The Best Sports Betting Welcome Bonuses

Written by Martin Backhouse Last updated on %s 05/07/2023 Markets

If you’re looking for a new sports betting site to register with, this page is definitely worthy of your attention. Everyone loves a welcome bonus, whether it’s a free bet, a matched deposit bonus or something else. Here at My Betting Bonus we’ve gathered all of the sign-up offers, free bet offers, no deposit bonuses, and listed the best ones right here.

We’ll take you through the different types of welcome bonuses available, what makes them so good, whether one is better than the other, and we’ll also tell you if no deposit welcome offers still exist. So if you want to know everything there is to know about sports betting sign-up offers, stay with us.

Top 9 Sports Betting Sign Up Offers

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# 888Sport Review
4.5/5
Rating

£40 Bonus

Not currently available

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

New UK customers only 18+

You must enter 888sport bonus code 30FB when depositing for the first time

Min deposit is £10

Qualifying bet must be at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or higher

You must place your first bet within 30 days of registration

You’ll receive 2x £10 free bets and 1x £10 mobile free bet once your qualifying bet has settled

You have 7 days to use the sporting free bets before they expire

£10 casino bonus must be wagered 40x within 14 days

Full 888sport T&Cs apply. #ad


Payment methods
Payment methods (5 in total):
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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
New players only • Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$1 …Read more
# LeoVegas Review
4.5/5
Rating

£100 Bonus

100% profit boost of up to £100 of winnings on first bet – mobile only

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

T&Cs apply

New reg only

Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via “My Offers” page within 30 days

Skrill/Neteller deposits excl

7 days to stake max £10 in-play

Max. extra winnings £100

18+ BeGambleAware.org

Full LeoVegas T&C’s apply #ad


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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
T&Cs apply • New reg only • Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via “My Offers” page …Read more
# Bet365
5/5
Rating

£30 Bonus

Up to £30 in Bet Credits

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

Open account offer


Up to £30 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365


Minimum deposit £5


Bet credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit


Min odds, bet and payment exclusions apply


Returns exclude Bet Credits stake


Registration required


Time limits and T&Cs apply.


18+ begambleaware.org • #ad


Payment methods
Payment methods (4 in total):
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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
Open Account Offer • Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365 • Min deposit r …Read more
# Betfair Sportsbook Review
4.5/5
Rating

£100 Bonus

Up to £100 in Bet Credits

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

18+

New UK and ROI customers only

Use promo code ZBAA01

Place £50 worth of bets on the Sportsbook each at 1/2 (1.5) or more

Exchange bets excluded

Qualifying bets must settle within the first 30 days

Cashed out and voided bets do not qualify

Bets placed using real money only will count

Skrill or Neteller deposits are excluded

Only one bet per event qualifies

Multiple bets are excluded

Free bets are valid for 30 days

Full Betfair T&Cs apply. #ad


Payment methods
Payment methods (5 in total):
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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
New customer offer • Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets • Repeat up to 5 times t …Read more
# William Hill Review
4.5/5
Rating

£30 Bonus

Bet £10 Get £30

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

New online customers only

Min £10 stake

Win only

Min odds 1/2

Free bets paid as 2x £15

30 day expiry

Free bet/payment method/player/country restrictions apply

Full Terms Apply. #ad


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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
New online customers only • Min £10 stake • Win only • Min odds 1/2 • Free bets paid as 2x £15 • 30 …Read more
# Unibet
4.5/5
Rating

£40 Bonus

£40 Money Back Offer

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

18+ begambleaware.org

New customers only

Min deposit £10

Money back as bonus if first bet loses

Wagering: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 35x

Sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using casino bonus

Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in

No deposit required for NI customers – Call 08081699314 to claim

Full T&Cs Apply. #ad


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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
18+ begambleaware.org • New customers only • Min deposit £10 • Money back as bonus if first bet lose …Read more
# 10Bet Review
4.5/5
Rating

£50 Bonus

100% up to £50

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

18+

Min deposit is £15

Deposit restrictions apply

8x wagering on deposit and bonus

Min single bet odds of 4/5

Min acca odds of 2/5

Terms must be met within 30 days

Full T&Cs apply. #ad


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Payment methods (5 in total):
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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
18+ • Min deposit is £15 • Deposit restrictions apply • 8x wagering on deposit and bonus • Min singl …Read more
# Paddy Power Review
4.5/5
Rating

