Betting Offers UK 2023

Looking for the best betting offers but overwhelmed by how many there are? Our expert will show you how to identify a good bonus.

We’ll explore tricky terms and provide you with our top betting bonuses. Read on to discover more.

Top 16 Safe Betting Offers

What is a Betting Bonus?

It is effectively a promotional device to attract or retain players.

In the case of sports offers, players can be awarded these in any number of forms including free bets, reload bonus, profit boosts.

Every bonus needs to be looked at on an individual basis to assess whether or not it is worthwhile taking up.

On this page, we’ll explore what types of bonuses you can expect to find, and the pitfalls to avoid.

Are Betting Offers Safe?

At legit, we only recommend secure sites that offer players a safe environment.

A licence, responsible gambling tools and a good customer support service should give you confidence that you’re playing on a safe site.

In terms of safe bonuses, all our sites provide genuine offers. But we also consider how fair, and how valuable they are to ensure that they are worth committing to.

Licence

It’s so important that the betting site that you play on is licensed to operate in the UK. This is the first thing you should check for. 

A licence with the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) ensures that the betting site you are playing with is held accountable and provides a fair and transparent platform.

If you see a bonus from a licensed site, chances are it will be a safe bonus.

How to Find a Trusted Betting Offer

What might be considered a good bonus to one player, might not be to another. It comes down to personal preference.

In saying that, there are some factors that will apply to a number of bonuses. Before we decide if a bonus is good or not, we look at the following:

Once you’re satisfied that all of those are answered to your liking, then you can consider the bonus a good one.

The final point of being interested in the offer is one that some players might not think about. It can be compared to shopping in a sale. Even though an item is discounted – do you really want it?

This can help against any form of ‘bet regret’. On the other hand, it can be a great way to try something new.

Betting Promotions – Key Terms and Conditions

These can make or break promotions. In order for a bonus to be considered good, the conditions need to be reasonable. All offers come with their own set of rules, so it’s important to know exactly to in order to get your bonus.

If you miss a step or don’t use the bonus correctly then you could end up without it.

Minimum Odds

Minimum odds are often set for both a qualifying bet and free bets. Although a maximum odds limit is also sometimes known to be set.

In order to qualify for the welcome offer, for example with William Hill, you need to place a qualifying £10 bet at minimum odds of 1/2 (1.5). This is a standard bet level and one which we think is fair.

While some punters may prefer to back at short odds, 1/2 (1.5) should offer the vast majority of players the chance to bet on something they want to.

There are also examples of EVS but few tend to ask for bets placed at higher odds.

Bet Placement Restrictions

The terms of the offer will include any restrictions that might be placed on where you can place your qualifying bet or free bet. In our experience, there is always something to be aware of.

As well as meeting the minimum odds, there could be some bet types that are ruled out. For example, not all bookmakers will allow each-way bets to be placed in order to qualify for a promotion.

Furthermore, when considering where to place a free bet – it’s worth noting that your stake is not returned with your winnings.

With that in mind, there are a few bets that you should avoid:

• Draw no bet
• Asian handicap

Basically any market with a void option. This is because if the bet returns void, then your free bet stake is not refunded, and so effectively wasted.

We would suggest that if you normally back those markets to go for an outright instead with your free bet.

Minimum Deposit or Stake

A low minimum deposit is a sign of a good sports bonus. This is because it means it is open to a wide number of player groups.

On average you’re looking at minimum amounts of £5 to £20 in order to claim a bonus.

For 100% deposit matches, in order to claim the biggest amount – you have to deposit a big sum to start with. It might not suit everyone but being able to take advantage of a 100% boost on £20 is great for most players.

The same applies to a minimum stake which is usually imposed for a qualifying bet. £10 is the norm for this, so above that would be considered relatively high.

Of course, just because a minimum deposit, or stake might be high, it doesn’t mean that the promotion isn’t a safe one. It just might not suit every player.

