Keane raised eyebrows last year when he said that Rice doesn't score enough goals, doesn't provide enough assists and needs to do 'more' to be a top player.
Fellow pundits Graeme Souness and Jamie Redknapp have also criticised Rice for his lack of goal involvements but the Englishman has dismissed their opinions too.
Rice, who normally operates in a deep-lying midfield role, has conjured up six goals and eight assists across 35 Premier League games for Arsenal this season.
Quizzed if he felt criticism of his scoring record was fair, Rice told The Athletic: 'No, not really.
'Because Roy Keane, (Graeme) Souness, (Jamie) Redknapp, people that talk about my goalscoring ability, if you looked at their goals, they didn't score hundreds in their career.
'But they're remembered for what they did as midfield players: Roy Keane breaking up play, being a hard-tackling midfielder, won loads of titles for United.
Roy Keane criticised Declan Rice's lack of goals last season (Picture: Getty)
'The same with Souness. So I don't know why when it comes to me it's all about goals, because it's never been my game. Since I've been scoring, no one has said anything!'
Keane provided 51 goals and 39 assists across 477 appearances for United while Souness scored 55 times and registered 40 assists in 358 games for Liverpool.
Redknapp, meanwhile, made 308 appearances for Liverpool and conjured up 42 goals and 31 assists.
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Before he left West Ham to join Arsenal last summer, Rice scored 15 times and produced 13 assists across 245 games.
Since moving across London to the Emirates, Rice has made 48 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions, registering six goals and nine assists to date.
Meanwhile, Rice insists he is a different type of player to Manchester City star Rodri as the 25-year-old added: 'He's a lot more structured than I am. I'd say I'm a lot more off-the-cuff. Obviously, this season I've been more structured. But in terms of the way I play, I feel like… being free a little bit more.'
Jorginho expected to sign new contract at Arsenal | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
Jorginho is expected to extend his stay with Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal star Jorginho is ready to put pen to paper on a new deal with the club.
Jorginho, 32, joined Arsenal from rivals Chelsea for a fee of around £12million in January 2023 and has gone on to make 51 appearances in all competitions for the north London giants.
The midfielder agreed to an 18-month contract on arrival at Arsenal, with the option of a further year.
There has been uncertainty surrounding Jorginho's future given that deal is due to expire at the end of the season and a return to Serie A has been mooted as a possible option in the summer transfer window.
However, according to The Athletic, Jorginho is expected to extend his stay – rather than leave on a free transfer – after being offered a new contract, which will come as a great relief to Mikel Arteta.
Jorginho is not a guaranteed starter for the Gunners but has established himself as a trusted member of the squad and Arteta has been keen for the vastly experienced Euro 2020 winner to commit to the club for the foreseeable future.
The report claims Thomas Partey's situation remains unclear, with the 30-year-old Ghana midfielder set to enter into the final year of his deal this summer.
Arsenal must decide whether to cash in on Partey while they have the chance or risk losing him on a free transfer in 12 months time.
Arteta has been keen for Jorginho to commit his future to the Gunners (Picture: Getty)
Speaking to TV Play earlier this month, Jorginho's agent Joao Santos insisted his client was in 'no hurry' to decide his future and refused to rule out a summer switch to Italy.
'Did Arsenal call us for a renewal? No, right now they're focused on the Champions League return leg against Bayern Munich,' Santos said.
'We're in no hurry. If they were to call us in a month or two to discuss the renewal, that's fine with us.
'Would Jorginho like to return to Italy? Yes, of course because he grew up in Italy and he likes everything about the country.'
Arteta views Jorginho as the ideal role model for Arsenal's young stars (Picture: Getty)
Arteta has repeatedly sang Jorginho's praises since his arrival from Stamford Bridge, viewing the Champions League winner as the perfect role model for Arsenal's younger players.
'For all the kids at the club, if you want to look at somebody, just look at him,' the Arsenal manager said after the side's victory over title rivals Liverpool in February.
'He's won everything but you ask him not to play or play one minute last week he's happy to go there.
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'Ask him to play 90 minutes at that rhythm and he's able to do that. I'm really lucky to have players like this.
'It's a game that I had in my mind. I was imagining how much we were going to need him. He's a really intelligent player, his biggest quality is that he makes the people around him better.
'He connects everybody. I think he was man of the match.'
Judd Trump rates Jak Jones challenge and whether he can 'turn it on' | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
Judd Trump has made light work of his first two rounds at the Crucible (Picture: Getty Images)
Judd Trump is expecting a tough test against Jak Jones in the World Snooker Championship quarter-final, but feels he can 'turn it on' when required this year.
It is no surprise that Trump is into the last eight in Sheffield after a superb season that has seen him land five ranking titles already, but Jones is something of an unlikely name to see alongside him in the quarter-final draw.
The Welshman reached the same stage on debut last year, but has done little since then and had two tricky qualifying games just to get to the Crucible, before beating Zhang Anda and Si Jiahui on the big stage.
Trump, after seeing off Hossein Vafaei and Tom Ford, is hot favourite to progress, but knows that Jones is a hard man to beat, especially at the Crucible, it seems.
'Tough game. I've played Jak quite a few times in my career and there have been times he's played unbelievable against me, so I know it's in there,' said Trump.
