Best Free Bet Bonuses and Offers
The first-time offers at any of the 15 online Virginia sportsbooks serve as a great welcome to new customers in the state. Find a new online sportsbook to enjoy games at another level as well. We’ll help you choose the right sports betting options in Virginia and more.
Take FanDuel Sportsbook as just one example. They have an up to “$1,000 no sweat first bet” offer to get you started. Just use the BET NOW button below. Then make a deposit of $10 or more. You can get up to $1,000 back in bonus bets if your first bet doesn’t win. Then, plan the next two weeks of bets. The bonus bets expire 14 days after they arrive in your account.
As you can see, PlayVirginia has buttons to guide you to the top sportsbook offers.
Be sure to go over the terms and conditions of any offer you find. That will help you make the right bet at the right sportsbook while using the right offer. Good luck!
Best Virginia sportsbook promotions and bonus offers
How do free bet sports bonuses work?
Most Virginia online sportsbooks have one of three free bet offers. Those include:
- Free bets on sign up: Sign up for an account and get one or a series of free sports bets, no deposit is required.
- Free bets on your first deposit: Sign up for an account, make a deposit using the secure deposit methods available, and get one or a series of free bets.
- Risk-free first bets: Requires that you sign up for an account, make a deposit, and place a bet. If you win that bet you collect as normal. However, if you lose that bet the sportsbook will give you a refund in the form of a free bet.
Always read the terms and conditions on a free bet offer so you know exactly how it works. You’ll often find that when it comes to free sports bets on sign up, sportsbooks will keep the stake on winning bets. Free bet bonuses on your first deposit and risk free bets might be limited to a certain size.
You may also be restricted to betting on a certain range of odds, and the free bet offer will almost always be limited to one per household. That way, you can’t game the system by betting on sure things or opening multiple accounts and claiming bonuses on behalf of all your friends, relatives, and house pets.
In addition, it’s important to remember that free bet bonus offers are just that. In other words, you can’t just take the money and run. You’ll have to bet with it first. Then, any money you win with your free bets will be yours to do with as you please.
How to claim your free sports bet
Free sports bet offers differ from book to book. In general, the best way to claim these offers is to:
- Click through via the table above or on the sportsbook’s review page on this site
- Jot down any bonus code or promo code required to claim the offer
- Click through on our exclusive link to that sportsbook
Then, just sign up through the landing page and enter (when prompted) any bonus code or promo code required to claim the offer. These links and bonus codes or promo codes ensure you get the best bonus available.
Here’s a look at some of the leading online sportsbooks and sportsbook apps coming to Virginia, the free bet bonuses they offer, and how you can claim them:
DraftKings Sportsbook
A popular US online sportsbook, the DraftKings Sportsbook, was one of the first to land in Virginia. New players at DraftKings Sportsbook in Virginia will get a $50 bonus bet on a $5 minimum deposit when signing up for an account.
You’ll also get a 20% match bonus on your first deposit up to $1,000. All told, that’s $1,200 in bonus bets for new players at DraftKings Sportsbook after signing up.
There is no bonus code or promo code required to claim the offer; just sign up through our exclusive DraftKings Sportsbook link.
Caesars Sportsbook
Caesars entered the Virginia sports betting market in February 2021. One of the most iconic brand names in global gaming circles, the bookmaker isn’t relying on its reputation alone as the company looks to gain traction in a new spot.
New users are eligible for up to $1,250 on Caesars + 1000 Tier Credits + 1000 Reward Credits®. To access this stellar offer, you’ll need to click through our exclusive links to sign-up. Enter the code LEGALFULL when prompted and make your first deposit.
It’s not withdrawable and has a playthrough requirement that must be met within seven days. Any winnings obtained from the bet credits are yours to do with as you wish. This is a fantastic way to try out one of the top books in the industry, so click through and get started.
BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM brings one of the biggest names in US gaming to Virginia alongside its own First Bet Offer of up to $1,000.
Click on our exclusive link to create an account with BetMGM Sportsbook and enter the bonus code PLAYBONUS50 when prompted. Then, make your first bet on BetMGM up to $1,000. If you lose your bet, BetMGM will refund it with bonus bets you can use on just about any sport you like.
BetRivers Sportsbook
The BetRivers Sportsbook is the Rivers Casino chain’s entry into the world of US online sports betting. It launched in Virginia in January 2021.
BetRivers will bring with it the company’s second-chance bet up to $500 for new players. Sign up for a new account through our exclusive link, use the affiliate code PLAYRIV, make a deposit and get up to $500 in bet credits!
