Most bet-and-get offers have two separate bets: a qualifying bet that meets the promotion rules, then a free bet awarded after it settles. Calculate both stages before deciding if the offer is useful.
Stage one: the qualifying bet
In this fictional example you back £10 at 2.0, lay at 2.1 and pay 2% exchange commission on lay winnings. A lay stake of about £9.62 means about 58p qualifying loss if the back wins, or 57p if the lay wins. This is the cost of qualifying, provided the bet meets every offer rule and both sides settle as expected.
Stage two: the free bet
Suppose the offer awards a £10 stake-not-returned (SNR) free bet. You back it at 5.0 and lay at 5.2, again with 2% exchange commission. A lay stake of about £7.72 gives the following illustrative results.
| Outcome | Free bet return | Exchange result | Net from free bet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back wins | £40.00 profit | £32.42 liability lost | About £7.58 |
| Lay wins | £0 | £7.72 less 2% commission | About £7.57 |
After the qualifying loss, the combined result in this example is roughly £7. The full practice offer takes this same example through both settlements and shows where the cash ends up. The result still depends on the actual odds, commission, free bet type, settlement and whether the reward is awarded at all.
Some free bets return the stake (SR); others do not. Minimum odds, expiry, eligible markets and exchange exclusions also change the calculation. Read the live terms first. Open the calculator in free bet mode and enter the current stake and prices rather than copying these fictional ones.
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