The Best Free Bets for UK Players in 2024

If you’re searching for the best free bet offers, then you’ve come to the right place. It might sound too good to be true, but this betting bonus really does give you the chance to make wagers without using your own bankroll. Household names and new betting sites alike offer this bonus deal, and we’ve highlighted the very best in our top-rated list of online sportsbooks, where you can easily compare the key terms of each deal. We’ve also written expert sportsbook reviews, covering everything from betting markets to payment methods, to help you find the best betting site for you. Simply check out our list of the best betting sites with free bet offers to get started.

Want to learn more about free bets, including how they work and how exactly you can get your hands on one? Whether you want to use free bets to wager on football, horse racing or any other sport, we’ve got you covered. Read on for all you need to know about free bet bonuses.

Comparison of the Best Free Bets

How We Choose the Best Free Bets in the UK

We’ve recommended a variety of free bet offers and ranked them. Want to know how we chose our favourites? Let’s take a look at the ranking criteria.

Qualifying Wager

We tend to favour bookies that offer a good bonus amount without requiring a large qualifying wager. Coral, for example, rewards a relatively low first deposit of £5 with £20 in free bets. Parimatch offers £20 in free bets when you wager £10 of your own money.

Time Limits

When you claim a free bet bonus, you will have to use it within a specified time. These limits can often be pretty generous, lasting up to seven days from claiming the promotion. Other sites, however, may have shorter time limits of just 24 hours.

Available Markets

The number of markets you can use a free bet on may sometimes be limited by the betting site. In the cases of event-specific free bets, you may even be restricted to placing the wager on just one market from one particular game.

Money Back Bet

Some of our top UK free bets take the form of a ‘money back bet’ — sometimes called a bet refund — where you place your qualifying bet with real money as usual, but you’ll be given a refund in the form of a free bet credit if you lose. As such, some players might like to take a punt at a wager with longer odds, safe in the knowledge they’ll get their stake back if it fails to come good.

Payment Method Exclusions

Certain payment methods — usually e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill and Neteller — may be excluded from the best free bet offers.

Before making your qualifying deposit, always check to see if there are any payment method restrictions as you won’t receive your free bet if you use one. Debit cards are generally your best option if you’re in any doubt, as it’s very rare for them to be excluded when claiming a free bet offer.

Betting Site Features

While the provision of free bets and other bonus offers is important to us, we also want to see a variety of betting site features. The more a bookie provides to its punters, the less likely they’ll need to go elsewhere to meet all their sports betting needs. Some of the features we look for include:

• Live Streaming 
• In-Play Betting 
• Early Cash Out 
• Bet Builder
• Best Odds Guaranteed 
• Casino Games

Payout Speed

There’s nothing worse than having to wait several days for your money to appear in your account. When reviewing the best free bet offers, we evaluate both the number of available fast payout payment methods — such as PayPal, Skrill and Visa Fast Funds — and the speed with which the betting site processes withdrawal requests. Most bookmakers complete processing within 48 hours, but some are quicker than others.

Personal Experience

Last but not least, multiple members of our team test out the sites so we can provide an honest, well-rounded assessment of the user experience. As bettors ourselves, we know from personal experience what customers are looking for in a new betting site, so rest assured that all aspects of the site we’re reviewing have been thoroughly checked and verified by members of our in-house team, including free bet bonuses. 

Free Bets Explained

It might seem obvious, but a free bet is pretty much just that — a bet you can make without having to put your own money on the line. Typically, it comes in the form of a token which can be activated from your betslip. You might have a £5 free bet, for example. This betting credit can’t be withdrawn, but can be used to place bets in accordance with the promotional T&Cs. 

If your bet is lucky enough to win, you’ll usually get to keep any resulting profit. Imagine you use your £5 free bet on a market with odds of 4/1 and the bet comes good. The £20 profit from this winning bet is added to your real money balance, which can be withdrawn or used for future bets. 

Unlocking a free bet usually requires something in return — a minimum deposit or qualifying bet, for example. Bet X Get X offers are a common welcome bonus you’ll see, while existing customers can look forward to offers such as free bet clubs. Keep reading to discover more about the types of free bets available at our partner bookies.