'He seems to love this tournament as well, so it makes him a dangerous player.
'Maybe a bit more methodical than a lot of players, but that can be a hard to deal with in its own sense, because it can take a lot of patience.'
Jak Jones has proved to be very capable on the Crucible stage over the last two years Getty Images)
The 2019 world champion has beaten Vafaei 10-5 and Ford 13-7 but has not really hit the heights of his form just yet, knocking in just two centuries.
The 34-year-old is not concerned at all, knowing that he rarely performs at his best without a challenge and feeling like he can call upon his best stuff when required.
'I feel like it's hard to really play your best when you're not being pushed,' he said. 'There's not that buzz inside me or that pressure that I need to deliver now.
'So maybe the concentration just hasn't quite been what it would be normally. It's difficult when people are missing easy balls, it's important to just hammer home the lead I have and win as easily as possible.
'The important thing for me is that I feel like it's in there. A couple of times recently in the Worlds it hasn't been there so it was never going to come out. This year, if really needed, I could probably turn it on.'
Trump and Jones begin their quarter-final clash on Tuesday morning in Sheffield, meeting for the sixth time in all competitions as professionals, with Jones winning once before.
Katie Boulter and Alex De Minaur reveal romance secrets amid Challengers success | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
Katie Boulter and Alex De Minaur have been together since 2020 (Picture: Getty)
Following the release of sexy tennis movie Challengers, real-life couple Katie Boulter and Alex De Minaur have lifted the lid on their own steamy romance.
Social media has been in a frenzy over the movie directed by Luca Guadagnino, which has scored 83 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating universal acclaim.
With everyone talking about the film, British No.1 Boulter and Australian world No.11 De Minaur have taken the time to open up about their own relationship.
The power couple have been together for four years but initially hid their romance from fellow players across the ATP Tour and WTA Tour as well as the public.
They have now revealed the extreme lengths they went to in order to avoid speculation and the tricks they played to keep their relationship a secret.
'Remember that time when we were having breakfast on like separate tables?' a giddy Boulter said in a video posted by the WTA.
The duo melted hearts in the Wimbledon mixed doubles last year (Picture: Getty)
'That was the early stages,' De Minaur added. 'We would rock down to breakfast at different times.'
Boulter elaborated further, explaining it was 'different times, like 10 minutes later' with her boyfriend De Minaur confirming they did it to 'avoid speculation'.
'It's so true, so people wouldn't find out,' Boulter said, with the lovebirds clearly enjoying their trip down memory lane as De Minaur added: 'Works every time!'
Boulter and De Minaur have both enjoyed successful spells since their relationship went public with the Briton clinching her maiden WTA Tour title last year and following it up with the San Diego Open trophy on clay in March this year.
De Minaur, meanwhile, earned a spot inside the world top 10 and recently beat Rafael Nadal at the Barcelona Open on the Spaniard's favourite clay surface.
'I think what was very important in the early stages, we talked about tennis being the No.1 priority and that we would make all of this work,' De Minaur said.
'Just finding that balance. Like, I thought it was going to be quite tough.'
Boulter added: 'That was the tough part I think. The very start of the relationship was hard.
'It's crazy to think this time last year I was playing in Japan, I was ranked like world No.150.'
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De Minaur then chimed in and said: 'I remember you telling me, 'I will not be playing a clay-court swing in my life, I refuse to play on clay' – and now here you are! Top 30.
'It fills me with a lot of joy being able to say I told you so. I think we are helping each other.'
Boulter teased her boyfriend in response and said: 'I take full credit for you making the top 10!'
'I'd love to see a LIV-style breakaway!' O'Sullivan said. 'I'd love to get a phone call which says "do you want £600million to play for three years" I'd love that phone call. Wouldn't you?
'Would you turn that down? If someone said "come and work for my radio station for three years and we'd pay you £600million" would you turn it down?'
It is a fair question from the Rocket but the possible breakaway tour in snooker is not offering that kind of money, instead around £320,000 guaranteed, with prize money to be won on top of that.
O'Sullivan is into the quarter-finals at the Crucible where he faces Stuart Bingham (Picture: Getty Images)
Players including Kyren Wilson and Jack Lisowski have admitted they are at least tempted by an offer elsewhere and the Rocket says they are welcome to make their own choices.
'I don't know. I don't get involved in it. Each to their own, everyone's got to do what they've got to do,' said the world number one.
'I know what I want from the sport, I know what I'm prepared to do and I know what I need in return from it. As long as I keep getting that I don't mind playing. Everyone has to make that decision up for themselves.
'Everyone's in different positions in the game, stages of their careers. One might work better for one person. Working more or less could work for others. It's not always about money. It's about the time as well. That's the most important thing, for some people it's money. It's really hard to give you a straight answer.'
Stephen Maguire and Dave Gilbert love-in before World Championship showdown | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
Stephen Maguire and Dave Gilbert are big fans of each other (Pictures: Getty)
Stephen Maguire and Dave Gilbert were full of praise for each other as players and people ahead of their World Championship clash, but they will be ready for battle at the Crucible.
Both men are former semi-finalists but had to come through qualifying after disappointing results over the last couple of years.
