Top Free Bet Offers in the US
We have found the best free bet bonuses in the US and you can see all the top offers below. Simply follow the link to the betting site and claim the offer to get started.
There are many free bet offers available to bettors. Our experts have put together explanations on what to look out for in a bonus, such as low wagering requirements and whether there are sports restrictions.
Best Betting Sites with Free Bets in 2023
Top Results for Virginia, US | # | Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit Site | T&Cs | |||
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1.
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BetMGM |
Up to 1000$ first bet offer Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required. Register to claim offer
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
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2.
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Caesars Sportsbook |
Bet $50 Get $250 in Bonus Bets Cashback |
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Play |
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3.
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FanDuel Sportsbook |
Up to $1,000 risk-free bet Free bet |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required; Register to claim
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount Wagering requirement: 1x bonus |
Almost all US betting sites offer a welcome bonus which give bonuses to new customers in the form of free bets or free bet credits. At many sportsbooks, you have to deposit or place a qualifying bet to receive the welcome bonus.
These free bets give you a chance to place wagers without spending your own money and test the site out to see if you like it.
Sportsbooks also have plenty of promotions and other free bet bonuses available after you register, allowing you to get rewards for placing bets with them.
How We Rate Free Bet Offers
Choosing the best betting site for free bets is easy, provided you read and understand the terms and conditions set out by the sportsbook.
Below is the criteria that our team of betting experts use to decide whether a free bet offer at a sportsbook is worth using.
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Wagering requirementsIdeally you want to find free bets with just 1x wagering requirements as this is the lowest available. Any free bets with up to 5x wagering requirements is worth using, but higher than that is extremely poor and not worth the effort as you’ll almost certainly never satisfy the requirements.
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Is the sportsbook reliable?Every sportsbook we recommend is licensed and this means they are legally allowed to operate in the US. The best betting sites for free bets also boast competitive odds, a good range of sports (ideally more than 15), and also make it easy for mobile bettors to use the app.
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Sports and market restrictionsMost betting sites do not impose any sports restrictions on free bets but it is always worth reading terms and conditions. Some free bets are only eligible for certain events or games, such as the Super Bowl or NBA Finals, but it’s not common to find sports restrictions on free bets.
If a sportsbook is trying to promote a particular market, such as Same Game Parlay, then the free bet may only be eligible for that. It’s quite rare to find free bets that can only be used on normal markets like spread or moneyline, with most bonuses available to use on any market.
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Minimum oddsSome free bets have minimum odds imposed on them, although it is quite low (around -200 or -300). As you don’t get free bet stakes returned in wins, betting on markets that low is almost pointless anyway. Free bets that impose minimum odds of longer than +100 are extremely restrictive and are generally not worth considering.
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Free bet amountBigger free bets give you more bonus money to play with at a particular sportsbook, and you should always look for the largest bonuses of over $1,000. However, it’s important to check other terms like wagering requirements as there’s no point in receiving free bets if you have to wager it 5x or more.
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Other free bet promotionsTop sportsbooks have more than just a welcome offer that gives you free bets. Ideally, you should sign up to a betting site with lots of free bet promotions, or at least ones that you’re likely to use.
How do Free Bets work?
Free bets are given to bettors as a reward, either from joining the sportsbook or from placing a certain amount of bets in a specific time period.
There are some key differences between regular bets and free bets, most notably that free bet stakes are not included in any returns. For instance, if you bet a $10 free bet on a +100 line, you would receive $10 back.
Some free bets can only be placed on certain sports or markets. This generally depends on which games the betting site wants to promote, such as a particular NFL fixture. In most cases, there will be more free bet offers for betting on football and other popular sports.
You may have to opt-in to claim a free bet or be eligible for it, and this can be found in the promotions tab of a sportsbook.
Free bets are offered either as one single bet, as multiple increments of the total value, or as free bet credits. It all depends on the sportsbook.
