1. Sports Betting Online Review
  2. Free Wager
  3. Best Betting Sites In Usa
  4. Most Trusted Betting Sites
  5. Free Bet Blackjack

How Sportsbook Bonuses Work

Legal online sportsbooks know that once they sign up a new bettor, they will likely have their business for a while. This is combined with a strong wish to show those who have not bet online for a long time what today’s sportsbooks can offer. They figure once you try live betting, see their apps and check out the huge amount of sports and lines on offer, you’ll stick around!

The validity period can also refer to the period in which you have to place the qualifying bet. If you fail to meet the requirements within this period the free bet offer may be lost. Best Betting Sites With Free Bets. 888sport - Great value free bets; Betway - Free Bet Club; Betfred - Classic bookie with many deals; Betfair - Get free bets on the exchange. Sport Verified is the best free football prediction site in the world and the site that predicts football matches correctly. We are the most accurate football prediction site providing our users with the most. Max £25 in free bets. Subsequent free bets equal 50% average of each 3 qualifying bets. 13 bets required to receive full £25 free bet. Qualifying bet must be placed within 30 days of opening account. Cashed out bets will not qualify towards your average stake. One free bet offer per customer, household or IP address only.

Free bets are loss-leaders to get you in the door. There are several different types to look out for.

  • No Deposit Bonuses: Typically, a small bet (think $10 to $25) just for registering.
  • Risk Free Bets: Here you’ll bet with your own money, if your selection loses, the sportsbook will refund your stake in the form of a new bet.
  • Matched Bet Offers: Sportsbooks will offer a free bet based on the amount you initially bet at their site.
  • Free Bets: This type of free bet gives you a specific amount of bonus betting based on reaching milestones. For example, wager $500 and get $100 in free bets.

Once you are a regular customer of a book, they will offer even more incentives. This can include loyalty (points based) schemes, special lines or risk-free wagers or promotions – which can be regular or one-off. There are also offers which return your stake on parlay bets where just one of your selections loses.

Who Can Take Advantage of Sportsbook Bonuses?

At the time of writing New Jersey, Indiana, West Virginia and PA has online sportsbooks. Each state has its own regulations surrounding online sports betting. To be able to take advantage of their offers, you need to be physically inside the state borders. While you can’t bet from outside these states, there is no requirement to be a permanent resident.

You’ll also need to be over 21 (Id will be requested). Sportsbook offers are restricted to one per household, device and person.

How to Claim Your Free Betting Offers?

Depending on the sportsbook, you’ll either receive your free bet automatically on registration, or use a bonus code to claim the offer. You will find information on all the free bet bonus codes here at OnlineGamblingSites.com. Head to the page that covers betting in your state for the full list.

Registering for an account at a regulated book is very easy. You’ll supply your e-mail address, plus some personal information like name, address and date of birth. Following an e-mail approval, your account will be created – and your bonus money will follow. You will be asked to supply backup documents as part of the ‘Know Your Customer’ responsibilities of these sites. If you make a deposit to claim your free bets, this will include backup documents for your deposit method too.

Sportsbook Bonuses & Free Bet Offers Explained

As you will see from the detailed information below, there are plenty of specific terms and rules for the different free bet bonuses. These often have a minimum odds requirement, with -200 the benchmark. This stops people taking advantage of the offers on huge favorites.

With all the examples below, I strongly recommend that you read the terms and conditions before you place your first wager.

1. “No-Deposit Sportsbook Bonuses”

This is the single most popular form of sportsbook bonus for obvious reasons. You get to bet real money for free – and in many cases you keep all of your winnings. These deals range from $10 through to a maximum of about $50. They work by giving you a single bet which needs to be at odds of -200 or better. If your selection wins, then you get the profit from this, though not the stake part.

For example, if you bet $20 of your own money on a money line of 110, then you’d get $22 in profit + your $20 returned = $42 back. That same bet with free money will only see the $22 land in your account.

An important factor with “no deposit bonus” offers is time. These are often very short duration (though this can vary). If your offer only lasts for 7 days, then you can’t use it for futures bets. The offer would have expired by the time the wager is settled. Some books may also restrict the type of bet you can make. Examples include no parlays or only popular lines on major leagues.

