Free Bets at US Sportsbooks

How We Compare Sportsbooks with Free Bets

We take the guesswork out of comparing sportsbooks with free bet promotions. Our process is easy to understand and aims to make things clear and simple, so you can focus on having fun with your bets. Here’s how we find the best boosts for your bankroll:

• Free Bet Offers – Of course, top of our list in this context is finding a decent list of the best free bet offers. We dive into the details and check out the small print to find the offers that are worth accepting, translating the rules into simple language to help you clearly understand the deal.
• Licensing – To keep your betting experience safe and fair, we ensure our recommended bookmakers are state-approved. For instance, for New Jersey sportsbooks, we look for a license from the NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement. 
• Betting Markets – Betting shouldn’t be boring! That’s why we check what kinds of betting markets are available. Whether you’re into basketball, football, or even MMA, the more choices you have, the better your experience.
• Competitive Odds – Finding the best odds, prices and odds boosts for bettors is what we love to do. We make sure odds are fair and competitive compared to rival bookies. 
• Additional Features – Betting can be more than just picking a team. Some sportsbooks let you bet while the game is underway and even let you watch it live. We find these special perks to make your betting experience extra exciting. 
• Payment Methods – Different sportsbooks handle top-ups and payouts differently, and options can vary even between states. When it comes to real money sports betting sites, we hope to see a variety of trusted options on the cashier page. 
• Customer Support – The best sports betting sites won’t leave you unstuck if you have a problem. We look for sites that offer a range of handy support options, which can include live chat, email, and more, ensuring that getting help is quick and easy. 

The Best Sportsbooks with Free Bets

We’ve got loads of free bet offers on this page — if you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few of our favorites.

Borgata

Kicking things off at Borgata is a fantastic two-part free bet offer:

• $20 in free bet credit as soon as you sign up, no deposit required. Winnings from this free bet have 1x wagering requirements. 
• A matched deposit offer up to a huge $1,000 when you deposit at least $10. This bonus free bet credit comes with 15x wagering requirements.

We love the no deposit portion of this free bet offer. It gives bettors a chance to test out the sportsbook and make sure it’s for them before committing to a real money deposit. And with 1x wagering requirements, withdrawing winnings if you’re lucky enough to land them is a possibility. That’s not the case with the matched deposit portion due to the 15x requirements, but you’ll still get a substantial amount of free betting from that.

PointsBet

New customers at Pointsbet can take advantage of a Second Chance welcome offer. How does it work? If any of your first ten real money bets at the site lose, your stake is returned as a free bet up to a maximum of $100 per bet — a max value of $1,000. Of course, these free bets can’t be withdrawn, so you should still approach your wagers with the same care and consideration as usual. 

FanDuel

FanDuel’s welcome offer is one of the best for those on smaller budgets. To get involved, all you have to do is sign up, deposit $10 to your account, and then place a moneyline bet of at least $5. If your chosen team wins, you’ll score $150 in bonus bets, so this is a pretty generous promo. You should put plenty of research into your selection if you want the best chance of landing the bonus — it’s probably wise to bet on the favorite!

DraftKings

At Draftkings, there’s a lofty matched deposit bonus available to new customers. This sportsbook rewards your first deposit with a 20% match up to a maximum $1,000. While taking advantage of the full offer means a hefty $5,000 deposit, there’s just a $5 minimum to get involved. 

The offer does have significant playthrough requirements of 25x — but these can be completed gradually, with $1 of bonus funds converted to withdrawable cash for every $25 of real money you wager. 

FanDuel

FanDuel’s welcome offer is one of the best for those on smaller budgets. To get involved, all you have to do is sign up, deposit $10 to your account, and then place a moneyline bet of at least $5. If your chosen team wins, you’ll score $150 in bonus bets, so this is a pretty generous promo. You should put plenty of research into your selection if you want the best chance of landing the bonus — it’s probably wise to bet on the favorite!

Free Bets Explained

If you’ve landed on this page, you’re likely looking for the best free bet promotions — or you might want to know a bit more about these offers and how they work. We’re here to help!

Sportsbooks hand out free bets — both to new and existing customers — as a way to get you betting on their platforms and to stand out from the competition. You can earn them in a number of different ways including:

• When you place your first bet;
• When you make your first deposit;
• As a weekly reward for betting a certain amount;
• As special one-off promotions around big events;
• As a form of cashback for losing bets;
• As loyalty rewards.

