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 December 2024.

Written by James Mwaura
Verified by BettingGuide team
Last updated 2024/07/10

Best Free Bet Sign-Up Offers in ZA

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Betfred
Our score: 9/10
100% Deposit Match up to R5,000 + Up to 500 Free Spins
  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • OTT Voucher
  • Ozow
  • SID Secure EFT
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit R100
Max. Amount R5000
Turnover 5x
Expiration 7 days
Our score
  • Bonus
    10
  • Customer support
    7
  • Payment methods
    8
  • Licensing safety
    9
  • Design & usability
    8
  • Overall
    9
BC.Game logo
Our score: 8/10
Get +180% Bonuses Over Your Initial Four Deposits!
  • SID Secure EFT
  • Bitcoin
  • ethereum logo
  • Tether logo
  • Ripple logo
  • Litecoin logo
  • Tron logo
  • Binance coin logo
  • Chainlink logo
  • USDC
  • Dogecoin logo
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit 183.64 ZAR
Turnover -
Expiration No expiry
Our score
  • Bonus
    9
  • Sports betting offer
    9
  • Casino offer
    8
  • Customer support
    7
  • Payment methods
    8
  • Licensing safety
    9
  • Design & usability
    8
  • Overall
    8
Terms and conditions apply.
Betway logo
Our score: 9/10
100% match up to R1000.00 as a Free Bet
  • Mastercard
  • VISA
  • iPay
  • SID Secure EFT
  • OTT Voucher
  • Bank Transfer
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit R100
Max. Amount R1000
Turnover 3x
Expiration 30 Days
Our score
  • Bonus
    8
  • Sports betting offer
    9
  • Customer support
    9
  • Payment methods
    10
  • Licensing safety
    10
  • Design & usability
    8
  • Overall
    9
Paripesa
Our score: 7/10
100% Bonus on the First Deposit up to R2,000
  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • EFT Secure logo
  • Bank Transfer
  • Skrill
  • Neteller
  • Bitcoin
  • Ripple logo
  • Litecoin logo
  • Tether logo
  • ethereum logo
  • Bitcoincash logo
  • Dogecoin logo
  • Cardano logo
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit R17
Max. Amount R2,000
Turnover 5x
Expiration 30 days
Our score
  • Bonus
    8
  • Customer support
    7
  • Payment methods
    6
  • Licensing safety
    6
  • Design & usability
    7
  • Overall
    7
Wager 5 times the bonus amount in accumulator bets. Each accumulator bet must contain 3 or more events. At least 3 of the events included in an accumulator must have odds of 1.40 or higher. The start dates of all of these events should not be later than the validity period of this offer.
Hollywoodbets logo
Our score: 8/10
R25 Free Bet No Deposit Bonus + 50 Free Spins on Habanero Games
  • Mastercard
  • VISA
  • SID Secure EFT
  • Ozow
  • Bank Transfer
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit No deposit
Max. Amount R25
Turnover 5x on winnings
Expiration 24 hours
Our score
  • Bonus
    10
  • Sports betting offer
    8
  • Casino offer
    7
  • Customer support
    8
  • Payment methods
    9
  • Licensing safety
    9
  • Design & usability
    8
  • Overall
    8
Terms and conditions apply.
Yesplay
Our score: 7/10
100% Deposit Welcome Bonus Up to R3000
  • Capitec Pay
  • Ozow
  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • 1voucher
  • OTT Voucher
  • EFT Secure logo
  • zapper logo
  • SnapScan logo
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit R20
Max. Amount R3,000
Turnover 7x (Sticky)
Expiration 7 days
Our score
  • Bonus
    7
  • Customer support
    7
  • Payment methods
    7
  • Licensing safety
    8
  • Design & usability
    7
  • Overall
    7
There's a deposit method restriction. Casino games and sports betting count towards the wagering requirement, but there are some conditions. For more details, read the bonus terms and conditions on the site.
World Sports Betting
Our score: 8/10
R50 No Deposit Bonus
  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • SID Secure EFT
  • Ozow
  • OTT Voucher
  • +
    -
Turnover 5x for Sports / Racing
Expiration 72 hours
Our score
  • Bonus
    8
  • Customer support
    8
  • Payment methods
    9
  • Licensing safety
    9
  • Design & usability
    7
  • Overall
    8
Terms and conditions apply.
10bet
Our score: 7.5/10
100% up to R3 000 Welcome Bonus
  • OTT Voucher
  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • Ozow
  • EFT Secure logo
  • Bank Transfer
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit R20
Max. Amount R3,000
Turnover 8x
Expiration 30 days
Our score
  • Bonus
    7
  • Customer support
    6
  • Payment methods
    8
  • Licensing safety
    8
  • Design & usability
    8
  • Overall
    7.5
This offer is only available to players who have not previously deposited real money. Terms and conditions apply.
Playa Bets
Our score: 8/10
100% First Deposit Match up to R2,000
  • VISA
  • Mastercard
  • Bank Transfer
  • OTT Voucher
  • Ozow
  • EFT Secure logo
  • SnapScan logo
  • zapper logo
  • +
    -
Min. Deposit R50
Max. Amount R2,000
Turnover 1x - 4x
Expiration 90 Days
Our score
  • Bonus
    8
  • Customer support
    9
  • Payment methods
    9
  • Licensing safety
    9
  • Design & usability
    8
  • Overall
    8
This is a sign-up bonus offer for new users. Terms and conditions apply.
Supabets logo
Our score: 8/10
R50 free signup bonus + 100% match on first deposit up to R5000 + 100 Free Spins
  • Ozow
  • SID Secure EFT
  • 1voucher
  • OTT Voucher
Max. Amount R5000
Expiration 15 days
Our score
  • Bonus
    9
  • Customer support
    8
  • Payment methods
    9
  • Licensing safety
    9
  • Design & usability
    7
  • Overall
    8

