Best Betting Welcome Bonuses

With so many sports betting sites out there, the industry is super competitive. Sites offer attractive welcome bonuses to attract new customers, rewarding them for choosing their new bookie. This is good news for bettors, as it means there are loads of great deals for you to choose from. Whether you want to bet on the latest Premier League action, or the upcoming excitement of the Cheltenham Festival there’s a sign-up bonus out there for you. But with such a vast choice, knowing which welcome bonus suits you best can be a little confusing. To help you out, we’ve got the rundown on everything you need to know about welcome bonuses at sports betting sites.

Types of Welcome Bonuses

There are several different types of welcome bonuses on offer across the sports betting world, each offering you a different way to bet and win big on the house. Want to know which new customer deal is best for you? We’ve covered the most popular sign-up bonuses for online sportsbooks.

Money Back Bonus

At some online sportsbooks, you can get your money back if your first bet is a bust. To claim these risk-free bet offers, you’ll place your first bet, remembering to use a bonus code if required, and adhering to any T&Cs like minimum odds. If your bet wins, you’ll cash in as normal. If it doesn’t, you’ll get your stake back. Bookies usually return your money in the form of a free bet, up to a max bonus amount, though there is some variation here. For example, Unibet returns up to £40 as bonus money, which you’ll need to wager 3x. It’s also possible to find money back offers that return your stake as cash.

Free Bets

Free bets are one of the most well known sign-up bonuses around as new customers are rewarded with a boost to their bankroll. Sometimes, you’ll get a free bet simply for signing up, but in other instances, you’ll need to make a deposit first. Free bets sometimes come attached to other larger bonuses, like matched deposits, but you can also claim one on its own. 

First Bet Bonus

First bet bonuses are one of the most common welcome offers and can be a great deal for new gamblers. To claim yours, you’ll usually need to make a minimum deposit or make a bet of a specified value. The value of bonus bets will depend on your choice of betting site, but they usually range from £10 to £50. While some sites will give you a single bet worth the stated value, others split the bonus across separate, smaller bets. For example, Coral offers a £20 free bet bonus, paid out as a single free bet when you deposit and bet £5 on any sport. Meanwhile, the William Hill welcome bonus pays out the £30 of free bets on offer as 3 x £10 free bets.

Matched Bonuses

Matched deposit bonuses see sports betting sites reward new players for making their first deposit. This reward comes in the form of free cash equal to a percentage of the initial deposit, which can be used to bet on your favourite sports and can range from 25% to as much as 200%. Matched deposit bonuses usually have a limit, such as ‘up to £50’, so be sure to keep an eye out if you’re a big spender. For example, 10bet offer a 50% deposit match up to £50. This means that if you deposit £50, you will receive a £50 bonus, boosting your total bankroll to £100. 

What Bonuses are on Offer for Existing Players?

Sportsbook bonus offers aren’t just exclusive to new customers. Let’s take a look at some of the most common promotions for existing customers. 

Accumulator Bonus

Accumulators can provide players with some potentially huge payouts from a small first bet.  Those potential winnings can be boosted by claiming an accumulator bonus. Here, bookies give you extra winnings if all your selections win, with the size of the extra winnings dependent on the number of selections in your bet.  

Request a Bet 

The best sportsbooks put customers right in the centre of the action by allowing them to create their own bets. If you can’t find the odds you’re looking for at a sportsbook, or if you’ve got a hunch of your own, then you can ask the bookie via social media for the odds on a particular market. The betting site will then get back in touch with you when the odds for your bet have been calculated. 

Free Bet Promotions

Sports betting promotions may be offered by bookies to coincide with high-profile sporting events. 10bet, for example, regularly give out free bet offers and enhanced odds promotions on the latest football action. These promotions can also apply to other noteworthy sports events, such as the Six Nations, Wimbledon and The Masters. You may also be 

Enhanced Odds

This bonus is great for all kinds of bettors — bookies often select certain markets to receive an odds boost. You’ll usually see these enhanced odds offers for marquee events on the sporting calendar, such as the Champions League. Some bookies even offer enhanced odds on accumulators, with the selections usually chosen by the bookie.  Grosvenor Sports’ welcome bonus gives you a bit more flexibility, offering doubled odds on any sport as a welcome bonus for new bettors.

Bet Builder

Most top sportsbooks now offer a great feature called a Bet Builder. This is not quite the same as Request a Bet, but it does allow you to create custom odds for your wager in the same way as you can when building an acca. The key difference here is that where a standard acca is made up of bets on different sporting matchups, a Bet Builder allows you to choose selections from a single event. The Bet365 Soccer Bet Builder is a popular pick for footie fans and allows punters to add up to 12 picks from the same game.