However, they have shown their quality so far at the Crucible, with Maguire beating Ali Carter and Shaun Murphy, while Gilbert has downed defending champion Luca Brecel and Rob Milkins.
With the clash set for the quarter-finals, it will be a contest that has been played out ever since their junior days, and they are still going at each other in their 40s.
'I've been a Stephen Maguire fan since we were kids,' Gilbert told Metro. 'He was the one I looked at and thought would win everything. I'm amazed he's never won a world title.
'If I wasn't playing him I'd probably be hoping he did go on and win one, but obviously not this year. I think he's a top lad, he's always been straight with me and he's like that with everybody. He's a good guy.'
Maguire added: 'It's mad isn't it. To play Shaun and then Dave back-to-back, you're talking 11-years-old playing in junior tournaments. Young, ugly kids running about trying to pot balls. It's mad that we're still here 30 years later.
'I've always said Dave's a great player. He was a great junior. It took him a while to break through, but everybody rates Dave, that big cue action with the long backswing. He's good to watch.
'He's a cracking boy off the table. He was a good junior, I was decent. We're doing well. We're doing all right for ourselves.'
Gilbert sees it as an even contest but will be drawing on fond memories of a quarter-final win over Maguire at the Masters in 2020, feeling that he is returning to that kind of form.
'I think it probably is a 50-50 game If I play well I can win, if Stephen plays well he can win. I think it'll be a great game,' said the Angry Farmer.
Maguire was fired up during his second round win over Shaun Murphy (Picture: Getty Images)
'We haven't played that much over the years. The Masters was probably the last time I felt I could play the game, so hopefully it's the same feeling and same result.
'That was one of my best wins, such a big thing playing at the Masters for the first time and I felt like I handled it really well. Hopefully more of the same again.
'We've both struggled but our rankings probably aren't correct. We're both better than about 32 in the world. We've both not done so well lately. But he's had a fantastic career, nearly every snooker player would swap with him.
'He's obviously still got game, he's in the quarter-finals and probably feeling confident like I am.'
Gilbert and Maguire begin their quarter-final contest at 10am on Tuesday at the Crucible.
The best gambling sites in the UK – top brands for betting and bonuses | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
(Picture: Acroud Media)
Most gambling sites nowadays do their best to cover all bases, from sports betting to slots to poker. The experts at Wisegambler.com have decided that the best all-round UK gambling site from their commercial partners is BetVictor, but you can see their full list of recommendations below:
bet365 T&Cs: Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.
18+ Gambling Can Be Addictive. Please Play Responsibly. BeGambleAware GamStop Gambling Commission
DISCLAIMER: This article is provided by wisegambler.com, part of the Acroud group and all opinions are their own. All offers are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change without notice.
Best Gambling Sites in the UK Reviewed
The following are the experts' picks for the top five all-round gambling sites UK!
Taking the place of honour is BetVictor. The sportsbook is nigh unparalleled in UK gambling, with competitive odds, an intuitive user interface and some generous bonuses. The casino sections of BetVictor are also stellar, with a jaw-dropping range of live dealer titles and a smaller but high-quality collection of regular casino games. If we're looking for issues with the site, we'd have to say the sportsbook livestream coverage is limited to only a few major events.
Pros
✅ Wide range of sports and markets
✅ Modern and user-friendly platform
✅ Mobile friendly
Cons
❌ Limited live streaming
BetVictor T&Cs:18+ New customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on any football market at minimum 1/1 odds. No cash out. Get £40 in Free Bets on selected events. Free Bets expire in 7 days. Debit card / Apple Pay payments only. T&Cs apply, see below. gambleaware.org | Please gamble responsibly.
Betfred sets itself apart with one specific feature — the range of bonuses. Betfred is famous for its expansive range of betting promotions across all its gambling services. We also love the big update the Betfred website recently underwent, with a shiny new look that improves user experience and adds an element of professionalism. As a gambling site, we were disappointed with the comparatively small collection of table games available in the regular and live casinos. However, the overall library is strong, with many titles from top developers.
Pros
✅ The best lineup of promotions around
✅ Reliable British betting brand
✅ Many casino games from top-tier developers
Cons
❌ Small lineup of table games
Betfred T&Cs:New customers only. Register (excl. 13/04/24) with WELCOME50. First bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get Free Bets: £20 In-Play, £20 Acca & 50 x £0.20 (£10) Free Spins on Fishin' Frenzy within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply.
This is the oldest brand on our list, first entering the sports betting business in 1939 and still standing strong 80 years later. Since then, William Hill has expanded into a sprawling gambling empire with its live casino, vegas, bingo and poker services to complement it! Each is of fantastic quality with excellent games, live dealer options and top-notch service. Unfortunately, William Hill's website is bland compared to its competitors; certainly user-friendly, but not very exciting to look at.
