The Best Illinois Online Sports Betting Apps. There are five sportsbook apps live in the state. Here are our favorite as of February 05, 2021: DraftKings at Casino Queen Sportsbook– $500 risk-free bet William Hill– $300 risk-free bet FanDuel Par-A-Dice Sportsbook– $1,000 risk-free. The Home of Free Sports Betting Tips Welcome to Free Super Tips. Free Super Tips is the home of free sports betting tips. Our experienced tipsters have been finding value in betting for years. Whether you’re a seasoned stat-loving sports fan who’s addicted to analytics or a passionate punter looking for that perfect accumulator, we can help.

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  • Pick’em and free online betting sites test your sports knowledge without requiring you to put money on the line
  • There are a number of different formats for free-play sports betting
  • Free online betting sites that use real odds and mimic pay-to-play sportsbooks are a great place to practice sports betting skills and strategies

As with any new skill, it takes time to master the ins and outs of sports betting. And with real dollars on the line, it’s easy to get discouraged or flat-out financially ruined with a few wrong moves as you’re learning to bet.

But what if you could hone the skills you need to successfully bet on sports without needing to wager your hard-earned cash?

Enter free-play betting sites, which provide the same experience you’d have at an online sportsbook, but with virtual currency. Pick’em and free play are excellent ways to enjoy the lighthearted competition of fantasy sports while practicing handicapping skills and betting strategies you can later use to profit handsomely at an online sportsbook.

Learn more about the benefits of free play sports betting below, or head over to SBD Play to get started with free-to-play sports betting.

Why Bet on Sports with Fake Money?

Many people bet on sports to make money. After all, it can be an effective investment strategy for those with an exceptional ability to handicap their favorite sports or identify lines with excellent value.

But the popularity of March Madness brackets and fantasy sports suggests that many people simply want to compete with their friends or other fans across the web. Even now that online sports betting has largely been legalized in the United States, the majority of fans continue to make picks just for the fun of it.

Free online betting sites offer an excellent opportunity to experiment with various betting strategies before making your first real deposit.

Why not take advantage of this massive pool of “bettors” to see how your skills stack up? Free online betting sites increasingly resemble those accepting real cash wagers, offering aspiring bettors an excellent opportunity to get comfortable reading and understanding odds and experimenting with various betting strategies before making their first real deposit.

Comparing Free Online Betting Sites

There are a number of different competition formats to test your sports knowledge without laying down any dollars. Some look just like online sportsbooks, while others are more limited in scope.

Features of Free Online Betting Sites

Choose a Free Play Book That Mirrors Paid Betting Sites

If your goal is to use free play or pick’em sites as a training ground for online sports betting, you’ll want to select a free-play site that is set up similarly to an actual online sportsbook. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating the options:

  • Does the site use real odds similar to those seen on actual betting sites?
  • Are you able to place multiple types of bets, such as moneyline, point spread, and totals (over/under)?
  • Is there an opportunity to parlay your picks for a bigger payout?
  • Does the site keep track of your record over time, allowing you to evaluate the progression of your betting strategy?

Some free-play sportsbooks will also host competitions that include a cash prize or other valuable incentive. Bookmark this page and check back periodically for new opportunities to compete.

What Is NFL Weekly Pick’Em?

NFL pick’em sites are the most popular form of free-play sportsbook. While the specifics differ slightly from site to site, the concept is generally the same: pick the winner of every NFL game happening that week.

Major media outlets such as Yahoo! and ESPN offer weekly pick’em competitions, and they can be a great option for those who want to keep things easy and simple.

That said, NFL pick’em sites are less helpful in learning the suite of skills bettors need to successfully grow their bankroll at an online sportsbook, because they don’t expose players to a wide range of betting types or allow them to practice skills such as parlaying or hedging.

Free Play vs. Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports have swept the nation in popularity, but they differ substantially from free play betting sites. Whereas daily fantasy rewards participants who can effectively handicap the abilities of individual players, free play and pick’em sites are generally focused on the results of entire teams or game outcomes.

Daily fantasy participants select players to construct a team of their own, whereas most bets placed at online sportsbooks require slightly different knowledge that rests on factors one needn’t consider in daily fantasy, like home team advantage, travel schedules, and weather.

