This page sets out how ValueBets.uk rates the offers we list. Every offer goes through the same checks, so you can compare them fairly. It covers who reviews our offers, what we look at, how we estimate an offer’s value and how we make money, so you can decide how far to rely on our figures.
Key facts
- We only list bookmakers licensed by the UK Gambling Commission.
- Every offer is checked against the bookmaker’s full terms, not just the headline.
- Estimated value is the average return you could expect from an offer, not a guarantee.
- We may earn a commission when you sign up through our links, and it never changes our ratings or estimated values.
- We update offers when the terms change and take them down when they end.
Who reviews our offers
Offers and guides on ValueBets.uk are reviewed by Jon, our editor, who has worked in the UK betting industry for more than six years running comparison and review sites.
Where we can, we test offers ourselves: opening an account, placing the qualifying bet, and going through verification and withdrawal to see what customers really experience.
What we check on every offer
- Licence: a current UK Gambling Commission licence, confirmed on the Commission’s public register.
- Qualifying terms: the minimum deposit or stake, minimum odds, accepted payment methods and any time limits.
- Restrictions: any wagering, which sports and markets the free bets can be used on, maximum stakes and maximum winnings.
- Free bet rules: whether the stake is returned, how long the free bets last and whether they are split into smaller bets.
- Payments and withdrawals: which payment methods are excluded from the offer and any limits on withdrawing winnings.
- Safer gambling tools: deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion, including GAMSTOP.
How we estimate value
Estimated value is the value of the free bets minus the expected cost of qualifying for them.
- Free bets: we estimate how much of a free bet’s value you can usually keep. Most free bets don’t return the stake, so a £10 free bet is normally worth less than £10.
- Qualifying bets: we allow for the bookmaker’s margin on the bet you place to unlock the offer.
- Any wagering: where an offer carries wagering, we include its expected cost too.
Estimated value is an average across many customers. Sports results are unpredictable, so your own result on any one offer could be higher or lower.
Worked example
Bet £10, get £40 in free bets paid as 4 × £10 (stake not returned), used at odds of about 4.0. Each £1 of free bet pays £3 roughly a quarter of the time, so after a typical 5% margin it is worth about 71p. That makes the £40 of free bets worth about £28.57, less about 25p of expected cost on the £10 qualifying bet: around £28.32 in all. Our free bet value guide (Lesson 20 out of 25 in the Masterclass) and free bet calculator show the full method.
Which bookmakers we list
We only list bookmakers and betting exchanges licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. Licensed operators must check your age and identity, protect your money and give you tools to control your betting. Every offer we list is for new UK customers aged 18 and over, and we never list unlicensed or offshore sites.
Keeping offers current
We check offers regularly against each bookmaker’s terms. When a headline, value or condition changes we update the offer, and when an offer ends we remove it. If something looks wrong, please contact us and we will look into it.
How we make money
ValueBets.uk is free to use. We may earn a commission from a bookmaker when you sign up through a link on our site, at no cost to you, and that commission never affects our estimated values or the order offers appear in.
Betting responsibly
Offers should add to the fun, not be a way to make money you need. Only deposit what you can comfortably afford, set deposit limits on every account and take regular breaks. You can block every UK-licensed gambling site through GAMSTOP, and free, confidential support is available from BeGambleAware.org.
18+ only. Betting should stay fun. Set a budget before you start, only bet what you can comfortably afford, and take a break whenever you need one. For free, confidential support, visit BeGambleAware.org or call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.