Best Free Bets UK for December 2023 - £4513 in Betting Offers

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How we rank the best free bet offers for sports betting fans

Free bets are always available on online bookmakers, but they aren’t all the same as each other. It’s also easy to look at an offer with a generous free bet offer and flashy promotions and take the plunge, but sometimes all is not as it seems. What are the other requirements to getting that offer and landing some cold hard real-life cash? We take a look at the free bet offers provided by innumerable UK bookies, to bring sports betting fans the best possible deals.

Offer type	First and foremost, what is the type of the free bet? Some bookies offer up to £100 as a welcome bonus for new customers, so the value of the free bet offered is crucial when we consider which ones to recommend. Higher-value free bets are more appealing to bettors but they aren’t always created equal.
Wagering requirements	That brings us on to wagering requirements. Free bets are always subject to ‘wagering requirements’, which basically means you need to wager a certain amount of times before you can convert any bonus funds into cash funds. For example, with a bonus of £100 at a 3x wagering requirement, you’d need to wager at least £300 before that bonus is converted to cash funds. We look at the wagering requirements for all free bets offers to make sure we recommend the best ones.
Minimum deposit	Most free bet offers require an initial deposit followed by a qualifying bet to receive your bonus funds. We’ll recommend the ones with the best value when it comes to minimum deposit, recommending ones that are reasonable or low minimum deposit amounts.
Minimum odds	Minimum odds restrictions determine which bets qualify for the free bet. They are put in place so that the bookies can provide a good deal while mitigating their own risk. They don’t want winning to be a foregone conclusion (otherwise it wouldn’t be gambling), but they want to give punters a good deal at the same time. Minimum odds are usually around 1/2 (1.50). Bookies offering free bets with competitive or better odds will be looked upon favourably.
Expiration dates	Like any other promotion, free bets tend to have an expiration date before they go vanish. Usually, this requires you placing your qualifying bet AND using your subsequent free bet. This is sometimes around up to 30 days but they can vary, so we’ll recommend the ones with the best deals.
Betting markets	The variety of betting markets to which the free bet applies is essential. Free bets tend to be very specific about which sporting events or markets the bettor can wager one, so we’ll do a deep dive into which betting sites offer the most flexibility. Most betting markets are typically available, but not always. We’ll call out when this happens.
New vs. existing players	You’ll find an abundance of free bets for new players as UK-based bookies want to lure them in, but existing players need a fair shot at landing some winnings as well. We’ll recommend bookies that offer decent deals for both parties, calling out where new players and existing customers can get the best deals. This is an important one for bookies to rank highly.
Promo codes	It’s usually a more pleasant experience when a bettor doesn’t need to use a promo code to secure the free bet. Sometimes it’s inescapable, but whether or not a bonus code is required to claim the free bet can impact their experience, particularly if they have to navigate to various screens. In a nutshell, offers that do not require bonus codes are more user-friendly and sites that don’t use them may outperform others.
Reviews and reputation	The customer knows best. That’s why we take a deep dive into all of the customer reviews available to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the betting site, keeping an eye out for elements related to free bets. The experience of the customer is a direct insight into what works and what doesn’t, which bookies is great and which…aren’t so much.
Additional terms	There are always a bit of a laundry list of terms and conditions, not just wagering requirements and deposit amounts. These should always be clear and visible, while we’ll also review additional specific terms, such as geographic restrictions or payment method exclusions, which can affect how scroll-stopping a free bet offer really is.

Best Free Bets in the UK

William Hill

Lottoland Free Bets

All British Casino Free Bets

Fafabet Free Bets

BetVictor Free Bets

Vegasland Free Bets

Parimatch Free Bets

BetZone Free Bets

RhinoBet Free Bets

StarSports Free Bets

Betfred Free Bets

Unibet Free Bets

bet365 Free Bets and Review

Livescore Bet Free Bets and Review

Coral Free Bets and Review

Introduction to free bets

If you’re new to betting but you’re already big on sports, you’ve probably seen advertisements for ‘free bets’ on the tv, online, or on your favourite sports stream. You might be thinking; what are free bets? How can I claim my free bets? Are they really free? Really?

