Online Betting UAE – 10 Best Sports Betting Sites in UAE

This is our expert guide to betting sites in UAE. In this article we’re going to reveal everything that you need to know about Dubai betting sites, along with guides to the most popular sports to bet on, gambling tips and much more. Let’s start with our choice of the best betting sites in UAE.

How we Rank the Top UAE Betting Sites

Having taken a look at our rankings of the best betting sites in UAE, you may be wondering how we came about our decisions. Here are some of the criteria that we consider when ranking UAE betting sites.

Betting Markets and Odds

We like online betting UAE sites to cover a wide range of sports. Within those sports we expect a wide variety of events to be covered, ranging from the big to the small, with deep market coverage. A high percentage of events and markets need to be available in-play, with the best live sports betting sites also offering extra markets, exclusive to the live betting medium. Odds should be consistently generous across the board.

Bonuses and Promotions

When you sign up with one of our recommended betting sites UAE you will be able to take advantage of a welcome offer. We prefer such offers to not be too strict with their terms and conditions, as they can render the bonus to be far less lucrative than it first appears. Sportsbooks should also offer a regular stream of promotions for existing users. The are betting sites with free bets deals, reload bonuses, cashback offers and many more types of promotions.

Extra Features

There are all sorts of extra features that can elevate the experience of using betting sites in UAE. When it comes to the core betting product, a Bet Builder and Cashout function are very useful. Live streaming is an important feature that allows players to watch the event that they’re betting on, while using a dedicated mobile app is a better experience than using a sportsbook via a mobile browser.

Payments and Customer Service

There should be a wide variety of payment options and due to the legal situation with gambling on UAE, it’s important that there should be discreet options such as crypto betting payment methods available. If there’s an issue with one of your transactions, or anything else, you will need to contact the customer service department. These days there should be 24/7 availability, through a variety of methods that include live chat and a phone number where it’s possible to speak directly to a member of staff.

Safety and Security

Going back to the legal situation with betting in the UAE, it’s imperative that any personal information that you entrust to a sportsbook, remains private. Our recommended betting sites UAE all take security very seriously, utilising the latest technology to keep the site safe. They are also all hold licenses with recognised international betting authorities, that ensure that the sites abide by their rules and act in your interests.

Reviews of the Top 6 Online Betting Sites Dubai

Now we’re going to go into a little bit of extra detail regarding the cream of our betting sites UAE recommendations. Here are our reviews of our six favourite online betting sites in UAE.

1. Lucky Block – 15% Cashback for the First 7 Days

Lucky Block is leading the way when it comes to offering cryptocurrency betting. It even has its own native token, known as LBlock. When you place bets you automatically get entered intp regular draws which could see you win up to $10,000 of LBlock. Along with a sportsbook there is a casino featuring some 6,000 games, making this a one-stop shop for betting enthusiasts.

The sportsbook is equally comprehensive, with over 30 sports covered, in addition to numerous eSports competitions. Odds are competitive and with the Lucky Block Quick Bet option, you can place one-click bets at speed. The only thing missing for UAE betting fans is the lack of horse racing coverage, but with cryptocurrency payments being the norm here, Lucky Block is a great solution to privacy issue and is our pick of all the betting sites in UAE that we reviewed.

2. Betonline – 100% Matched Deposit Up to $1000

Betonline is one of the biggest offshore sportsbooks on the scene. They are great for US sports such as American football, baseball, basketball and ice hockey. Odds are extremely competitive for these, so if you’re a fan of any of the major leagues from North America, then Betonline could be the bookie for you.

Horse racing is another sport that is well covered, which is good news for UAE bettors. The standard welcome offer gives you a 50% deposit match, but it you deposit with cryptocurrency you can get a 100% match up to $1000. Considering that crypto is a sensible payment option for UAE users, this is another tick in the box. With lots of promotions available for regular users, Betonline is a serious contender.

3. Shangri La – 100% Up to $100 + 20 Free Spins on Book of Dead

Shrangri La began life as an online casino in 2017, to which a sportsbook was added in 2022. For a newcomer to the sports betting world, the initial offering here is an impressive one, with 21,000 sporting events to bet on every month. With the casino being more established, it’s a great product with countless games from the likes of NetEnt, Microgaming, IGT and Play’n GO.