£30 Bonus

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

n/a


Payment methods
Payment methods (5 in total):
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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
New customers only • Place your FIRST bet on any Football market and if it loses we will refund your …Read more
# BetVictor
4.5/5
Rating

£30 Bonus

Bet £5, Get £30

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

18+ new customers only

Opt-in and bet £5 at odds 2.00+ within 7 days

Get two £10 free bets & a £10 casino bonus

1x & 40x wagering

7-day bonus expiry

Full BetVictor T&Cs apply #ad


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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
18+ New Customers only • Deposit, opt-in and place a £5 qualifying bet at odds of 2.00 or greater wi …Read more

Types of Sportsbook Welcome Bonuses

Over the years, sports betting welcome offers have changed a lot. Some for the better, but some for the worse with unattainable wagering requirements. A promotion that looks amazing on initial inspection may not be great once you’ve read the full T&Cs.

If you’re a betting veteran, then you probably know all of the different types of welcome bonuses out there. If you aren’t, then here is what you can enjoy at all of the top online sportsbooks in the UK:

  • Matched Deposit Bonus (Deposit and Get)
  • No Deposit Bonus
  • Free Bets (Bet and Get)
  • Enhanced Odds
  • Money-Back Special
  • Free Spins

The reason we’ve added free spins to the list is that a lot of sites, especially the new online sports betting sites, tend to add free spins to their welcome bonus in addition to, say, free bets. This is to encourage you to try out their online casino too. Clever. Let’s elaborate on the others…

New Betting Account Offers – Deposit Bonuses

A deposit bonus offer can range anywhere from 50% right up to around 300%. So you could deposit £20 and get a £10 bonus or a £60 depending on the bookie. These used to be extremely popular with bookies, but they tend to be reserved nowadays for online casinos. Sports betting sites have moved away from it and usually offer free bets as their welcome bonus now.

We think some online betting sites moved away from this type of welcome offer simply due to the fact that you can control a spend more with free bets these days. Everyone was signing up intending to beat the bookies. With a deposit bonus, you may have been able to do that occasionally as there were fewer restrictions in the key terms. With other welcome bonuses, you have to meet certain criteria to qualify.

No Deposit Sign Up Bonuses

This is another promotion you tend to see more as online casino bonuses rather than bookie offers. Due to regulations that have been put in place over the years, coupled with the fact that the free bets given out with these offers were abused by many, you hardly see no deposit welcome bonuses anymore. If you come across one, it’s normally only a small amount offered such as £5.

Free Bets

Free Bets are the main pull for many punters. A Ladbrokes free bet, a Coral free bet, you name it, everyone’s offering them. A really common welcome bonus where you can enjoy free bets is the bet 10 get 30 bonus offer. The 888sport welcome offer is a prime example of this.

You might be wondering… are free bets better than other welcome bonuses? In a word, no. Here’s why.

Wagering Requirements for Sports Betting Bonus Offers are Less Restrictive

What we mean by this is that free bets are very restrictive. Read the T&Cs, we can’t state this clearly enough. Ok, so you’ve been given a £30 free bet. That’s a lot of money. Firstly, you can’t bet £1 30 times, it has to be used as one bet. Secondly, you’ll probably have to bet on a market with odds that you’re not particularly happy with as there are minimum odds listed in the key terms. Thirdly, and it’s linked to the second point, your stake is never returned to you as part of any winnings.

If you compare this to, say, a matched deposit bonus, there are significant differences in the wagering requirements. The main one usually is that there are no real restrictions on what you can bet on with a deposit bonus. The only criteria, possibly, is that you turn the bonus amount over a few times. This can be achieved easier on odds and markets that suit you.

Sign Up Bonuses Enjoy Better Odds

The minimum odds requirements on free bets compared to deposit bonuses do tend to differ, making the latter slightly more appealing than a free bet bonus offer. In a lot of cases, you’ll see minimum odds of 1/2 or evens on free bet bonuses, whereas a deposit bonus, more than likely, will see odds listed in the T&Cs at around 1/5.  It’s a lot easier to bet on a 1/5 shot and win than it is an even money shot.

