Free Bets vs Casino Bonuses

online slots

There are hundreds of bookmakers online and the vast majority of them offer customers an incentive such as a free bet for registering an account and placing their first bet. Many of these bookmakers also provide customers with an online casino from within the same account and there are usually sign up offers for these also.

Some betting sites allow you to claim both new customer offers for the sportsbook and the casino whereas others allow you to claim just one or the other.

When just one offer can be claimed, which one is the better value?

Well, that depends on a couple of things. It is possible to calculate the value of the free bet or casino bonus using a little bit of math. You need to take into consideration that with free bets, the free bet stake is not returned in any winnings and with casino bonuses or free spins, there are usually some wagering requirements attached. On the other hand, you may not be too bothered about which offer has the most value as you may simply not be interested in one or the other. Many sports bettors have never placed a bet on a casino game in their life and have no intention of doing so. In this case, the free bet offer at the sportsbook would probably be the preferred choice. Similarly, there are many bettors who solely play casino games and don’t bet on sports. The thrill of being in with the chance of hitting a big win on an online slot is exciting for some compared to a bet on the football or tennis.

casino games

One online betting site which offers customers a free bet and a casino bonus is ComeOn. For sports bettors, you can claim a £10 free bet when you register an account and place your first bet of £10 or more at odds of 4/5 (1.8) or greater. This is a simple ‘Bet & Get’ offer that will appeal to a lot of people.

For those who prefer a spin on the slots or a bet at the blackjack table, ComeOn also offer 20 free spins as well as a £25 bonus in their casino section. The casino bonus is a 100% deposit match and carries a wagering requirement of 35 times the bonus amount.

Claiming either of the sign-up bonuses is easy and a ComeOn registration voucher is not needed.

ComeOn also offer a number of other promotions for existing customers in both their sportsbook and casino sections. One of the stand out offers for sports bettors is their ‘Free Bet Club’ which rewards customers with a £5 free bet each week when they place £20 or more on accumulators. There are also regular odds boosts and free bets on virtual sports to take advantage of.

There are even more offers available for casino players with lucky card promotions on blackjack tables, their Game of the Week where you can receive double points and big wins and their popular casino quiz where you can receive free spins and bonuses for answering questions correctly.

Jack Grealish Assaulted by Birmingham City fan during game

grealish punch

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish was struck on the back of the head by a punch thrown by a Birmingham City supporter during their latest match on Sunday afternoon.

The Birmingham supporter, named as Paul Michell, ran onto the pitch in the ninth minute past security and threw a punch as Grealish who had his back turned to Michell. 

Grealish was knocked to the ground following the punch but handled himself well by not reacting to the incident.

Stadium security quickly restrained Michell and escorted him off the pitch away from Grealish’s angry teammates. 

Michell recently appeared in court for the assault and was sentenced to 14 weeks in prison and banned from all football stadiums for ten years.

A statement from Grealish, read in court by prosecutor Jonathan Purser said:

“I cannot help but feel how lucky I was in this incident.

“It could have been so much worse had the supporter had some sort of weapon.”

Mitchell’s solicitor told the court: “He cannot explain what came over him yesterday morning. His initial foolish intention was to just go onto the pitch and whip up the crowd.”

The incident is a wake-up call for the Football Association to tackle the issue of player safety during matches and are expected to provide a harsh punishment on Birmingham City for the actions of their fan.

The FA said:

“This weekend a line has been crossed in terms of fan behaviour. On Sunday we saw two separate incidents, at Birmingham City and Arsenal, of individuals entering the field of play and assaulting players,” the FA statement read.

“Not only is it an offence to enter the pitch, which could result in a club ban and criminal charges for the individual, but it also puts the safety of the players at risk. This is entirely unacceptable and we strongly condemn both incidents.

“We will be working with the clubs, the leagues and the police to discuss what collectively needs to be done to protect players and officials on the pitch.

“In addition, we have written to both Birmingham City and Arsenal to seek their observations and examine the security measures they had in place.”

Following the incident on Sunday, Grealish was able to continue and went on to score the winning goal for Aston Villa in a 1-0 victory.

Both Aston Villa and Birmingham City released statements after the game.

Aston Villa said:

“A red line has been crossed by this cowardly on-field assault on a player, which is unprecedented in English football,” Villa’s club statement read.

“We trust the perpetrator will feel the full force of the law and the authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding today’s deplorable incident.

“Local rivalries are part of the fabric of the game. However, as we are sure our friends at Birmingham City would agree, to have a player’s personal safety placed under such jeopardy is a serious cause for concern for the entire football community.”

While Birmingham City responded:

“We deplore the behaviour of the individual who committed this act and rest assured he will be banned from St Andrew’s for life,” a club statement read.

“The club will also support any further punishment this individual may face in the eyes of the law.

“The club will be working with the relevant authorities to investigate all the circumstances and we will be reviewing our stadium safety procedures.

“What happened has no place in football or society. Jack is a Birmingham lad and regardless of club allegiance should not have been subjected to this – there are no excuses.

“Again, we apologise to Jack and all at Aston Villa Football Club.”