While identifying the best gambling sites may not be easy owing to the abundance of available options, it’s not nearly as difficult to define the ingredients common to extraordinary ones.

Ask a random group of seasoned online bettors and you’ll get a very clear picture of what they’re looking for – a trustworthy online venue with a large and diverse offering of betting options, top-tier software providers, convenient money transfers that will take as little time as possible, and an ongoing incentive to remain a loyal member.

Let’s explore these elements further to make sure you never invest precious time and money playing at a site that’s anything other than extraordinary.

There are quite a few different forms of online gambling and it’s not surprising that operators initially chose to focus on one or at best a few. Sports betting sites didn’t feature casino games and online casinos had very few alternatives to slots.

Owing to an increasingly competitive environment in which multiple operators fight for the same player base, gambling sites are now willing to offer many if not all options under the same roof.

No matter which website you visit, you’ll find hundreds if not thousands of classic and video slots grouped according to different criteria. Players are able to filter them by a number of reels and pay lines, themes, features, and providers.

Megaways

Titles with a progressively increasing top reward usually have a section of their own and are frequently offering to pay tempting 6 and 7-figure jackpots.

Those using major innovations such as BTG’s Megaways mechanics may soon warrant a dedicated category owing to the popularity of randomly changing a number of ways to pay and the resulting win potential.

Daily Jackpots

Innovative Daily Jackpots introduced by Red Tiger Gaming are already being singled out. Red Tiger (which is, by the way, now a part of NetEnt), came up with Must Drop and Daily Drop progressives that are guaranteed to pay before a specific time each day.

They’re fueled the same way as other progressive jackpots, with a small percentage of every bet added to the prize pool. Both are triggered by landing three Jackpot symbols which in turn activates the Jackpot wheel. Since there’s no max bet requirement, even a small stake can result in a big win.

The Classics

The above mentioned NetEnt is one of the leading slots developers with an impressively wide distribution. NetEnt’s Starburst is among all-time classics that never seem to go out of fashion, along with Thunderstruck II and Immortal Romance from Microgaming.

The latter is also renowned for Mega Moolah, a title which has paid more than any other progressive jackpot out there. NetEnt and Microgaming products frequently appear next to those developed by NYX (part of SG) and Big Time Gaming.

Other Slots Sites Related Thoughts

Though BTG has provided some excellent titles over the years, it was the creative Megaways payment mechanics that made the company one of the segment leaders.

Megaways was not only an important success factor for BTG’s own slots but also a number of other games produced by competitors under license. Innovation is also how younger brands build awareness and compete with leading seniors.

Yggdrasil, Rival Gaming, Spinomenal and Quickspin (acquired by Playtech in 2016) are a few good examples of smaller teams that have managed to shine thanks to creative themes and gameplay as well as the super-high production quality of their slots.

While BetSoft keeps wowing players with top-notch design, 3D visuals, and entertaining animations, Rival makes its titles different to all others by incorporating a storytelling element.

Mega-popular Playtech is one of the companies reluctant to mix with competitors. Playtech’s amazing slots usually populate a separate lobby and draw attention with unique themes and features.

Their progressive jackpots easily find their way into players’ dreams. Realtime Gaming is another developer who

likes to play alone and often appears as the only provider at gaming sites that offer both Instant Play and Download option. RTG titles regularly feature progressive jackpots and are frequently used to reward the best competitors in slots tournaments.

It’s not too difficult to find sites with a selection of RNG table games but way too many limits the choice to only a few variants of the basic ones – roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and poker.

That’s the result of the operator’s decision rather than an insufficient number of available options. Though nowhere near as numerous as slots, RNG casino games do come in multiple variations and their range goes well beyond the above-mentioned quartet.

RNG Roulette

In addition to standard European, French and American roulette, one can nowadays play interesting alternatives such as Playtech’s Age Of The Gods Roulette, Monopoly Roulette by SG Interactive and Deal Or No Deal Roulette from Gaming1.

