Let's take a closer look at the types of bookmaker offers and free bets you can expect to find when looking to open a new account online
Free Bets Matched Deposit
Cashback Welcome Offers
First Bet Matched Offers
Risk Free Welcome Offers
Free Betting Credits
Enhanced Odds Sign Up Offers & Price Boosts
Profit Boosts
Money Back Special Free Bets
With lots of different terms being used, understanding bookmaker sign up offers can be difficult. Here is a guide to some of those terms and what they mean.
🎁 Matched Deposit Bonus
These are typically where the amount of your first deposit is used as the qualifying amount of the deposit bonus. Many people call these free bets matched deposit but really they are deposit bonuses, so you receive more funds in your account which you can then use for betting, as opposed to receiving a free bet token.
For a 100% deposit bonus for example, if you were to deposit £50 you may receive £50 in bonus funds. The percentage can vary but will typically be 50% or 100% of your first deposit.
Deposit Bonuses💰🎁 They're often based on your first deposit amount, not just free bets. Deposit £50, get £50 more!✨ Percentages can vary, typically 50% or 100%. But remember, turnover requirements can be high, so bet wisely!🎲🔍
Normally turnover requirements are added to the terms of these offers and these can be quite onerous. We have seen as high as 15x turnover requirements on deposit amount and bonus amount. So on a £50 deposit that could mean, £1500 would have to be wagered before any funds can be withdrawn.
Andy Powell Content editor Matched Deposit bonuses used to be the favoured welcome offer, but the demand for these along with the ease of turning the bonus into cash has seen them become less prevalent in recent times making them less viable for bookmakers to offer. Along with the addition of larger wagering requirements taking away much of the value, they have lower appeal now - Oh for the good old days!
So read the terms and conditions of these bookmaker offers thoroughly. You shouldn't change your betting patterns to obtain specific offers so it may be that you dont want to claim the full maximum deposit bonus as to withdraw, it may mean you need to be more than you normally would want to.
That is not sensible or responsible gambling. For those who typically bet larger amounts though, deposit matches can be a good way to gain extra funds for your betting bank. Examples of free bets matched deposit include
100% Deposit Match Up to £100
Deposit £20 Get £20
100% Deposit Match up to £50
50% Deposit Match up to £50
25% Deposit Match up to £100
🎁 Cashback Welcome Offers
Cash Back Offers in Betting 💸🔄 Cash Back offers, another name for deposit bonuses, can seem enticing but be sure to read the fine print! While they may not provide immediate cash withdrawals, they can be advantageous when offered by betting exchanges or spread betting companies. Always know your T&Cs!🔍💡
Another name for deposit bonus offers but the term cash back may be misleading as it is unlikely you will receive any cash which is immediately allowed to be withdrawn with this form of offer.
However sometimes these can be very good offers, for example when a betting exchange or spread betting company offers such an incentive. With these offers, as ever, it is really important to understand the full terms and conditions. Examples of cash back welcome offers are
10% Cashback on net losses for 4 weeks
£300 Cashback on your first 28 days
50% Cashback on your first day
25% Cashback on your first week
10% Cashback on losses for ever
🎁 First Bet Matched Offers
Matched Free Bets🎁🎯 Make the most of Matched Free Bets! Often the first bet placed, ensure you're up to speed with the welcome offer T&Cs.🔍 If the offer is bet £25 get £25, a £5 won't cut it! But an 'up to £25' deal could match your £5 bet with a £5 free bet. Keep an eye on the odds & sports prerequisites. 🎲💡
Matched free bets are typically on the first bet placed and are sometimes referred to as free bet matched stake offers. So when you open a new betting account make sure that you are aware of the welcome offer terms and conditions.
Sam Darkens Commercial manager and betting industry expert First Bet Match Offers are what we are seeing most often with the newer offers on the market with our partners. Recently, The Pools, and BetMGM have made these offers with Multiple free bets to match your first bet up to £10 as new additions to OLBG.
Your first bet is often the qualifying bet for the offer, so if for example the welcome offer is bet £25 get £25 free bet and you make your first bet £5, you would not qualify. Sometimes though the headline amount is the maximum, so the offer may be bet up to £25 and get your first bet matched up to £25.
So in that example a £5 bet may get a £5 free bet. You also need to look out for other qualifying terms though. Your first bet may need to be at specific odds (say over 2/1) and/or on certain sports.
Matched free bets also explain multiples of free bets higher than the initial stake. Examples of matched free bets include
Bet £10 get £10 Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £20 in Free Bets
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets
Bet £20 Get £10 in Free Bets
Bet £25 Get £25 in Free Bets
🎁 Risk Free Welcome Offers
Fortunately there are stricter rules in place now as to when a bookmaker may and may not call a welcome offer risk free.