Different Types of Free Bet Bonuses

Free bets and betting offers vary widely between bookmakers, and there’s something different at every site you visit. Here’s a quick run-through of the promotions you might find at our recommended bookies.

Free Bet Welcome Bonus

Welcome bonus free bet stakes can be used to place a wager at a bookmaker instead of using your own cash. To unlock them, you’ll usually need to make a minimum deposit or qualifying bet.

Our Top Picks for Free Bet Welcome Bonuses

• BetMGM – Bet £10 and get £40 split between horse racing, football, bet builders, and accas.
• Sky Bet – Get £30 of free bets (3 x £10) when you sign up and deposit £5, and then make a minimum bet of just 5p.
• BetVictor – Bet £10 on any football market at BetVictor and you’ll receive £40 of free bet stakes.

First Bet Bonus

Most free bet welcome deals reward free bets when you make your first real money wager, provided it meets the qualifying requirements. Some top online bookies offer matched bet offers, such as ‘bet £10 get a £10 free bet’, while other betting sites offer deals like ‘bet £5 get £20 in free bets’. The way in which you can use your free bet bonus varies depending on the offer – some sites may award a set £20 bet, while others will award four £5 free bets.

Money-Back Free Bet

Money-back free bets work a bit like standard free bets, but they’re only awarded if your qualifying settles as a loss. Effectively, they give you a second chance to land some wins, although you should still bet responsibly as you can’t withdraw the money-back bet stake.

Our Top Picks for Money-Back Free Bets

• Unibet – Bet at least £10 and get your stake back if you lose, up to a maximum free bet of £40.
• Paddy Power – Take advantage of several money-back free bet offers, including acca insurance and money back if 2nd to SP fav.

Free Bets with Enhanced Odds

Want the chance at better profits if your free bet wins? If you place qualifying bets on enhanced prices, you’ll get an uplift if your wager comes good.

Our Top Picks for Free Bets with Enhanced Odds

• 32Red – Find daily enhanced prices on a wide range of markets.
• CasinoCasino Sports – Get an acca boost up to 50% on all football multiples
• Pub Sports – Place free bets on markets with boosted odds and claim a boost on winning football accas.

Bonus Code Free Bets

Some free bets can only be received through the use of a bonus code. Unlike a free bet sign up offer, these can generally be claimed at any time while you’re a customer at the site. Many sportsbooks send out free bet bonus promo codes via email newsletters or social media, so opting into marketing might prove beneficial. Using promo code free bets is simple — just enter the code in your account and you’re good to go. You could then receive a single bet to a specific value, several free bet tokens, or a matched free bet on your next deposit. 

As with all other free bet types, you should always check the terms and conditions. There may be a minimum deposit amount to meet in order to be eligible, and there may be restrictions on what you can use your free bet on. For example, it may not be valid for spread bets or accumulators.

No Deposit Free Bets

No deposit free bets are one of the most sought-after sports betting bonus around. Why? Because you won’t have to stump up any cash in order to claim the deal. No deposit offers are few and far between, and there are currently no bookmakers that feature them.

Bet £5 Get £20 Free Bet

To claim one of these offers, all you have to do is deposit and bet £5 at the minimum odds requirement. You’ll receive your £20 credit after qualifying bet settlement. Be sure to check when your free bets expire so you’re not caught out!

Our Top Picks

Coral — One free bet worth £20 

You’ll get a £20 free bet as soon as you deposit and bet your first £5 with Coral. This free bet balance won’t come with any wagering requirements — so any potential winnings will be yours to keep — but must all be used on one bet, meaning you can’t distribute your £20 free bet balance across multiple bets. Also, bear in mind that deposits made with prepaid cards, Apple Pay, Paypal, Neteller or Skrill won’t be eligible for the bonus, so you must make your first deposit with a debit card. Once you’ve done so, however, you’ll find plenty of different sports and markets to bet on at Coral, but as you only have one shot at this free bet, be sure to choose your selection wisely!

