Free Bets & Sign-Up Offers

Free Bet Offer of the Week

Our free bet offer of the week comes from Parimatch. You can receive a festive bundle worth up to £50 in bonuses by signing up for Parimatch as a new customer.

All you have to do is click our link below and create your Parimatch account. 

Once you've done that opt in to the festive bundle promotion, deposit £10 using a debit card and then bet £10 on football at odds of evens or greater.

You'll then receive £40 in free bets to wager on football, the NBA and horse racing markets as well as a £10 slot bonus to use on Parimatch's online casino.

Read all the terms and conditions of Parimatch's welcome offer before signing up and wagering online. With all bets, gamble responsibly.

Top 3 Free Bet Offers for New Customers in December 2023

Our aim is to provide the best free bet offers to cater to different sports betting preferences. Find the best free bets with our list of UK bookies offering free bets:

bet365: bet £10 get £30

How it works: 

1. Sign up using the bet365 bonus code: INDY2023
2. Deposit and place a qualifying first bet of between £5 & £10
3. Get 3x your first stake in free bet credits (stake £10 to qualify for the maximum of £30 in free bets)

What we like: Generous 300% bonus and simple to claim - your free bet credits are added to your account balance and you use them by selecting 'Use Bet Credits' on the bet slip when placing bets.

Terms to note: Qualifying bets must be at odds of 1/5 or higher and cashed-out bets will not count. Free bet credits cannot be withdrawn and stakes using free bet credits are not included in any returns. You must claim your betting offer within 30 days.

Spreadex: bet £10 get £40

How it works: 

1. Sign up with Spreadex and deposit at least £10
2. Place a £10 bet on a fixed-odds market 
3. Get £40 worth of free fixed-odds and spread bets

What we like: This free bet offer allowed us to try out spread betting with our bonus funds. There are two £10 free fixed-odds bets, plus four £5 free spread bets available once you have placed your qualifying bet.

Terms to note: Qualifying bets must be at odds of 1/2 or higher and in-play or cashed-out bets will not count. The free spread bets consist of two 'Total Goals' football bets and two 'Winning Favourites' horse racing bets. Free bet stakes are not included in any winnings from the free fixed odds bets. All free bets must be claimed within 28 days.

Kwiff: bet £10 get £30

How it works:

1. Sign up with Kwiff and deposit at least £10
2. Place a single £10 qualifying bet on any market
3. Get a £30 Free 'Surprise Bet'

What we like: Kwiff's welcome offer is something a bit different, as the 'surprise' free bet is placed for you on a random market generated by the site's algorithm. It might not be for everyone, but we like the unique nature of this free bet, which could be on any sport or bet type.

Terms to note: Qualifying bet must be a single at odds of 1/5 or higher and cashed out or each-way bets do not count. The free £30 stake is not included in any winnings from the 'Surprise Bet'. 

Top 3 Betting Offers for Existing Customers in December 2023

Below we recommend the best free bets for existing customers from our favoured UK betting sites.

Unibet: Daily UniBoosts

How it works:

1. Add any horse in any race to your betting slip
2. Enter your stake and click the UniBoost button
3. Place your bet as usual at the boosted odds

What we like: You get three 'UniBoosts' every day on any horse, in any race you choose. Not only that, Unibet also offer punters daily 'Price Boosts' where they will boost one horse (usually the favourite) in every race at a specified meeting, plus 'Super Boosts' on one or two races a day, in which every single horse is boosted to the next price up.

Terms to note: The maximum stake for each UniBoost is £20 (the same applies for Price Boosts & Super Boosts). 

BoyleSports: Acca Rewards

How it works:

1. Add 5+ selections to your betting slip
2. Click 'Apply Acca Rewards' at the bottom of the slip
3. Choose whether to boost the odds of the acca or insure it (money back as a free bet if one leg lets you down)

What we like: You can tailor this betting offer to your preference each time. If you're confident in your accumulator you can boost the odds, or if you prefer more security you can opt for acca insurance. Additionally, there's an 'Acca Loyalty' program where you earn a £5 free accumulator for every five £5 accas that you place (at min odds of 3/1). 

