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Sport Betting Bonuses In South Africa

Sports betting in South Africa is a highly competitive field. Bookmakers are taking radical steps to attract attention and gain new customers. Free bets in South Africa are very important for the bookmaker's promotion.

This page contains a current list of sports betting bonuses from South African bookmakers. The list is updated regularly. There are matched deposits, free bets, no deposit free bets and other types of bonuses. These are offers from legal bookmakers in South Africa. The websites are fully compliant with local legislation, they are safe and accept bets in South African rands.

What Is A Free Bet?

A free bet is money that is provided to a client to place a bet on sports. In case of win, the net winnings are credited to the customer’s betting account and the bet amount is refunded back to the bookmaker. In case of loss, the bettors get nothing and the South African bookmakers also take back the amount of the free bet.

Free bets are among the most popular types of bookmaker best bonuses. If the free bonus bet loses, the bettor has no obligation to the bookmaker. Free bets are beneficial to bettors and also work well in terms of increasing the customer base for the bookmakers. It's a win-win situation for both sides. This is why South African betting sites often offer free bets to their customers.

There are different ways of getting a free bet. Here are three of the most common ones:

Matched free bet offer. It is a free bet for making a deposit. The amount of the free bet is the same as either the deposit amount or the qualifying bet amount.
Fixed free bet offer. The amount of the free bet is fixed, while the bettor has a minimum deposit requirement.
No Deposit free bet. It is a welcome bonus. The promotion is provided without a deposit, on a "sign up and get free bet" basis. The bettor is literally given the money to place a bet for free.

Usually, the bookmaker's free bonus bet comes with the following conditions:

The entire amount of the free bet must be wagered — it cannot be divided into two or more bets.
There are requirements for the type of bet: for example, you have to place a single bet, or the opposite, an accumulator.
Minimum betting odds: e.g. a free bet has to be placed at odds of 2.00 or greater.
Free bet validity period: on average the free bet has to be placed within 7 days since the moment the bonus is awarded.
Wagering requirements: if the free bet wins, the winnings are credited to the bonus account. In order to transfer this money from the bonus account to the main one, you have to meet the wagering requirements — the bones should be wagered several times.
Withdrawal: some betting sites block the possibility of receiving winnings until the wagering requirements are met.

For the No Deposit bonus free bets, there are usually fewer conditions imposed by the betting sites in South Africa.

Free Bets Pros And Cons

What are the disadvantages of a free bet, since the clients are not risking their money? But experienced bettors are wary of such bonuses. We'll find out what the pitfalls are and why free bets are loved not only by bettors, but also by bookmakers.

Advantages:

Variety. Free bets are common offer of the South African betting sites. Some companies give out such bonuses regularly, others provide it in occasional promotions.
Accessibility. Usually, free bets are easy to get — you have to meet simple conditions to do so. Even an inexperienced bettor can easily meet the requirements for getting a free bet.
Easy to start. Free Bets are a great way to get to know the world of betting, without risking your money. But this only applies to No Deposit free bets. Bettors get a chance to experiment and practice their strategies, and if they fail, they lose only a few nerve cells.

Disadvantages:

Difficult wagering requirements. There are no small things in bookmaking, and it's not a charity. Online bookmakers don't want to give you their money at all, they just want it to look that way. So pay attention to the terms and conditions of the promotion. If your free betting bonus wins, the net winnings are not immediately credited to your account. Often the money has to be wagered beforehand.

Types Of Free Bets Available To Clients From South Africa

There are three main types of free bets.

Free Bets No Deposit

Usually a welcome bonus. The most exciting option from the customer's point of view. To get the non-deposit free bet, you have to register on the betting site and verify your identity. No additional actions are required. It is important that you register for the first time. No Deposit free bets are for new customers only. Second betting account on a website of the same bookmaker is strictly prohibited.

Example: the bookmaker offers a R200 freebet to all new customers. The amount of the free bet is fixed. You're required to register and verify your identity. The free bet is valid for 3 days from the moment of registration, the whole amount must be placed as a bet on a football event or other betting markets at min odds of 1.85.

