Online bookmakers want new customers. They want as many as possible. And they’re willing to try anything to grab your attention. In order to attract new customers, many bookmakers offer free bet promotions to encourage people to sign up. A popular offer will be along the lines of “bet £10, get £10 in free bets”.

Now, with traditional betting, you can sign up, place a bet and get your free bet. However, there’s no guarantee that any of your bets will win and you may come away with nothing. Or even with less money than you started with.

But with matched betting, you can unlock the free bet and protect any money you use to place a bet with. Oh, and you can turn the free bet into actual profit too! Eliminate the risk associated with traditional betting by placing two bets instead of just one. Every time you place a back bet (for something), you place a lay bet (an opposing bet against the same outcome). This back and lay betting technique allows you to make a profit* on free bets. Typically, you will end up with approximately 80% of the free bet amount, so a £30 free bet turns into around £24 profit. *Matched betting eliminates the risk associated with traditional betting. However, human error can cause mistakes and result in money being lost. Always double check everything before confirming any bets.