Pros:

• Only requires a £5 deposit
• No wagering requirements
• Can be used on all sports and markets
• No minimum stake requirements on the free bet

Cons:

• Have to use the entire £20 in one bet
• Only have 7 days before the free bet expires
• Can only qualify with a debit card deposit
• Qualifying bet must satisfy minimum stake requirements of 1/2 or greater.

Ladbrokes — Four free bets worth £5 each

At Ladbrokes, you’ll be credited with four separate £5 free bets when you deposit and spend your first £5. This will no doubt suit a different type of bettor than Coral’s welcome offer, but we personally think it’s a better way of getting used to a new site, as it allows you to place four comparatively modest bets on a range of different sports and markets before you start to play with your own money. Like Coral’s offering, you’ll have seven days to make these bets, and you’ll also need to make your £5 deposit with your debit card — but there’s less pressure riding on where you place that free bet, and a better chance that at least one of them will come through.

Pros:

• £20 spread out over 4 free bets
• Big reward for just a £5 bet
• Free bets can be used on all sports
• No wagering requirements
• No minimum stake requirements on free bets

Cons:

• Qualifying bet must have odds of 1/2 or greater
• Free bets expire after 7 days
• Free bets can’t be used on the same markets
• Only a debit card deposit will qualify you for this bonus

Bet £10 Get £30

A Bet £10 Get £30 offer is exactly what it says on the tin — just bet £10 at the minimum odds and you’ll be get £30 of free bets credited in return.

Our Top Picks

• Parimatch – Get £30 of football free bets or Esports free bets when you bet at least £10 at Parimatch.
• bet365 – Place a £10 bet on any market at bet365 and you’ll receive £30 of free bet credit to use how you please.

Bet £10 Get £40

As you’d expect, a bet 10 get 40 offer free bet bonus goes one further and rewards customers with £40 when they bet £10 at the site.

Our Top Picks

• BetMGM – This flexible offer gives you a £10 horse racing bet, £10 football free bet, a free £10 bet builder, and a £10 acca when you bet at least £10.
• CopyBet – Bet £10 at odds of 1.5 or greater and you’ll receive 4 x £10 free bets.

Best Free Bets and Promotions for Existing Customers

Of course, once you’ve been with a site long enough to get through any sign-up offers, you might be wondering what’s next. Fortunately, many of our top sportsbooks offer ongoing free bets and other promotions for existing customers. These can take several forms — let’s look at a few of the different types below. 

Free Bet Club

If you’re a regular sports bettor, it’s worth getting involved at a site with a free bet club — that’s where you’ll get regular access to free bets when you opt in and meet any requirements. Many free bet clubs reward members with a weekly free bet, typically £5–£10 in size. In order to qualify, you’ll usually need to have bet a certain amount at the site that week.

Top Picks

• Bzeebet – Place £20 of combo bets at odds of 7/10 (1.70) or greater to land up to 2 x £5 free bets each week.
• Vegas Mobile Casino – Every Monday, get £20 in free bets when you deposit and wager £50 using promo code ‘FBM’.
• BoyleSports – If you’re a fan of American football, BoyleSports’ ‘QuarterBack’ offer returns 25% of your weekly NFL stakes as a free bet up to £25.

Reload Bonus

A reload bonus is a term that can apply to any offer designed to ‘reload’ a player’s balance at a site — so you could probably consider most offers to existing customers as reload bonuses. Sportsbooks often hand them out to players when there’s a big event coming up, sometimes requiring qualifying bets or free bets to be placed on said event. 

Reload bonuses come in many different shapes and sizes, with examples including:

• 100% deposit match up to £50 when you deposit at least £20.
• £30 free bet when you deposit £30.
• Two £10 free bets when you bet at least £5 on the Premier League.

Top Picks

• 10bet – At this betting site, there are regularly updated free bet reload offers for wagering on specific sports, such as a £5 free bet on American sports or a £5 free bet on AFCON.
• Coral – Get a chance to reload your bonus wallet every day by playing the Daily Rewards Grabber with bonus bets and more up for grabs.