How do they actually work? Read on and we’ll explain.

What is a Free Bet?

Put simply, a free bet is a type of bonus offer where you can place a bet without having to wager your own money. The process is the same as placing a cash bet, but you’ll usually need to tick a box on your betslip to use the free bet instead of the funds in your betting wallet. 

There are a few differences between a free bet and a real money bet. First off, there may be limitations to what you can bet on. Usually there’s a minimum odds requirement, say +100 or higher. 

More importantly, the way the bet is paid won’t include the stake itself. Say you place a $10 free bet at odds of +200 and it wins. You’ll only get the profit of $20, not the original $10 free bet stake. Generally speaking, this profit is added to your account as real money that can be withdrawn or used for future betting, but it may be subject to wagering requirements before you can do so — more on those further down the page.

Types of Free Bets

Free bets are probably the most common offer you’ll find at our top betting sites, but there are many different types. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Free Sign Up Bets – New customers can land these when they sign up for an account, deposit funds, and place their first bet.
• Matched Bets – These offers see you receive free bet credit proportionate to your first deposit after you sign up.
• No Deposit Bets – Much rarer offers, these are unlocked as soon as you sign up for an account. They’re usually smaller and have stricter T&Cs.
• Risk-Free Bets – Sometimes called money back bets, these offers return your stake as a free bet if your qualifying bet loses.  
• Bet Insurance – Similar to risk-free bets, here you’ll get your stake back as a free bet if you lose under certain circumstances. Parlay insurance is one example, where you’ll get your stake back if your parlay bet loses by just one leg. 
• Free Bet Clubs – These offers are designed for those who regularly bet at a sportsbook, say a $10 free bet when you bet $25 over the course of the week.

How to Claim a Free Bet as a New Customer

Ready to turn your predictions into winning bets without risking your own money? Follow these steps to claim your free bets:

1. Browse Free Bet Offers
   Start by exploring the different free bet offers featured on this page. You’ll find a range of exciting welcome offers for new customers from top online sportsbooks such as BetMGM, DraftKings, PointsBet, and BetRivers.
2. Review Terms and Conditions
   Before claiming sportsbook promos, make sure to read and understand which T&Cs apply to the offers. This way, you’ll know exactly what’s required to qualify for the free bonus bet.
3. Sign Up and Deposit
   If you’ve found a welcome bonus offer that suits you, go ahead and sign up for a new sportsbook account. After that, make your first deposit using an eligible payment method, remembering to enter a bonus code if required.
4. Place Qualifying Bet and Claim
   To get your betting site credit, follow the offer guidelines. While no deposit bonuses only require you to sign up, most offers expect a first wager. Your free bet will be credited to your account once this first bet has settled.

How to Use a Free Bet?

Free bets are simple to use. Once you’ve got one in your account, select a market as you would with any other bet, and tick the ‘use free bet’ option on the betslip. Here are a few more tips for making the most of your free bets:

• Compare offers – Some sites offer larger free bets than others, or with more flexible terms around their use. You’ll find a range of the best betting offers on our site to make the search easy.
• Check the T&Cs – Before you use your free bet, make sure you know the rules, whether that’s the minimum odds for your qualifying bet or avoiding payment exclusions.
• Watch out for time limits – Most free bets will expire after a certain amount of time, for example seven days. Be sure to use them within this period.
• Consider your strategy – With free bets, you might want to change things up, say taking a punt on longer odds or trying out a parlay or system bet.
• Use our betting picks – At BettingOdds, we’ve got picks and predictions to help you select the best markets to bet on. Why not combine these with a free bet?

Free Bet Terms and Conditions

Free bets are a great way for sports bettors to squeeze extra value from online sportsbooks, but it’s important to check out the T&Cs before you jump in. The small print for both sign-up bonuses and existing customer offers often contains important information that can affect how you claim and use bonuses. Here’s what to look out for: 

Minimum Odds

Many free bet offers require you to place a qualifying bet at minimum odds to earn your freebie. For example, if the minimum odds for a free bet promotion are 2.0, any bets you place with lower odds won’t count towards fulfilling the free bet conditions. Many bookies also attach minimum odds requirements to the free bets themselves. 

Market Restrictions

Most bonus bets can be used on any sports, but some are limited to specific sports or markets. This means if you receive a free bet for football, you probably can’t use it on basketball. You should also watch out for restrictions on the type of bet you can place. Some sites might allow simple moneyline bets, while others may insist you place a parlay. 

