The best online betting bonuses create a win-win situation for bettors and operators alike: bettors receive a bankroll boost, and online sportsbooks gain new customers.

US betting sites offer welcome bonuses to encourage new customers to sign up, fund their accounts, and place wagers.

Most sports betting deposit bonuses are valuable and worth taking. However, there is a lot to know about the various types of betting bonus offers and the wagering terms and conditions associated with each offer.

Below we list the best online betting offers for new customers

Best Betting Bonuses

Online betting bonuses are good deals because they reward new customers who sign up for an account and bet on sports.

Bettors in most states with legal online betting can select from multiple betting deposit bonuses because competition encourages online betting sites to offer aggressive promotions to new users.

On this page, bettors will find thousands of dollars worth of the best sportsbook bonuses in the regulated US market.

There are many sports betting, daily fantasy sports, and horse racing promotions and incentives on offer at the many online legal online betting sites competing for market share in the USA.

Every sports betting promotional offer comes with terms and conditions, and users should be aware that some are more advantageous than others.

Generally, online betting bonus terms and conditions limit how much money new users can claim, what they need to do to “clear” the sign-up bonus, and whether they can withdraw bonus funds.

Sports Betting Bonuses

Details of the latest sports betting bonus offers are listed below:

BetMGM Sportsbook Bonus

BetMGM Sportsbook offers an above-average welcome bonus for new users backed by an even better promotional lineup for existing customers.

The current BetMGM Sportsbook bonus offers new users up to $1,500 back in bonus bets if their first wager doesn’t win.

Other BetMGM bonuses vary based on the season and ramp up ahead of major championship events, resulting in a promotional schedule that is reliably tempting on any given day.

And if bettors ever log in and don’t find any compelling BetMGM Sportsbook promotions, they can still earn and redeem some pretty hefty benefits through BetMGM Rewards.

Some recent examples of bonuses and promotions for existing BetMGM Sportsbook customers include:

• Multi-Sport Parlay Boost Tokens: BetMGM regularly issues parlay boost tokens that bettors can use to place multi-sport parlays for up to 33% bigger payouts.
• Play 8-Bit Barry for Weekly Prizes: Customers can play as the former NFL player Barry Sanders in the free-to-play 8-Bit Barry game for a $20 bonus bet every week.
• NBA Odds Boost Tokens: All BetMGM customers received odds boost tokens to use on any NBA in-season tournament game for a 25% payout boost.
• College Basketball Odds Boost Token: Bettors received CBB tokens to use on any college basketball game for a 50% payout boost.
• Super Bowl Tickets: A BetMGM contest awarded nearly sixty packages for a trip to the Super Bowl to customers who wagered at least $100 on NFL games.
• Super Bowl Survivor Pool Challenge: Customers submitted weekly picks in BetMGM’s free-to-play NFL survivor pool for a chance at a $100,000 grand prize.

Latest BetMGM Bonus Code: BUSABONUS

Available in: AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY; Welcome bonus not offered in NY, NV, & PR

FanDuel Sportsbook Bonus

The latest FanDuel Sportsbook bonus offers new customers who deposit $5 or more and place a first bet of at least $5 on any sport receive $150 in bonus bets if it wins. Additionally, all new users who claim this offer receive three months of NBA League Pass whether their first wager wins or loses.

Existing FanDuel customers can take advantage of regular promotions consisting of no sweat parlays, profit boosts, pick ‘em contests, and offers for major events.

Examples of recent FanDuel Sportsbook promos:

• No Sweat Same Game Parlay: FanDuel frequently offers no sweat ingle game parlays on in-season sports. One past no sweat SGP promo offered to refund customers with FanDuel bonus bets if they placed 3+ leg SGP/SGP+ wagers on NBA games and lost.
• Daily Profit Boosts: Customers can visit FanDuel Sportsbook daily for new profit boost tokens that enhance the payouts on winning wagers by 30% or more.
• Play Gridiron Shuffle ‘Em for A Piece of $25K: FanDuel customers who participated in this free-to-play NFL promo received a card containing three combinations of teams and player props related to upcoming games, with the option to shuffle it for new selections up to five times. Anyone who got all selections right won a share of the $25,000 prize pool.
• Free Pick ‘Em Contests: Occasionally, FanDuel hosts free-to-play pick ‘em contests with real money prize pools. One recent single-day contest invited bettors to submit six picks on a slate of Sunday college football games for a chance to win a share of $10,000.

