The word "promotion" is quite wide-ranging, it can mean many different things to people. With that in mind, one of the key first steps as a bettor is to understand the different types of betting promotion and how they differ.
Having this knowledge at hand will help you evaluate if a specific promotion is worth your time and if it is, how to make the most of it. The strategy for one type doesn't always translate to another so knowing the differences is important.
Free Bets
The most common type of promotion remains free bets. These are usually credited as tokens or credits that allow you to place a bet as normal but using the bonus funds instead of your own balance as the stake.
Often the free bet stake is not included in returns and they can be restricted to specific events or types of markets. For example, a free bet to use on a Bet Builder in the next big Premier League game. These are the bread and butter of a lot of the
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right now.
Enhanced Odds
A lot of the competitive nature of modern bookmakers is around price. With odds comparison now significantly easier in the internet era, it's simple to see who has the best odds on a specific outcome and bet with them rather than taking a worse price. However, you'll usually find a range of enhanced odds are available at most major sites.
These will be one off boosts on a particular market at the discretion of the bookmaker, often putting them above the industry best odds in the process. An example could be a site offering 10/1 on Manchester City to win 3-0 when the best price elsewhere is 9/1 or going Evens about Liverpool winning when they are generally 4/9 but for a maximum stake of £10. You will often see this type of promotion at bet365 and William Hill.
Boosted Bets
As the internet betting era has evolved, bettors have been given more freedom in how they utilise promotions. There are now several sites offering boosted bet tokens or concessions on specific matches. For example, William Hill are offering 25% boosts on every Premier League, Championship or SPL match when using the bet builder tool.
This allows players to tailor the offer to their liking, perhaps the 25% boost is best used on a relatively conservative 3/1 chance whereas some may choose to pick four individual players to be shown a card and get 100/1 chance boosted to 125/1.
Not everything betting sites do is free for the player. Indeed, many of the most generous promotions in the industry require the customer to place some of their own money to qualify.
For example, some bookmakers could offer a matched free bet of up to £10 when staking £10 on a specific event or market. Betfair Sportsbook did this with their 2024/25 offer around the Premier League winner outright market.
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Yes, this page is focused on the sports betting side of promotions but we are seeing more and more sites including
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Sites will often utilise these free spin promotions to encourage players who are not casino regulars to give the reels a try. As long as no investment of your bankroll is required, they can provide a modest boost to the account balance if there is a return while using them.
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With the UK betting market being ultra competitive, online bookmakers are in a battle to keep their customers happy. This is why you'll see so many rewards or loyalty promotions in place for continuing to play at a specific site.
These promotions can take many forms, free bets, free spins or enhanced odds are all fairly common. The idea is to reward players so that they don't feel the need to look elsewhere. It's not always possible of course, but if a bookmaker is offering something and it doesn't alter your overall strategy, take the promotion as they are offered to you.
Deposit bonuses are the most common type of betting promotions UK punters can claim that you can get in both sportsbooks and casinos. In deposit bonus, the sportsbook will determine a certain percentage as a deposit bonus against the first deposit you make. The percentage of the deposit will be given out as a bonus which you can withdraw after meeting the wagering requirement.
Most online bookmakers will set a limit to the deposit bonus. For example, if the deposit bonus is 100%, then if you deposit £100, you will get £100 as a deposit bonus. If the deposit bonus limit is at £350, then even if you deposit £500, you will get a maximum bonus of £350. The percentage and limits vary according to the operator.
Deposit bonuses are great if you are looking to get long-term benefits. If you are someone who wants to cash out after one or two bets, then deposit bonuses may not be a wise choice, especially since they often have a high wagering requirement.
Generally, when a bookie presents betting promotions, they take away a small charge out of it. Due to this cut, your payout odds can go a bit lower and affect your final withdrawals from the betting promotions UK. However, higher payouts promotions are a fantastic way in which these payout odds can be increased in your favour.
With the higher payouts betting promotion, your overall payout will be much more as the charge cut by the bookies will be less. Under tight odds situations, this promotion can be of massive help to your betting ventures, but if you lose all your bets, then high payout bonuses can be of no help for you.
Within this promotion offer, you can also get the options of enhanced odds and best odds guaranteed. In enhanced odds, you get better odds in your favour and with best odds guaranteed promotion, your odds increase, and you get the best odds of the house.
Reload bonus is similar to the deposit bonus, but the difference in reload bonus is that it is not calculated on your first deposit but instead on your reload deposit. Reload bonuses are meant for loyal customers so that they remain invested in the betting game and are allowed to play with minimal risk.
Reload bonuses may not have a very high bonus percentage, like deposit bonuses. Online bookmakers can give reload bonuses all year round, or they can give out reload bonuses seasonally. So, you need to keep yourself updated about any new developments of your chosen online bookmaker.