Loyalty Bonus

Just like reload bonuses, loyalty bonuses cover a wide spectrum of offers. They’re given to punters who regularly bet or deposit at a site in recognition of their patronage, sometimes requiring you to opt in or meet staking minimums in order to trigger the bonus. While free bet clubs themselves are a type of loyalty bonus, there are plenty of other offer types too, including:

• Deposit matches
• VIP points which can be exchanged for free bets and other perks
• Cashback 
• Odds boosts
• Additional casino bonuses and free spins

Top Picks

• BoyleSports – If you like to bet on accumulators, you’ll get a £5 acca free bet for every five you place at the site.
• Unibet – This betting site is one of a few that features a refer-a-friend loyalty bonus where you can bag up to £200.
• Coral – Register for the Connect rewards card at Coral and you’ll get access to extra offers, weekly free-to-play games, and more, both in-shop and online.

Insurance Free Bets

We’ve all been there — just as your acca is about to come good, the final leg lets you down and you walk away with nothing. One way to avoid this disappointment is with acca insurance. While you won’t take home any profit, you’ll get your stake refunded with a free bet credit instead, should just one leg of your accumulator fail. 

Make sure you know the maximum insurance free bet offered by the sportsbook — the limit is usually set somewhere between £10 and £25.

Top Picks

• QuinnBet – The absolute king of insurance free bets, this site delivers things like fallers insurance, 2nd to SP fav, and beaten by a head for horse racing, and crossbar and red card insurance for football.
• Parimatch – Take advantage of money back bets across a range of sports up to £30, including tennis, Esports, and horse racing.
• Unibet – This betting site is another great option for horse racing fans to pick up some insurance free bets.

Price Boosts

Also known as odds boosts or enhanced odds, price boosts increase the potential payout on a bet by lengthening the odds. 

Let’s say you’re betting on a horse race, and Horse A is the favourite to win at odds of 2/1. In this instance, a £10 stake will net you £20 profit if the bet comes good. While that’s by no means bad, applying a price boost will let you take the bet at longer odds — say 4/1. 

Top Picks

• Grosvenor – Land a bet boost token to enhance the odds on the biggest sports every week.
• 10bet – Boost the payouts on winning accas at 10bet.
• 32Red – This sportsbook offers a huge number of boosted odds on daily UK and Irish horse racing.

Best Odds Guaranteed

Best odds guaranteed is a popular promotion aimed at horse racing punters, but you’ll see it offered for other sports markets too. It addresses the fact that odds often fluctuate in the run up to an event, leading bettors to analyse when the best time is to place the bet.

With this promotion, if you place your bet ahead of time and the race’s starting odds offer a higher payout, you’ll be given the new and improved odds. If the potential payout doesn’t increase from when you placed your bet, you’ll stick with the original odds. Either way, you won’t miss out.

• Bwin – Get Best Odds Guaranteed on all UK and Irish horse racing.
• Ladbrokes – This well-known bookie offers BOG across greyhounds and horse racing.
• bet365 – Another household name, you’ll find Best Odds Guaranteed on UK and Irish racing plus the bet365 Price Promise on televised meetings.

Enjoy Regular Free Bets Thanks to Sportsbook Promotions

Free bets are a great way of attracting new customers, but many of our handpicked top bookies offer the best free bets promotions to keep existing players coming back too. While some sportsbooks reward players with free bets when they put money on certain markets, others offer event-based promotions. These are some of the types of free bet promotions you can expect from sports betting sites.

Weekly Free Bet Clubs

Several of our recommended online bookmakers run a weekly free bet club, where you’ll be able to snag a free bet every seven days if you meet the requirements. Here’s how you can get involved:

Unibet – In-Play Free Bet Club

If in-play betting is your thing, you’ll be right at home with Unibet, who offers a free £10 in-play bet every week. To qualify, you’ll need to: 

• Make at least five in-play bets of £10 or more on football, darts, cricket, basketball or tennis.
• Each bet must be at minimum odds of evens (1/1). 
• Multiples count too but each leg must also be a minimum of evens. 
• Bets must be placed between Monday and Sunday.