As such, daily fantasy sports may not provide as helpful a training tool for aspiring sports bettors. In the end, the two are just a bit too different.

Top Free Betting Sites

Site/AppType
SBD PlayFree Play
Yahoo! Pick’EmPick’Em
ESPN Pick’EmPick’Em
Cent SportsFree Play
BookieFree Play
BetsimFree Play

Free Deposits at Online Sportsbooks

You’ve likely seen advertisements enticing you to take advantage of “free deposits” “free bets” or “free play” at full-service, pay-to-play sportsbooks. While these bonus offers do offer incredible value for those ready to bet on sports with actual money, it’s a bit misleading to call them completely “free.”

Terms and conditions always apply to promotional offers from online sportsbooks, and bettors need to carefully review them and shop around for the most valuable offers. Rollover, odds restrictions, and time restrictions all affect your ability to withdraw funds obtained through bonuses.

Online sportsbook free bet

The important point is that sportsbooks don’t give away money: you need to put skin in the game to take advantage of their offers, but this isn’t the case at a free-play book or pick’em site.

Free Online Sports Betting

Our comprehensive guide to understanding sports betting bonuses is a great resource to gain a basic understanding of how you can take advantage of these bonuses at pay-to-play sportsbooks.

Practice Makes Perfect

Free-play sites are the perfect place to hone your skills while learning to bet on sports, so make the most of it. Read up on the basics in our sports betting 101 series or get a feel for some of the more advanced tactics from our sports betting strategy series.


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Online sportsbooks offer free bets as a means of drawing in new bettors. However, the industry as a whole doesn’t just offer one type of free bet. Instead, it features several different versions of this promotion.

Assuming you like taking advantage of betting bonuses, then you’ll definitely want to know the differences from one promotion to the next.

The following guide discusses five types of free online sports bets. It also covers additional information that you’ll want to know regarding these deals.

1 – No Deposit Bonus Free Bet

Most sports gambling bonuses require you to place a deposit. No deposit bonuses, on the other hand, merely require you to sign up for an account.

If you’ve ever joined a mobile sportsbook before, then you’ll have absolutely no trouble with this process. You simply fill in the blanks and submit your account for approval. As with any bonus on this list, you may also have to enter a bonus code.

Upon receiving the no deposit bonus, you place your first wager. Assuming you win, you’ll receive the profit from the bet—not the stake, though.

Here’s an example on how a no deposit bonus works:

Top 10 Online Betting Sites

  • You sign up for an account.
  • You receive a $20 free wager.
  • You place a $20 bet and win.
  • You’ll collect $20 ($40 – $20 stake).

The winnings will be subject to terms and conditions. After satisfying terms, you’ll be able to cash out the money or simply keep betting with it.

2 – Matched Free Bet

A matched free wager requires you to place a deposit. The bookmaker will then match your deposit up to a certain amount.

Here’s example:

  • A betting site offers a 100% matched bet worth up to $50.
  • You deposit $30 and, thus, qualify for a free $30 wager.
  • You make a $30 bet and win.
  • You’ll receive a $30 payout ($60 – $30 stake).

The defining characteristic of this offer is that your deposit is matched with a free wager. Provided you win the first bet, then you’ll collect bonus cash. As always, terms and conditions apply to winnings.

3 – Free Bet Worth a Set Amount

This deal also works similar to the matched bet covered above. It sees you get a free wager after funding your account.

However, your bet isn’t based on a matched percentage of the deposit. Instead, you just receive a set amount.

Here’s an example on how this offer works:

  • And online sportsbook offers a $20 free bet when you place the minimum deposit.
  • You make the minimum deposit.
  • You receive a $20 free wager.
  • You bet $20 and win.

The downside to these deals is that they’re only worth whatever the bookmaker sets them at. Therefore, you can’t just make a larger deposit and be matched at that amount.

Nevertheless, a free bet is a free bet. You likely won’t complain as long as you’re getting some kind of bonus from your deposit.

4 – Risk-Free Bet

All of the deals covered up to this point revolve around whether you win the wager. Assuming you win, then you collect the profit (but not the stake) from a bet. If you lose, then you’ll get nothing.