Free Bet Bonus

This prize is awarded for fulfilling specific conditions, usually for a deposit. It most often comes in two variations:

Percentage of Deposit. The bettor receives a free bet of the deposit amount. Usually, it is 100% of the deposit, but there are exceptions. For example, the South African bookmaker provides a 100% free bet of the deposit up to R1000. If a player deposits R1200, he will get a free bet of R1000, as this is the limit amount of the reward within the promotion.
Fixed amount. It is not linked to the deposit amount and is offered in fixed amounts. However, in such cases, there may be a min deposit requirement. For example: the bookmaker offers a “Bet R100 Get R400 in Free Bets” promotion. The customer has to bet a minimum of R100 to receive the free bet. This means that the minimum deposit must be at least R100.

Free Bet Promotions

In some cases, South African online betting sites provide free bets to active customers as part of promotions. These sports betting promotions are often tied to specific sports or calendar events.

For example, the bookmaker provides free bets for betting on Roland Garros. Customers are required to place at least 3 x R200 bets. Once these conditions are met, the South African betting site will provide a R200 free bet, which must also be used for betting on Roland Garros events.

How to Get Free Bets?

Depending on the type of free bet, the conditions for receiving the bonus may vary. For example, a Sign Up bonus bet can only be received after a registration process on the website or in the mobile app is completed. The Sign Up free bet is available only when you make your first deposit of a certain amount.

Non-Deposit free bet

A non-deposit free bet is characterized by the simplest algorithm for getting the bonus. But there are some tricks, too. Let's go through them in order.

This is a welcome bonus so the main rule is that you must register on a betting site for the first time. This point applies to all types of welcome bonuses. All the bookmakers prohibit creation of the second account so you'll be able to get only one free bet or multiple free bets if T&Cs apply. You cannot register more than once from the same IP address.

If you have received a No-Deposit free bet, your relative, friend or colleague who places bets from the same IP address will not be able to receive a similar bonus. The same rule applies in the reverse order.

Complete the registration form. Please note: In some cases, a No Deposit free bet is provided for registering in the mobile app. If the South African bookmaker imposes such a condition, download the Android / iOS app beforehand, and register via this application.

It is also possible to activate the free bet in your personal account after registering. You can also contact the support team.

In any case, read all the details carefully before registering and bet responsibly.

Fixed free bet

A fixed free bet is provided for the specific action — making a deposit or placing a qualifying sports bet.

There are fewer pitfalls here. Pay attention to the minimum deposit amount for a free bet. Similarly with qualifying bets: clarify the min bet amount, how quickly you have to place it and world sports events to bet on.

Matched free bet

This type of free bet comes with the most complicated rules for receiving it. The min deposit amount, percentage, maximum bonus amount and additional conditions matter in this case.

How Free Sport Betting Bonuses Work

A free bet is a type of a welcome bonus. An online betting site that operates in South Africa gives a new customer money to place a bet. A free bet must be completely wagered on a sports event. Usually betting sites impose requirements on a bet that a customer has to make (minimum odds, market, type of a bet, validity period). Also, the bonus should be wagered later on.

Do not be confused: betting sites put forward separate rules for getting and using free bets.

Now you are going to learn about the basic rules for using the free bet. The rules vary depending on a betting site. Even if you see a similar banner, the conditions may actually be different.

Bet amount. The free bet must be placed in its entirety. It cannot be divided into two or more bets. This rule applies to all bookmakers. If you have received a R650 free bet, then you have to bet the whole amount.
Free bet validity period. Usually, bookmakers give bettors no more than a week to take advantage of the sign up free bets bonuses. Otherwise, the bonus becomes irrelevant.
Type of bet. In most cases there is a requirement for the type of bet — single bet or accumulator. Systems are almost always forbidden.
Type of sport and market. Sometimes there are requirements to make a bet on a particular sport or even market. Or conversely, there are restrictions on some of those. South African betting sites can offer free bets only on football, or limit bets on Asian markets. Such rules are rare, but still applied by some bookmakers.
Betting Odds. Bookmakers set the requirements for the minimum odds. Usually, the min odds range around 2.00, however more complicated conditions are possible.