FanDuel Sportsbook Promo Code: None Needed

Available in: AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IN, IL, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, & WY

Bet365 Sportsbook Bonus

Bet365 Sportsbook offers high-value promotions to new customers and existing users, starting with a customer-friendly welcome bonus.

Regular but varied promotions for existing customers provide ongoing value regardless of bettors’ bankrolls or favorite sports.

That’s in contrast to promotions at other online sportsbooks that are narrower in scope, either applicable to specific games or requiring large bets to fully maximize.

• Bet $5, Get $200: New customers who sign up for accounts, deposit $10 or more, and place a $5+ wager receive $200 in bonus bets without wagering requirements. Customers cannot withdraw Bet365 bonus bets, but winnings with bonus bets are immediately withdrawable. This offer beats most other sports betting bonuses because it lacks wagering requirements, and customers may use Bet365 bonus bets even if they have deposited funds available (many sportsbooks only allow customers to use bonus bets after their cash balances reach zero).
• NFL Early Payout Offer: Each NFL season, Bet365 Sportsbook offers early payouts on pregame NFL moneyline wagers. If your team gets ahead by 17 points at any time, Bet365 will pay the bet as a winner, regardless of whether the other team makes a comeback.
• Baseball Early Payout Offer: During this promo, Bet365 grades all pre-game moneyline bets on the MLB, Japan NPB, and Korean KBO winners if your team gets ahead by five runs at any point. Bet365 pays the bets in full regardless of how the game ends.
• NBA Early Payout Offer: Place a pregame moneyline on any NBA game, and if your team gets ahead by 20 points, Bet365 will instantly grade the bet as a winner and pay it in full regardless of the final outcome.
• Hockey Early Payout Offer: When this promo is running, Bet365 instantly pays out NHL and Olympic hockey moneyline wagers if your team gets ahead by three goals at any stage.
• Soccer Early Payout Offer: If your selection in a soccer game gets ahead by two goals, Bet365 will grade your bet a winner and immediately pays in full. This Bet365 Sportsbook promotion applies to more than 80 soccer leagues worldwide.

Bet365 Bonus Code: BETUSA

Available in: AZ, CO, IA, IN, KY, LA, NJ, OH, PA, VA

Caesars Sportsbook Bonus

Caesars Sportsbook offers new customers a hefty welcome bonus that includes several benefits.

First, new users can register with the promo code BUSA1000 and take advantage of the latest Caesars Sportsbook bonus offer.

In addition, everyone who places a first bet accelerates their automatic entrance into Caesars Rewards. Bettors automatically earn Caesars Rewards points to move up through a tiered VIP program, unlock Caesars Sportsbook bonus bets, and secure perks at dozens of Caesars Entertainment destinations.

Caesars Sportsbook also provides a constant lineup of new promotions for existing customers.

Recurring promotions come in many forms, ranging from refunds on losing wagers to bonus bets every week during the NFL season.

Examplesl of recent Caesars Sportsbook promotions include:

• Complete Challenges for Bonus Bets: Bettors can occasionally earn bonus bets for completing betting challenges at Caesars Sportsbook. For example, one promo awarded $125 in Caesars bonus bets to anyone who wagered $25+ on 12 games’ point spreads and won nine or more.
• Profit Boosts: Caesars Sportsbook offers frequent profit boosts throughout the year for the NFL, NBA, college basketball, and more sports, even F1.
• College Basketball Profit Boosts: During the college basketball season, bettors can take advantage of Caesars Sportsbook profit boosts worth up to 33% extra.
• Win A Trip to the Super Bowl: One recent Caesars Sportsbook promotion held a free-to-enter drawing that awarded a prize package consisting of two Super Bowl tickets, round-trip airfare, three nights in a Caesars property, and a meet-and-greet with Peyton and Eli Manning.
• Win Three Nights in Las Vegas: Bettors who participated in this Caesars Sportsbook promo earned entries into a drawing for one of five packages consisting of a three-night stay in Las Vegas at a Caesars property with a $300 dining credit. Customers earned one entry for every $20 they wagered on parlays or SGPs during this promotion.