Time Limits

Depending on the offer you take, a time limit will be applied. This can be for:

The time frames can also affect whether a bonus is worth taking or not. If there’s nothing you want to bet on within the time frame set – then there’s no point.

You’ll normally have around 7 days to use the offer, and 30 days to complete wagering requirements.

Therefore, you should look to avoid long-term, ante-post bets when considering an offer as it will likely rule you out.

Wagering Requirements

Wagering requirements, sometimes known as turnover, can apply to sports betting bonuses. This is an area in which some players can get confused, and there are regular contacts to customer support.

In a nutshell, wagering requirements tell you how many times you need to play your bonus amount, in order to be able to withdraw.

For example:

A £10 bonus with x 3 wagering. You need to place bets amounting to £30 before you can withdraw.

If you try to take funds before this is met – you could forfeit the bonus and associated winnings.

We should also note that this only applies to bonuses and related funds. If you lose the bonus amount, you are not required to turn it over with your next deposit.

Wagering is nothing to be concerned about, but you should consider if you can meet the turnover requirements before you take an offer.

Maximum Payouts

It’s not just what you place your bets on, but what returns you can receive. Many bookmakers will impose a maximum win amount for free bets, or promotions.

If you win your first bet with LeoVegas you will receive a 100% profit boost, but this applies up to £100 only. While this is a good amount for a promotion, you might want to consider what bet you place so that additional winnings are not lost.

This is not a major restriction, but it is something to look at before you take part in a promotion to avoid disappointment.

Payment Methods

E-wallets are a great way to deposit safely into your betting account, but they will also likely make you ineligible for promotions.

This is the case for most online bookmakers, especially for deposits via Skrill and Neteller.

The likes of Apple Pay and PayPal are slowly growing in the UK market. As such, many betting sites are now allowing those to be used and to claim welcome offers. Both are excellent alternatives.

Betting Bonus Types

This list isn’t extensive. Bookmakers come up with all kinds of promotions and the likes of Paddy Power will usually change their on-site promotions regularly. However, the main bonuses will at least follow the mechanics of the bonus types mentioned above.

Once you’ve got the hang of these bonuses, you’ll be able to make sense of other bonuses too. Let’s take a closer look at what each of these.

New Customer Offers

A new customer offer is usually always the most attractive. This is because bookmakers tend to make those more valuable in order to gain new players.

A welcome offer can come in many forms with bookmakers usually hosting one big promotion, combined with some time-sensitive ones throughout the year.

By this, we mean that they may offer some enhanced promotion on a big sporting event, which is only for new players.

888Sport for example are well known for their on-going special welcome offers. Especially around big tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup or the Cheltenham festival.

So, if you’re looking for an offer that is a bit different than the norm around a big event, you’ll likely find it.

No Deposit Bonus

These are almost extinct in the UK market. In fact, we don’t even have a recent example to display here.

Due to strict legislation and savvy UK punters, you’re very unlikely to come across a no deposit sports bonus. If you do, then with nothing to lose – we recommend you go for it.

100% Deposit Bonus

This is likely to be a new customer offer. Betting companies give you the chance to double up on your first deposit. Also known as a matched deposit with some providers.

Although more common than a no deposit bonus – they’re not all that popular for sports bettors. Casino players will find this at most sites, but it’s more suited to casino play than sports due to wagering requirements.

This isn’t to say that the promotions should be looked over. In fact, quite the opposite. If you can start with twice as much in your bankroll, then great.

The biggest thing we’d be looking out for is the wagering that is required. Chances are it will be set quite high, making it difficult to release your funds.

Bet and Get

You’ll notice that a high percentage of our recommended bookmakers offer a bet and get a welcome offer, based on your first bet. This is especially true for the best football betting sites as it’s an excellent offer to use on specific matches.

This is where you’ll be asked to place a bet in order to get the next bet.

It’s a simple process which is why it’s so appealing to punters.

On top of that, there are rarely wagering requirements so what you win – you keep. From a legit point of view, the more straight forward an offer is, the better.

