What is a Free Bet?
A free bet does exactly what it says on the tin! It’s a bonus provided by bookmakers that allows you to place a bet without using your own money. It could be a welcome bonus offered to new customers, a perk offered to existing users (often during major sporting events), or even part of a reload bonus.
Free bets can be an exciting way to test different markets or strategies without risking your own cash. They tend to have fairly straightforward bonus terms too, making them a firm favourite among lots of bettors.
Free Bets:
Trying out markets you’re less familiar with is easy thanks to mitigated risk.
If you’re wondering about a long-odds shot then a free bet can be the best way to test out your theory with lower risk.
Free bets are a great way to keep your bankroll going for longer.
Free bets don’t return your stake along with your winnings, making the profit appear smaller.
Most free bets have easy bonus terms, but you still need to complete them if you want to withdraw your winnings.
It’s common to find free bets that are only available to use on popular sports.
How Do Free Bets Work?
Free bets tend to be one of the most simple casino bonuses out there. Generally, you sign up to a bookmaker, fulfil any qualifying criteria, and then receive your bonus bet. Of course, like any bonus, there are some terms that you should look into:
- Eligible Sports: Some free bets can be used on all sports, others are for one or two specified sports only. Check they’re sports that make sense for you!
- Wagering Requirement: While almost all casino bonuses come with wagering requirements, some risk free bets don’t! It’s important to check, as you may have to wager your winnings a couple of times before you can withdraw them.
- Expiry Date: You’ll typically need to use your risk free bet within 48 hours, but check the terms as it’s sometimes less.
- Minimum Odds: Most free bets can’t be used on very short priced favourites. This is to prevent bonus abuse. Check what the minimum odds are and make sure you exceed them.
How to Claim a Risk Free Bet
Risk free bets are some of the easiest bonuses to claim. You can get them as an existing customer and as a new one. If you’re looking for a free welcome bonus bet then this is exactly how to claim one:
Popular Types of Free Sports Bets
Sometimes you’ll get a free sports bet that you can use on any sport at all. But mostly, you’ll find risk free bets that are for one or two sports only. Below are some of the most popular types of risk free bet that you’ll find.
Risk Free Football Bets
Free football bets are among the easiest bonuses to find and are particularly popular during big matches and tournaments like the Premier League, Champions League, and World Cup. These bets usually come as matched bets, risk-free bets, but you can often claim enhanced odds too.
- Matched bets: To claim these risk free bets, simply place a qualifying bet and you’ll get a matching amount as a free bet.
- Risk-free bets: The true ‘risk free bet’ works like this. If your first bet loses, your stake is returned as a free bet. No risk, perfect for those outside shots.
- Enhanced odds: These aren’t exactly a risk-free bet, but they do give you special odds for big fixtures. These provide exceptional value and are a great way to boost your potential winnings.
Risk Free NBA Bets
We all love the NBA, so most of the time, it’s pretty easy to score a couple of NBA free bets. But, during the playoffs and finals, you’ll find risk free bets flying around everywhere. Bookmakers use these popular events to attract bettors by offering free bets on money lines, points totals, or even player specials. These promotions can be a quick and easy way to explore markets that are new to you, or a little more speculative, risk-free.
- Money line bets: Pick the outright winner of an NBA game, these are the easiest type of bet to use your free bet on.
- Points totals: Bet on whether the combined score will be over or under a set figure. NBA games are a great option for this as they’re often high-scoring.
- Player specials: Bet on individual player statistics like points, rebounds, or assists. These aren’t always options for risk-free bets, so check the terms carefully.
Cheltenham Free Bets
The Cheltenham Festival is one of horse racing’s biggest events, so it only makes sense that the bookies go all out with free bet offers! Cheltenham free bets often involve matched bets, money-back offers if your horse finishes second, or boosted odds for specific races.
- Matched free bets: Deposit and bet a certain amount to receive a matching free bet. You can then use this for outrights, or each way bets, whichever works for your strategy.
- Money-back specials: Get your stake back if your horse finishes in a specific position. This often applies to horses that finish second place to the favourite, but it sometimes applies to those who fall at the last.
- Boosted odds: Here you can get enhanced odds on selected favourites. Though it’s not a free bet in the truest sense, you can increase your potential winnings, so it’s well worth claiming.
| Casino | Bonus | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1go |
150% up to 600€ + 400 FREESPINS |
|
| spinsbro |
520% up to 2120€ + 1000 FREESPINS |
|
| gizbo |
150% up to 600€ + 600 FREESPINS |
|
| rollingslots |
300% up to 3000€ + 300 FREESPINS |
|
| allyspin |
100% up to 500€ + 200 FREESPINS |
|
| vavada |
100% up to 1000€ + 100 FREESPINS |
|
Tips for Maximising Your Risk Free Bets
Claiming a risk free bet is only the beginning! To get the most from your free bets, there are all kinds of tips and strategies that you can use. Below are some of the ones that we find the most useful:
- Choose your events wisely: While you can use free bets on whatever you want, they’re often easier to find for major sporting events like Cheltenham Festival, NBA playoffs, or big football matches. Looking for risk free bets around this time is much more likely to pay off.
- Check terms and conditions: We say it a lot, but checking the T&Cs is super important when claiming a bonus. Particularly, look out for wagering requirements, expiry dates, and minimum odds when claiming risk free bets.
- Treat them like real cash: So many people claim a free bet and stick it on a huge outsider. While the idea of landing a 100/1 shot is fun, you wouldn’t try to do it with your own money! Instead of wasting the bet, treat it like cash and see what you can turn it into with well informed bets.
Casino Bonuses vs Sports Free Bets – What’s the Difference?
Casino bonuses and sports free bets share lots of similarities. In fact, you’ll usually be able to claim them on the same sites. Many sportsbooks have an online casino (and vice versa), letting you place sports bets and spin the reels without having to switch platforms.
However, the bonuses on offer at sportsbooks and casinos are quite different. Below are some of the ways that sports bonuses differ from casino bonuses.
Casino Bonuses
Casino bonuses tend to:
- Be Larger in Value: Particularly casino welcome bonuses are much larger in value compared to sports bonuses.
- Have Higher Wagering Requirements: A fair wagering requirement for a casino bonus is generally anything under 45x. This is much higher than what you’d find on a sports betting bonus.
- Have Game Restrictions: Casino bonuses can often only be used on slots and sometimes table games.
Sports Bonuses
Sports bonuses tend to:
- Be Smaller in Value: It’s much more usual to find a free bet up to €50 than a free bet up to €1,000. These huge bonuses tend to be reserved for use at the casino!
- Have Easier Terms: Sports bonuses tend to have much lower wagering requirements (usually around 1x to 10x).
Focus on Key Events: It’s much easier to find a sports betting bonus when there’s a major event taking place. Whether it’s the Premier League finals or the Grand National, there’ll be free bets to celebrate it and build a buzz.