How We Judge Sports Betting Apps
We want OddsPortal users to enjoy the best betting experience whether they are playing on a mobile device, laptop, computer, or another product. But for those of you specifically looking to play via betting apps, these are some of the things we make sure to look out for when recommending where you decide to start placing bets on sports.
Like with rating online bookmakers in general, there are many things to consider when choosing a betting app or apps, and it's important you cover all bases.
From security to the offers you can receive if you download an app and sign up, we make sure to judge each of the best mobile betting apps for the below and more.
Navigation
One of the most crucial things for us and players will be the navigation and how easy it is to find what you are looking for on betting apps. With certain online bookmakers it can be difficult to find specific markets without looking around, which is something that would certainly discourage a user from returning to using that specific product.
The best online betting apps in our opinion will always have excellent navigation and navigational ease to allow players to swiftly find what they are looking for, and the ones we recommend on this page have exactly that.
Security & Licensing
Regardless of how or where you are betting on sports, security and licensing of the apps is of the utmost importance. This refers to multiple areas too, with security not only relating to your personal information, but financial too seeing as you will be placing real money bets via debit cards or another form of payment.
Licensing ties into security, simply because if an online betting app is licensed then it will mean they have to supply the very best security or they would face consequences from gambling authorities in the location in which they operate.
Market Selection
It's no secret that navigation and security are integral to any online betting apps succeeding from the off, but something that could be a deciding factor on ensuring players continue to enjoy the site after signing up originally is the market selection they have to offer.
Most online sports betting apps now all have similar markets available, but the difference maker for the best ones is they will have a vast market selection even for smaller leagues or tours and not only for the most significant events.
For example, one app might be offering corners for certain football matches while others aren't, or several sports betting apps might have shots on target and player fouls and others don't. This might seem superficial to new players, but these issues will be extremely important to regular bettors.
Competitive Odds
We've emphasised that market selection might be a swaying factor in deciding whether users regularly play with a certain online betting app, but odds will be just as, if not even more integral.
In some cases now it's not enough to have a strong market selection, with it also being a necessity to have competitive odds in those markets too. If there is a vast and common difference in the odds with one betting app compared to another or enhanced odds available, it's obvious where users would opt to play.
Moreover, this can even apply to specials regularly available at sports betting apps too. For example, certain online bookmakers will offer price boosts when you reach a certain amount of selections or increase the boost with the more selections you make, which helps make the odds even more competitive.
Finally, lots of people are now interested in betting in-play, meaning it will be important that live odds are competitive too.
Offers & Promotions
Finally, something that might be most significant for a lot of players is the sports betting offers and promotions available with online betting apps.
Receiving bonus funds, bet credits, free bets or whichever terminology applies to the betting app or your location when you first register is something all players are looking for. Thankfully, you will be guaranteed a welcome offer with all of the sports betting apps we suggest on this page if you sign up as a new player.
However, once signed up it's then also preferred if there are promotions that can be claimed to earn more bonuses for regularly playing at online betting apps.
This could be in the form of bet and get for specific sporting events, sometimes high profile ones like the World Cup, Olympics, majors, or something else. Alternatively, it could be as a reward for placing a certain amount of bets per week, or wagering a specific amount.
Players love to be rewarded with sports betting bonuses, so we always encourage you to look at not only the sign up offer but what they have to offer to existing players too.
Welcome Offers Available With Top Sports Betting Apps
We've touched on it above, but if you are downloading an online betting app and signing up for the first time, something a lot of players will be looking for are signup offers to ensure they start off with some bonus funds to use.
And don't worry, just because you are using online betting apps it doesn't mean that you aren't entitled to the same welcome offers as those who are registering via their desktop.
One important step might be to download the sports betting app first before clicking the link for any of our providers, and you can then be re-directed to the app where you will be able to lock in your welcome offer.
But the type of sports betting offers you can expect to see with our suggested online betting app will remain the same, and can be any of the ones detailed below.
Bet And Get
The most common type of offer that you will find with our recommended online betting apps is the bet-and-get promotion, which applies to not only those of you playing on mobile, but via any device.
The bet-and-get welcome offer, or even promotion for those of you already signed up, is simple. You will make a deposit and place a bet of X amount provided it meets the odds and selections as laid out in the terms and conditions of the offer or promotion, and receive X amount in free bets or bonus bets!
It's as simple as that, and in our opinion the best offer that you can get your hands on because it typically requires the smallest deposit and wager to receive a substantial amount in betting bonuses.