These are rare offers as normally there is a risk involved in depositing and making a qualifying bet in order to be able to claim a free bet.
The free bet you get after qualifying for it may well be risk free, but you would have needed to take a risk with your first bet. So you may see these promoted as, say Bet £10, Get a £10 risk free bet. Remember though, you are taking a risk with your first £10 bet which of course you can lose.
Risk-Free Bets💰🎲 Risk-free bets sound enticing, right? Remember, there's still a risk with your qualifying bet! Bet £10, Get £10 risk-free may sound good, but your initial £10 can still be lost. Always explore T&Cs, note the maximum wins and turnover standards. Stay informed, bet smart! 🔍💡
Another version of this may be a no deposit free bet. You are more likely to find no deposit offers for slots or casino, sometimes referred to as free spins.
Keep in mind though there are often many terms applied to these, such as the maximum you can win, how many times you need to turn over your stake etc.
Another way in which bookmakers may use the term risk free is in the situation where they will give you a free bet if your first bet loses.
Luke Bradshaw Lee Commercial content manager Risk-free is becoming a dirty word in the free bets realm - As you only get the benefit and the free bet credit [Not cash!] if you first lose cash - You might get another bite of the cherry, but it's not quite 100% risk-free - Not to mention, if your first bet wins, you get no benefit whatsoever!
However it would be wrong of them to call this risk free. You would need to stake an initial bet with your money, which you could lose and then typically if you do lose they will give you a free bet up to a certain amount. ie this may be bet £10, get a free £10 bet if you lose. However you have taken a risk as the free bet cant be withdrawn as cash.
These aren't great offers as nobody intends to lose their first bet of course and if you win as planned, you get no bonus at all. Examples of these type of offers include
First £10 in Losses Refunded
£20 Risk Free Bet
£10 Back Up Bet
£10 Risk Free Bet
£50 Risk Free Bet
🎁 Free Betting Credits
Another variation of deposit match offers. This is really just different terminology with different terms and conditions attached to the offer.
So rather than receive an amount of your deposit as a deposit bonus, you would be allocated betting credits or free bets.
Up to £100 In Free Credits for New Customers
£50 in Bet Credits
Up to £100 in Bet Credits on Sign Up
£25 in free bet credits
£60 in bet credits welcome offer
🎁 Enhanced Odds Sign Up Offers & Price Boosts
These sign up offers have become really popular recently and bookies use them to encourage sign ups around large sporting events.
So rather than offer a free bet, they will offer larger odds on a popular bet to a certain stake. Sometimes these can be very good offers if the winnings are payable in cash and can be withdrawn.
Enhanced Odds & Price Boosts 📈🎯 Enhanced Odds & Price Boosts are rising in popularity among bookies, especially during big sporting events!🏆 Rather than a free bet, they offer inflated odds on popular bets, often with winnings paid as free bets. Ideal for low-stakes wagers, but always review the T&Cs.🔍
However it is more common to see the winnings paid in free bets. So for example a horse may be boosted from say 4/1 to win to 24/1, for a maximum bet of £1 with the extra winnings paid in free bets.
So if the selection wins you would receive your normal returns to a £1 stake but additionally £20 in free bet credits. These offers sound very attractive and can suit you if you want to make small stakes only.
Double The Odds Any Sport
11/1 Arsenal or 15/1 Man Utd to Win
50/1 Tiger Roll
Odds Boost 10/1 Man City
50/1 Tiger Woods to make the cut
🎁 Profit Boosts
Profit Boosts 📈💰 Profit Boosts, akin to enhanced odds, boost your winning's profit!🎉 This can be double the profit of your first bet or more. Not as common due to their complexity and non-specific nature, but they could prove a gamechanger, so keep an eye out! #BettingTips🔍💡
Similar to enhanced odds or price boosts but based on profit instead. So the offer could be double the profit of your first bet or first x bets up to a certain amount.
These aren't so common as they can be difficult for the customer to understand and they aren't normally specific to an event or outcome.
100% In Play Profit Boost
100% Profit boost on your first bet
200% profit boost any bet
Get 100% boost on any in play bet today
300% profit boost if you bet on Man City to win today
🎁 Money Back Special Free Bets
Money Back Special Free Bets: A Closer Look🔍💰 Money Back Special Bets offer a free bet if a specific event occurs—bettor bets on a football match, certain player scores, get a free bet! However, it's just a free bet, not your cash back. So, win on that free bet to retrieve your initial stake. 🎲👍
These free bet offers are linked to something specific happening. Such as place a bet on a football match and get your money back as a free bet if a certain player scores.
Or bet on a horse in a certain race and get your money back as a free bet if that horse falls. Often these types of offers can be available to existing as well as new customers.
Be careful though as you dont get your money back! You are rewarded a free bet which is very different as you would then need to win on that free bet to try and get your original stake back.