To answer the question about whether they’re free, yes they are! You can claim free bets across most sports, and you don’t necessarily have to be a new bettor to get in on the offers. So read on as we explore the world of free bets, and find how to get the best offers for free bets from the top bookies right now!

By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how free bets work, how you can claim your free bets, and which sites are offering the best deals right now. We’ll also get you up to speed on the different types of free bets available, and we’ll cover all the bases of hidden terms related to the free bets, including minimum deposits, staking requirements, and more.

So read on to find out how you can get some free bets!

What is a free bet?

Let’s start with the basics, exactly what is a free bet? Well, the name says it all – it’s as simple as that – a bet that is free!

Free bets are often given away as promotional offers from bookmakers as an incentive to bring new bettors onto their platform. However, they are also frequently given away over sporting events to regular punters. This is a great way to keep the regular customers happy, and is good news if you’re already a frequent user of online betting sites.

A free bet can take multiple forms, and often has minimum requirements such as size of bet or minimum odds, but we’ll get into that in more detail later on.

First, let’s get onto how a free bet works, and where you can get the best free bet offers from.

How do free bets work?

Free bets work exactly how you’d expect a regular bet to work, the main difference being that they are given away free from the platform, to the bettor.

In most cases you can choose your sport and market, place your free bet, and take your winnings just like any regular bet you might have placed with your own cash. However there may sometimes be restrictions on which sport you can bet on, or even which market within the sport you can place your bets on.

The process of placing a free bet is very similar to placing a cash bet, usually the process will look like this:

👉 See an offer you like

👉 Take advantage and redeem your free bets

👉 Place your free bets on your chosen market

👉 Wait for the result to come in…

👉 Take your winnings if your bet comes good!

It couldn’t really be simpler than that! That’s one of the reasons we love free bets so much – they’re fun to place and simple to use.

As long as you meet all of the terms of the free bet, your bet will be paid out back into your account. It’s worth looking at the small print of your bet before you place your wager, as there may be subtle differences between a regular bet and a free bet. We’ll get onto these differences in more detail, later in the article.

Are free bets really free?

This all sounds great, but where’s the catch? Surely the bookies aren’t just giving away free bets to everyone? Wouldn’t they stand to make a loss if they did this?

Of course, the bookmakers have carefully calculated the terms and size of their free bets offers so that they aren’t out of pocket at the end of the day. They have to operate as a business, after all. This means they have carefully weighed up the benefits of bringing new customers onto the platform versus the money they will lose as a result of giving you free bets.

So are these bets really free?

To you – the user – yes, they are free!

Sometimes you can even create an account without making a deposit to get some free bets. Although in most instances you will need to bet or deposit a small amount (£5-£10) before claiming your free bets.

These are some of the requirements that you may have to fulfil before you receive your free bets.

Create an Account	You can’t expect to claim free bets without first making an account on the bookmakers website. All bookmakers will require you to have a verified account to place your bets and receive any winnings.
Minimum Deposit	Lots of offers will stipulate that you need to make a minimum deposit before claiming your promotional offer. This is often as low as £5, so it’s no big deal.
New accounts only	Depending on the offer, free bets may only be available to new account holders on the bookmakers platform. But that’s not to say that free bets are exclusive to new account holders; there are plenty of free bets to be had for existing customers too.
Before a certain date	Most offers will only be valid for a certain period of time, and this holds true for betting offers. Make sure you check the small print to find out when the offer expires.
Bets placed on certain events	Free bets are often given out at particular sporting events such as big horse races or international competitions, so these offers may have a requirement for redemption before the end of the sporting event.
Qualifying Bet	Some offers for free bets also say that you must place a ‘qualifying bet’ before receiving your free bet. This is usually as low as £5-10, but will need to be made with your own cash rather than with another free bet or deposit bonus.

 

Now that you’re familiar with the common terms that can catch you out when claiming a free bet, let’s take a closer look at the different types of offers that are available, and how you can claim your free bets.

What types of new customer sign up offers and free bets are available?

