In certain instances, we may earn revenue when a reader makes a purchase or completes a form through our pages or on a partner’s website. We adhere to a strict Get ready to discover the best free bets available to punters in the United Kingdom. We’ll teach you exactly how these terrific promotions work and how you can obtain them, plus we’ll share some expert tips to help you get the maximum return from them.
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Different Types of Free Bets in the UK
The term “free bet” means different things to different people. All UK sports betting sites run promotions, but the rewards, as well as the terms and conditions, vary between brands.
To kick off our guide, we’ll define exactly what free bets are, and take a look at the different types of sportsbook bonus.
Free Bet
More often than not, a free bet is essentially a voucher that’s added to your account. It entitles you to wager on a specified event, without needing to spend any money.
If the bet loses, nothing happens. But if you win, the profits are yours. Although the rules vary between sites, you don’t normally get to keep the stake with a free bet.
For instance, imagine you have a £10 free bet and decide to place a bet at odds of 3.00, or 2/1. If it wins, you’d normally expect a £30 return. But, since the stake is excluded, you’ll pocket just £20. Still, not bad, considering you didn’t spend a penny.
Bonus Betting Credits
An alternative type of free bet is when the bookmaker simply credits your account with bonus funds. Rather than saying “here’s a £10 free bet”, you’ll just have £10 credited to your bonus account instead.
What’s the difference? Well, the bonus credits can often be used on anything, whereas a free bet will likely be restricted to specific sports. More importantly, though, when betting with bonus funds, the stake is usually returned.
You’re likely to find this kind of offer at betting sites not on GAMSTOP. These sportsbooks are regulated overseas, where marketing restrictions are less strict, giving them the freedom to provide bigger and more creative bonuses.
No Deposit Needed
You might have heard about no deposit bonuses before. These are exactly what they sound like. Simply open a new account and receive a reward, with no need to deposit or spend any funds.
The reward might be a traditional free bet, or it could just as easily be bonus credits. It depends entirely on the website running the promotion. However, it’s fair to say that free bets with no deposit are hard to find in the UK these days.
Bet and Get
A much more common promotion is the “bet and get”. As the name implies, any customer placing a real money bet will automatically obtain some kind of free bet bonus. These will be added to your account as soon as the qualifying wager is settled.
Most of the UK’s leading bookmakers offer this type of deal. Normally, you only need to bet £10 to claim your bonus, with anything from £20 to £50 in free bets available.
Money Back as a Free Bet
This type of promotion also requires you to spend real money first. It acts as a kind of insurance policy.
If the real bet wins, everything is rosy in the garden. But if it loses, you’ll have your stake refunded as a free bet, giving you another chance to bet and win.
You might sometimes see this type of offer called a “risk-free” bet, which is slightly misleading, or a “second chance” bet.
Deposit Match Bonus
A common promotion at offshore sportsbooks is the deposit match offer. In this case, you must add funds to your account to pick up the bonus. If you do, a number of betting credits will be added to your bonus account, in accordance with how much you choose to deposit.
For example, a 150% first time deposit bonus would result in a reward of £150 if you funded the account with £100.
It’s not just used for welcome bonuses though. Many sites offer reload bonuses, which follow the same format.
Winnings Boost
This isn’t the most common promotion, but we’ve seen some bookmakers offering accumulator-specific free bets.
Basically, your first real money bet must be an accumulator with at least three selections. If the bet wins, you’ll receive an additional 25% as a reward. However, the 25% bonus is paid in the form of a free bet, rather than cash.
“Only use your free bets on markets you're familiar with and have a good understanding of. And make sure you read the small print to understand the specific requirements, restrictions, and time limits associated with the offer before you sign up.”
Free Bets vs. Sign Up Bonus Offers
Although free bets in the UKare often used as signup incentives, they’re not exclusively for new registrants. Free bet promotions are often given to existing customers, while signup bonuses don’t always include free bets.
The easiest way to tell the difference is to simply read the terms and conditions. Whenever you see a bookmaker advertising “free bets”, it will immediately be followed by some kind of qualifier in the terms below the headline. “New customers only” is an important phrase to look out for.