A risk-free wager works in the opposite manner to this. It doesn’t pay anything when you win. However, it provides the chance to earn back losses when you lose.

Here’s an example on how a risk-free wager works:

  • A bookmaker offers a risk-free bet worth up to $100.
  • You deposit $50 and, thus, qualify for a $50 risk-free wager.
  • You make your first bet and lose.
  • You now have the opportunity to earn back the $50 in losses.

You’ll need to meet terms and conditions before collecting the losses. Regardless, it’s nice that you at least have a chance to get these losses back.

5 – Reload Free or Risk-Free Wager

Betting sites offer their best deals to new customers. After all, they want to feature big free wagers to encourage bettors to sign up with them.

But what happens when the welcome bonus is done with? If you’re wagering with a decent sportsbook, then you should have the opportunity to earn reload bonuses.

The term “reload” refers to how you are reloading your account with a new deposit. Regarding bonuses, it alludes to deals offered after the initial welcome bonus.

Both standard free wagers and risk-free bets are common reload bonuses. With that said, you should look for sportsbooks that provide free wagers after a welcome deal has expired.

Terms to Consider With Free Bets

Real money online sportsbooks want to ensure that you compete for bonus cash, rather than just withdrawing it right away.

They institute a number of terms and conditions to make this happen. The following terms and conditions are common throughout the industry.

Rollover

Rollover is the amount of money that you must wager before cashing out free bet winnings. It’s expressed as a multiple of the bonus.
Here’s an example of rollover:

  • You win a free bet worth $50.
  • Rollover is 8x.
  • 50 x 8 = $400 must be wagered

You definitely want to get bonuses with as little effort involved. With that being said, you should look for deals that feature low rollover.

The betting industry’s standard is between 6x and 10x. If you can find wagering requirements even lower than this, then you should go for the associated offer.

But if the rules state a rollover of more than 10x, you’re probably better off passing. The only exception to this is if you’re sure you’re going to make enough bets to clear the bonus anyway. In this case, you have nothing to lose.

Expiration Dates

You’ll need to activate your bonus before using it. Mobile sportsbooks typically give you three to seven days to do this.

Bookmakers also require you to meet rollover in a timely manner. They may allow 30 days or more to complete this requirement.

In any case, you always want to act before the expiration date is up. Otherwise, your bonus will vanish.

Market Restrictions

Betting sites sometimes offer free bets for specific markets. For example, they may feature a $25 free wager for NFL games only.

They create these restrictions in order to promote a specific market. As long as you’re interested in whatever they’re promoting, then you’ll still appreciate the opportunity.

Deposit Restrictions

Not all deposit methods apply for sports betting bonuses. Many online bookmakers restrict deposits made with Neteller, Skrill, or other e-wallets.

This seems like an odd stipulation when considering that Skrill and Neteller are very popular e-wallets. However, bookmakers are merely looking to prevent bonus abuse with such moves.

Bonus abusers commonly use e-wallets to cash out. This way, they get their funds as quickly as possible before a sportsbook has time to review the matter.

Minimum Odds

Sports betting sites don’t like when you back heavy favorites just to clear rollover faster. As a result, they institute minimum odds.

For example, you might have to bet at -150 or higher (-145, -140, etc.). Any wager placed below these odds could void your deal.

Country Restrictions

Free Online Sports Betting Picks

Going back to the bonus abuse discussion, certain countries are known for taking advantage of betting deals. Russia, Romania, and Thailand are commonly banned from sportsbook bonuses.

You should always check out the terms and conditions page to make sure that your country isn’t on the list. After all, you don’t want to waste time depositing only to find out that you’re not eligible for a bonus.

Conclusion

“Free bet” is a loaded term that can allude to one of several offers. If you’re new to sports gambling, you might not know the subtleties between a risk-free and free bet.

Free Online Sports Betting Images

Of course, you can always return to this guide whenever you’re unsure on the matter. The five free wagers covered here are the most common deals throughout the industry.

Sports Betting Free Play

I encourage you to take advantage of as many free betting opportunities as you can. This way, you’ll get more chances to earn free cash.

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