Looking for free bets in Connecticut? You’ll find the best CT free betting sites in this article!
Free bets are among the most common
sports betting bonuses
in the US. Whether you’re making a safe money line bet or a long-shot same-game parlay, a free bet can always come in handy.
Like other US states with regulated sports betting, Connecticut has several online sportsbooks that offer free bets to new and existing customers. Below are some of our top recommended picks.
Aside from the list of top free bet sportsbooks in CT, we’ll talk a bit more about what free bets are, what makes them so great, and some things to pay attention to when using them.
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A free bet is an online betting bonus that allows the bettor to make a sports bet without spending money. If the bet loses, you will essentially lose nothing, as it wasn’t your own money you were staking in the first place. If the bet wins, you win the profit part of the bet.
Free bets should not be confused with risk-free (second-chance) bets or site credit, as these work a bit differently. Free bets are also called bonus bets.
How Does a Free Bet Bonus Work?
Let’s say that a Connecticut betting site gives you a $25 free bet. You can now use that free bet on any odds and markets, although you should check bonus terms and conditions for potential restrictions.
You place the $25 bonus bet on the Boston Celtics to beat the Philadelphia 76ers with the odds of -200. If the Celtics lose, it’s as if nothing happened. You forfeit your free bet, which didn’t cost you anything anyway.
If the Celtics win, you stand to win $12.5. Now, if you were to bet your own money, your total payout would be $37.5 ($25 stake + $12.5 profit). However, since the free bet is not redeemable, you’ll only get to keep the profit portion. You can use the bonus bet only once.
How to Claim Free Bets on a Connecticut Betting Site
So, now that you know what a free bet is, you must be eager to try one. No problem — we’ll walk you through claiming and utilizing free bets on
CT online sportsbooks.
Pick a Trusted Betting Site
Connecticut has only three licensed betting sites, so choosing one should not take much time. While you may be on the hunt for lucrative free bet offers, consider other factors as well, like market depth, odds quality, mobile app usability, payout speed, and anything else that may improve your betting experience.
Better yet, you can create an account on each of the three CT sportsbooks and switch between them whenever an opportunity arises. This way, you can grab the best free bet bonuses and find great odds or special markets.
Check the Free Bet Terms and Conditions
You should read the bonus T&C page before claiming any sports betting offer. This page will provide all the details missing from the promotional banner. These may include the time to use the offer, whether the bonus bet comes in one lump sum or increments, eligible markets, and more. Once you study the teams, you can better understand the free bet’s actual value.
Register, Deposit, and Claim Your Free Bet
To claim a free bet, you first must create an account at one of the Connecticut betting sites and complete a deposit. There are also
no deposit-free bets, but these are rare. Sometimes, you must also enter a promo code when registering or depositing. Once you have cleared up the technicalities, follow the betting site’s instructions on activating the free bet.
Your free bet will often come from a lost risk-free bet. Namely, a lot of online sportsbooks offer risk-free or second-chance bets. These require you to deposit and make a qualifying bet. In that case, you will only receive a free bet if your initial bet loses.
Use the Free Bet
Once you receive your free bet, it’s time to use it. You don’t need to put down the free bet immediately, but remember that there is a time limit, as specified in the bonus terms.
How you activate a free bet will differ from sportsbook to sportsbook. Usually, an option will pop up in the bet slip area once you add some selections. Minding odds and market restrictions, you can use the free bet in various ways and even create a parlay.
If you win, remember that you will only receive the profit portion of your bet, while the stake portion will become void.
What to Pay Attention to When Using Free Bets in Connecticut
Like any sports betting bonus, free bets sometimes look too good to be true before you read the terms and conditions. To understand the actual value of the offer and avoid any confusion, please pay attention to the following.
Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements are commonly attached to free bets and are the single biggest obstacle in getting money out of them.
If the wagering requirements are 5x, for example, you will need to wager your free bet amount five times before being able to cash out what’s left. Luckily, legit US sportsbooks usually have a rollover of just 1x on their free bets. This means you just need to use the free bet once, and if you win, you can freely withdraw the profit.
Free Bet Size and Increments
One of the main differences between site credit and free bets is how you use them. If you get a $200 bonus from a match deposit offer, you can use those $200 whichever way you like — spending all $200 on a single bet or chipping away at it with small $5 wagers.
Meanwhile, the value of free bets is predetermined. For example, DraftKings offers $200 through eight $25 free bets.
Eligible Odds and Markets
A sportsbook can limit the range of sports and markets on which you can use your free bets. For example, a free bet promotion may only be available for the NBA Finals or the Super Bowl, with restrictions on other markets. You may also encounter minimum odds limits. For instance, you can sometimes only use a free bet on odds -200 or longer.
Time Limit
Once you claim your free bets, the clock will start ticking. Depending on the size of the offer and the sportsbook’s courtesy, you will usually have a few days to a month to use your free bet credits. This is why you should try to time your free bets. If you want to use the offer for an event a few weeks away, you can wait or find a free bet promo that lasts longer.
Reasons to Use Free Bets
Using a free bet is always optional. You can create an account on a betting site and ignore its promotions completely.
