There were around 6.38 million players placing bets on real events in Great Britain as of March 2022. This accounted for about 44% of the adult population. (1) (2)

With betting being such a popular pastime in the UK, it’s no surprise there are over 2,000 licensed gambling operators vying for your attention. Here’s where things get interesting: to stand out from the crowd, many of these platforms offer enticing welcome bonuses to new players. (3)

Cash rewards bonuses, card bonuses, card welcome bonuses, casino bonuses – all these are up for grabs. But you may wonder: how do I actually claim the substantial welcome bonus offers? And how do I make the best of them?

How To Claim Welcome Bonuses

Here are a few ways to claim your welcome offers:

Automatic Upon Registration

Once you sign up and create an account on the betting platform, the bonus will be automatically credited. In some cases, you might need to verify your email address or phone number first. This verification is a standard security measure to ensure your account’s legitimacy.

Example

Say, the new player bonus is a GBP£20 free bet. After filling out the registration form, you’ll see the GBP£20 credited to your account under “Free Bets” or a similar section. 

Using a Bonus Code

You may see a substantial welcome package that requires a promo code “WELCOME100” to unlock a GBP£100 matched deposit bonus. Keep that code in mind.

During registration, you’ll see a field labelled “Bonus Code” or similar. Simply enter “WELCOME100” in that field and continue with your registration. Once you’ve completed your deposit, the GBP£100 bonus will be matched to your funds.

You can find these codes in a few places:

The Betting Platform Itself

Look for a promotions page or bonus details section on an online betting platform of your choice. They often have clear instructions on where to enter the code.

Affiliate Websites

Websites specializing in online betting reviews and comparisons might offer exclusive bonus codes for their visitors.

Targeted Promotions

Keep an eye out for emails or social media promotions from the betting platform itself. They might offer special bonus codes for a limited time.

Opting-In

This method involves actively choosing to participate in the bonus offer. In most cases, you’ll see a checkbox promising a sign-up bonus during registration, or in a dedicated section within the “Promotions” tab.

Example

A platform you’d like to try out is giving “Free Spins” welcome bonus offers. During registration, you might see a checkbox labelled “Yes, I want to receive the Free Spins bonus.” Tick that box and continue. 

Alternatively, you might need to visit the “Promotions” section after logging in and click a button to “Opt-in” for the free spins.

Making a Qualifying Deposit

These bonuses essentially give you extra money to play with based on your initial deposit amount. 

Say, a betting platform offers a 100% first deposit bonus match up to GBP£50. This means they’ll match your deposit amount (up to GBP£50) with bonus funds. If you deposit GBP£20 using your debit card, you’ll get an additional GBP£20 in bonus funds, giving you a total of GBP£40 to play with. 

Tip: Some platforms may require a minimum deposit amount to qualify for the bonus. In this case, if the minimum deposit is GBP£10, then depositing only GBP£5 won’t trigger the bonus. So, before making a deposit, always check the bonus terms and conditions and any valid payment methods excluded from the offer.

Placing a Qualifying Bet

This method is less common but still pops up occasionally. Here, you might need to place a bet worth a certain amount (often with your initial deposit) to unlock the bonus funds.

Say, your betting platform has a welcome offer of a GBP£10 free bet after placing a qualifying bet of GBP£5. This means you’d need to deposit at least GBP£5 and place a GBP£5 bet on any eligible event. Once your qualifying bet settles (wins or loses), the GBP£10 free bet will be credited to your account.

Contacting Customer Support

Another less common method, but some betting platforms might require you to contact their customer support team to claim your card welcome bonus money or any others that the site promises. This could be through a live chat option, email, or even a phone call. They can then verify your account and potentially provide the specific bonus code you need.

Making the Most of Your Welcome Bonus

The best welcome bonuses out there are a fantastic way to boost your online betting experience. But how can you use them effectively to maximize your enjoyment and potential winnings?

Target Low House Edge Games

This tip applies if your casino welcome bonus is restricted to specific games, like slots or roulettes. The house edge refers to the inherent advantage casinos or bookmakers have in any game. 

A good example of a low house edge game is Blackjack played with basic strategy. Many online casinos in the UK offer blackjack with clear instructions on basic strategy. By learning this strategy, you can significantly reduce the house edge and make your casino welcome bonus funds go further.

