Free bets and betting offers

Free bets and betting offers

Explore the best free bet offers from top UK bookmakers and start gambling with more than just your initial deposit. To claim, click on any deal below. You’ll be sent straight to that specific bookmaker to register and complete the setup. Every site listed here is fully licensed by the UKGC and vetted in-house to confirm that the value is there for punters.
By Charlon Muscat, Casino and Sports Betting Expert

03:00 PM Sunday 10 Aug. 2025
Football Community Shield

TOP free betting offers today

  • Spreadex
    Spreadex Review
    4/5

    Bet £10 get £60. Spread betting losses can exceed deposit. 18+ www.gambleaware.org. Place a £10 fixed odds single or £10 each-way bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet. Full T&C apply

    • Excellent coverage of all the mainstream sports
    • Decent selection of offers and bonuses
    • Integrated live-streaming on sports
  • Matchbook
    Matchbook Review
    4.3/5

    New customers Only. New customer must place and settle £50 in bets on Matchbook markets only. The user must bet on at least 4 different events to qualify. The user must place and settle bets at odds of 2.0 or more. Bets can be placed on singles, multiples and Bet Builders. The user must place and settle bets before the closing date of the promotion to qualify. . T's and C's Apply. Be Gamble Aware. 18+

    • Excellent odds available on exchange
    • Well-designed website
    • Matchbook Zero offers fixed-odds betting with zero margin
  • Betfred
    Betfred Review
    4.8/5

    +18 New customers only. Register, deposit with 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 exclusions & T&Cs Apply. Full T&C apply

    • The best bookmaker in the UK for sports betting promotions
    • Outstanding bookie for horse racing
    • Strong welcome bonus
  • Bet442
    Bet442 Review
    4.2/5

    18+. New Customers Only. Min deposit £20. Maximum one £10 Free Bet & two £5 Bet Builder Free Bets. Qualifying bet must be placed at odds of Evens (2.00) or greater. Paid as bonus tokens: Token 1 Min odds Req: 4/5 (1.80). Token 2 & 3 are valid for Bet Builder only and are subject to min odds of 2/1 (3.00). T&Cs Apply.

    • Slick and easy-on-the-eye site
    • Great range of sports and markets
    • Great esports options
  • Monstercasino
    Monstercasino Review
    4/5

    Bet £10 Get £30 18+. New Players Only. Wager from real balance first. 50X wager the bonus money within 30 days / 50x Wager any winnings from the free spins within 7 days. Contribution varies per game. Available on selected games only. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus offer and any winnings from the offer are valid for 30 days / Free spins and any winnings from the free spins are valid for 7 days from receipt. Max conversion: 3 times the bonus amount or from free spins: £20. Limited to 5 brands within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms Apply. Full T&C apply

    • Lots of different sports and markets on offer
    • Good esports offering
    • Huge range of payment methods
  • Mogobet
    Mogobet Review
    4/5

    New Players Only. Min £10 qualifying bets, stake not returned. Free bet - one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full T&C apply

    • Free bet Monday's sports offer
    • Great welcome bonus
    • Solid range of sports and markets including esports
  • BlueFox Casino
    BlueFox Casino Review
    3.9/5

    New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £30, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt or from free spins: £20. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full T&C apply

    • The Blue Fox Casino welcome bonus is decent
    • The amount of sports and markets available is solid
    • Good American sports coverage
  • Highbet
    Highbet Review
    4.1/5

    Min. stake amount: £10 with real money with you first ever bet within 7 days of your registration. Market: Any market (single or multiple/pre-match or in-play/live) Full T&C apply

    • Highbet offers vast markets on numerous sports
    • Coverage of niche niche sports and esports is brilliant
    • Their blog is worth checking out for football tips
  • Wager from real balance first. 50X wager the bonus money within 30 days / 50x Wager any winnings from the free spins within 7 days. Contribution varies per game. Available on selected games only. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Bonus offer and any winnings from the offer are valid for 30 days / Free spins and any winnings from the free spins are valid for 7 days from receipt. Max conversion: 3 times the bonus amount or from free spins: £20. Limited to 5 brands within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposit Full T&C apply

    • Great range of payment methods
    • Free Bet Mondays for existing customers
    • Cashback promotions available across multiple sports
  • Coral
    Coral Review
    4.4/5

    18+ New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.   Full T&C apply

    • Solid bookmaker with a decent reputation
    • Great welcome offer
    • Enticing promotions

What is a free bet?


