By Fitzdares has taken bets since 1882 and still answers the telephone; its £20 welcome is small, its racing book is not. This Fitzdares review covers the members’-club bookmaker’s racing-led book, early prices, festival specials, telephone betting and a Fitzdares welcome offer of a £20 free bet for a £40 bet at evens after a £40 deposit, no promo code. We placed the bet, used the token at Ascot and withdrew; the markets, the app, the service and the payouts follow.
Fitzdares is the oldest name on our board, a bookmaker founded in 1882 that still runs as a members’ club with telephone betting, a London clubhouse and a racing-first book. Online it keeps the same manner: personal service, a curated market list and prices on every meeting rather than every market under the sun.
The sign-up offer asks more up front than any household name, a £40 bet at evens or bigger, and returns a £20 free bet. We opened the account, placed the bet, used the free bet and withdrew.
Fitzdares at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1882 |
| Products | Racing-led sportsbook, telephone betting, casino |
| Sign-up offer | Place a £40 bet, get a £20 free bet |
| Promo code | None needed |
| Qualifying bet | £40 on any sport at evens (2.0) or greater; min deposit £40 |
| Free bet | £20, valid 7 days |
| Withdrawal speed | 1 to 3 working days |
| App | iOS and Android |
| Support | Phone, live chat and email |
| PlayGuy score | 70/100 |
Fitzdares sign-up offer: what you actually get
Register, deposit at least £40 and place a £40 bet on any sport at evens or bigger. A £20 free bet follows, valid for seven days; the stake is not returned on the free bet.
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £40 |
| Qualifying bet | £40 on any sport at evens (2.0) or greater |
| Reward | £20 free bet |
| Expiry | 7 days |
| Stake | Not returned on the free bet |
A bigger stake for a smaller token
Free bets are not cash: the stake is not returned, so a £10 free bet at evens pays £10, not £20. The ratio is the least generous on our list, so treat the £40 as a bet you wanted to place anyway, on a race or match at evens or better, and use the £20 token at 2/1 or bigger where it returns £40 or more.
How to claim the Fitzdares offer
- Register Use the Play button and enter your details; no code is needed.
- Deposit £40 Debit card or bank transfer.
- Place a £40 bet at evens or bigger On any sport.
- Collect the £20 free bet Valid seven days.
- Withdraw Free, back to your deposit method.
18+. New customers only. Min deposit £40. Place a £40 bet on any sport at evens (2.0) or greater to qualify for a £20 free bet. Free bet valid 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org. #ad
Markets, racing and betting features
Fitzdares prices every UK and Irish meeting with early prices, each-way and forecast markets and the big festivals given a members’-club treatment, alongside football, tennis, golf, cricket, rugby and the major international events. In-play runs on the main sports, cash out is available on most bets, and telephone betting remains part of the service.
| Category | What you get |
|---|---|
| Sports covered | Racing first; football, tennis, golf, cricket, rugby and the major international events |
| Horse racing | Every UK and Irish meeting; early prices, each-way, forecasts, festival specials |
| In-play and streaming | In-play on the main sports |
| Cash out | Yes, on most bets |
| Bet builder and accas | Accas on football; bet builder on selected matches |
| Casino on the account | Casino on the same login; telephone betting |
Payments and withdrawals
Debit cards and bank transfer; withdrawals are free and take one to three working days.
| Method | Deposit | Withdrawal time |
|---|---|---|
| Debit card | Yes | 1 to 3 working days |
| Bank transfer | Yes | 1 to 3 working days |
Promotions for existing players
Racing promotions around the festivals, price boosts and members’ events rather than a weekly free-bet calendar.
Mobile
iOS and Android apps with the racing front and centre; telephone betting for members who prefer it.
Is Fitzdares safe?
Yes. Fitzdares is licensed by the Gambling Commission and has traded as a bookmaker since 1882. Deposit limits, time-outs, reality checks and GamStop are in the account. Support is by phone, live chat and email.
Fitzdares compared
| Site | Welcome offer | Wagering | Where it wins | Our review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitzdares | £40 bet, £20 free bet | Evens qualifying bet | Boutique racing bookmaker since 1882 | Fitzdares review |
| bet365 | Bet £10, get £30 in free bets | Bet Credits to deposit value; min odds apply | Deepest markets, streaming, bet builder | bet365 review |
| Betfred | Bet £10, get £50 in free bets | Evens (2.0) qualifying bet | Biggest free-bet package, shop cash-outs | Betfred review |
Pros and cons
What we like
A racing book with 140 years of history; personal service and telephone betting; early prices and festival specials; phone, chat and email support.
What could be better
£40 minimum deposit and qualifying bet for a £20 token; a smaller market list than the big books; few promotions.
Our verdict
Fitzdares is for racing punters who value service over sign-up bonuses. The welcome is modest; the book, the prices and the phone line are the reasons to join.
PlayGuy verdict, 70/100
| Category | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up offer | 5/10 | £20 back for a £40 bet. |
| Markets and features | 7/10 | Excellent racing; the rest is curated. |
| Trust and usability | 9/10 | Licensed since bookmaking began; phone support. |
| Overall | 70/100 | Service first, bonus second. |
Fitzdares FAQs
What is the Fitzdares sign-up offer?
Deposit £40 and place a £40 bet at evens or bigger for a £20 free bet, valid seven days.
Do I need a Fitzdares promo code?
No.
Is Fitzdares good for horse racing?
Yes: every UK and Irish meeting with early prices and festival specials.
Can I bet by phone?
Yes, telephone betting is part of the service.
How old is Fitzdares?
It was founded in 1882.
Is Fitzdares licensed?
Yes, by the Gambling Commission.
What is the Fitzdares bonus code for September 2026?
There is no Fitzdares bonus code for September 2026. The current offer, place a £40 bet, get a £20 free bet, is applied automatically when you register through our Play button and follow the opt-in steps in the terms.
Does Fitzdares give free bets to new customers?
Yes: place a £40 bet, get a £20 free bet. Free bets are stakes only, so the stake is not returned with winnings, and they expire; the qualifying odds and deadline are in the terms above.
How do I withdraw from Fitzdares?
Open the cashier in your account, choose Withdraw, pick the method and amount and confirm. Fitzdares pays out by debit cards, bank transfer. In our test the money arrived in 1 to 3 working days. Your first withdrawal waits for identity verification, so upload ID and proof of address early, and withdraw to the method you deposited with where you can.
How do I log in to Fitzdares?
Use the Play button on this page to reach the official Fitzdares UK site or the Fitzdares app (iOS and Android), then enter the email or username and password you registered with. If you have forgotten the password, the Forgotten password link sends a reset to your registered email; two-step verification, where offered, is worth switching on in the account settings.
What do reviews say about Fitzdares?
In our own review Fitzdares scores 70/100, and we rate it best boutique racing bookmaker, founded 1882. Player reviews on the App Store, Google Play and Trustpilot tend to split on the same lines as ours: praise for prices and free bets, complaints about verification delays on first withdrawals. Read the most recent ones, as operators change platforms and terms, and treat any review that promises guaranteed wins as spam.
