💡 Which betting sites offer free bets in South Africa?

There are a number of online bookmakers who regularly offer free bets to new and existing customers. Sites like Megapari, 888starz and Melbet provide lots of free bet options, you can read about these operators in our guide above.

💡 What are free bet terms and conditions?

All bookmaker offers come with a set of terms and conditions. These will vary from bonus to bonus, so it’s important you read the terms of your particular promo before you try and claim it. Standard free bet terms include time and sport restrictions.

Betting Sites with Free Bets – South Africa

By Sarah Jones | Last update at 4 April, 2025⏲️ Reading time: 21 minutes

Fact checked by Martins Lasmanis

Fact checked by

Martins Lasmanis

With more than 10 years of experience in online marketing, and special focus on the gambling affiliation sector over 5 years, Martin Lasmanis is a true expert in his niche. Today, Martin's vision is to build the largest lead generator company in the world. Fortunately, we have the perfect team to make his dream come true!

Free bets are a common sight at online bookmakers. They’re awarded for a variety of reasons, whether part of a signup bonus, weekly deposit offer or reload bonuses. Many South African betting sites offer free bets to new and existing customers and earning them is usually a reasonably simple process.

In this guide we’re going to examine the best betting sites that offer free bets to bettors in South Africa. We’ll look at what terms and conditions can apply to this type of promotion and what you need to be aware of when you claim a free bet.

We’ll also take a look at the overall usability of South African sites, including the user experience, other types of promotions, sports and markets, live betting facilities and customer services.

Let’s begin.

Best Sports Betting Sites in South Africa 2025

Rank	Bookmaker	Rating	Bonus	Get bonus
1	888Starz	4.3/5	100% welcome bonus up to €1,000	Play Read review
2	MegaPari	5/5	100% WELCOME BONUS UP TO 100 EUR	Play Read review
3	Paripesa	4.5/5	100% welcome bonus up to 1715 ZAR	Play Read review
4	BetBeast	4.5/5	Welcome Bonus up to 18000 ZAR	Play Read review
5	22Bet	4.5/5	100% WELCOME BONUS UP TO 100 EUR	Play Read review

Is Online Betting in South Africa legal?

Residents of South Africa can legally bet at licenced online sportsbooks. Licenced is the key word here, make sure whichever site you sign up to holds the correct, legal licences for your territory. Licences are awarded by the Provincial Licencing Authorities, who are themselves overseen by the National Gambling Board.

All betting sites should display their licence on their website. Alternatively, you can find the status of your chosen online bookmaker via the National Gambling Board. To be clear, all betting sites we feature all hold the correct licences and can legally offer a betting service to South Africa residents.

All eligible bettors in South Africa can sign up to a betting site, as long as they’re aged 18 or above. Note that some sites only allow one account per household.

What are Free Bets?

Let’s now take a look at what a free bet actually is. Free bets are bonuses awarded that allow the bettor to place a wager without using any of their real money balance. They can be offered in a range of circumstances, usually either as part of an ongoing promotion or as a form of loyalty bonus for existing customers.

On occasion, free bets can make up a new customer offer. For example, BetBeast’s current welcome bonus awards a range of free bets across a new customer’s first four deposits. More often than not, though, they’re used to reward existing customers.

Let’s look at some examples of when a free bet could be offered. They can be made available when a major sports tournament is due to take place. You might find a free bet offer such as Free Bet if South Africa win the Six Nations, or Free Bet if you place a bet on the South Africa Premier League.

Some sites offer a free bet if you place a winning bet on a particular event. For instance, you might find an offer giving you a free bet if you place a winning accumulator on football matches, or a free bet if your T20 cricket bet is successful.

Free bets can also be awarded if you lose bets. Many operators offer a Bonus for a Series of Losing Bets, where the site will refund your losing stakes over the course of a set period of time as a free bet. Many operators combine their pre-match and live betting facilities. As an example, you might come across a free bet opportunity awarding you a free bet to use in-play if you bet on a pre-match market.

Generally, the free bet stake isn’t returned as part of any winnings you might make from it. Free bet amounts aren’t usually particularly large, ranging from around 100 to 1000 ZAR, depending on who you’re betting with. There are some free bets that are worth more than this amount in certain circumstances, we’ll detail the best free bet offers currently available a little later in this guide.

