They are at the top. These are the names of the top UK licensed sports betting operators that also offer their gambling products on the Net. Some of them have really acquired the status of the global sportsbetting operators offering entertaining services to players worldwide.

Top 21 UK Licensed Sports betting operators

1. William Hill: Founded in 1934, William Hill have over 65 years' experience of offering betting services. Currently they operate over 1,500 licensed betting offices in the UK and have over 300,000 telephone clients worldwide, making them the world's largest telephone betting organization. William Hill is one of the three largest UK bookmakers.

2. Victor Chandler: Customers in over 70 countries across the world. Victor Chandler is a truly global online sportsbetting operator. Headquartered in Gibraltar and with offices around the world, the Group offers international online and telephone sports betting opportunities and web-based gaming in five languages. Since it's formation in 1946, the groups steady growth has been underpinned by two values that set it apart from anyone else - a pioneering spirit and a passion for sport.

3. Canbet: Canbet Sports Bookmakers UK Limited (Canbet) (Registered Number: 096 07216) is a wholly owned subsidiary of International All Sports Limited ABN 32 066 967 502. International All Sports Limited is a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. Canbet Sports Bookmakers UK Limited is licensed by the English Government to accept bets via the internet and by phone. Canbet offers betting on popular international sports including UK and European soccer and has a very strong focus on US sports.

4. Bet365.com: Bet365, is the Internet and telephone betting division of the bet365 Group Limited, one of the UK's licensed leading sports betting operators. The group has held a UK license since 1974, has over 590 employees and takes more than 350,000 bets each week. The Bet365 Group Limited operates 59 land based betting offices in the UK, a 24/7 call centre and Internet operation servicing clients from over 120 different countries. Bet365 covers a wide range of sports internationally. Today Bet365.com partners with Bowmans - offshore sportsbook that is considered to be the first of its kind since the inception in 1985.

5. Stan James: One of the European sportsbetting leaders, offering online casino, poker room, slots and arcade gaming. UK licensed with a call centre in Gibraltar. Currently offers 75 GBPas the player's sign up bonus.

6.Blue Square: Blue Square was launched on 5th May 1999 and offers betting services on the Internet, Interactive TV, WAP and telephone and is one of the largest online betting operators in the UK. Blue Square was a wholly owned subsidiary of the Intercapital Group Ltd until January 2003 when it was acquired by Rank, one of the UK's leading leisure and entertainment companies. Sports betting on UK and international events as well as an extensive range of financial and 'special' bets. Lottery is also an option for a gambler at BlueSquare.

7. Coral UK: Coral is a one of the world's biggest on line sports bookmakers offering fixed odds betting on the world's major sporting events, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Coral has customers in over 100 countries, a huge range of bets on every major sport, offers quick payouts and payments in 6 major currencies as well as having the site in many languages. The merger of the GalaGroup and CoralEurobet in October 2005 created Europe's largest integrated betting and gaming group and one of the top 100 companies in Britain. One of the leaders in low stakes online sports betting.

8. UK Tote Sport: Tote" is short for Totalisator, a system introduced to Britain in 1929 to offer pool betting on racecourses. It works like this: all the stakes on a race are pooled, a deduction is made to cover costs and the Tote's contribution to racing. The remainder of the pool is divided by the number of winning units to give a dividend which is declared inclusive of a £1 stake. Pool customers bet against each other, whereas in bookmaking they bet against the bookmaker. Odds fluctuate according to the pattern of betting and betting ceases at the 'off'. At the Tote Sport website you can place bets on most UK sporting events as well as many international sports and get 5GBP-25GBP upon becoming a sign up.

9. Sean Graham UK&Ireland: Sean Graham has over 30 years in bookmaking experience and are one of the UK and Ireland's leading sports betting operators . They offer Early Prices for every UK & Irish Horse race, every day of the year. Sports betting on every major sport with many daily special offers available.

10. Paddy Power: Paddy Power plc. is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Irish Stock Exchange. Paddy Power is the first major Irish sports betting operator to venture into online betting. For the benefit of online gambler, PaddyPower offers a profound gambling tool - odds calculator.

11. BetFred: Betfred is led by Chairman and founder Fred Done with the business established in 1967 by brothers Fred and Peter Done. Today BetFred is now one of the world's largest independent online sportsbetting operators and the UK's biggest independent high street betting shop chain with over 550 shops, 2000 employees and a turnover in excess of £650 million. Betfred offers secure online betting on a great range of popular worldwide sports and a special promo of free 25GBP is there to support its players.