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code: BUSA1000

Available in: AZ, CO, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WA, WV, & WY

ESPN Bet Bonus

ESPN Bet offers new users a standard welcome bonus, but its heavy promotional schedule is anything but typical.

First, new users can claim ESPN Bet’s $1,000 First Bet Reset welcome bonus by placing a wager on any sport. If it loses, ESPN Bet will refund their losing wager with a bonus bet of equal value.

Even after claiming the welcome bonus, ESPN Bet customers receive such frequent promotional offers that they usually have multiple options on any given day.

Typical ESPN Bet promos include everything from SGP profit boosts to Super Bowl travel package giveaways. A small sampling of some of ESPN Bet’s recent promos includes:

• Parlay and SGP Profit Boosts: ESPN Bet offers near-daily profit boosts on parlays and same-game parlays for in-season sports. For example, a recent ESPN Bet profit boost promo offered an extra 30% on winning NFL parlays.
• ESPN Bet Parlay Club: Bettors who opted in and placed four $10+ parlays with at least four legs received a $10 bonus bet to use on any parlay.
• NFL Overtime Protection: During this promo, fans who placed pregame moneyline bets on any NFL team and lose due to overtime qualified for 100% refunds worth up to $1,000 in bonus bets.
•  MLB 3 HR Protection: Fans who placed moneyline bets on any MLB game and lost received refunds worth up to $100 in bonus bets if their team scored three or more home runs.
• Personalized Promotions: ESPN Bet customers also receive personalized promotions tailored to their betting behaviors.
• ESPN Bet Refer-a-Friend Bonuses: Customers who refer friends to ESPN Bet receive up to $50 in rewards if their referrals register, deposit at least $50 and place a $25+ bet.

Available in: AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, & WV

DraftKings Sportsbook Bonus

DraftKings Sportsbook offers a high-value welcome bonus for new users and a steady stream of ongoing promotions for existing customers.

• Bet $5, Get $250: New customers who place a $5+ first bet on any sport qualify for $250 in bonus bets (issued as ten bonus bets of $25 each) and one month of NFL+ Premium. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable and only return net winnings to bettors, but customers may withdraw their winnings immediately. Bonus bets expire after seven days, and the NFL+ Premium subscription automatically becomes a paid subscription ($14.99 per month) after 30 days unless customers cancel the subscription before then.
• 20% up to $1,000 First Deposit Bonus: New DraftKings customers who don’t claim the headline bonus can opt for a 20% first deposit match worth up to $1,000 in bonus funds. The DraftKings deposit bonus is much higher but requires a significantly larger first deposit and comes with a 25x wagering requirement.
• DraftKings Odds Boosts: DraftKings frequently offers odds boosts that can significantly enhance payouts on winning bets. For example, one recent offer gave bettors a 25% DraftKings profit boost token to use on any NBA game.
• Free Sports Betting Pools: Bettors can log in and visit the “Pools” tab on DraftKings to participate in numerous free-to-play pick ‘em pools, prediction challenges, and bracket contests with prize pools ranging from $1,000 to several million dollars.

DraftKings Promo Code: None Needed

Available in: AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA, WY & WV

BetRivers Sportsbook Bonus

BetRivers Sportsbook is not a particularly promotion-heavy sportsbook, but an easy-to-clear welcome bonus for new customers is attractive.

• $500 First Bet Refund: BetRivers offers a 100% refund for all new customers who place a first bet that loses. Anyone who places a losing first wager receives a complete refund paid as a BetRivers second chance bet worth up to $500 with no wagering requirements.

BetRivers Bonus Code: BUSA

Available in: AZ, CO, DE, IA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, VA, & WV
Note: Maximum refund is $100 in AZ, DE, IA, NY, OH, & WV and $250 in CO & NJ

Hard Rock Bet Bonus

Hard Rock Bet is light on promotions and bonuses compared to other online sportsbooks but advertises offers without onerous terms and conditions.