The above only really scratches the surface. Alongside deposit match bonuses, free bet offers are one of the most common betting site promotions you’ll come across.

How to use a Free Bet

There are a couple of schools of thought when it comes to using a free bet. Some bettors take the opportunity to use a free bet to stake on something outrageous, like a 101.0 shot in the Grand National with the thought process being they’re not risking any of their real funds. Another school of thought is that the free bet should be treated like real cash and used just as sensibly.

We’re in the second camp. While it’s nice to be able to place a bet without using any of your betting funds as a stake, this doesn’t necessarily mean you should bet on just anything. While a free bet might appear risk-free, you would have had to make a qualifying deposit or stake to receive it and so it should be taken just as seriously as if you’re using your bankroll. If you use a free bet wisely you could make profit from it, and so we recommend you conduct your research into your wager just as thoroughly as you would if you were using your own money.

To receive a free bet, you will need to qualify for that particular promotion. We’ll look at typical terms and conditions of free bet offers shortly. You might also need to activate or opt-in to a free bet promo.

While the process of using a free bet might differ slightly from betting site to betting site, it usually follows the steps we’ve listed below.

Choose which sport you want to bet on, or the sport that’s listed in the promotional terms
Click on the fixture of your choice, or the fixture that’s listed in the promotional terms
Click on the odds you want to bet on, your selection will be added to your betting slip
Instead of entering a stake, click the Free Bet box
Confirm your bet

Free Bet Terms and Conditions

As we’ve touched upon, the specific terms and conditions of a free bet promotion can vary wildly from site to site. Below, we’ve listed the most common terms you’re likely to come across in your free bet bonus.

Time Limits. Often, you’ll find there’s a limit on the amount of time you have to spend your free bet. While this time limit can vary, most often it’s set at 7 days.
Stake Not Returned. With almost every free bet offer we’ve found, the free bet amount isn’t included in any winnings you might make from it.
Non-withdrawable. Any free bet you might receive must be used to place a wager. You won’t be able to withdraw the free bet amount as cash.
Single bet. You’re also unable to ‘split’ the free bet award - it must be used in its entirety on a qualifying sport or market.

Free Bet Comparison

In the table below, we’ve gathered all the best free bet options currently available at South African betting sites. Note that these offers are subject to change at any time, but they do give you a good idea of the types of free bets that are offered regularly.

Betting Site	Free Bet Promo	Free Bet Value
📱 888starz	App Free Bet	Up to 59 ZAR
🏅 888starz	Bonus for a series of losing bets	Up to 9000 ZAR
🎉 888starz	Birthday bonus	Up to 1970 ZAR
🎁 Megapari	Free Bet Basket	Up to 9845 ZAR
💰 Megapari	Free Bet on your First Deposit	Up to 2025 ZAR
🏦 Paripesa	Losing Bets Free Bet	Up to 5786 ZAR
🎊 BetBeast	Welcome Offer	Up to €1000
🕝 1Bet	Weekly Free Bet	€5
🏀 Melbet	NBA 3 Point Free Bet	Up to 1826 ZAR
✅ Melbet	Safe Bet Free Bet	Up to 183 ZAR
🥇 Melbet	Winner Fight	Up to 1826 ZAR

Top 3 Betting Sites with Free Bets in South Africa

As we’ve seen, there are a number of betting sites in South Africa that regularly offer free bets to new and existing customers. From this number, we’ve created our top three list. In addition to their free bet offers, our top three also provide a fantastic all-round betting service including an excellent user experience, variety of sports and markets and live betting options.

888Starz

An operator we’ve been very impressed with, 888starz offer a variety of free bets along with plenty of other promotions. There is a wide selection of sports and events to choose from, with over 50 different events available for customers to bet on. Horse racing is available too, along with greyhound racing and trotting.

This number is higher than many other sites in South Africa. What’s also appealing is the number of odds and markets available on these sports, especially on the most popular like football, cricket and rugby.

Mobile betting is also an option, with a dedicated mobile app available for Android users. The mobile version of the site works well so iOS device holders can still enjoy betting via their mobile device.

In addition to their impressive pre-match selection, 888starz offer an extensive live facility. This covers a number of different sports throughout the day. Live streaming is also an option on selected sports.