RNG Blackjack

RNG blackjack assortment is even more diverse. Felt Gaming has a unique range consisting of Perfect Pairs, 21+3, Suit’em Up, Buster, Lucky Ladies, Lucky Lucky and 6-in-1. The same company has produced Double Ball Roulette, 3 Card Hold’em, Caribbean Stud and Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker.

Microgaming RNG Table Games

Microgaming is another provider with an impressive table games portfolio which includes the Gold Series premium range (roulette, blackjack, poker, and baccarat) as well as numerous blackjack variations like Double Exposure, Hi-Lo, Big Five and High Streak Blackjack. Realtime Gaming offers Perfect Pairs, Face Up 21 and Suit’em Up Blackjack in addition to the basic game.

Betsoft RNG Table Games

Incredible graphics and animations which are a trademark of BetSoft slots can also be found in products such as Poker 3 Heads Up Hold’em. But that’s by no means all this developer has to offer to fans of table games. BetSoft casinos and their players get to choose between multiple roulettes, blackjack and baccarat products, all visually appealing and pleasing to play.

RNG baccarat may not be available in as many variants but it’s at least a standard part of the offering. One can pick among baccarat games developed by Microgaming, NetEnt, Playtech, Pragmatic Play, Play ‘n GO, Platipus, Evoplay, 1×2 Gaming, Habanero, BGaming, Red Tiger, World March, and several others.

RNG Casino Poker

The choice of poker games, on the other hand, is quite diversified. Oasis, Pai Gow, Three Card, Triple Edge and Ride’em are some of the variants fans of the game get to play online.

RTG, among other options, offers Caribbean Hold’em and Caribbean Stud with progressive jackpots. Video pokers are an alternative way to enjoy this popular casino game. There are very few sites that don’t feature at least the basic range consisting of Jacks Or Better, Deuces Wild, All American and Bonus Poker.

The best gaming sites feature additional card games and among them Red Dog, Rummy, Top Card Trumps and Casino War. They also allow you to bet on the outcome of a dice roll in games such as Craps and Sic Bo.

While we won’t dispute the fun factor of RNG casino games, it’s clear that those which play with live dealers are a far more authentic alternative to the land-based gaming experience.

The Dominance of Evolution Gaming

The leader of the pack, Evolution Gaming, is the driving power behind the Live Casino segment and the strongest innovator of them all.

Having applied HD streaming quality and flawless user-friendly interface to all of its standard live dealer games, the company went on to produce unique products like Lightning Roulette (followed by Lightning Dice and Lightning Baccarat), Infinite and Free Bet Blackjack, Monopoly Live and Live Deal Or No Deal.

Live Dealer Casino Poker

Evolution’s Live Poker range doesn’t only provide more options than anybody else’s but also incorporates unique features and options.

Live Caribbean Stud offers optional 5+1 Bonus Bet and Progressive Jackpot side bet while Live Three Card Poker gives you the opportunity to win with Pair Plus and Six Card Bonus bets no matter what the dealer’s hand. Casino Hold’em features both Bonus bet and Progressive Jumbo 7 Jackpot side bet, Ultimate Texas Hold’em offers optional Trips bonus bet, and Texas Hold’em Bonus Poker comes with the First Five Progressive Jackpot side bet which pays a progressively increasing jackpot prize and smaller fixed prizes. Side Bet City is another innovative solution unlike any other.

Live Roulette

Evolution Gaming is at the same time a provider with the biggest number of Live Roulette games hosted by native dealers.

Fans doubtlessly appreciate the opportunity to communicate in their own mother tongue as well as benefit from the superb mobile versions of their favorite casino games with an option to play in portrait and landscape mode.

It’s virtually impossible to find a fault with any of Evolution’s products and that makes it really difficult for the competing developers but great for players.

In order to succeed, all other providers need to up their game and continuously upgrade their products both in terms of video/audio quality and content.