Best New Betting Account Offers in the UK

betfair sportsbook welcome bonus

There are a few bookies who still tend to lead with a deposit bonus over a free bet bonus, even though a free bet bonus benefits the bookmaker slightly more. EnergyBet and SportNation, who are fairly new sports betting sites, are just two examples. The fact they’re newer bookies is interesting. You could argue that they offer better bonuses as they’re trying to build their customer base. As soon as they get big enough, they’ll probably switch to free bets.

The more established bookies such as bet365, 888sport, and Betfair all go with the free bet welcome bonuses. Let’s expand on their new customer bonus offers…

Bet365 Sign Up Bonus – Up to £100 in Bet Credits

£100 in bet credits as part of a deposit bonus. What a way to begin your betting journey with bet365. They’re one of the very best around, so if you don’t have an account with them yet, consider registering with bet365. All you need to do is sign up, deposit a minimum of £5 and they’ll match your deposit in bet credits up to a maximum of £100. Once you’ve placed and met their qualifying bet terms of course. Only once that bet is settled will you receive your bonus. Check out their website for full bet365 T&Cs.

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# Bet365
5/5
Rating

£30 Bonus

Up to £30 in Bet Credits

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

Open account offer


Up to £30 in Bet Credits for new customers at bet365


Minimum deposit £5


Bet credits available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit


Min odds, bet and payment exclusions apply


Returns exclude Bet Credits stake


Registration required


Time limits and T&Cs apply.


18+ begambleaware.org • #ad


Payment methods
Payment methods (4 in total):
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Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
Open Account Offer • Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets for new customers at bet365 • Min deposit r …Read more

888sport – £30 in Free Bets to Enjoy

A classic bet 10 get 30 welcome offer. Bet £10 get £30 that is. There’s a promo code to make note of for this one. You won’t be able to avail of the welcome offer if you don’t add it in. It’s 30F. Simply heading over to the 888sport site on your mobile, desktop, or tablet. Click the link below to get there straight away. Register, enter the bonus code when depositing at least £10, place a bet that meets the T&Cs of the offer, and hey presto, £30 in free bets will hit your account. It’s as simple as that.

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Bonus
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# 888Sport Review
4.5/5
Rating

£40 Bonus

Not currently available

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

New UK customers only 18+

You must enter 888sport bonus code 30FB when depositing for the first time

Min deposit is £10

Qualifying bet must be at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or higher

You must place your first bet within 30 days of registration

You’ll receive 2x £10 free bets and 1x £10 mobile free bet once your qualifying bet has settled

You have 7 days to use the sporting free bets before they expire

£10 casino bonus must be wagered 40x within 14 days

Full 888sport T&Cs apply. #ad


Payment methods
Payment methods (5 in total):
paypal.png
visa-debit.png
apple-pay.png
neteller.png
skrill-moneybookers.png
Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
New players only • Min deposit £/€/$10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £/€/$1 …Read more

Betfair Sign Up Offer – £100 in Free Bets

The same bonus amount as the bet365 welcome promo, but this one is a bet to get offer and not a deposit bonus. There’s a promo code for this one too – ZBBC01. Let’s run you through the simple steps you need to follow in order to get this Befair welcome bonus:

  1. Register for your new Betfair account
  2. Enter the Betfair promo code ZBBC01
  3. Deposit a minimum of £10
  4. Place five single bets of £10 or more each time
  5. Receive a £20 free bet
  6. Repeat step four a total of five times to get the full £100 in free bets

Full Betfair T&Cs apply.

