Best betting offers & free bets (Updated for January 2026)

Welcome to a complete roundup of betting offers and free bets in the UK. Whether you’re a first-time bettor looking for your initial free bet or an experienced punter seeking the best value, this guide covers everything you need to know about claiming and using betting bonuses in 2026.

UK betting offers: Free bets and sign-up offers in 2026 overview

Today’s top betting offers – Sportsmole editors’ picks

As the top names in the UK market battle it out to provide the best betting sign-up offers, we’ve compiled the big household betting names in the UK and examined the best betting sites. We’ve also reviewed their terms and conditions and tested each code to see how well it performs in practice, identifying some key features and determining which ones we’d place in the top bracket.

Let’s look at the best betting offers and understand why they are better than the rest:

1. Bet365
2. NetBet
3. Ladbrokes
4. 10Bet
5. Betano
6. William Hill
7. Planet Sport
8. Star Sports
9. SBK

1. Bet365 offer: Get £30 in free bets

As arguably the UK’s favourite sports betting platform, bet365 has a brand name and marketing strategy that have caused great admiration within the industry. This has led to the CEO becoming one of the wealthiest women in the UK, and the company has expanded into Australia, Mexico, India, and Canada.

The current Bet365 welcome offer looks impressive at first glance – a 300% bonus up to £30 in free bets. To claim this offer, use the Bet365 bonus code 365MOLE during registration. The key appeal is that you only need to deposit £10 to get the maximum £50 in bet credits. This is quite generous compared to many betting sites that require you to deposit the full bonus amount.

Bet365 offers several valuable features that enhance the experience of using your bet credits. The cash-out option gives you flexibility to secure profits or cut losses, and the Bet Builder lets you create custom bets. These features, combined with regular Bet Boosts and Best Odds Guaranteed on horse racing, can help you make the most of your bonus.

Best for: The Bet365 betting offer is best for regular bettors who understand how bet credits work. This is a solid offer, especially given the low deposit requirement for the maximum bonus. However, if you’re hoping for withdrawable free cash, this isn’t that kind of promotion. The key is to view the bet credits as an opportunity to place larger bets than your initial deposit would allow, rather than as free money.

2. Netbet offer: Double your betting power

NetBet’s welcome offer rewards you with £20 in Free Bets when you join and place your first £10 Bet Builder featuring three or more selections at odds of 3/1 (4.00) or higher. Your bonus arrives as two £10 Free Bets within 24 hours, and you’ll have seven days to use them across any sport, including Bet Builder opportunities. Whether you prefer Premier League football, horse racing, or other sports, you can split your Free Bets between different markets to explore various betting strategies.

Best for: The NetBet welcome offer is structured around Bet Builders. Therefore, this bonus would be particularly appealing if you enjoy creating and placing this type of bet.

3. Ladbrokes offer: £30 in free bets

For a £5 deposit and subsequent bet, Ladbrokes will reward new customers with £30 in free bets. Of all the current welcome bonuses on offer, this promotion triggers with the smallest minimum deposit, instantly making it one of the best new customer betting offers.

This offer provides an excellent return for such a small outlay. Another of the free bets is for football and must be a bet builder. The remaining free bets can be placed in the following markets: Football, Horse Racing, Greyhound Racing, Tennis, Basketball, American Football, Boxing, Rugby Union, Rugby League, UFC, Cricket, Table Tennis, Darts, Golf, Snooker, Esports, Ice Hockey, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball, gaelic football, Pool or Specials.

Mastercard and Visa debit cards are the only eligible deposit methods to trigger this offer. All other payment methods do not qualify. Prepaid Cards, Moneybookers, Paypal, Paysafe, Neteller and Skrill are all excluded.

Ladbrokes also offers a number of betting promotions to existing customers, covering a range of sports. After registering and using up their welcome bonus, existing customers can enjoy regular betting promotions as well as new betting offers and bonuses.

Some are released daily and typically focus on a specific upcoming tournament or event. These can be price boosts, best odds guaranteed, free bets, free-to-play games, bet-and-get offers, or prize draws.

Most of Ladbrokes’ regular promotions are built around horse racing, such as extra places paid, and football, like early payouts if your team goes two goals ahead. You will often find free bet promotions on horse racing and football, which the bookie will inform you about by messaging your account inbox.

As for features, Ladbrokes doesn’t skimp here either. Bet builders, cash out, and live streaming are all available on this platform.

Punters can enjoy games such as 1-2-Free, Instant Spins at no extra cost. The Instant Spins wheels can be played daily and can reward even more free spins and bonuses as well as Ladbucks, the bookie’s own digital currency, which punters can then spend in the Ladbrokes arcade.

