Free Bets & Betting Offers (2024)
Find and compare the latest free bets and betting offers for punters in South Africa. All offers are active and have been tested for July 2024.
Best Free Bet Sign-Up Offers in ZA
| Min. Deposit | R100 |
|---|---|
| Max. Amount | R1000 |
| Turnover | 3x |
| Expiration | 30 Days |
| Min. Deposit | R100 |
|---|---|
| Max. Amount | R5000 |
| Turnover | 5x |
| Expiration | 7 days |
| Min. Deposit | 17 |
|---|---|
| Max. Amount | 1715 |
| Turnover | 5x |
| Expiration | 30 days |
| Min. Deposit | No deposit |
|---|---|
| Max. Amount | R25 |
| Turnover | 5x on winnings |
| Expiration | 24 hours |
| Turnover | 5x for Sports / Racing |
|---|---|
| Expiration | 72 hours |
| Min. Deposit | R50 |
|---|---|
| Max. Amount | R1,000 |
| Turnover | 1,5 odds |
| Expiration | 7 days |
| Min. Deposit | R10 |
|---|---|
| Max. Amount | R2000 |
| Turnover | 3x |
| Expiration | 90 Days |
What is a Free Bet?
Punters will know all about free bets, but those just starting out might be a bit confused about how it works. While they are labelled as 'free bets', they are rarely truly free as punters must make a deposit - and often place a qualifying bet - to unlock the free bets. A common amount is between R1000 and R5000 on the top South African betting sites, but the structure of the deals can vary from site to site.
In any case, free bets are hugely popular as punters jump from betting site to betting site to make as much profit as possible - also known as matched betting. There are many deals for South African punters to claim, and while this is great, it should be noted that free bets are almost exclusively offered to new customers as part of welcome and sign-up offers.
Once free bets have been unlocked, they are credited to the betting account. While the free bets might have restrictions, potential winnings are almost always wager-free and can be withdrawn (although the stake will not be returned).
Key Free Bets Terms to Look Out For
Wagering Requirements: This is something we see more on the online casino side of things, with sports offers rarely having any wagering requirements attached to them. If one does come across a sports welcome offer with wagering, then that's a clear signal to not claim the offer. If we are talking about a R1000 free bet with 30x wagering, for example, punters would have to wager a whopping R30,000 just to be able to potentially withdraw winnings.
Type of Free Bet: There are many different types of free bets, such as a bet x get x, matched deposit, matched losses, no deposit and so on. The latter is inevitably the most popular, requiring no deposit at all, but these offers are also few and far between. The most common is bet x get x, requiring punters to place a bet to unlock the free bet(s). This is a structure that we actually like a lot.
Minimum Deposit and Qualifying Bet: First of all, double-checking the minimum deposit and qualifying bet needed to unlock the free bets is very important. Most sites will require a deposit of R100, others even as low as R50, but anything higher should be a cause for concern. Furthermore, sometimes the qualifying bet might need to be placed at a high amount and odds, which is far from ideal.
Market Restrictions: When claiming free bets, there might be some market restrictions involved, either for the qualifying bet, the free bets or both. It is rather common for betting sites that offer generous bet x get x deals to credit free bets for specific markets, such as a football acca or a horse racing bet. So make sure to read the T&Cs before claiming an offer.
Payment Restrictions: Similarly to the markets, many betting sites restrict their welcome offers to certain payment methods, meaning you have to use one of these when making the first deposit. It is very common for cookies to only accept debit cards for welcome offers, excluding popular e-wallets.
Capped Winnings: It is not always the case, but some bookmakers will cap the potential winnings from the free bets. We have seen limits of R1000 before, and while punters would still make a sizeable profit, it is still worth keeping in mind when placing the bets with the free bets. At least the best bookies don't tend to cap the winnings at low amounts.
Expert Opinion on Free Bets in South Africa
It can sometimes be overwhelming when comparing different free bets in South Africa, but fortunately, most of the offers are actually quite good. The best place to start is with the more established bookmakers, such as Betway and Hollywoodbets, and then it is always important to read the T&Cs. While most of the text might look like Greek to some, key terms include minimum/first deposit, qualifying bet as well as its minimum odds and wagering requirements.