Example of a No-Deposit Bonus in Action: Unibet Accepted in PA, NJ & IN

Unibet Sportsbook now has a live sportsbook, and an online site using the popular European brand. You can access this via apps or a website, with the technology powered by Kindred Group – a respected global operator.

Unibet offers a $30 no-deposit bonus for all new sign-ups. Here are the steps:

  • Use this link to register your account via Unibet
  • You’ll receive $30 free, which must be used for a bet within 7 days
  • Odds must be greater than -200 to qualify
  • Winnings from this bet will be credited, though the stake will not be returned

This is a simple bonus, with no additional wagering requirements. What I like best about this free bet is that you can still claim the 100% up to $600 risk free welcome bonus at any time.

Free Betting Sites with No Deposit Bonus Offers

The list below is a complete list of legal online sportsbooks offering no deposit offers. I’ve sorted the list by legal state. If you’re not in one of the legal states, you can take advantage of either DraftKings or FanDuel DFS offers.

RankSportsbook & CasinoNo Deposit BonusGet Your Bonus
1.DraftKings Sportsbook$25Get Bonus!
2.Unibet Sportsbook$30Get Bonus!
3. FoxBet SportsbookNoGet Bonus!
4. Golden Nugget SportsbookNoGet Bonus!
5. BetMGM SportsbookNoGet Bonus!

2. “Risk-Free Bets”

You will normally need to make a deposit to take advantage of a risk free bet bonus. The idea is simple. You make a bet and get your stake back if it loses. If you win, then there are no further actions required – your bankroll is already off to a great start.

If your first bet loses, then your stake is returned in the form of a new bet. Since this can’t be withdrawn, these offers are not entirely risk-free. Having said that, you can always bet the bonus money on a strong favorite (as long as the odds are better than -200). You will also need to bet this bonus money all at once, splitting it into several smaller bets is not normally permitted.

While these are generous bonuses and removing much of the risk gives new bettors a big boost, there are drawbacks. To get the best from these, your first bet often needs to be big. For example, if your regular ‘fun’ bets are in the $20 range, then betting $200 in one go might be outside of your comfort zone. Once again, time limits will vary between the sportsbooks.

Online Betting Sites with Risk Free Bets

RankSportsbook & CasinoLegal StatesRisk Free BetGet Your Bonus
1.Unibet SportsbookNJ, PA, INUp To $600 Risk Free BetGet Bonus!
2.DraftKings SportsbookPA, NJ, IN, WV, IA, CO, NH, ILRisk Free First Bet Up To $500Get Bonus!
3.Borgata SportsbookNJ$100 In Free Bets When You Bet $20Get Bonus!
4. BetMGM SportsbookNJ, IN, WV, CONoGet Bonus!
5. Golden Nugget SportsbookNJ$100 Risk Free BetGet Bonus!
6.FanDuelNJ, PA, IN, WV, IL, CO$1,000 Risk Free BetGet Bonus!
7.William Hill SportsbookIL$300 Risk Free BetGet Bonus!

Example of a Risk-Free Bet Bonus: DraftKings Accepted in PA, NJ, IN, WV, IA, CO, NH, IL

DraftKings is the company behind the huge DFS brand – and one of the biggest fantasy sports operators. Their online sportsbook, brings innovative bets (cash out betting, in-play betting) and exciting promos.

New depositors get a risk free first bet up to $500 + $25 in 5 x $5 free bets. Here is how it works:

  • Register your account and make a deposit
  • Your first bet (straight bets and parlays only) up to $500 will be risk free
  • If it loses, you are refunded your stake as a free bet
  • You have 90 days to place your initial wager, then 7 days to use your free bet if needed

While $500 risk free is a generous offer, there is still some risk! The offer returns the stake for losing bets as a further free bet. This means you have to gamble it once again to get the benefit. While your risk could be reduced by betting on a strong favorite, minimum odds of -200 are needed – limiting this to an extent.

3. “Matched Deposit Bonus”

Of all the free bet bonuses offered by online sportsbooks – the matched bonuses are the biggest. Some of these will reach 4 figures. Once again, the idea is simple, though the devil is in the details.

You make a deposit at a book, who will offer you free bets that match the amount your deposited. For example, you deposit $500 and get to play with $500 in free bets, as well as your own cash balance.