Start with Smaller Bets

Large bets can quickly deplete your bonus before you’ve had a chance to enjoy it or potentially turn a profit. So, play at a steady pace with smaller bets to extend your playtime and chances of success.

Say, you claim a GBP£20 free bet on the Premier League offered by a sports betting platform. Instead of placing the entire GBP£20 on one high-risk match, consider spreading it out across smaller bets on different matches. 

This way, you get more action for your bonus and potentially more chances of winning.

Take Advantage of Free Bets

Free bets are a golden opportunity to explore new betting options without risking your own money. Use these strategically on bets you might not normally place, perhaps on a different sport or an exotic outcome. 

Say, you’ve encountered a GBP£5 free bet on horse racing. You might be a soccer person yourself, but this being a free bet, you can try it out and see if you enjoy the thrill.

Maybe you place it on a horse with slightly longer odds. Who knows, you might discover a new betting passion or even land a surprise win.

Don’t Chase Losses

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the game and fall into the trap of “chasing losses.” This means throwing more and more money at your bets in an attempt to win back what you’ve lost. 

This is not an isolated incident. Reports estimate that about 1.3 million people, or about 2.5% of the British public, have some form of gambling problems. (4)

Remember, welcome bonuses are meant to enhance your experience, not become a source of financial strain. As such, always set a budget beforehand and stick to it. If things aren’t going your way, walk away and come back another day with a fresh start.

Combine with Existing Offers

Savvy online gambling platforms in the UK often have ongoing promotions alongside welcome bonuses. Say, your favourite betting site offers a welcome bonus of a GBP£10 free bet, and they also have a “Weekend Accumulator Boost” promotion. 

This promotion might give you a bonus payout if your accumulator bet (a bet combining multiple selections) wins. By strategically placing your GBP£10 free bet on an accumulator that qualifies for the boost, you could potentially maximize your winnings.

Take Breaks

It’s easy to get engrossed in the thrill of the game, but remember, welcome bonuses are meant to enhance your experience, not become a chore. So, schedule breaks to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy betting approach. Stepping away allows you to come back with a fresh perspective and potentially make better decisions.

Be Mindful of Wagering Requirements

Wagering requirements refer to the amount you need to bet before you can withdraw any winnings earned from the bonus funds. 

Say, a betting platform offers a 100% deposit match bonus up to GBP£50 with a 5x wagering requirement. If you deposit GBP£50, you’ll get an additional GBP£50 in bonus funds. However, before you can withdraw any winnings from that GBP£50 bonus, you’ll need to wager a total of GBP£50 x 5 = GBP£250.

Here’s why this tip is important: Not all bonuses are created equal. A seemingly large bonus might have a high wagering requirement. This can make it difficult to actually convert it into withdrawable cash. 

So, always factor in the wagering requirements when choosing a bonus and ensure it aligns with your budget and betting style.

Track Your Progress

Speaking of wagering requirements, many reputable online betting platforms in the UK offer transparency tools to help you monitor your progress. This typically involves a section where you can track how much you’ve wagered towards meeting the bonus requirements.

Say your chosen platform offers a bonus with a 10x wagering requirement. Their platform might have a section showing your total wagers placed using the bonus funds. This allows you to easily see how much further you need to wager before you can withdraw any winnings from the bonus.

In Closing

And that’s the ins and outs of claiming and using welcome bonuses. Keep these pointers in mind, and you’ll be strategizing your bets, maximizing those bonuses, and maybe even walking away with a win. But remember, gambling is addictive. Keep it fun and responsible.

Sources

1. “Betting in the United Kingdom – statistics & facts”, Sources: https://www.statista.com/topics/6133/betting-industry-in-the-uk/#topicOverview
2. “Statistics on participation and problem gambling for the year to March 2023”, Sources: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/statistics-and-research/publication/statistics-on-participation-and-problem-gambling-for-the-year-to-march-2023
3. “Annual Report & Accounts 2021-2022”, Source: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/631744818fa8f5021fc607b4/3450_GC_AR_2021-2022_ACCTAG_v2.pdf
4. “Regulator finds UK problem gambling rates may be eight times higher than thought”, Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/nov/23/regulator-problem-gambling-rates-great-britain-may-be-eight-times-higher