If you quaLoyalty Reward Free Betlify, you’ll get your free bet every Monday at 4pm and it can be used on any in-play event with the exception of horse racing, greyhounds, and trotting.

Paddy Power Sport – Paddy’s Rewards Club

Paddy’s Rewards Club gives punters up to £10 in free bets every week plus one Power Up which can be used to boost your odds. There are three tiers of weekly reward:

• Place one bet of £5 or more to get a Power Up
• Place five bets of £5 or more to get a £5 free bet plus a Power Up
• Place five bets of £10 or more to get a £10 free bet plus a Power Up

Qualifying bets must be placed at odds of 1/2 or more to count, and you’ll get a full seven days to use your free bet.

Grosvenor – Weekly Free Bet with the Sport Club

Grosvenor Sport Club gives punters the opportunity to claim online free bets every week. Here’s how to qualify:

• Head to the promotions page and click the link to opt into the Grosvenor Sport Club
• Stake £25 a week from Monday 00:00 – Sunday 23:59 to receive a free bet
• Qualifying bets must have cumulative odds of 1/2 (1.5) and need to have settled to be included

£5 free bet tokens are then credited before 23:59 on Tuesday each week. The highlight for me is that the free bet can be used on any sports market, although bear in mind you’ll only have seven days to use it.

Regular Promotions

Most of the top betting sites have a steady stream of regular free bets promos for existing customers. Deals range from simple matched bets to money back bets where your stake is returned in certain situations. For example, you might receive your first goalscorer stake as a free bet if a football match ends scoreless or if a horse fails to finish a race. Of course, there will always be limits to how much you are eligible to receive, but this will be clearly stated beforehand.

Event-based Promotions

The biggest sporting events present a huge number of betting opportunities and of course, the top online betting sites want to prevent their existing customers from heading elsewhere. To keep punters coming back, top online bookies often offer event-based free bets promotions for big occasions like the Champions League final, major boxing matches and the Grand National. Let’s say the Rugby World Cup Final is coming up, “Bet £20 and get a £5 free bet” is an example of such an offer.

Loyalty Reward Free Bet

Many of the best online betting sites reward frequent bettors with some sort of VIP or loyalty scheme. These generally work on a points system, whereby you accumulate points by making bets. Loyalty schemes often have different levels, and you can work your way up the levels by collecting more points. You can then exchange your points for bonuses and rewards like free bets, and the higher the level, the better the prizes.

How to Use Your Free Bet

Once you’ve picked up a free bet as part of a sign up bonus or existing customer promotion, putting it into action is usually a quick and easy process. There’ll be differences between free bets sites on the exact steps of how to use them, but generally it’ll play out as follows:

1. Check out the T&Cs – a good place to start is a quick check of the main terms and conditions. These will be listed as part of the info for the sign up bonus, or if you’re an existing customer, any maximum win caps or market restrictions should be listed in your messages where you first received the free bet.
2. Browse and choose a market – now you’re aware of any restrictions, you’ll need to go ahead and choose where to place your free bet. Some free bets are targeted at specific markets, such as the weekend’s upcoming Premier League games, so you can head straight there to get started. Other free bets are more flexible — if you’re not aware of any market restrictions, have a browse and pick out something that takes your fancy.
3. Set up your bet –  next, choose a selection and add it to the betslip. It’s here you can select your stake and check out the potential returns. However, if your selection is eligible, you’ll instead be able to select the option to use your free bet instead of a real money stake. Free bets act like a token and are fixed to a particular value, so all you’ll need to do is click the button to activate it. The potential payout will also update — remember that you won’t receive any stake back with a free bet.
4. Confirm your free bet – now, there’s nothing left to do other than click confirm and wait for the result of your bet — good luck!

