Betting Sites With Best Welcome Bonus Offers 2024 - Top Picks
After reviewing top sportsbooks, Sportsbet, Betway, and Stake offer the best welcome bonuses, providing generous rewards, secure betting, and exciting promotions for new players.
Finding your new favourite sportsbook is brilliant, but finding your new favourite sportsbook that offers top-notch bonuses is even better. Our team of experts have done the hard work, searching through bonus terms and conditions to find the ones that put players first. So, if you’re looking for help on how bonuses work, or where you can find the best ones, you’re in the right place.
3 Best Sportsbook Sign Up Bonuses & Promos
For many people, signing up to betting sites with a welcome bonus is essential. Maybe the biggest perk of finding a new site is claiming a bumper promotion. Whether you’re after a free bet, a deposit match bonus, or even a no-deposit bonus, we’ve got plenty of great options for lucrative sign-up offers.
Key Features
- Support:
- Licenses: Curaçao
Sportsbet.io is one of the slickest bonus sportsbooks with a global reach.
You can deposit with a choice of currencies, including USD and CAD, or plump for a range of cryptos like USDT and BTC.
As a new Sportsbet.io customer, you can deposit and bet 30 USDT to earn a free 10 USDT bet token.
Alternatively, the welcome bonus is available in JPY, ETH, and mBTC.
Best of all, there are no wagering requirements to clear when you claim your free bet token.
In addition to a generous welcome bonus, Sportsbet.io offers up to 20% cashback on selected sports bets (at time of review, MLB).
You can claim back a portion of wagers up to USDT 1,000 if they don’t come in.
Pros
Cons
#ad• 18+• Opt in required• 50 USDT min bet• random cash rewards if correct team chosen• entries close after group stages
Key Features
- Support:
- Licenses: UK, Malta, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Mexico, South Africa, Portugal, Ireland, Poland, France, Argentina, USA
Free bets are the big draw when you join Betway sportsbook.
You can kick things off with a CAD200 free bet when you open an account and place a first wager. You receive a free bet token if your first bet loses.
In addition, Betway offers regular free bet specials.
You can earn CAD10 free bets as part of the Parlay Club, and even claim smaller free bets on your favorite hockey clashes.
Betway runs markets on 20+ sports, including baseball, soccer, and football.
In-play markets run on most sports, plus you can view all Betway Boosts on the homepage without navigating through millions of markets.
Boosts offer competitive enhanced odds on many pre-match and in-play betting markets.
Pros
Cons
Ad• 18+• New customers• Max free bet €100• Free bet available on losing settlement of qualifying bet• 50 bonus spins creditted on placement of qualifying bet• Offer valid for 7 days from account creation• Full terms and conditions apply
Key Features
- Support:
- Licenses: Curaçao
Stake.com is one of the go-to global sportsbooks for cryptocurrency depositors.
The sportsbook now accepts payments with over a dozen digital currencies, in addition to Google Pay and debit cards.
The retention bonuses at Stake.com are perfect for customers, regardless of what currency they use to deposit.
You can win big money via birthday raffles, or enter races to win a share of $100,000.
You win cash by placing real-money sports bets and climbing the prize ladder.
There’s no need to opt in, either: you enter the ladder spots as soon as you place your first bet of the week.
The downside is that there is currently no welcome bonus offered at Stake.com.
However, with enough boosts, enhanced odds, and retention bonuses to cover it, you won’t be short of something to opt into.
Pros
Cons
How Do Sportsbook Bonuses Work?
It’s usually pretty easy to claim a sportsbook bonus, but there are a few tips that you should know to help you get started.
- 1
Decide on the bonus you’d like to claim! If you’re new to the site then the welcome bonus is likely to provide the best value. If you’re a returning customer then check out the promotions page to look for the offer that suits you best.
- 2
Read the terms and conditions to make sure they are fair and you’ll be able to complete the requirements.
- 3
Make the minimum qualifying deposit and if there is a promo code, enter it when prompted.
- 4
You should now have the bonus amount in your account ready to use.
- 5
Remember to bet on allowed markets and adhere to the minimum odds rule for free bets.
Once you’ve completed any requirements, your bonus winnings will become withdrawable.
How we Rated the Betting Sites with Welcome Bonus
It’s not easy to be the betting site with a welcome bonus that makes it to our top list. Below are the criteria that all sites must meet to be considered.
License: A license is essential for a site to make it to our list. Whether it’s from a local governing body or a remote license, this helps to ensure that the site is safe and trustworthy.
Bonus & Terms: As well as having a generous welcome bonus, we also check out the terms and conditions. We look for a fair playthrough, expiry date, and win cap, as well as a good bonus amount.
Payments: Being able to get your hands on your winnings safely and quickly is essential. We check for trusted payment providers offering fast withdrawals.
Odds & Markets: All of the sites offering free bets must have a wide selection of markets and competitive odds across all major sports.
Customer Support: We prefer sites to have a comprehensive FAQ as well as at least one other way of reaching the customer support team.
What Is a Welcome Bonus?
A welcome bonus is the first bonus you receive when you sign up to a site as a new customer. You’ll sometimes see it referred to as a sign-up bonus for this reason.
