If you've never placed a bet online before then don't worry its actually very simple.

All you need is a credit or debit card with which to open an account and about 5 minutes to fill out an application form and then you're ready to bet.

Opening an account
From a bookmakers home page look for the link for the new accounts page. This may be called join or register or something similar. Once you find it you will be presented with a form, much like if you were buying something online, where you have to supply your name and address and a few other details such as a username & password so you can login each time you visit.

Making a Deposit
With some bookmakers you need to make a deposit to open an account, others let you open the account without putting any money in & then you have to find the "account" section to deposit funds.

Typically the minimum deposit is about £10 although it can be a little higher with some bookmakers. This money is then taken from your bank account (if you used a switch card) or credit card and then shows as a positive account balance in your bookmaker account. No more money is taken from your account so its easy to limit your losses, and of course you are free to withdraw your money whenever you want much in the same way as you deposited it. Generally bookmakers like to give you your winnings back on the same card that you deposited.

Making a bet
Once you have money in your bookmaker account you are free to bet up to that amount on any of their markets. There is unusually a minimum amount for a bet but this is rarely more than £2 and often a lot less.

To place the bet simply select the horse (or team or player) you want to bet on and then enter a stake and click on a button to enter your bet (it varies what but its usually pretty obvious). You will then be presented with a confirmation page allowing you to confirm or cancel the bet.

Your Account
All online bookmakers have an "accounts" section where you can add money, withdraw money, check your account balance and see your betting history. This is very useful for keeping track of your bets.