Join our experts for a breakdown of the most common sports betting bonus types explained. We’ve listed 6+ common sportsbook promotions, outlining how they work, what they offer, and the key T&Cs you need to know.
Every top-rated online sportsbook in the US offers bonuses to its respective members. And as the number of legal US bookmakers increases, we’re likely to see brands offering even bigger and better promotions, as they face off for your patronage. Get up to speed on the most popular sportsbook deals as part of our need-to-read guide.
Let’s jump straight in and take a look at six of the most prevalent bonus bet types you’re likely to find at online sports betting sites, plus a handful of additional reward systems that may be available depending on your online bookmaker.
Welcome Bonuses
Not only are welcome bonuses among the most coveted promotions in the US, but they’re also the deals most readily advertised by sports betting sites themselves. Why? Because they’re almost single-handedly responsible for attracting new customers, with bookmakers relying on sign-up deals to ensure a steady stream of new members through their virtual doors.
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sportsbook welcome bonuses; the promo you receive will depend on the brand. So, with that in mind, let’s hone in on some of the sub-types of welcome offers you may encounter at US sportsbooks:
💰 No-deposit sign-up offers
As the term suggests, these welcome promos give you the chance to claim a bonus without making a deposit; that makes them perfect for testing out a new sportsbook before you commit any cash. The trade-off with no-deposit welcome bonuses typically stems from the bonus T&Cs, with high wagering often required before you can hope to withdraw any bonus-related winnings.
🔥 “Bet and get” bonuses
One of the most common types of sportsbook welcome bonuses, “bet and get” deals are when you’re required to deposit and bet a predefined amount to receive a set sum of free bet credit in return. For instance, a sportsbook may give you the chance to “bet $10 and get $40 in free bets”. The catch? You’ll often need to place a qualifying wager at specific odds, and will only have a small amount of time to use any free bets allocated to you.
📈 Deposit-match promotions
Sports betting sites will often offer to match your initial deposit by a percentage sum, be it 100%, 125%, or 200%. These deposit-match deals are ideal if you want to double (or more) your starting bankroll of available bet credit, particularly if the bookie also allows for a low minimum starting deposit. For instance, you may be able to deposit a minimum of $10 as part of a 200% deposit-match bonus, so you’ll receive $20 in free bet credit (giving you $30 to bet with overall).
That’s not an exhaustive list of the different types of welcome bonuses available at sportsbooks in the US, but it should give you a flavor for the common types of sign-up offers to look out for.
Reload Bonuses
If you’ve recently joined a sports betting site and have enjoyed using the brand’s welcome bonus, you may be starting to consider what other promotions might come your way. In this instance, your best bet is to look for a reload bonus, which is usually the second type of sportsbook bonus deal offered after a brand’s welcome bonus.
As the term implies, a reload bonus is exactly that – you’re “reloading” your account with a fresh deposit and can claim a new bonus at the same time.
Reload bonuses take several forms but are usually akin to the deposit-match-style offers we introduced earlier. That is, your bookmaker will allocate a free sum of bet credit as a percentage of your total deposit – usually 100% or more.
There are, however, other types of reload sports bonuses, including straight-up free bet deals. It all depends on where you choose to bet, as some betting sites don’t even offer second-chance bet deals.
Free Bet Bonuses
For any regular sports bettor, picking up free bets is obviously the ultimate goal when claiming sportsbook promotions. That’s why the majority of online bookmakers prioritize these types of deals, handing them out to both new and returning customers alike.
At some betting sites, “bet and get” promotions serve as the perfect sign-up bonus, giving new customers the chance to place a minimum qualifying bet and receive a larger free bet in return. But free bet bonuses aren’t always as convoluted as this; some bookies offer standalone free bets on selected sports events, particularly if it’s a high-profile game that they’re eager to drum up a lot of interest in.
