The Best Betting Offers On Sign Up & Free Bets For New Customers In 2026

That depends on the bookmaker, but most betting apps allow customers to use their free bets on all major football competitions, teams, and players. In most cases, the free bet stake isn’t included in your returns. That means if you bet £10 on a 5/1 sportsbook pick, your returns will be £50. The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. If you click links to other sites on this page, we will earn commission.

Top Bookmakers

Three free bets of £10 each can be used across general sports markets, while the remaining two are designated as accumulator free bets, reserved for win-only accas with four or more selections. That structure adds a layer of nuance that more experienced bettors will appreciate, particularly those who enjoy building multi-leg bets. The acca tokens, used wisely, can deliver solid returns even on relatively short-priced selections combined across multiple events. There are some important caveats to keep in mind. Deposits made by prepaid card or e-wallet do not qualify, meaning only standard debit card transactions will unlock the offer. There are no shortage of betting sites in the UK, but deciding which is the best online bookmaker can be tricky, given the turnover in operators and regular changes to betting offers. The Independent has made it easier to find a betting site by evaluating over 50 licensed and regulated bookmakers, including established brands and new bookies. We’ve now come up with a list of the top 20 bookmakers in the UK for 2026, with each betting site tested personally and our rankings updated regularly. We closely monitor UK betting sites and update our rankings accordingly.

1xBet bonus

All bookmakers listed on this page offer new customers a welcome bonus free bet. The free bets offered by major sportsbooks must be used for gambling purposes and can’t be withdrawn for cash value. You can withdraw any winnings made using the free bets. The marketing team at bet365 have created another stunning welcome bonus for new customers, and you can claim your share now. Which football markets can I use my free bet on? Below, we’ve also provided detailed reviews of each of our picks, with our ratings re-evaluated regularly.

Which Sportsbooks are Available in our Odds Comparison?

The free bets carry a seven-day expiry window from the point they are credited, so there is limited time to use them. It is also worth noting that eligibility restrictions apply, including one account per household, IP address, and device, so this is strictly a one-shot deal. On balance, the offer holds genuine appeal. The qualifying threshold of £10 is accessible without demanding a large outlay, and the return of £50 across five free bets represents a straightforward and transparent deal with no promo code required during registration. The split between standard and accumulator tokens does restrict complete flexibility, but for punters who regularly engage with both markets, it is a thoughtful structure rather than a hindrance. Betfred is among the best UK betting sites for free bets, with the generous Betfred welcome offer and a range of ongoing promotions providing free bet bonuses for both new and existing customers. New users can claim £50 in free bets when they deposit and stake £10 and place a wager at evens or above, with tokens credited shortly after the qualifying stake settles.