What I like about these offers is that you are not usually restricted to a single bet. You have a bonus money balance, which can be used for as many bets as you wish within a certain timeframe. The best sportsbook bonuses only require that you wager your bonus once. Look out for books that require more play-through than this. It will make clearing your bonus a lot more difficult.

Depending on the size of your matched bonus, time can play an important role. For example, if you start your account off-season for your favorite sports, then making enough bets within 30 days might be a stretch. Some books allow 60 or more days to clear this type of free bet offer.

You will usually be able to take advantage of a matched first deposit bonus after enjoying the no-deposit free bets.

Matched deposit offers are also available for loyal bettors at many sites. These are known as ‘reload bonuses’, as they kick in when you reload your account.

Example of a Matched Deposit Bonus: SugarHouse Accepted in PA

SugarHouse operates an online sportsbook in both PA and NJ. They use an in-house platform by Rush Street interactive.

SugarHouse offer an ‘old school’ matched deposit bonus up to $250. The idea is that your first deposit gets matched at 100% with free bets. You then need to wager this bonus money in order to ‘clear’ it into your real money account. Here is how the offer works:

  • Visit Sugarhouse Sportsbook here and use bonus code PLAY250
  • SugarHouse Sportsbook will match your deposit at 100%, up to $250 max
  • You need to wager this bonus money 1x to clear it into your cash account
  • You need to activate and wager your bonus with 30 days of your deposit

Many books have minimum odds, or much shorter durations – making this SugarHouse free bet offer both generous and simple. This book combines sports and casino into a single platform – meaning you’ll get to take advantage of promos from both sides.

4. “Free Bets Based on Wagering”

The final common way in which regulated sportsbooks offer bettors bonuses is to give you free bets as you reach milestones. For example, you make a deposit, wager as normal, then get free bets each time you hit $100 in wagering.

A big advantage here is that you can bet in smaller units. There is no need to have a single huge bet to take full advantage of an offer. If that offer is for $20 in free bets every time you wager $200, then you can make 10x $20 bets to get there (or any other sizing).

Free bets are different to free cash. This bonus does mean you’ll have to wager it at least once before it can be withdrawn. As a rule of thumb, this will need to be at -200 or better and in a single bet. Once again, make sure you have enough time based on your regular betting style to reach the target. With this type of bonus, you will still get a proportion of the bonus if you don’t make it in time!

Example of a Wagering Based Free Bet: FoxBet Accepted in PA, NJ & CO

Free

While the welcome offer is a risk-free bet, free bets every week keep loyal patrons happy! While this free bet is an ongoing promo, many of the big international brands will use this type of promotion for new customers.

At FoxBet, the wagering-based free bet is super-simple. You bet $25 in any given week – and then receive a $5 free bet in your account. The usual rules apply, with this free bet lasting 7 days before it expires. Bets can’t be on huge favorites – with the -200 minimum still in place.

You’ll find that FoxBet Sportsbook look after their regular bettors really well – this is one of many promotions they offer.

Take Full Advantage of Sportsbook Bonus Offers

With the roll-out of regulated sportsbooks underway, it is a great time to take advantage of those marketing offers and get your share of the free bet bonuses on offer.

Sports Betting Online Review

As you’ll see above, there are 4 main types of free bet offer. These are completely free bets (no-deposit offers), matched deposit bonuses, risk free bets and wagering based free bets.

Which one is best for you will depend on the size of your initial betting bankroll. Your appetite for risk also plays into this. For bettors that would like to see how the new online sportsbooks work, then the completely free bonuses are a great way to start. What I like about those is that you can always take advantage of the bigger deposit bonuses later if you like what you find.

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  • Pick’em and free online betting sites test your sports knowledge without requiring you to put money on the line
  • There are a number of different formats for free-play sports betting
  • Free online betting sites that use real odds and mimic pay-to-play sportsbooks are a great place to practice sports betting skills and strategies

As with any new skill, it takes time to master the ins and outs of sports betting. And with real dollars on the line, it’s easy to get discouraged or flat-out financially ruined with a few wrong moves as you’re learning to bet.

But what if you could hone the skills you need to successfully bet on sports without needing to wager your hard-earned cash?

Enter free-play betting sites, which provide the same experience you’d have at an online sportsbook, but with virtual currency. Pick’em and free play are excellent ways to enjoy the lighthearted competition of fantasy sports while practicing handicapping skills and betting strategies you can later use to profit handsomely at an online sportsbook.

