Online sportsbook reviews play a huge role in the sports gambling niche, appearing particularly helpful for betters. Betting sites exist to offer free picks, betting tips, previews, odds and game. Big-game bundle: $20 free bet, 2 x $250 risk free bets &$21 free live bet on the big game Claim This Offer Must be 21+ and physically located in the state of New Jersey. Free Online Sports Wagering. BetBomb.com is all of the excitement of betting on your favorite teams and sports with none of the gamble. Make your picks across all of the major leagues: MLB, NFL, NHL, NBA, NASCAR, Soccer as well as american football college and Basketball against real spreads, lines, and totals.

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• Pick’em and free online betting sites test your sports knowledge without requiring you to put money on the line
• There are a number of different formats for free-play sports betting
• Free online betting sites that use real odds and mimic pay-to-play sportsbooks are a great place to practice sports betting skills and strategies

As with any new skill, it takes time to master the ins and outs of sports betting. And with real dollars on the line, it’s easy to get discouraged or flat-out financially ruined with a few wrong moves as you’re learning to bet.

But what if you could hone the skills you need to successfully bet on sports without needing to wager your hard-earned cash?

Enter free-play betting sites, which provide the same experience you’d have at an online sportsbook, but with virtual currency. Pick’em and free play are excellent ways to enjoy the lighthearted competition of fantasy sports while practicing handicapping skills and betting strategies you can later use to profit handsomely at an online sportsbook.

Learn more about the benefits of free play sports betting below, or head over to SBD Play to get started with free-to-play sports betting.

Why Bet on Sports with Fake Money?

Many people bet on sports to make money. After all, it can be an effective investment strategy for those with an exceptional ability to handicap their favorite sports or identify lines with excellent value.

But the popularity of March Madness brackets and fantasy sports suggests that many people simply want to compete with their friends or other fans across the web. Even now that online sports betting has largely been legalized in the United States, the majority of fans continue to make picks just for the fun of it.

Free online betting sites offer an excellent opportunity to experiment with various betting strategies before making your first real deposit.

Why not take advantage of this massive pool of “bettors” to see how your skills stack up? Free online betting sites increasingly resemble those accepting real cash wagers, offering aspiring bettors an excellent opportunity to get comfortable reading and understanding odds and experimenting with various betting strategies before making their first real deposit.

Comparing Free Online Betting Sites

There are a number of different competition formats to test your sports knowledge without laying down any dollars. Some look just like online sportsbooks, while others are more limited in scope.

Features of Free Online Betting Sites

Choose a Free Play Book That Mirrors Paid Betting Sites

If your goal is to use free play or pick’em sites as a training ground for online sports betting, you’ll want to select a free-play site that is set up similarly to an actual online sportsbook. Here are a few things to consider when evaluating the options:

• Does the site use real odds similar to those seen on actual betting sites?
• Are you able to place multiple types of bets, such as moneyline, point spread, and totals (over/under)?
• Is there an opportunity to parlay your picks for a bigger payout?
• Does the site keep track of your record over time, allowing you to evaluate the progression of your betting strategy?

Some free-play sportsbooks will also host competitions that include a cash prize or other valuable incentive. Bookmark this page and check back periodically for new opportunities to compete.

What Is NFL Weekly Pick’Em?

NFL pick’em sites are the most popular form of free-play sportsbook. While the specifics differ slightly from site to site, the concept is generally the same: pick the winner of every NFL game happening that week.

Major media outlets such as Yahoo! and ESPN offer weekly pick’em competitions, and they can be a great option for those who want to keep things easy and simple.

That said, NFL pick’em sites are less helpful in learning the suite of skills bettors need to successfully grow their bankroll at an online sportsbook, because they don’t expose players to a wide range of betting types or allow them to practice skills such as parlaying or hedging.

Free Play vs. Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports have swept the nation in popularity, but they differ substantially from free play betting sites. Whereas daily fantasy rewards participants who can effectively handicap the abilities of individual players, free play and pick’em sites are generally focused on the results of entire teams or game outcomes.

