verification of your identity. All Irish licensed bookmakers must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) checks. The IDs that are usually used are Passport, National ID, and Driver's Licence. Ensure that you provide the correct information during registration so you don’t encounter any issues during verification.
Funding the Account
step 3
After you have completed verification, you may then proceed to make a deposit using any of the acceptable payment methods. Most bookmakers have payment options like Visa/Mastercard, PayPal, bank transfer, Skrill, and Revolut. Though each patent method has its unique limits, processing times, and fees may apply.
Browsing Football Markets
step 4
After funding, you can go to the football sports section and select your preferred tournament and match. Navigate to the market you want to bet on and place your bet.

One thing we advise every punter to do is to set limits on their account before engaging in any gambling activity. Most Licensed Irish bookmakers have responsible gambling tools like deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion to help you gamble within safe limits. Check them out and take advantage of them.

Football Betting Tips & Strategies

Just in case you don’t know, the most profitable bettors out there have some football betting strategies that give them an edge in the market. If you really want to be on the winning side, then you should take these football betting tips seriously.

Analyse Team Form and Statistics

Before you consider betting on a team, you should study team form, recent results, injuries, and head-to-head records. If you understand how a team performs at home or away and you understand their goal-scoring trends, it’ll help you identify where the value really is. If you check league tables, goal averages, and defensive records, you’ll get some valuable information there. If the teams you’re interested in betting on have scored 8 of their last 10 matches, then you may want to place a “Both Teams to Score” bet.

Compare Odds Across Bookmakers

Bookmakers usually offer different odds on the same market. That’s why we advise players to always check the bookmaker’s odds on different betting sites to see which one provides the best odds. For this test, we recommend checking at least 2-3 licensed Irish bookmakers. Even a decimal odds difference can affect your potential profit. For this test, you can use odds comparison tools; there are many of them online.

Use Accumulator (Acca) Tips Wisely

You should learn to use football accumulator tips well. For this, we advise that you only include matches you’ve actually researched, and try to keep the number of legs low because each extra selection increases the chance of the whole slip failing. Many bookmakers offer Acca Boosts or Acca Insurance, so take advantage of them.

Apply a Unit Betting System

If you have a unit betting system, it’ll help you manage your bankroll. It has to do with staking a consistent percentage of the total money in your betting account instead of betting random amounts.

For example, you can choose a “unit,” let's say a unit is 1 to 2% of your bankroll. Then you stake multiples of this unit depending on how confident you are in a bet. If the confidence you have in the match is low, you can bet 1 unit, and if the confidence is high, you can place up to 4 to 5 units.

These tips will help you when making football betting predictions. Take advantage of them; they have proven to work for many profitable punters.

Free Bets & Promotions

There are many types of football betting bonuses that directly benefit football bettors. Let’s break down the most common types of football betting offers you’ll find on some of the top bookmakers.

Types of Bonuses & Promotions

Welcome Bonuses: These sign-up bonuses are exclusively for new players. An example is the “Bet €10 or more, Get up to €20 Matched Free Bets” welcome bonus offer by BetVictor. The condition for these football free bets is just that you must make a minimum qualifying bet of €10 on any sports market of your choice, at odds of 2.00 or greater, within 7 days of opening your account.
Acca Insurance: This is the offer that if one leg of your accumulator fails, your stake will be refunded to you or given as a free bet. The bookmakers that offer this type of bonus are BetVictor, QuinnBet, and LVBet.
Early Payout Offers: This is the bonus that allows you to get paid out early if your team goes 2 goals ahead of the opponent. An example of a bookmaker that offers this bonus is 10Bet.
Match Refunds / Money Back Specials: In this type of bonus offer, if your selection loses in specific circumstances, you will receive your stake back. The bookmakers that offer this type of bonus are BetVictor and TonyBet.

Is Football Betting Legal in Ireland?

If you’re asking if football betting is legal in Ireland, then we’re here to assure you that it’s completely legal. Just that you must be at least 18 years of age to play, and the online bookmakers you select must operate under strict Irish regulations. You can check for the licensing of the bookmaker on their website and on the public registry of the Revenue Commissioner. There are other bookmakers that have multiple licenses from the Revenue Commissioner and the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC); if you find any of these, they’re well-regulated.

Another thing you should look out for in a bookmaker is the inclusion of responsible gambling tools, because Irish football betting regulation requires that every operator provide punters with responsible gambling tools to help them gamble safely. Some of these tools are:

Deposit and loss limits
Time-outs or self-exclusion options
Links to support services like GamblingCare.ie, and Gamblers Anonymous

We strongly advise that you look out for these tools and use them as required so you stay safe while gambling.

Football Transfer & Specials Betting

Football transfer and specials betting markets are kind of different from the standard markets many players bet on. Under this type of market, you can bet on player transfers, managerial changes, or award winners. Football transfer and special markets outcomes are very uncertain and mostly influenced by rumours, media reports, and insider news.

Next Club / Transfer Odds
In the next club market, you get to bet on which club a player will join next during a transfer window. So, bookmakers will offer odds on the player moving to different teams. Odds will be assigned to the different teams depending on the likelihood of it happening.

Next Manager / Manager Specials
This is similar to the next club, just that it applies to the manager. You can bet on which manager will next take a job, or on managerial sackings. These bets of bets are very popular in clubs where managerial changes are widely speculated.

These markets can be very profitable if you know how they work. Some of the bookmakers we’ve seen offer this type of market are BetVictor and TonyBet.

FAQ. Football Betting FAQ

Is football betting legal in Ireland?
Football betting is only legal for persons aged 18 and above. And every bookmaker that must operate in Ireland must be licensed by the Revenue Commissioners.
Can I participate in football betting without ID?
Yes, you do. Before you can place bets on Irish licensed bookmakers, you must first register and verify your account with an approved ID. Without this, you cannot bet online.
What does 1X2 mean?
1 means the home team to win, X means they will draw, while 2 means the away team will win.
What is an accumulator (acca) bet?
An accumulator bet is the type of bet that you combine multiple selections into one bet.
How do I stay safe while betting?
To stay safe, we advise you to follow our betting tips and don’t forget to use deposit limits, time-outs, and responsible gambling tools.
What are the best sites for football betting?
The sites we consider to be best for football betting are BetVictor, TonyBet, QuinnBet, 10Bet, and LVBet
What kind of football markets should beginners focus on?
The recommended football betting for beginners is Match Result (1X2), Double Chance, and Draw No Bet (DNB)