Best free bets and betting sign-up offers from UK bookmakers (2025)
ON the hunt for a new bookmaker to take advantage of some of the best free bets on the market?
You’ve come to the right place.
Free bets are a great way to boost your betting bankroll while reducing your outlay and risk – what’s not to love!?
Thankfully, we’ve done the research so you don’t have to.
Below, we’ve ranked a range of some of the best betting offers on the market.
To help, we’ve listed these by the value of free bet you get per £1 deposited (eg, bet £10 get £50 = 5x), any restrictions on which sports you can use these bets on and then the minimum odds required to unlock them.
All of the offers listed have a wagering requirement of just 1x too, which is exactly what you want as a punter and we’ve explained why further down in this piece.
Best betting offers with free bets
A closer look at our top free bet picks
Every bookmaker worth a second look gives you bonus bets. Some offers are better than others, so it pays to understand the mechanics of how free bets work.
After scouring the market we present you with the 10 hottest free bet bonuses in the UK right now:
1. bet365
- Offer: Bet £10 & Get £50 in free bets
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £5-£10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/5 (1.20)
- Betting markets: Singles or multiples with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 30 Days
The beauty of this betting bonus is that you can get 5x the value of initial deposits starting at £5. In comparative terms, only one other top-rated UK bookmaker (Betfred) offers a 5x bonus for new customers, so that’s a win.
The bigger win is the minimum deposit being £5. I’m not saying the industry average of £10 prices out the average sports bettor. However, a lower minimum deposit opens the door to more potential customers, particularly those who are completely new to sports betting.
Unfortunately, PayPal and prepaid cards, including PaysafeCard, are excluded from the list of valid deposit methods. However, this is a small downside to bet365’s promo which has plenty of upsides for small-stakes sports bettors.
Key takeaways
- Low minimum deposit
- Plenty of time to use bonus
- Reputable operator
2. Betfred
- Offer: £50 in free bets when you bet £10
- Promo code: BETFRED50
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/1 (2.0)
- Betting markets: Singles or multiples with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 7 Days
Like bet365, Betfred has been in the business for decades and understands that UK punters want maximum value. That’s why the 5x deposit bonus is up there with the biggest in the country right now.
What’s nice about this offer is the fact that your bonus is split into five £10 bets, two of which are accas. We’re aware that accas are hard to win. However, the returns are significantly more than singles. Therefore, we have to give this welcome bonus top billing because you get two risk-free ways to win big.
Like with other top bookies in the UK, there are deposit method restrictions. Having said that, debit cards are easy to use and very secure. It’s also odd that you may have to confirm your participation via SMS. That being said, this is still one of the best free bet bonuses for people who want big payouts.
Key takeaways
- Must use bonus code BETFRED50
- Three £10 single bets + two £10 acca bets
- Long-serving operator
3. Coral
- Offer: Bet £5 get £20 in free bets
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £5
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/2 (0.15)
- Betting markets: Singles or multiples with minimum odds (no Tote or Pool bets)
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: £1 million
- Valid for: 7 Days
We were worried when we found out that Coral limits the amount of money you can win from free bet bonuses. That fear soon subsided when we read through the T&Cs and discovered that the limit is £1 million.
The chances you’ll win more than that from a free bet are slim. The chances you’ll be unhappy if you win £1 million rather than £1.5 million are even lower.
You can’t claim the welcome bonus if you use an eWallet or prepaid card for your first deposit. All other methods are fair game, which is great because the fact that you get four free £5 bets for a low investment of £5 is fantastic. This makes it possible to spread your risk and, potentially, give yourself a better shot at winning cash prizes, while not risking too much.
Key takeaways
- Four £5 bets
- Can’t use eWallets or prepaid cards
- Low minimum odds requirement
4. SBK
- Offer: Bet £10 Get £40 in free bets
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/1 (2.0)
- Betting markets: Singles or multiples with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 7 Days
SBK might not be a household name like Coral et al., but it’s become a leading light in the online gambling space due to its commitment to added value. This penchant for promotions is evident in the free bet welcome bonus.
Variety is why this offer is worth claiming. Newbies get five different free bets after they’ve made a £10 qualifying wager:
- £10 football Bet Builder token (credited instantly after your initial wager is settled)
- £10 acca token (credited instantly after your initial wager is settled)
- £5 horse racing acca token (credited instantly after your initial wager is settled)
- £5 football Bet Builder (credited 24 hours after your initial wager is settled)
- £10 free bet token (credited 24 hours after your initial wager is settled)
These offers allow you to experience a variety of bets, which is great. They’re also a nice complement to SBK’s legendary Price+ boosts. The only problem with SBK’s offer is that the FAQ states that the minimum odds are 1/2 (1.5) rather than 1/1 (2.0), which is the current minimum odds.
