Live Betting Bonus Facts
  • In-Play Bonus Bets
  • What is an In-Play Bonus?
  • Best Betting Sites to get an In-Play Bonus
  • Which Bookmakers offer an In-Play Bonus on Sports?
  • Which betting sites offer an In-Play bonus in the UK?

In-Play Bonus Bets

In-play betting is more popular than ever and most online bookmakers now offer this option, which is also referred to as live betting. A number of betting sites offer in-play bonuses to their customers as a way of increasing the excitement of in-play betting.

If you’re looking for an in-play bonus, we’ve got all the information you need on where to get in-play betting bonuses for both new and existing customers!

What is an In-Play Bonus?

In-play betting is massive these days and all of the best betting sites now offer live betting for at least a couple of different sports, the most popular being football.

Live betting gives you the chance to place a bet on a sporting event while it is unfolding live. An in-play bonus is a way of obtaining free bets or a bonus from a betting site to use on a live event.

The rise in popularity of mobile betting and in-play betting apps has been a factor in the appeal of live betting, and with betting from a mobile device now more popular than browser-based online betting, in-play bonus offers are likely to become even more popular.

There are variations on how an in-play bonus can work, but generally, it gives you a chance to secure a free bet to use on a sporting event as it takes place. Quite often, in order to obtain the in-play bonus, you need to place a pre-match bet, but the in-play offer is generally an attractive one and provides a great opportunity to beat the bookies.

Many punters adopt one of two approaches when trying to maximise an in-play bonus: Some will try to play it safe, while others will be more adventurous.

The safe approach to getting the most out of an in-play bonus involves spreading your bets across several markets and/or the most likely outcomes in order to try and guarantee some kind of return. The more adventurous punters – the real gamblers – will look for value and try to spot where a bookmaker may have mispriced a particular market.

In-play betting can be fun, and for some is nothing more than just an opportunity to get an extra free bet. For others who are looking to maximise their winnings, live betting requires quick thinking and insight as the odds can – and often do - change at any time.

Live betting can be very beneficial if you’re wanting to assess the action before parting with any money. Perhaps there is a big football match which looks too tight to call ahead of kick-off and you want to watch the opening stages of the game to gauge how you think it will unfold?

Another advantage of in-play betting comes if the outsider in the event takes a surprise lead – perhaps in a football or tennis match. Should this happen then the bookie is forced to adjust its odds in case an upset is on the cards. If this does happen, then you’re in a position to back the favourite at longer odds. This can be a risky tactic, but if you’ve done your research in advance, you will be able to pick out the best in-play matches to bet on, and should it happen, then an in-play bonus is a great way to take advantage of those bigger odds once the event is live!

Best Betting Sites to get an In-Play Bonus

A number of betting sites offer in-play betting and most (if not all) of the best betting sites available right now have live betting across a number of sports. Some also have live streaming to complement the in-play betting experience, allowing you to watch and bet on sporting events from around the world.

When it comes to in-play betting, the best bookmakers have a wide range of live betting markets available. The main difference between pre-match betting markets and in-play is that some markets close when they are no longer applicable. For example, after a goal has been scored in a football match, any relevant markets (first team to score, Over/Under 0.5 goals etc.) are removed. The same applies to the winner of the first set in tennis after that opening set is completed.

It’s hard to pick out one single betting site as being the very best for in-play bonuses, but bet365 are definitely one of the best in the business.

Not only do they have arguably the best live streaming service in the industry as well as a fantastic bonus for new customers (use bet365 bonus code NEWBONUS when you join!), but from time to time they also offer a great in-play bonus offer.

The bet365 in-play bonus offer is very easy to explain. When available, it basically requires you to follow just a couple of simple steps, as follows:
  1. Place a pre-match single bet on the event in question (the bet365 in-play bonus offer is usually available during a football match).
  2. Receive a free in-play bet to the value of your largest pre-match bet for that same event.
  3. That’s pretty much it!

You can usually place multiple pre-match bets should you wish to do so, and as noted, your in-play bonus will be to the value of your largest pre-match bet.