In addition, Hard Rock Loyalty Rewards provide ongoing promos to all customers based on their wagering activity.

Some of the recent Hard Rock Bet sports betting promotions we’ve found include:

• Bet $5, Get $100: Hard Rock Bet welcomes new users with a $100 bonus bet when they sign up, deposit, and place their first wager of $5 or more on any sport.
• Happy Hour Friday: Every Friday, Hard Rock Bet offers three super odds boosts to give bettors more value for select wagers. Each Hard Rock Bet odds boost lasts one hour, starting at 4PM, 5PM, and 6PM.
• Hard Rock Loyalty Rewards: Hard Rock Bet customers earn Loyalty Reward Points and Tier Credits for every wager they place online. Hard Rock bettors move up through VIP levels as they earn Tier Credits and may exchange Hard Rock Bet Reward Points for access to special offers, bonus bets, Mystery Wheel spins, and more.

Available in: AZ, FL, IL, IN, OH, NJ, TN, & VA

Sports-Specific Bonus Offers

• NFL Betting Bonuses
• NBA Betting Bonuses
• MLB Betting Bonuses
• UFC Betting Bonuses
• NHL Betting Bonuses
• NCAA Betting Bonuses
• Golf Betting Bonuses
• Tennis Betting Bonuses
• Soccer Betting Bonuses
• NASCAR Betting Bonuses
• Boxing Betting Bonuses
• Cricket Betting Bonuses

Horse Racing Betting Bonuses

Bonuses offered at horse racing betting sites and ADWs work in a similar fashion as those offered at online sportsbooks. After new users sign up and deposit, they receive “pending” bonus cash. Then, bettors can just place wagers like they normally would and the pending bonus will convert to usable cash or site credit.

• Horse Racing Bonuses

Daily Fantasy Sports Bonuses

DraftKings and FanDuel are the most recognized daily fantasy brands, but they are far from the only high-quality providers. For example, PrizePicks and Underdog Fantasy are two DFS operators with pick’em style contests that closely resemble sports betting props but are legal in most states.

Because the daily fantasy sports industry is more competitive than ever, DFS bonuses play a prominent role in most operators’ marketing efforts.

Signup bonuses at daily fantasy sports sites typically consist of first deposit match offers and free entries to paid contests.

The overall quality of fantasy promotions has improved rapidly in recent years. Today, some of the best fantasy sports promotions put the average sports betting bonus to shame.

Find the latest daily fantasy sports bonuses here:

• Daily Fantasy Sports Bonuses

Online Casino Bonuses

Most states with legal online casino sites have crafted laws and regulations encouraging a competitive market. Online gambling bonuses are plentiful and often offer new depositing customers hundreds of dollars in cash or site credit.

Note: Online casino bonuses usually have some of the most demanding wagering requirements. Gamblers should proceed cautiously and read every offer’s terms and conditions before claiming.

Read more about online casino bonuses here:

• Online Casino Bonuses

Online Poker Bonuses

Online poker sites usually offer the best bonuses. Poker deposit bonuses tend to be large and easy to clear compared to other types of online gambling.

Every hand of poker played for real money counts towards completing the rollover requirement and releasing bonuses for withdrawal.

Poker sites offer aggressive signup bonuses because they still earn money off of rake as players clear their bonuses. Online poker sites need real money players seated at tables to attract more new customers and keep tables running.

Read more about online poker bonuses and find the latest offers:

• Online Poker Bonuses

How Betting Bonuses Work

Most online sports betting welcome offers come in three forms: match rate, no-deposit, and first wager refund guarantee (formerly known as a risk-free bet).

Remember: All signup bonuses at legal US betting sites come with terms and conditions, and the wagering requirements are what usually separate excellent offers from less valuable promotions.

BettingUSA evaluates all the best betting promotions for quality, but bettors should make it a habit of reading the terms and conditions of every offer before claiming.

Fortunately, state law requires operators to display the terms and conditions of every bonus clearly and prominently in easy-to-understand terms.

