#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

18+. Play Safe. From 00:01 on 18.10.2022. £30 bonus. New customers only. Use promo code R30 during registration. Minimum £10 stake on odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater on sportsbook (excluding Virtual markets). Further terms apply. www.begambleaware.org #ad

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

Sig Terms: 18+. BeGambleAware.org. New GB customers only. Min £10 debit card deposit. Place a £10+ bet on sportsbook at min odds 1/1 (2.0) each leg. Receive 2 x £10 free bets within 24 hours of bet settlement, and further 2 x £10 casino bonus the next day.T&C’s apply.

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

New customers only. Register with BETFRED50. Deposit £10+ via Debit Card and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

New members only. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals), placed & settled at 1.5 min odds in 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days, use on sportsbook only (ex. virtuals), stakes not returned. T&Cs and deposit exclusions apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org. 18+

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Mobile exclusive. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. T&Cs Apply. 18+. Applies to bets placed on 2 Goals Ahead market. Get Paid out as a winner if your team is winning by 2 goals, even if they draw or lose. 90 mins only. T&C’s apply.

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

New customers only. Minimum odds 3/1 (4.00) Min 3 Selections. Free Bets will be split into 3 x £10 Free Bet. 2 x £10 Free Bets to be used on any Bet Builder. 1 x £10 Free Bet to be used on any sport (excluding Horse Racing). Free Bets all valid for 7 days. Free Bet stake is not included in any winnings. Full T&C’s apply.

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

New bettors; Code SPORT; Wager deposit & bonus 8x; Max qualifying bet stake=initial bonus; Valid 60 days; Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply; T&C apply; 18+
#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
UK Sportsbook Welcome Offer. Deposit and bet a minimum of 3 bets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. Get 50% back of your first days losses as a Free Bet up to £35 + 10 Free Spins. If your account is up, you’ll receive a £5 Free Bet + 10 free spins regardless. T&Cs apply. 18+. New UK Customers Only.

#ad. 18+, GambleAware.org, T&Cs Apply

T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via “My Offers” page within 30 days. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play, min odds 1/1. Max. extra winnings £100. Once claimed, 30-day expiry. Cashed out, System & EW bets do not qualify. Other Promotional Play Restrictions Apply. Full T&C’s apply 18+. www.begambleaware.org
#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
New customers only. Sign up and get 0% Commission on all sports for 110 days. Users must input Bonus Code ‘COMMFREE110’ during registration. Only available to users who deposit via credit or debit cards. Fair Usage Policy Applies. T&Cs apply. 18+. Be Gamble Aware.
#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
New account offer. Use code COMMFREE to trade with 0% commission for 60 days. New UK, IE & Malta users only. Min. £10/€10 first deposit only using Debit Card or Instant Banking. Full T&Cs apply.
#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
New 18+ Customers only. 0% commission on all exchange sports for 100 days. Promo code 0COMM100 must be entered during registration. Offer only available to users who deposit via debit card. Standard 2% commission rate applies on 101st day. Not available to API, RDT or trading software customers. T&Cs Apply.

#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply

Offer valid from 20th Nov 2019. Code: 25BLACK. 25% Bonus added to customer’s first deposit only. 10x (deposit + bonus) turnover requirement before withdrawal. Black account win/lose bets at minimum odds of 1.80 count towards turnover (push/void bets do not). Multiple bets on the same market are accepted but counter betting will only count the lowest stake. Some countries are restricted. Full T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
Offer valid from 20th Nov 2019. Code: 25BLACK. 25% Bonus added to customer’s first deposit only. 10x (deposit + bonus) turnover requirement before withdrawal. Black account win/lose bets at minimum odds of 1.80 count towards turnover (push/void bets do not). Multiple bets on the same market are accepted but counter betting will only count the lowest stake. Some countries are restricted. Full T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply

New customers only. The promo code P2PxBET must be used during registration. 5x deposit turnover required before 50% bonus is withdrawable. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds between 1.8 and 2.25. Maximum bonus 100 EUR/GBP. Void and push bets do not count towards the turnover. Promo T&Cs operate in conjunction with VOdds’ General Terms and Conditions. Full T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
New customers only. The promo code P2PxBET must be used during registration. 5x deposit turnover required before 50% bonus is withdrawable. Qualifying bets must be placed at odds between 1.8 and 2.25. Maximum bonus 100 EUR/GBP. Void and push bets do not count towards the turnover. Promo T&Cs operate in conjunction with VOdds’ General Terms and Conditions. Full T&Cs apply.

