You’ve made the choice to enter the world of online sports betting. Now that this decision has been reached, there are others that must be made prior to settling on the betting site that will be your sportsbook of choice.
Online sports betting is an extremely competitive business. Every site is seeking that edge, something that will make them stand out in the crowd and become the betting house that a player will choose to call home.
Among the major marketing tools these sites utilize to attract new customers is a lucrative sign-up bonus that is awarded to new players. These bonuses can take on many forms, so it’s important to find the one that’s the best fit for your needs as a player.
Let’s take a look at some of the options on offer from the leading online sportsbooks.
No-Deposit Bonus
This one is fairly self-explanatory from the titles. Sportsbooks are giving new players free money to bet at their site merely for signing up to the site.
A betting site that offers the no-deposit bonus is Bookmaker. True, it’s only $10 but it’s still free money.
The best part of all with a no-deposit bonus is that there’s absolutely no risk to you. You’re literally playing with house money. It’s a great way to test the waters and find out if this betting site offers what you are looking for in a sportsbook.
Matching Deposit Bonus
A popular bonus offered to new players among online sportsbooks is the matching deposit bonus. There are betting sites that will match initial deposits dollar for dollar.
Among those sportsbooks is BetDSI. They will match a new player’s deposit 100% up to a maximum amount of $1000. The only catch is that wagers made with the bonus money must be split 50-50 between the BetDSI sportsbook and the BetDSI online casino.
Naturally, some matching deposit bonuses are better than others. For example, Bovada limits new customers to a 50% matching bonus worth up to a maximum of $250. So to max out your bonus with them, you’d need to deposit a total of $500 into your account.
Both BetOnline and MyBookie offer a 50% matching first deposit bonus. However, they cap their bonus offer at a lucrative $1000.
Risk-Free Bet Bonus
There are sportsbooks that are willing to give players one kick at the can with no consequences. Among these betting houses is Intertops.
They offer new players a $20 risk free wager. Place a $20 bet at their sportsbook. If you win, well that’s good news. If you don’t, the $20 loss will be refunded to your account, a sort of betting Mulligan.
Unique Bonus Offerings
There are some betting sites that will offer a variety of bonuses to new players. A few sites might let a player access more than one, or perhaps even all of the offers but in the vast majority of these instances, sportsbooks will ask players to make one selection from the bonus menu.
An example of this is the array of bonus offers at Sportbet. Players who make a first deposit between $100-$400 are eligible for a 50% matching bonus. Players who deposit more than $400 can access an additional 20% matching bonus on every dollar beyond the $400 plateau.
However the unique bonus that is also far and away the sportsbook’s most popular new player bonus is their Super Saver Bonus. With it, bettors get a 30% reduction in the juice or vig that sportsbooks charge on a wager.
The industry standard for the juice is generally 10%. By indicating this as the bonus you want, every wager a player ever makes at Sportbet will be wagered with a 30% reduction in the juice. That will add up to quite a saving over the long haul.
Look Beyond The Starting Point
You wouldn’t buy a house just because it had a nice front door. Don’t choose a sportsbook simply because they offer you a decent signup bonus.
You’re getting into sports betting for the long haul. Make sure that the sportsbook you opt to go with is going to treat you as a valued customer long after you’ve joined their site.
Click on the promotions link on the sportsbook website to determine the sorts of benefits they provide on a regular basis. There are sites that offer reload bonuses on future deposits. Others give refer-a-friend bonus funds.
Top sports betting sites will provide regular bonus offers connected to popular sports and also with major events like the Super Bowl and March Madness.
Read The Fine Print
Before joining any sports betting site, first read through the terms and conditions related to their bonus offers. Do you need to enter a code to access the bonus? This is vital to know. You’ll get one shot at accessing a sign-up bonus. Don’t lose out because you forget to type in the required code.
Rollover requirements are attached to virtually every online sportsbook bonus offer. This is the number of times you must play through the awarded bonus funds before you’re permitted to withdraw them from your account. These can vary as few a 5X to as many as 20x.
Remember, the more times you’re required to wager those funds, the more likely the odds are that you’ll lose the money.