Bonus Bets And Bet Credits

The recent emergence of “bonus bets” and “bet credits” terminology is another development resulting from increased regulatory focus on responsible advertising.

What online sportsbooks formerly referred to as “free bets,” have become bonus bets and bet credits now.

Every bonus bet/bet credit offer is unique, but generally, the phrase refers to non-withdrawable wagering credits that bettors may use to place wagers and win withdrawable cash.

Learn more about how bonus bets work and find valuable tips for taking advantage of bet credits:

• Bonus Bets Explained

Second Chance Bets

Second chance bets at online sportsbooks are fundamentally the same type of offer as risk-free bets but with more responsible phrasing.

Regulatory bodies in several states prohibit operators from using phrases like “risk-free” to encourage transparency and responsible gambling.

Recently, regulators have also become more stringent about enforcing sports betting advertising rules. As a result, online betting sites that formerly offered risk-free bets now advertise “second chance bets”.

BettingUSA editors support this change because as we have noted for several years, the phrase “risk-free” isn’t accurate when describing promotions that refund losing wagers because bettors receive site credit, not cash refunds on their initial deposits.

Most online sportsbooks have changed the phrasing over to second chance bets.

For a more technical discussion of how second chance bets work and tips for extracting maximum value from them, see this page:

• Second Chance Bets Explained

Sports Betting Odds Boosts

Odds boost promos temporarily improve the odds on select markets, giving bettors more bang for their buck. For example, if a sportsbook has priced the Indianapolis Colts at +2,500 to win the next Super Bowl, an odds boost promo might temporarily bump them up to +5,000.

One significant advantage of odds boosts is sportsbooks usually do not load them with terms and conditions. In most cases, an odds boost is as simple as it sounds, a chance to place a bet at higher odds.

If there is a caveat, it’s usually a maximum amount bettors can wager at the enhanced odds price.

Some boosted odds promotions are relatively modest, such as boosting a wager from +345 to +360 for a day. Others go way overboard, such as temporarily shifting a team’s championship odds from something like +600 to +6,000.

Note: The biggest odds boost promos usually enforce hefty restrictions on the maximum bet size, often in the range of $5 to $10.

When bettors find exceptionally large odds boost promos that pay winnings in cash, it is usually a good idea to pound that wager with as much money as the sportsbook will take.

Even if the bet is on an underdog, there is a good chance the odds boost has temporarily made that wager .

Key terms and conditions to watch out fo when taking advantage of odds boost promotions at online sportsbooks:

• Maximum bet size: The biggest odds boosts often enforce a maximum bet size. It may be as small as $5, depending on how much the sportsbook has enhanced the odds on that market.
• Limited time offer: Odds boosts are usually short-term offers. Most betting apps provide optional mobile notifications and e-mail alerts for promotions, and bettors who see an odds boost they like should move on it quickly.
• Winnings paid as bonus money: Occasionally, exceptionally large enhanced odds promotions only pay winnings as bonus funds subject to a modest rollover requirement.

Match Rate Bonuses

Match rate deposit bonuses are usually the most attractive sportsbook signup offers because they tend to be straightforward and generous.

In short, match rate bonuses offer an amount of bonus cash or site credit based on the size of the user’s first deposit.

For example, a typical 100% welcome bonus essentially doubles new customers’ first deposits by matching them dollar for dollar with cash or bet credits.

If a new user claims a 100% betting deposit match bonus and funds their account with $100, they receive an extra $100.

Online Sportsbooks occasionally issue betting bonuses as withdrawable cash, but most take the form of site credit that customers can use to place additional wagers.

Note: Most deposit bonuses only extend to new customers making a first deposit.

No Deposit Betting Bonuses

No-deposit bonuses at online betting sites give customers bonus funds immediately after signing up with no deposit necessary. In other words, new users can sign up for accounts and give the sportsbook a try without risking anything upfront.

The catch is most no-deposit bonuses come with wagering requirements before bettors can withdraw any winnings.

For example, if a customer claims a $20 no-deposit offer and wins $40 with it, they will likely have to place at least $20 worth of wagers to withdraw their winnings.

Additionally, some online sportsbooks require users to make a real money deposit before withdrawing their winnings.