A $100 free bet could be awarded in one of three ways:
- A single $100 free bet (must be used all at once)
- 4x $25 free bets (each free bet must be used all at once but can be used on separate wagers)
- $100 in free bet credits (any amount can be used on any wager)
How to Claim Free Bet Offers
Claiming free bets is straightforward, although it can vary by betting site. It is worth following every step in this guide but worth noting that not all sportsbooks require all steps, especially in the case of no deposit free bets.
If you are already registered with a sportsbook, then you can skip the first step and simply log in to your account as normal. As well, if your account already has a balance then there’s often no need to deposit more money to claim free bet offers.
Sign up for your chosen betting site by following the instructions on screen
Opt-in to the promotion if required by the sportsbook
Deposit to the sportsbook via one of the payment methods available
If needed, place a qualifying wager with the sportsbook
Free bet amount is added to your account
How to Calculate the Amount to Wager
Some free bets are subject to wagering requirements, which means you may have to bet any winnings multiple times before you can withdraw. In some cases, you could end up wagering hundreds of dollars more than the initial free bet was worth!
All free bets come with 1x wagering requirements, which exists to make sure you cannot simply withdraw the free bet as real money without wagering it. Any winnings from a free bet with 1x wagering requirement are yours to withdraw or wager again as you see fit.
Free Bet Promo Codes
Some sportsbooks require customers to enter promo codes before they can claim a free bet. This has to be entered into the appropriate field during sign-up or in your account promotions if you are already registered.
Most sportsbooks don’t require you to enter a promo code for free bet bonuses, and if they do then this is made clear on the site. It is very rare to need a promo code for a free bet bonus after you’re already registered.
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How to Compare Free Bets
You have to know what you are looking at to compare free bets and we have broken down the key factors by sportsbook to help you out.
| Sportsbook | Free Bet Amount | Deposit required for full bonus | Minimum Odds | Wagering Requirements |
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| PointsBet | $2,000 | $2,000 | -200 | 1x |
| BetMGM | $1,000 | $1,000 | N/A | 1x |
| DraftKings Sportsbook | $1,000 | $5,000 | -300 | 25x |
| Caesars Sportsbook | $1,500 | $1,500 | N/A | 1x |
| FanDuel Sportsbook | $1,000 | $1,000 | N/A | 1x |
| MaximBet | $500 | $500 | N/A | 1x |
| BetRivers | $250 | $250 | -200 | 1x |
There are some clear differences between these sportsbook bonuses. The PointsBet bonus is the best free bet offer because it has the highest free bet amount and only a 1x wagering requirement. That means that you just wager the free bet as normal.
This offer actually comes in form of two free bets, with the first being a $500 risk free bet on any market and the second being $1,500 on a PointsBetting market. You can read more about PointsBetting and how it works on our PointsBet review.
In contrast, the DraftKings Sportsbook free bet offer is extremely unattractive. Not only do you have to deposit $5,000 to get the maximum bonus of $1,000, you then have to spend a total of $25,000 within 90 days for the full $1,000 free bet bonus to be released into your account for usage.
Free Bets Restrictions
Free bets come with at least some restrictions and you can be in for disappointment if you fail to check a sportsbook’s terms before trying to claim bonuses.
The T&Cs are listed below the main free bet bonus info and if you’re unsure of the terminology used or can’t find them, then you can always contact the sportsbook’s customer support.
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Expiration PeriodFree bets always have an expiration period and you should be aware of how many days it is. Generally, it is anywhere between seven and 30 days before a free bet expires. There is no point in claiming a free bet only to see it become invalid because you waited too long to use it!
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Sports restrictionsSome free bets are only able to used on specific sports, which comes at the discretion of the sportsbook. Sports restrictions tend to only apply for big events, such as the Super Bowl or a major soccer final, and even then they are quite rare.
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Minimum oddsMinimum odds stop you from placing free bets on markets that are too short-priced, with restrictions placed anywhere from -500 to -200. In some cases, betting sites may even impose maximum odds.