Customer service is good, with a live chat and email service available. There’s also an FAQ section available via the website.

As well as their Sportsbook, 888starz customers can also enjoy Casino, Live Casino, Poker, Bingo and Games.

888starz Details

🎁 Welcome Bonus	Deposit Match up to 1736 ZAR
💰 Number of Free Bet offers	3
💶 Number of other Sports promotions	5

MegaPari

Another impressive betting site is Megapari. Offering odds and markets on over 50 sports and events, this operator will appeal especially to customers who like variation in their betting.

Included in their Sportsbook is a comprehensive horse racing section, as well as greyhound racing and trotting. The variety of markets available on most sports is simply stunning, with an average European football match containing well over 1000 separate betting odds.

In addition, Megapari’s live betting facility is one of the best we’ve come across. There’s a huge range of live sports to bet on throughout the day. Live streaming is again an option on selected sports, accessible using the With Live Streams button.

There’s a great amount of free bet options available throughout the year. There are also some sports-specific bonuses available, with basketball and ice hockey bettors having the option to qualify for free bets throughout the season.

Customer support is easily accessible. Megapari provide a live chat service, along with their email service and social media channels.

Customers at this site can also enjoy Casino, Live Casino, Bingo, Scratchcard and Games options.

Megapari Details

🎁 Welcome Bonus	Deposit Match up to 3900 ZAR across first two deposits
💰 Number of Free Bet offers	7
💶 Number of other Sports promotions	5

Melbet

Out of all South African betting sites we tested, Melbet offered the highest number of free bets and other promotions. This is really good to see, an operator who delights in rewarding their loyal customers with plenty of betting bonuses.

As with the rest of our top three free bet bookmakers, Melbet offer odds and markets on over 50 different sports and events, including horse racing, greyhound racing and trotting. Markets are plentiful too, especially on the most popular events.

Live betting is an option, and Melbet’s facility offers in-play odds on a wide range of major and minor tournaments and competitions. Live streams are also accessible on eligible sports.

There is also a mobile app available for both iOS and Android devices. We found it easier to download using the QR code found directly from the bookmaker website.

Slots, Live Casino, Games and Bingo are also options for sportsbook bettors once they’ve created an account.

Melbet Details

🎁 Welcome Bonus	Deposit Match up to 1826 ZAR
💰 Number of Free Bet offers	6
💶 Number of other Sports promotions	9

How we rank the best betting sites in South Africa

As we’ve discussed in this guide, there are a variety of aspects that make an excellent betting site. We’ve focused on free bets, but there are many other factors you should consider when you’re choosing your next online bookmaker.

When we review a betting site, there are some key aspects we analyse. Let’s now take you through our review process and the characteristics that are most important for a bookmaker to offer.