The maximum free in-play bet value can vary, but has been set at £50 in the past.

It is a fantastic offer, but other online bookies also offer good in-play bonuses, and Betfair, Paddy Power and Unibet are just a few of the betting sites worth checking out for their in-play bonus offers.

Our lists will show you all the different bonus types on offer at betting sites around the world. The filters are designed to show you the various free bets available in your country and you can quickly use them to find in-play offers where you live.

Which Bookmakers offer an In-Play Bonus on Sports?

A number of betting sites have in-play bonus offers available from time to time. We highly recommend bet365 who regularly score highly when we’re updating our bookmaker reviews, plus their in-play offer for those betting live can provide punters with a quick and easy way to secure a £50 in-play bonus.

Paddy Power also have regular in-play free bet offers and are highly recommended, as are Unibet, who offer an in-play free bet every week.

Unibet’s In-Play Free Bet Club allows you to claim a £10 free bet every week to use on any live betting market.

This Unibet free bet offer requires you to opt in to their In-Play Free Bet Club and place five or more £10 In-Play bets on football, cricket, tennis, darts or basketball.

Providing you have placed those five bets between Monday and Sunday and met the terms and conditions, you will receive an in-play free bet every Monday, which can be used on the vast majority of sports (the only exceptions at time of writing being horse racing, greyhounds and trotting).

Our comparison tables show you lists of all bonus offers for sports currently available. Our filters are designed to show you all the various bonus types available with legal, licensed online bookmakers where you live. You can quick use the filters to find loyalty bonus bets at betting sites operating in your country, as well as other types of free bet offers.

Which betting sites offer an In-Play bonus in the UK?

Most of the top UK betting sites offer live betting (and in some cases live streaming as well), opening the door for punters to take advantage of in-play bonus offers.

Football is perhaps the most popular sport to find in-play bonus offers for, but bookmakers in the United Kingdom also offer in-play betting on a number of other sports including tennis, darts, cricket and horse racing.

With live betting comes in-play bonuses – effectively a free bet to use on a live sports event when you place a pre-match bet. This kind of bonus is massively popular with punters, partly as it adds to the occasion when you are watching a live sporting event such as a football match, a tennis match or a big horse race, but also because it provides you with a free bet!

As mentioned further update the page, you’ll find in-play bonus offers available from time to time at bet365, while other betting sites in the UK offering in-play bonuses and free bets include Betfair, BetVictor, Paddy Power, Unibet and William Hill.

In-Play Bonus Bet FAQs

What is Live Betting?

Live betting, also known as in-play betting, takes place while a match or other sporting event is in progress. Whereas betting used to happen before an event started, advancements in digital technology have allowed betting sites to offer live betting throughout the duration of a match.

What is In-Play betting?

In-play betting takes place after a sporting event has started and continues until the event concludes. It is massively popular and allows punters to bet on an event live, as it takes place. It is available for a number of sports, the most common being football, as well as tennis, cricket and horse racing, and live in-play betting is offered by many online bookmakers.

What is the bet365 In-Play offer?

One of the most popular in-play bonus offers can be found at bet365. When the bet365 in-play offer is available, it is usually in connection with a major football match such as the Champions League final. Although some bonus offers are only for new customers, the bet635 in-play offer is usually for both new and eligible existing account holders. The offer allows you to claim a free in-play bet once the match has started. To use your In-Play bet, simply add an in-play selection to your betting slip once the game has kicked off.

How do you win with in-play betting?

Many punters opt to watch the opening stages of a football match before placing any in-play bets. This allows you to gauge how a match may unfold, based on the first few minutes of play - a useful tactic if a particular match looks too close to call ahead of kick-off. You can also use live betting to your advantage if the underdog in the event you are watching takes the lead. Should this happen, the bookmaker will adjust its odds accordingly in case the favourite fails to come back and win the game. However, if you are wanting to back the favourite, you’re now in a position to do so at longer odds. It’s a risky tactic, but can bring big returns. If you’ve done your research in advance, you will be able to pick out the best in-play matches to bet on.