Official data suggests that in 2011-12 the National Lottery sold a record number of tickets, increasing its sales revenues with around 12%. However, it is not only the lottery that benefits from this boom, but other gambling branches also, including football betting, online poker and bingo or scratch cards.
“Gambling is growing” suggested John McLeod, executive at the Pagat.com website. And while only less than 1% of the Britons develop a game addiction, other millions continue to passionately bet at least once a week, for small gains and satisfaction.
Out of the gambling sectors, online bets seem to have increased the most during the past couple of years. More and more people see the benefits of betting through a few clicks rather than to go to local bet agencies for a ticket. In addition, online betting has become extremely profitable both for betters and for the agencies themselves, because most of them struggle to come up with a various special offers and discounts to attract more clientele. This is how agencies came up with the idea of “free betting” in the first place, trying to attract more punters.
About Free Bets
Free bets are currently used by a large amount of online bookmarkers in order to attract more clients and increase their revenues. The main advantage of free bets is that both parts benefit – bookmarkers obtain a higher clientele, willing to bet more, while punters benefit from free bets. Moreover, betters can gain small amounts of money and, with a little help from the free bets, even raise their monthly incomes. A free bet is usually a virtual form of online betting credited by a bookmaker company to determine new and older clients to bet more money.
In return, clients achieve a bonus which can vary up to 100% of the total betting value, for a limited time only.
What are the most common types of free bets?
In order to make things even more attractive, bookmakers have come up with a series of free betting types, depending on the company, its popularity or its wish to become more popular. Here are the most common types of “free bets” and what they involve:
• Deposit bonuses. The first rule of understanding online betting is to never believe that you obtain something for free. Deposit bonuses usually appeal to fresh registered clients. Thus, whenever a new client makes its first deposit into a bookmaker’s account, he or she will get a bonus varying from 20% up to 100% of the amount of the deposit.
However, the limit of the first deposit reaches a maximum of 200 pounds. Bet365.com is the website providing this bonus value, while other websites settler for small fees.
• Matched free bets. This type of promotion is applicable whenever a bookmaker matches a punter’s first bet with the same amount of money, usually between 10 and 50 pounds. You can also consider this type of offer as a refund of your first deposit.
• No lose first bet. This is also applicable to newcomers especially, being a type of offer which was later introduced by some bookmakers. This means that if you are a winner in your first bet, you will collect your winnings. However, if you fail, you will get a second chance and obtain another bet (equal to your initial sum of money betted) free of charge.
• Other offers such as “Money back specials” or “Best price guarantee” usually refer to all clients, not only the new ones. The policy is rather similar and companies perceive these as stimulus to encourage persons bet on a regular basis. The vision of such offers is similar, as bookmakers offer price reductions or money-back policies for a short period of time, usually one day. Other betting sales and promotions can occur as often as the company desires.
Interesting to add is that, as you have probably already figured out, you cannot possibly bet for free from the first time. No matter the special offers you might encounter, you will always have to create a free account and deposit an initial sum of money in order to be eligible for these offers.
Be that as it may, online betting seems more fun than regular betting agencies, especially because you get to try new betting schemes for free, bet on a series of sportive events and benefit from special discounts, bonuses and special offers.