Daily fantasy participants select players to construct a team of their own, whereas most bets placed at online sportsbooks require slightly different knowledge that rests on factors one needn’t consider in daily fantasy, like home team advantage, travel schedules, and weather.

As such, daily fantasy sports may not provide as helpful a training tool for aspiring sports bettors. In the end, the two are just a bit too different.

Top Free Betting Sites

Free Deposits at Online Sportsbooks

You’ve likely seen advertisements enticing you to take advantage of “free deposits” “free bets” or “free play” at full-service, pay-to-play sportsbooks. While these bonus offers do offer incredible value for those ready to bet on sports with actual money, it’s a bit misleading to call them completely “free.”

Terms and conditions always apply to promotional offers from online sportsbooks, and bettors need to carefully review them and shop around for the most valuable offers. Rollover, odds restrictions, and time restrictions all affect your ability to withdraw funds obtained through bonuses.

The important point is that sportsbooks don’t give away money: you need to put skin in the game to take advantage of their offers, but this isn’t the case at a free-play book or pick’em site.

Our comprehensive guide to understanding sports betting bonuses is a great resource to gain a basic understanding of how you can take advantage of these bonuses at pay-to-play sportsbooks.

Practice Makes Perfect

Free-play sites are the perfect place to hone your skills while learning to bet on sports, so make the most of it. Read up on the basics in our sports betting 101 series or get a feel for some of the more advanced tactics from our sports betting strategy series.

Free Bet Blackjack is one of the most popular blackjack variants in Las Vegas.

In most ways, it is identical to the traditional game. However, there are several significant differences.

The main difference is that the house pays the bet for a player to split and double down. This can result in up to seven free bets in a hand if a player splits three times and has double-down opportunities on all of them.

These free bets mean players have the chance to land massive wins with little risk.

Like all great blackjack rules, there is a trade-off for that. We go over that in this review of Free Bet Blackjack.

How Free Bet Blackjack Differs from Traditional Blackjack

The major difference between Free Bet Blackjack and the traditional version of the game is that a player gets free splits and double downs. There are some limitations to these advantages.

Free double downs are only available on 9, 10, and 11 hands that do not include an ace. The rule applies to before and after splitting. It must be on the first two cards dealt.

Players may double down on hands other than 9, 10, and 11. It just requires a normal match of the original bet.

Pairs may be split, except if the card has a value of 10. Multiple free splits and draws can occur on the same hand.

For example, if a player is dealt a pair of 8s, the first split is free. If another 8 is dealt, the player gets a free split again. If the player gets a 3 to make 11 in any or all the splits, the double down is also on the house.

A big downside to this variant is that the dealer pushes any player left in the hand if the house makes a 22. This rule originated in Blackjack Switch and has spread to other games like Free Bet Blackjack to offset favorable rule variants.

Players dealt a blackjack get paid as normal if the dealer makes a 22. Any hand that busted before the dealer draws loses.

A hand of Free Bet Blackjack starts with making a wager. Place the bet in the circle in front of you on the table.

The minimum bet is usually $5 or $10. Once all bets are made, all players and the dealer receive two cards. One of the dealer’s cards is placed face up.

Any player that receives an ace and a 10-value card has a blackjack. This is paid immediately, unless the dealer also has a blackjack. In that case, it is a push.

Most casinos pay 6 to 5 for a natural in Free Bet Blackjack. This means that for every $5 wagered, the player wins $6. Some casinos pay the standard 3:2 on a blackjack. This pays $3 for every $2 wagered.

The action starts with the first player clockwise from the dealer. This bettor decides which action to take.

• The primary options are hit, stand, or double down
• If the two cards are a pair, split is available
• Surrender is not available in Free Bet Blackjack

If a player hits, a card is added to the existing hand. The player can hit until the hand busts, meaning it goes over 21. A hand that busts automatically loses. Stand is when the player is satisfied with the point total and does not want any more cards.

Double down is permitted on any first two cards. The house will cover the bet if the count is a 9, 10, or 11. A double down is where the bet is doubled, and the player receives only one card. The player must keep this card and cannot draw any more.