Key takeaways
- Must use a debit card or bank transfer
- Most varied free bet bonus
- No cap on winnings
5. BetMGM
- Offer: Get £40 in free bets when you bet £10
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/1 (2.0)
- Betting markets: Singles or multiples with minimum odds (excluding eSports and non-UK/IE horse racing)
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 7 Days
BetMGM might be originally from the US, but it’s embraced British trends and established itself in the UK market. The welcome bonus proves this because you get £10 to bet on football and £10 to bet on horse racing. The remaining £20 is credited as two Bet Builder tokens, which is great if you’re a fan of high-risk, high-reward wagers.
In our experience, Bet Builders are even more attractive at BetMGM because the average line (aka the odds) is better than the industry average. The only issue with this offer is the fact that your initial bet can’t be on eSports or non-UK/IE horse racing events.
Key takeaways
- US bookmaker with generous odds
- Free bets can be used on selected sports
- Qualifying bet can’t be on eSports or selected races
6. Spreadex
- Offer: Bet £10, Get £40 in free bets
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/2 (1.5)
- Betting markets: Singles or multiples with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 28
Experienced sports bettors will love the welcome bonus at Spreadex. I say that because five of the seven free bets you get as a new customer are spread bets:
- 2 x £10 free fixed odds bet
- 2 x £5 free Total Goals football spread bet
- 2 x £5 racing Winning Favourites spread bet
- £1 racing Race Index spread bet
Novices might not get as much value from this bonus as experienced punters because spread betting is a skill in its own right. However, if you understand the nuances of spreads, there’s a ton of value in the markets, which is what makes this an excellent opening offer.
Key takeaways
- Plenty of time to use bonus bets
- Ideal for spread-betting fans
- Low minimum odds requirement
7. BetVictor
- Offer: Get £40 in free bets when you bet £10 on Football
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/1 (2.0)
- Betting markets: Football with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: £10,000
- Valid for: 7 Days
BetVictor brands itself as the home of football betting, and rightly so because it has plenty of enhanced accas, super boosts, and specials that focus on the beautiful game.
In line with this, the welcome bonus is angled towards football fans. Some of you might not like that, but those fond of the beautiful game, won’t mind. With free bets freedom to bet on what you want is important, so we appreciate that the promo team has made two of the four free bets flexible:
- £10 acca free bet (must contain at least four picks for any sports market
- £10 Bet Builder free bet for any football market
- £10 in-play free bet for any sports market (credited 24 hours after your qualifying bet is settled)
- £10 free bet for any football market (credited 24 hours after your qualifying bet is settled)
The £10,000 cap on free bet winnings is a bit disappointing, given that other UK bookmakers don’t limit your potential. That being said, £10,000 is a lot of money, and you’ll have four chances to hit that target.
Key takeaways
- Great free bet offer for football fans
- £10,000 cap on bonus wins
- Qualifying bet must be on a football match
8. CopyBet
- Offer: Bet £20 get £60
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £20
- Free bet minimum odds: 10/11 (1.9)
- Betting markets: Singles or accas (2+ selections) with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: £500
- Valid for: 7 Days
This promo has some terms and conditions that we don’t like, but they aren’t enough to sour an otherwise sweet deal. It’s a sweet deal because the amount of bonus credit you get is exceptional.
You have to deposit and wager at least £20 to get it, which is more than the industry average. However, £60 in free bets makes it worth the extra outlay.
The win cap of £500 should be a lot higher. However, CopyBet has a unique feature that allows you to mirror the moves of experienced sports bettors, which could give you an edge in your next wager.
Therefore, if you can use the software to find successful punters, you’ve theoretically got a much better chance of turning your free bets into cash prizes.
Key takeaways
- £20 racing bet, £20 live football bet, £20 in-play bet
- First deposit must be via the Open Banking app
- £500 win cap
9. Kwiff
- Offer: £30 in free bets when you bet £10
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 1/1 (2.0)
- Betting markets: Singles or accas (each-way bets excluded) with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 7 Days
Kwiff’s welcome bonus might not be unique, but it’s easy to claim and packed with value. The three bets you receive are valid for football, racing, and accumulators.
