"Free chips" is casino-table language, and plenty of people still search for it. At Sportingbet, the stake-free credit you actually receive on the sportsbook is called a FreeBet, and it has its own set of rules. Getting those rules right is the difference between a FreeBet that pays and one that quietly expires or turns out to be worth less than you thought.
How a FreeBet pays out
When a FreeBet wins, Sportingbet credits the winnings minus the stake. The stake was never yours, so it is not returned. The help centre's own example is a £5 FreeBet at 2.50, which pays £7.50.
Here is what the same £5 is worth at different prices, next to a £5 cash bet:
| Odds | £5 cash bet returns | £5 FreeBet pays |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 (1.50) | £7.50 | £2.50 |
| Evens (2.00) | £10.00 | £5.00 |
| 6/4 (2.50) | £12.50 | £7.50 |
| 11/5 (3.20) | £16.00 | £11.00 |
| 13/5 (3.60) | £18.00 | £13.00 |
The gap between the two columns is always the £5 stake. At short prices that gap swallows a large share of the payout: at 1/2 (1.50) you keep a third of what a cash bet would return, while at 13/5 (3.60) you keep almost three quarters. That is why many bettors use FreeBets on slightly longer odds, although a longer price also means a lower chance of winning anything at all.
There is no wagering on FreeBet winnings. Once credited, they are cash in your balance.
Rules that come with every FreeBet
Sportingbet's help pages set out the following, and the offer's More Info screen adds anything specific:
- All in one go. A FreeBet must be used in full on a single bet. You cannot split a £10 FreeBet into two £5 stakes.
- Singles and multiples, not system bets. Doubles, trebles and accas are fine; Yankees and other system bets are not.
- Possible sport or league limits. Some FreeBets only work on a named sport, competition or market.
- An expiry date. It is shown on screen. UK reviews put the life of welcome FreeBets at roughly three to seven days.
- No Cash Out. A bet placed with a FreeBet runs to the end.
- No help with other bonuses. Bets placed with FreeBets do not count towards another bonus's wagering.
FreeBets that come from a PromoCode have one extra restriction: they work on pre-match and in-play singles, but not on multiples. The code itself is explained on our PromoCode page.
Using a FreeBet on the bet slip
Add the selection as normal. If a FreeBet in your account fits that bet, the bet slip lets you use it in place of a cash stake. When the option does not appear, the selection usually falls outside the FreeBet's restrictions, for example a different sport, a system bet or a Build A Bet. Open Offers, then More Info on the relevant offer, to see which bets qualify and when the FreeBet runs out.
FreeBet, Odds Boost and Back Up Bet compared
Sportingbet hands out three kinds of sports token, and they behave very differently.
| FreeBet | Odds Boost | Back Up Bet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Lets you bet without your own stake | Raises the price on your bet, by up to 100% | Refunds part of a losing stake |
| Your money at risk | None | Your normal stake | Your normal stake |
| Paid out as | Net winnings in cash | Winnings at the boosted price | A FreeBet, if the bet loses |
| Limits | Expiry, bet type, sometimes sport | Maximum stake and maximum winnings | Percentage and a maximum refund |
| Bet types | Singles and multiples, no system bets | Set by the token | Singles and multiples, no system bets or Build A Bet |
| Cash Out | Not available | Check More Info | Check More Info |
A Back Up Bet often ends as a FreeBet. Using the help centre's example of 50% up to 100: an £80 bet at 11/5 (3.20) that loses brings back a £40 FreeBet. If that FreeBet then wins at evens (2.00), you receive £40 in cash. How this differs from real cashback is covered on our cashback page.
Where FreeBets come from
- The welcome offer. In the current Welcome Challenges described by UK reviews, the Acca Challenge pays a FreeBet worth 50% of the stake, up to £10, for a £10+ acca of three or more selections at 1/2 (1.50) or longer each. A £10 acca therefore earns a £5 FreeBet. Full details are on our welcome bonus page.
- Back Up Bet refunds, as above.
- PromoCodes from campaigns and competitions, entered in the cashier.
- Personalised offers in the Sports tab of your Offers page.
Common FreeBet mistakes
- Using it on a system bet and finding it cannot be applied.
- Letting it expire because the date was only in More Info.
- Expecting the stake back on a win and checking the balance in confusion.
- Placing a big-odds multiple with a PromoCode FreeBet, which does not accept multiples.