Online sports betting is a world of opportunities at your fingertips. You can bet on virtually any sport in the world, from American football to tennis, and take advantage of the many promotions offered by online sportsbooks. If you’re new to online betting, you might be wondering what’s free play and how it works.
The concept behind free play is simple — give players the opportunity to try out different games and bets with little or no risk. Once you’re familiar with the basics of betting and how the site’s interface works, you’ll start seeing these promotions regularly.
Free Play on Asian Sportsbooks
One of the biggest differences between traditional, land-based sportsbooks and online sportsbooks is the latter’s willingness to accept players from all over the world. While many sportsbooks will only offer betting opportunities on sports that are popular in the United States, online bookmakers will happily take your money whether the event is being played in Kuala Lumpur or Mumbai. Additionally, many online sportsbooks allow you to bet on certain events without needing to open an account first, providing even more convenience to the customer.
Due to these benefits, it’s no surprise that many online sportsbooks offer free play — it’s the cheapest way to attract customers and gain a foothold in the international sports betting market. For instance, bet365, a leading online sportsbook, offers a wide range of sports, including the U.S. majors, as well as soccer, tennis, and cricket, among many others. As a new user, you’ll see a sign up bonus of up to £100 in free play when you make a £10 or more bet on any sportsbook page. The catch is you need to wager a total of £30 on a Sportsbook bonus bet to get that bonus, and you’ll then need to make at least £350 in the next seven days to be eligible for the bonus. It’s a bit of a hustle to get to that point, but at least you’ll have a chance to try out the product.
How Strong is the U.S. Sports Market?
The United States, in general, and the sports betting market in particular, are extremely popular and profitable niches in the online betting world. Soccer is the most popular sports game globally, followed by American football, basketball, and baseball. Those four sports alone account for over 90% of the worldwide revenue in sports betting. The most popular U.S. sport is clearly football, with the online sportsbooks taking advantage of the National Football League’s (NFL) regular season, which runs from September through to the end of the year.
The 2020 NFL regular season starts on September 10 and runs through to the end of December. During that time, you’ll have the opportunity to make a range of bets on the NFL, including the spread, total points, and several other games and props, such as the winner of the Super Bowl. You might also decide to use the season to learn how to navigate the various interfaces of different online sportsbooks so that when the season is over, you can simply move your funds from one bookmaker to another without needing to re-register.
Which Countries have the Most Successful Online Sportsbooks?
Based on available data, it appears that the United Kingdom has the most successful online sportsbooks, as well as the largest online sports betting market. The most popular UK sportsbooks, according to DGR, are PaddyPower, Sky Bet, and Bet365. If you’re looking to bet on sports in the UK, you’ll want to head to one of these three sites first.
The most popular online sportsbooks in Australia are CrownBet, Sportingbet, and betting.com.au. If you’re looking to place a bet on Australian sports, you’ll want to try Sportingbet or betting.com.au first.
In New Zealand, bet365 is the clear leader in the sports betting market. If you’re looking to place a bet in New Zealand, you’ll want to try bet365 first.
Final Takeaway
If you’re new to online sports betting, make sure to read our guide on choosing an online bookmaker first. From there, you can move on to our top 10 best online sportsbooks list, where you’ll find a wide array of betting markets covering major and minor sports around the world. You can also find the top UK soccer blogs and forums to gain even more knowledge about soccer, the beautiful game.