Best for: Value, as it only takes a minimum of £5 to unlock £30 in free bets. This is an excellent return for such a minor investment. It is also particularly good for fans of football and horse racing.

4. 10Bet offer: 100% first deposit match up to £50

The 10Bet sign-up offer provides a straightforward 100% match of your first deposit up to £50, giving new customers a genuine cash bonus rather than just free bets. If you deposit £50, you’ll receive an additional £50 in bonus funds, doubling your betting power from the start.

The offer requires an 8x wagering requirement on both your deposit and bonus before you can withdraw any winnings. Your qualifying bets must have minimum odds of 4/5 (1.80) for singles or 2/5 (1.40) per accumulator selection. You have 60 days to meet these requirements, which is more generous than many competitors. Note that this promotion doesn’t qualify for deposits made via PayPal, Skrill, or Neteller.

What sets this apart is that it’s actual bonus cash rather than free bet tokens. 10Bet has been operating since 2003 and has a solid reputation in the UK market.

Best for: Bettors who prefer cash bonuses over free bet tokens and don’t mind wagering requirements. The 60-day timeframe makes it suitable for those who want time to work through the requirements gradually rather than rushing to use free bets within a week.

5. Betano offer: Get £30 in bonuses for the football season

The Betano sign up offer provides excellent value with £30 in total bonuses for new customers. To qualify, you need to opt in and bet £10 on any sports at odds of 1/1 or greater within 3 days of signing up.

Once your qualifying bet settles, you’ll receive:

• £10 Free Bet for any sports
• £10 Free Bet for ACCA (4+ selections)
• £10 Free Bet for Bet Builder (3+ selections)

The free bets can be used on any sports market except horse racing. Single bets require evens or higher odds, and double or higher bets need odds of 2/1 or greater. Free bets expire after 15 days and only return profit, not the stake. The casino bonus is accompanied by 40x wagering requirements and a maximum withdrawal limit of £500.

This isn’t a bookie that overdoes it when it comes to offers for its existing customers. However, there is the Lucky Dip promotion for bettors with existing accounts. This feature works across various sports and lets punters select Lucky Dip picks that match the odds they want, from low to high.

Other than that, bettors on this platform can enjoy all of the usual bet boosts and enhanced odds, cash out, and bet builders.

Best for: Bettors who enjoy variety in their betting, particularly those interested in both sports betting and casino games. The combination of different free bet types makes it ideal for exploring various betting strategies, while the casino bonus appeals to those who enjoy slots alongside their sports betting.

6. William Hill offer: Get £40 in free bets

William Hill’s sign-up offer provides impressively low min bet odds of 1/5. A familiar household name in the UK betting landscape, they also benefit from international viability online. You’ll get £40 in sports free bets after placing a £10 qualifying bet. However, the sports portion comes as 4 separate £10 free bets.

Best for: While William Hill‘s £40 total bonus value sounds attractive, this is a bonus for players who don’t mind working through more complex requirements to access their full bonus. If you’re looking for straightforward sports betting free bets, you might want to consider simpler alternatives.

6. Planet Sport Bet Offer

Names like Planet Sport Bet are less familiar to UK betting customers. While Planet Sport Bet deserves credit for offering several varied promotions to existing customers, their welcome offer falls at the bottom of the value scale.

It’s not a bad offer compared to bookmakers of the same size. We wouldn’t classify it as one of the best free bet offers. The Bet £10, Get £20 in Free Bets promotion for new customers doesn’t measure up against the premium operators. The bet must be placed within 24 hours of sign-up, too, which is, again, a small timeframe.

7. Star Sports Betting offer: Get up to £25 back

Star Sports offers new customers a 50% cashback free bet if your first bet loses, up to £25, plus 25 free spins on Gold Horsey Winner. We’d mirror the same opinions with StarSports as with Planet Sport Bet. While their platforms are both easy to use and involve predominantly the same markets as all of the other big platforms on our list, the cashback bonus of up to 50% of your stake in cashback when you place a £50 bet isn’t comparable in terms of value to any of the other promotions we’ve looked at.

The best free bet offers should provide value at the foundation of their promotion, but to place a £50 bet only to get up to £25 maximum back, we’d put it toward the lower end of our list.

8. SBK Betting offer: Get £30 in free bets

SBK’s promotion is slightly different from the rest of the sign-up offers we’ve explored. It offers £30 in free bets for a minimum deposit of £10 via debit card or bank transfer. The free bets are credited in staggered amounts over 48 hours.