NetEnt’s Live Casino Efforts

NetEnt has done a great job when it comes to broadcasting, visual appearance and UI but its range is limited to Live Roulette and Blackjack. Playtech also broadcasts in premium HD quality and uses an advanced technology which includes augmented reality.

The company’s assortment consists of Live Roulette, 7-seat and Ultimate (multiplayer) Blackjack, Baccarat and Casino Hold’em.

Other Suppliers

Vivo Gaming, Visionary iGaming, Ezugi, and Lucky Streak are a few of the other popular providers which offer the most played types of casino games.

A number of Asian suppliers (Asia Gaming, SA Gaming, XPG), all baccarat specialists, differentiate via traditional games such as Fan Tan, Bull Bull, Andar Bahar, and Teen Patti.

Players are able to communicate with the dealer as well as each other via Live Chat. They can use various settings to customize the experience and make it as convenient as possible – choose between different views, manage audio, save favorite bets, etc.

They also have a number of in-game options at their disposal including the ability to view detailed game statistics going back hundreds or even a thousand rounds. Pit bosses manage the gaming floor and monitor every spin/every hand played to make sure gameplay is fair and everything runs smoothly.

Instead of challenging a live dealer, one can also play poker against other players. This option is available at real money poker sites like Run It Once, PartyPoker, iPoker and so on.

Run It Once Poker

Run It Once Poker is a brand new site launched by poker star Phil Galfond. The software has to be downloaded in order to play No Limit and Pot-Limit Hold’em cash games.

Players can choose between several different levels of buy-in currently ranging between £4 and £2,000. It’s expected that the site will later on also launch tournaments and Sit & Go’s along with niche variants such as Six Plus Hold’em.

One can count on a simple and safe experience owing to automatic seating, fixed buy-ins, and no HUD (Heads Up Display) policy. Dynamic avatar feature allows you to “read” opponents and determine whether they play tight or loose, passively or aggressively.

The operator uses 30% of the total rake to boost randomly selected player’s pot with real money and customers can additionally earn 45% direct Rakeback via the site’s weekly cash rewards program based on collectible points.

GG Poker

GG Poker network incorporates a range of unique features such as Run It Three Times (tripled all-in opportunity with 3 different pots and 3 different outcomes), Straddle (blind raise before all hole cards are seen, regardless of position), Shout Out (display the cards you need to win for the whole table to see) and Rabbit Hunt (reveals cards that would have come had you decided to play on).

GGPoker offers numerous poker games including Texas Hold’em and Omaha, unique variants such as All-in or Fold and 3-Blind Hold’em, plus a huge choice of different kinds of tournaments.

The iPoker Network

Playtech’s iPoker network allows poker fans to test their skills in cash games, speed games, standard or Twister (3-handed hyper Turbo with a massive random jackpot) Sit & Go’s and MTTs.

They can choose between several game variants including Texas Hold’em, Omaha and Omaha High/Low, 6-Plus Hold’em and Soko.

Players can participate in monthly network-wide promotions which include Live and online tournament series and Freerolls and benefit from a loyalty scheme powered by Playtech’s Event-Based System.

By completing the mission, they’ll progress through VIP levels and earn points redeemable in an online gift shop.

The Party Gaming Network

The Party Gaming Network is among the largest online poker networks in the world and PartyPoker, its flagship brand, one of the oldest online poker sites. It coexists in the company of two other strong brands that belong to the same network – Bwin and Coral.

The game offer consists of No Limit, Fixed Limit and Pot-Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, Short Deck and FL 7 Card Stud with stakes beginning at £0.01/£0.02 and going as high as £200/£400.

The choice further includes Short Deck (Six Plus Hold’em), SPINS Sit & Go’s with a chance of turning a modest buy-in into a £1 million prize, countless variations of SNGs and Progressive Knockout MTTs.

Online sportsbooks nowadays offer a myriad of different options for fans of various sports.

Customers can bet on football, basketball, handball, tennis, volleyball, golf, baseball, badminton, cricket, boxing, cycling, Formula 1, darts, horse racing, snooker, martial arts, and many other sports, as well as the stock market and politics.

