We see betting promotions so often in the UK that, as bettors, it can be easy to take them for granted. This would be a huge mistake, since – when used properly – betting promotions can make a significant difference to your long-term profits.
In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about sport betting promotions in the UK. We’ll reveal the best current deals, cover the types of offers that are out there, explain how to go about grabbing a promo, and plenty more besides.
Before we go any further, it’s important to cover the basics of what betting promotions are, and how they generally work. Afterwards, we can get stuck into the specifics of the betting promotions you can claim right now.
Betting promotions are essentially ‘special offers’, put in place by bookies alongside the actual sports betting markets. While there are plenty of different types, the general format is that you fulfil a requirement (such as placing a wager), and are given a reward in return (like a free bet).
Sport betting promotions are incredibly popular with both bookies and punters, since they serve both parties well. If its promotions are high in quality, then the sportsbook will tend to get more users, and those users will get benefits which can help them succeed in their gambling.
We don’t want this to be a one-sided article, in which we state that betting promotions are perfectly suited to every punter out there. Like all sportsbook feature, betting promotions have both their advantages and disadvantages, with these being the main examples in each case.
There are a whole lot of sport betting promotions out there, and sorting through them takes time and effort. That’s why we’ve done the hard work for you, narrowing your choices down to a clear top 10, with these being five of the key criteria we used.
Generally speaking, the quality of betting promotions in the UK is extremely high. That said, we’ve still managed to identify 10 sites which go above and beyond in this regard. And, below, you can see what pushed our five favourite bookies to the top of the pile.
BetUK is still a relatively new brand, having only launched in 2018. Despite this, we were more than comfortable putting it at the top of our rankings for the best betting promotions.
BetUK get the ball rolling with a classic bet 10 get 30 welcome offer, which automatically stacks it up against industry titans like William Hill and 888sport. Even after getting this 3:1 return on your initial deposit, you can keep the good times rolling with one of the best free bet clubs around. The BetUK Acca Club gives you a £5 free bet when you place £20 on accumulators, and can be triggered each week. Add in a hefty five profit boosts per week – which can increase your winnings by up to 50% – and it’s easy to see how BetUK took top spot.
Most UK punters focus exclusively on regular, fixed odds betting. If you’re looking to change things up a bit, we can definitely recommend spread betting instead, with SpreadEx being the clear number one place to do so.
The SpreadEx welcome offer isn’t just the top sign up deal for spread betting – it’s one of the best around full-stop. Newcomers here get not only two £5 free spread bets, but also a mighty £300 cashback on eligible markets within their first 28 days. SpreadEx also takes care of its existing customers, with special ‘spread-free bets’ (in which you’re given the mid-point of the spread), a ‘refer a friend’ deal, first goalscorer insurance, and more.
If you’re looking for a bookie with an outstanding track record, look no further. 888sport has been excelling since 2008, and the 888 brand has provided betting services for much longer.
In addition to a whole raft of special features – including live streaming – 888sport has a great range of betting promotions. The Bet £10, Get £30 welcome offer creates a great first impression. This is then backed up by a free bet club, profits boosts, enhanced odds, a free-to-play football game, and more besides.
BoyleSports is another bookie with an excellent reputation. It’s the biggest independent bookie in Ireland, has the longest track record on this list, and has still done a great job of moving with the times.
Newcomers to BoyleSports can claim up to £25 in free bets. After that, you can choose between both boosts and insurance on your accas, a free-to-play football game, and a free bet club which gives you a £5 free bet each week. BoyleSports is particularly excellent when it comes to horse racing offers, however, with Best Odds Guaranteed, extra places, and ‘money back if 2nd’ deals all in place.
The rise of smartphone technology had an enormous impact on sports betting. Rather than being restricted to using their computer or laptop, bettors could now place wagers wherever and whenever they pleased.
We’re happy to say that the mobile revolution has extended to betting promotions too. Nowadays, it’s not only downloadable apps or mobile websites which all respectable bookies will provide. They’ll also carry over all of the betting promotions which are in place on their main sportsbook, including the same welcome offers, free bet promos, acca deals, and more. Not only that, but – occasionally – certain brands will put mobile-only betting promotions in place, with 888sport being just one example.
Top 5 Brands Providing the Best Betting App Promotions:
At a basic level, there are two kinds of betting promotions: sign up deals and ongoing offers. Of this pair, it’s sign up bonuses which deliver the biggest rewards of all, by far.