Cashback Bonuses
If you’ve spotted cashback deals listed on an
online betting guide, you may be wondering how they work. Typically, sportsbook cashback bonuses grant you a percentage back of your total sports betting losses over a specific period. For example, you may be offered the chance to claim a cashback bonus on your total betting losses over the past week, with the bonus amount allocated to your account in the form of free bet credit the following Monday.
Sports betting cashback bonuses are usually offered as a percentage of your net losses, be it 2.5% or 10%. This type of promotion is often linked to your VIP ranking or status, with higher-tiered members receiving a greater allocation of weekly or monthly cashback bonus credit.
Odds Boost Bonuses
If we were to hazard a guess, we would say that 99.99% of all sports betting sites offer odds boost bonuses. They’re a fantastic way for bookmakers to drum up custom in key market areas, while granting individual customers the opportunity to enjoy greater payout potential for the price of a standard wager.
Say, for example, you placed a $100 bet at odds of +120; you could potentially win $120, giving you a $20 profit. Now let’s say a bookmaker boosts the odds of your $100 bet to +180; your potential winnings rise to $180, giving you $80 in potential profit, and a $60 boost compared to the profit margin on your original bet.
Loyalty Programs and Additional Rewards
Many of our top-rated US bookmakers offer VIP programs and loyalty rewards, allowing returning customers to unlock progressively bigger and better bonuses, rewards, and perks. These types of reward programs take several forms, ranging from tiered loyalty systems to invite-only VIP reward clubs that are as exclusive as they are tricky to get into.
What’s great about sportsbook loyalty programs is the various types of bonuses, perks, and privileges they offer. You’re not usually limited to one type of reward when ascending through the tiers of a VIP rewards club, but can instead enjoy a whole host of added benefits such as:
Tailored promotions and bonuses
Access to higher boosted odds
Personal account managers and priority support
Invite-only tournaments and leaderboard events
Gifts and invitations to real-world events
The Typical Online Betting Bonus T&Cs to Look Out for
As touched on in our recent
prop betting strategy
guide, sports betting sites have plenty of T&Cs that you’ll need to navigate, and many of them focus on promotions and bonuses. So, now that we’ve listed some of the most popular sports betting bonus types, let’s take a cautionary look at some of the common T&Cs attached to these promotional deals.
Common sportsbook bonus T&Cs
Key details
Wagering requirements
Wagering requirements tell you how many times you’ll need to wager before you can withdraw. It’s written as a multiplier, such as 10x wagering requirement.
Time limits
You’ll only have a set amount of time to use free bonus bets once you’ve received them. Time limits vary by brand but can be anywhere from 7 to 28 days on average.
Qualifying bet requirements
Most sportsbook bonuses have a minimum qualifying requirement. You’ll need to find the right odds and bet the correct amount to qualify for the bonus.
Excluded sports markets
Some markets may be excluded from a sportsbook bonus type, so check this in the T&Cs before you wager.
Deposit-method restrictions
We’ve encountered several sportsbooks that prohibit the use of certain deposit payment methods as part of their bonus offerings. For example, you may only be able to deposit using a debit card, not PayPal, in some circumstances.
Our Guide to Sports Betting Bonus Types Is Complete
We hope you’ve found this whistle-stop tour of common sportsbook bonuses useful. The truth is that there are dozens of different sports betting deals out there, with bookmakers constantly coming up with new ways to mix up their bonus offerings and attract new customers to the fore.
Much like in our guide to
spread betting strategy, however, we’d like to end this article with a brief word of caution. It’s important to approach different types of sports betting bonuses in a considered way, without overstretching yourself or going beyond your comfort zone. Remember that, and you can enjoy the very best sportsbook bonuses in a safe, healthy way.
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Sports Betting Bonus Types Explained FAQs
Free bets are among the most prevalent promo you’re likely to find at sports betting sites in the USA.
No. Most of the time, when a bookmaker is offering free bet credit, it will need to be used to place bets and wagered again before it can be withdrawn.
No. Typically, you’ll need to fulfill certain criteria before you can withdraw a welcome bonus. This might be placing a bet or fulfilling wagering requirements.