Free bets are most commonly given away as part of a joining offer for new account creators. But that doesn’t mean that the rest of the betting community is excluded from these offers. Let’s take a look at the different types of free bet offers available to you.

Free bets can be placed into one of two categories:

• Free bets for new customers
• Free bets for returning customers

Let’s take a look at the differences between offers depending on whether you’re a new or returning customer.

New customers

• No Deposit Free Bets

Our favourite type of free bets are the ones that require us to do the least amount of work before getting the freebies. And if that means getting free bets without having to make a deposit, we’re here for that. Unfortunately, these types of bets are very rare, as the bookmaker could lose a lot of money through free bets, however you can see these offers frequently at online casinos. 

• Risk Free Bets

A risk free bet can be seen as a ‘free’ bet, even if you must place the original stake with your own cash. These types of bets return your stake if the bet does not come good, giving you another opportunity to win. Although not as free as a bet gifted into your account, this type of bet is still a great offer to take advantage of.

• Price Boosts

Another type of offer that is not commonly associated with a ‘free’ bet in the traditional sense is a price boost. This type of offer gives you increased odds on your selection, giving you the opportunity to win bigger with the same size stake. Winnings from a price boost may also be paid out in free bets for future betting.

• Free Sports Bets Joining Offers

The most common free bets are offered as joining bonuses to new customers who must deposit a small amount (£5-10), and place a minimum bet on a market with minimum odds. Check your individual bookmaker terms to find your minimum deposit, stake, and odds.

• Free Events Bets

Free bets are commonly given out at the same time as a major sporting event. Recently, we have seen free bets given out over the Cheltenham weekend, so if you keep an eye out, there are regular free bets to be had at major sporting events.

Returning Customers

• Free Bet Rewards

Often the most loyal customers will be rewarded for their continued custom with free bets. Lots of the top bookmakers offer schemes that give customers free bets providing they have betted a certain amount in the previous week.

• Loyalty Clubs

A different version of the free bet rewards are loyalty clubs offered to repeat customers. Similar to how you might get your card stamped each time you buy a coffee from your favourite coffee shop, loyalty schemes reward you by collecting points which you can redeem for free bets and other perks. Paddy Power offers one of the most comprehensive loyalty schemes out there, but most of the major online betting sites have a similar scheme.

• Free Bet Insurance

Missing your accumulator by one goal has to be one of the worst feelings in football betting. Luckily, lots of UK betting sites offer free acca insurance for their return customers. Although not quite a ‘free bet’, this is more like a free-pass for a single result in a larger bet.

 How do free bets compare to other joining offers?

Free bets are amongst the most common joining bonus offers available to new customers. And quite rightly so, they are popular among punters and easy to understand. But how do free bets compare to other joining offers on the market?

Below we’ve compared the top joining offers so you can see whether free bets are for you, or whether there is a different type of offer that you’d prefer to cash-in on. Let’s start with the free bets.

Free Bet
A free bet added to your account after you make a deposit. May have restrictions on events you can bet on and minimum odds.
Can be bet on any market?	Depends on the offer!
Risk free?	❌
Stake returned as winnings?	✔️

 

Deposit Bonus
This type of bonus will automatically fund your account when you also fund your account by the minimum amount. For example, if you deposit £5, you might get a £15 deposit bonus in the form of three £5 bets.
Can be bet on any market?	✔️
Can be withdrawn?	❌
Can be split how to like?	❌

 

Risk Free Bet
A bet that cannot lose! If you lose, you get your stake back so that you can try your luck again. Often capped in size of stake.
Can be bet on any market?	✔️
Capped?	✔️
Stake returned as winnings?	❌

 

Matched Bet
A matched bet is a free bet given to you once you place a bet. This doubles your stake and doubles your potential winnings.
Can be bet on any market?	✔️
Risk free?	❌
Stake returned as winnings?	❌

 

As you can see, each type of offer has its own perks and is targeted at a different type of bettor. If you’re new to betting, a risk-free bet or a free bet will allow you to test the waters without hurting your pocket too much.

A risk free bet might also be the offer of choice for an experienced bettor, who might choose this to go for longer odds than they usually would, or perhaps they might look for a deposit bonus to give them more flexibility in choosing their markets.

