Best Cycling Betting Sites | 2018

Year-round Cycling Coverage with bet365

No matter if you’re an avid cycling pundit or just a casual bettor, bet365 has got you covered. This bookie covers every major event and many minor cycling events in the world. So much so in fact, that they have outright offers months before the competitions begin.

This bookmaker offers odds and betting markets on all Grand Tour events, as well as lower reputation races. Of course, besides the Tour, events like Olympic cycling, World championships, and other top-level competitions enjoy far greater market coverage compared to lesser-known events. For example, one of the biggest cycling events, Tour de France, is always excellently represented with many betting markets, special offers and innovative variables you can place bets on.

Large Selection of Cycling Betting Markets with Paddy Power

As one of the premier betting websites in the UK, this Irish sportsbook offers a huge selection of different betting options. Paddy Power is renowned for always having innovative and interesting promotions. They have everything you would need in an online bookie including both live streaming and live betting.

Not many bettors are aware, but this bookie has one of the best cycling betting services. All big cycling events are generally available for bets, with many betting markets at the pundit's disposal. The sportsbook runs a very respectable cycling bets offer as well, with Grand Tour competitions available for wagers months in advance.

Safe and Enjoyable Cycling Betting with BetVictor

BetVictor is one of those betting sites that enjoys a great online reputation amongst both bookies and pundits. It is regarded as one of the safest and most trustworthy places for online bettors. It has an excellent user-interface, great customer support and just enough payment methods to meet everyone's requirements. Besides this, their innovative website offers a great cycling betting service for bettors.

Like bet365, BetVictor has elevated their game when it comes to cycling betting. They allow their pundits to bet on a wide variety of cycling events, both on the road and in the arena. From spring to autumn, they provide betting coverage of all major cycling events and always have interesting betting specials for each of the big cycling competitions.

Major Cycling Races to Bet On

When it comes to cycling betting, most UK sportsbooks feature predominantly European cycling. Even with this being the case, cycling enthusiasts have no shortage of exciting events they can bet on. Here are the most popular cycling races you can bet on throughout the year:

Tour de France

Regarded as the King of all races, Tour de France receives more media attention than any other cycling event during the year. Bettors from almost every betting jurisdiction take part in wagering in the tour. It is also the biggest event in the cycling world and is famous around the globe for its grueling setting, with harsh long distance stages and beautiful scenery that accompanies it along the way. Cyclists test their stamina and athleticism against hills, valley, and mountains before crossing the finish line in Paris on the last day of the race. The Tour d France competition spans over 21 days and covers more than 3,500 miles.

Giro D'Italia

Giro D’Italia is the first major cycling event of the calendar year and takes place each year at the start of May.  It is one of the three big 21-day cycling events of the year. The route changes from year to year, although the format stays fairly the same, alongside time trials and a cycling journey through the Alps. While the main goal of every cyclist competing is to win Giro D’Italia, the competition itself comprises out of a subset of different categories cyclists can compete in. Giro D’Italia is also one of the toughest cycling events to predict, as it spans over a variety of different terrains, often with tumultuous weather.

La Vuelta

In the competitive world of professional cycling, the Tour of Spain, or La Vuelta, holds a close second position, just behind the Tour de France. Inspired by the success of Tour de France, it was established back in 1935, and quickly became one of the most popular cycling competitions. The cyclists ride through the Pyrenees, along with the coastline and finally finish in Madrid. Besides the general qualification, where the rider with the lowest time wins, there are also several other categories. Other contests include points classification, team and combination classification and mountain classification. The competition also enjoys excellent media coverage. This means that there are high chances you will be able to place bets on all of the mentioned categories at any reputable cycling betting site.

UCI World Championship

The annual World Championship is held every year to determine the cycling champion. The championship consists out of several main events. The highlight of the championship is the Elite men's road race. The winner of the Elite road race is considered the World Cycling Champion. The championship itself is held in a different country each year. Although not as popular as the three Grand Tour events, the UCI World Championship still holds a strong position. Betting coverage and markets are a bit smaller compared to the previously mentioned events, but there are still a lot of options for cycling betting enthusiasts.