Although most operators offer similar odds, some provide a better vig (the cut taken when paying out) and thus allow you to minimize your losses and bet less without giving up a chance of significant winnings.

Betting options are countless, not only because one gets to choose between 50+ sports but also because sportsbooks support and a wide range of bet types.

Futures

Future Bets are placed on events that will take place weeks or even months later, Head-to-Head Bets on competitors battling each other, and If Bets consist of at least two straight bets.

Props & Parlays

Other options include Parlays (multiple bets on the same event or team that all have to win in order to pay), Progressive Parlays which won’t lose allowing to one failed bet, Proposition Bets placed on a specific outcome such as the exact score, and Straight Bets made based on the spread.

Teasers allow players to bet on several different games but they have to get them all right to win. Totalizators are flexible-rate bets with odds changing in real-time, similar to pari-mutuel betting in horse racing.

Cashout Betting

Cash-Out betting is a way to profit without having to commit to one team winning. These bets are settled before the event ends.

At a certain point, the sportsbook offers to pay based on the current result (a bit less than current odds would warrant) rather than risk having to cough up a significantly bigger amount should the event end in line with the initial odds.

Live Betting

Live Betting, also known as In-Game or In-Play betting, takes place while the event is in progress. Live betting is offered in a separate window and odds updated as the action happens.

Players can use Quick Bet option to preselect the amount to wager and place bets with a single click.

Live betting offers the opportunity to place Moneyline bets (the most straightforward wager where you simply pick the winning team), ATS bets (against the spread) and Game Total bets which enable you to bet on “over” or “under” the total number of points expected to be scored during a particular game.

E-sports is a fast-growing segment thanks to the new generation of players eager to compete in video game tournaments.

E-Sports Betting Options

Most online sportsbooks offer odds for 4 major games, namely League of Legends, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2 and Starcraft 2, though you’ll also find venues that allow fans to bet on leagues and tournaments of Call of Duty, Heroes of the Storm, Hearthstone, World of Tanks, Overwatch, PUBG and EA FIFA Soccer.

The best sites cover major tournaments such as IEM Katowice, ESL One New York, Blast Pro Series, Fortnite World Cup, and Dota 2 International.

Betting is essentially the same as with traditional sports through the variety of available wagers differs. The most common form is Match betting which enables you to bet on the player or the team you believe will win.

Some operators also offer In-Play betting and specific outcomes. If, for example, you happen to be a LOL fan, you may get to choose the first team to defeat Baron Nashor or the first to get First Blood.

There’s also a subgenre called fantasy e-sports in which bettors build their own team of professional players for an upcoming e-sports match.

When the match starts, selected players are accruing (or losing) points based on their performance.

In order to win, your roaster has to have the highest (or one of the highest) number of total points.

Bingo is one of the simplest games available online and requires absolutely no skills in order to play and win. Bingo sites may be stand-alone or part of a network though they don’t necessarily advertise the link with other websites.

Popular Bingo Networks In The UK

Most games are common to all network members and all sister sites contribute to the same prize pot. Some venues also host exclusive rooms that are not shared with the rest of the network.

The most popular ones are Virtue Fusion Network (Playtech software), 15 Network (Jumpman Gaming), 888 Holdings Network (Dragonfish) and Lucky Duck Network (Cozy Games).

Game Types

The most common offering consists of 90-ball and 75-ball bingo games though some operators also offer 30, 40, 50 and 80-ball bingo and sometimes even additional variants. Bingo websites tend to be home to a lively community with members using chat rooms to engage in friendly banter while chat moderator makes sure the conversation remains polite at all times.

Bingo lobby usually displays a list of available bingo rooms which may additionally be grouped according to the number of balls used. Each room has a different theme and some incorporate special features that make gameplay even more entertaining.

Players can see the ticket price, starting time of the next game, number of participants and prize pool. It’s possible to buy a single ticket or as many as that particular site allows.