1
New and Existing Customer Promotions
We’ve covered promotions extensively in this guide. An attractive welcome bonus, one that is easy to claim and doesn’t require a great deal in the way of qualifying deposit and/or stake is often the sign of a good bookmaker. Similarly, the offering of existing customer promotions also shows that the operator rewards loyal customers, as well as providing opportunities to earn free bets, price boosts and enhanced odds.
As we saw earlier, there are some betting sites who offer sports-specific promotions, such as Megapari’s NHL promo. If you’re interested in a particular sport or competition, it’s a good idea to find an operator who can provide bonus offers for the events you’re going to be betting on anyway.
2
Range of sports and markets
In our experience, the best sites offer a wide array of sports and markets for their customers to bet on. We’d expect to see the most popular sports available, football, basketball, ice hockey and tennis being just a handful of examples. We also, though, want variation in our betting and we like to see more niche sports available too.
In addition to the number of sports and events available, it’s also important to have a variety of markets to choose from. Better value can be found in markets such as Half-Time/Full-Time or Handicap markets, rather than the standard Match Winner bet. Make sure that your operator of choice offers you the markets you like to bet on.
3
Competitive odds
A key to successful betting is to find odds with value. While a slight difference in odds might not seem like a great deal, over a period of time this could cost you a good amount in potential profit.
The best sites tend to offer competitive odds on a range of sports and events, without relying on promotions like enhanced odds or price boosts. Our top sites we’ve examined for this guide all regularly offer great odds on a variety of events.
4
Customer service
Often overlooked but incredibly important is customer support. While we never want things to go wrong when betting online, sometimes problems can arise, such as deposit issues or problems with a bonus. We expect the best sites to offer live chat and email services as standard.
Most of the sites we’ve reviewed offer a 24/7 live chat service, which is great to see. If you’re using email to contact the customer support team, you should expect a reply, or at the very least acknowledgement of your query, within a couple of hours.
5
Live betting options
In-play betting is becoming an incredibly popular way of placing wagers. Many bettors prefer the immediacy and adrenaline rush of a live bet over traditional pre-match betting. Others combine the two in an effort to find value or to cover their pre-match wagers.
In addition, live streaming is also great to find. The option to watch the event live as you place your bets can be hugely beneficial in making sure you’re betting with knowledge.
6
Mobile betting
The betting industry has seen an explosion in the number of bettors who place wagers via their mobile device. Many sites now offer dedicated sports betting apps, optimised for mobile use.
If you don’t want to download an app, the mobile versions of betting sites should still be user-friendly and enjoyable to use. We’ve yet to come across a South African online bookmaker who doesn’t offer either a mobile version or mobile app.
A benefit to downloading the bookmaker app is that specific mobile-only promotions are sometimes available. For instance, 888starz offer a free bet for customers who download their mobile app.
7
Payment options
As with customer support, payment options are sometimes overlooked in terms of importance. However, the best sites offer their customers a wide range of deposit and withdrawal methods that are safe and secure to use. In addition, they won’t charge any fees for using any method and processing times should be reasonably quick.
Typical payment methods you’ll find at South African betting sites including card, bank transfer, Cryptocurrency and online wallets. Note that due to money laundering regulations, you’ll only be allowed to make a withdrawal using a method with which you’ve previously used to make a deposit.

How to register at a South African betting site

Before you can start betting or qualifying for free bets, you will first need to create a bookmaker account. In this section, we’re going to describe the general registration process. This process might differ slightly, depending on who you’re betting with, but most South African sites have similar sign up forms. Note that verification will be required when you sign up, make a deposit and/or request a withdrawal.

Also, while some registration forms require your full identification details, some allow you to join using just your name, email address and mobile phone number. If it’s the latter, you will still need to complete a Personal Profile, which can be accessed on the betting site.

Head over to the site of your choice and click the Join Now or Register buttons, often found in the top right corner of your screen
A list of welcome offers should be displayed. Select which offer, if any, you want to take before you fill in the registration form
Enter the personal information requested
Confirm your account

How to make deposits and withdrawals

Once you’ve created your bookmaker account, you’ll be able to make a withdrawal. Note that if you’re attempting to claim a free bet, a minimum and maximum deposit amount might apply. As well as this, payment method restrictions might also be in place, so make sure you take note of this before you transfer funds into your account.

As with the registration process above, bookmakers might have slightly different processes for deposits and withdrawals. However, the steps below describe the process of most betting sites.

Log in to your account and click on Deposit, often found in the top right corner of the screen
Click on the deposit method you want to use
Enter the details of your chosen method
Enter the amount you want to deposit
Confirm the transaction

Withdrawals can often be accessed via the Deposits page. Alternatively, use the My Account menu to access the Withdrawals feature.

How to place a bet

Once you’ve made a deposit, you’ll be able to place a bet. To find the sport of your choice, it’s often easier to use the A-Z Menu that’s often found on the left hand side of the bookmaker homepage. Follow the steps below to get started.

Choose which sport you want to bet on
From the list of competitions, select your fixture
Click on the odds you want to bet on, this will be added to your betting slip on the right hand side of the screen
Enter your stake and confirm the bet placement

If you’re using a free bet as a stake, there will be a Free Bet box. Tick this instead of entering a stake and confirm your bet as normal.

FAQ. Frequently Asked Questions

There are a number of online bookmakers who regularly offer free bets to new and existing customers. Sites like Megapari, 888starz and Melbet provide lots of free bet options, you can read about these operators in our guide above.
All bookmaker offers come with a set of terms and conditions. These will vary from bonus to bonus, so it’s important you read the terms of your particular promo before you try and claim it. Standard free bet terms include time and sport restrictions.