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.

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 bets bonus, split into four £5 bets. You receive one of the four free bets each time you settle a £5 bet. 

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 Bets 

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.

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. 

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!

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. Native 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.

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

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