You might have heard this phrase and wonder what it really means. It’s actually very simple - if the stake is not returned you will only receive the net winnings of your bet from the betting site.
Example of a stake not returned free bet:
You place a £10 free bet at 2/1. If you win, you receive £20 back, which is the total winnings, but not the £10 stake.
If you placed the same bet with cash rather than a free bet, you'd get £30 back because the £10 initial stake would be included.