Terms to note: Accumulator bets must have at least 5 selections with minimum odds of 1/5 per selection. The odds boosts range from 10% to 100% depending upon the number of selections. If applied to an each-way acca, only the win part of the bet is eligible for the boost. The 'Acca Insurance' free bet maximum is £20 per acca. 

Betfred: Double Delight & Hat-trick Heaven

How it works:

1. Place a single First Goalscorer bet on any specified Double Delight & Hat-Trick Heaven match
2. If your player scores first and then scores a second goal, they will double your First Goalscorer price
3. If the player goes on to score a hat-trick, your First Goalscorer bet will be paid out at treble the odds

What we like: A betting offer that can significantly increase your potential payout compared to the regular odds without any added risk. It adds an extra layer of entertainment to watching a game if your player does score the first goal and the doubled or trebled returns are paid out in real cash, which can be withdrawn. 

Terms to note: This offer only applies to the specified DDHH matches each day - usually the big televised games. Own goals or goals scored in extra-time do not count. 

Free Football Bets

BetMGM

BetMGM, one of the best football betting sites, offers new players £40 in Free Bets with a £10 bet. Simply place a £10 bet, to unlock £40 in football free bets, covering Bet Builder, Football and an Acca for varied betting options. 

Football bettors can get a 5x profit boost with the 'Golden Acca,' e.g., a 4-selection bet earns a 20% boost. Daily Golden Boosts include a 100% boost on Saturdays for Football Bet Builder. There's a chance to win up to £2 million by predicting 6 football scores in a weekend with Golden Goals.

Free Horse Racing Bets

Betway

Betway is top horse racing betting site offering new customers a matched Free Bet up to £30 if your first horse racing Acca loses, plus 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza. 

Need To Knows

• The Matched Free Bet will be credited within an hour of your first horse racing Acca settling.
• The maximum Free Bet is £30, and the minimum is £5 for this Welcome Offer.
•  Your Acca must consist of 3+ legs on any horse racing market. Bet Builder Bets do not qualify.
•  The 50 Free Spins should be credited within an hour of placing your qualifying horse racing Acca bet.

Types of Free Bets

Betting offers come in all shapes and sizes as online bookmakers compete to attract and retain customers. Below we break down some of the most popular free bet offers available.

Free Bet Credits: The most common type of sign-up offer. Typically seen in the form of a Bet x Get x new customer promotion that requires you to place a qualifying bet, which in turn unlocks free bet credits: bet365's bet £10 get £30 offer is a great example.

Matched Free Bet: As a new player, you often get a matched free bet, which is a common type. It means whatever you bet, the bookmaker matches it. For example, if you bet £10, you get a free bet of £10. It's an easy way to get a bonus without needing to deposit a lot, and many providers offer this.

Matched Deposit Bonus: Some new betting sites offer matched deposit bonuses, where they will match your first deposit with a bonus amount - usually a percentage of your initial deposit, such as 100%, 200%, or another specified percentage.

Free Bet Clubs: Most top bookmakers understand the importance of rewarding loyal customers and many offer free bet clubs for existing punters: Fitzdares' loyalty programme gives customers the opportunity to earn a £10 free bet every week. 

Enhanced Odds: With this bonus, you’ll receive boosted odds for specific events or outcomes. Unibet offer customers three 'Uniboosts' a day on the event or outcome of their choice (max stake £20). 

Accumulator Boosts: Various sportsbooks also offer odds boosts for accumulator bets, with the boost % often dependent upon the number of selections in your acca: Bzeebet offer 'BZ Combo Boosts' on football accumulators - with your odds boosted by up to 77%.

Money-Back Specials: Essentially this offer insures your bet by returning your stake (usually as a free bet) if your bet narrowly loses: BoyleSports offer money back as a free bet if your horse finishes 2nd to the starting price favourite.

Acca Insurance: Another popular betting offer whereby you are refunded (or given a free bet as compensation), if just one selection of your accumulator bet loses: Kwiff offer a 'Football Acca Shield' if one leg of your football accumulator fails you.

First Goalscorer Insurance: This type of offer differs between betting sites, some will refund your stake if your player doesn't score first but scores the second goal instead, while with Spreadex you get money back as a free bet if your backed player scores last.