As the name suggests, these promotions must be claimed when you first sign up to a new sportsbook. You’ll need to fulfil some kind of requirement in order to trigger them. In the UK, this usually involves placing a qualifying wager which must adhere to minimum odds, a minimum stake amount, and other conditions. Do this successfully, and your bonus will automatically be awarded to your account.
Here are our three favourite sign up betting promotions at the time of writing:
There are certain rewards which we’d always advise targeting when you’re searching for betting promotions. The top option is to simply get cash, since this can be spent however you please, but in general this isn’t an option. As such, the next best thing you can go after is the mighty free bet.
Free bets are digital tokens, which can be awarded for successfully triggering either welcome offers or ongoing promotions. Functionally they work in the same way as regular wagers – you find a market you like, add it to your betslip, and place the bet, only using the token instead of your regular balance. The only minor drawback is that the stake won’t be returned with any winnings, but this is a small price to pay for saving your cash.
There are plenty of free bet offers out there in the UK right now, but here are our three current favourites:
Bettors in the UK are truly blessed with the variety of betting promotions available to them. We’ve already touched upon a couple of the most popular examples, including sign up deals and free bet offers, and will explore these in more detail shortly. For now though, here are three more of the best online betting promotions you can enjoy.
Price boosts have become incredibly widespread in recent years, so that – nowadays – almost all top sportsbooks will provide them. At a basic level, these all work in the same way, by boosting the odds – and therefore your potential winnings – on your wagers. That said, there are two main ways in which odds boosts are handled.
The most common way, by far, is for the bookies themselves to boost the odds. They will do so on certain markets – usually multiples which aren’t getting enough action – and you can typically see that day’s boosted odds within a dedicated section. The more desirable option is to get given odds boost tokens, which you can then apply to markets of your choosing. Unfortunately, however, this is far less common.
Making a long-term profit on your gambling isn’t just about increasing your winnings. Reducing your losses is also important, and insurance deals are the most effective betting promotions for doing just that.
The most popular example in the UK is acca insurance. With this, one selection in an eligible football accumulator will be ‘insured’, meaning that – even if it loses – you’ll still get a refund on your stake. A few bookies also offer ‘money back’ or ‘rebate’ deals, which return a certain percentage of your losses over a given time frame.
If you’re looking to see your loyalty to a certain brand rewarded, then you should be targeting VIP programs. With one of these in place, you’ll be awarded ‘points’ as you continue to wager. These points can then be exchanged for rewards, such as free bets or cash prizes. Some bookies also have tiers in place, which – as you climb them – provide further benefits, such as superior customer service or higher withdrawal limits. At Paddy Power, their Paddy’s Rewards Club accepts wagers on snooker betting, horse racing and various team sports as qualifying punts.
When you first sign up to a new sportsbook, assuming you’ve never used it before, you’re given a tremendous opportunity. This is the only point at which you’ll be able to claim that brand’s welcome offer, which will almost always be its biggest deal too. Welcome offers like these deliver the most sizable bonuses around, so – if you’re able to – we’d always advise triggering them whenever you can.
Regarding new customer betting promotions in the UK, the most common type – by far – is the ‘Bet and Get’ deal (or ‘Bet X, Get Y’). This involves placing a qualifying wager, then – when that settles – receiving free bets. The most common example is Bet £10, Get £30, in which your first bet must be at least £10, and – in return – you’ll get £30 in free bets.
Some brands will also feature ‘Deposit Match’ new customer betting promotions. With these, your first wager is ‘matched’ by the brand in the form of a free bet. This is far less common in the UK than in other countries, however.
Here are our three favourite Bet and Get welcome offers right now:
As noted, if you’re simply after the biggest bonuses of all, you should be looking at welcome offers. In fact, some bettors simply sign up with a brand, claim its sign up deal, then – when they’ve used up their bonus – move straight on to another sportsbook and repeat the process.
If you’re looking for a longer-term solution for your gambling though, we’d recommend making ongoing UK betting promotions a major priority. Admittedly, these will be smaller in scale than betting promotions for new customers. The big advantage here, however, is that the deals can be triggered over and over again. Thus, you can continually receive the rewards for as long as you continue to use that brand.
The form of those rewards can vary significantly. Some are designed to maximise your winnings, such as odds boosts or acca boosts. Others will help to cut down on your losses, like cashback deals or insurance offers, while free bets essentially offer the best of both worlds. Regardless, as always, you should be sure to check the terms and conditions in full before trying to claim any ongoing UK betting promotions.