Pros
✅ Well-established betting brand
✅ Hundreds of games, including live dealer options
✅ Friendly and responsive customer support
Cons
❌ Bland website design
William Hill T&Cs: 18+. Play Safe. New players only, using promo code T60. Valid from 13/04/2022. Online play. Get £60 Bonus split between Vegas & Sports in the following manner – (i) Deposit £10 to unlock £20 Vegas Free Bet on Selected Games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); then (ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash (excl. £10 deposit) or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, receive £40 Sports Free Bets excluding Virtual Markets (4x £10, 7 days expiry). Payment methods & country restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. #ad
BetMGM is a brand familiar to any avid US sports bettor, but in 2023 it made its way to British shores and made one hell of a splash! Its classy user interface spreads from the desktop to the dedicated mobile apps, with BetMGM proving to be the pinnacle of modern gambling platforms. The casino and sportsbook are well-balanced and cohesively designed, so users looking for either will be satisfied. Its one major issue is the distinct lack of payment methods, with only a handful available, which prevents many users from using the site.
Pros
✅ Competitive odds and promotions
✅ Seamless mobile experience
✅ Live betting and streaming
Cons
❌ Limited payment options
BetMGM T&Cs: New cust only. 7 days to opt in by placing a £10 qualifying bet at 1/1 (2.0) odds or greater to receive 4x Free Bets: 1 x £10 horse racing, 1 x £10 Bet Builder, 1 x £10 Acca and 1 x £10 football. 7 day expiry. Exclusions apply. Stake not returned. T&Cs apply. 18+ BeGambleAware.org.
888 is one of the older UK brands on the market and has a fantastic reputation to accompany it. This is a one-stop shop for gambling enthusiasts with a combined sportsbook, casino and poker site! The sportsbook boasts many betting markets, the poker site hosts many variations, and the casino features a plethora of games, including original content! While the service is excellent overall, we must criticise the support limitations, with some customer contacts reserved exclusively for VIP customers.
Pros
✅ Trusted and reputable brand
✅ Wide variety of sports and events
✅ Mobile-friendly
Cons
❌ Live chat customer support only for VIPs
888 T&Cs: New online 888sport customers in the UK and Ireland, excluding re-registered customers. Valid from 15/01/2024. Min Deposit £/€10 with code 30FXS. Qualifying bet: 'real money' stake of £/€10+, odds 1/2 (1.5)+. Free bet, consists of 3x £/€10 tokens: 1x £/€10 horseracing, 1x £/€10 football, 1x £/€10 in-play, which will be credited upon qualifying bet settlement and must be used entirely before expiration in 7 days. No cashing out, each way bets, permutations, or combining with 'real money' stakes. Payment restrictions apply. T&Cs apply.
Best Gambling Sites for Betting
BetMGM — the sophisticated betting interface lends itself to user-friendliness, and the live streaming is superior.
BetVictor — renowned for its odds on football and horse racing betting, also features some of the best sportsbook apps on the market. Click here for more information on the best football betting sites.
WilliamHill — a highly experienced betting brand with unbeatable odds on horse and greyhound racing.
10bet — there are fewer betting markets, but the interface is modern and the betting promotions are varied across many different sports.
bet365 — a highly respected sports betting site with a slick interface and some of the best horse racing promotions in the business.
Best Gambling Sites for Casino
WilliamHill — the Vegas service at William Hill has a high-quality variety of casino games from many top developers.
Betfred — stands out for its plethora of casino bonuses, so you can play more of its excellent lineup for less.
888 — with its original games and fantastic user interface, 888 makes for a top-tier casino experience.
BetVictor — BetVictor's casino selection is smaller than others but makes up for it in sheer quality. The site is also attractive and has exceptional mobile compatibility.
BetMGM — The game selection features titles from all the best game developers and hosts it all on a classy website and mobile app.
Best Gambling Sites for Slots
Betfred — Their hundreds of slot games come from only the best developers in the business, and all benefit from the fantastic casino promotions Betfred is famous for.
WilliamHill — with more than 1000 slots on offer, William Hill will leave any slot enthusiast satisfied.
888 — the 1000+ slots feature all the classic titles we expect from a top gambling site, and 888 even hosts a selection of original gaming titles to set itself apart from the competition.
Boylesports — features an elite lineup of slots with huge jackpots and exciting themes to keep the slot experience from growing repetitive.
Planet Sport Bet — doesn't have the biggest selection of slots but is picky about the developers they come from, offering more titles from smaller but excellent-quality game studios.
Best Gambling Sites for Bingo
Betfred — this is one of the most extensive bingo services offered by a multi-service gambling site, with a huge range of bingo variations and unbeatable promotions.
WilliamHill — boasts an excellent selection of bingo variations, including rush bingo, speed bingo and your classic 90 and 75-ball games.
Boylesports — doesn't host the most bingo games, but it's easy to find a game to suit you and the site is super beginner-friendly.
Unibet — only hosts 90 and 75-ball varieties, but there are always games on offer and at all buy-in prices! From penny rooms to six-figure progressives, Unibet will surely have something that suits you.
bet365 — one of the most impressive bingo sites we've seen, from its attractive design and fantastic collection of Virtue Fusion games, to the promotions available.
Best Gambling Sites for Blackjack
BetVictor — while the table games are a little slim here, the blackjack is well served. You'll find many variations, especially if you prefer live dealer varieties.
Unibet — features a good balance of blackjack variations in both the regular online casino and live casino options.
888 — the collection of live dealer blackjack options at 888 is more than any fan could hope to need. And while the non-live variants are slim pickings, they're all high quality.
BetMGM — the live casino blackjack titles come in more varieties than you ever thought existed, all with excellent chat functions and entry minimums starting from just £1.