12. Total Bet: TotalBet is operated by ukbetting PLC, the same company that operates UKBETTING.com. In addition to standard fixed odds betting on most sporting events, Total Bet also allows you to place UK tote bets and offers 25GBP as the free cash for sign ups.

13. UK Betting: UKbetting plc is a public company listed on the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (AIM). UKbetting plc is a digital wagering operator providing services through its sports wagering brands ukbetting.com and totalbet.com. ukbetting plc is also a sports content company providing services through its brands sportinglife.com, sportal.com, etc.

14. Ladbrokes.com: Ladbrokes.com is the online sports betting operators belonging to the gaming division of Hilton Group plc, the world's premier international hotel brand. Ladbrokes has led the way in not only meeting the most stringent licensing criteria for these various legal jurisdictions, but also influencing the guidelines to promote higher standards for consumers. Solid name and a solid offering of betting types for sports, specials and novelty betting. Lots of early prices for the horses and some of the widest range of UK football bets available online. Site is also available in a wide range of European & Asian languages. One of the worlds leading sports betting sites.

15. BetDirect: Here you can bet on UK Horse Racing and UK football as well as a selection of sports bets for Snooker, Golf, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Motor Racing , NFL, Cricket and Tennis. Bet Direct is the UK licensed Sports Betting Operator that now offers betting live and in-running, on more markets that ever with betlive! Bet Direct customers can also place bets via their mobile phone. So if they are out with mates, at the game, the race course or in the pub, there's never been a more convenient way to bet with Bet Direct. One of the established names in online sportsbetting that is now offering up to 100GBP as a bonus on the first bet.

16. BetUK: BetUK.com is backed by Sportingbet.com, one of the trading names of Internet Opportunity Entertainment Limited. Internet Opportunity Entertainment Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sportingbet Plc. They offer odds on pretty much every sporting event in the world - so if it's worth watching, it's worth betting on! They also offer highly competitive odds plus a full in-running service that allows you to bet as the action develops.

17. SportingBet: licensed in UK, offering tax-free online bets since 1998, boasts more than 2,500,000 customers in more than 150 countries of the world. Claims to be the largest provider of sportsbetting services since 2001 when Sportingbet PLC acquired Sportsbook.com, Playersonly.com, Wallstreet.com. Also has sportingodds (European focus). Casino products are licensed in Antigua. Additional license comes from UK.

18. SportingIndex: This sports betting operators was formed in April 1992 to specialise in spread betting. Today, they are the clear leaders in this sector, having captured over 50% of the market. The ever-increasing popularity of sports spread betting has led to widespread recognition of the fact that Sporting Index provides a yardstick for others to follow. This is borne out by the frequent references the media make to Sporting Index's markets and prices. Other products: pokerbluff.com, gamearmada. Sporting Index unveiled BetHiLo in January 2003. The site's user-friendly navigation aims to dispel the myth that spread betting is complicated. It allows punters to bet with stakes starting from just 1p. Using the unique 'Betting Calculator', punters can decide how much they wish to risk and see every possible outcome before even placing a bet. Clients can deposit as little as £10 and opening an account takes just a few minutes. In November 2003 Sporting Index launched 'Bet on the Move', the UK's first java based mobile betting application. Clients can bet on all online markets, view open bets, close bets, deposit and withdraw money through their mobile phones.

19. BetSense: BetSense.com is brought to you by Be-Emotions Ltd., one of the leading companies in the international market of online entertainment services with an extraordinary experience in the sports betting business. Be-Emotions Ltd., previously denominated as People's Company (Uk) Ltd., is registered at the British Companies House and has a British Bookmaker's Permit granted by the Betting Licensing Committee.

20. BetDAQ betting exchange: The parent company of BETDAQ UK is Global Betting Exchange, registered as a company in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 2000 by leading Irish businessman Dermot Desmond, whose other interests include London City Airport and a major shareholding in Glasgow Celtic Football Club. BETDAQ users get more choice - to back or lay, to take the odds or ask for better, to bet anything from £2 to thousands of pounds. The odds available to BETDAQ users average out at 20% better than those available from traditional betting outlets, with this applying to every event, every day. UK and International sports are covered at this UK licensed online sportsbetting operator.

21. Gamebookers: licensed in UK, Austria, Antigua, Romania owned by a company in London (operated in London) offers casino, sportsbook, betting exchange (p2p betting), poker to more than 300,000 customers worldwide.

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