Free bets at online betting sites 2023

What exactly are free bets? Are free bets still available in 2023? And are free bets worth claiming at online betting sites? Are just some of the questions we commonly get asked about free bet bonus offers. The good news for sports betting fans (in some places) is that free bets are still available, and a great way to increase your betting bankroll. Our guide to the top online free bets, best no deposit free bets and no lose bet offers will give you a clear, concise guide on how to acquire and use freebet bonuses.

Our top free bets offers for 2023 include:

1.
Betway.com betting online

100% match deposit

2.
WilliamHill.com betting review

Various promotions!

Year founded: 1934
URL:https://williamhill.com/


Free bet types and examples

Early days it was easy to define what a free bet was, but with the continually growing sports betting market, it is no longer so easy to define a free bet. This section of our guide to the best sports betting free bet deals will teach you about the different types:

Matched free bets

These types of free bet deals at online betting sites usually centre around the first bet you place with a bookmaker, with your initial stake being matched. As a general rule the matched bets you will come across will reward you with a percentage. For instance a common matched free bet, could be a 100% match up to the value of $100, or $200. We have seen these matched bets awarded at a rate of anything from 10% right up to 500%.

Matched bets example

The offer: 100% matched bet up to the value of $100.

How it works: If you make a bet of $100 after accepting a matched bet offer, you will be given a $100 free bet after this initial wager is settled by the betting site.


Deposit bonus free bets

While you will have to make a deposit to claim this type of free bet, they are very popular amongst sports betting sites and punters. Deposit bonus offers work by on a percentages basis. So if it is a 100% matched deposit bonus, and you deposit $100, you would actually have $200 to bet with. As a general rule bookie deposit bonus amounts will be able to be split and spent however a punter wishes to use them.

Deposit bonus free bets example

The offer: 200% deposit bonus up to the value of $200.

How it works: If you deposit $100, the bookmaker will give you an extra $200 in bonus to bets. This means in total you will have $300 to bet with.

No lose bet deals

These are a great feature that has emerged for new punters at certain betting sites. No lose bets essentially give you a free bet if your first bet is unsuccessful. These types of free bets are also called Risk Free Bet in some quarters.

No lose bet example

The offer: If your first bet loses, we’ll refund it 100% with bonus money

How it works: If a player signs up at an online betting site, accepts a no lose bet offer, then deposits and makes their first bet only for it to lose, the betting company will refund your stake in bonus money.

Free bets no deposit

Free bet no deposit bonuses involve a player getting something for nothing and it usually involves new customers. Free bets sports no deposit offers are a great way to boost your bankroll when betting online. Usually you will see no deposit free bet bonuses available before you sign up at a betting site. These types of free bet deals are likely to have reasonably strict wagering requirements. No deposit free bets can be found at many of the top betting sites.

Free bets no deposit example

The offer: 10 free bet – no deposit required.

How it works? If you accept a free bet no deposit sports offer you will have to clear the wagering requirements before you can turn it into real money. While terms will vary between deals you can almost be certain no deposit freebets will have a minimum odds requirement and a turnover requirement. For instance you may need to bet the free bet amount 3x at odds greater than 1.80.


Free bets wagering requirements: How bonus turnover works?

Free bet wagering requirements are the terms and conditions associated with your bonus amount that you need to clear before you can withdraw any winnings that you have accrued.

Nearly all betting free bet offers are subject to wagering requirements, but these can vary greatly from one free bet to the next. Some of the common wagering requirements you will find surrounding free bet bonuses include:

Minimum bet

Minimum bet wagering requirements generally stipulate you must place a certain bet, or a bet of a certain amount to be given a bonus offer. For instance a popular global-facing betting site has a bet $10 and get $30 in free bets.

So in summary to pass minimum bet wagering requirements you would ned to make a deposit of $10 to trigger the $30 in free bets.


Deposit types that void free bet bonus deals

When you make deposits to online betting sites, often this is when you will receive free bets to your gambling account. But there are some payment methods at online sportsbooks that can rule you ineligible for free bet offers. These are usually the deposit options that have higher bank fees, with some web wallets and payment processors falling into his category. You may not be able to claim a free bet offer if you use:

  • Neteller
  • Skrill

What sports can i claim free bets on?

The good news is there are very few restrictions on what sports or horse racing events you can use free bets on, although this can vary at different betting sites.

This means all of the major betting sports like basketball, horse racing, football (soccer), grid iron, cricket, greyhound racing and many, many more are covered extensively.

Often if there is a big sports event on, you will see sports betting sites begin to advertise free bet deals or promotions surrounding it well in advance of it beginning. The World Gambling List specialises in the latest free bet offers surrounding major sports events and you can rely on us to present the most up-to-date bonuses.

For instance prior to the soccer world cup, well in advance one of the major sports betting sites in the United Kingdom was offering a £10 no deposit free bet, while they also had a cash back offer when you made your first real money bet. Other bookmakers throughout this same period were offering matched deposit free bets, bonus credits and many other promotions.