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Bonus
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# Betfair Sportsbook Review
4.5/5
Rating

£100 Bonus

Up to £100 in Bet Credits

Link Bonus
Bonus details:

18+

New UK and ROI customers only

Use promo code ZBAA01

Place £50 worth of bets on the Sportsbook each at 1/2 (1.5) or more

Exchange bets excluded

Qualifying bets must settle within the first 30 days

Cashed out and voided bets do not qualify

Bets placed using real money only will count

Skrill or Neteller deposits are excluded

Only one bet per event qualifies

Multiple bets are excluded

Free bets are valid for 30 days

Full Betfair T&Cs apply. #ad


Payment methods
Payment methods (5 in total):
paypal.png
visa-debit.png
neteller.png
skrill-moneybookers.png
bank-transfer.png
Minimum Deposit Withdrawal Time Licences Toggle Close – Open + T&Cs
New customer offer • Place 5 x £10 or more bets to receive £20 in free bets • Repeat up to 5 times t …Read more

Mobile Betting Welcome Bonuses – Sign Up Bonus Offers Galore

If you prefer betting on mobile, you’re going to be pleased with the fact that you can enjoy all of the main welcome bonuses on your mobile or tablet device as well as a laptop or desktop PC. Additionally, there are even exclusive mobile betting bonuses available at some sports betting sites.

Some of the new online betting sites in the UK are actually mobile only. As we switch to a mobile-first way of thinking so have the bookies. Virgin Bet is an example. They’re a new online sportsbook, but the only way you can sign up and use their service is if you download the Virgin Bet mobile betting app or use their mobile site. You cannot bet with them on desktop.

Mobile betting sign up bonuses will only continue to grow. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see more exclusive bonus offers for mobile offered by more bookies in the future either. It’s a great way of getting punters to sign up and bet using their mobile. In case you didn’t know, you can download bookmaker apps on iOS at the App Store. For Android users, the Google Play Store is where you’ll find mobile apps for sports betting. If you have a Windows phone, you’ll need to check their app store. Not all bookmakers have a Windows app for their products.

PayPal Welcome Bonuses – Watch Out for E-Wallet Restrictions

Online betting with PayPal is very popular. William Hill PayPal, 888sport PayPal, bet365 PayPal betting, it doesn’t matter, a hell of a lot of punters are using the popular e-wallet to bet at many different sports betting sites in the UK.

Using PayPal to bet comes with this warning – you might not be able to claim some welcome bonuses! You read that right. By using PayPal as a payment method at some bookies, you could well be unexpectedly excluding yourself from their new customer offers. Some sportsbooks, not all, list the exclusion of e-wallets from any bonus offers in their T&Cs. Again, please always give those a thorough read. It makes life so much easier. There’s nothing worse than depositing via PayPal, having a bet, and then realising afterward that PayPal deposits do not qualify for the welcome promotion.

Some of the best sportsbooks, however, tend to include PayPal in their welcome offers but exclude other e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill. It won’t be until you read the significant terms that you understand what payment options are accepted.

Sports Betting Welcome Bonuses – The Pros and Cons

Let’s start on a positive with the pros, shall we?

There aren’t many disadvantages to welcome bonuses as they’re there to give you something extra, but there are always points to consider that could be detrimental to the offer. All bonuses look great on the surface.

So there you have it. If you want to enjoy some welcome bonuses, we’ve listed some of the best ones for you to consider. Responsibly of course. But remember, some bonus offers are not all they’re cracked up to be. Make sure you read the key terms before committing to the promotion. We mentioned responsible gambling just then. If you do need any help with this, or you know someone who might, the likes of GamCare and Gamstop are really helpful.

The Best Sports Betting Welcome Bonuses FAQs

How do I get a welcome bonus?

All you need to do is click on one of the links above, which will take you through to the bookmaker’s betting offer. From there you simply need to register and follow the instructions.

Can I withdraw my free bets?

No. You might be given, say, a £20 free bet as part of a welcome offer. Bet 5 get 20 for example. The fact that it’s a free bet means that you cannot withdraw it. You must use it to bet on a selection of your choice or by adhering to the rules in the T&Cs of the free bet offer. If your free bet wins, then you can withdraw your winnings. However, please note that your free bet stake is never returned.

What is the best type of sports betting welcome offer?

There are a few different types of sports betting welcome promos. The most common are the bet and get and the deposit and get bonuses. You’re either going to deposit and receive free bonus money, or you’ll place an initial bet of a certain value and receive some free bets. They both have their pros and cons, so it will come down to your personal preference at the end of the day as to what bonus you like more.

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