What to Look Out For to Find the Best Free Bets
Not all free bets in the UK are created equally. Don’t be seduced by an exciting-sounding headline, only to discover some restrictive terms and conditions when it’s too late.
Here’s a list of the most important things to look out for in a free bet promotion.
Free Bets Terms and Conditions
First of all, you have to check the terms and conditions. Why? Because if you don’t follow the rules to the letter, you won’t earn the promised rewards. The following terms are the most common.
Free Bets Wagering Requirements
Some free bets offers have wagering requirements attached. If that’s the case, it means you can’t withdraw any winnings from your account until you’ve met the requirements.
Are there Free Bets Offers for Loyal Members?
Promotions aren’t just for the benefit of new registrants. In fact, some of the very best free bets are reserved for people who already have an account.
Even if a site doesn’t give free bets to its regulars, there will always be a host of other ongoing promotions to benefit from. Here are some of the most common to look out for.
Price Boost
Many bookmakers choose to enhance specific odds, either permanently or temporarily, to give regular punters a little more value. These are often called price boosts.
Similarly, it’s also possible to acquire odds boost tokens. Here, you have the power to choose which odds should be increased, instead of the bookmaker deciding on your behalf.
Early Payout
Most commonly found in football matches, early payouts mean you don’t need to wait until the game is over to get paid. However, certain conditions must be met in order to qualify, such as the team taking a two goal lead.
For instance, imagine you back Liverpool to beat West Ham and the reds take a 2-0 lead in the 55th minute. If your bookmaker offers early payout, your bet will now be settled as a winner.
The money is yours, either to withdraw or place additional bets, with no need to wait until the final whistle.
Accumulator Offers
Many UK bookies offer some kind of accumulator promotion. That might be an enhanced payout, where the returns of a winning bet are boosted by a fixed percentage.
However, it might also be acca insurance, where there’s a consolation prize for a near miss. Normally, you’ll get your money back as a free bet if just one selection lets you down.
Best Odds Guaranteed
This promotion is extremely popular with greyhound and horse racing fans. In these sports, the markets can move very quickly. As such, there’s often a big difference between the odds at the time of striking the bet, and the starting price.
It’s incredibly frustrating to see a bigger SP returned than the price you took. However, with best odds guaranteed, often referred to simply as BOG, it no longer matters. Whichever of the two is the biggest, that’s the price you’ll receive.
What Sports Can You Bet on with the Best Free Bets?
The best free bets can be used on any sport or market, live or pre-game. However, most free bet offers come with restrictions attached. Sometimes, only certain sports are eligible.
It’s important to check the terms and conditions before using your bonus, otherwise you may end up frustrated.
Here are some of the most popular sports in the UK, in which free bets are regularly offered.
Soccer
More commonly referred to as football, the beautiful game is the country’s national sport. That explains the number of quality football betting sites in the UK, but also why the game features in so many sportsbook promotions.
Horse Racing
It’s not as popular as it used to be, but the sport of kings remains a staple of the British bookmaker. There’s racing all year round in the UK, but many bookies also provide coverage of major international festivals. And, like most big sporting occasions, you’ll find free bet promotions as they draw closer.
Other Sports
Football and racing may be the most popular with bettors in the UK, but there are many other beloved sports. And it’s possible to find free bets and bonuses for all of them.