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Payment method restrictionsFor matched deposit free bets and risk-free bets, you have to deposit in a particular way – such as PayPal or VISA – to be eligible to receive the bonus.
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Wagering requirementsThe wagering requirements for free bets varies by betting site. Generally speaking, most sportsbooks impose just 1x WR on many free bets, but some may have 5x WR or in extreme cases, up to 25x.
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Minimum depositSometimes you have to deposit a certain amount into a sportsbook before you become eligible for a free bet. This is usually $10 or $25 but can be as high as $50 at some betting sites.
Best Free Sports Bet Apps
Free bets are available on mobile as well as desktop and in fact some sportsbooks have been known to offer bonuses simply for downloading and using their mobile bet app.
Claiming a free bet on mobile is identical to doing it on a computer, with most sportsbooks listing their free bet offers in their promotions page.
The best sportsbooks apps for free bets are listed below, including their ratings on both Google Play and App Store.
- Google Play rating: 4.4/5
- App Store rating: 4.6/5
- Download app now
- Read Caesars Sportsbook review
- Google Play rating: 4.7/5
- App Store rating: 4.8/5
- Download app now
- Read FanDuel Sportsbook review
- Google Play rating: 4.4/5
- App Store rating: 4.8/5
- Download app now
- Read BetMGM review
Types of Free Bets
Not all free bets are born the same. They all share the same basic concepts – you get free money to wager on sports – but they are awarded to customers in a variety of ways. Top online sportsbooks usually offer a few different types of sports betting bonuses, and we take a look at the most common promos.
New Customer Free Bet Offers
These are free bets that you get as a reward for signing up for the first time at a betting site. New customer free bets are particularly useful if you want to test out a sportsbook to figure out how easy it is to place wagers and see what markets they have available.
Wagering requirements on these free bets are very low, often just 1x, so they are extremely bettor-friendly.
Even brand new online betting sites offer this kind of promotion. They are usually extra generous since they want to attract a lot of new customers, so keep your eyes open whenever a fresh bookmaker joins the market.
Risk Free Bets
Risk-free bets are popular welcome bonuses employed by sportsbooks. You can get one when you register and deposit at a new betting site, and your first real money bet is matched to a certain amount.
Most betting sites give you a free bet to the value of your first cash bet if it loses, although some give you a risk-free bet even if that first cash bet wins. These free bets usually have 1x wagering requirements, however you should always check each site.
BetMGM offer a risk free bet up to $1,000. If you bet $1,000 on Buffalo Bills -2.5 and they fail to cover the spread, you’ll receive the same value back as BetMGM free bets.
Matched Deposit Free Bet
A matched deposit bonus is fairly explanatory. When you deposit to a betting site for the first time, they match that amount in bonus funds up to a certain value.
Matched deposit bonuses can be anywhere from 20% up to 200% matched, with 100% the common figure. They are usually subject to 1x wagering requirements as well, so you have to wager the bonus once.
If you deposit $200 to a sportsbook with a 100% matched deposit, you’ll receive $200 in bonus funds to use at the betting site.
The obvious advantage to matched deposits is that you get to play with double the amount you pay in, but the bonus funds expire quickly so you may feel pressured to play through it.
BetRivers offer a 100% deposit match up to $250. To claim the bonus, use promo code 250MATCH when you register and the sportsbook will match your deposit as a free bet up to $250.
You can deposit more than $250 if you like, but only the first $250 is matched.
Bet & Get Free Bets
Bet and get offers reward you with free bets when you place a wager of a specific amount, sometimes on a certain sport or event, or even on a particular market. The most common bet and get offers are on same game parlays.
The amount you receive in free bets is less than or equal to the qualifying wager, and often the expiry time is less than a week so you don’t have long to use it.
Some sportsbooks have bet and get free bets as their welcome offer, in which case the amount you get is much higher than the amount you have to bet.