In that case, the only value in taking advantage of no-deposit betting bonus offers is to let users try the sportsbooks and maybe win a little money before making their first deposit.

Still, no-deposit bonuses are a nice perk because they are usually easy to clear. As a result, bettors can potentially use them to win real money with no risk upfront.

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses at online betting sites are just like welcome bonus offers. The only difference is that reload bonuses at sports betting sites are open to existing customers who have deposited in the past.

Tip: Online sportsbooks frequently offer reload bonuses associated with major sports events such as the Super Bowl and the World Series.

Refer-A-Friend Programs

Refer-a-friend programs allow existing users to earn bonus bets or site credit for referring their friends. For example, an online sportsbook may offer $20 in bet credits for every new user existing customers refer.

Typically, refer-a-friend programs give existing customers special links or promo codes to share with their friends for tracking purposes.

Sportsbooks usually pay the referral fees after referred customers sign up and meet minimum deposit and wagering requirements.

For example, a sportsbook may offer a $50 referral bonus to existing users after their friends sign up and place at least $10 worth of wagers within 28 days of registration.

Reduced Juice Promos

Reduced juice promotions temporarily reduce the vigorish sportsbooks charge on all betting markets.

They may not look as exciting to casual bettors as big deposit bonuses, but reduced juice promos at online sportsbooks provide significant long-term value by reducing or eliminating the house commission on select wagers (or even entire categories of bets).

An example of reduced juice in action would be a sportsbook dropping the lines on point spreads from -110 to -105.

Rather than risking $110 to win $100 as with standard -110 lines, bettors are only risking $105 to win $100.

Reduced juice reduces the house edge by a significant percentage, and that’s a big deal for frequent bettors.

For example, betting $100 at -110 odds would give the bettor a potential payout of $190.91. Booking that same wager at -105 would give the user a potential payout of $195.24. Those discounts add up over time faster than many would expect.

Even better is when sportsbooks reduce the juice entirely by offering +100 odds on both sides of select spreads and totals.

No-juice promotions are rare but do appear from time to time.

VIP Loyalty Programs

Sportsbooks offer VIP and loyalty programs to reward active customers.

The benefits at the lower levels of sports betting rewards programs are rarely worth using as the basis for which sportsbook to choose, but medium and high-volume bettors can earn significant rewards for betting online.

Sports betting loyalty programs vary from one book to the next, but the general theme is to provide increasingly valuable perks based on each user’s activity levels.

Many sports betting VIP programs use a points scheme that awards points for every dollar customers wager. As customers earn points, they move up through reward program tiers to unlock bigger and better rewards.

At lower tier levels, customers earn minor perks such as exclusive deposit bonuses, enhanced customer support, and faster withdrawals.

As customers move up to higher levels, they unlock more valuable rewards such as comped hotel-casino rooms, invitations to VIP events, large cash bonuses, and electronics.

Major land-based casino companies that offer online betting tend to have the best sports betting rewards programs.

For example, BetMGM (MGM Resorts International) and Caesars Sportsbook (Caesars Entertainment) integrate their loyalty programs into their land-based VIP schemes.

As a result, bettors can earn points online or in-person and redeem them for betting credits, in-casino perks, and more.

Other Online Betting Promotions

Online sportsbooks launch new promotions regularly for new and existing customers.

Below are examples of some of the most common types of promos bettors can expect.

• Close call insurance: Close call insurance promotions offer customers money back if their bet comes close to winning but doesn’t. A typical example is a sportsbook offering refunds on bettors who back teams that take the lead at halftime but still lose the game.
• High scoring loss refund: High scoring refund offers are a twist on close call insurance. For example, a promotion may refund customers if they bet on a team that scores at least X points but still loses.
• Per point bonuses: Per-point promotions are exciting because the better the selected team performs, the bigger the bonus. Examples of per-point bonuses would be betting on an NBA game and earning $3 in bonus money for every point by which your team wins or receiving $6 for every TD your NFL team scores.
• Early payouts: Early payout promos instantly grade customers’ pre-game wagers winners if their team achieves a certain milestone early in the game, such as scoring the first TD or getting ahead by X points.
• No goal refunds: Some betting sites offer refunds to customers who bet on soccer games that end 0-0.
• Parlay insurance: Many sportsbooks offer regular parlay insurance promotions that refund customers who place parlays that lose by exactly one leg.
• Happy hour specials: Happy hour promotions can take many forms, but the general idea is bettors can log in during certain times of the day to qualify for special promos not offered any other time.