10bet — the library of blackjack titles is extensive on all accounts, and the experience of playing them is a dream with the fantastic website they're hosted on.
Best Gambling Sites for Roulette
BetVictor — you can find fantastic roulette options at both the live and regular casinos. Not to mention that BetVictor hosts original online roulette tables.
William Hill — the regular online roulette options aren't the biggest at William Hill, but the live pickings are top-notch. You can find all sorts of roulette variations too, including American, European and Arabic.
Boylesports — the roulette options at Boylesports are highly varied, with many unique kinds like spread, diamond, and even themed games.
bet365 — the bet365 roulette lineup is excellent, with unique variations like mini super spin, penny roulette and Dragon Jackpot in addition to the classic wheels.
Livescore Bet — Livescore Bet is one of those gambling sites you'd never expect to have an impressive roulette range, but it knocks it out of the park with an impressive collection of top-tier live roulette games.
Mobile Gambling Sites
In the modern era, mobile devices are steadily but surely outstripping PCs as people's primary source of internet access. As such, online gambling sites need to offer mobile services to rival their PC browser sites! There are many betting apps out there, but they vary wildly in quality. The following are the best you can get in the UK, according to the experts at Wisegambler.com:
BetVictor
BetMGM
888
bet365
10bet
How to Sign Up to an Online Gambling Site
Signing up to online gambling sites has never been easier, with simple online forms that take minutes to complete. While each casino will be slightly different, just follow these basic steps, and you can start playing or betting online today:
Use one of our affiliate links to reach the sign-up page for your chosen gambling site
Click 'Join Now' or similar to open the registration page
Enter your personal details like name, date of birth, address and contact details
If you have a promo code, enter it before finishing account creation
Confirm your account, verify your email, and get playing
Where Can I Play Online Poker?
Online poker is a little more specialised than other online gambling services, but you can still find plenty of online poker games in the UK. These games alter the rules a little and should be approached differently than regular poker, but there are also online-specific tournaments and game types that only work well online. If you're a poker fan, the experts at Wisegambler.com recommend these sites in specific:
888
BoyleSports
bet365
Unibet
William Hill
What is the Best Live Casino?
Live casino sites exist to add a personal touch back into the online gambling experience. Live dealer games are hosted by a human croupier instead of a computer program. You can see them through a live stream and interact with them and other players through a chat function. These games have grown highly sophisticated and even have unique options like game shows! You can find many quality live casino sites, and here are the favourites of the Wisegambler experts:
William Hill
BetMGM
10bet
Betfred
BetVictor
Where Can I Play Online Lottery?
Lottery services at online gambling sites — usually shortened to lotto in the UK — are a little rarer than the other features we've looked at so far. These can function similarly to bingo sites, with rooms you can join and play in, or you can play instant win titles like scratch cards. The experts at Wisegambler.com recommend the following sites for players looking for lotto options:
Betfred
Boylesports
BetVictor — scratchcards and instant-win only
William Hill — scratchcards and instant-win only
How does Wisegambler.com Review Online Gambling Sites?
So now that we've shown you the expert-certified best gambling sites in the UK, it begs the question: what makes these 'the best?' The Wisegambler experts have shared their top judging criteria below so you know what you can expect from all of their top picks:
Welcome Offers and Promotions
One of the first features we look at is the promotional lineup. Of course, this includes the welcome offer — we want to know how generous it is and what it entails. Is the welcome bonus different across the various gambling services, or are they combined, like free bets awarded alongside free spins?
Beyond that, we look at the existing promotions — bonuses shouldn't be exclusively heaped upon new customers. This means recurring deals like reload bonuses or weekly free spins. We also give bonus points for services with VIP schemes, rewarding loyal players and giving them a reason to hang around.
We have put together a list of the best free bets available in the UK right now, head over to our page here.
Variety of Games and Betting Markets
A gambling site would be nothing without its primary content. If a site hosts both casino and sports betting, we want to see a high-quality offering for both. This means a variety of game types — slots, instant win, table games, live casino options — and betting markets that either cover a wide range of sports or allow for an in-depth betting experience. We feel that quality far outstrips quantity in this category, and we'd rather see a site do a small number of things well than have many mediocre services.
User Experience
This may seem obvious, but it's a point that we often overlook in the competition to have the most games or the biggest bonuses — is the gambling site pleasant to use? User experience should be at the top of any service's priority list. This means we expect an attractive, easy-to-navigate interface, intuitive account management systems and quick loading times.
Mobile Compatibility
Mobile gambling has grown exponentially more popular in the past decade, and we've come to expect some level of mobile compatibility from all gambling sites we look at. We want all the gambling sites we consider to at least have a well-adapted mobile website. The best of the best will also have functional apps for both iOS and Android, which streamline the process further. Not all apps are made equally, though, so we need to know these apps work well and consistently please customers.
Licensing and Safety
These are UK gambling sites, so every one of them is guaranteed to have a reliable licence. Without a UKGC or otherwise approved regulator attached to the site, it can't operate in the UK at all. But we like to see when a gambling site has two or more licences! This is usually because it's catering to an international market, but this also gives us more confidence in the stability and legitimacy of the site. Additionally, all gambling sites worth their salt need some kind of web security to protect user data, especially regarding transactions.