New customers must register for their app, and the initial deposit must be via card or bank transfer. We can’t criticise the speed or efficiency of the site once you tick these boxes, but we didn’t like how the bonus is credited in staggered payouts. The first £10 in free bets are credited upon settlement, another £10 after 24 hours, a further £5 Horse Racing Multiple tokens, and a £5 Football Bet Builder token after 48 hours.

It’s not the worst, but it’s also not the best free bet sign-up offer we have looked at today. SBK‘s feels overthought, unlike the Betfred offer, which is just £30 on any sportsbook and £20 on two accumulators – much simpler.

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How do free bets work? A first-time bettor’s guide

A free bet is a stake a bookmaker provides that allows you to place a wager without using your money. This first-time bettor’s guide to free bets explains how and why they aren’t quite as “free” in the traditional sense – they usually require some form of qualifying action on your part. Let’s get into it.

Understanding Free Bets

• Non-withdrawable: You can’t cash out the free bet itself
• Stake not returned: If you win a £10 free bet at 3/1, you receive £30 (not £40)
• Restricted use: Often limited to certain markets or minimum odds
• Time-limited: Most expire within 7 days

Example in Practice

Let’s say you receive a £10 free bet from Bet365:

• You place it on a Premier League match at odds of 3/1
• If it wins: You receive £30 in winnings (stake not returned)
• If it loses: You haven’t lost any of your own money

From a bookmaker’s standpoint, free bets represent a calculated investment in customer acquisition. Bookmakers are willing to accept an initial loss to gain long-term customers, especially in today’s highly competitive market

For established bookmakers with substantial marketing budgets, free bets are a standard cost of doing business. However, newer platforms must carefully balance the size and frequency of these offers against their potential returns. This explains why you often see more generous offers from major brands compared to newer market entrants.

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How to Claim Free Bets: Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s exactly how to claim betting sign-up offers:

Step 1: Choose Your Bookmaker

Select from our recommended betting sites above. Consider factors like:

• Free bet amount
• Minimum deposit requirements
• Wagering requirements
• Available sports markets

Step 2: Register Your Account

• Click the sign-up button
• Enter personal details (name, DOB, address)
• Create username and password
• Enter any promo codes if required

Step 3: Verify Your Identity

• Upload photo ID (driving licence or passport)
• Confirm address with utility bill
• Complete any additional KYC requirements

Step 4: Make Your Qualifying Deposit

Most free bet offers typically require a deposit. For example, a ‘Bet £10, Get £30’ offer will usually require a minimum first deposit of £10 or more within a certain timeframe of your registration. Some payment methods may be excluded, especially e-wallets such as Skrill or Neteller, so we recommend making your first deposit with a traditional card payment to ensure you qualify.

• Navigate to the cashier
• Choose payment method (debit card recommended)
• Deposit the minimum required amount
• Ensure payment method qualifies for the offer

Step 5: Place Your Qualifying Bet

Each betting offer comes with minimum odds and wagering requirements. Typically, this is around 2/1, but some offers lower the threshold to appeal to a wider range of customers. The current Bet365 offer we discussed involves a £10 bet on any sports market with odds of 1/5 (1.2) or higher.

If your bet falls under this, you will not qualify for the free betting credits, so it’s crucial to take this on board when you sign up.

Your first bet needs to meet the minimum stake requirement exactly or exceed it. For instance, if the offer requires a £10 qualifying bet, placing a £5 bet won’t count towards the requirement, and in many cases, splitting it into two £5 bets won’t be eligible either.

• Find a qualifying sporting market specified in terms of
• Meet minimum odds requirements
• Place bet of the required amount
• Wait for bet to settle

Step 6: Receive Your Free Bets

Another important component is the expiry date. You don’t want to sign up for a betting offer and come back to it the following day only to find it has expired. While this is rare, some bonuses include a 24-hour expiry.

• Free bets credited within 24-48 hours
• Check your account balance
• Use within specified timeframe

From our experience, this can be the case with smaller providers. All of the big names we’ve touched on today range from between 3-7 days, but in the case of Bet365, once you have placed your qualifying bet, you have up to 90 days to claim the £30 in betting credits – again, always check the expiry to avoid this potential disappointment.

What to Bet on in the UK with Free Bets – Major Sporting Events

2026 has got a lot in store for sports fans with all of the annual favourite events making their yearly return, plus a popular biennial event getting its 2026 renewal.

Later on in the year in September, the Ryder Cup will take place at Bethpage Black on New York’s Long Island. The Ryder Cup is a biennial men’s golf competition that takes place on alternating courses in the United States and Europe.