There aren’t many, but you can certainly find a number of UK sports betting apps with free bets exclusive to mobile bettors. You’ll first need to use the mobile site or the app to opt into the special promotion. Then, simply follow the instructions to claim your free bets. Free bets aren’t for withdrawal. Like the name suggests, this type of bonus provides an opportunity to wager without spending your own money. Of course, if you use the free bet and win, you’ll be able to withdraw any profits. Unless, of course, the promotion involves a wagering requirement, as explained elsewhere in this guide. Once you’ve met any applicable playthrough conditions, you’re free to request a withdrawal. Free bets can be a great way to increase your bankroll. Apply the following tips to get the most out of such offers. There are so many betting sites with free bets these days. If you find yourself with such a bonus at two different sportsbooks, you have an opportunity to lock in a guaranteed profit by hedging. This is a simple betting strategy that involves betting on both sides of a market. You could, for instance, check the Over/Under 2.5 Goals line on a Premier League game. Use one free bet on Over, covering Under with the other, and now you can’t lose. There are no guaranteed ways to win betting on sports, but matched betting is as close as it gets. It’s a little like the example we just described, only more profitable. To claim most free bets, you first need to place a qualifying wager. The problem is, that bet could lose, so you might end up down on the overall deal. However, if you place a qualifying bet, then use a betting exchange to lay the same outcome, you’ll essentially break even. You can then use the same trick on the free bet you acquired as a result. Back one side of the market, then use a calculator to find the optimal amount to lay, locking in a guaranteed profit. If you like the sound of the matched betting strategy, but don’t understand how to use a betting exchange, don’t worry. Look up free bet conversion calculators instead. The concept is similar, as you’ll cover one side of a market using real money, while using a free bet to back the other. You can find lots of free calculator tools online, as well as websites that help you identify good value lines. If the above strategies are a bit safe for your liking, and you prefer a little more risk, use your free bet on a good old fashioned longshot. Because free bets don’t usually return the stake, there’s not much point backing an odds-on selection. For example, a £20 free bet at odds of 1/2, or 1.50, would only return £10 in total. However, if you fancy a horse at 25/1 (26.00) you know you’re not likely to win anyway. Save your real money and use the free bet instead. £20 would return £500, which feels much more worthwhile. The subject of free casino bets is a little more complex. First of all, you have standalone bonuses that allow you to play slots, for instance, or bet on table games like roulette. However, many of the best UK online casinos these days also feature an integrated sportsbook. It’s increasingly common, therefore, to see cross-promotional activities. New casino registrants might receive a 100% deposit match bonus, as well as a £20 free bet, for example. In the following section, we’ll look at some of the most common casino free bets. This works exactly like the bonus credits we discussed earlier, except casino bonuses tend to be bigger. Some UK casinos offer 200% and even 400% deposit match bonuses. Play selected video slots without risking a penny of your own money. If you win anything, it’s yours to keep, though there will be wagering requirements to clear before you can make a withdrawal. Register an account to receive some kind of bonus, with no need to deposit. It’s usually a free spins promotion, but you’ll sometimes be awarded a small number of bonus credits. Undoubtedly one of the best free bet casino offers, no deposit bonuses are rare these days. Some casinos issue a rebate to players who’ve made a loss during a specified time period. Although it’s possible to receive your cashback as real money, with no wagering requirements, sometimes it’ll be returned in the form of free betting credits. If a gambling site features a casino and a sportsbook, the welcome offer frequently contains bonuses for both. Look out for rewarding deals like “bet £10 and get £20 in free bets, plus 50 free spins”, for instance. It’s important to stay in control when gambling. We only recommend sportsbooks that provide responsible gambling tools, including reality checks, deposit and loss limits, temporary timeouts and a comprehensive self-exclusion program. If you ever feel like your betting is becoming an issue, take a break and seek advice. There are countless sources of free information available in the UK, including charities like Gamblers Anonymous and GamCare. The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme, better known as GAMSTOP, is also an option. Registering will automatically block you from every gambling site in the UK. If you’re self-excluded, we strongly suggest you avoid sports betting and horse racing sites that aren’t on GAMSTOP. We follow a proven methodology when reviewing sports betting sites that highlights the pros and cons of each platform. Our process enables us to rate sportsbooks on key features so you can compare sites with ease. We cover: …and more. Check out our complete guide to learn how to rate sportsbooks featured on Techopedia. With so many different free bets and promotions floating around the internet, it’s important that you understand how they work. The best free bets can certainly be rewarding. But if you dive in head first, without fully understanding the rules, you’ll only end up disappointed. Always read the terms and conditions of an offer before getting involved. And make sure you refer back to this guide for extra assistance.Best Free Bets Mobile Only Offers
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