Expert Tip: it is worthwhile for bettors to follow their favorite sportsbooks on social media and consent to receive promotional e-mails or mobile alerts. Bettors who do so will often find short-term offers to take advantage of that are not advertised elsewhere.

Free Bets And Risk-Free Wagering

Free bets and risk-free bets are similar in name but different in function.

Free bet offers function like site credit, except customers usually must wager the free bet all at once. For example, a customer who receives a $100 free bet typically must use it on a single, $100 wager rather than using it to place two $50 wagers.

Risk-free bets allow new users to place their first wager with the guarantee that if it loses, the sportsbook will refund the customer for a chance to try again. In most cases, betting apps issue refunds as free bets rather than cash or site credit.

For example, online sportsbooks might advertise a risk-free bet along the lines of, “if your first wager loses, we’ll refund it with a free bet of equal value worth up to $500.”

If the customer’s first bet wins, they receive a payout as normal, and the promotion ends there. If their first bet loses, the sportsbook refunds the initial wager with an equal amount (up to a stated maximum).

Note: The phrase “risk-free” is a bit of a misnomer because bettors still have to make a wager with their own money to qualify, and any refund is most likely not withdrawable.

In any case, risk-free bets at online betting sites are worth taking advantage of because they provide an extra chance to place a winning wager if a customer’s first bet doesn’t pan out.

Some of the key terms to be aware of when claiming risk-free bets at online sportsbooks include:

• Limited time to place the wager: There is often a limit to how long customers have to use any free bets a sportsbook issues.
• Non-withdrawable: Sportsbooks almost always issue free bets as non-withdrawable funds. Bettors may not withdraw the funds, but they can cash out anything they win by wagering the bonus.
• Not included in any returns: In most cases, bettors do not receive the value of the free bet in the payout if they use it to place a winning wager. For example, a bettor who uses a free bet to place a $100 wager at +250 odds will most likely receive a $250 payout instead of the typical $350 payout if it wins. The bettor has only received the net gain in this example.
• Wagering requirements: Some risk-free bets come with wagering requirements, just like standard deposit bonuses. In most cases, the rollover on free bets is minimal – often in the range of 1x the value of the free bet.

Learn how to maximize value with free bets here:

• Free Bets Explained

Note: Due to regulatory pressure and in an effort to be transparent in phrasing, sports betting sites have rebranded the term “risk-free bets” into offers labeled as “bonus bets,” “second chance bets,” and “no regret bets”.

Clearing Requirements And Rollover

Online betting sites spend large marketing budgets on new customer acquisition, but most cash bonus offers also come with clearing requirements (a.k.a. “rollover”) that help offset some of the promotional cost.

Wagering requirements stipulate that the customer must place a total sum of wagers equal to X before withdrawing the bonus or anything won with the bonus.

Sometimes bettors are asked to wager up to 30 times the size of the bonus.

Note: this does not mean that bettors must lose that much; it just means they need to place that many total wagers.

Fortunately, bonus clearing requirements at legal US betting sites are more reasonable than what offshore sportsbooks offer.

Evaluating Betting Bonuses For Value

Evaluating the value of betting bonuses can be challenging due to the many ways online betting sites structure offers and their terms and conditions.

However, there is an easy way to compare sports betting promotions for value that doesn’t involve too much math.

Wagering Requirements vs. Average Hold on Sports Betting

The simplest way to quickly evaluate a promotion or compare two online betting bonuses is to run each offer’s wagering requirements against the average sports betting hold percentage.

Doing so tells bettors how much house advantage they’ll be exposed to while clearing that bonus. They can then subtract that number from the total bonus amount to uncover the theoretical true value of the offer.

Note: This method is not perfect as it does not consider the bettor’s skill or the hold percentages of every individual betting market. Even so, it works well as a benchmark figure and is easy to calculate.