A free bet is a good all-round offer that can cater to new and experienced bettors alike. This is one of the reasons that it is so popular as a joining incentive on many betting sites.

Free bets pros and cons

Let’s now take a deeper look at some of the pros and cons associated with free bets, so that you can gain a better understanding of how they work, and whether they are the best choice for you as a bettor.

Here is a quick breakdown of the main pros and cons of free bets.

Pros	Cons
✔️ Commonly available	❌ Can have strict terms
✔️ Competitive market	❌ Not all payment methods accepted
✔️ Allows risk-free betting	❌ Stake not always returned as winnings
✔️ Flexibility in betting	❌ Limited stake size

 

Free Bets – The Good ✔️

As we can see, there are plenty of positives to free bets. They are incredibly popular, and you will often see the same bookmakers offering different forms of free bets depending on how much you deposit.

The market is also incredibly competitive, meaning betting sites are continually increasing the size of their free bets in a bid to win customers. What does this mean for you? Bigger, better joining offers!

If you’re new to betting and want to try out multiple betting sites before sticking with one, using free bets is a great way to see how you like the betting slip, cashout features, and how the website and betting app works for you. They also offer flexibility in betting on multiple sports and markets, giving you a good opportunity to explore the sportsbook and place a bet wherever you like.

Free Bets – The Bad ❌

There are of course, some downsides to free bets. And it wouldn’t be fair on you if we didn’t mention these downsides in our explanation of free bets. One of the less-favourable features of free bets is that they often come with strict terms defining how much you need to deposit, minimum odds you must bet on, minimum stake size, and timeframes.

You should also be aware that not all free bets return winnings as cash, in fact lots of offers will return the winnings of free bets as further free bets. These will often be capped in £5 increments too, so going all-in on some favourable odds is not possible with free bets.

There are also some restrictions in payment methods that qualify for free bets with joining offers, and we have seen multiple betting sites refuse PayPal deposits to gain free bets. Below, we can see that William Hill does not allow new account holders with payment methods other than a bank card to redeem free bets.

 

Best betting sites for free bets

The great thing about free bets is that almost every betting site offers them through one of their promotions, so you don’t have to go looking far to find a site offering free bets. However, every betting site is different and will make their free bets individual to their site. Here is what will change depending on where you go to claim your free bets:

• Value – how much your free bets will be worth
• Amount – how many free bets you can get from each offer
• Expiry – how long you have to redeem your free bets
• Odds – restricts your available markets
• Exclusions – which sporting events you can bet on

We take all of these factors into consideration when we compile our lists of top betting sites, so that we can give you the best assessment of the online betting scene. We also consider site reputation, payment methods, and reviews from you, the user, to make sure that you will get a great experience regardless of which site you choose from our articles.

Here are some of the best betting sites we have found with current free bets offers at the moment.

	Betting Site	Minimum Stake	Minimum Deposit
	Coral Coral always have plenty of offers on, and although they focus on horse racing a lot, their free bets offers are usually available across all markets.	£0.05	£5
	Bet365 Bet365 gives out some of the best free bets offers out of all the online bookmakers. If you’re looking for a big payout, consider making an account with Bet365.	£0.10	£5
	William Hill We love how William Hill gives you plenty of time to use free bets. Whilst lots of betting sites require us to use free bets within 7 days, William Hill gives you a whole month to place our bets.	£0.03	£10
	888sport 888sport is another platform that gives you a generous month to use free bets. They also have a great variety of betting markets to choose from.	£0.01	£10
	Betfred Betfred offers good value free bets when you place a cash bet first, but watch out for their minimum odds of ‘evens’ or more on your free bets.	£0.10	£5
	Paddy Power Paddy Power offers some of the largest free bet rewards. These are best suited to football fans as these rewards can only be redeemed on football bets.	£0.10	£5
	Boylesports You can use your free bets from Boylesports on any betting market, although you can find better rewards from some of the other betting sites in this article.	£0.05	£5
	SkyBet We love that sky bet offers a deposit-free £10 free bet, this is a rare offer that can be used on any betting market!	£0.05	£10
	Betvictor Betvictor are big on football betting, and you can get a nice £20 free bet when you bet as little as £5, making this one of the most accessible offers.	£0.05	£5
	Ladbrokes Similar to Betvictor, you only have to bet £5 to get your hands on some free bets. Ladbrokes are well worth checking out if you’re looking for a new betting site.	£0.01	£5
	Vegasland Vegasland Sports are a new bookmaker that currently offers a great bet £10 get £10 free bet offer, so you only need £10 to claim this offer.	£0.01	£10
	Tonybet Tonybet recently relaunched in the UK and currently offer a great £50 welcome bonus when you stake £10	£0.10	£10