We still don’t know what the line-ups will be over three days, but the odds currently have the hosts, the USA, as odds-on favourites to wrestle back their crown from Europe, which won the last event held in Italy.

The Americans are around the 10/13 mark to win this year’s event, with the Europeans 7/4 to retain their title. A draw has been priced up at around 12/1.

Using free bets effectively requires knowing when all major sporting events take place. Here’s a calendar of key UK and international sporting events:

Month	Event	Sport	Location
January	Snooker Masters	Snooker	Alexandra Palace, London
February	Six Nations Rugby	Rugby	Various
March	Cheltenham Festival	Horse Racing	Cheltenham Racecourse
April	Grand National	Horse Racing	Aintree Racecourse
May	FA Cup Final	Football	Wembley, London
June	Wimbledon Tennis	Tennis	London
July	The Open Championship	Golf	St Andrews
August	Premier League Kickoff	Football	Various
September	The Ryder Cup	Golf	Bethpage Black Course, New York
October	Champions League Group Stage	Football	Various
November	ATP Finals	Tennis	Palasport Olimpico, Turin
December	PDC World Darts Championship	Darts	Alexandra Palace, London

These events provide great opportunities for bettors to take full advantage of free bet promotions on high-profile tournaments, matches and races.

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Best new customer betting offers – Latest promotions

Although sports betting platforms will use their main offerings to attract new customers, they will also offer limited-time promotions that capitalize on specific tournaments capturing national interest. The most obvious recent example is the Euros, where Ladbrokes, William Hill, and Coral offered specific Euros-based best betting offers.

Betano went one step further and aligned themselves as the betting sponsor of the entire tournament, offering extensive promotions to welcome new customers. This is mirrored through other tournaments, including the World Cup, the Super Bowl, the Grand National, and the Rugby World Cup—to name a few. Ultimately, the idea is to capitalise on the trending markets and bring in sports betting fans who follow these big tournaments.

Best Value Offers – SpreadEx’s £60 free bets

Out of the 10 sign-up offers we explored, SpreadEx offers the highest amount of free bets: £60. Though it’s not paid out as a straight betting credit of that value, it’s one of the best sign-up betting offers available to UK customers.

Sportsmole’s pick for the best betting sign-up offer

Out of all the promotions we’ve explored today, it isn’t easy to decide on one. The truth is, at least half of the ten we looked at could have a strong case – we’d say, though, out of all the options, it’s Bet365.

Their offer includes £30 of betting credits on any of their sports betting markets. While all the others we touched on include a cluster of popular sports, Bet365 proves why they’re consistently named the best online betting sign-up offers.

All their sports markets are included in their betting credits; you can use the free bets in any denomination you want, including sixty-50 pence bets if the mood strikes you.

The minimum odds of 1/5 and the 90-day use period for your betting credits help Bet365 stand out. While the other bonuses have their high points and positives, the best free bet offers UK customers can currently take advantage of are those from Bet365 and Betfred.

Betfred

On the face of it – Betfred’s welcome bonus ticks many of the boxes as the best betting sign-up offers currently on the UK market. It offers a 500% return in free betting credits, and the 7-day expiry date is the industry standard. One thing to be aware of is that this only applies to card payment methods; if you use Apple Pay, PayPal, bank transfer, or other methods, you will not qualify.

Their terms and conditions are well-structured on their site, and given their presence in the UK market since the mid-1960s, they’re a visible brand that people recognize. The betting credits are paid out as three £ 10 bets and two £ 10 accumulators.

Best for: The Betfred offer is highly advantageous if you want a simple yet generous welcome bonus. It’s especially well-suited to those interested in horse racing.

Coral

As the UK’s oldest active sports betting company, Coral has more than 300+ locations nationwide. Since 2016, the company has been owned by Ladbrokes, which underwent a corporate takeover and restructured the business; as a result, the welcome promotion remains virtually unchanged.

With the Coral sign-up offer, prepaid cards, Moneybookers, InstantBank, Paypal, Paysafe, Neteller, and Skrill are not accepted and must be used within seven days. Coral is known for offering some of the best free bet offers and frequently combines them to attract new customers.

Best Free Bets by Sport

Different sports betting sites specialise in various markets. Below is a table of the best betting offers by sport:

Sport	Best Betting Offer	Bookmaker
Football	£40 in Free Bets	BetFred
Horse Racing	£30 in Free Bets	Betfred
Tennis	£20 in Free Bets	Ladbrokes
Golf	£30 in Free Bets	Coral
Esports	£20 in Free Bets	SBK

These sportsbooks offer specialised promotions tailored to specific sports, making them ideal choices for betting on different events.