Bet $5 on any NFL or college football market at DraftKings Sportsbook and get $200 worth of free bets. The free bets come as eight separate $25 bonuses, so you don’t have to use all $200 at once.
No Deposit Free Bets
No deposit free bets are the best offers for bettors because you get the bonus for just signing up. As the name suggests, you don’t need to deposit to get the free bet.
Best Free Bet No Deposit Offers
Not many betting sites offer no deposit free bets simply because they don’t offer much of value to the sportsbook. We are always keeping our eyes open for new no deposit free bet offers and update when betting sites add them.
Top Results for Virginia, US | # | Sportsbook | Bonus | Visit Site | T&Cs | |||
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4.
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Barstool Sportsbook |
100% cashback up to 1000$ Cashback |
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Play |
Use bonus code: No bonus code required. Register to claim offer
Qualifying bet: No minimum bet amount and no odds restrictions Wagering requirement: 1x bonus at minimum odds of -200 |
Free Bet No Deposit Terms and Conditions
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Wagering requirementsWagering requirements is how many times you have to spend the free bet before the money becomes eligible for withdrawal. No deposit free bets generally only carry 1x wagering requirements, so any money you win from them is yours to withdraw or bet again at will.
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Eligible sportsSome no deposit free bets can only be used on certain sports and often coincide with big events such as for the first week of the NFL season or for NBA’s Christmas Day slate. Sports restrictions are always made clear on the sportsbook so there aren’t any surprises after you have claimed the bet.
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Max win limitsSimply, this is how much you can win from the free bet. You can still put on a wager that exceeds the maximum winnings, but you would be paid out at the specified limit on the sportsbook. These limits are very high, at least $100,000, and they are rare.
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Expiration timeFree bets expire quickly at the best of times but this is even more true with no deposit free bets. They generally expire after seven days although in some cases it is longer.
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Minimum oddsThe minimum odds for a free bet wager tends to be anywhere from -500 to -200, so any wager you place has to have longer odds (such as -110 or +300). Free bet stakes aren’t included in returns so it is not really worth going much lower than -110 anyway.
Advantages and Disadvantages of No Deposit Betting Bonuses
The pros of no deposit free bets definitely outweigh the cons as, ultimately, it’s a free bet that you’ve not had to pay for. It gives you the chance to test out a new betting site without using any of your own money, and anything you win is yours to keep.
Keep in mind that you have to deposit to the betting site to withdraw any winnings from the free bet.
- Don’t have to deposit
- Little or no wagering requirements
- Risk-free betting
- Winnings in real money
- Low amount
- Stake not returned in winnings
- Some restrictive T&Cs
It’s a fact that not all betting sites have free bets. However, online sportsbooks offer some kind of a bonus.
No Deposit Bonus Codes
Bonus codes are simply a way of sportsbooks being able to hand out free bets to whoever they decide. There is no intrinsic difference between a no deposit free bet that requires a code and one that does not, except that those without a code are available to all bettors.
The amount of no deposit free bets is not very high as betting sites prefer to give out other types of bonuses, like risk-free bets, but we are always on the hunt for new no deposit free bets.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Free Bets
Like all bonuses at sportsbooks, free bets have their ups and downs. It is important that you understand these to avoid disappointment when you claim free bets.
Ultimately, it’s free money that you can wager and not have to worry about using your own cash, so if it loses then you’re not out of pocket. If it wins, you get to keep the money!
As well, free bets are great for new bettors because it gives them a chance to try out different markets and sports without spending real money, so there’s no risk involved in improving knowledge of sports betting as a whole.
Placing free bets on outsiders with long odds, or on unlikely futures, is common because it gives interest in markets that otherwise you wouldn’t put bets on.
- It’s free money
- Win real cash that you can withdraw
- Not spending your own money on bets
- Allows you to try different markets
- Gives you experience in sports betting
- Expires quickly
- Stake not included in returns
- Can come with sports restrictions
However, free bets tend to expire within seven days or even less so you may end up using it on something you don’t want to – which is a waste.
