It will not have escaped your attention that online sports betting has become incredibly popular in the last few years. Betting has always been a major moneymaker but the easing of laws and restrictions around the world have meant millions more people now have the opportunity to give it a go.
If you are a complete newcomer to gambling you may be a little overwhelmed by all the new terms and jargon – as well as the marketing campaigns. You may think that some of the offers can’t be true because of the large amounts of money mentioned. Well, the good news is that these welcome bonuses are completely legit. You just need to know what they are and how to activate them.
Read on to find out how to claim a welcome offer – from a Bovada deposit bonus to free spins on the latest blockbuster slot machine.
Free Bets
Our first welcome bonus is one that definitely falls into the surely-too-good-to-be-true category. You will probably see this kind of offer quite a lot as you continue to use your new betting account. The piece of news to take on board here is that you will get ‘free’ bets – but you will need to meet a few requirements first.
In fact, terms and conditions are something that you should get used to as an online sportsbook customer account holder. You will receive free bets for registering with your chosen site. But you will invariably need to place your own paid for bets first. This is still a good bonus to claim, but don’t think you will get something for nothing.
Deposit Match
This is one of the most popular welcome bonuses out there in the betting industry at the moment. You will need to sign up with the sportsbook and then make your first deposit of funds into your account. The idea is that you will need to make a deposit anyway, so you are not being asked to do too much.
Once you have funded your account, the sportsbook will match your deposit by a certain percentage. Most often that number is 100%, meaning that your funds will double, but it can be any kind of match really. There will be an upper limit to the bonus – and there will be terms and conditions again – but this is another good bonus to claim.
Free Spins
A lot of online sportsbooks try to attract new customers that are not completely interested in sports betting. That is why you will commonly see an online casino section on the same site. The size of the welcome bonuses here are usually even bigger and free spins are a common enticement.
The site will offer a number of free spins, on selected slots, once you sign up for a new account. This is a good way for you to feel that you are getting something for nothing, while the operator gets to show off a particular slot machine game in the hope that you will want to play some more.
No Deposit Bonus
On the face of it, this is probably the best bonus to claim. But it is also possibly the rarest on our list. With this promotion, the sportsbook is going to hand you a bonus just for signing up. You don’t even need to make a deposit. Just register and claim your prize.
Any kind of no deposit bonus is worth investigating. But the downside to this kind of offer is that there will probably be more terms and conditions attached – and the size of the bonus may not be as big as some of the other types. That being said, this is the nearest to getting something for nothing that you will find.
Combination Bonus
Our final example of a welcome bonus is one that combines some, or all, of the elements of the previous four and packages it all up for the grateful new customer account holder. More often than not it will be some kind of free bet/deposit match for sports betting, along with some free spins in the casino.
As with all the other promotions and bonuses listed here, you should always read the terms and conditions. These welcome bonuses are a great way to start off your betting experience – but you need to know what is expected of you before you get going.
