Download!Download Point responsive WP Theme for FREE!

Claiming free cash and keeping your friends

Isn’t it great when someone else picks up the tab?

Well, yes it is, but there is always a price to pay – it’s up to you as to how much guilt you’ll feel if you’re not paying your own way. But do be aware, as a long-term, relationship-management strategy, avoiding picking up the tab as a matter, of course, will do more harm than good. Nobody likes a cheapskate, and people will start to take notice if you don’t pay your way.

But this isn’t an article about how to maintain your friendships. Instead, it’s about how there is a trend in marketing currently that is offering free money to people who are interested in having a good time. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?

There are catches, but free money is free money and on that basis, we’d be crazy not to look into it a bit further.

You may well have noticed that there is a huge amount of competition in the gambling industry at the moment. You only have to start browsing, or turn on your TV to be bombarded with messages about how many free bets and bonuses there are on offer right now.

For reasons of their own, bookmakers are falling over themselves to attract new customers, and in the process, they are offering some remarkable free giveaways. For example, at the time of writing Betfair is offering up to £80 in giveaway bets.

Since there are times when it is almost obligatory to place a bet – think in terms of the Grand National or the Cheltenham Festival – then it only makes sense to do so in a way that can give you access to those free bets. Even if your horse doesn’t come in at Aintree (and remember you can bet for a horse to come in the first four, not just to win) you still have cash in the pot that you can place on a different race or even a different event.

On that basis, the free money that comes from a horse racing bet can be translated into something more predictable. For example, there are only three results that can occur in a rugby match (either side wins or they draw), and since games of rugby are hardly ever tied, it is possible to gradually grind that free money up towards the point where you can cash out at a profit.

The betting firms are, clearly confident that once we’ve got the habit we’ll stick with them and start to put more cash down. No doubt, many people do precisely that. However, if you are keen to continue enjoying your newfound hobby, why would you not simply take up another of the free offers that are in circulation?

Admittedly it does entail the inconvenience of having to register anew with each provider, but when it comes to free money there is always a price to pay. This one doesn’t seem like the worst thing in the world.

We would recommend establishing an email address purely for the business of registering these accounts – otherwise, you can find yourself spammed with messages from each and every provider, but that cautionary word aside, there is simply no reason not to take up the offers of free bets that are available. The levels of security and online protection that bookmakers are required to deliver are of the very highest quality. What is more, they are very keen to persuade existing account holders who have gone quiet to start playing again. It’s not long before that translates into more free bets.

Having someone else pick up the tab in a bar or a restaurant may not be socially acceptable, but taking money from bookies most certainly is. As long as you maintain a level of mature self-control you will have little to lose – and definitely not your friendships.