A free bet is a bonus token offered by online UK bookmakers to place wagers without using your own money. This is different from cash, meaning you can't withdraw it. But any profits made from it get added to your account.


What is a free bet?

➡️ Good to Know: Winnings from a free bet often come with a 1x wagering requirement, meaning you need to bet the profit once before it becomes withdrawable.

Most of the time, free bets come as part of a welcome offer. You’ll usually need to deposit some money and make an opening bet to trigger the bonus. For example, staking £10 from your own balance might unlock £20 in extra credit. There are also free bet no deposit deals, where the bookmaker gives you a small amount to get started without putting anything in yourself. You can also pick up free bets through loyalty schemes, weekly offers, or in the run-up to major football weekends like Boxing Day or the final day of the Premier League. The main thing to understand is that with a free bet, only the winnings are paid out, not the stake. So a £10 free bet at 5/1 would return £40.

How do free bets work?


Free bets work by covering the stake on your behalf. The most common setup is tied to new customer promotions. That means signing up with a bookmaker you haven’t used before. During registration, expect to enter basic details - name, email, date of birth, address, the usual. Unless it’s one of the rarer free bet no deposit offers, the next step is making a first deposit and placing a qualifying bet with real money.


How do free bets work?

The bonus terms will spell out the minimum stake (usually between £5 and £20) and the lowest odds allowed. Some UK bookmakers accept combined stakes instead of a single qualifying bet. In that case, smaller wagers can be placed separately and still count, as long as they add up to the required total. Once the last of those settles, the free bet gets added.

From that point, the clock starts ticking. There’s a fixed window to use the bonus, again set out clearly in the offer terms.

To place a wager with the free bet, you’ll see an option on the betslip to apply it - look for a button or toggle, often at the bottom. After that, it all comes down to how the bookmaker handles the outcome. Sometimes, that profit is treated as cash and is ready to use or withdraw. In other cases, it needs to be wagered a set number of times before it becomes available.

One final detail: free bets aren’t always valid across the full sportsbook. You might be limited to specific sports, markets, or a minimum odds requirement.

The different types of free bet


There are several ways to pick up free bets at UK bookies. Many hand them out to new sign-ups as a welcome offer, which makes it easy to try out different platforms. You’ll also spot promos tied to major matches or regular weekly deals. Here is how the best free bets are usually packaged:


Bet £x, get £y in free bets Bet £x, get £y in free bets
This one shows up more than any other. Open an account, place a qualifying bet with your own money, and once it’s settled, the bookie adds the free bet to your balance. It doesn’t matter if that first punt lands or not.
Matched free bet Matched free bet
This one’s similar in structure, but the bonus depends on how much goes on that first qualifying wager. If you place £20 and the offer is a 100% match, the bookie adds another £20. There’s usually a ceiling, like £50 or £100.
Matched deposit free bet Matched deposit free bet
Here it’s the first deposit that’s matched, not the bet itself. So if the deal says 100% up to £50 and £30 goes in, they’ll give you £30 in bonus credit.
Free bet no deposit deal Free bet no deposit deal
Free bet no deposit offers do exactly what they say on the tin. You don’t have to make a payment or enter any card details. Simply open an account and follow whatever steps the bookmaker asks - like confirming your email, phone number, or ID - and the free bet appears in your account. The amount is usually small, but there’s absolutely no risk involved.
Free bet on first loss Free bet on first loss
Think of these offers as built-in insurance on the stake. You place a real-money bet - if it wins, the return comes through as normal. But if the prediction’s off, the bookmaker returns the money as a free bet.
Free bet club (weekly rewards) Free bet club (weekly rewards)
Betway runs a Free Bet Club in its purest form, but plenty of other football bookies in the UK implement similar setups into their loyalty schemes. The general approach is that a free bet is given in return for regular activity, often based on qualifying bets placed during a set timeframe. In other cases, it might come as a level-up reward for reaching a new tier in the programme, or even as something that can be redeemed using points collected through wagering.
Free bet for mobile app users Free bet for mobile app users
Free bets in the UK of this sort are common with bookies pushing their mobile apps. All you have to do is download and install the software if it’s not already on the device, log in, and place a qualifying bet through there.
Free bet if your bet loses by one leg (acca insurance) Free bet if your bet loses by one leg (acca insurance)
You’re backing a multi-leg acca - say, five or more selections. If all but one land, the bookmaker gives the stake back as a free bet. Each leg needs to meet minimum odds, and there’s usually a required number of picks for the offer to apply.