With a bet and get offer players are guaranteeing themselves a free bet by completing an action, so we rate these promotions as safe.

Risk-Free Bet

Another variation of the free bet, but this one has a little more to it. For this, you place a bet with your own money and if it wins, great. If it loses, you’ll get your stake back. So, risk-free.

In the UK, the term ‘risk-free’ has to mean it in terms of betting. This ensures that you don’t take a risk-free bet offer only to be offered a bonus instead of cash. Therefore, if you decide you no longer want to play you have the right to withdraw your initial losing bet.

It’s an offer we rate highly because there is no risk in terms of being tied in with wagering. If your bet loses, then you are able to withdraw your funds should you not want to bet again.

Enhanced Odds

This offer gives you boosted odds on a specific bet. This usually applies to a single bet for a welcome offer and could be very generous. These are time-sensitive promotions so are changing all the time.

For example, you will be offered 10/1 instead of 1/2 for the favourite in a big horse race. Clearly, this is excellent value.

The downside is that the stake amount will be capped, usually around somewhere between £5 – £10. Although some with ‘crazy odds’ have been capped at £1.

Daily Enhanced Odds Promotions

Boosts are available regularly with many of the best betting sites. They are perfectly safe offers that can provide you with a bit more value. They are especially great if you were already planning on placing the bet.

Furthermore, Paddy Power gives players ‘Power Ups’. With those, you can enhance the price of any market you chose. Of course, the enhanced amount is set by the bookie. But it’s still a good promotion.

Free Bets

These tie in with the bet and get as you are rarely given a free bet without performing an action first.

If you do get a free bet, however, then you may want to check the rules. Usually, you will have to place it on a specific event or by a certain time. Bear in mind that you won’t get your stake back – this is the case with almost all free bet offers.

We’re making it sound like a bit of a negative offer when actually it’s not. Should you be given a free bet, then there is nothing to lose by placing it. Just remember that if an offer sounds too good, there’s likely a catch.

Profit Boost

Should your bet win, then this promotion will boost your winnings. LeoVegas gives its new players the chance to get up to £100 extra on their first bet with its welcome offer.

It’s referred to as a 100% profit boost and doubles your first bet winnings (if any). It should be noted that it applies to pre-match bets placed on your mobile-only.

It’s not as common as other bonuses, but it’s certainly interesting.

We should also mention that if your bet loses, then you don’t benefit from a welcome offer at all. So, it’s not the most valuable of promotions.

Bet Clubs

These offer existing customers the chance to benefit from guaranteed rewards. Although several of the big bookmakers have rebranded their ‘bet clubs’ they still exist.

For example, the Paddy Power Rewards Club. If you place five qualifying bets in a seven-day period, you’ll get a £10 free bet. On top of that, you’ll also earn a ‘Power Up’ which can be used on any market.

You can do this as many weeks as you want so it does pay to stick with a bookie in these situations.

Loyalty Free Bets

These provide players with bonuses that are given at the discretion of the bookmaker. Unlike the Bet Clubs above, they are not guaranteed.

Loyal customers tend to be rewarded with some sort of promotion, be it a free bet, cash drop or even an invite to an event. There’s no hard and fast rule for when these are sent and can vary between betting sites.

To go a step further, VIP rewards will also be on offer. For sports bettors, the schemes are rarely very well laid out – but the rewards are rumoured to be plentiful.

We don’t recommend trying to reach these VIP levels by betting more than you can afford. Safe betting sites will also prevent this, and there will be responsible gambling tools on hand should you need them.

Pros and Cons of Betting Offers

How to Claim a Betting Bonus

Top Five Tips

Conclusion

In our experience, the offers we’ve enjoyed the most are the ones that are clear and easy to understand.

If a promotion looks complicated then you might want to steer clear. Be mindful too of offers that are too good to be true, because they likely are.

We hope this page has given you a better idea of what sports betting bonuses are, and how to identify legit ones. Remember, only take up an offer if you really want. Good luck with your betting.