 

As you can see, the best betting sites for free bets have a low minimum stake, and a low minimum deposit too. All of the listed betting sites are also reputable names in the world of UK online betting, so you know that any link you follow in this article will take you straight to a top betting site in the UK.

Best Free Bets Available Right Now

There are hundreds of free bets offers out there, and you could easily lose your way looking for the best combination of value, number of bets, minimum requirements and various terms of the offer.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our top 15 favourite free bets offers available in the UK right now. You can have a read through and find the offer you like the look of, and when you’re ready, claim your offer! (We’ll show you how in the next section)

Here are the top 13 free bets offers available in the UK right now.

Betting Site	Offer	Sports	Min Stake	Min Odds	Expiry
Paddy Power	£40 in free bets when you bet £10 on Football	Football	£10	½ (1.5)	30 days
Bet 365	£50 in free bets when you bet £10	Any	£5	½ (1.5)	–
Betfair	£20 in free bets when you bet 5x £10 bets (can be repeated up to £100 free bets)	Any	£10	½ (1.5)	30 days
Wiliam Hill	£30 in free bets when you bet £10	Any	£10	½ (1.5)	30 days
Coral	£20 in free bets when you bet £5	Any	£5	½ (1.5)	7 days
888sport	£30 in free bets when you bet £10	Any	£10	½ (1.5)	30 days
Ladbrokes	£20 in free bets when you bet £5	Any	£5	½ (1.5)	7 days
BetVictor	£20 in free bets when you bet £5	Any	£5	1/1 (2.0)	7 days
SkyBet	£10 free bet	Any	£0	N/A	N/A
BoyleSports	£20 in free bets when you bet £10	Any	£10	½ (1.5)	7 days
VirginBet	£20 in free bets when you bet £10	Any	£10	½ (1.5)	7 days
Tonybet	£50 in welcome bonus when you bet £10	Any	£10	3/5 (1.65)	5 days

 

Like we mentioned earlier, taking advantage of free bets offers is a great way to cheaply explore some betting websites that you like the look of. Then you can start betting with your own money knowing that the betting site, interface, navigation tools, available markets, odds and features are all to your liking.

How to claim a free bet

So you’ve found a free bet offer that you like the look of and you want to go ahead and claim that offer. We’re going to walk you through the steps you need to take in order to claim your offer and start placing your bets on your chosen platform.

Before we begin, make sure you have the following to hand:

• Personal details
• Email address
• Proof of ID
• Bank or other payment details
• Free bets promo code or joining link

As gambling in the UK is illegal to anyone under the age of 18, you will have to be over 18 years old to create an account or claim any free bets.

Lets go ahead and claim our free bets!

1) Find your bookmakers website

You can use any of the links provided above to navigate to your chosen betting site. (The links will open in a new window so you can keep this handy guide open)

 2) Go to the signup page

Find the signup page from your chosen betting site. This is often indicated in the top right corner with a button that says ‘Join’, ‘Signup’ or ‘Create Account’. Some of the websites linked in this page will helpfully take you straight to their signup page.

 

3) Enter your personal details

When prompted, enter your email address, chosen username, password, name, date of birth, and any other required personal details. You will also be asked to agree to the betting sites’ terms of usage.

 

Make sure your name and billing address match those on the payment method you are going to use. Once all your personal details have been entered, you can go ahead and create your account.

 

4) Verify your email address

Once you have entered all of your personal details, you will be required to verify your account through a verification email sent to your registered email address. Alternatively, you may be texted with a verification code to confirm your identity. 