One crucial aspect to note is that you don’t get the free bet stake back in winnings. So if you put a $10 free bet on Dallas Cowboys at odds of -110, your total returns would be $9.09 as the $10 free bet is excluded.
How to Convert Your Free Bets Into Real Money
Getting real money out of your free bets can be difficult as there is a temptation to use it as soon as you get it because of the expiry date.
Check out our tips and hints below to help you get the most out of free bets and turn them into real money. This is just general advice, not a guaranteed way to win bets.
US States with Legal Free Bets
Each state makes their own laws when it comes to online sports betting, so the rules for one state may be slightly different from another.
Free bets are legal in all states where online sports wagering is legal, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to claim bonuses provided your location is in the table below.
| Arizona | Arkansas | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Louisiana |
| Michigan | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New York | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Virginia | Washington, D.C. | West Virginia | Wyoming |
Not Recommended Free Bet Betting Sites
The betting sites we recommend at USBetting are all safe and legal, but unlicensed sportsbooks do exist and are happy to accept US bettors.
These sites offer tempting bonuses of large values to attract new players, however, these always come with extremely unfavorable terms like high wagering requirements that force you to spend thousands to turn free bets into real money.
As well, is no guarantee that they honor free bets or pay you out any winnings, so it is recommended that you stick to legal sites as they are licensed by state governments which protects bettors.
Sportsbetting.ag
BetOnline
MyBookie
Why You Should Use Free Bets
Free bets are a great way to test out betting sites but the main reason is that they are free. If you win then you may be able to keep the money, depending on wagering requirements, and if you lose then it has not cost you anything.
It also allows you to place bets on longshot markets that you otherwise wouldn’t want to use real money on. If there’s a Super Bowl future at +5000 you fancy having a punt on but don’t want to spend your own money, a free bet is perfect to use on that.
Conclusion
There are a few different types of free bets available at sportsbooks, all of which are fairly similar but carry different qualifying criteria.
Betting sites almost always have welcome offers that give customers free bets for signing up, and they come in the form of risk free bets or matched deposit free bets.
Risk free bets require you to place your first wager on the site and if it loses, you receive the value of your first bet back as a free bet. The best betting sites offer risk free bets worth up to $2,000, with $1,000 the standard amount.
Matched deposits are simpler to access as all you need to do is make a first deposit and the sportsbook gives you a free bet. You can then use the free bet bonus on any sport or market you like.
The rarest form of free bet is the no deposit free bet, which you get simply for having an account with a sportsbook, and so they’re only worth a few dollars.
FAQs
How do you get free bets?
You can get free bets by signing up to a sportsbook or completing promotions. The process of claiming a free bet is more or less the same at any sportsbook, but if you’re not sure how to do it, check out our step-by-step guide.
How do free bets work?
Free bets are bonus funds given to you by the sportsbook for you to use. They do not cost you any money to place and any winnings are yours to keep but may be subject to wagering requirements. There are many types of free bets, such as matched deposit free bets and no deposit free bets.
Can you cash out a free bet?
No, you can bot cash out a free bet bonus money. Free bets are only eligible to be used at the sportsbook that gave it to you and cannot be withdrawn or cashed out. You can convert it to real money by fulfilling wagering requirements.
What betting apps give free bets?
Almost all betting apps give free bets! We have compiled some of the best mobile offers in our article. In most cases, sportsbooks have the same free bet offers for both mobile and desktop users, meaning that you won’t miss anything if you switch to mobile.
What is a risk free bet?
A risk-free bet is when a sportsbook matches one of your bets with a free bet. They are given as sign-up offers, such as when you deposit and bet $1,000 for the first time then you get a $1,000 free bet if that first real money bet loses.
What is the best free bet betting site?
The likes of PointsBet, BetMGM and DraftKings Sportsbooks are amongst the best free bet betting sites. If you want to learn more about other betting sites with excellent free bet offers, check out our full list of the best free bet sportsbooks in the US.