One of the best things about UK betting promotions is the flexibility they offer punters. There are simply so many of them that – regardless of your particular tastes – you’ll find some online betting promotions to satisfy your needs.
Most of the best betting site promotions are completely non-specific regarding which sports they apply to, for both the qualifying wager and subsequent bonus usage. That said, there are online betting promotions out there which are targeted at specific sports.
The most common examples are football betting promotions and horse racing betting offers, both of which we’ll look at shortly. Other markets also get attention in this department though, including the NFL and NBA, golf, tennis, and more. To ensure you claim an offer successfully, always be sure to check its T&Cs in advance to see which sports – and even which particular bet types and competitions – it’s compatible with.
Football is the biggest market on UK online sportsbooks by a distance. As such, it’ll come as no surprise to learn that there are more football betting promotions than for any other specific sport. The likes of early payouts, odds boosts, acca bonuses and more are all prominent examples, and – below – we’ve looked at some of the other most popular types of football betting promotions.
While obviously not on the same scale as the World Cup, the Euros still generate a huge amount of excitement across the UK when they roll around every four years. This also happens to be a great time not only to place wagers, but to enjoy some Euros betting promotions too.
All the usual football betting promotions, as mentioned above, will also be eligible for Euros matchups. In addition, some of the bigger bookies pull out all the stops by providing enticing special offers for the final.
It’s testament to the glamour of the Champions League that – despite taking place every single year – its matches still constantly feel like special occasions. Taking advantage of Champions League betting promotions is a great way to not just add to the excitement, but improve your chances of turning a profit. Odds boosts are constantly available throughout the tournament, and some sites also provide free bet deals, early payout specials, and more.
The World Cup isn’t just the globe’s biggest sporting event – for bettors, it also represents one of the most exciting gambling opportunities of all. Unsurprisingly, World Cup betting promotions are extremely common both during the buildup and throughout the duration of the tournament. Everything from odds boosts and free bet deals, to insurance offers and other promos are typically available, and many bookies also provide special betting sign up promotions to capitalise on the excitement.
Football might be the biggest sport for online gambling in the UK, but horse racing betting is a clear second-place ahead of all other markets. In terms of special offers, there are at least as many horse racing betting promotions as there are those for ‘the beautiful game’. Many of these are centred around the calendar’s marquee events, as you can see in our roundup of the top horse racing betting promotions below.
Royal Ascot is the biggest British horse racing event in terms of prize money, and it’s also the most historically prestigious. Traditionally taking place in mid-June each year, this five-day festival sees not only an unparalleled amount of pomp, but also plenty of Royal Ascot betting promotions too. In particular, many of the top bookies will provide the likes of Best Odds Guaranteed, free horse racing bets and Extra Place Races throughout.
Taking place in mid-March each year, Cheltenham marks the unofficial start of the British racing calendar. The total prize fund across the four day event sits second only to that at the Grand National, and there’s also plenty of money to be made from gambling on the festival. In addition to the deals mentioned for Royal Ascot, some sportsbooks will offer specific sign up Cheltenham betting promotions for new customers during the build-up.
The Grand National’s history stretches back to 1839, and its prize purse of £1 million makes it the most lucrative jump race in Europe. It’s common for even the most casual punters to have a flutter each April, and – as such – betting sites go all out for the event. Naturally every race is covered, with the vast majority of top bookies also making best odds guaranteed and extra places deals available. You can also expect to find ‘no runner no bet’ offers, and – as with Cheltenham – some sign up Grand National betting promotions.
There really is an embarrassment when it comes to betting promotions in the UK, with something out there to suit every punter. Here’s a quick roundup of the most important online betting promotions which we haven’t yet discussed.
If we’re talking about free betting promotions, these are arguably the best of all – particularly for existing customers with a brand. They allow you to gain a steady stream of free bets, long after you’ve finished with any new customer betting promotions.
The specifics will vary from brand to brand. In general though, you simply need to place eligible wagers totalling a certain minimum amount across a given time frame (usually one week). Do so, and you’ll be rewarded with a free bet token. This can then be repeated each and every week, to constantly gain new free bets, with Betway’s Free Bet Club arguably being the best example.
Normally, you need to put money into your online betting promotions in order to get any rewards. The rare exception to this rule is free to play games, which have become increasingly popular in the past couple of years.
With these, as the name suggests, you don’t need to commit any funds in order to take part. If you’re successful, however, you can still get bonuses. We’re especially pleased to say that these are often cash rewards, rather than free bets. With its innovative football-basd Fives game, Virgin Bet is our favourite bookie for these deals right now.