According to figures from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, sportsbooks there have achieved an average hold of 5.55% since 1984.

Assuming bettors don’t clear their bonuses with high-hold parlays, we can shade that number down a bit to 5% as a rough starting point.

Bettors can drop that even lower to 4.55% if they bet exclusively into -110 lines, but let’s assume some flexibility in the types of wagers used to clear betting bonuses and use an example hold of 5%.

First, multiply the average hold by the wagering requirements attached to a specific bonus. Next, subtract that number from the bonus amount to get a general idea of how valuable that offer really is.

Let’s compare two different betting bonuses as an example:

• Bonus A: 100% up to $500 with a 25x rollover
• Bonus B: 100% up to $250 with a 10x rollover

Claiming the maximum bonus amount with Bonus A will require the bettor to place a total of $12,500 worth of wagers to release it for withdrawal.

Assuming the bettor faces an average commission of 5% while meeting that rollover, the expected loss while clearing the bonus in full is $625 ($12,500 x .05).

The expected value of Bonus A works out to -$125 ($500 minus $625). That’s not a good deal, but it also doesn’t consider the bettor’s skill at picking winners.

Still, it is better to err on the side of caution and assume one’s skills are no better than flipping a coin when evaluating bonuses.

Now, let’s consider Bonus B.

Bonus B comes with a more generous 10x rollover, which means the bettor must place $2,500 worth of wagers to release it for withdrawal.

Multiply $2,500 by the average hold (5%) and end up with an expected loss of $125. Subtract that from the original bonus amount, and the bettor ends up with an expected value of +$125 ($250 minus $125).

It turns out Bonus B is the better deal despite appearing smaller. The lower bonus wagering requirements make it more likely that bettors will be ahead after clearing the bonus.

State Specific Betting Offers

Sports bettors in each state have a unique lineup of sports betting bonuses to choose from. Local laws, tax rates, and which operators are active vary by state and impact which types of betting sites promotions are available.

Readers can follow the links below to view a complete listing of each state’s best sportsbook signup offers and betting deposit bonuses.

• Arizona Betting Bonuses
• Arkansas Betting Bonuses
• Colorado Betting Bonuses
• Connecticut Betting Bonuses
• Indiana Betting Bonuses
• Illinois Betting Bonuses
• Iowa Betting Bonuses
• Kansas Betting Bonuses
• Kentucky Betting Bonuses
• Louisiana Betting Bonuses
• Maine Betting Bonuses
• Maryland Betting Bonuses
• Massachusetts Betting Bonuses
• Michigan Betting Bonuses
• New Hampshire Betting Bonuses
• New Jersey Betting Bonuses
• New York Betting Bonuses
• North Carolina Betting Bonuses
• Ohio Betting Bonuses
• Oregon Betting Bonuses
• Pennsylvania Betting Bonuses
• Rhode Island Betting Bonuses
• Tennessee Betting Bonuses
• Vermont Betting Bonuses
• Virginia Betting Bonuses
• West Virginia Betting Bonuses
• Wyoming Betting Bonuses

Betting Bonus Codes

Sometimes sports betting sites ask new customers to input a bonus code or promo code to claim a deposit bonus. The promo code field usually appears somewhere on the new customer registration form or when making a deposit.

In most cases, betting promo codes are optional and do not offer any extra value; they are simply a marketing tracking mechanism for betting operators.

In other cases, the latest sportsbook promo codes allow players to claim exclusive bonuses that aren’t publicly advertised.

Most new customer bonuses are automatically applied whether or not a promo code is entered.

Tip: BettingUSA occasionally receives exclusive sportsbook bonus codes that we pass on to visitors. Use the betting promo codes listed here when signing up to claim a bigger and better bonus than betting offers advertised elsewhere.

For operators, sports betting bonus codes assist in tracking marketing efforts. For example, if a customer enters a bonus code seen on a TV ad, the operator knows that specific ad inspired the customer to sign up for an account.

Sportsbook promo codes also provide a sense of exclusivity, which is an effective marketing tactic in its own right.

Betting Bonus FAQ