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel Sportsbook was the first to launch in Virginia in January 2021. New players at FanDuel Sportsbook in Virginia will be entitled to no sweat first bet up $1,000 in bonus bets when they sign up for an account and make a deposit.
If you win that first bet, your account will be credited with the winnings as normal. But if you lose, FanDuel will refund the amount of the bet in site credit, up to $1,000, within 72 hours.
You can’t withdraw this site credit, so it is essentially a bonus bet you can use to bet the Super Bowl, the draft or any sporting event of your choice. If this bet wins, you can do whatever you like with the winnings. However, there’s a one-time playthrough requirement that’s going to force you to bet the stake again before you can withdraw it.
Once again, there’s no bonus code or promo code required to claim the offer from FanDuel. Just sign up through our exclusive link and it’s yours.
SI Sportsbook
Currently live in Colorado and Virginia, SI Sportsbook aims to soon expand its presence into additional states across the U.S. The sportsbook is a collaboration between Sports Illustrated and leading online gambling brand 888 Holdings.
To celebrate the recent launch, new users can snag $200 in free bets by betting only $10 at the sportsbook. To claim the offer, simply use the code SI200 at sign-up. Then place your first $10 bet and reap your reward.
Bet365 Sportsbook
Bet365 may be new to the US and Virginia, but its roots in Stoke-on-Trent UK date back to 2000. A group of 12 people started developing the bet365 website and everything took off from there. The company arrived in the Commonwealth just ahead of Super Bowl 57 at the start of 2023.
Virginia’s newest sportsbook has a bet $1 get $365 offer for customers who want to give bet365 Sportsbook in Virginia a try.
PointsBet
PointsBet offers some of the most competitive betting lines you’ll find in Virginia, along with an extensive range of betting markets for all your favorite sporting events. In addition to featuring a range of ongoing promotions, new users can get up to $250 in second-chance bets.
Types of free bet offers & promotions
While they all amount to free bets, there are several different types of free bet bonuses available at Virginia online and mobile sportsbooks. These are:
- Risk-free bets: A risk-free bet promises a refund in the form of site credit if you lose your first bet of up to a specified amount. Sign up, make a deposit, and make a bet to claim this type of free bet bonus. Collect any winnings normally, but if you lose that bet you’ll get a refund in the form of site credit, which amounts to a free bet.
- Deposit match bonus: A deposit match bonus gives you a percentage of the amount you deposit in site credit bonus. Sign up and deposit funds to claim this type of free bet bonus. The site credit you get amounts to a free bet or series of bets, depending on how you choose to use it.
- Money-back free bets: Money back free bets are like risk free bets in that they promise a refund in the form of site credit if you lose. Sign up, make a deposit, and make a bet to claim this type of free bet bonus. Collect any winnings on the bets as normal, but if you lose any of these bets you’ll get a refund in the form of site credit, which will amount to a free bet.
- Free bets on sign up: A free bet on sign up offer promises to award you with site credit just for signing up for an account. Sign up to claim this type of free bet bonus. Then, use the free bets as specified to try to turn nothing into something.
Are risk free bet offers worth it?
Many of the risk free promotions available at Virginia sportsbooks will give you the chance to build a betting bankroll out of nothing. These are worth signing up for. Take the free cash, make the free bets.
If you’re thinking of taking advantage of a risk free bet offer as a new player, you’ll need to decide whether you think you can win at least one of your first two bets. It’s certainly worth it if you can.
Deposit-match bonuses are certainly worth taking advantage of if you plan on depositing with an online sportsbook and betting regularly. If that’s the case, these types of free bet deposit bonuses are perfect for you. You can use the free bets to bet on the NFL, MLB and even the UFC in Virginia.
Overall, most free bet offers available at Virginia online sportsbooks are worth it. Just read the terms and conditions on the offer so you know what you’re getting yourself into.
Keep track of the limits and wagering requirements and remember that free bets are not just free money, they are free money you can only use to place bets.
Read the terms and conditions
No matter what size, shape, or form a risk-free bet offer comes in there will most likely be certain restrictions attached. Online sportsbooks in Virginia may restrict:
- The size of a risk-free bet or deposit eligible for a match bonus
- The range of odds you can use a free bet on, limiting your ability to bet on sure things
- The number of free bet bonuses you can claim per household, stopping you from claiming bonuses on behalf of others in your family
- What sports or events you can use free bets on
- Your ability to withdraw funds until certain deposit or wagering requirements are met
Just remember to read the terms and conditions on any free bet bonus before you sign up. That way you’ll know what’s required of you and what kind of restrictions are attached.