Cashback betting promotions UK are rare among online bookmakers. In cashback promotions, you can get your cashback if you lose out on the bets that you have made.
Cashback promotions generally have a percentage of your stake which they will provide if you lose out on your bet, or if the online bookmaker makes a profit out of your bet. The percentages will depend on the betting offer and your stake.
Accumulator bonuses are another kind of bonus offered on accumulator bets as a part of betting promotions UK punters can claim. In accumulator bets, you have to win on all the selections that you make on a bet slip to get a high payout.
However, if one of the selections loses, you lose the entire bet. With an accumulator bonus, the high risk goes down a little bit as with this bonus, you can get a cashback if you lose out on one of the selections or even two.
The best betting promotions have a few things in common. Keep these in mind when you're seeing if a specific promotion is worth your time in 2024.
Within Your Bankroll Range
The key to betting promotions is staying within your bankroll range and playing responsibly. If a promotion looks really good but requires you to stake 5 or 10 times your usual amount in order to qualify, it's probably not advisable to take it up. Always remember to gamble responsibly, including in how you participate in promotions.
Straightforward to Claim
Betting promotions shouldn't be overly complicated. If there is a 5 step process which confuses you in terms of how to get your hands on it, then it could be worth looking elsewhere. Making a mistake during this process could mean you're ineligible for the promo too so there is an extra downside to overly complex mechanics.
Fair T&Cs
As with a lot of the online betting industry, fair terms and conditions are a must. Thankfully the UK Gambling Commission don't allow firms to act in a shady way with their promotions so there should be minimal problems here if you're playing at a site with a UKGC licence.
Good Overall Value
Ultimately, you have to consider how good the overall promotion is in terms of value. For example, a bet £10 get £5 in free bets offer could be a good opportunity for someone that was already primed to wager that amount on a specific event.
However, if the promotion required players to stake £50 in a week to be credited with a £5 free bet, perhaps it's worth leaving that particular one alone if it doesn't suit your current betting patterns or strategy.
Although there are many different types of promotions at betting sites, the majority of them have some key steps. Having these at hand will ensure that everything runs smoothly when it comes to claiming them.
- Check the terms and conditions - are you eligible for the promotion? Understand what is required before you take action
- Opt in to the specific promotion - often betting sites will require UK punters to opt in via a tick box, this ensures they know who to credit with the promo
- Place your qualifying bet or take the required action - promotions in the UK market usually require players to do something in order to qualify. This could be placing a bet on a specific event, for example, placing £5 on the Champions League final to qualify for a free bet or adding an enhanced price to your betslip before backing it
- Check your account balance - normally any active promotions such as free bets will be shown in your account balance so you're aware that they've been credited. This may only happen once the qualifying bet has settled though, depending on the T&Cs
- Use your promotion within the timeframe required - The final stage is to actually use the promotion, in the event of a bet boost of free bet this could be something you need to do within a specific timeframe before they expire
Now you know all about bookmaker promotions, keep this checklist in mind the next time you're sizing up if a specific promo is worth your time, effort and potentially - money.
- Is the promotion available to you?
- Does the promotion allow you to bet responsibly?
- Do you understand the key T&Cs for the offer?
- Have you opted in to the promotion if required?
- How long until the promotion is credited to your account and available to use?
- How long do you have to utilise it before expiry?
- Is there a maximum win cap on the promotion, if so, does that suit your approach?
It's quite simple, the world of online betting is ultra competitive, especially in the UK. There are hundreds of different sites who are vying for people's business. With so many choices out there, if a bettor doesn't feel valued or rewarded, they are likely to consider going elsewhere.
One way that bookmakers can try to encourage loyalty or attract new business is by rewarding those who do bet with them, either via promotions or the experience they receive when using the website or app.
That doesn't mean that you have to stick to one single bookmaker of course, it's a smart move to have a few different accounts on your side to take advantage of the available promotions. But this explains why the majority of UK betting sites offer promotions in the first place.
Not all betting promotions are available to everyone. In fact, some of the most generous offers on the market at any given time are reserved for new bettors. These are used as a marketing tool to attract people and try to convince them to give the bookmaker a chance.
Understanding this means you are in an advantageous position by signing up as a new customer because the welcome bonuses available to you in that moment are likely some of the most high value you are likely to see with that specific firm.
When the attention on the sporting calendar increases, so do the promotions available. Typically some of the most high profile offers from the bookmaking industry will be centered around some cornerstone events throughout the year. These could come in the form of high profile football matches, horse racing meetings, NFL, NBA and more. Some of these could include:
- Cheltenham Festival
- European Championships or World Cups
- Royal Ascot
- Golf Majors including the Masters and Open Championship
- High Profile Boxing Matches
- Champions League and FA Cup Finals
- Superbowl
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Although they are quite rare, some betting sites may give an additional promotion to those who play using their app. In the past, we have seen promotions offered just for downloading the app in the first place. These days, it's more likely you'll be rewarded for
betting on a mobile app
over the desktop site.
