
I’ve had years of experience placing bets at online sportsbooks and in this guide I want to talk about a recurring feature many sites have – free bets for existing customers.
These are awesome promotions that allow you to place bets on your favorite sports events without dipping into your own deposit money. I’ve had my fair share of free bets, and if you read on, I’ll explain what they are, how they work, common terms and conditions they have, and how to use them effectively!
There might be a betting site welcome bonus that includes a free bet, but in this guide I’m specifically talking about free bets for existing customers. These are offers that can only be claimed if you already have a registered account with the online sportsbook.
From my experience, I’ve found that the free bet value can range from anything between $5 up to $200 and you’ll usually find that larger free bets of $150-200 are split into smaller chunks, such as 8x $25 free bets. The underlying principle remains the same though regardless of the value – you complete an action and then get given a set amount of free bets that you can use on the sports and betting markets the site offers.
I’ve found that the best free bets today usually fit into one of four different categories – loyalty rewards, recurring bets, special event free bets, ord daily prize wheels – I’ll explain each variant below.
The best free bet offers for regulars are often found within loyalty schemes or VIP programs. I’ve found that for loyalty schemes you usually have to either make a minimum weekly deposit amount to get a free bet, or earn points by making real money wagers to work your way through the loyalty tiers. You then might get a free bet when you reach the next loyalty tier, for example.
Similarly, many sportsbooks have VIP clubs where you also have to collect points. Oftentimes these apply for both the sports betting section and online casino and you can get points by playing games or making bets. As with loyalty schemes, you might get a weekly free bet reward for being in a specific VIP tier, or get a free bet as a VIP level-up reward.
I’ve seen many online sportsbooks that have daily or weekly free bet offers. You usually have to do something specific to be eligible to claim these offers. For example, oftentimes you have to make a minimum deposit, or spend a certain amount on sports wagers within the week period. An example could be that you get a $5 free bet if you deposit and wager $25 on sports markets between Monday to Friday. This is essentially another type of loyalty scheme, but it’s often not categorized as that, and you will usually find these offers on the betting site’s promotion page.
US sportsbooks love to capitalize on special sporting events and this often includes free bets for existing customers. Common events I’ve seen free bets given for include NFL game nights like Monday Night Football, the NFL Super Bowl, NBA Playoffs, NBA Finals, Stanley Cup – basically the postseason events for major North American leagues. You’ll also get free bet offers for things like tennis Grand Slam events, the FIFA World Cup, and the Olympics. What free bet offers are available often depends on what the sportsbook specializes in. For example, Caesars is an official NFL sponsor, so it’s fair to expect more promotional free football bets with no deposit required on their site.
Some multi-discipline sites that have both an online casino and sportsbook may also have a daily prize wheel. I’ve seen this feature at a handful of operators and it can result in some epic prizes. Usually you’ll find that the prize wheel contains a mix of free bets for the sportsbook, bet boosts, odds boosts, free spins for the casino, or just bonus money for the sportsbook or casino. You’ll usually get one free spin per day on the prize wheel as an existing customer, and while you’ll more often than not get the smallest prize, there is always the potential to snag a big free bet.
As with other promo codes for sports betting, free bets usually have a range of terms and conditions that you must understand. If you don’t follow the T&Cs then you can potentially void your free bet and lose out. I’ve explained the common T&Cs for free bets below:
| Term | Explanation |
| Splitting/whole bet | Sometimes you have to use the free bet value as a single bet and cannot split it. This is often true for smaller bet values such as $5-25. In contrast, for larger free bets of $100-200, the value is often split into smaller chunks. |
| Sports limitations | Many free bet offers are for specific sports only and you can only use your free bets on specific markets. For example, there might be an NFL free bet that you can only use on NFL regular season games. |
| Bet type limitations | Some free bet promotions have limitations on the type of bet. I’ve seen offers where you can only use the free bet on pre-match outright markets, for example (the moneyline bet). Alternatively, I’ve also seen bonuses where you have to use the free bet on a parlay with at least 3 selections. |
| Minimum odds | Usually free bets will have a minimum odds stipulation – this is a limitation sportsbooks impose to reduce your chances of potentially winning. For example, I’ve seen many free bet offers where you have to make a selection with cumulative minimum odds of 1.5 or greater. |
| Expiry periods | Typically you don’t get an unlimited amount of time to use your free bets. Instead, there is often an expiry period and if you haven’t used your bet within that time, it expires and you lose it. The most common examples I’ve seen are 7 days and 30 days. |
These promos look amazing from the outside and oftentimes they are, but there’s some potential drawbacks too which are outlined in the below pros and cons:
Like a betting bonus sign up offer, I believe there are things you can do to be more effective with your free bet offers and get the most out of them. Using my knowledge and experience, I’ve shared four simple tips below.
Just because you have a free bet, it doesn’t mean you can’t be strategic! There are two approaches you can make. First, you can play it conservative and place a sensible bet with as lower odds as possible. By doing this you give yourself a greater chance of winning, and thus can hopefully top-up your bankroll with your free bet. Alternatively, you can go for a high-risk strategy and make an outrageous bet that will give you a much bigger potential payout. You’re not spending any money, so why not have a little fun and place a 10-team parlay, for example?
Whichever strategy you go for with your no-deposit free bet, you can balance the risk factor with your real-money bets. For example, I usually have an 80/20 split of low risk to high risk bets. So, if I chose to make a high-risk wager with my free bet, I would then make 3-4 low-risk bets with my actual deposit money. I think it’s always advisable to think about your free bet as part of your overall betting strategy and bankroll, as opposed to just using it in a vacuum without any thought for your funds or aims.
I’ve found that the more active you are at sportsbooks, the more chance you have of snagging free bet offers. This includes making regular bets each week, and checking the promotions page several times per week. You will find that betting sites often add new promos or update existing ones, and it’s also worth following their social media profiles too.
Many people simply use their free bets as a throw-away thing and put no thought into their selections. Don’t do this. You should still use analysis and look at stats and player form to try and make the best strategic picks for your free bets.
Free bets for existing customers can be an awesome type of bonus that allows you to place bets without using your deposit money. As I explained above, you can potentially get these free bets via numerous ways such as VIP and loyalty schemes, recurring weekly offers, or special free bet offers for seasonal events or highlight events.
You can check out the links and banners on this page to see a range of free bet offers and general promotions for online sportsbooks in your area. When you do get a free bet offer, please make sure that you have read the terms and conditions fully so you understand limitations such as minimum odds, bet types, and expiry periods, but most of all, have fun and good luck!
Potentially, yes. If you comply with the terms and conditions of the free bet and you make a pick that wins then you will get a real money payout.
Usually, yes. There can be limitations on the sport, the bet type, the market, and minimum odds that the bet needs to have. There may also be an expiry period on the free bet.
This depends on where the online sportsbook is available and who can register an account at it. Free bets for new customers are one-off welcome deals available only on sign-up. They tend to offer top value, but free wagers for regulars have the obvious benefit of ongoing availability.