Free Bet Value Calculator
A “£30 free bet” is never worth £30 in cash — the stake isn't returned with any winnings. Enter an offer's numbers to see what it's realistically worth before you claim it.
Decimal (4.0) or fractional (3/1)
The real-money bet needed to unlock it (0 if none)
How cleanly you extract the value — exchange commission and odds spread. 95% is realistic when laying; lower it if you're just betting it off.
Expected cost of the qualifying bet as a share of its stake (~5% is typical)
Estimated real cash value
£21.38
≈ 71% of the free bet's face value · £20.88 after a ~£0.50 qualifying cost
This is an estimate based on typical conversion, not a guarantee — real returns depend on the odds available and each offer's terms. 18+, please gamble responsibly · BeGambleAware.org
How it works
For a stake-not-returned free bet, only the winnings portion of the odds is extractable: value = free bet × (odds − 1) ÷ odds × conversion efficiency. A £30 free bet at 4.0 with 95% efficiency is worth 30 × 0.75 × 0.95 = £21.38 — about 71% of face value. A wagering requirement above 1× applies the efficiency once per required pass, and the qualifying bet's expected cost is deducted from the net figure.
FAQs
- Why isn't a £30 free bet worth £30?
- Almost all UK free bets are stake not returned (SNR): if your free bet wins, you keep the winnings but not the £30 stake itself. That caps the extractable value at the winnings portion of the odds — which is why higher odds convert more of the face value, and why a typical free bet is realistically worth around 70–80% of its face value in cash.
- What odds should I place a free bet at?
- Higher odds convert more of an SNR free bet's face value: at 2.0 only half the face value is winnings, at 5.0 it's 80%. Around 4.0–6.0 is a common sweet spot — long enough to convert well, short enough that exchange lay odds stay close to the back odds.
- What does the conversion efficiency mean?
- It covers what you lose to exchange commission and the gap between the bookmaker's back odds and the exchange lay odds when you lock the value in. 95% is realistic for a well-matched lay; if you simply bet the free bet off and hope, your expected extraction is the same on average but with far more variance.
- Does this guarantee a profit?
- No. The calculator shows an expected value based on typical conversion — real results depend on the odds you find, each offer's terms (minimum odds, expiry, payment-method exclusions) and how the qualifying bet goes. Always read the significant terms before depositing.
Ready to put a number on a real offer? Compare the current best free bets — every one lists its minimum odds, expiry and qualifying terms — or read what are free bets? for the full explainer.