Because many countries have their own domestic sports leagues, and some even have their own sports, often their regulated sports betting sites are the only places you will find free bet offers surrounding these games. For instance, rugby is the no.1 game in New Zealand, so you will often find free bet offers surrounding the All Blacks, when they are playing.


Free bet offers by country

Free bet deals are available in many different countries, but it is true that some have different laws surrounding if or how they can be distributed. Below we’ll give you a brief run down of countries where free bets are common:

USA freebets

Free bets are common place in the United States, although the World Gambling List does not promote them to its readers at the moment because of local regulations. The US is rolling out regulated sports betting in many states and there are free bets available, but you must be licensed to promote the offers online.

Free bets in the United Kingdom

Recent years has seen the Gambling Commission clamp down on betting companies offering unfair free bets. This has included advertised free bets needing to clearly show the terms and conditions, while some types of free bets have disappeared completely. The good news is, free bets are still very common in the United Kingdom and they have never been fairer for punters.

Free bets in Australia

Australia has largely outlawed the free bet, although there are some exceptions surrounding horse racing. However as a general rule you won’t find free bet sign up offers, including no deposit free bets or matched free bets. The nearest thing to free bets Australians can hope for when betting online are promotions like boosted odds and cash back deals. Many of the best Australian betting sites are among the top operators in world gambling.

Ireland free bets

The southern parts of Ireland are still part of the EU, and there is also regulated sports betting, with many of the biggest betting companies in the world, including Paddy Power (which is Irish-owned) having free bet deals available. The top Irish betting sites include many of the best UK betting brands, which are regarded as having some of the most generous freebet offers in sports betting.

Free bets Canada

Canadians have very few laws governing online sports betting, which means the full compliment of free bet deals are up for grabs. Because Canadians can legally bet with most sportsbooks, it means the selection of free bets — which include no deposit free bets, matched free bets and no lose bets — can be taken advantage off. Read our guide to the top sportsbook bonuses in Canada.

NZ freebet offers

New Zealand is much like Canada, in that they don’t really acknowledge the existence of offshore online betting sites and there are no laws stopping residents from signing up and taking advantage of free bet bonuses. Because there are so many free bonus bets up for grabs when in NZ, it’s important to understand the terms and conditions attached to them before accepting any offer. Always look into the licensing surrounding any betting sites in NZ, with many operators from the likes of Curacao and Costa Rica accepting Kiwis and having free bet offers.

Freebets in South Africa

South African free bets are well and truly alive in modern times, with more and more SA betting sites having new account incentives. For instance big brands like Sportingbet and Betway have varying offers, but the one thing they have in common is they benefit players heavily.


Free bet laws in 2023

The laws surrounding free bets can be broken into two different categories: Betting regulator restrictions and the actual laws you face where you are in the world.

Regulator restrictions

While these aren’t technically betting laws, regulators shape the way free bet offers are built. For instance a regulator like the Gambling Commission makes sure its licensees offer fair and reasonable free bets, while another regulator like Curacao won’t enforce this type of thing. This is not to say every Curacao betting site will have impossible wagering requirements, it just means they are under no obligation to make them clear or show them at all.

Country laws surrounding free bets

Many countries have enacted laws that restrict types of free bet bonus offers. This as a general rule is because there is a consensus that free bets are incentives to open new betting accounts and encourage problem gambling. Other reasons to enact laws that restrict the advertising of free bets include unfair wagering requirements and marketing to minors inadvertently. The UK probably has the most stringent free bet laws in the world.


Common questions about free bets

Free bets can be a confusing concept if you are new to online betting, so if you have any questions or queries about how free bets work drop us an email to contact@worldgamblinglist.com or in the message box below.

Can you claim free bets with Paypal?

We have seen free bets not available if you make a deposit with payment processor Paypal. Having said this a quick scan at the time of writing our freebets guide revealed no obvious UK betting sites with restrictions around Paypal free bets.

Are there times when you should decline a free bet deal?

Yes, definitely, always read the terms and conditions of a free bet before accepting it. Sometimes the wagering requirements around free bets are just impossible to clear, so they really are not worth your while.

What is the biggest free bet available?

We have seen unlimited matched deposit free bets before, meaning you could have your money doubled in bonus no matter how much you deposit, but as a general free bet deals will be capped at a certain amount. The biggest free bet offer varies from week to week or even day to day.

What are minimum bet laws and how do they impact free bets?

Some free bets will be activated by making a bet of a certain amount. For instance a bookie might have a matched betting offer of bet $10 and receive $20 matched. The minimum bet to claim the free bet here would be $10, with the offer not activated if you bet any less.

Are some bet types restricted when using free bets?

This again depends on the online sportsbook you are wagering with. For instance many betting sites restrict free bets from being used on multi or accumulator bets, with this because people are liable to place risky long-shot multibets when they have free money which can lead to the betting company being on the hook for some huge payouts. As a general rule free bets will needed to be used on singles markets.