How to Use Your Cheltenham Free Bets

Overall, this is a competitive and well-constructed welcome offer that should appeal to most new customers. The key is reading the terms thoroughly before placing the qualifying bet, particularly around payment method eligibility and the expiry conditions attached to the free bets. With the 2025/26 football season has now ended following Saturday’s Champions League final, where PSG were crowned European champions for a second straight season after beating Arsenal on penalties in a shootout win in a shootout win Attention now shifts to a packed schedule of international friendlies taking place across the coming week as nations begin preparations for this month’s World Cup in North America with final preparations underway across teams globally Several World Cup nations begin their preparations on Monday, including Norway, Sweden, Turkey and Austria, with opening fixtures seeing Norway face Sweden, Turkey take on North Macedonia and Austria host Tunisia in early international friendly match action today schedule Tuesday brings a fuller set of international fixtures, with early kick-offs as Colombia face Costa Rica and Canada host Uzbekistan across a busy morning of international football action today schedule update Later in the day, Croatia host Belgium, Georgia face Romania, Morocco host Madagascar and Wales take on Ghana at the Millennium Stadium across a strong set of fixtures today update Wednesday continues with further friendlies as Denmark face DR Congo, Luxembourg play Italy, Netherlands host Algeria and Poland welcome Nigeria in Warsaw during the midweek international football schedule across multiple fixture list today update Some of Europe’s leading sides are in action on Thursday, with Spain facing Iraq and France meeting Ivory Coast, both La Roja and Les Bleus playing at home in respective international friendly fixtures today update Earlier in the day Sweden play their second friendly as they host Greece, while Northern Ireland face Guinea and Slovenia host Cyprus across separate international friendly fixtures list More teams involved at this summer’s tournament are in action on Friday, with Mexico hosting Serbia, Slovakia facing Montenegro, Hungary hosting Finland and Paraguay welcoming Nicaragua across schedule update We also have qualifiers for next year’s women’s Euros to consider, with key ties including Italy against Serbia, Poland hosting France, Ireland facing the Netherlands and Spain taking on England across international break qualifying fixtures today update Ireland play their final friendly of the summer as they take on Canada away from home on Saturday, while Belgium versus Tunisia is the main afternoon fixture across today match schedule Later in the day, Portugal face Chile, the USA face Germany, Bolivia take on Scotland and Brazil host Egypt in what is easily the best day of the week when it comes to the eye-catching games on offer including several eye catching international friendly matches today update England are also involved as they host New Zealand in the US, with the Three Lions beginning World Cup preparations just five days before it starts as Thomas Tuchel prepares his squad for the competition ahead of the tournament beginning a week later process continues now Sunday opens with Argentina taking on Honduras in the early hours, before several European sides complete their set of friendlies later in the day across multiple venues during the international football schedule today update list Denmark take on Ukraine in Copenhagen, Croatia host Slovenia, Greece do battle with Italy and Morocco host Norway in the final games of the week as we head into the final few days before the start of the tournament on Thursday 11th June As a former professional boxer, I appreciate the unique challenges of sports. Since retiring from the ring through injury, I pursued a career in sports writing, eventually finding my place in the sports gambling arena. I began my content creation career working at Coral bookmaker’s head office in Stratford, London, just walking distance from the 2012 Olympic Village. Beyond the welcome offer, Betfred runs regular promos including money back specials, in-play free bets, accumulator offers and free to play games featuring a range of prizes. Other plus points for Betfred include the app, which is one of the highest-rated betting apps in the UK, and a fast-responding customer service that answered our queries quickly. It was disappointing to see Betfred reduce the payment options available, dropping services like PayPal and Skrill, although they do offer fast withdrawals on the banking platforms that remain.

Advantages of Multiple Sportsbooks Accounts

On the surface, the numbers stack up well, and the offer compares favourably against rivals in what is an increasingly competitive market. To trigger the promotion, new customers must register an account, make a deposit using a debit card, and place a first bet of at least £10 at minimum odds of Evens (2.0) on any sports market. This must all be done within seven days of signing up. Once the qualifying bet is settled, the free bets are credited to the account within ten hours, giving a reasonable turnaround time. The £50 is split into two distinct pots. ✓ £50 free bets for new customers is a valuable welcome offer ✓ Raft of ongoing free bet offers for existing users ✗ The website could be more intuitive and easier to navigate Spread betting is a gambling niche that rewards bettors for how accurate their wagers are, rather than a simple win-or-loss scenario. SpreadEx are the UK’s top spread betting site, packaging that with a financial spread betting service and a fixed-odds sportsbook. Spread betting carries a greater risk and reward element compared to a standard bet, with punters able to secure large profits from small stakes, or greater losses, depending on the outcome. SpreadEx educates those interested in spread betting on a platform that performs brilliantly on both desktop and mobile. And for those not interested in spread betting, the fixed-odds sportsbook is excellent. The SpreadEx sign-up offer is unmatched among UK betting sites, offering up to £100 in free bets as part of a special welcome bonus for the World Cup.

Terms and Conditions to Watch Out For

Since relocating to Scotland in 2015, I’ve been writing freelance content for some huge names in sports and betting. You’ll regularly find my football previews and predictions at Betfred, Betfair, and the Racing Post. I also create sports content for TalkSPORT, World Sports Network, and Whop. I’m absolutely delighted to join an already strong team and will use my experiences in gambling and professional sports to help readers get the best deals, odds, and markets. As a former professional boxer, I appreciate the unique challenges of sports.