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses work in much the same way as deposit match bonuses for new customers, in that they’ll match a percentage of your deposit amount as bonus cash. However, you can only claim these deals as an existing customer, and they tend to be a bit less generous than first deposit bonuses. For example, you might see reload bonuses offering a 10% to 20% match for your real money deposit, as opposed to the bigger deposit match deals available to new sign ups. Not all bookies offer permanently available reload bonuses and run short-term promos instead. This makes it wise to stay up to date with the offers page to ensure you don’t miss out.

Cashback

The cashback deals available at online sports betting sites vary in the specifics, but these offers will all return a portion of your net losses in some way or another. This might be the betting losses you incur on a specific day, on a specific sporting event or perhaps over a portion of a particular tournament, such as the World Cup Group Stages. Some online sports betting sites will give you cashback once a week, based on your net losses during the previous week. In any case, a maximum bonus amount in the small print might put a cap on the cashback you receive.

Acca Insurance

Losing out on a big win because one pick on your acca has let you down can be frustrating. However, the best bookies soften the blow with Acca Insurance, which refunds your stake if one selection is a dud. To qualify for acca insurance, each leg of your bet will need to be at the minimum odds stated by the bookie. Refunds will usually be for a maximum amount and often take the shape of a free bet credit. However, it’s also possible to find acca insurance promotions that refund bettors in cash.

Guaranteed Best Odds

At top online bookies, horse racing fans can usually take advantage of a promotion called Best Odds Guaranteed. These deals guarantee racing punters that all winning bets placed after a certain time on race day — usually between 8am and 10am — will be paid out at the best possible odds. In other words, if the SP price is bigger than when you placed your bet, you’ll be paid out at the better odds. Best Odds Guaranteed doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re looking at the best possible odds across all online bookies, so it’s still a good idea to compare odds.

What to Consider when Choosing your Welcome Bonus

Welcome bonuses are a great way to boost your bankroll, but it’s important that you understand exactly what you’re signing up for before you claim. You should always check the terms and conditions to make sure you’re getting the best deal on the market. Here are the key factors to consider before you spend your own money on a sports betting sign-up bonus.

Wagering Requirements

Some welcome bonuses will have wagering requirements, which determine how much you’ll need to wager before you can withdraw any bonus winnings. Wagering requirements on sports betting bonuses tend to be lower than casino bonuses, and many betting bonuses have no wagering requirements. For example, MansionBet’s welcome bonus stipulates that you must wager both your deposit and bonus funds 10 times before making a withdrawal.

Qualifying Requirements

Most welcome bonuses come with conditions you’ll need to meet to qualify for the reward. This usually involves making a minimum deposit or placing a bet of a certain value. These values will vary for each welcome bonus, so be sure to check in the terms and conditions.

Minimum Odds

Many sports betting welcome bonuses are subject to minimum odds, and the qualifying bet you make to claim the bonus may also be affected by these. These odds requirements could mean you won’t necessarily be able to bet on your preferred market with your bonus funds, so it’s best to read the full terms and conditions before you sign up.

Time Limits

These welcome bonuses aren’t available forever, so be sure to strike while the iron is hot. Not only will you need to meet the wagering requirements, but you’ll also usually have to do so within a specified time period. Once the specified day expiry is over, any winnings you may have made will be lost. 

Market Restrictions

Some bonus bets are only available to use on certain markets, such as outright win or in-play. You may also find that you’ll be restricted in terms of the sports you can bet on with your bonus funds. Your welcome bonus may only apply to football markets and not other options such as horse racing and boxing. 

Payment Exclusions

Unless you’re claiming a no deposit offer, you’ll need to make a qualifying deposit to claim a welcome package — and there’s a good chance you’ll be excluded from using certain payment methods when doing so. The most common payment options to be ruled out of welcome bonus offers are the Neteller and Skrill e-wallets, along with deposit-only banking options like Payforit. You will be able to qualify for most bonus offers by depositing with trusted banking options like debit card or Trustly, though there’s nothing to stop you from switching to another payment method for subsequent deposits if you feel more comfortable.