Cashback: Some betting sites offer cashback on losing stakes: All British refund 10% of losing sports bets, credited back to you 24 hours after deposit - paid in cash not bonus funds.

Early Payouts: Ever had your football team go two goals up but not win the match? Bet365 have a '2 Goals Ahead Early Payout' offer, so your bet will win even if your team lets you down. Sometimes this bet offer is extended to tennis, when you are paid out early if your player goes two sets ahead in their match.

Best Odds Guaranteed: If you like betting on horses it is always worth checking if a bookie offers 'BOG' - which means that if you take a price on a horse for a race and the starting price (SP) ends up being higher than the price you took, the bookmaker will pay you out at the higher SP odds if your horse wins.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Free Bet

There a few advantages and disadvantages for you to be aware of when deciding whether or not to take a free bet. 

How to Choose a Free Bet 

There are several factors that come into play when deciding on the best free bet.

• Wagering Requirements: Check how much you need to bet before cashing out winnings.
• Minimum Odds: Choose bets with reasonable minimum odds for more flexibility.
• Crediting Time: See if free bets are credited immediately.
• Preferences Match: Make sure that the free bet is for to sports and events you're interested in.
• Licensing: Make sure the bookmaker is licensed in your country.

How Free Bets Work

Free bets are promotions offered by bookmakers. Here's a simple breakdown of how they typically work:

1. Activation: To get a free bet, you'll usually need making a qualifying deposit or place a specific bet.
2. Usage: You can then use your free bet to place a bet on a particular sports event or market. The bookmaker will specify where and how the free bet can be used.
3. Terms and Conditions: Be aware of conditions like minimum odds and expiration dates.
4. Crediting: Your free bet should be credited into your account immediately.
5. Winning Withdrawal: If your free bet results in a win, there may be conditions for withdrawing those winnings. 

Understanding these factors will help you make the most of free bets. Always check the terms and conditions provided by the bookmaker to ensure you comply with their rules.

Free Bet Offers VS Bonus Offers

There are a few key differences between free bet offers and bonus offers that punters should be aware of when signing up for new betting sites.

Free Bet Offers:

• Free bets are specific to sports betting.
• Free bets are linked to specific bets or events. For instance, betting sites might give you a free bet for placing a qualifying wager.
• Example: "Place a £20 bet, and get a £10 free bet for an upcoming match."

Bonus Offers:

• Bonuses can be more flexible and apply to different types of online gambling, including casino games or poker.
• Bonuses might include free money added to your account, free spins in a casino, or additional funds on top of your deposit.
• Example: "Get a 100% bonus on your first deposit, up to £100."

Free Bet Terms & Conditions

Making the most of free bets and other betting offers is a fantastic way to extract real value from betting online, but we also recommend you pay close attention to the terms and conditions attached to each offer. Here are the most important things to look out for:

Eligibility: Free bets are typically available only to new customers who have signed up with a betting site, or to existing customers who have met certain criteria, such as placing a certain number of bets within a given period.

Time Limits: Free bets are usually only valid for a certain period. This period is usually set between seven and 30 days. If customers fail to use the free bet within the given time frame, it may expire.

Bet Restrictions: Free bets may be restricted to certain types of bets, such as single bets or accumulator bets, and may be limited to certain sports or events.

Maximum Winnings: Sometimes there is a cap on the amount that you can win from a free bet. This amount will usually be clearly outlined in the terms and conditions.

Free Bet Stake: Some free bets will not include the stake amount in the winnings.

Minimum Odds: Check for minimum odds requirements. Some offers may require your qualifying bets to meet specific odds.

Minimum Deposit: Check if there's a minimum deposit needed. Some offers might require a specific amount to qualify.

Additional Terms: Always read the terms and conditions of bookmaker offers carefully to understand any additional requirements or restrictions that may apply to the free bet offer.

The Best Free Bets UK: In Summary

This free bets guide should equip you with all the necessary information to select the betting offers that perfectly align with your preferences. Remember to opt for the bet offers that complement your betting style and apply them to the markets you feel most at ease and confident with.

Rest assured, all of the free bet offers listed at The Independent are from reputable, licensed and regulated betting sites. We keep our betting offers lists up-to-date, so check back to discover the freshest and latest free bets.