The words "bonus" and "free bet" are often used as if they meant the same thing, yet the mechanics behind them differ in ways that change what you actually keep. This is a general explainer for adults only, written without any promise of results.
How a free bet behaves
A sportsbook free bet is normally a token that covers the stake once. If it wins, you typically receive the profit but not the stake itself. Take a £10 token placed at odds of 3.0: the return would be £20 in winnings, because the £10 stake is not paid back. A losing token simply disappears. Many tokens also expire within days and may only apply to certain markets or minimum odds.
How a casino bonus behaves
A casino bonus is usually credited as a balance with wagering attached. If a £20 bonus carries a 20x requirement, that implies £400 of total bets before the balance converts to withdrawable cash. Each game contributes a different share toward that figure, and slots often count in full while table games count for less. There is often a maximum stake per spin while the bonus is live, and breaking it can void winnings.
Side by side
- Free bet: one use, stake not returned, short expiry, minimum odds. - Casino bonus: balance with wagering, game weighting, stake limit, longer or shorter expiry depending on terms. - Both: can exclude certain payment methods, and both are subject to the operator's terms.
What this means in practice
A free bet is simple to value because you can compute the return from the odds. A casino bonus takes more arithmetic, since the wagering requirement acts like a toll on the way out. Neither is free money in a literal sense, and the value depends on the small print more than on the headline.
Sites such as Right Bet set out these conditions in their terms pages, so it makes sense to read the relevant section before accepting anything. If the conditions feel too restrictive for your plans, declining the offer is a perfectly reasonable choice.
Keep your own budget separate from any promotional balance, and remember that gambling should stay within limits you set in advance.