Win Limits

Win limits can be a bit of a bugbear when it comes to sportsbook bonus offers, and online casino bonuses too. Often referred to as winnings caps, win limits do exactly as the name describes and put a limit on how much you can cash out from a sportsbook welcome bonus. The best welcome bonuses won’t put any limits on how much you can win, but where winnings caps do apply, they’re often on the generous side — perhaps sitting at around the £500 mark. However, some bookies do come in a bit lower, so, as ever, it pays to be vigilant when checking the T&Cs for individual bonus offers.

How to Claim your Sports Betting Welcome Bonus

1. Browse and compare
   First things first, you need to check out what bonuses are on offer at each sports betting site. With so many sites to choose from, narrowing down the list can be tricky. Our hand-picked list of the top betting sites with the best welcome bonuses makes it easier to compare each bookmaker and select the best welcome bonus for you. 
2. Understand the terms and conditions
   It’s important to read the small print before you claim your welcome bonus so that you understand exactly what you’re signing up to — the biggest numbers aren’t always the best deals. Make sure you understand everything from qualifying requirements, to wagering requirements and withdrawal limits before you sign up.
3. Sign up
   You’ll need to create an account before you can claim your sports betting welcome bonus. This should only take a few minutes, and you’ll only need to provide a few personal details. Don’t forget to enter your welcome bonus promo code if your bookie has shared one, in order to opt-in for the welcome bonus.
4. Deposit and claim your bonus
   Finally, all you need to do is activate your betting bonus. Whether this is simply making a minimum deposit, or placing your first bet. Your bonus will usually be activated automatically once you’ve fulfilled these requirements, which means you’re ready to start betting!

Using Your Sports Betting Welcome Offer

Once you’ve registered with a site and claimed the best welcome bonus, it’s time to put it into action. You should never feel like you have to rush into placing your bets right away, but there is usually a time limit to keep an eye on for using rewards such as free bets. Alternatively, many sports betting welcome offers require you to place a real money bet first, and you’ll get your stake back as a free bet if it loses. There’s lots of detail below on how this all works so read on to find out more about the process of using sports betting welcome offers.

Choose Your Sports Market

The best welcome bonus will give you lots of flexibility when choosing a sports betting market, so you can throw down your free bets, spend bonus credit, or place a qualifying bet on any sport that takes your fancy. There’ll be rules on the odds you can place these bets at, so be sure to check the T&Cs before you get started.

Football

From the Premier League to more obscure divisions all over the world, there’s a huge number of football teams and games you can bet on using the best welcome bonus. Punters can place outright football bets, such as the team to win this season’s Champions League, or the player to win the World Cup Golden Boot. Alternatively, you can home in on the minutiae of individual games and wager on the number of goal kicks in the final ten minutes of a match, or how many shots on target a particular player will have while they’re on the pitch.

Horse Racing

Horse racing is another popular option when making use of sports betting welcome offers. There are races happening all year round, but the biggest events in the UK include the Grand National and the Cheltenham Festival. As well as a single bet on which horse will win the race, there are lots of other types of racing bets you can go for. An each-way bet is a popular option — here half your stake will go on the horse to win, and half is on the horse to place. 

Tennis

Grand Slam tournaments, also known as majors, are the most-watched tennis events throughout the year. These include four two-week tournaments: the Australian Open in January, The French Open from May to June, Wimbledon from June to July, and the US Open from August to September. However, there are plenty of other competitions going on throughout the year, so you won’t be short on opportunities. Punters can bet on the players to win matches and tournaments, or take advantage of in-play betting and predict the scores of individual games and sets.

Golf

Golf betting is available throughout the year but excitement swells when a major competition rolls around. Held in Augusta National Golf Club in April, The Masters is perhaps the most famous golf tournament, bringing with it the chance to bet on who will win the famous green jacket. The PGA Championship is another event with plenty of betting options, as is the Ryder Cup — the biennial battle between Europe and the USA. Throw in the British, US and South African Open, and so on, and there’s no shortage of golf bets to wager your bonus on. 

Rugby

Rugby comes in two forms. There’s Rugby Union, in which England competes against France, Italy, Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship, and in the Rugby World Cup. There’s also Rugby League, in which the England team participates in events like Rugby League Ashes against Australia and the Rugby League World Cup. You can spend your bonus bets on both Rugby Union and Rugby League at top bookies, as well as on international rugby tournaments such as the Balkans Cup and the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.

American Football

The NFL is big business across the pond, and the best bookies invite UK punters to get right in the heart of the action with betting markets on every game, and a medley of futures markets too. So, if you’ve got an inkling on the team that will reign supreme in the next Super Bowl, you could just find yourself enjoying a free bet on the outright winner. 888sport is a particularly good pick for American football fans. There’s £30 in free bets and a £10 casino bonus in store when you place your first £10 bet, and a medley of NFL betting offers to enjoy after that.

