Free bets: is the stake returned and how much is paid?

If a free bet is stake-not-returned (SNR), a win credits only S × (D − 1): with a stake of 5 at decimal odds of 4.00, that is 5 × (4.00 − 1) = 15, not 20. Stakemate Bet Rewards Club is a verified example: £5 at 4.00 credits £15, not £20, under the official terms, section 9, for eligible, verified GB accounts; the public page shows no revision date and was accessed on October 16, 2026, and eligibility is not universal. A free bet is a promotional betting token, rather than your own cash.

Do not apply that rule to every promotion. A stake-not-returned free bet (SNR), a hypothetical stake-returned free bet (SR), and a separate bonus balance can produce different cash credits from the same stake and odds.

How does a free bet differ from a cash bet?

A cash bet puts your own money at risk; a free bet uses a promotional token whose treatment depends on the offer’s terms. The amount credited after a win is therefore not necessarily the same as your net cash result.

• Cash bet: a winning return includes your stake and profit. A losing bet costs you the cash stake.
• Stake-not-returned free bet (SNR): only the winnings are credited. The token’s face value is not returned, and the token is also consumed if the bet loses.
• Stake-returned free bet (SR): this guide uses a hypothetical model in which the full return is credited as cash only if the terms explicitly return the stake as cash. No live SR offer is verified in the cited terms.
• MyBookie Free Play bonus funds: these sit in a separate bonus balance. The amount staked is deducted regardless of the outcome; only net winnings from a winning bet move to the cash balance. Offer-specific rollover may still apply, according to the MyBookie bonus rules, Free Play section.

A credit to a cash balance does not itself guarantee immediate withdrawal. Check any applicable rollover separately; the wagering requirements guide explains how those conditions work.

How much is credited at a stake of 5 and odds of 4.00?

A winning cash bet credits 20, an SNR free bet credits 15, and the hypothetical SR free bet credits 20 only if the stake returns as cash. Every row below uses a stake of 5 and decimal odds of 4.00, in the same currency units.

For the cash bet, the cash change is measured from before placing the bet. For promotional bets, it is measured after receiving the token or bonus funds. All costs of qualifying for the promotion are excluded.

The arithmetic is:

• Cash bet: return 5 × 4.00 = 20; net profit 20 − 5 = 15.
• SNR free bet: cash credit 5 × (4.00 − 1) = 15.
• Hypothetical SR free bet with cash stake return: cash credit 5 × 4.00 = 20.
• Bonus balance in the Free Play example: 5 × (4.00 − 1) = 15 moves to the cash balance, while 5 is deducted from the bonus balance.

No rounding affects this example: every result is a whole number. The promotional cash changes of +15 and +20 are not full promotion profits, because qualifying costs are excluded. Likewise, a cash change of zero on a loss describes only the use of an already-received token or bonus funds.

If an SR offer returns the stake as restricted bonus funds rather than cash, the cash credit differs. For example, 15 in cash plus a restricted token worth 5 is not the same as 20 in cash. Check which balance receives the returned stake.

Comparison of cash credits at 5 × 4.00 for a cash bet, SNR free bet, conditional SR free bet and Free Play bonus fundsOriginal illustrative 5 × 4.00 comparison. SR is conditional on the stake returning as cash; qualifying costs are excluded.

For more on ordinary cash returns and net profit, see the guide to how betting odds work.

How do you check expiry and betting restrictions?

Check the terms of your exact offer and the expiry of your individual token: even promotions from the same operator can have different restrictions. An operator’s name alone does not establish which rules apply.

Under section 9 of the terms for the Club example cited above:

• The token expires 7 days after credit; the exact expiry date appears in the Free Bets wallet.
• It must be used on one wager, with no splitting. Any unused token value is lost.
• Redemption requires at least two selections and minimum odds of 2.0.

The source does not specify whether 2.0 applies to each selection or the total ticket. Do not assume either interpretation. Check the bet slip and ask support to clarify the requirement before placing the bet if it remains unclear.

A separate welcome offer from the same operator, on the same official promotions page, requires at least three selections and odds of 3.0 for token redemption. Its December 1, 2026 promotion deadline is not the Club token’s seven-day expiry. These are separate sets of conditions.

Market restrictions can also differ. The separate MyBookie Free Bet section of the bonus rules cited above permits straight wagers but excludes live bets and parlays. Those restrictions must not be treated as rules for Free Play or Stakemate. That separate Free Bet section also states that winnings have no rollover; this does not remove any offer-specific rollover from Free Play.

Before confirming a bet, check:

1. Offer and account eligibility: confirm that the terms belong to the promotion you received and that your account and region qualify.
2. Token expiry: check the individual token’s expiry date, not just the promotion’s closing date.
3. Bet type and selection count: confirm whether straight wagers are allowed or multiple selections are required.
4. Minimum odds: establish both the threshold and whether it applies per selection or to the whole ticket. Resolve ambiguity before betting.
5. Market restrictions: check the selected market and whether live betting is permitted.
6. Displayed return: compare the bet slip’s expected credit with the calculation, including where any returned stake would go.

How do you check the calculation with the tool?

Check the calculation in ToolsGambling’s free bet calculator: enter 5 and decimal odds of 4.00, then turn SNR on. The winning credit under this calculation is 15. The screenshot below shows Single mode only to check SNR arithmetic at 5×4.00, not an eligible ticket for the Club example: the club token requires at least two selections.

Open the ToolsGambling free bet calculator:

1. Enter 5 in the free bet amount field.
2. Enter 4.00 in the decimal odds field.
3. Turn SNR on to exclude the stake from the return.
4. Check that the calculated payout is 15.

Turning SNR off shows only the hypothetical SR arithmetic: 20 if the stake returns as cash. It does not establish that such an offer is available.

ToolsGambling free bet calculator showing an amount of 5, decimal odds of 4.00 and SNR enabledReal ToolsGambling calculator capture. The interface displays $; this is not a conversion from pounds to dollars.

The Single mode shown here is an arithmetic demonstration only, not a valid club ticket with at least two selections. Separately check the selection count, odds, market and displayed return in the actual bet slip.

The calculator checks arithmetic, not eligibility, permitted markets, token expiry, rollover or whether a credit can be withdrawn. Any estimated free bet value or expected value figures are not the actual payout from a winning bet. Before confirming, use your token’s terms and the return displayed on the bet slip; neither the calculation nor the promotion guarantees a win, payout or withdrawal.