The acca portion of the bonus is most interesting for me because it has the biggest payout potential given that there isn’t a cap on the amount you can win.
As generous as the welcome bonus is, it’s lacking some sparkle. Thankfully, Kwiff dusts its sportsbook with a plethora of ongoing offers. For those familiar with Kwiff, you’ll know it’s the home of supercharged odds boosts.
Other promotions worth checking out are surprise free bets and the Football Acca Shield, which gives you up to £20 back as a free bet if one pick loses.
Key takeaways
- £10 football bet, £10 racing bet, £10 acca (minimum of four selections)
- Each-way wagers are excluded from the qualifying bet
- Nice selection of regular promotions
10. Betway
- Offer: Get £10 in free bets
- Promo code: N/A
- Minimum qualifying bet: £10
- Free bet minimum odds: 8/11(1.75)
- Betting markets: Singles or accas with minimum odds
- Playthrough: 1x
- Maximum winnings: N/A
- Valid for: 7 Days
Betway has the smallest free bet bonus on my list, but don’t discount it because of that. There’s something beautiful about simplicity. If you’re new to online sports betting, there’s no confusion. You deposit and wager £10 to get a £10 bonus.
Betway is also a gambling industry veteran, so you know it’s a safe place to claim free bet credit. Finally, once you’ve claimed the welcome bonus, you can become a member of the Betway Free Bet Club. This club gets you a £10 free bet every week when you wager £25 on trebles or accas with four or more picks.
Key takeaways
- Simple offer
- Plenty of daily odds boosts
- Weekly Free Bet Club
What are free bets and how do they work?
You don’t need us to tell you that free bets are bonuses that allow you to speculate on sporting events without risking your own money. What you might not know, however, is that free bets come with terms and conditions that, in some cases, restrict their usage.
Don’t worry, the T&Cs aren’t overly restrictive. Free bet bonuses represent excellent value, which is why savvy sports bettors claim them whenever possible. That being said, the potential of these offers can quickly evaporate if you don’t understand how they work.
Claiming free bet sports betting bonuses
Let’s take the hottest free bet offer on the market right now, bet365’s welcome bonus. This offer gets you up to £50 worth of free bets when you wager £5 or more. That’s easy to understand. You wager £5 or more, and you get some betting credits.
What’s less clear is that you need to make a “qualifying bet”. In this case, a qualifying bet is any wager that has odds of 1/5 or greater. Expressed in a different way, you won’t get a bonus if your first real-money bet has lower odds than 1/5.
What can I wager free bet bonuses on?
Once you’ve claimed your free bets, the other wagering requirement you need to consider is the ways your credits can be used. The best free bet sportsbook bonuses have a simple 1x playthrough and give you the freedom to wager credits on any sport.
A playthrough is the amount you must wager to release a bonus. The beauty of sports betting offers is that a 1x playthrough simply means you need to wager the bonus credit. We also value freedom above all else, but there is value in promotions that require you to wager free bets on specific sports.
Spreadex’s welcome bonus is a great example of this. Spreadex is one of the best spread betting sites out there, so the football and racing bonuses make sense. The same goes for BetVictor’s football-focused offer.
Very few sportsbooks have better football odds than BetVictor, so we don’t mind the welcome bonus restricting you to football bets. In general, though, promos that allow you to speculate on sports of your choosing are better.
Research = real rewards
Our job is to make you a better bettor. The only way to do that is to arm you with as much information as possible. When it comes to free bet bonuses, information is what you need.
Read the T&Cs so you know how to get an offer and, importantly, how it compares to other promos. Be diligent in your research, and the rewards will follow.
What other sign-up offers are there?
Welcome bonuses aren’t always laced with free bets. The other ways you can get gratis betting credits or better returns as a new customer are:
- Matched deposits: the proceeds from a matched deposit bonus are similar to free bets. For example, if you deposit £50 and get £50 in bonus cash, the latter can be used to bet on sport. The only caveat with bonus cash is that the playthrough is often higher (usually 10x) than it is for a standard free bet offer (1x).
- Cashback and moneyback: cashback offers are similar to risk-free bets, but they’re more commonly used for accumulators. For example, Kwiff allows you to insure selected accas and receive cashback up to £20 (in free bet credits) if one pick loses.