We were impressed with the fact that the sportsbook has virtual camel racing available, which will be of interest to users in the UAE. Fans of eSports are also well catered for, with the likes of CS:GO, FIFA, King of Glory, Valorant and NBA2k covered. This site should appeal to anyone who likes to mix up their gambling between casino and sportsbook.

4. Sultanbet – 100% Matched Deposit Bonus Up to €250

Sultanbet was launched in 2016. As a sportsbook with some history, they’ve had time to build an impressive product, with over 40 sports covered and plenty of eSports options. There’s a 100% match on your initial deposit for new users, while existing ones can take advantage of cashback and reload bonuses.

We were very impressed by the breadth of payment options available, with plenty of eWallets and cryptocurrencies. Customer support is also good, but we would have liked to see the option of a telephone contact. Overall, there is much to recommend from Sultanbet, who are certainly one of the top betting sites in UAE.

5. Zodiacbet – 100% Match Bonus on First Deposit up to AED 1500

Zodiacbet is something of a newcomer to the sports betting scene in UAE, having launched in 2020. Despite being a relatively new enterprise, they covers 40+ sports and features some extremely competitive odds.

Your first deposit will be 100% matched and existing users get access to a range of regular promos, which include free bets, reload bonuses and cashback deals. There’s plenty of payment options, with a good range of eWallets, while the customer service team are available 24/7. If there’s something lacking at Zodiacbet, it’s that there’s no dedicated mobile apps, but we hope that this feature will be added in the future.

6. Betway – 100% Up to $100 in Free Bets on Sports

A lot of the bookmakers that accept users from the UAE and companies that specialise in Asia and the Middle East. Betway is a true global giant that was launched way back in 2006. Starting their journey with a UK focus, it’s no surprise to see that they are specialists in Britain’s most popular sports to bet on, such as football and horse racing, which are equally loved in the UAE.

As a well-established bookie, Betway is packed with features and has a number of generous promos for regular users, such as daily odds boosts and and a free bet club. There’s even betting tips from their blog site Betway Insider. Casino fans are also well-served, with Betway famous for giving away a world record $20 million prize to a Mega Moolah player in 2015.

How the Best Betting Sites in UAE Today Compare

There’s not much else for you to learn about our recommended online betting sites in UAE, but just to give you a little extra information, here is a visual guide to the features that can be found at our pick of the Dubai betting sites.

Types of Welcome Offers in the UAE

Sports betting UAE sites offer welcome bonuses to attract new users. There are different types of welcome offers that can be available and we’re going to take a look at some of the ones that you can expect to see.

Deposit Bonus

This is by far the most common type of welcome offer that you see from betting sites in UAE. You make an initial deposit and this total is multiplied by a certain percentage and given as a bonus. Normally it’s 100% matched, but sometimes it can be a lower percentage, or a higher one.

The bookie will state a certain financial limit to what it will give as a bonus, such as 2000 AED for example. Here are three of the best deposit bonus offers currently available in UAE right now:

1. BetOnline – 100 Match up to $1000
2. Betfinal – 100% Match up to AED 4960
3. Shangri La – 100 Match up to AED 2075

Free Bet

Some bookmakers prefer to give out a free bet. You make a deposit and place a qualifying bet and you will be rewarded with a free bet. In the UAE it’s not as popular a welcome bonus type as a deposit bonus, but we did find one example:

1. Betway – 100% Up to $100 in Free Bets on Sports

Risk-Free Bet

Another type of welcome bonus is a risk-free bet. You place your first bet and if it wins you keep the winnings as usual. Yet if it loses, you’ll receive the stake back, which is why it’s known as a risk-free bet. As you can’t lose, it gives you the option of taking a bit more of a risk on your first bet, than you might do ordinarily.

Key Bonus Terms

When you take advantage of promotions from UAE betting sites, there will be certain terms and conditions attached. Here are the most common terms that you’ll encounter with betting sites UAE bonuses.

New Betting Sites UAE

The betting industry can be a lucrative one for the companies that can offer a compelling product, so there are no shortage of new enterprises jostling for a piece of the pie. This is good news for the consumer, as having a wide variety of different betting sites in UAE ensures that there is plenty of choice and competition when it comes to providing the most generous promotions and odds.

