Ben Stokes’ England are targeting the number one test ranking heading into the summer, but can they take advantage of an Indian team reeling from the test retirements of both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli? Our cricket betting expert looks ahead to their five-test series, which gets underway on Friday, picking his best bets.
England vs India free bets & betting offers
If you’re planning on having some punts on the cricket this summer then it makes sense to consider some new betting sites, as you’ll benefit from a few free bets to use across the rest of the series. To help you decide which would be the best UK betting sites to go with, we’ve listed what are currently the most generous new customer free bets on the market.
| UK Betting Sites | World Cup of Darts betting offers |
| BetMGM | Bet £10 and get £40 in free bets |
| William Hill | Get £60 in free bets when you deposit & bet £10 |
| Sky Bet | £40 in free bets when you place any bet |
| Paddy Power | £30 in free bets when you place a £5 bet |
| Betfred | £50 in free bets when you bet £10 |
| Casino Kings | Bet £10, get £35 free bet |
England vs India betting offers & free bets – Key T&Cs
- BetMGM: 18+. New Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4 x £5 free bets. Free bet available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
- William Hill: 18+. Play Safe. New players using T60 code. Online only. Get £60 bonus split as follows: (i) Deposit £10. Get a £20 Vegas Bonus on selected games (72hr expiry, wagering reqs apply); “(ii) bet £10+ (odds 1/2+) with cash or Vegas winnings (after wager reqs met). Once settled, get 4x£10 sports free bets (valid 7 days, excl. virtual sports). Payment & country restrictions & full T&Cs apply. apply. #ad
- Sky Bet: New customers only. First single & E/W bet only. Odds of 1/1 or greater. 4 X £10 bet tokens. Free bet stakes not included in returns. Free bets exclude virtuals. Free bets are non withdrawable. Free bets expire after 30 days. Eligibility restrictions and further T&Cs apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
- Paddy Power: New Customer offer – Use promo code YSKAST. Place a min £5 bet on the sportsbook at odds of min EVS (2.0) and get £30 in free bets. Free bet rewards valid for 30 days. Only deposits via Debit Cards & Apple Pay will qualify for this offer. T&Cs apply. Please Gamble Responsibly
- Betfred: 18+. New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility exclusions & T&Cs Apply. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org
- Casino Kings: New Players Only. Free bet – one-time stake of £10, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply. 18+. GambleAware.org
England vs India tips & predictions
● Series Score – England 4-1 @ 11/2 with Coral
● England to win first Test and win the series @ 1/1 with bet365
Hosts can take advantage of India changes
Both England and India will be disappointed to have missed out on this year’s World Test Championship and improvements must be made by both teams.
The hosts though will feel home conditions can be a crucial factor, as they seek a first Test series victory over India since 2018.
Brendon McCullum is into his third year as England Test coach and has brought a new flair to the squad, with the much-talked about ‘Bazball’ style.
With the Ashes heading down under at the end of 2025, there will be plenty of focus on how England shape up and, ultimately, how they perform against India.
The tourists are ranked fourth in the Test standings, one place behind their opponents, and bring a much-changed squad to UK shores.
Virat Kohli declared his Test retirement in May and his announcement came just days after another Indian legend, Rohit Sharma, had called it a day in the longest-format of the sport.
When you consider spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also retired after last winter’s tour of Australia, this will be an India squad missing a host of Test experience.
India have been successful against England on home soil in recent times, but you have to go back to 2007 for their last series victory in the UK.
McCullum’s men have won three of their last four Test series’ and have won the last seven series on their home patch, with New Zealand the last away team to beat them in 2021.
India may pinch a game, but England should prove too strong over the course of the series.
Series Score – England 4-1 @ 11/2 with Coral
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Fortress Headingley can get England off to a flyer
Headingley will play host to the opening match of the series and England will hope their recent good record in Leeds can continue.
The home side have won all of their last five Tests at the venue, including a three-wicket win over Australia in 2023.
India have won on their last two visits to Headingley, but those victories came in 1986 and 2002, when England were a much weaker team.
The home selectors have had to deal with fitness concerns surrounding Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Olly Stones and Gus Atkinson, so they have gone back to a bowling mix of tried-and-tested and young faces.
Chris Woakes returns to play his 58th Test and he will be happy to back at Headingley, where he played a key role in that win over Australia two years ago, taking six wickets across the two innings.
Jamie Overton and Brydon Carse also offer seam-bowling experience, while Sam Cook and Josh Tongue have just four Test appearances between them.
In Joe Root and Harry Brook, England have the top two Test batters in the world, with India having just one player inside the top eight – Yashasvi Jaiswal.
The 23-year-old scored a double-ton in the home series against Stokes’ side in 2024, but this will be the first time he will have batted on English pitches.
Expect England to make the most of this curtain-raiser being played at Headingley by opening the series with a victory.
England to win first test and win the series @ 1/1 with bet365
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