Customer Service
Finally, when we recommend a gambling site, we first want to know that the users will be well cared for. So, the site should feature a robust customer support service with multiple points of contact and swift response times. We're especially pleased with the trend towards social media contacts, which allow for near-instant communication between gambling sites and their customers.
If you want to know more about how wisegambler.com's team ranks and reviews online gambling brands, click here.
What Payment Methods are Available at Online Gambling Sites?
You can use many different methods when making payments at online gambling sites. Here's a look at some of the most popular options:
Debit cards — the default payment method. You can use VISA and debit cards at just about every online gambling site in the UK.
PayPal — is a popular online payment option, allowing for fast and secure payments that don't require you to input your details every time.
Paysafecard — prepaid cards like this allow you to make quick payments from a dedicated pool of money. These are particularly good for players trying to control their spending, as you can't spend more than is on the card.
PaybyMobile — an increasingly popular method in the UK. This allows you to pay using your phone number and simply add the charge to the end of your phone bill. This method often has daily transaction limits.
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission: How Are Gambling Sites Regulated?
In the UK, all gambling businesses are regulated by the UKGC — the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. It is a non-governmental regulatory body, however it does enforce UK gambling legislation. For a gambling business of any kind to legally operate in the UK, it must hold a licence from the UKGC — this includes gambling sites, land-based casinos and even arcades.
The UKGC's primary role is to ensure that gambling companies treat users of these establishments fairly. This prevents companies from withholding a player's winnings, capping withdrawals, or taking advantage of vulnerable people like addicts, children and the elderly. The UKGC is notorious for being one of the strictest gambling regulators in the world, so you know you can trust sites licenced by it.
What to do if you have a gambling problem
We understand that gambling can be fun, but it's important to gamble responsibly. If you are struggling with a gambling problem, please do not hesitate to ask for help. There are people who can help you get on the road to recovery.
Gambling websites operating in the UK must be licenced and regulated by the UKGC. With such a reliable licence, you know you can trust any UK gambling site.
Is Online Gambling Legal in the UK?
Yes, online gambling is legal in the UK. This is thanks to the extensive gambling legislation, ensuring that online gambling operates above board and protects vulnerable parties.
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Wisegambler.com has a team of gambling experts on hand who understand the ins and outs of online gambling services. You can trust our team and its collective decades of experience in this field.
Is online gambling better on mobile or desktop?
This will entirely depend on your preference, although, as a general rule, online gambling sites are designed to work on desktops first and are later ported to mobile devices. Many mobile betting apps can also be very hit or miss.
Are Online Gambling Sites easy to use?
Yes, most online gambling sites are designed to optimise user experience and be simple to use or play on — all of our top recommendations sport easy-to-use websites.
Stuart Bingham reveals his simple plan to beat Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Crucible | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
Stuart Bingham is in the Rocket's firing line in Sheffield (Picture: Getty Images)
Stuart Bingham says it is a simple enough mantra that he will take into his World Snooker Championship clash with Ronnie O'Sullivan: 'Don't miss!'
The 2015 world champion had to come through qualifying to get to the Crucible but has impressed since arriving, beating Gary Wilson and Jack Lisowski so far.
Next up is the biggest test in the game, facing the world number one, but Bingham has beaten him before at the Crucible, downing him at the same quarter-final stage on his amazing run to the world title.
Having conquered the Rocket in the past, he knows how tough a task it is, but says there is only one piece of advice worth listening to.
'Don't miss. Simple as that,' he said. 'I remember playing Ronnie in the semi-final of the Grand Prix, before the World Championship in 2015 and he beat me 6-0. It's good to play him beforehand because you get used to the way he plays and his aura. I ain't played him for a few years.
'So you've got 95 per cent of the crowd on his side and you're playing the best player in the world. Easy as that!
'You've just got to get involved in the match and try and stay with him. He's going to have a little spurt here and there, you've got to try and stick in there.'
Bingham beat O'Sullivan 13-9 in 2015 (Picture: Getty Images)
O'Sullivan was far from faultless in his second round win over Ryan Day, with the Welshman spurning a number of opportunities and Bingham hopes it will be more of the same from the Rocket against him.
'I watched a little bit of his match with Ryan, he gave Ryan a fair few chances so I'll hope he plays like that,' said the 47-year-old. 'But Ronnie's Ronnie. We're 1-1 in quarters, he bashed be up a few years before 13-4.
'So I'll have to touch up on my game, need to score a bit heavier. My safety's good, I'm happy with that but I need to score heavier to have a chance.'
O'Sullivan has not been pushed in wins over Jackson Page and Ryan Day so far (Picture: Getty Images)
Bingham is somewhat freewheeling as a qualifier in the quarter-finals, while O'Sullivan is bidding for a record eighth world title, but Ballrun says there is pressure on everyone in the sport's greatest tournament.
'I'm going for my second. He's going for his eighth. So we've got our own pressures and thoughts,' he said. 'I'm sure he'd love to get to eight.
'To be honest he maybe should be on 12, that's how good he is. But he's obviously fighting for his 8th, that might be why he played a little bit poorly against Ryan, he's got that added pressure.