What to look for in free bets


To get the most out of sports bonuses like free bets, it’s important to understand the terms attached. The table below provides a detailed breakdown of what you can expect:

Term What it means Standard Conditions Tip
Minimum odds The lowest odds your qualifying or free bet must meet 1/2 or 2/1 Good time to back something with slightly longer odds. There's no real risk if it doesn't land.
Qualifying stake amount How much you need to wager to activate the free bet. £5 to £20 Check if the amount must be in one go or can be split across smaller bets.
Qualifying deposit method Which payment types count for triggering the offer. Debit cards, Apple Pay, bank transfer Deposit using the same method you'll want to withdraw to speed things up later.
Winnings withdrawal rules Whether profit from the free bet can be taken out. Profit is withdrawable; stake is not Always confirm if cashing out early affects withdrawal.
Wagering requirement If and how many times the winnings must be bet again. 1x on profit Try meeting the requirement on bets you were planning anyway.
Free bet expiry period How long the free bet stays valid before it disappears. 7 days Set a reminder on your phone. Most people lose value by forgetting the clock started ticking.
Eligible markets or sports Which sports or events the free bet can be used on. Football, horse racing, boxing, tennis Take time to research recent matchups, team form, and player stats, especially if it's a sport you don't usually follow.
Bet type restrictions Which bet formats are allowed (singles, accas, etc.). Singles, accumulators Use free bets on accas only if returns aren't capped.
Maximum winnings limit The most you can win from the free bet. £250 to £500 If the cap is low and the bonus is a matched one, plan the free bet first. Check the odds, work out the potential profit, then only deposit enough to keep the payout under the limit.
How the free bet is credited Where the bonus appears and when it becomes available. Auto-credited after qualifying bet settles If unsure, reach out to customer support. They might need to credit it manually.
Timeframe for placing bet How soon the qualifying bet must be placed after joining. Within 7 days Double check whether the timer starts at sign-up or when the offer is claimed.
Bonus code needed Whether a code is required to unlock the bonus. Some offers require a code entered at sign-up Free bet promo codes are case sensitive
Payment exclusions Which deposit methods are not accepted for the offer. Skrill, Neteller, PayPal If depositing a small amount, make sure the payment method accepts low minimums

Useful examples of free bets


Free bet UK bonuses are some of the most frequent and rewarding out there. You'll find options whether you're signing up for the first time or already betting regularly. Below, I’ll run through three I’ve claimed myself and how you can make use of each:


  • Free football bet – Betfred

    I claimed £50 in free bets at Betfred by signing up, depositing £10 with a debit card, and placing a ten pound wager at 1/1 or higher. Something like a match winner in an evenly priced fixture or a straight over/under market usually does the trick. 

    Within ten hours of that settling, five tokens land in the account - three at £10 each, and two more for accas. Here’s how I used my free football bets at the time:

    £10 Free Bet – Single

    Ipswich vs Wolves (Premier League – 5 Apr 2025)

    Market: Wolves to Win

    Odds: 7/5

    ✅ WINProfit: £14

    £10 Free Bet – Single

    Everton vs Arsenal (Premier League – 5 Apr 2025)

    Market: Both Teams to Score – No

    Odds: 4/5

    ❌ LOSS

    £10 Free Bet – Single

    Crystal Palace vs Brighton (Premier League – 5 Apr 2025)

    Market: Crystal Palace to Win

    Odds: 11/8

    ✅ WINProfit: £13.80

    £10 Free Bet – 5‑Fold Acca

    West Ham vs Bournemouth – Over 3.5 Goals @ 13/10 ✅

    Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest – Aston Villa to Win @ 6/5 ✅