#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply

Stake £300 or above on qualifying sports spread betting markets in your first 28 days on Spreadex you will be rewarded the maximum of £300 cash on your account or an iPad. Total stakes below £300 still qualify for a matched cash bonus (e.g. £50 total stake gets a £50 cash reward). Full T&Cs apply. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit.

#ad. 18+, begambleaware.org, T&Cs Apply
Stake £300 or above on qualifying sports spread betting markets in your first 28 days on Spreadex you will be rewarded the maximum of £300 cash on your account or an iPad. Total stakes below £300 still qualify for a matched cash bonus (e.g. £50 total stake gets a £50 cash reward). Full T&Cs apply. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit.

How Free Bets Work

Bookmakers provide free bets as incentives for both new and existing players, with signup bonuses often being the most generous offers available.

However, navigating free bet promotions can be perplexing due to the intricate terms and conditions. These rules are enforced to safeguard bookmakers against abuse.

Let’s explore the main formats of free bets you’re likely to encounter.

Stake Not Returned ("SNR")

SNR bets are the classic, most popular Free Bet format. They’re generally offered when you first sign up to a bookmaker — but sometimes as one-off promotions, too. Typically you may see the SNR bet referred to by the Bookmaker as a “bet token”.

The key characteristic of an SNR bet is that any winnings you make on the free bet are returned to your account, without the free stake included.

Typical Terms & Conditions

  • When you sign up you may need to enter a code to let the bookie know that you want the free bet.
  • Before you obtain your free bet you’ll need to deposit your own money and place one “qualifying bet” of (typically) an equal amount at the minimum odds stated (e.g. over 2.0). This must be your first ever bet.
  • SNR bets don’t normally carry a wagering requirement on winnings made from the free bet. This means you can withdraw straight away.
  • It doesn’t matter if you win or lose your initial qualifying bet using your own funds — the free bet is still credited.
  • You usually have to risk the full SNR stake on one go. No splitting the bet up.

Example

If you place a £25 SNR Free Bet on a horse at 3.0 decimal odds and the horse wins, then you’ll return ((3.0 * £25) – £25) = £50 as opposed to the normal £75 return you would expect from a normal bet.

Bet Refunds

Bet Refunds are sometimes available as a signup promotion, but more frequently given as bonuses to existing customers. A Bet Refund is when you place a bet with your own money and have your money re-credited in cash, or bonus funds, if you lose.

Bet refunds do not usually guarantee that you can walk away 100% risk free. There are conditions attached to the refunds returned to your account.

Typical Terms & Conditions

  • You may need to enter a code to let the bookie know that you want the refunded bet.
  • Before you claim a refund (on the Bookie’s website, or via email) you’ll need to place a bet at the minimum odds stated (e.g. over 2.0).
  • This is similar to the SNR bet in that if you lose the “qualifying” bet of your own money then you’re not necessarily out of pocket yet. You have a second chance.
  • Bet Refunds are often credited as an SNR bet, which makes it less valuable than withdrawable cash (because you may lose it).

Example

If you placed a £25 bet on a horse at 5.0 and the horse loses, then instead of losing your stake outright you’ll return £25 in cash, OR a £25 free bet (typically in the classic SNR format).

Free Money / Bonus Funds

Free Money or Bonus Funds are normally given as a signup promotion. When you first make a deposit you’re given extra money in your balance. It’s sometimes shown as “bonus balance”.

Unlike SNR or Bet Refunds, “Free Money” looks and behaves like real money in your betting account. This means the free bet stake is returned in your winnings. The catch is that it has (typically large) wagering requirements attached to it before you can withdraw.

Typical Terms & Conditions

  • You may need to enter a code to let the bookie know that you want the extra balance in your account upon depositing.
  • Before you can withdraw the money you’ll need to place several bets at the minimum odds stated (e.g. over 2.0).
  • Free Money bets often carry hefty rollover requirements before a withdrawal is allowed. Unfortunately in some cases this can result in the promotion leaving the player worse off than betting without the bonus.
  • If you bust-out your balance then this is the end of the promotion for you. Thankfully the rollover requirements aren’t normally still tied to your next deposit.
  • As the name “Stake Returned” name suggests, the stake you place is returned in all of your bets as if it were a regular bet.
  • Your rollover may be limited to a maximum stake amount.

Example

If you deposit £25 and are eligible for a 100% free money bonus, then you double your balance to £50 prior to betting. Before you withdraw you’ll need to meet the minimum rollover requirement. This could be 10x (Deposit + Bonus) = 10×50 = £500 total stake.

More On Free Bets & Bonuses

Looking for the best bookmakers?

Check out the Bookmakers section for a list of the top sports betting sites, and an overview of popular products, features and payment methods.