Place Your Bet

Once you’ve chosen your sports market, and found the best odds you fancy, you can go ahead and place a single bet or combine it with others in a double or a treble. This’ll increase the potential payout, but you’ll need each selection to land for it to come in. Another more adventurous option is a trixie bet — here you’ll be placing four bets across three selections, consisting of three doubles and a treble where at least two selections need to win.

In-Play Betting

When you’re checking out the available sports markets, you may find that there are lots of intriguing matches currently underway. Rather than placing a bet ahead of time, you can bet in play and respond to events as they unfold. In-play betting is usually accepted as part of sports betting welcome offers, just be sure to check the T&Cs.

Accumulators

An accumulator is generally considered to be a bet consisting of four selections or more. It’s a fun way to increase your potential payout, as each selection needs to be successful for the bet to win. Some punters go for the astronomical wins, while others piece together bets with shorter odds and more likely outcomes.

You can normally place an accumulator when making a qualifying bet or using a free bet, just be sure to check the T&Cs for what the minimum odds are, as these will likely apply to each individual pick. What’s more, any wagering requirements applied to your bonus may be lower if you’ve made an accumulator bet, as these are harder to land in the first place. Be sure to check the T&Cs of the bookmaker’s offer before you get started.

Cash Out

Some online bookmakers will allow you to cash out a bet before the outcome of an event is known. This feature can help you out in one of two ways. Ideally, you’ll be cashing out to secure a profit on a bet that’s going your way, but you can also quit a bad bet to cut your losses. Some bookies offer a partial cash out feature, which allows you to settle part of your bet while allowing the rest to run to its natural conclusion — the best of both worlds you might say.

How We Review Sites with Sports Betting Welcome Offers

Sports betting welcome offers are often the first thing that stands out when checking out new betting sites, but there are numerous other factors our team has to consider when reviewing different bookmakers.

UKGC Licence

Here at Compare.bet, we only recommend betting sites that are licensed by reputable regulators, such as the UK Gambling Commission. This ensures players receive protection from malpractice on the part of the operator, as sites that break their licensing terms will be sanctioned or could be shut down completely. 

Welcome Bonus

We’ll still give the welcome bonus another mention here, as there are many different aspects of sport betting welcome offers that determine their true value. Naturally, we’ll be looking at what’s on offer in terms of the size of the free bets up for grabs or the maximum amount that’ll be refunded in a bet rebate offer or even through cash back. Whether the terms and conditions are player-friendly is also a key consideration — we’ll always point out whether an offer has high wagering requirements or restrictive max win caps.

Choice of Markets

The best welcome bonus allows players to bet on the full range of sports markets available on the site. This gives punters the option to either use their matched free bet on something new or stick to what they know. As for the overall choice of markets, we’ll be looking for a wide range of sports, leagues, and betting options, so punters can go for straight up bets on a team to win a match, or opt for something more niche in a particular area of interest.

Payment Methods

It’s important for betting customers to have access to a variety of payment methods for their deposits and withdrawals. Every punter has their own needs and preferences in this area, whether it’s fast withdrawals or the option to deposit without sharing their bank details. As such, we’ll be looking for a mixture of debit cards, e-wallets, prepaid cards, pay by phone options, and more.

Withdrawal Speeds

We touched on withdrawal speeds above, and it’s true that e-wallets, like PayPal and Skrill, tend to be faster than debit cards when it comes to payouts. However, the betting site’s own processing speeds are a significant factor as well – some sites process withdrawals instantly, some within 24 hours, and some longer still.

Site Design

Site design is a key consideration both aesthetically and in terms of how easy it is to navigate around the different sports markets and promotions up for grabs. Not every colour scheme or theme will be your cup of tea, but we’ll be looking out for sites that are clean and easy on the eye. The best sites also make it simple to browse different areas and add multiple selections into the one betslip.

Mobile Compatibility

Many bettors prefer to browse sports markets and place their wagers on their phones, so a site’s mobile functionality is a key part of our review. Established sites like William Hill, Betfred, and Unibet offer native apps available for download, but bookmakers can also offer a solid user experience through a mobile browser.

Competitive Odds

Enjoying the best value for your bets is paramount, so we always keep a watchful eye out for those bookies that not only treat their customers like VIPs, but also consistently offer some of the most competitive odds in the market. If a bookie serves up regular odds boosts and enhanced price offers on top of already competitive betting odds, then it’s all the better by us.