How Free Bet Bonuses Differ to Matched Deposit Deals

At first glance free bets and matched deposit deals can seem fairly similar, but there are a couple of crucial differences. Let’s take a look at them:

• How you claim them — While free bets offers require you to make a qualifying bet, matched deposits are awarded when you make your first deposit. Some bookies award free bets based on the size of your initial deposit, but still require you to make a qualifying bet to activate the bonus, whereas matched deposits don’t require a qualifying bet at all.
• How they’re used — Whereas free bets bonuses usually award set bet amounts, matched deposits generally award larger sums which you can use with more freedom. For example, a bookie may award a £100 matched deposit funds, which you could use to make ten £10 bets or five £20 bets. This may sound more attractive, but keep in mind that matched deposit deals often come with wagering requirements which makes it harder to turn your bonus into withdrawable winnings.

Top Sports for Free Bets

Free bets are available for use on a range of different sports. As such, a broad selection of sports fans can make use of them to wager on their favourite events. Let’s have a look at some of the key sports punters can use their free bets on. 

Football

Free football bets are a common promotion available at online bookies. With so many football matches played around the world, there are plenty of betting opportunities. Some free bet offers will be tied to high-profile sporting events, such as the Manchester derby or the World Cup final. Others, however, can be used on a far greater range of games. 

Horse Racing 

Horse racing fans are another group who can make the most of the best free bet offers available at online bookies. There is a myriad of horse racing events held each year, with some of the most high-profile held in the UK. From the Grand National, to Cheltenham, to Epsom, there are sure to be a range of free bet offers available to players. What’s more, there are also plenty of races from across the world to bet on, including the Kentucky Derby, the Melbourne Cup and the Dubai World Cup. Just as with football, free bets can be used on a range of different events, or they may be tied to specific events. 

Boxing

Big boxing clashes are often the highlight of the sporting calendar, so it’s no surprise that bookies will often offer free bets for these big fight nights. Some betting sites may even offer free bets on specific methods of victory, such as ‘£5 Free Bet on Anthony Joshua to Win by Knockout before the 6th Round,’ for example.

Tennis

There are numerous big tennis tournaments that take place throughout the year, namely the Grand Slams — the Australian Open, French Open, US Open, and Wimbledon. Thanks to the relatively short games that make up each set and match, tennis is a fast-paced sport that’s ideal for an in-play free bet. Nonetheless, if you’d prefer to stick on your free tennis bet ahead of time, you can choose from a range of markets like who’ll win the tournament, who’ll win a particular game, and what the score will be.

Golf

Golf is another great choice for when you’ve got a free bet in the bag. You can take your pick on who’ll win the top competitions, like the 2023 US Masters. At most betting sites with free bets you can also opt for an each way selection, where you’ll be putting a bet on the golfer to win the tournament, and another bet for them to place. Which positions constitute ‘placing’ depends on the size of the tournament, but for the 2023 US Masters, Paddy Power have this down as the top six.

Basketball

The NBA springs to mind for most people when they think of basketball — North America’s elite league features famous teams like the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers. You can place straight up bets on which team will win a particular match, or make your predictions on the performances of particular players, such as how many rebounds LeBron James will get in one game. If you’re less familiar with basketball but are interested in watching more of it and potentially having a punt, a free bet is a great place to start rather than risking any of your own cash.

American Football

American football is another popular sport that you’ll regularly find is eligible for using your free bets – with the main focus being on the NFL and the NCAA college football league. The NFL season runs from September to January and consists of over 270 games, so there’s plenty of opportunity to place a bet within this timeframe. And, thanks to the wide range of prestigious matches and tournaments throughout the season including the NFL playoffs, there’s a great deal of options for American football betting fans. At present, BetStorm offers a £10 free bet when you deposit £10, for which American football is one of the eligible sports markets. If you haven’t bet on American football before then using one of these free bets can be a great way of testing the water before wagering your own money.

Claim Free Bets on Your Smartphone

If, like many punters, you prefer to do your betting on your mobile, you’ll be glad to know that you’ll have access to the same free bet offers as desktop players. This means you can sign up, claim your bonus and wager free bets using your smartphone.