'But you can't take anything for granted with Ronnie. He's the best player to ever pick up a cue and you need to play really, really well to have a chance.'
The 39-year-old enraged both his manager and the club's hierarchy when he gave an interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022 in which he said he had 'no respect' for Ten Hag and criticised the Glazer family's stewardship of the club.
Ronaldo had been at loggerheads with his manager long before that, beginning with his decision to leave a pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano before the final whistle had been blown.
The interview with Morgan was the final straw and Ronaldo's contract was terminated with immediate effect, with the former Real Madrid forward moving to Saudi Arabia to join Al Nassr not long after.
Although Ten Hag's firm stance was applauded at the time, Ronaldo's former Real team-mate Sneijder now claims it has contributed to the growing pressure his compatriot now faces at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag is fighting to save his job, particularly after another disappointing result against Burnley at the weekend, and Sneijder believes his power battle with Ronaldo ultimately lost him the respect of United's players.
Speaking on Dutch TV show Veronica Offside on Monday night, Sneijder said: 'He already made a mistake by competing with Ronaldo.
Ronaldo and Sneijder were team-mates at Real Madrid (Picture: Getty)
'He lost everyone's respect there. He thought it would work the other way around, but of course not.
'Those guys in the dressing room thought, "Is this man crazy?"'
On suggestions Ten Hag might be axed at the end of the season, Sneijder added: 'Of course he already knows that he has to leave.
'But you're not going to go yourself. If I was him, I would sit there comfortably [until he's sacked].'
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United's draw with Burnley officially ended their hopes of finishing in the top four and they are now fighting just to claim a place in the Europa League, though Ten Hag has defended his side and believes he is building a team for the future.
'We have some very young players and that's why we built this club back. That takes time, and we build this by bringing in young players,' he said at the weekend.
'Rasmus Hojlund, Alejandro Garnacho, Kobbie Mainoo – they are all in the first season of the Premier League and the Premier League gets more intense year by year.
'We have seen the data and it's much more intense than last season, especially when you see over the last four or five seasons. Those players have to adjust and that takes time.
'I am sorry for everyone. So, I am very impatient but there we need patience and fans they need patience. We built here a team, and they need experience.'
William Gallas names Chelsea duo as the two biggest flops of the season | HXR6S24 | 2024-04-30 16:08:01
Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea have largely struggled this season (Picture: Getty)
William Gallas has named two Chelsea players as the biggest flops of the season in the Premier League.
Chelsea have underwhelmed in Mauricio Pochettino's first season at Stamford Bridge, winning just 13 of their 33 league games to sit ninth in the Premier League.
With five games remaining, the Blues are 19 points outside the Champions League places and 32 points behind Premier League leaders and London rivals Arsenal.
Gallas has been particularly disappointed with two Chelsea players, labelling Raheem Sterling and Mykhailo Mudryk as the biggest flops of the season.
Sterling was a prolific forward and serial winner at Manchester City but is still struggling following his £50m move to Stamford Bridge in 2022, scoring six league goals this term.
That is two more than Mudryk has managed, with the Ukrainian so far failing to justify his £89m price tag following a move from Shakhtar Donetsk last year.
Asked to name his biggest flop of the season, Gallas told Gambling Zone: 'I think Raheem Sterling has been a big disappointment. When I watch him play, he doesn't look like a player that will return to the level that he was at Liverpool and Manchester City.
Raheem Sterling has only scored eight goals this season (Picture: Getty)
'This is his second season with the club, and he hasn't showed anything. For a guy that has won so much in his career, he should be doing a lot more for Chelsea. He hasn't done anything.
'Also, Mudryk, but the circumstances around his poor performances are a little bit different. We don't know how he has been affected by the war in Ukraine. We don't know what is happening with him – it must be very difficult for him.
'It looks like he isn't enjoying his football or his time at Chelsea. When he plays, you can see he isn't enjoying it.
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'It's a shame because everyone thought this would be the year where he showed his potential – I also thought that he would be a different player this season.'
Pressed on why Mudryk could be struggling at Stamford Bridge, Gallas added: 'It's hard for me to comment on why Mudryk looks like he doesn't have the confidence or the enjoyment in his football.
'I don't know if a change of scenery would benefit the player. We don't know if a new club would change his fortunes on the pitch.
Chelsea spent £89m on struggling winger Mykhailo Mudryk (Picture: Getty)
'We don't know what is going on in his private life. The situation with the war is very hard – he could still have family in Ukraine.
'Only the players that are around him, the guys that live with him every single day, will know what the answer is.'
Chelsea have five more games left to play this season, starting with a London derby against Tottenham on Thursday night.
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fall | 93Z955M | 2024-04-30 13:08:01
IT was a court case that raged on for years, as #FreeBritney campaigners fought for pop superstar Britney Spears to be released from a legal arrangement that gave her little power over her own life.
But two and a half years after she was freed from her 13-year conservatorship, which had given her father Jamie control over her personal life and finances, there are major questions over whether throwing her back into the deep end of life without any help was the right thing to do.
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fallGettyBritney Spears pictured in 2018[/caption]
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fallAlamyFans wave #FreeBritney placards but sources say the singer has no one looking out her now[/caption]
Since November 2021, the Toxic singer has been hit by disaster after disaster and things have gone from bad to worse.
