What Are Free Bets?

By Clive SmallsLast updated: August 2026

A free bet is a stake credited to your account by a bookmaker that lets you place a bet without using your own money. If the bet wins you keep the profit, but the free bet stake itself is not returned.

The short answer

A free bet is a promotional token, not cash. It sits in your account alongside your balance and can only be used on a bet slip — you cannot withdraw it, split it across several bets, or transfer it. Almost every UK bookmaker issues free bets on a Stake Not Returned (SNR) basis: a £10 free bet at odds of 3.0 returns £20 in cash, not £30.

The main types of free bet

Welcome free bets — the biggest tokens, released after a qualifying bet. Examples include Betfred and Sky Bet.
No deposit free bets — credited on registration and verification only. See our no deposit free bets page.
Matched free bets — the bookmaker matches your first stake up to a stated limit.
Refund / risk-free bets — your first losing bet is returned as a free bet rather than cash. Compare them in our free bets vs risk-free bets guide.
Acca insurance — a free bet refund when one leg of an accumulator lets you down. See acca insurance offers.

The terms that actually matter

Qualifying odds — usually 1.5 (1/2) or greater on both the qualifying bet and the free bet.
Expiry — most tokens die after 7 days, some run to 30.
Excluded payment methods — Skrill, Neteller and sometimes PayPal are excluded.
Market restrictions — some tokens are sport-specific or acca-only.
One per household — welcome offers are limited to one per person, address, device and payment method.

Free bet FAQs

What is a free bet?

A free bet is a stake credited to your betting account by a bookmaker. You place it like a normal bet, but you do not risk your own money. If it wins you keep the profit; the free bet stake itself is not returned.

Are free bets actually free?

The token is free, but almost every UK welcome free bet requires a qualifying real-money bet first — typically £10 at odds of 1.5 or greater. No-deposit free bets are the exception and need only registration and verification.

Do free bets cost anything?

You only risk the qualifying bet. If that bet loses you are down the qualifying stake but still receive the free bet, so the net cost is usually a fraction of the free bet's face value.

Ready to compare current offers? See today's free bets and betting offers or the popular Bet £10 Get £30 tier.

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