The most common free bet structure involves depositing a certain amount, via selected payment methods, before placing a qualifying bet at a certain minimum stake and odds. The free bets will then be credited and must often be used within 7 days, while there could also be some market restrictions for these. As for warning signs, having wagering requirements or anything other than a bet x get x structure (bar no deposit offers) are two of those.
How to Claim Free Bets in South Africa
If you would like to find out how to claim free bets in South Africa, you can use our step-by-step guide below. We decided to illustrate the process with the Betway free bet welcome offer as it's a bookie we like a lot.
Start the Registration Process
First, head over to the betting site you would like to register for and find the button to start the registration, usually labelled 'Join' or 'Sign Up'.
Then, the registration process will begin, and in Betway's case, the first thing to fill out is the account details and mobile number.
Provide Your Personal Information
In the next two steps, you will be asked to provide personal information such as your ID type and number, language and date of birth. You also need to choose your marketing preferences for betting offers and communication.
Tap On 'Create Account'
To finalise the registration, tap on 'Register' and then you will be able to make your first deposit.
Also, make sure to pass your FICA verification at registration or you will not qualify for the welcome offer until it is successful.
Place a Qualifying Bet
After making your first deposit, the next step is to place the qualifying bet. When claiming the free bets at Betway, new customers must deposit at least R100 and place bets of 3x the initial deposit (R300 if depositing R100) at odds of 3.0 or greater.
These terms can change at any time so be sure to check the site when claiming are offer as this is just meant as an example at the time of writing.
Compare the Best Welcome Offers in South Africa
- Turnover 5x on winnings
- Min. Deposit No deposit
- Expiration 24 hours
- Turnover 3x
- Min. Deposit R100
- Expiration 30 Days
- Turnover 5x for Sports / Racing
- Min. Deposit -
- Expiration 72 hours
- Turnover 5x
- Min. Deposit R100
- Expiration 7 days
- Turnover 3x
- Min. Deposit R10
- Expiration 90 Days
Pros and Cons of Claiming Free Bets in South Africa
Below, we have listed the main pros and cons of claiming free bets in South Africa, which hopefully should help you decide whether free bets are for you or not.
-
Many Generous Offers: With betting sites fighting over customers every day, there are now quite a few generous welcome offers on the market, and this is certainly good for punters. It has almost become the norm to have a good sign-up deal for a bookmaker to be considered a good one.
-
Low Deposit: While most welcome offers require a deposit, the amount needed is usually quite low. There are also quite a few no-deposit free bet offers in South Africa, but they are only small amounts, such as R25 or R50.
-
Usually Wager-Free: Almost all of the sports welcome offers are without wagering requirements, which is not usually the case when it comes to casino bonuses. It makes sense, as very few would even claim an offer if there were, say, a 30x wagering requirement. It just isn't worth it with such requirements.
-
Deposit Required: While we highlighted the low deposits needed as a pro, we would be remiss not to mention it here as well. Free bets, after all, are not really free if you think about and while most punters will claim the offer anyway, some might not appreciate the terminology. It is something to always keep in mind, anyway.
-
Only Certain Payment Methods: Most betting sites only allow punters to claim the offers when depositing with a debit card and other popular South African payment methods. But, it is important to check before depositing to ensure you don't miss out on the welcome bonus.
-
Restrictions Common: With the free bet offers, some betting sites will restrict the free bets to certain markets, such as a football free bet and a horse racing free bet. While this isn't the end of the world, some might not like it. Potential winnings from free bets are also capped on some sites, so every punter should read the general T&Cs before claiming an offer.
Free Bets in South Africa FAQs
Which site gives free bets?
How to get free bets?
Do free bets pay real money?
How to use a free bet on Betway?
Can you get free bets without depositing?
James is responsible for the South African market on BettingGuide. He has a keen interest in sports betting and Gambling laws in particular. James is a Lawyer practising in East Africa, loves writing, and has a Law Degree from Makerere University, Uganda and a Post Graduate Diploma from the Kenya School of Law, Kenya.