All the top UK betting sites on our list have mobile-friendly websites, and some have even developed mobile sports betting apps for iPhone and Android. If you download a mobile betting app, you’ll have the added benefit of push notifications. These alert you every time a new free bet bonus is available, meaning you’ll never have to worry about missing out on a great deal!

Get to Know the All-Important Free Bet Terms and Conditions

Free bets are great, but there are a few factors to bear in mind before you sign up to claim. The biggest free bet offer isn’t always the best deal, as it’s the terms and conditions that determine how you use your bet and how much you can potentially win. Here’s what you should keep an eye out for when you’re looking for free bets bonuses:

Win Limits

Pretty much all free bets offers have win limits that prevent betting sites from making huge losses, which is understandable. The win limits vary from bookie to bookie – some have fairly low limits, while others allow big wins. Make sure to check this beforehand, as it will help you decide which markets to use your free bets on.

Minimum Odds

Pretty much all free bets offers have minimum odds requirements that generally apply to the qualifying bet. The minimum odds vary depending on the bonus, but they generally range from 1/2 to 3/4. So if the minimum odds for the qualifying bet are 3/4, you’ll have to wager on a market with those odds in order to qualify for the free bet promotion.

Wagering Requirements

Whereas wagering requirements are a staple of online casino bonuses, they don’t apply to the majority of free bets bonuses. Still, it’s important to keep an eye out just in case – some free bet deals have low wagering requirements, such as 2x or 3x the bonus amount. Let’s take a look at an example of how wagering requirements work:

Time Limits

As with all betting bonuses, free bet offers usually come with time limits. This means you’ll need to use your bonus bets in a specified amount of time before it expires. While some online betting sites will give players just a couple of days to use this bonus, others allow you 30 days to use your free bet offer. If your free bet bonus comes with a wagering requirement attached, you’ll also need to complete the wagering within the allotted time frame.

Excluded Payment Methods

To bag yourself a free bet, you’ll often need to place a qualifying bet with your own cash first. UK customers have access to a whole host of payment methods when depositing at free bets sites, but some of them may be excluded when claiming a sign up bonus. e-Wallets, such as PayPal, Neteller, and Skrill are often excluded, but you’ll always be able to use a debit card, such as Visa or Mastercard. Check the T&Cs for the free bet offer before you get started to avoid any hassle.

Market Restrictions

Some free bets can be used on any sports markets across a site — in this case, you can simply browse what’s on offer and take your pick. In other cases, the free bet may only be available for a particular sport, or one specific match. If you’re having to place a qualifying bet in order to claim the free bets, ensure you check the market restrictions beforehand to avoid any disappointment further down the line.

Payment Restrictions 

The UK’s top betting sites offer a range of secure payment methods, but not all deposits are eligible for free bets bonus deals. It’s common for some of the best betting sites to exclude deposits made with Neteller and Skrill from free bet offers, so you may need to use alternative banking options. Similarly, if you’re looking for sites that accept PayPal deposits, keep in mind that some bookies state that you need to use a different banking method to PayPal to claim free bet promotions.

Responsible Gambling Tips

Although free bets are often regarded as a low-risk form of sports betting, it’s easy to let bad habits develop. Gambling can quickly become addictive, whether you’re using a free bet or your own money. Before you place a wager, be sure you’ve set a realistic and honest budget. Once you hit this limit, it’s time to take a break. 

Need some more advice? Head over to our responsible gambling guide, where you’ll find plenty of expert tips to help you gamble responsibly. Or, if you feel like gambling is having a negative impact on your life or someone you know, be sure to seek support from an organisation such as GamCare or BeGambleAware.org. 

Claim your Free Bet!

Whether you’re a new customer looking for a top free bet offer, or a returning punter after a freebie, our top list of bookies is sure to give you what you’re looking for. We’ve scoured the internet for the best free bet offers at the most reputable licensed bookies, each with competitive odds, amazing promotions and outstanding market depth on major sports. All that’s left for you to do is compare free bet deals, sign up and claim your free bet today!

See our references & visit related external links

Please note that Compare.bet is not responsible for the content of third-party websites.

1. gamblingcommission.gov.uk – ‘Understanding the cashout option’