Top comparison sites to find places to check the odds on upcoming matches

To the average individual, sports betting is just about logging into a bookmaker, making your picks, and placing your bets. But the real punters know that there is more to it. One of the most important things that winning bettors do is to compare odds between platforms; this helps to maximize value and make better informed decisions based on odds.

But then, odds comparison sites are so many online that finding the right ones is difficult. To that effect, we will rank and review the best odds comparison sites based on several key criteria that we’ll explain. At the end, you’ll be able to make a well-informed decision on which platform you should use to compare odds. Read on and enjoy!

Ranking criteria explained

Before we talk about the comparison sites, we want to show you what we used to make our rankings. That way, you can confirm that all our reviews and opinions are unbiased. Here are the seven major criteria:

  • Coverage of sports and events: Imagine wanting to compare odds and not seeing the sport or event on your odds comparison platform. That defeats the purpose. So, one of the most important things is the coverage. Punters need access to different sports, leagues and niche events too.
  • User interface (ease of use): As much as possible, we prefer platforms that give zero to very little learning curve. Having to go through a long process of learning how to use the platform is stressful and can cause you to make mistakes. We don’t want that for you.
  • Real-time odds update: Bookie odds can change several times within a minute and that means comparison sites have to be on par with the updates. Unfortunately, not every one of them meets this standard — if they don’t, we don’t want them for you. This criteria is very important to us because you need it for live betting.
  • Depth of bookmaker partnerships: Take it from us — the more partnership with bookmakers they have, the better their services. It means you get more variety and in some cases, arbitrage opportunities.
  • Tools and features: We also look out for tools and features like filters, alerts, and even historical data. While these may look like nitpicking, we believe that these seemingly minute details will improve your decision making. Make sure you try it out and see for yourself.
  • Security and reliability: Security and reliability are two things that are non-negotiable. We wouldn’t want to recommend a platform that comprises your security when you are using it. To prevent that, we research their reputation with present users and what they have to say about the services they offer.
  • Reputation and trustworthiness: If other things fail, user reviews can’t. It presents raw unfiltered opinions of players about these platforms. That is why we always look for them to gauge the reputation of such a platform. If their present users don’t have good things to say about the platforms, we have no business recommending it to you.
  • Mobile compatibility: Most times, you’ll probably check these odds on the go. So it makes sense that the website should be compatible and optimised for mobile.

Top comparison sites to check odds

Now that you know the extent that we researched to, here are the top comparison sites by our evaluation:

Irishluck – Best overall for real expert insights

Rating: 9.5/10

Irishluck tops our rankings because it ticks the most important boxes in our books. To start with, this comparison site only features licensed and regulated brands, making it easy to gain the trust of players. Then for each bookie, they have a dedicated rating score that allows you to gauge how good they are on a scale of 1 to 5.

Another thing we love about Irishluck is that they keep you updated on the ongoing bonuses and promotions that are going on at each of the bookies. Then to top it, they collect feedback from real players to regularly provide updates on day-to-day experiences with each brand. Considering this, it is no surprise that after a survey of over 1,100 players that visited the Irishluck site, 67% signed up to a sports betting site through them.

Here’s a quick breakdown of why Irishluck is a top pick for us:

  • In-house sports betting experts that specialise in specific sports
  • Transparency about terms and conditions
  • Learning hub for players who want to know more about sportsbooks
  • Real-time updates and fact-checking with bookies
  • Regular notifications on the latest events and bonuses

At the same time, Irishluck is not perfect; they have their flaws. Here are a few things they could do better:

  • Better coverage of international events
  • Historical data tools are quite limited (almost non-existent)

OddsChecker – Localisation for specific regions

Rating: 9.2/10

OddsChecker is another tool that offers some of the best comparison services you’ll ever see. One thing we love about this website is their localisation of certain areas of their website. For instance, there is OddsChecker USA, OddsChecker Spain, OddsChecker Italy, etc. You can get such pages for up to seven countries, making it easy for you to find specific offers and brands.

While conducting our research on this platform, one thing that stood out to us is their website interface. It is clean, crisp and very easy to navigate. Having such clarity and ease of use made our work easier and it’ll also make you enjoy the platform. Here are other things that stood out for us:

  • Customisable alerts
  • Free bets section
  • Insights section gives you premium updates on events

We also have things that Oddschecker could improve on:

  • Little historical data tools/filters
  • No rating system for most bookies, making it difficult to know which ones stand out

OddsPortal – Helpful filters and comparison tools

Rating: 8.9/10

OddsPortal is another tool that we love for its simplicity. This website focuses more on functionality and aesthetics, and we love them for that. Apart from the extensive sports coverage, OddsPortal has several tools like dropping odds, value bets, hot matches and many more. Using these features would set you ahead of your fellow bettors; just try it and see.

In addition, this site also has a “top user” predictions section, where you get to see the general sentiment of bettors for events. So, if you are in doubt about your picks, just go there and check the percentages to see if you are on the right track. Here are the major things that we love about them:

  • Good variety of filters and tools
  • User predictions section that allows you to see how other punters are betting
  • Mobile-friendly interface

Here are things that can be better:

  • Website design feels old-school and outdated
  • Their services focus on football, tennis and basketball

BetBrain – Perfect for arbitrage opportunities

Rating: 8.7/10

BetBrain is a comparison site with a lot of flair. They have competitions, exclusive tips and several other things that will catch your attention quickly. We should also mention that BetBrain has a niche focus on arbitrage opportunities. If you wish to compare odds on exchange sites like Betfair, you have the perfect platform to do so.

They also feature a good collection of bookmakers and a unique value bets feature that allows you to choose the best option. Overall, here are the things we like most about this website:

  • Options for arbitrage opportunities
  • Social tournaments with good rewards
  • Good variety of bookie offers

We feel like they can improve these:

  • Most features require a premium subscription that costs money
  • Their website could use some updates

How to get the most from odds comparison sites

Knowing the best comparison site is one thing but using it well also makes the difference. Let’s discuss how you can use these sites effectively:

  • Set alerts for everything: Don’t assume that you can keep up with every update. No matter how small the event is, we still advise you to set alerts. That way, nothing will slip through your fingers. You’ll also see improvements in your betting.
  • Use multiple platforms for major events: If it is a major event that will give you good odds, using multiple platforms is the way. It will help you to narrow down the best odds from multiple sources, allowing you to make the most from your stakes.
  • Leverage historical data: We can’t help but feel like punters don’t use historical data well enough. If you fall in this category, try to make use of it and see the difference. It’ll help you to make better decisions and we can’t emphasize it enough.

Wrap up

Using odds comparison tools is a game-changer for bettors; if you want to increase your chances of winning more often, start embracing them now. Luckily, we’ve done the work of researching the best ones for you, so the rest is in your hands. Just know that no matter which one you choose, you can’t go wrong with our recommendations.