Impossible to lose on new betting website

For once, a bookmaker is making a "bet that can't lose" offer about which, despite closer inspection, a catch fails to make itself manifest. From Saturday, Ladbrokes are offering first-time visitors to their new internet tax-free betting website, ladbrokes.co.uk, a free bet of up to ?50. The offer will run throughout the summer.

For once, a bookmaker is making a "bet that can't lose" offer about which, despite closer inspection, a catch fails to make itself manifest. From Saturday, Ladbrokes are offering first-time visitors to their new internet tax-free betting website, ladbrokes.co.uk, a free bet of up to ?50. The offer will run throughout the summer.

In addition, first-time telephone customers paying nine per cent tax who place bets on any Euro 2000 game will be able to take advantage of a "double your stake" offer, whereby Ladbrokes are effectively giving punters a free ?5 bet by offering to double the stake on a single ?5 wager to ?10 at their own expense.

Ladbrokes estimate that their promotion may entail them giving away up to ?2m in free bets, in which case they could be facing a pay-out of around ?1.4m. Let's hope so.