5) Add your funds

Once your account has been created, you are free to add your funds and fulfil any criteria required to claim your free bets.

Head over to the deposit page to make your first deposit. Make sure you have one last checka the terms of your offer before you make your deposit, so that you can ensure you deposit the correct amount.

 

Chances are, you’re going to need to make a deposit from your bank account or debit card, as most offers can not be claimed with a deposit from PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, or any third party payment service.

All of the bookmakers listed in this article have a minimum bank deposit of either £5 or £10, so make sure you deposit enough.

 6) Place a qualifying bet

Once you have funded your account with the minimum required deposit, you may also need to place a cash bet before claiming your free bets. Head over to your chosen market and place your qualifying bet (this is usually a £10 bet).

Make sure you check the terms of your bets to ensure you are meeting all requirements such as minimum stake, odds, or event restrictions.

7) Claim your free bets

Once your qualifying bet has been settled, your free bets will be credited to your account!

👍 Here’s a tip to get your free bets quicker:

Free bets are often paid after the qualifying bet has been settled, so choose a betting market that is ending soon, or currently live, to get your free bets sooner. Betting on a future event will mean you have to wait longer to get your free bet.

Hidden terms

Before you go, we want to make sure you are aware of all the hidden terms that may be associated with free bets offers. We’ve created an exhaustive list here so you have an idea of any terms that may be attached to your free bets. This way, you can get a better idea of what to look out for when choosing your offer.

These are the most common restrictions and requirements that you should be aware of before redeeming a free bets offer.

Customer Availability	Is the offer only available to new customers? Or can current customers benefit too?
Bet Availability	What types of bets can be placed with the free bets? Can they be used on multiples, accumulators, or just singles?
Cash out options	Can you use the cashout feature with free bets?
Available markets	Are all sports/markets open for using free bets, or only certain sports?
Minimum odds	Are there minimum odds for placing a free bet? Most free bets will require ‘evens’ odds or greater
Wager requirements	Are there any other requirements for betting, and are the winnings paid as cash or more free bets?
Maximum winnings	What is the maximum payout for a free bet?
Expiry terms	When do the free bets expire, and are they linked to a certain sporting event that only happens over a couple of days?

 

If you want to make sure you are getting the most of your free bets, it’s important that you understand the definitions of these terms and the specific terms in your free bets offer.

These are almost always listed below the main offer in the small print, but they may have additional hidden terms at the bottom of the page.

Summary

Whether you’re looking for your first introductory offer to the world of online betting, you’re looking for your new favourite betting site, or you’re an old hand trying to maximise your earnings through free bets, there are free bets to be had for you.

We’ve walked you through everything you need to know about free bets, including eligibility, terms, what you can expect, and how you can claim your free bets.

There are plenty of offers to be had out there, ranging from £10 with no deposit, right up to £50 with a £10 deposit. With our research into the best offers available right now, you’re bound to find something just right for you.

You can follow any of the links on this page to take you directly to your chosen offer, where you can easily create your betting account and get set up in no time. After reading this article you’ll have a better idea of the requirements related to free bets, such as minimum stakes, maximum payouts, and minimum deposits.

Now that you’ve been through this article, you now have all the information you need to make the best decision on which free bets offer is right for you. Come back to this article at any time to brush up on your knowledge or to reference any information.

Related reading on Free Bets

• Parimatch Free Bets
• BetTarget Free Bets
• Betstorm Free Bets
• Karamba Free Bets
• Fafabet Free Bets
• Betzone Free Bets
• BetVictor Free Bets
• Betiton Free Bets
• Rhino Bet Free Bets
• LiveScore Bet Free Bets
• All British Casino Sports Free Bets
• Vegasland Sports Free Bets
• Betfred Free Bets
• Fitzdares Free Bets
• Ladbrokes Free Bets
• Unibet Free Bets
• William Hill Free Bets
• Mr Play Free Bets

Free Bet FAQs:

Here, we answer your top questions on free bets, from how to claim your free bets, to troubleshooting why your free bets have not been added, and more!