Important Things To Know About Free Bets

Free Bet Promo Codes

In some cases, the free bet is only provided when a promo code is used. It is usually entered during registration on the betting site. Occasionally, you may be able to enter a bonus code in your personal account after registering. But it is rather an exception to the rule. In most cases, if you don't enter a promo code when you sign up, the bonus will be canceled.

A bonus code is a combination of letters and/or numbers. It can be a specific word or a random set of characters. Most bookmaker promocodes contain uppercase letters, e.g. FREEBET or BONUS100.

Promotional codes are distributed by the betting sites (on their platforms, through email newsletters) or by the bookmakers’ partners. These are websites dedicated to sports betting, such as Match.Center.

Minimum Deposit Amount

If the betting site offers a free bet for a deposit or first bet, you must deposit the minimum amount to activate the welcome bonus. Often this amount is not the same as the minimum deposit.

For example, the minimum deposit at the bookmaker can start at R50, but to receive a free bet you have to make a deposit of R200 or more.

Deposit Options

There are requirements regarding payment methods. In some cases, betting sites impose restrictions on receiving free bets if deposits are made from specific categories of payment systems. For example, if you make a deposit via bank card, you will almost certainly get a free bet. If you make a deposit via an e-wallet or a voucher, you may not get the welcome bonus. Check this information in the bonus terms and conditions.

Some e-wallets practice issuing personal bonuses for betting deposits. Such rewards are credited to the balance of the wallet itself and not to the bookmaker.

Restrictions On Certain Sports Markets Or Events

Such conditions apply to both placing and wagering the free bet. Betting sites in South Africa can impose a requirement or ban on betting on specific sports or markets. For example, a free bet must be placed on any sport other than eSports or a free bet can only be placed on the "Team to win the match" market.

Betting sites practice free bets for specific tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, Wimbledon or the NBA play-offs. In such cases, these free bets can only be used for the matches of the specific competition. If you try to use a free bet on an event that does not meet the conditions of the promotion, the "free bet" option in the bet slip will be inactive and the system will simply not let you place a bet.

Qualifying Odds

This means that a free bet can only be placed on the market with a certain odds. Often bookmakers set a minimum acceptable odds, e.g. 1.70, 1.85, 2.00 and so on. Requirements for a maximum odds are rare.

Wagering Requirements

The wager (also bookmakers use the term "rollover") is the turnover of bets for wagering the welcome bonus. Once you get your free bet winnings, you have to wager an amount that is several times the amount of the bonus. For example, the wager could be x5, x7, x10, x15 and so on.

Example: A customer has received a R250 free bet, and the terms and conditions specify a wager of x10. This means that if the bet wins, then in order to withdraw the money, the bettor has to wager a total of R250 * 10 = R2500.

The smaller the rollover, the easier it is to get the bonus. In some cases, betting sites do not set wager requirements at all. However, it is very difficult to get your winnings when the wager exceeds x10. These are bad offers no matter what amount the bookmaker has set.

How Long The Bonus Is Valid

Free bets in South Africa are time limited.

Bonus validity period. The free bet is active for a certain period of time. For example, the bookmaker requires you to place your free bet within 7 days. If you fail to do so, the bonus will be canceled.
Bonus wagering period. The time set for wagering the bonus. Can vary from one week to one month.

Example: you’ve registered with a bookmaker of South Africa and received a free bet. According to the rules, you have to use it within the first 5 days of registering. After receiving the winnings, there is a wagering period, which must be completed within two weeks. After that, the money is at the free disposal of the bettor.

Blocking of withdrawals

Once the free bet has been successfully used, the wagering phase begins. Some betting sites will not allow withdrawals until the bettor has fulfilled all the requirements.