Learn more about the benefits of free play sports betting below, or head over to SBD Play to get started with free-to-play sports betting.

Why Bet on Sports with Fake Money?

Many people bet on sports to make money. After all, it can be an effective investment strategy for those with an exceptional ability to handicap their favorite sports or identify lines with excellent value.

But the popularity of March Madness brackets and fantasy sports suggests that many people simply want to compete with their friends or other fans across the web. Even now that online sports betting has largely been legalized in the United States, the majority of fans continue to make picks just for the fun of it.

Free online betting sites offer an excellent opportunity to experiment with various betting strategies before making your first real deposit.

Why not take advantage of this massive pool of “bettors” to see how your skills stack up? Free online betting sites increasingly resemble those accepting real cash wagers, offering aspiring bettors an excellent opportunity to get comfortable reading and understanding odds and experimenting with various betting strategies before making their first real deposit.

Comparing Free Online Betting Sites

Free Wager

There are a number of different competition formats to test your sports knowledge without laying down any dollars. Some look just like online sportsbooks, while others are more limited in scope.

Features of Free Online Betting Sites

Choose a Free Play Book That Mirrors Paid Betting Sites

If your goal is to use free play or pick’em sites as a training ground for online sports betting, you’ll want to select a free-play site that is set up similarly to an actual online sportsbook. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating the options:

  • Does the site use real odds similar to those seen on actual betting sites?
  • Are you able to place multiple types of bets, such as moneyline, point spread, and totals (over/under)?
  • Is there an opportunity to parlay your picks for a bigger payout?
  • Does the site keep track of your record over time, allowing you to evaluate the progression of your betting strategy?

Some free-play sportsbooks will also host competitions that include a cash prize or other valuable incentive. Bookmark this page and check back periodically for new opportunities to compete.

What Is NFL Weekly Pick’Em?

NFL pick’em sites are the most popular form of free-play sportsbook. While the specifics differ slightly from site to site, the concept is generally the same: pick the winner of every NFL game happening that week.

Major media outlets such as Yahoo! and ESPN offer weekly pick’em competitions, and they can be a great option for those who want to keep things easy and simple.

That said, NFL pick’em sites are less helpful in learning the suite of skills bettors need to successfully grow their bankroll at an online sportsbook, because they don’t expose players to a wide range of betting types or allow them to practice skills such as parlaying or hedging.

Free Play vs. Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports have swept the nation in popularity, but they differ substantially from free play betting sites. Whereas daily fantasy rewards participants who can effectively handicap the abilities of individual players, free play and pick’em sites are generally focused on the results of entire teams or game outcomes.

Daily fantasy participants select players to construct a team of their own, whereas most bets placed at online sportsbooks require slightly different knowledge that rests on factors one needn’t consider in daily fantasy, like home team advantage, travel schedules, and weather.

As such, daily fantasy sports may not provide as helpful a training tool for aspiring sports bettors. In the end, the two are just a bit too different.

Top Free Betting Sites

Site/AppType
SBD PlayFree Play
Yahoo! Pick’EmPick’Em
ESPN Pick’EmPick’Em
Cent SportsFree Play
BookieFree Play
BetsimFree Play

Free Deposits at Online Sportsbooks

You’ve likely seen advertisements enticing you to take advantage of “free deposits” “free bets” or “free play” at full-service, pay-to-play sportsbooks. While these bonus offers do offer incredible value for those ready to bet on sports with actual money, it’s a bit misleading to call them completely “free.”

Best Betting Sites In Usa

Terms and conditions always apply to promotional offers from online sportsbooks, and bettors need to carefully review them and shop around for the most valuable offers. Rollover, odds restrictions, and time restrictions all affect your ability to withdraw funds obtained through bonuses.

The important point is that sportsbooks don’t give away money: you need to put skin in the game to take advantage of their offers, but this isn’t the case at a free-play book or pick’em site.

Our comprehensive guide to understanding sports betting bonuses is a great resource to gain a basic understanding of how you can take advantage of these bonuses at pay-to-play sportsbooks.

Most Trusted Betting Sites

Practice Makes Perfect

Free-play sites are the perfect place to hone your skills while learning to bet on sports, so make the most of it. Read up on the basics in our sports betting 101 series or get a feel for some of the more advanced tactics from our sports betting strategy series.

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