Explaining Sportsbook Bonuses to Newbies
Sports are at the core of our pop culture. Football, basketball, cricket, and more remain some of the most popular entertainment programs and events, with billions of people being excited to see the new game. Boxing is consistently at the top of pay-per-view programs, and MMA is sweeping the online discourse surrounding sports, combat, and martial arts.
With sports being bigger than ever, it only makes sense to assume that bookies are a lot more profitable than ever. That assumption would indeed be correct. Sportsbooks have made a huge splash in the world of sports, especially online sportsbooks. Certainly, the overall popularity of sports is a huge influence. But, another big reason why sports betting online is so popular has to do with bonus promotions.
What are Sportsbook Bonuses?
When many people sign up for an online sportsbook, they are greeted with a little banner telling them how to make use of the “welcome bonus.” It is worth saying that while not all bookies have a welcome bonus, most of the best sportsbooks online do, in fact, feature one. The question that some newbies might have is how somebody becomes eligible to get a welcome bonus.
There could be different standards for becoming eligible, depending on the website that you’ve chosen. For example, the most common way to become eligible for a welcome bonus is simply by signing up to an online sportsbook. Once you are registered as a new member, you can click on the bonus, and it will be deposited into your account.
There is also the matter of promo codes. Promo codes are just another way for online sportsbooks to deal out bonuses. Once you have the bonus code in hand, you can create an account, and type in the code in the allotted place. When that is done, you proceed with registering and verifying your account, and by the end, you will have a functioning website.
Terms and Conditions
One of the most notable things to talk about when discussing online sportsbook bonus offers is the terms and conditions. It is worth pointing out that most websites (all really) have terms & conditions of use, that are worth reading through, just so you know what the website is all about, and how it works. However, this is doubly important when dealing with online sportsbooks and bonuses.
All bonuses at online bookies come with strict guides and rules on how you can use them. A lot of punters make the mistake of ignoring these rules, and simply moving on to claiming the bonus. However, they are then confronted by a cruel reality, when the bonus does not work for them. All of it could have been avoided, had they simply read the conditions.
Usually, the terms and conditions of a bonus offer cover how it can be used, when it can be used, and the odds on which it can be used. For example, some bonuses may only pay out if you wager on sports betting odds of 2: 1. Then, there is also the matter of a minimum and maximum wager. Many bookies set up conditions that have the bonuses payout within a specific monetary range. For example, you can wager less than 30 Pounds, or more than 100, if you want to use the bonus.
Bonus Categories
We know now what online sportsbook bonus offers are, and what the terms behind their usage is. All that is left is to discuss the most popular bonus options that online bookies have to offer. We will delve into both general bonuses and specific ones, so without further ado, let’s get started.
Welcome Bonus
A welcome bonus is pretty simple to explain. It is a bonus that any new players and punters get upon signing up to the bookie. To become eligible for a welcome bonus, you might have to follow the terms and conditions of the website, which is another notable reason why you should read those before you sign up. Welcome bonuses come in two distinct categories: no deposit and first deposit bonus. Let’s discuss the difference between those two.
No Deposit Bonus
As you might have gathered, a no-deposit bonus is a promo offer that one can get simply by signing up, with no deposit necessary. You’ve created an account, you’ve verified it, and now it is time to wager. If you’ve done everything following the terms and conditions, you can place bets on your favorite sport using a no-deposit bonus, whether that be football, cricket, or something else entirely is up to you. Just remember, a no-deposit bonus does come with certain limits, so be sure to check out the T&C before you start wagering.
First Deposit Bonus
A first deposit bonus is also pretty self-explanatory. To become eligible for this option, you will have to place your first, clean deposit. First deposit bonuses used to be the norm, before the emergence of no deposit offers. However, even now they remain an incredibly popular aspect of online gambling and betting. Again, it is important to read the terms and conditions of these bonuses, before you begin to wager.
Popular Bonuses
In this final section, we are going to talk about some of the most popular bonuses, and what they can offer to punters. The Welcome bonus category is the most popular, but it doesn’t tell us anything about what we get. So, if you’ve been curious about that, let’s dig in.
- Free Bets: the simplest and most popular bonus option, free bets let you place a wager within a certain range without actually putting up any money.
- Match Deposit: another incredibly popular option, the match deposit bonus doubles whatever funds you’ve placed into your account, up to a certain point.
- Reload Bonus: Bonuses that reward existing customers, either by matching their deposits, or awarding them a fixed amount of bets.
- Referrals: Finally, you can earn a bonus just by referring a friend to the sportsbook. Not all bookies offer this, but the ones that do are quite generous with the rewards.