Claim a Bonus on Your Mobile

Betting via your mobile is one of the most popular and convenient ways to gamble and you’ll be relieved to hear that you can claim a quality welcome bonus right from the palm of your hand. All the bookmakers we’ve included on this page will provide a mobile-optimised site but we would always recommend signing up to those that offer a native app. The best mobile betting apps provide you with a sleek and seamless experience while also giving you the option to customise the app to give you a tailored experience.

Claim a Welcome Bonus from a New Betting Site

If you’re looking for a fresh and exciting betting experience, then a new betting site could well be the option for you. Many new bookies will offer punters a well-designed website full of unique features. Some of these sportsbooks are also known to offer new customers some of the most player-friendly sign-up offers around.

Choose Your Perfect Banking Method

When you’ve found the right betting offer for you, you’ll usually have to make a deposit to get started. If you get lucky and land any winnings, you may want to withdraw your winnings. It’s important that you choose a casino that allows you to do both with a payment method that suits you. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular banking options available at online casinos.

How to Keep Your Gambling Safe

Gambling at an online bookmaker should first and foremost always be a form of entertainment. So if you feel that your habit has gotten out of control, then there are a number of different tips you can follow to stay on top of it. 

Time & Deposit Limits 

All betting sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) must provide players with a collection of tools to help them stay in control. Deposit and time limits are some of the key tools available to punters. Customers can set up their own limits on how much they want to deposit or how long they want to spend at a particular betting site. Once your deposit limit has been reached, you won’t be able to spend any more cash at that site until your limit runs out — this can be over 24 hours or longer. Once your time limit has been reached, however, you won’t be able to access the site at all until that time limit has run out. 

Self Exclusion 

If you feel that deposit and time limits won’t be enough to help your gambling problem, then you can opt into a self-exclusion scheme. Organisations like GAMBAN run such schemes which punters can sign up to in order to exclude themselves from all UK gambling sites for a period of up to five years. 

Gambling Charities

If you feel like your gambling problem has become an addiction, then there are a number of excellent charities you can get in touch with. Organisations such as BeGambleAware.org offer problem gamblers a wealth of helpful information on how to tackle their addiction as well as the National Gambling Helpline which is run 24/7. Gamblers Anonymous is a good option for those seeking advice from other problem gamblers with group therapy sessions run right across the country. You can also seek advice and treatment on the NHS as gambling addiction is now a recognised medical condition.

Looking for a Casino Welcome Bonus?

The sports betting welcome offers listed on this page differ from casino welcome bonuses that are primarily aimed at slot games, like Starburst, and other casino games, like blackjack and roulette. If you’ve found yourself on this page but are actually looking for a games-based bonus, check out our page on the best casino welcome bonuses up for grabs in the UK.

A casino’s best welcome bonus for new UK customers can come in a few different forms. Some centre on free spins for slot games, giving you the chance to spin the reels and potentially win cash risk-free. Others involve matched deposits where there’s greater flexibility on the games you can play using your bonus credit.

Many top sportsbooks also offer casino games and may let customers claim a welcome bonus for both areas. If not, you’ll at least have an option between the two — William Hill goes one further and offers a live casino welcome bonus alongside its sports betting and casino bonus offers.

There are loads of different games on offer at the best online casinos, including the following:

• Slot games – with hundreds of different themes, bonus rounds, and game mechanics available in the best online slots, there’s plenty to make your time on the reels entertaining;
• Table games – classic titles like roulette, blackjack, and baccarat are available alongside modern variations that add multipliers and other bonuses into the mix;
• Live dealer – if you fancy playing table games with a live croupier alongside other players in true Vegas style, there are lots of options available at the top casino sites;
• Bingo – a simple game with lots of different prizes up for grabs, as well as different variations including 90-ball, 75-ball, and 80-ball.

Claim Your Welcome Bonus

Now you’ve had a taste of the sports betting bonuses on offer, you’re probably keen to find your perfect bonus deal and start betting. Whether you’re in search of free bets or matched deposits, there are plenty of opportunities to boost your betting bankroll. Not sure where to start? Check out our list of the top online bookies with the best welcome bonuses to find a favourite. All you need to do is compare, pick a top site and sign up to start betting.

See our references & visit related external links

Please note that Compare.bet is not responsible for the content of third-party websites.

1. skrill.com – ‘Bet Online – Pay with your Skrill Account’
2. neteller.com – ‘Pay online’
3. begambleaware.org – ‘Advice for safer gambling’