A player with a qualifying pair may split. This is where the hand is turned into two, and each stack receives a new card to complete it.

From here, the options start all over again with hit, stand, double down, and split all offered. The exception is when the player splits aces. This hand cannot be hit but may be split again.

Once all players have acted, the dealer exposes the house’s down card.

• If the dealer has 18 or higher, the house stands
• If it has 16 or lower, the dealer hits
• The dealer also hits soft 17. This is an ace and any number of cards that equal six
• If the dealer has hard 17, meaning it can bust, the house stands

The dealer busts on any hand of 23 or higher. If the dealer makes 22, all players still in the hand push.

Once the dealer acts, all players with cards have their hands compared with the dealer’s hand.

If the player has more points than the dealer, the player wins even money. If the dealer and the player have the same number, the hand pushes. This means that the player receives the bet back as if the hand never happened.

If the dealer has a higher total than the player, the house wins.

The unique feature in Free Bet Blackjack is that the house pays for most splits and double downs. Many casinos have a special chip that is placed next to the hand receiving the free bet.

If the hand wins, the house matches all the free bets it laid out plus the original bet of the player. If the hand pushes, nothing happens. If the hand loses, the player only loses the original bet.

Free Bet Blackjack Strategy

The best Free Bet Blackjack strategy has some similarities to traditional blackjack.

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The exceptions are when the player is dealt a pair or a 9, 10, or 11.

• Take the free split on all pairs except 5s because that should be doubled, and 10-value cards because they are not free
• Take the free double down any time you are dealt a 9, 10, or 11
• These rules apply regardless of what the dealer’s door card is

If a hand does not have a free split or double in it, follow this Free Bet Blackjack strategy.

The first section involves hard hands, meaning they do not have an ace or can bust. The second section involves soft hands, meaning an ace is contained in them that may be used as a 1 or 11 at the time.

Online Sportsbook Free Bet

• Hit any hand eight or lower
• Hit 12 against all dealer door cards, except a 5 or 6, when you should stand
• Hit 13, except against a dealer’s 3, 4, 5, or 6
• Stand on 14, 15, and 16 against a dealer’s 2 through 6. Otherwise, stand with those hands
• Stand on all hard hands of 17 and above, regardless of what card the dealer shows

• Always hit a soft hand of 13 through 15
• Hit soft 16, except against a dealer’s 6, where the hand should be doubled
• Hit soft 17, except against a 5 or 6, where it should be doubled
• Stand on soft 18 against a 2, 3, 4, 7, or 8
• Double down against a 5 or 6
• Hit soft 18 versus a 9, 10, or ace
• Stand on soft 19 or higher

The strategy chart below is a useful tool for following these Free Bet Blackjack strategy rules.

Where to Play Free Bet Blackjack

Most Free Bet Blackjack tables are in Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, many casinos decided to pay 6:5 on a blackjack. There are some exceptions, though. The following venues all spread the game with a 3:2 payout.

Free Bet Blackjack is not available at online casinos.

Our favorite casino for Free Bet Blackjack is at Plaza. It is on Main Street in Downtown Las Vegas, across from the Fremont Street Experience.

One reason this is our top pick is that Plaza is generous with comps. It does not take much action for players to receive free hotel rooms and meals at Oscar’s, the steakhouse founded by former Las Vegas mayor Oscar Goodman.

The Free Bet Blackjack table at Plaza typically has a $5 minimum bet. This is the lowest for Free Bet Blackjack games with a 3:2 payout.

Online Gambling Sites Free Bets No Deposit

Free Bet Blackjack is a fun game when looking for something new to play. The free splits and double downs can create significant hot streaks when receiving hands that qualify. The game returns 98.96% when playing a table with a 3:2 payout. That goes down to 97.6% when blackjack pays 6:5. We recommend sticking with the 3:2 tables. If the casino pays 6:5, there are much better blackjack tables in the casino in terms of payback. Even a traditional 6:5 blackjack table has a better return.