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If you are interested in online gambling and you are looking to place a bet then you’ve probably noticed that every casino or sportsbook site you visit will be offering you a free bonus of one kind or another.
Right now, there are literally thousands of brands out there competing for a share of your wallet so it’s no surprise that they are willing to push the boat out to get your attention. But before you dive in and take advantage of all that free cash, remember that not all free bets and bonuses are the same. This guide will help you to understand the different types of offer available right now and which is best for you.
No Deposit Offers
A registration bonus that only requires you to sign up with a casino, not even deposit, is rarer that it used to be, but there are a few still out there. These usually consist of small bonus amounts – anything up to £5 – or some free spins on slots games like Starburst.
Remember that in most cases your free money will be credited as bonus funds which means that it will not be withdrawable, only available to stake on games. And also watch to see if there is a cap on your winnings because usually a gambling operator will limit your payouts to £100 or less with no deposit bonuses.
Free Spins
The free spins offer is the most common promotion used by slot sites in the UK to entice new customers through their doors. These are free plays on some of the most popular online slots like Play n Go’s Book of Dead, or NetEnt’s Gonzo’s Quest. Free spins are normally worth between 5p and 20p each and you should look to see if your winnings are credited as bonus funds or real money. In most cases it will be bonus funds which means you will have to wager them a few times over before they become withdrawable.
Also check to see if there is a cap on how much you can win with your free spins. This will normally be between £10 and £100 although sometimes the value is higher.
Deposit Match Bonuses
Another common type of bonus is a deposit match. In this case the casino or sportsbook will match the amount deposited with the same, or sometimes more, up to as much as 200%. So, if you deposit £10 then you will get another £10 to bet with at 100%, or £20 extra at 200%.
Just like the other bonuses in our list, deposit matches always come with pretty strict terms and conditions that prevent you from just walking off with a free tenner in your pocket! So, check to see what the wagering conditions are on the bonus money. Normally you will need to wager the bonus value 30x or more before it becomes withdrawable. Also always check to see what the minimum deposit value to qualify and maximum bonus amount available are before you commit to taking up any offer like this. That way you can be sure you will get what you were expecting when you fund your account.
Cashback Bonuses
Another type of promotion used by casinos, though less frequently than the others in our list, is the cashback bonus. These are awarded retrospectively as a percentage of the value of your losses over a set time period. The losses are calculated as wagers minus wins. So, if you wager £100 and win just £20 then your losses are £80. Typically, you will receive something like 10% of this value back, or £2 in this case.
Cashback bonuses are rarely used to entice new customers through the doors because they don’t give the blockbuster headline that gets attention. Instead, these offers are usually for regular players or VIPs who spend a lot each week or month.
Other Gambling Offers
If you are looking to bet today and you have a look at one or two of the top betting sites in the UK right now you’ll see that as well as the bonuses we have already covered in this article there are many others. These include competitions and prize draws, where making a deposit gets you an automatic entry into a draw to win cash, luxury goods, holidays, cars or other exciting prizes, and high roller or VIP bonuses. These last ones are offers where the deposit match or the free spins is much higher than usual, but the promotion is offered only to those who deposit very large amounts each month. Remember, if you can’t afford to spend that much then don’t go for these bonuses.
So, now you are ready to go out and explore the world of online gambling with all the knowledge you need to find the best value sign up offer to enjoy a new sportsbook or casino.
Good luck, have fun, and play responsibly!
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