Betting Guides
Plain-English guides to betting shops and betting basics, written around real opening-hours data from 4,500+ shops across the UK and Ireland. No jargon, no hype — just how it all works.
How Betting Shops Work
Your first visit explained: the counter, betting slips, terminals, minimum stakes and what to expect inside a UK betting shop.
Read the guide 7 min readBetting Odds Explained
Fractional vs decimal odds, implied probability and worked payout examples — plus a full conversion table.
Read the guide 7 min readTypes of Bets
Singles, doubles, trebles, accas, forecasts, Yankees and Lucky 15s — what each bet is and when it's used.
Read the guide 7 min readWhy we publish these guides
OpenBookies lists real betting shops with live opening times across the UK and Ireland. These guides answer the practical questions behind that data — what actually happens at the counter, how odds and bet types work, and what to expect on your first visit.
Ready to visit? Find betting shops open now or browse bookmakers by town.