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.

  • 1

    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.

    Betway ZA register
  • 2

    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.

    Betway ZA fill out details
  • 3

    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.

    Betway ZA confirm registration
  • 4

    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

Hollywoodbets logo
R25 Free Bet No Deposit Bonus + 50 Free Spins on Habanero Games
  • Turnover5x on winnings
  • Min. DepositNo deposit
  • Expiration24 hours
Read review
Betway logo
100% match up to R1000.00 as a Free Bet
  • Turnover3x
  • Min. DepositR100
  • Expiration30 Days
Read review
World Sports Betting
R50 No Deposit Bonus
  • Turnover5x for Sports / Racing
  • Min. Deposit-
  • Expiration72 hours
Read review
Betfred
100% Deposit Match up to R5,000 + Up to 500 Free Spins
  • Turnover5x
  • Min. DepositR100
  • Expiration7 days
Read review
Playa Bets
100% First Deposit Match up to R2,000
  • Turnover1x - 4x
  • Min. DepositR50
  • Expiration90 Days
Read review

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

Most betting sites in South Africa offer free bets to new customers, as it has almost become standard to do so. You can take a look at our list at the top of this page to find the best offers around, often also offered by the best bookies.

The process of claiming free bets will vary from site to site, but it usually involves making a first deposit and placing a qualifying bet. Upon settlement of the latter, or immediately after it has been placed, the free bets will be credited. As said, however, the process varies from site to site and so do the T&Cs.

Yes, in most cases punters will be able to withdraw potential winnings as real money immediately. This is because sports offers usually do not have any wagering requirements. The latter is very common for casino bonuses, meaning you have to stake the potential winnings x amount of times before you can withdraw the money.

Betway customers in South Africa will often get access to free bets and they are simple to use as part of the same process as placing any other normal wager with the betting site.

Customers should browse the markets they are interested in, pick out the bet that they want to place and then, as long as they have an eligible free bet to use at Betway, the site will have an option to "use my free bet", which should be selected before the wager is confirmed. 

It is usually the case that South African betting sites offer free bets to new users in exchange for signing up for an account and making their first deposit with the operator.

However, free bets without depositing are sometimes available in the country too and these are naturally incredibly popular among sports fans who are seeking a great bargain from betting sites in SA.