Other Types Of Sport Betting Bonuses

No-risk Bet. This is a type of the free bet. A client can place a bet. In case it's lost the customer won't lose the money. In case of winning a user gets the money as it happens with a usual bet.
No Deposit bonus. This is one of the welcome bonuses which is awarded for registering with the bookmaker. The bonus is most often given in the form of a free bet.
Matched Deposit bonus. The most common type of welcome bonus in South Africa. Once a customer registers and makes a deposit, the bookmaker credits a cash bonus (usually 100% of the deposit amount).
Re-deposit bonus. One of the deposit bonuses. A promotion for active customers. Works in the same way as the first deposit bonus. Only this offer applies to all bookmaker's clients, not just newbies. And usually the bonus amount is smaller: not 100%, but 25-50%.
Cashback bonus. The bookmaker refunds a part of the money (or bets lost) placed. Cashback is usually paid out on a weekly basis.
Special bonuses. These are awarded for meeting the certain conditions. For example, for betting on a particular event, for being active and so on.

Which Betting Bonus Is the Best?

Frequently, bettors have a choice between two betting bonuses:

Sign up deposit bonus. Bonus for the first deposit. Usually equals the deposit amount (100%). But there are exceptions where the bookmaker offers a higher percentage — 125%, 150% or even 200%. The bonus money you get can be used in any way you like. It can be divided or bet in its entirety — it's up to the bettor.
Free bet bonus. It is given simply for registration (No Deposit) or for a specific action (make a deposit or place a bet). The free bet amount depends on the deposit amount or a fixed amount is offered. The free bet must always be placed in its entirety.

Each of these two bonus types has advantages and disadvantages. Often the free bets are small bonuses, especially when it comes to No Deposit free bets. Let's take Supabets as an example. This bookmaker provides a R50 No Deposit free bet. But the first deposit bonus offered by the same bookmaker is a hundred times bigger — up to R5000.

So if you're interested in big sports betting bonuses, you'd better pay attention to the offers for the first deposit. They are considerably larger compared to the free bets.

Also consider the mechanics of using the bonus. The free bet must be wagered once in its entirety. The deposit bonus can be used in any way you like, e.g. it can be divided into many parts.

But the most important thing is the wagering requirements. The wagering requirements for No Deposit free bets are always more complex than for classic deposit bonuses.

Sport Betting Bonuses FAQ

Why Do Bookies Give Customers Free Bets?

The answer is simple — betting sites in South Africa do it to attract a new audience. Bettors take bonus offers into account when choosing a bookmaker. Therefore, some companies try to offer quite exciting conditions. The best ones in this regard are the No Deposit free bets, because all you have to do to get them is to register and verify your identity. No financial contribution is required.

Are Free Bets Legal In South Africa?

Yes, this type of bonus offer is perfectly legal and does not violate gambling laws. A number of South African betting sites offer free bets to their users in one format or another (no deposit or for deposit, welcome bonuses or the ones for active bettors).

Why Has My Freebet Bonus Not Been Applied To My Account?

There is only one explanation: you have not fulfilled the conditions for receiving a free bet. The detailed rules are described in T&Cs. Usually betting sites draw up step-by-step instructions on what you need to do to activate your free bet.

What Can I Use The Free Bets On?

You can use free bets on sports events. Bookmakers can set requirements for a specific type of bet, type of sport, market or minimum odds.

Which Betting Site Gives You A Free Sign Up Bets In South Africa?

There are currently two bookmakers with No Deposit free bets for registering. So World Sports Betting and Supabets are the best betting sites for this purposes. Both offer a R50 free bet to new customers.

What Are The Best Sports Betting Promotions In South Africa?

The previously mentioned bonuses from World Sports Betting and Supabets are the best in terms of eligibility conditions, as they do not require a deposit. There are also alternative offers — a free bet up to R1000 for deposit from Betway and a free bet up to R2000 from Sportingbet.