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A Freebet that is "stake not returned" (SNR) pays only the profit when it wins: a €10 Freebet at x5.00 pays €40, not €50, because the €10 stake was never yours. To turn it into money whatever the result, back the Freebet's selection at the bookmaker that gave it and cover the other outcome at a second bookmaker with a stake of . Done right, you keep roughly 60 to 80 % of the Freebet's value, whoever wins.
New to matched betting? The beginner's guide to matched betting explains how qualifying bets and Freebets fit together.
What "stake not returned" means#
When a normal bet wins, you get your stake back plus the profit: €10 at x5.00 returns €50. With a Freebet you didn't pay a stake, so most bookmakers keep it and pay only the profit:
That is an Freebet SNR Freebet, and it is by far the most common type. If the Freebet loses, you lose nothing of your own. The offer terms tell you which type you have; if they say something like "Freebet stakes are not included in returns", it is SNR.
A few bookmakers pay a Freebet out in full, stake included: "stake returned" (SR). On MB-Tracker, a Freebet always means SNR, and SR Freebets are called a Bonus, because they work like bonus money. So from here on, "Freebet" means a stake-not-returned Freebet.
How to cover an SNR Freebet with Back-Back#
With Back-Back Back-Back you place the Freebet on one outcome at the bookmaker that gave it (Bookmaker A) and back the other outcome with your own money at a different bookmaker (Bookmaker B). Because the Freebet win doesn't include the stake, the covering stake uses odds − 1:
Say you have a €10 Freebet and a tennis match where the underdog, player A, is at x5.00 at Bookmaker A and the favourite, player B, at x1.22 at Bookmaker B:
| If... | Bookmaker A (Freebet) | Bookmaker B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player A wins | +€40.00 | −€32.79 | +€7.21 |
| Player B wins | €0.00 | +€7.21 | +€7.21 |
Whoever wins, the Freebet has become €7.21. If player A wins, Bookmaker A pays the €40 profit and the covering bet loses. If player B wins, the Freebet is gone (it cost you nothing) and the covering bet wins €32.79 × (x1.22 − 1) ≈ €7.21.
You can try it with your own numbers in the Calculator Freebet calculator: it opens the calculator with the Freebet switch already on.
How much of the Freebet you keep#
The share of the Freebet you lock in is its Freebet rating:
You never keep 100 % of a Freebet: the stake isn't paid out, and the bookmakers' margin takes a little more. What you can control is the odds. Put the same €10 Freebet on a favourite at x1.50 and cover at x2.75, and the covering stake drops to about €1.82, but the locked profit drops with it to about €3.18: a rating of only 32 %.
The reason is the missing stake. At x1.50 the Freebet's win is only €5, half its face value, while at x5.00 it is €40. So put Freebets on the higher odds side and look for markets where the two prices are close to fair. Higher odds also mean a bigger covering stake (€32.79 for a €10 Freebet above), so check that you have enough in the second account, and check the offer's minimum or maximum odds.
The most common Freebet mistake#
Using the wrong formula breaks the cover. Size the covering bet for the Freebet above as if it were a normal stake, with instead of €32.79, and the two outcomes no longer match:
| If... | Bookmaker A (Freebet) | Bookmaker B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Player A wins | +€40.00 | −€40.98 | −€0.98 |
| Player B wins | €0.00 | +€9.02 | +€9.02 |
Now the match decides whether you lose €0.98 or win €9.02: that is a bet, not matched betting. Check the Freebet type in the terms and let the calculator do the maths. More things to watch are in is matched betting risk-free?
Using a Freebet in the MB-Tracker calculator#
- Open the Calculator Freebet calculator (the Freebet Is Freebet? switch is already on) and enter the Freebet amount as the stake and the odds at both bookmakers.
- Read the covering stake and the result for each outcome. The Freebet Rating badge shows how much of the Freebet you keep.
- No good pair at hand? Press search: the Odds search odds search prices every pair at your bookmakers as that Freebet and lists the best first. Click one to fill in the calculator.
- Check the odds on both bookmakers' sites, place both bets straight after each other, then log them with Track Bets.
Bet responsibly#
You must be 18 or older (older in some countries), and whether matched betting is allowed and how winnings are taxed depends on where you live, so check the rules in your country. Only use money you can afford to lose. If betting stops feeling under your control, take a break and contact a gambling support service in your country.