Time Limits

Free bet credits usually come with an expiry date. This could be seven days from when the free bet is awarded, as is the case with the No Sweat First Bet promo offered by the FanDuel Sportsbook, or even just a few days. If you forget to use your free bets within the allotted time frame, they will automatically be removed from your account. 

Winnings Caps

While free bets at online sport betting sites can lead to exciting wins, be aware of any winnings caps that might be in place. Let’s say your free bet has a win cap of $100. Even if your bet results in a $150 win, you’ll only be able to cash out $100, with the remainder of your winnings forfeited.

Minimum Deposit

In some cases, you might need to make a minimum deposit to unlock your free bet. For example, a $10 free bet might require a $20 deposit. Also, keep in mind that using a promo code might be part of the process when claiming a free bet by making a qualifying deposit. Watch out for this to ensure you claim your free bet successfully. 

Payment Exclusions

Different payment methods might have different eligibility for free bets. Some sportsbooks exclude certain payment options, like e-wallets, from qualifying for free bet acceptance. This makes it imperative to check which payment methods are valid to ensure your deposit makes you eligible for the free bet offer. 

Wagering Requirements

Unfortunately, wagering requirements don’t just apply to online casino bonuses. Suppose you win $50 from a free bet and there’s a 3x wagering requirement. This means you need to bet a total of $150 ($50 x 3) before you can withdraw your winnings. In the case of a deposit match offer, wagering requirements will usually apply to the bonus amount instead.

Using Your Free Bet

Once you’ve got your hands on a free bet, there are lots of different ways to use it. Here’s a glimpse at some of the different sports markets you can bet on with your freebie:

Football

Dive into the action of American football and place your bets on NFL games and college matchups. For instance, you could use your free bet to predict if the New England Patriots will triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs on the road to the Super Bowl. You can also bet on things like the total points scored in a game and who will score the first touchdown.

Basketball

The basketball court offers plenty of options for using your free bet. For example, you could wager on whether the Los Angeles Lakers will outshine the Golden State Warriors in their latest NBA matchup. Additionally, you can bet on the total points scored in the game, who will make the first three pointer, or if a specific player will achieve a double-double. 

Baseball

America’s national pastime offers numerous ways to make your free bet count. You can predict the outcomes of MLB games, like whether the New York Yankees will hit a home run against the Boston Red Sox. You can also bet on things like the total runs scored, who will make the first pitch, or if there will be extra innings. 

Hockey

The NHL brings ice-cold excitement to a free bet offer. You could test your instincts on NHL matchups, such as whether the Chicago Blackhawks will score the first goal against the New Jersey Devils. Additional NHL betting options include the total goals scored, which team will have the most shots on goal, or if there will be a shootout. 

Tennis

Free bet offers are usually widely available in advance of the four annual grand slams. You can predict if tennis stars like Taylor Fritz and Jessica Pegula will emerge victorious in their matches or perhaps on the total sets played and who will win the first set. With live tennis betting, you can even predict who will win the next point. 

Golf

There are many important golf tournaments in which you can accept a free bet offer. For instance, you could wager on whether Scottie Scheffler will secure victory at the US Open or narrow down your bet with a head to head matchup between two top players. As well as predicting tournament outcomes, you can also bet on things like who will have the best score in a round, who will miss the cut, or if there will be a sudden-death playoff. 

Soccer

Top sportsbooks like bet365 and Unibet offer numerous betting options on international soccer. This allows you to bet on the outcome of games in various leagues and tournaments, like the final score between Chelsea and Liverpool in the EPL. Other popular soccer betting markets include the total goals scored and the first goalscorer.

Responsible Gambling

While you may not necessarily be putting your money on the line when using free bets, you should still gamble responsibly. Here at BettingOdds, we’ve got plenty of tips and tricks to help you stay safe when you bet — just check out our responsible gambling guide. If you feel gambling is affecting you or someone you know negatively, don’t hesitate to seek help via an organization such as the National Council on Problem Gambling for support in your area. 

Compare Offers, Sign Up and Claim Your Free Bet

If you’re all clued up on free bets and ready to enjoy a slice of the action, your next step is to compare the free bet offers featured on this page. When you’ve found your favorite, simply click through to the sportsbook to claim. It’s as easy as that to enjoy a free bet. 

Frequently Asked Questions