Recent years have seen a massive surge in interest of everyday people towards sports betting.  While this in no way has replaced traditional casino gambling, many brick-and-mortar casinos and sports books, as well as online sports betting venues have increased their presence and offerings.  With this shift has come an increased competition among the various businesses who want your business as a customer.  Naturally, many promotions and various sports betting bonuses have been cooked up by these companies, in order to lure in new customers, and retain existing customers.

In this guide, we’ll help you learn all about the best online sports betting bonuses available today.  We’ll cover the different types of online sports betting bonuses (which are also often offered at brick-and-mortar establishments as well).  We’ll dive into the details on how these promotions and bonuses compare, what they offer, and how they differ from or are similar to traditional casino promotions and bonuses.  By the time you’ve read through our guide, you’ll be well-prepared to take advantage of the best sports betting bonuses at your chosen gambling establishment.  So let’s get started!

So, What are Sports Betting Bonuses?

Sports betting bonuses are numerous and varied, but generally take one of a few key forms.  These should be fairly familiar to anyone who has dealt with traditional casino bonuses – although some are specific to sports betting.  Broadly speaking, these are the two different types of online sports betting bonuses.  Many, such as deposit bonuses, are not sports-betting specific.  Others, such as improved point spreads, odds, or decreased sports book cut from bets are all much more specific to sports betting operations.

In all cases, however, if you are going to spend any amount of time trying your hand at sports betting, it just makes good sense to take advantage of some of these online sports betting bonuses.  They amount to free money, better odds, or better incentives in your favor.  Of course, there’s still a lot of chance and risk involved – it is gambling after all – but anything that turns the tables more towards you, the player, is definitely worth exploring.  In fact, some of the best bonuses for sports betting can be the difference between a win and a loss on your bet, as we’ll explain in more detail below.

What Types of Sports Betting Bonuses are There?

There are several common types of sports betting bonuses available from the best sports betting sites, bonuses that may or may not be offered at any given online sports book or casino, or land-based/real-world casino or sports book.  Every offering is different, but understanding these key types of sports betting bonuses will help you to evaluate the best deals for yourself, and to better choose the kinds of casinos or sports books you want to utilize, so that you can get the maximum amount of benefit.

Broadly speaking, among the best sports betting bonuses, the following are most common:

• Deposit or match bonuses, where the sports book or casino provides a percentage or set amount of free money on a certain size deposit, e.g. “$100 bonus on your first deposit of $200 or more”.
• Reload bonuses, which work similarly to the above, but are not limited to your initial or promotional deposit only.
• Better lines or payout odds, that improve your chances of winning, such as promotional half-point lines for point spreads that increase your likelihood of making the spread.
• Reduced rake or “juice” – the cut that the casino or sports book takes – which can take the form of a promotional betting amount, or reduced juice lines on a number or amount of bets.
• Free bet promotions, in which you are guaranteed a certain amount of money on your first bet, even if you lose the bet outright, awarded to you as credit on your account.
• Cash back promotions, giving you some portion of the casino rake or cut from a certain amount or number of bets back to you as credit on your account.

Where and How Can You Find Sports Betting Bonuses?

Almost every online sports book or casino, and most brick-and-mortar equivalents, offer some kind of bonuses and promotions for new customers, as well as promotional offers for existing customers from time to time.  The best way to find the best online sports betting bonuses is to look through the deals or promotional section of your chosen sports book or casino website.  You can also review the information published in third-party guides, including in-person guides available from real-world casinos that have sports betting.  It’s important, however, to always remember to read the fine print regarding any deals or promotions, so that you fully understand what you are getting, and what the requirements are before you can cash the bonus out.

Best Way to Use Sports Betting Bonuses?

The best way to use sports betting bonuses will depend on your particular expertise, preferences, and which types of online sports betting bonuses you can receive.  Generally speaking, deposit bonuses can be used in whatever way you’d like.  Improved odds, such as a better point spread, should be used for larger bets, so that you can achieve the maximum benefit.  Likewise, if you have a promotional period in which you can earn cash back, it is wise to do as much better as you like within that period, to maximize the amount of cash back you can achieve from that bonus.  As with most things in life, it all depends on the details of the specific type of online sports betting bonuses you choose, and your particular areas of gambling expertise – don’t use promotions to bet on games or contests you do not understand, as that’s a very good way to flush them away!

Do Sports Betting Bonuses Have Wagering Requirements?

Like traditional casino bonuses, many of the sports betting bonuses that are available today have some kind of “fine print” details, including wagering requirements, in order to allow you to cash them out.  Deposit bonuses or match bonuses are the most common in this regard, usually requiring you to wager the bonus amount several times over before it is eligible to be cashed out.  There may or may not be wagering requirements associated with better odds/lines, cash back bonuses, reduced rake/juice, and similar promotions.  The rates and criteria tend to vary significantly by individual sports book or casino, so it is best to put some time into comparing fine print details before you take advantage of any promotion.

Final Verdict

There are a wide range of types of online sports betting bonuses available today.  Understanding the different kinds of bonuses that are available, how they work, and what they offer will help you to ensure you choose the best online sports betting bonuses for your style of play and gambling risk threshold.  It’s also the best way to ensure you can determine the best sports betting sites bonuses for yourself – comparing true “apples to apples” when you read the fine print of a deal, and can find the most generous bonuses at the sports book or casino of your choosing.  Good luck!