Britney, 42, married third husband, actor Sam Asghari, 30, in June 2022, after they began dating in 2016.
But they split 13 months later amid allegations she attacked him as he slept and left him with a black eye and bite marks.
Then her sons Preston, 18, and Jayden, 17, moved to Hawaii with their dad Kevin Federline, 46, and publicly begged their mum to stop stripping off and dancing in videos posted on Instagram.
The pop favourite, who has sold more than 150million records, is now living an increasingly "dysfunctional and isolated" life according to sources in the US.
And there are concerns she is burning through her £50million fortune, splashing her cash on eye-wateringly expensive luxury holidays.
Yesterday, US gossip website TMZ claimed she has been spending millions of dollars on regular trips to French Polynesia every couple of months, blowing the money on private jets, luxury hotels and staff.
Then there have also been monthly trips to Hawaii, costing £280k a pop, where she stays in the presidential suite at the Four Seasons.
A source said: "There is no one looking after Britney.
"Her life is in freefall.
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"She has no focus and no one is telling her that she is at risk of flittering away all of the earnings she worked so hard for.
"She is living like there's no tomorrow."
There were allegations of financial mismanagement during her conservatorship.
She was forced to perform several lucrative tours and Las Vegas residencies, released four albums, appeared as a judge on the X Factor USA and launched a string of products but despite her heavy workload, the numbers did not add up to the huge sum she should have earned, while her father was paid £12,000 per month.
But the source continued: "Her finances were so tightly watched when she was in the conservatorship.
"There were times when she had to ask her backing dancers to pay for dinner and she was basically given meagre pocket money from her own accounts.
"Now it's like she's gone from one extreme to the other.
"It's worrying to think what could happen in just a few short years if she blows through her fortune."
Although the conservatorship was legally terminated in 2021, only last week did the legal wrangle over the intricacies finally come to an end.
It was decided she would have to pay £3.2million in fees to her lawyer Mathew Rosengart and a further £1.6 million for her father's legal costs.
But an emotional Britney hit out at her dad Jamie, 71, and mum Lynne, 68, who she has also had a rocky relationship with, claiming they ought to face "justice".
In a post on her Instagram page on Sunday night, before she deactivated her account yesterday, she wrote: "There has been no justice and probably never will be!
"The way I was brought up I was always taught the formative of right and wrong but the very two people who brought me up with that method hurt me!
"I am so lucky to be here!
"It's funny 'cus till this very day I haven't told them face to face!
"I text through IG but I honestly believe it will not be so safe if I ever did go face to face!"
Her lawyer Mathew seems to be one of the only people acting in her best interests, after deciding it would be better to end the legal battle with Jamie.
The Sun's insider said: "Britney told Mathew that she wanted justice and her day in court with her dad.
"She urged him to push the case that Jamie effectively stole money from her, while running the estate as her conservator but he has strongly denied any wrongdoing.
"Jamie's lawyers have had the right to make Britney sit in front of them for depositions about many of these matters — and it would cost many more millions.
"If that had happened, she would have been filmed answering hours of questions about the darkest times in her life including drug problems, mental health woes and personal dramas.
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fallInstagram/Sam Asghari
The star wed husband number three Sam Asghari in June 2022 but they broke up 13 months later[/caption]
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fallAFP
Singer Britney won back control of her finances and personal life from dad Jamie[/caption]
"Mathew's focus has been protecting his client."
However, the source, based in Las Vegas and who has worked with Britney for many years, stated: "Jamie has pretty much had all his expenditures examined by the LA Superior Court and signed off by a judge.
"The overarching observation is that Jamie saved Britney's finances from ruin.
"She was at one point down to £2.5million and he helped her to rise up to more than £50million."
While Britney has struggled since the conservatorship was terminated, many are convinced it was how she was treated during the arrangement which did irreparable damage.
During interviews in the UK in 2016 during a press tour for her ninth album Glory, she appeared present and witty.
A few years later it was a different story.
In early 2019, she pulled out of a Las Vegas residency and announced an indefinite hiatus from music.
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fallSons Preston and Jayden have begged Britney to stop posting revealing picsRefer to Caption
Bitter love split, spats with sons & burning through her £50m fortune – how Britney Spears' life has gone into free fallInstagram/britneyspears
One of Britney's erratic and worrying social media posts[/caption]
It is believed to have been axed after she refused to take medication and she was carted off to a live-in rehabilitation centre, leading fans to question where she was, having not been pictured for months.
At that point, she was forcibly given lithium to treat her bipolar disorder, as well as a cocktail of other prescription medications.
Speaking in court in 2021, she said: "Lithium is a very, very strong and completely different medication compared to what I was used to.
"You can go mentally impaired if you take too much, if you stay on it longer than five months. But he put me on that, and I felt drunk."
In summer 2021, Jamie's lawyers made it clear that much of her private health information had been kept a secret from the public as he tried to protect her.
Documents filed in court said: "There is no doubt that the Conservatorship saved Ms Spears from disaster, supported her when she needed it the most, protected her and her reputation from harm, and facilitated the restoration of her career."
But now she is out on her own, she appears far more erratic and vulnerable, with distrust for the system which was supposed to look after her.