Deposit Match
For those of you who are regular, high stakes bettors and looking for a welcome offer with any new online betting sites, a deposit match could be the right type of promotion for you to claim. The reason we say this is because you are rewarded with, the majority of the time, a 100% match of your first deposit after signing up in free bets or bonus bets.
This is usually set to a maximum amount, but it will give you the chance to make the absolute most out of your first deposit on online betting apps. There are occasions where you may only be able to claim a 50% deposit match and sometimes less too, so look out for how much you will need to deposit and the percentage you are rewarded with in bonus funds.
Money Back Bonuses
Some sports betting apps will have money back offers available for you to claim, typically with the money back being as a bonus rather than cash. This then allows you to sign up as a new player and place your first bet knowing if you win you make profit or if you lose you will receive a bonus of an equal amount!
App-Specific Offers
You might be lucky enough to find an offer with a sports betting site that has an app-specific promotion, whether that be when you are signing up or as an existing player.
For example, you might be able to claim a certain amount if you register via a desktop, but that could be enhanced even further if you download the app and sign up through that instead.
Or, an online betting site might recognise that you have not yet downloaded the app and might provide you with an incentive for downloading it such as a free bet, or something else.
Mobile-Specific Betting Features
Betting apps in the modern day have now begun to take priority, meaning they tend to offer features that go far beyond what's available on desktop sites. These mobile-exclusive capabilities enhance your betting experience while on the move and allow you to experience betting at a whole new level.
Through mobile betting apps, you can utilise specific promotions that are available, and important features which can even inform you of news regarding sports, combining betting and other factors which all contribute to placing informed wagers.
Push Notifications
Stay informed with instant alerts about your bets, odds changes, and match developments. Some of the leading online betting apps allow you to customise your notifications based on your preferences and ensure that you receive alerts like goals, corners, full-time scores for specific matches, or even just when your bet has hopefully settled as a winner!
Thanks to this incredible feature, it doesn’t matter if you are busy and on the go because it will remind you and ensure that you never miss an opportunity to place a bet on a valuable opportunity, or cash out at optimal timing.
Quick Bet Functionality
One of the most incredible, but simple, features of all sports bet apps is the minimal taps they require. Some of the top betting apps will remember your favorite bet types, stake amounts, and even show you your preferred sporting tournaments all on the homepage, minimising your need to search for what you are looking for, or to place bets.
Especially during live betting scenarios, this can be invaluable where odds change rapidly and each second is crucial. This is a key difference of using a betting app compared to using the online site, where they may not recognise these similar actions you have repeated which enables them to cater their platform to you specifically.
Biometric Login Security
Touch ID and Face ID login options are almost always integrated into each sport betting app now, eliminating the need to enter passwords while still maintaining high security standards. Allowing for quick access to your betting account but still ensuring unauthorized users can't place bets if your phone falls into the wrong hands, the biometric login security is an important and useful feature.
Mobile-Optimised Live Betting
Experience interfaces designed specifically for smaller screens with intuitive touch controls. The best apps feature swipe navigation between markets, visual representations of play, and simplified bet placement processes optimized for mobile use.
App-Based Offers
With many online bookmakers, you can now receive special promotions based on just using a sports betting app instead of a desktop site. This can be as a new player, while some apps deliver enhanced odds or free bets when you decide to download the betting site’s mobile app, or can offer you a new incentive like a bonus bet in reward for a quick download.
How To Download Betting Apps
iOS Installation (iPhone & iPad)
- Open the App Store on your device
- Search for the bookmaker's app by name (e.g., "Bet365," "Betway")
- Tap "Get" or the cloud download icon (if previously downloaded)
- Authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple password
- Wait for the download to complete – most betting apps are under 100MB
- Open the app once installed
- Log in with your existing account or create a new one
Android Installation (Google Play)
- Open Google Play Store on your device
- Search for the bookmaker's app
- Tap "Install"
- Review permissions and tap "Accept"
- Wait for the download to complete
- Open the app once installed
- Log in or register an account
Setting Up Betting Apps Notifications
After installation, you can optimise the betting app experience even further with the addition of notifications for several reasons, including enhanced offers, boosts, or match alerts. Check out the step-by-step process to turning on notifications, if you haven’t already, for any of the new betting apps you may have downloaded:
- Open the app and navigate to Settings or Account
- Look for "Notifications" or "Alerts" section
- Turn on notifications for the specific betting app you are using
Once you have notifications on, and dependent on the betting site itself for what notifications it provides, you can be notified of just some of the below on your mobile or tablet device:
- Bet settlement notifications
- Live match alerts
- Promotional offers
- Deposit/withdrawal confirmations