New betting sites keep more established operators on their toes and can bring a lot of innovation to the industry, as they try to offer something different to their competitors. Sometimes they do have quite the range of features as older sportsbooks, but that’s to be expected and over time their offering normally broadens. Here are our favourite new sports betting UAE sites.

1. Lucky Block – 15% Cashback and Reload Bonus For High Rollers in VIP Program
2. Shangri La – 100% Up to $100 +20 Free Spins on Book of Dead
3. Zodiacbet – 100% Match Bonus on First Deposit up to AED 1500

Choosing the Best Sports Betting Sites in UAE

There are specific issues for UAE users to consider when looking to sign up with a sportsbook. Here are some of the aspects to think about when choosing between betting sites in UAE.

Are Bettors From UAE Accepted?

Not all bookmakers will accept users from UAE. Normally you would say that if you can access the site from your country, it’s likely that you’ll be able to use it, but this is complicated by the fact that players from UAE will generally want to use a VPN to disguise their location. Our recommended betting sites in UAE all accept players from the country.

Is the United Arab Emirates Dirham a Currency Option?

It can be a lot easier for UAE users if the Dirham is available as a currency option. If not, it’s easy to convert funds to an accepted currency via an e-wallet, while you could buy cryptocurrency and deposit via that method.

Do They Cover The Most Popular UAE Sports?

The most popular sports to bet on in UAE are football, horse racing and cricket. Therefore most UAE bettors will want a bookmaker that is strong on these sports. You also might want a sportsbook that covers UAE competitions such as the UAE Pro League and the UAE International T20 League.

Popular Betting Sports in the UAE

In this section we are going to look at the most popular sports covered by betting sites in UAE. These are the sports which you’ll find are prioritised when you’re using online betting UAE sites.

Best Betting Sites for Football in UAE

As is the case with most countries in the world, football is the number one sport to both watch and bet on in UAE. You’ll find that football is the most prominently displayed and likely to head the live sections. The English Premier League is the biggest club competition in the UAE, with other leagues in Europe and the Champions League.

Domestically, the UAE Pro League is on the rise and features many famous international players in the latter years of their career. Our pick of the football betting sites in UAE is Lucky Block.

Best Betting Sites for Horse Racing in UAE

The UAE is home to some of the finest horse racing on the planet. Meydan Racecourse hosts huge events throughout the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere culminating in the Dubai World Cup Night at the end of March. This attracts the world’s top thoroughbred racehorses horses to the UAE.

Dubai is also one of the bases of Godolphin Racing, arguably the most powerful owner-breeder operation on the planet. Naturally, a sport that operates at such a high level in a country, is very popular to bet on. Of all the horse racing betting sites in the UAE, our favourite is Betonline.

Best Betting Sites for Cricket in UAE

Another sport where a lot of top level action is hosted in UAE, is cricket. IPL matches have been played in the country, Pakistan have played test matches and limited overs games, while UAE also hosted the 2021 T20 World Cup.  As a result of that, the sport is also growing domestically with the UAE International T20 League launching in 2023 and the UAE international team a member of the ICC.

While this cricket product grows, betting on the sport will only get bigger at Dubai betting sites. Having reviewed many UAE betting sites, our recommendation for cricket is Betway.

Betting on Camel Racing in UAE

A sport that is particular to UAE is camel racing. Tracks throughout the country host camel racing meetings, which see huge crowds of locals and tourists attend. Betting at the racetracks is prohibited and we didn’t find any UAE betting sites which offered camel racing markets.

There are some however, that provide betting on virtual camel racing, which is a good substitute. Of all the online betting sites in UAE, our favourite for virtual camel racing is Shangri La.

Betting on Other Sports in UAE

There are many other top level sporting events that take place in the UAE. These include tournaments on the PGA golf tour and both the ATP and WTA tennis tours, with golf and tennis being two of the most popular sports to bet on at betting sites in UAE.

F1 comes to the nation every year at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, while in recent years there has been a rise in major boxing events being hosted in the country. Another growing betting phenomenon in the UAE is eSports, with bookmakers offering the opportunity to pace wagers on competitive video games.

Where to Find the Best Sports Betting Odds in the UAE

When you place a bet, it’s natural to want to get the best odds. There no one sports betting UAE site where you will always be able to get the most generous prices, but there are some that consistently offer good value, across the board on a range of different sports and markets.