Most online venues also feature Free Bingo where one can play without investing any real money.

More often than not, tickets are allocated automatically and numbers marked on the player’s card in the same manner so there’s nothing to do but wait for the draw to finish. Prizes are awarded for a 1-Line win, 2-Line win and Full House or specific patterns.

Unique variants such as Deal or No Deal Bingo and Rainbow Riches Bingo award feature prizes in addition to standard ones and also offer an opportunity to win a jackpot.

The prize pool has a minimum guaranteed value with the actual one determined by the number of purchased tickets. The more tickets, the bigger the prize pot!

Thanks to the internet, it’s no longer necessary to go out and purchase physical lottery tickets. Online lottery sites not only enable fans to play from the comfort of their homes but also offer products one wouldn’t necessarily find in their local kiosk.

The absence of geographical restrictions is an important advantage, owing to which players can participate in international lotteries with massive prize pools regardless of their country of origin. Local regulations may still impose some limits in terms of eligibility and jackpot prizes might be unavailable to foreign players even if they’re allowed to buy an online lottery ticket.

Lotteries Available

While most sites offer access to about 20 lotteries, several brands provide a choice of over 50, including the coveted US Powerball, EuroMillions, and Spanish El Gordo Navidad. Rather than try to convince friends, family, and coworkers to join in and boost your chances of winning a prize, you can join an online syndicate and play multiple lines without having to break the bank.

Lottery sites feature a range of helpful tools such as an overview of previous draws going way back, various statistics, email notifications sent to winners, etc. Occasionally, players can also benefit from discounts offered with subscriptions and/or bundle purchases.

Buying Lottery Tickets Online

This is how it normally works: you click on the respective tab to view the list of lotteries, each with a price, jackpot value and time before the next draw takes place. Having chosen one, you’ll be presented with a virtual ticket and prompted to select your numbers.

Click on the button labeled “Random” if you wish the system to pick them for you. Finally, you can decide on the number of draws to play.

Some lottery sites take a percentage of the player’s winnings while others charge a flat fee per ticket. Smaller winnings (e.g. below £600) are usually credited directly to your lottery site account. For bigger ones, the operator may claim the prize on your behalf or assist you to collect it in person.

The choice of payment tools usually includes credit and debit cards (most frequently Visa and MasterCard), several eWallets, various Instant Bank Transfer options, and prepaid cards.

Some gambling sites also offer mobile payment tools as a convenient alternative for customers using smartphones and tablets, and an increasing number allows registered members to pay and play with digital currencies.

While many players fear using digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin and Ethereum because they struggle to understand how they function, some are more than happy to exploit numerous benefits linked to cryptocurrency payments.

This is by far the fastest deposit and withdrawal option; once the payout request is processed and money sent on its way, it will take about 15 minutes for bitcoins to arrive.

Complex crypto protocols ensure safety, payments are anonymous and gambling sites normally don’t charge any transaction fees.

Although PayPal isn’t as widely represented in the online gaming world as Skrill and Neteller, there are about 200 million people all over the world using this eWallet to pay for online purchases.

One has to register to use the service but doesn’t have to fund PayPal wallet before they can pay for goods and services; access to funds is enabled by linking a bank account or debit/credit card to their PayPal account.

A dedicated mobile app for iOS, Android and Windows devices facilitates convenient money transfers when on the move.

While pretty much all operators feature mobile websites accessible via browsers of various smartphones and tablets, some additionally offer a downloadable app for Android and iOS devices.

Users of iPhones and iPads can download it from the App Store while owners of Android smartphones need to adjust the device’s security settings and download the app from the casino site.

Developing a mobile responsive website is much simpler than it is to create a native app. That fact alone should tell you that those willing to invest additional time and resources care more about the quality of your mobile gaming experience.

Native apps enable easy, intuitive navigation, fast loading, and smooth gameplay. As they’re developed for a specific operating system, they’re optimized for your particular device and incorporate useful options unavailable in browser-based apps.