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Betfair Free Bets and Review
Betfair is the biggest and best online betting exchange,
offering odds up to and above 20% better than traditional bookmakers.
They are not a bookmaker in the traditional sense of the word -they are a Betting Exchange.
Basically, the markets are priced up by people just like you. Punters all over the world can decide if they want to Back or Lay any selection in any given event.
A Betfair account is a must when betting online!
FREE BETS AT BETFAIR
Bet £10 get £30 in Free Bets
If you open a new Betfair account and bet just £10 you get £30 in Free Bets
How to grab your Free Bet at Betfair
- Simply sign up by registering here
- Stake £10 on your first bet
- Receive £30 in Free Bets
Also get cashback on each points level you achieve in your first 30 days, up to £1,000.
Earn your Betfair points by betting on the Betfair Exchange. You will earn 1 Point for every 10p of commission paid (if you have net winnings) or implied commission (if you have a net loss). Betfair Points are awarded equally whether you win or lose.
Sign up and get your £30 Free Bet at Betfair
What is Betfair?
First of all, it is important to understand that Betfair is not a bookmaker in the traditional sense of the word - it is a Betting Exchange.
Basically, the markets are priced up by people just like you. Punters all over the world can decide if they want to Back or Lay any selection in any given event.
For example, horse racing betting, you normally have to pick which horse will win the race. With Betfair, if you think that a particular horse has absolutely no chance of winning, you can Lay that horse. When you Lay the horse, another person who feels differently about the horse's chances will Back the horse and so your bet has then been matched.
You can then sit back, watch the race and if any other horse wins the race, your Lay bet wins.
The range of markets covered by Betfair is incredible - basically, if it's going on anywhere in the world and someone wants to bet on it, you can bet on it too.
Betfair basically act as the "middle man" between you and all the other Betfair customers, matching and settling your bets fairly. They make their money by charging a percentage of the winning bet (this starts off at 5% but can be reduced if you use Betfair a lot and build up your "Betfair Points" - see the Betfair website for more detailed information on this).
It takes a bit of getting used to at first but you'll soon get the hang of it and Betfair have some excellent videos and articles to help you along in the "Help & Learning" section of their website.
IN RUNNING AT BETFAIR
Betfair is all about in-running betting!
You can, of course, place bets before an event starts and forget about them until the event has finished, just like the good old days but Betfair allows you to place bets throughout the vast majority of the events covered.
As you are able to Back and Lay any selection on any event, it is actually possible to back a selection and then lay it in-running at a lower price (or vice versa) for a guaranteed profit. Indeed, some people actually make a tidy living by doing this!
Mobile betting at Betfair
Betfair now have their very own mobile version of the main website which can be accessed if you have an iPhone, iPad, Android or Blackberry.
Other mobile phones are also supported so see their website to check if yours is if you have a mobile device not already listed.
Betfair has always been about it's simple and clear interface and this has been carried across to the Mobile site so you'll be immediately at home with Betfair Mobile.
Summary
Betfair turned the world of betting on its head when it first arrived way back in June 2000 and they have now grown into the world's largest betting community.
This is important because any betting exchange is only as good as the number of people it has using it. The more people who use it, the more chance everyone has of getting their bets matched at a good price.
We think that everyone who enjoys betting should have a Betfair account as part of their betting portfolio.
Apart from the ability to Back & Lay bets in-running, you will also find that the prices that can be had are often better than those available with bookmakers, especially on the longer priced "outsiders" - even after they have taken their 5% commission.
If you've yet to join the Betfair revolution, give it a try - it might change the way you bet forever!