    Everton vs Arsenal – Both Teams to Score – Yes @ 10/11 ✅

    Ipswich vs Wolves – Wolves to Win @ 7/5 ✅

    Crystal Palace vs Brighton – Crystal Palace to Win @ 11/8 ✅

    Total Odds: 54/1

    ✅ WINProfit: £540.62

    £10 Free Bet – 5‑Fold Acca

    West Ham vs Bournemouth – West Ham to Win @ 2/1 ❌

    Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest – Aston Villa to Win @ 6/5 ✅

    Everton vs Arsenal – Both Teams to Score – Yes @ 10/11 ✅

    Ipswich vs Wolves – Wolves to Win @ 7/5 ✅

    Chelsea vs Manchester City – Under 2.5 Goals @ 4/6 ❌

    Total Odds: 247/5

    ❌ LOST

    Free football bet – Betfred
  • Horse Racing Free Bet – Coral

    Coral gives new players £20 in free bets after staking £5 on horse racing at odds of 1/2 or higher. The bonus comes split into four tokens, meaning you can choose yourself whether to put it all on one selection or go for a safer approach. Most racing markets are allowed, as long as it’s not on the Tote.

    I really rate Coral for horse racing betting, especially because of its Super Series. This is a free-to-play weekly game where you pick a horse to place in each of seven selected races, with a guaranteed £25,000 prize pool on the line.

    Horse Racing Free Bet – Coral
  • Boxing free bet – Betway

    Betway’s welcome offer gives new players a £10 free bet after staking £10 of their own money. For example, you can back Anthony Joshua to win in Round 5 at 8/1. The minimum odds are 3/4. Once the bet settles, the £10 bonus lands in your account. That can then be used on something else, like Tyson Fury to win by decision at 5/2. If that one comes in, the profit would be £25.

    Anyone continuing to bet on boxing or any other sport with Betway can pick up £10 in weekly free bets through the Free Bet Club, as long as £25 or more is wagered during that same period.

    Boxing free bet – Betway

How to claim free bets

1. Scroll to the top and pick a UK bookie offering free bet promos.

1. Scroll to the top and pick a UK bookie offering free bet promos.
2. Create an account.

2. Create an account.
3. Enter any bonus code shown on the promo (if required).

3. Enter any bonus code shown on the promo (if required).
4. Complete the KYC process. This typically requires you to upload a passport, ID, or driving licence, plus proof of address.

4. Complete the KYC process. This typically requires you to upload a passport, ID, or driving licence, plus proof of address.
5. Deposit the required amount using one of the supported payment methods.

5. Deposit the required amount using one of the supported payment methods.
6. Place a qualifying bet that matches the terms.

6. Place a qualifying bet that matches the terms.
7. Wait for it to settle. Your free bets are then added automatically.

7. Wait for it to settle. Your free bets are then added automatically.

Never miss out, subscribe to FIRST here
Never miss out, subscribe to FIRST here
Think Before You Bet: Stay Safe, Stay Smart

Think Before You Bet: Stay Safe, Stay Smart

You must be 18+ to gamble. Free bets give you a way to explore betting while spending less, but there is still an element of risk. Treat gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money.

Never bet more than you can afford to lose. Stop betting if you are angry, emotional, or under the influence of alcohol.

Warning signs of problem gambling: chasing losses, betting money needed for bills, or feeling unable to stop.

Find Help with Responsible Gambling Resources

Find Help with Responsible Gambling Resources

Need help? Visit our responsible sports betting page or our responsible casino gambling page. If things feel too much, the following organisations can be of great support: 

  • Gamblers Anonymous UK

  • BeGambleAware

  • GAMSTOP

  • National Gambling Support Network

  • Gamcare

  • NHS National Gambling Clinic

FAQs

  • Yes, free bets are free in the sense that they don’t cost extra beyond any required qualifying deposit. Keep in mind, though, that free bets are not cash. You can’t withdraw them directly, and any profit may be subject to wagering or payout limits.

  • Sometimes yes, but not always. Many UK bookies require you to wager the profit once before withdrawal.

  • Yes, free bets expire if unused within a set period. Always check the promo’s terms and conditions and when unsure, reach out to customer support.

  • Nothing happens if your free bet loses. The promotion ends there unless it includes a second chance offer.

  • No, you can’t always use free bets on any sport. Some are limited to football, horse racing, boxing, tennis, or specific competitions. Always check the promo terms to see exactly where the free bet applies before placing anything.