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How I rated the best betting offers

If you are wondering how I came up with the rankings for the betting offers, I have outlined below some of the criteria that I considered when writing this review.

For me, the most important consideration in evaluating a bookmaker’s offer is the transparency of its terms and conditions. Regardless of any offer, you should always ensure that you read the full terms and conditions to be completely aware of what you need to do before claiming it.

Here are some critical factors for rating a betting offer.

• Best value: Punters want the best value that they can get from a betting offer. As we know, the cheapest qualifying deposit and wager needed to unlock a welcome offer is £5, which currently pays out £30 in free bets. Most of the time, betting offers are triggered by a £10 wager, so any of these bonuses that offer the highest percentage of free profit to play with will consistently score highly.
• Ease of use: I also consider how easy it is to claim and subsequently use the reward. Bonuses shouldn’t be hard work; they should be enjoyable. Betting is a leisure pursuit, after all.
• Wagering requirements: Any wagering requirements, if applicable, should be clearly stated in the terms and conditions of the deal. While wagering requirements are generally more relevant to casino bonuses, some bookies enforce them, too, which I am not a fan of.
• Minimum odds: You must ensure that the odds of your qualifying bet meet the requirements of the bonus terms and conditions. This is even more important when betting on accumulators (accas), due to their multiple legs. I rate bookies that require fair odds as better than those that ask for unfair and unlikely-to-win odds.
• Eligible bets: Some bookies can be flexible and allow bettors to wager on the markets they want to unlock a promotion. Others require players to place their bets on a specific market or insist that it must be a bet builder or accumulator. I prefer flexibility.
• Maximum winnings: Because the bookies are the ones that are fronting the stakes for the free bets, winnings can be capped. The higher the payout cap of the promotion, the better.
• Expiry period: I considered this twice. Firstly, how long do I have to make the qualifying wager after I sign up for a new betting account, and how long do I have to use up my free bets after they have been credited? Because the event you want to bet on might be some time in the future, you will enjoy as much time as possible for both scenarios.

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Beyond free bets: Other popular betting offers

While we’ve covered nine of the biggest names in UK sports betting and their betting offers, this is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the other types of betting offers available on the market.

To that end, here are some additional types of betting offers, along with an explanation of how they work.

No deposit bonus

No-deposit bonuses are harder to find but are considered to be the best betting sign-up offers because punters aren’t required to deposit any of their own money.

A no deposit bonus often has less scope than the more common deposit bonuses, as your bookie will give you something for free.

Bet Insurance

Betting insurance is for players who are not entirely confident that their bet will win. Some sports betting sites allow players to insure a bet at any time. The cost of bet insurance typically depends on the current odds for an exact outcome.

Bettors can insure the rate in full or partially. If a bet goes on to lose, the insured part is returned to the punter’s balance. This makes it a good option for almost all types of players as the risk is lower and the winnings are not completely wiped out.

Difference between free bets and deposit bonuses

Deposit bonuses aim to supplement your initial deposit with free betting credits. This is the industry-wide approach, and it is the most common of the promotions you will encounter as a new customer.

The main difference is that deposit bonuses require you to put some of your own money in, and free bets are for simply registering with the site.

Betting Offers for Existing Customers UK

While welcome bonuses grab headlines, the best betting sites also reward loyal customers:

Regular Promotions Available

• Acca Insurance: Money back if one leg fails
• Profit Boosts: Enhanced winnings on selected bets
• Best Odds Guaranteed: Automatic price improvements
• Free Bet Clubs: Weekly rewards for regular betting
• Cashback Offers: Refunds on losing bets

Daily and Weekly Promotions

Beyond welcome offers, bookmakers provide regular promotions:

Daily Offers

• Price boosts on popular markets
• Flash bonuses during major events
• Enhanced accumulators

Weekly Promotions

• Free bet clubs (bet £25, get £5 free)
• Accumulator bonuses
• Cashback on specific leagues

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Recap

When selecting betting sign-up offers, value should be your primary consideration. Compare the total free bet amount against the deposit required. Always review the terms carefully, paying close attention to wagering requirements and any applicable restrictions. The platform’s usability matters too—ensure it suits your betting preferences and offers the sports markets you’re interested in. Don’t forget to look beyond the welcome offer and consider the ongoing promotions available to existing customers.

Our top recommendation remains Bet365 because of its generous welcome bonus, user-friendly terms, and excellent platform features.

Remember to gamble responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose.

FAQs on betting offers