With so many different types of betting promotion on offer, how do you stay up to date with the latest developments? Here are a few ways to stay in the loop when it comes to who is offering what.
1. Check This Page Regularly
Our team of betting experts have their fingers on the collective pulse of the UK betting industry. They are bettors too so there's an added incentive to keep an eye out for new and recurring promotions that could be of interest to both them and the wider betting public. Check out this page or the one dedicated to the newest
betting deals
to stay up to date.
2. Joining An Operator’s Email List
While you may hate spam, emails from your operator contain lots of bonuses or betting promotions UK punters might like. When you sign up with an operator, you can either get automatically subscribed to their email list or check the box while signing up that subscribes you to their email list.
So, don’t disregard the emails that come from your operator as they might contain useful information about upcoming promotion offers. If you are signed up with an online bookmaker and you are not subscribed to their email listing contact the customer support.
Most popular online bookmakers have a Facebook page or a Twitter account. On these accounts, the online bookmakers tend to post important information like patron updates, news updates and most importantly, any upcoming or ongoing promotions or bonuses. So, follow your favourite online bookmaker on their Facebook and Twitter page to get daily updates of any new events.
4. Visit the Site Often
Online bookmakers want their customers to take advantage of different betting promotions and opt-in for them. When you visit the website of your online bookmaker, the chances are that they will be running advertisements on prospective betting promotions.
Some of the
best mobile betting apps offer exclusive deals via mobile, so make sure to check if your favourite bookie has one available - you can take a look at our
apps for horse racing
and
best app for cricket betting
guides for more specific information on these.
Sometimes, online bookmakers can have a separate dedicated page which solely lists on the ongoing or upcoming promotions. Many online bookmakers also present their betting promotions and bonuses on the homepage when you visit the site.
Step 4: Ask support
If you are big on betting and have been a loyal bettor on your online bookmaker, then you might be eligible for specific hidden promotions which the operator has chosen for the big players. Generally, these promotions are for people who make high bets, since the more you bet, the more the operator would want you to play on and keep you attached with it.
Ask your customer support if there is anything new, such as a special bonus or promotion. They might direct you to a special promotion. Don’t ask them every day, but you can always do a monthly check if you are eager to get a promotion.
Betting promotions can be lucrative, but they can also be a bit complicated. Here are some of the top betting promotion tips which can help you get the most from betting promotions;
Always read the terms and conditions of the betting promotion offer properly before applying. This will help you to strategise better when it comes to choosing the right betting promotions for you. In the terms and conditions, pay attention to the wagering requirement attached to a specific promotion.
Betting promotions are extras. If you have entered the betting market, you should have a passion for betting and not rely on extras. That’s because many betting promotions can have a high wagering requirement which can end up in a loss overall. So, you have to use your wisdom, and if you are not confident, you can reject these extras and rely on your own strategy, luck and money to win a bet.
Be Aggressive with Free Bets
If you are given a free bet, consider being more aggressive with your approach. Because the house is staking you, the payout is lower than it would be if you made the bet in cash. It could pay in the long term to target bigger potential payouts as long as the value is there in your assessment of the odds.
Always check comparison sites like Betting.co.uk to be aware of the best betting promotions before opting in. We pride ourselves on being a resource to inform bettors. Don't forget to check the
betting.co.uk forum
out too for more from your fellow bettors.
Conclusion
There are a lot of different betting promotions that online bookmakers tend to offer. It is best to look into the betting promotions UK punters can claim and the latest betting promotions before you opt-in for any specific betting promotion. You may be interested in our
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guide too.
Before opting in, you should be careful while reading the terms and conditions. The wagering requirement can help you realize whether a betting promotion is ultimately going to be lucrative for you or not. With the Betting.co.uk expert reviews and comparisons, you can easily find the best betting promotions to suit your preferences.
The best betting promotions are available to you via the internet. However, finding the very best promotions can be time consuming if you don’t have the necessary guide. At
Betting.co.uk, we bring you a list of all the best betting promotions. You won’t have to sift through tons of information or sign up with multiple bookies just to find out. Our coverage of the best betting promotions will allow you to hand-pick your favourite within seconds.
Many of the
top online betting sites
will claim to offer the best promotions. However, certain bookmakers don’t live up to the initial hype. Thus, you need an unbiased point of view to point you in the right direction. At Betting.co.uk, we bring you an informative, yet impartial, take on all these offers. You can rest assured that you’ll be at the forefront of all the best online promotions.
Betting promotions are different to welcome bonuses. Welcome offers can only be claimed once per person. However, promotions are different. The best bookies will provide a number of different promotions, all of which can be used by a single customer. To find out how to go about claiming your next promotions, take a look at our coverage of the best betting promotions in the UK.
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