Best UK Free Bets with FREEbets.org.uk

The Premier League is back in full swing and we take a look at who the leading contenders are to take the title in the 2022-2023 season in our Premier League Preview which is now live.

One of the most anticipated events of this year will of course be the Footbal World Cup that begins on Sunday, November 18th, 2022. it will be a huge test for the British nations taking part to gauge where they really stand against the rest of the world. Conditions in Qatar will be interesting to watch and may play a huge factor in results.

If you are new to this area of sign-up offers in the betting world then here are some useful links to navigate this page for guidance:

• Types of Free Bets
• Deposit Free Bets
• No Deposit Free Bets
• Event Specific Free Bets
• Mobile Specific
• Enhanced Odds
• The Free Bet Journey

Types of Free Bets

Bookmaker free bet offers can be categorised as follows:

• Deposit from new customers
• Non-deposit for all customers
• Event specific
• Mobile Specific
• Enhanced odds

All the leading online major bookmakers are competing in this area. Much of the advertising activity centres on major soccer matches in the Premier League and Champions League that are televised live. The new model targets a customer watching a football match in a social environment with the desire and technology to place a bet in-play. Fun and engagement are the latest buzzwords reflected in the following types of free bet:

Deposit Free Bets

This type of free bet is generally specifically on offer for new customers who must make a deposit. Usually stringent terms and conditions apply and it really is a case of not ignoring the small print. Any deviation from the documented procedure will result in the free deposit bet being invalid. Generally the amount will correspond to the initial deposit and there is a range of allowable funding of the new account from a minimum to a maximum.

No Deposit Free Bets

Non-deposit free bets are usually valid for new and existing customers. They are not dependent on funds being transferred into a betting account. These formats are much less widespread than the deposit specific type. The potential profit is hence much lower as the risk to the online bookmaker is higher. Betting margins mean turnover is paramount so the downside of easily achievable conditions is that non-deposit free bets are relatively low in value but can be utilised more often.

Event Specific Free Bets

The industry sector for these offers becomes more competitive for the major racing festivals and races and soccer tournaments. The quest for new and existing business is most intense during the Cheltenham Festival. This is the most popular meeting of the year and usually produces lucrative free bet promotions for the punter. The Grand National is the standalone race that generates most betting turnover but, surprisingly, free bets and promotions are actually reduced by the bookies for this event due to the nature of new customers being the householder, rather than the seasoned bettor, who will register and take the introductory funds but then never return again. The bookmaker ruthlessly regards this type of customer as "Low Value" and so can often withdraw the free bet for the Grand National event only. Specific live televised football matches in the Premier League and Champions League generate free bets and the soccer World Cup and European Championships both on a four year cycle lead to them being made available to new and existing customers.

Mobile Specific

More bets are now placed on mobile devices than on desktops so bookmakers are striving to get customers to use betting apps. All the major devices are covered and mobile versions can be accessed through a download or website link. However, only selected bookmaker apps are available on Google Play which does not allow all betting related applications. Some free bets are only available using the mobile version of a bookmaker’s betting products but they can be accessed through Android and iPhone.

Enhanced Odds

Live televised football matches generate enhanced odds because they attract large audiences including the casual and committed customers. Better odds are often associated with :

1. a player to score
2. a player to score and his team to win
3. one team to win and both teams to score

These offers are often only available during a limited amount of time and staking restrictions apply. Double and treble odds are offered for specific events to take place such as a goal early in a match or a headed goal.  Bets are void if a player named for the purposes of enhanced odds does not play.

The Free Bet Journey

The following tick list should be worked through in order to complete the free bet journey:

1. Identify a free bet
2. Open an account
3. Specify the bonus code if applicable
4. Deposit funds
5. Place qualifying bet
6. Claim bonus
7. Calculate staking and odds for counter bets
8. Place counter matched bets
9. Complete turnover requirement
10. Withdraw funds 

Bookmakers compete for new customers and try to keep existing customers by offering free bets. Dedicated websites highlight the best offers with banners and affiliate links to online operators. Bonus and promotional codes are used by these sites to ensure they can claim commission for converting new customers. The affiliate area is now well developed but free bets are increasingly taking over from content in establishing the links between affiliate and bookmaker. Other sites document the journey that customers take from being attracted by a free bet offer to placing a bet and maximising winnings or minimising losses.

Current Trends with Free bets

Betting is now a type of commerce that is being increasingly conducted online. Engagement is constantly evolving with a shift away from the desktop to mobile and tablet devices. There is also a greater emphasis on live sport and more spontaneous betting, especially on football. In 2015 75% of bets taken by one of the biggest names in the industry were football related.

Branding is important when customers are considering opening a new account. The niche is dominated by a small number of leading brands who are competing with less well established operators. The sector is becoming consolidated with some major mergers pending which will spread costs and allow more of the budget to be spent on free bets. William Hill is seen as the most trustworthy operator in the UK. Advertising improves brand awareness and Paddy Power are particularly strong in this area. Both these companies offer free bets to new customers.

Customer loyalty is fundamental to business success and online betting is massively competitive. The key factors in choosing which online bookmakers to engage with were recently highlighted in a prominent Horse Racing paper with reference to research conducted in this sector. The most important factors were identified as follows:

• Free bet offers: 46%
• Brand reputation: 37%
• Best odds: 27%
• Quality of website: 25%
• Others

The majority of mobile customers have more than one account. However, 38% of existing account holders have the propensity to open one more account. That suggests there is still scope for growth and justifies the cost and investment of offering free bets. Marketing has a key role to play and bookmakers spend millions on promoting free bets on television and in the national and betting specific Press. Most national newspapers have collaborations with bookmakers.

The attractiveness of one particular sport is linked to the scope for live betting and event-specific free bet offers. Football bets and to a lesser degree other free bets on sports like tennis, cricket and both codes of rugby can take advantage of the limited nature of the live horse racing product. In an admittedly limited survey using a site that highlights free bets about four times as many were associated with football than racing. The offline market is centred less around racing and more about free bets on football and numbers games, lotteries and Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. Free sports bets are prevalent in the online market.