- Enhanced odds and price boosts: bookies often increase the odds for major sporting events. The result of boosting the odds is that you stand to win more from correct picks. Similarly, price boosts apply a multiple to your winnings, which means you bank more than you otherwise would have. BetVictor and Kwiff are noted for their larger-than-average boosts.
- No deposit free bets: the best sports betting bonuses are no deposit deals. As the name suggests, you receive a free bet without adding funds to your account. For newbies, this means you can use a special sign-up link (such as the ones here at The Sun) to complete the registration process. Even though the amount you can win from no deposit free bets is capped (usually £50 or less), these are still great offers because you’re getting something for nothing.
How we evaluate free bet offers
Every free bet offer is different. Even though many of the best bonuses look similar on first inspection, they all have their pros and cons.
For example, BetMGM and SBK both give you £40 worth of free bets when you wager £10 as a new customer. On the surface, they’re identical. However, we’ve given SBK a slightly higher rating because there are fewer restrictions on betting markets.
The terms we evaluate are:
- Eligible sports – the fewer restrictions there are, the better an offer is. As a general rule, you’ll be able to bet on any sport using singles or accas as long as you meet the minimum odds. There are exceptions to this rule, notably when the sportsbook specialises in something. Spreadex is a good example of this.
- Time limits – the industry standard time limit is 7 days. However we prefer more breathing room for placing bets, and some sportsbooks give you that (bet365 is 30 days, and Spreadex is 28 days). However, in most cases, a week is long enough to claim and use your free bets.
- Minimum odds required – unless the minimum odds for qualifying are higher than 1/1 (2.0), we don’t mind where the line falls.
- Minimum deposit required – the standard minimum deposit for UK online sports betting sites is £10. We’re fine with seeing these offers go to £20 for some promos, but anything more is bordering on too much. Any amount below £10 is highly attractive.
- Wagering requirements (aka the playthrough) – the average playthrough on free bet bonuses is 1x and all free bet offers presented here have the same requirement. This means you only need to wager the free bet to win withdrawable cash. You don’t receive your free bet back, but profits from winning wagers are paid in cash. A playthrough over 1x isn’t ideal.
- Eligible payment methods – We prefer bonuses that give you the freedom to use any payment method you like. However, if there are restrictions, we make sure the eligible payment methods are safe and efficient. Indeed, it’s often the case that you need to use the same payment method for withdrawals as deposits. Therefore, it’s preferable to have options that allow for fast withdrawals.
- Bookmaker’s reputation – We only claim bonuses from reputable bookmakers licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
How to claim and use free bets
That’s everything you need to know about free bet bonuses, where to find the best offers and the wagering requirements to watch out for. The only thing left to do is walk you through the collection process.
Armed with all the information and tips, follow these steps to get sports free bets from the UK’s leading bookmakers:
- Read the impartial and informative sportsbook reviews here at Sun UK.
- Use the secure sign-up links to start the registration process and activate special offers.
- Create your first (and only) account with your preferred betting site. *Tip: join multiple betting sites to get more rewards and incentives.
- Go to the cashier page and choose a valid payment method (check the T&Cs).
- Make a qualifying deposit.
- Open the sports betting menu and make a wager with minimum odds or greater.
- Wait for your wager to be settled before using the free bets credited to your account.
FAQ about free bets and betting sign-up offers:
1. Do you get free bets immediately when you sign up and deposit?
No, you need to wait for your initial wager to be settled before free bet bonuses are credited to your account. There may be a delay of up to 48 hours from the point your initial wager is settled to bonuses being available to use. However, in most cases, bonus credit will be available immediately once the wagering requirements have been met.
2. What betting sites give free bets without deposit?
Even though the majority of welcome bonuses are deposit-based offers, you can get free bets without depositing cash at bet365, Betfred and Coral. No deposit bonuses you should look out for are cashback offers, acca insurance, and loyalty rewards such as Coral’s Daily Shake Up.
3. Which betting apps give free bets?
All of the UK’s best online gambling operators give you free bets as a new customer, regardless of whether you’re using a desktop site or mobile app. Some of the top free bet credit offers for UK customers are bet365’s £50 welcome deal, SBK’s bet builder-based bonus and Betfred’s bet £10 get £50 promo.
4. Are winnings from a free bet withdrawable?
Yes, you can withdraw the profit you make from free bet bonuses without hitting a playthrough target. The best free betting bonuses have a 1x playthrough. This means you only have to wager the free credit to satisfy the playthrough. Free bets aren’t returned if your wager wins, but the profit is paid in cash you can withdraw whenever you want.
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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