These top betting promotions work similarly to insurance deals, in that they’re based on avoiding losses rather than getting extra winnings. The way they work, however, is a little different.
With these betting site promotions, your wager is basically ‘insured’. If you’ve got a £10 risk-free bet, for example, then – if the wager fails – you will automatically be given a refund of £10. If it succeeds, you’ll simply keep your winnings as normal. These normally come as sign up betting promotions, with Betway’s version being a great example.
Golf might not quite be as big of a sports for betting as football or horse racing, but it’s definitely in that next group of markets. As such, it doesn’t just enjoy excellent coverage when it comes to bet types, but also often features some top betting promotions too.
The majority of the time, these betting site promotions will be linked specifically to a big event. The Masters – as arguably the most prestigious contest of all – is a perfect example.
Check out a few of our recommended brands for the best betting site promotions ahead of the event each summer, and you should find a few Masters betting promotions in place. These often include acca insurance deals, for when you’re betting on a few different golfers, and boosted odds Masters betting promotions. Naturally, you can also use bonuses awarded via sign up betting promotions for the Masters too, with these being three top sites on which to find Masters betting promotions:
In our discussion of the top betting promotions so far, we’ve focused almost exclusively on fixed odds gambling. While this is certainly the more popular format, you do have a fascinating alternative if you so desire – spread betting.
With fixed odds, you’re given a price for a specific outcome to happen, and win a certain amount if your prediction is correct. With spread betting, you still wager on an outcome, but are instead given a range of possible results. Your winnings will then depend on ‘how’ correct your prediction was. Spread betting promotions will typically boost your winnings here, or simply give you free bets for your wagers.
While we normally try to provide you with a few different options when it comes to betting site promotions, there’s a clear standout candidate for spread betting promotions. SpreadEx* not only features a fantastic selection of spread betting markets, but also some seriously big spread betting promotions.
If you’re just getting started with betting promotions in the UK, there’s one crucial piece of advice we’d like to give you – always check the T&Cs. ‘Reading the small print’ might sound boring, but it’s the best way to ensure you successfully claim any of the best online betting promotions.
Of these, wagering requirements are one of the most important conditions of all. With these in place, you can’t simply claim and use bonuses gained via free betting promotions however you please. Instead, you must wager through your bonus amount a certain number of times before making a withdrawal. If the bonus is £10, for example, and there’s a 5x wagering requirement, you must place bets totalling £50.
Here’s a quick rundown of some other common terminology for betting promotions in the UK:
We’ve already listed plenty of the best betting promotions for you. Now though, it’s time to outline how exactly you go about claiming them. This process tends to be extremely easy, with these being the few steps you must take.
Technically, your first step is to look over the best betting promotions available, and select a single brand. With so many great options for sports betting promotions, this is easier said than done.
Once you’ve picked a bookie, head to its home page and click the Register or Sign Up button, usually located in the top-right. Then just provide all the necessary personal details, set your username and password, and finish creating your account.
Before claiming any sports betting promotions, you’ll need some funds. Log into your account, then hit the Deposit or Cashier button, also normally found in the top-right. Be sure to choose a payment method eligible with whichever of the best betting promotions you’re trying to claim, and that you meet the minimum deposit amount, then confirm your payment.
With the best betting promotions in the UK, you’ll normally need to place a qualifying wager in order to claim your bonus. To do so, just head to the Sports section, pick a market, find the matchup and bet type you’re interested in, and click the corresponding odds. Now simply enter a stake meeting the minimum amount, and place the wager.
With the best betting promotions, your bonus will be awarded very quickly after that wager settles. To use it, just add another selection to your betslip, but take the option to use your free bet rather than your cash balance.
After completing one of the best online betting promotions, you’ll hopefully have some winnings in your account. Before withdrawing them, however, you must verify your identity. This involves providing clear photos of two pieces of ID (e.g. a driving license and utility bill), via either live chat or a document uploader tool.
Most sites providing the best online betting promotions will verify your identity within around 24 hours. Once that’s done, just go back to the Cashier section, pick a withdrawal method, enter the amount you wish to withdraw, and confirm the payment request.
If you were looking for the best betting site promotions in the UK, you came to the right place. The list of betting promotions within the country is exhaustive, but – in this article – we’ve listed all of your top options right now. That’s true whether you’re looking for betting app promotions, or regular desktop deals.
After reading this article, you now have all the information you need to start claiming betting promotions for yourself. To do so, simply pick one of our recommended brands, create an account, grab the new customer offer, and start having fun.