However, there is no reason not to claim a free bet. Using them does not take anything away from your bankroll, so you won’t lose a penny, even in the worst-case scenario. Moreover, using free bets comes with a few benefits besides the obvious ones.
Trying Out a NewSportsbook
If you’re unsure whether a given Connecticut betting site will be the right fit, using its welcome offers is the best way to test the waters. Claiming and placing a free bet can be an excellent opportunity to check the sportsbook’s key features, like the ease of logging in, responsiveness, bet slip design, quality of the mobile app, and more.
Casual Betting
A free bet can be a perfect promotion for a casual sports bettor who only likes betting on big events like the Super Bowl, the World Series, or a blockbuster UFC fight. If you view sports betting as a one-and-done experience, it makes sense to take as little risk as possible on your bet and take advantage of free bets and other incentives.
Explore New Markets
Maybe you always wanted to wager on NBA player props but never dared to since it’s too risky. With a promotion like a free bet, you can confidently take riskier bets and explore new markets. After all, it doesn’t cost anything if you lose, so it’s a perfect opportunity for experimentation.
Tips and Strategies for Using Free Bets in CT
Here are a few things to remember while looking for and using free bets at Connecticut betting sites.
Be Smart With Your Bets
Just because free bets allow you to experiment and take long-shot wagers, that’s not always the wisest choice. Don’t focus on the big potential payout and try to instead use the free bet for something with a realistic chance of hitting. Of course, minimum odds limits might apply, as the sportsbook most likely won’t allow you to make a bet on huge favorites.
Use Free Bets for Arbitraging
Arbitraging is locking in a profit no matter which side of the bet hits. To arbitrage, you must look for contrasting odds on two different sportsbooks. Finding arbitrage opportunities is often tricky. However, it is easier with a free bet.
Namely, you can make a real-money bet on the favorite and then use the free bet to back the underdog. However, the odds must line up so that the potential profit from the free bet is larger than your real money wager. If the favorite wins, you win the real-money bet and lose the free bet, essentially losing nothing. If the underdog is victorious, you will lose your real-money bet, but the free bet profit will cover it.
Don’t Judge a Sportsbook by Free Bets Alone
You should consider the free bets and promotions when picking a betting site, but they are far from the most important thing. It’s essential that the sportsbook has competitive pricing, a good variety of betting options and features, and provides optimal user experience. Only then should you look at the quality of free bets and other offers.
Comparing Free Bets With Other Sports Betting Bonuses
Free bets are not the only type of sports betting bonus. Other popular offers include risk-free bets, deposit match bonuses, and cashback bonuses. The table below aims to illustrate how free bets measure up against them.
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Free bets vs. risk-free bets
Risk-free bets require you to make a qualifying bet that, in most cases, you must lose to gain free bets or site credit. You don’t need to lose a bet to get free bets straight up, although many sportsbooks often construct their welcome offer so that risk-free bets lead to free bets.
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Free bets vs. deposit match bonuses
Deposit match bonuses are usually much bigger than free bets, sometimes maxing out at over $1,000. However, they also require a large deposit and have more restrictive wagering requirements and other terms.
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Free bets vs. cashback bonuses
Cashback bonuses cushion your losses by reimbursing you with a percentage of your lost bets over a certain period. In that regard, cashback deals are almost the opposite of free bets. But these two are connected in that a sportsbook featuring a cashback bonus often won’t reimburse you with cash or site credits but free bets.
Pros & Cons of Free Bets on Connecticut Sportsbooks
Pros
Easy to claim
You’re not using your own money when making a free bet
Possibility of exploitation through arbitraging
Great way to test the betting site
Excellent for exploring new markets
Cons
Usually small compared to match bonuses
Possible odds and market restrictions
The only way to get them is usually through other promotions
Frequently Asked Questions About Free Bets in Connecticut
Is it legal to claim free bets on Connecticut sportsbooks?
Free bets are a legitimate bonus that CT sportsbooks offer. However, due to restrictions in using the word “free,” you must find them under other names, like bonus bets, for example.
Is there a catch to free bets?
When winning with a free bet, you will only get the profit portion of the bet and not the stake part. Moreover, certain free bets may come with wagering requirements and restrictions typically not applicable to regular bets.
Does FanDuel CT offer a free bet?
FanDuel currently offers what it calls a No Sweat First Bet, essentially a risk-free bet. If you deposit and place a bet on the FanDuel sportsbook and that bet loses, you will receive free bets (bonus bets) up to $2,500.
How many Connecticut sportsbooks offer free bets?
There are only three online sportsbooks legally operating in Connecticut, and they all commonly offer free bets as part of their welcome deals and recurring promotions.
Why should I use a free bet on Connecticut betting sites?
Free bets give you a chance to turn nothing into something. If you lose a free bet, it’s as if you lost nothing at all, but if you win, you get to keep the profit. Free bets are also a great way to test out an online sportsbook, find arbitraging opportunities, and take riskier bets than you normally would.
Whatever the sport. Whatever the moment. It's Never Ordinary at bet365. That's why if you sign up now you'll get the choice of two great New Customer Offers, the First Bet Safety Net up to $1000 or Bet $5 and Get $200 in Bonus Bets. Deposit required. Bonus Bets wager excluded from returns. T&Cs, time limits and exclusions apply.Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler 21+
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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