What is Free bet?
A free bet is a sports betting promotion giving a customer a bet token of a set value; if it wins, usually only the winnings are paid, not the token's stake.
A £10 free bet at decimal odds of 3.0 returns £20 profit if it wins, not £30, because the stake is not returned. That makes a free bet worth less than its face value in cash. Free bets often carry minimum odds, expiry dates and restrictions on markets.
Common formats include 'bet £10, get £30 in free bets' acquisition offers and reload offers for existing customers. In Great Britain, offers linking betting with casino products have been banned since January 2026.
Free bet costs appear in operators' reports as promotional spend deducted from gross revenue. The value of a free bet depends heavily on the odds at which it is used. Higher-odds selections convert a larger share of the token's face value into expected winnings, because the stake is not returned. Some promotions use 'stake returned' free bets instead, which are worth more, and the terms specify which applies.