Betfred Free Bets and Offers

Betfred have been in the sports betting business since 1967, when brothers Fred and Peter Done opened their first bookmakers near Manchester. There are now over 1350 Betfred shops, with a total of around 8,000 employees, and have had a major presence online since 2004. Their website covers all areas of online betting, so as well as the main sports area, there are sections such as:

• Casino
• Games

With each using a 'one wallet' principle, anyone opening an account in any one section, can use the same account to play across the whole Betfred site.

Licensed and regulated in Gibraltar, players can be assured that all personal details and financial transactions are secure and that the betting software is independently checked for fair play, making Betfred a safe place to enjoy online gaming at the best possible odds. The site may not be the most modern looking place, but everything needed to get started is easy to see, with the days sporting highlights prominently displayed.

The Sports

With Betfred's traditional blue background, the sports area of the site lets customers know exactly what the main featured events of the day are, with brief introductions to what will be happening and when. Further details are available via the quick links and this also displays latest news, prices and forecasts. Placing a bet is just a matter of clicking next to the price and opening the Bet Slip. Players then need to add their stake, check the bet, and can then place further bets if required. It is a very easy process that will be familiar to anyone who has used any online sportsbook.

The range of sports covered includes virtually every UK and Ireland event, from the obvious horse racing and football matches, to the less obvious Aussie rules football, TV talent shows or political results. Tennis, rugby, cricket, golf, greyhounds, motor sports, snooker, boxing plus some virtual sports are all there, with live commentary on many of them and newscasts available throughout the day. Major horse races from the USA and Europe are well covered, and there is an excellent interactive racecard for many meetings where punters can view details of the courses, form, previous results, jockey and trainer details. One minor complaint is that site navigation away from the Racecard could be improved, but it's not something that's likely to put anyone off. For all UK and Irish races, Betfred will guarantee the best odds, so if an early price is taken, and the Starting Price returned is bigger, they will pay out at the SP. The football analyser reviews upcoming matches and provides result predictions.

As a major sportsbook operator, Betfred provide plenty of in-play betting opportunities covering all of the days action. The live football betting provides fully a fully interactive service allowing customers see comprehensive stats, preferred markets and the option to display information in different styles.

Although some events are streamed live, it is mostly horse races, and there are certainly not as many streamed here as at some other sites.

Anyone looking for a break from sports betting can play a number of casino side games from the sports area including Roulette, Blackjack and some of the more popular slots without needing to go across to the different parts of the overall site.

Bonuses and Promotions

Betfred call themselves 'The Bonus King', and they generally have a good selection of free bets, new player offers, cashback and special promotions to let players place more bets for less money. Although actual bonus details will change as new offers are introduced, anyone signing up for a new account will usually be offered a sizeable free bet as a welcome offer which will be credited to their account after the first real money bet has been placed.

There are always plenty of promotional offers, many of which are linked to upcoming events, which reward customers with extras like cashback for second placed bets, and a number of special football, greyhound and horse racing bets.

The Lucky 63s horse and greyhound bets can be placed on all races (including virtual ones) and pays out several times the SP for a winner, and correct Forecast or Tricast bets in some live races can be boosted by 25 -50%.

The unique goals galore feature lets customers choose a selection of games where they think both teams will score, and pays out no matter what the result is as long as no team misses the net entirely. With the exclusive Double Delight and Hat Trick Heaven bets, Betfred will double the payout if a chosen first scorer gets a second goal, and triple the payout if he gets a third. Other special football offers include Over/Under 2.5, which pays out for correctly getting three or more matches with more than two goals and the 30 Minute Limit, which wins if chosen games see goals scored within the first half hour.

Deposit and Withdrawal Options

Although most people will find a suitable deposit option here, Betfred only accept a limited range of payment methods. These include credit and debit cards, money transfer services and prepaid vouchers, but only a couple of each type. They accept payment in 16 currencies, but in common with most online sportsbooks, bonuses may not be available for players in all territories, nor for anyone using certain deposit methods, so check with Customer Support before depositing.

Withdrawals will, if possible, be paid back to the method used to deposit, or by bank transfer/cheque. Betfred process requests quite speedily, although the payment processor may delay the time it takes for customers to see the funds back in their accounts by a couple of days.

Conclusion

Betfred are a trusted name in the industry, with a good reputation for offering a wide range of sports betting at good prices. Their site is one of the most popular due in no small part to customers from the high street shops moving across to online betting, and because of the excellent selection of bonuses and promotions offered. While not the most flashy looking site, everything needed to bet on sports, or to play casino games, poker and bingo are all here.