We recommend having a portfolio of Dubai betting sites rather than just one, because you can then compare prices between them. We have found that the following betting sites in UAE are very generous when it comes to their odds:

1. Betonline – 100% Matched Deposit Up to $1000
2. Lucky Block – 15% Cashback and Reload Bonus For High Rollers in VIP Program
3. Zodiacbet – 100% Match Bonus on First Deposit up to AED 1500

Available Payment Methods for Online Betting UAE

The legalities of using betting sites in UAE (which we will examine later on in this article) mean that it makes sense to be careful when making payment transactions. Here is the lowdown on the forms of payment available at online betting UAE sites and which ones are best to use.

Debit & Credit Cards

In many ways there’s nothing that could be more convenient than to make payments via debit or credit card to betting sites in UAE. It’s a quick way to make deposits and withdrawals, but the negative is that it creates a link between your personal finances and betting companies, that could cause you legal problems. The same is true for bank transfers, so we recommend using other payment methods.

Cryptocurrencies

One of the most effective ways to retain some anonymity when using betting sites in UAE is to make your financial transactions using cryptocurrencies. More and more betting sites in UAE are now offering crypto as a payment option, so if you use cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin or Ethereum, it could be the perfect solution.

eWallets

One of the most popular ways for people to make payments to betting sites in UAE is via eWallets. Like cryptocurrencies is creates a degree of separation between your bank and betting accounts, but is a lot more user friendly.

Transactions are essentially instantaneous, but a drawback is that there can be fees from the e-wallet companies. Here is a table with some extra information regarding available payment methods for betting sites in UAE today:

Best Sports Betting Apps in UAE

We all lead busy lives and with sporting events available to wager on 24/7 at betting sites in UAE, you can’t always be at home and in front of your computer. The advent of mobile betting ensures that you no longer need to, as you can access sports betting sites via your phone or tablet.

While viewing online betting UAE sites via a mobile browser tends to work perfectly well, we prefer the experience of using a dedicated mobile app. They tend to be faster, more secure and are built with the smaller screen in mind, so are easier to use. Here are our three favourite mobile apps offered by betting sites in UAE now:

1. Lucky Block – 15% Cashback For the First 7 Days
2. Betonline – 100% Matched Deposit Up to $1000
3. SultanBet – 100% Matched Deposit Bonus Up to €250

How to Sign Up to Online Betting Sites in UAE

Signing up with betting sites in UAE is a pretty simple process. Just to make it even easier, here are some step-by-step instructions. We’ve used Betway as an example, but you’ll find the process is pretty similar across all of our recommended betting sites in UAE.

Step 1: Visit Betway

Go to the Betway website. In the top right hand corner there is a button marked ‘Register’. Click on it to begin the registration process.

Step 2: Register Your Details

Now you have to add your personal details and select a username and password. You’ll also have to agree to Betway’s terms and conditions.

Step 3: Deposit Funds

Once your account is set up you can add some money. Go to the banking section, choose your payment method, select how much money you want to add and confirm the deposit.

Step 4: Place Your Bet

With money in your account you can place your first bet. Choose the sport and event that you want to bet on, click on the odds of the wager you want to select, pick your stake and confirm the bet.

Online Gambling Laws in the UAE

With the UAE being a devoutly Muslim nation, all forms of gambling are illegal. That means that there are no casinos, betting shops or lottery sales, with online gambling also prohibited. Yet despite this situation there are many foreign sportsbooks that accept users from the UAE.

In practice, it’s rare that the authorities make the effort to try and find people who are using betting sites in UAE and when they do catch people doing so, a fine is a much likelier result than anything more serious. With there being no legal betting sites in UAE, players can reduce the risk of getting into any trouble to practically zero, with a few simple measures.

Using a VPN, which disguises your location, is a must. When making payments, users from the UAE tend to use eWallets that create a degree of separation from your bank account, or cryptocurrency, which is even better as is basically makes your payments anonymous.

Top Tips for Sports Betting UAE & Dubai Betting Sites

If you’re going to be using sports betting UAE sites regularly, then it will pay to have some strategies to hand. Here are some tips that will help you towards profitability.

The Best Betting Site in the UAE

We hope that you have enjoyed our guide to betting sites in UAE. As you will have seen, bettors in UAE have a wide variety of sports betting sites to choose from. Our absolute favourite is Lucky Block.

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