Popular Cycling  Online Betting Markets

Even though cycling is a very niche sport, UK bookies have got it covered pretty well, much beyond than the general ‘who will win the race’ markets. The biggest cycling competitions usually have a wide variety of different markets. These include:

Race Winner Bets

Race winner bets are also called outright cycling winner bets. This is the simplest and most common type of cycling bet, most popular with casual punters and beginners. Race winner bets payout on the first rider to come across the finish line. For one day races, you can bet on the winner of the race, whilst for multiple stage races, you can bet on the stage winner or the overall winner of the competition. These outright bets are often available months before the competition even starts.

General Classification Betting Markets

You are able to make general classification bets on Grand Tour competitions, and other cycling tournaments where the competition consists out of multiple stages and several days. This means you can place bets on the outright winner (the rider who wins the overall race), as well as on the winner of each particular stage. Making classification bets is a bit tougher than placing outright bets since it requires a better understanding of the sport.

Points Classification Betting Markets

Staying on the subject of multi-day races, they typically have three main events you can bet on. Besides the general competition bet, there are also two more races, the race for the points and the king of the mountains jersey. During Grand Tours, the bookie will let you bet on any of the three classification contests.

Cycling Match Bets

This type of bet is usually available only at big competitions. The cycling match bet is a simple bet that pits two cyclists one against another. It disregards the overall performance and the result of a race, as all that it matters if that's your cyclist beats the particular chosen rivals across the finish line.

In-play Cycling Betting

Yes, just like in football, you can place live in-play bets on cycling as well. You can bet on the cycling event as it is taking place. Since cycling competitions usually span over several days or weeks, in-play cycling betting is becoming an increasingly popular betting market for punter.

Betting on Cycling – Teams VS. Individuals

If you’re new to cycling betting, the most important things to understand are the competition and discipline differences, especially when it comes to multi-stage events. Cyclists are competing on an individual and team level in the same tournament. This is why, when comparing teams, you should also keep a keen eye on its performers. Team balance is extremely important and is an excellent indicator of the team's potential success in a competition. A team with all-around cyclists may perform better in the overall team classification, though their individuals will need support from each other on stages where they underperform. For example, sprinters and riders aiming for good individual classification will need help from their climbing specialist teammates to get through the rough mountain stretches. Each competitor has his own strengths and weaknesses, and knowing them can make a great difference when placing bets.

How to Get the Best Value When Betting on Cycling?

The best strategy when betting on cycling competitions is to prepare and do your research. If you are a regular fan of the sport, you will know what the best riders are and their current form. The more knowledge you have about the sport the better-valued bets you will be able to make. For example, you can bet on exact stages and variables and cash in on specific cycling markets.  Cycling betting markets like Stage Winner and Match Bets often have generous offers. There are also other elements you can bet on, like time trial stages, which are fairly easy to predict if you have a bit of background knowledge, as these are just focused on the rider against the clock.

Last, but not least, it's of paramount importance that you find the site with the best odds, as this could mean the world of difference when placing bets. Shop around between bookies, or have a couple of sportsbooks always at your disposal. The cycling betting markets are still relatively underdeveloped compared to other sports, and you can easily find very different odds between bookmakers, as well as generous pricing opportunities. If you don’t know where to start, any of the three above-listed cycling bookmakers are an excellent choice to start your cycling betting experience.

Cycling Betting FAQ

How to bet on cycling?

The easiest way to bet on cycling, especially if you’re a beginner or a casual bettor, is to place outright bets. In other words, just bet on the cyclist you think will win the competition. There are plenty of popular events you can bet on, including the three Grand Tour events and the World Championships.

Are there special cycling bets and promotions?

Although the promotions vary from one sportsbook to another, many reputable bookies will offer you the chance to make bets on specific riders and stages of a particular event. For example, you will be able to place a bet if a rider will win certain stages of the event. This is useful for those who follow the sport and know how different cyclists perform on different terrain.

Should I use multiple cycling betting sites?

Using multiple bookmakers is always a great idea when betting online. It especially comes in useful if you’re in it for the long haul. While it will take a bit more of your time to check and compare offers and odds, it really helps you earn more money with time. We would recommend checking two or three websites each time before placing wagers.