Bonuses · Free bets
A $20 esports free bet is not worth $20. The stake is not returned, so only the winnings count, and the bookmaker's margin takes a share. At odds of 2.50 and a 6% margin it is worth about $11 on average.
Here is the maths, a calculator for your own numbers, and the esports terms that change the value: minimum odds that rule out most favourites, excluded markets and expiry.
Short answer
About amount × (odds − 1) ÷ odds, less the margin. With a 6% margin a $20 free bet keeps 42% of its value at odds of 1.80, 56% at 2.50 and 63% at 3.00. Higher odds keep more on average but win less often.
Free bet maths
Value ≈ amount × (odds − 1) ÷ odds
with margin: × (1 − margin)
Example:
20 × 1.50 ÷ 2.50 × 0.94 = $11.3
A normal $20 bet at 2.50 returns $50 if it wins: your stake plus $30. A free bet pays only the $30. The chance of winning is the same.
What it means: a $20 free bet at 2.50 wins $30 when it lands, about 37.6% of the time: $11 on average.
The 6% margin is an example; check the margin on the market you use.
Value per odds
Higher odds keep more of a free bet. At 1.50 a free bet keeps about a third of its face value; at 3.00 nearly two thirds.
| Odds | Win if it lands | Chance (6% margin) | Value without margin | Value with 6% margin | Conversion | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.50 | $10 | 62.7% | $7 | $6 | 31% | below many minimum odds; wastes most of the value |
| 1.80 | $16 | 52.2% | $9 | $8 | 42% | a common minimum; keeps under half |
| 2.00 | $20 | 47.0% | $10 | $9 | 47% | |
| 2.50 | $30 | 37.6% | $12 | $11 | 56% | a good balance of value and hit rate |
| 3.00 | $40 | 31.3% | $13 | $13 | 63% | |
| 5.00 | $80 | 18.8% | $16 | $15 | 75% | most value on average, but usually returns nothing |
Pure maths at an example 6% margin, no bookmaker data.
Free bet types
| Type | How it works | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Stake not returned (SNR) | Pays only the winnings | Use it at higher odds |
| Stake returned | Pays winnings plus the free stake | Rare; worth more at any odds |
| Bet and get | Free bet after a qualifying real-money bet | Minimum odds and stake of the qualifying bet |
| Risk-free / refund | Free bet if your first bet loses | Worth less than a free bet, since you only get it when you lose |
| Free bet with wagering | Winnings become bonus money to wager | Turnover × margin cuts the value |
General types; each bookmaker's terms differ.
Patterns & exceptions Example data
What it means: many esports favourites are priced below a 1.80 minimum, so a free bet pushes you to underdogs, handicaps or totals; that suits a free bet's maths.
What it means: share of face value kept at a 6% margin.
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Gambling TherapyGlossary
A stake from the bookmaker that you place on an esports market. If it wins you usually get the winnings, not the stake.
Usually as a welcome offer after a qualifying bet or deposit, or as a promotion for existing customers. Some need a bonus code.
Usually not. A $20 free bet at 2.50 pays $30, not $50.
Around 2.50–3.00 keeps most of the value with a reasonable chance of winning. Very low odds waste most of it.
It varies; 1.50–2.00 is common. Many esports favourites are priced below that.
Some offers cap winnings or add wagering to them. Check the terms before you place it.
Often 7–30 days. An expired free bet is worth nothing.