They’re often the most generous offer on the site, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it if you don’t want to!
What Is the Benefit of a Welcome Bonus?
There are all kinds of benefits to accepting a welcome bonus. Below are some of the most important ones.
Boost Your Bankroll: A deposit match bonus can provide a significant boost to your betting funds. A free bets offer can also boost your wallet with extra bet credits.
Make Outside Bets: A free bet or second chance bet can be a good way to take bets at longer odds without risking your own money.
Try a New Site: The main point of all types of welcome bonuses is to allow you to try out a new site without having to risk as much of your own money.
Do I Need a Promo Code to Claim a Welcome Bonus?
Many bonuses do require a promo code, but it’s a less common practice for the welcome bonus. Generally, the welcome bonus is easy to claim and doesn’t require a code.
Tip: Sometimes if you’re playing on a site with a casino and sports betting section then you might need a code to choose whether you’d like the casino bonus or the betting bonus.
Sports Specific Betting Promos
When it comes to the best sportsbook bonuses, there’s a lot of choice, but it’s a good idea to narrow down your search based on the sports that you enjoy betting on. Below is a complete bonus betting guide for some of the most popular sports. This way, you’ll be able to see the kind of promo you could claim for your favourite sport.
Cricket Betting Promos
You’ll usually find cricket betting bonuses around major tournaments. These often include boosted odds on the big matches, or occasionally leaderboard promotions for the most successful bettors.
Football Betting Promos
Football is the most popular sport to bet on worldwide, so it’s always possible to snag a bonus, or two (or more). Boosted odds are available often, as well as deposit match bonuses and reload bonuses that can almost always be used on football.
Darts Betting Promos
Darts betting promotions are easiest to find during the three biggest darts tournaments: the World Championship, Premier League Darts, and the World Matchplay. Look out for accumulator bonuses and boosted odds.
Snooker Betting Promos
Snooker betting is particularly popular in the UK, but there are still bonuses you can use worldwide. It’s easiest to find accumulator bonuses in the early stages of major tournaments.
NFL Betting
NFL betting is enormously popular in the US, but it’s making waves globally too. In the early stages of the season you’ll find boosted odds and acca bonuses, but as the Super Bowl approaches look out for all kinds of generous promos.
UFC Betting
It’s often possible to snag a UFC specific bonus around major fights. Sometimes odds are boosted for specific events, like a knockout.
NBA Betting
The NBA betting is almost always eligible for any non-specific bonuses, but has plenty of its own second chance bet and boosted odds promos too.
ESports Betting
Esports betting bonuses can be a little more difficult to find, as you can’t always use non-specific bonuses on this sport. The best place to look is esports specialist sites that allow wagering on esports action throughout the year.
Types of Welcome Bonuses
There are all kinds of different betting bonuses that you can get your hands on. Below is an explainer on each of the most common ones.
Free Bet
When it comes to straightforward betting bonuses, the free bet reigns supreme. This offer gives you a free sports bet up to a certain value.
Deposit Match Bonus
The deposit match bonus is the second most common betting bonus. This offer matches your initial deposit by a certain percentage and up to a certain value.
For example: A 100% deposit match bonus up to $50, gives you an additional 100% of your initial deposit up to a value of no more than $50.
Second Chance Bet
A second chance bet is becoming an increasingly popular welcome bonus. This offer allows you to receive your stake back as bet credits, but only if your first bet loses.
No Deposit Bonus
It’s pretty rare to find betting sites with a free welcome bonus, but it does sometimes happen. These are called no deposit bonuses, as you can claim a promotion without making a deposit.
Best Ongoing Betting Site Promos and Bonuses
The welcome bonus is only available to brand new customers, so, what about the rest of us? Ongoing bonuses are the ones you want to look for. You’ll sometimes see these if a site has a promotions/bonus page. Otherwise, you might receive sportsbook promo codes to your email address or mobile. These bonuses still come with terms, but can add a boost to your bankroll just like a welcome bonus could.
Boosted Odds
Boosted odds are a brilliant bonus to use if they happen to be eligible for the sport you’re betting on. These bonuses give you a ‘boost’ to odds, making them higher than normal, so your payouts are increased if your bet wins.
Reload Bonus
If you’re ready to make a deposit to your betting account then check whether you’re eligible for a reload sports betting bonus first. These work in the same way as a deposit bonus, giving you a percentage of your deposit as bonus funds.
Referral Bonus
If you’ve found an online betting site that you really like then a referral bonus is a great way to spread the news and earn a boost to your betting budget. These bonuses always give you a free bet or deposit bonus when one of your friends signs up using a referral link. Sometimes they give your friend a bonus too, so it’s a win-win for everyone!
Bonus Terms and Conditions
Sadly, all bonuses come with at least some terms and conditions attached. It’s important to read these carefully as they can really affect the value of a bonus.
Wagering Requirement
The wagering requirement tends to be the term that makes the biggest difference to a bonus’ value. It refers to the number of times that you need to wager the bonus amount before you can withdraw your winnings.
For example: You take a $20 free bet with a 10x wagering requirement. You must wager the bonus amount ($20) 10 times before you can withdraw your winnings - that’s $200 in total.
Qualifying Deposit
In order to claim a bonus you’ll usually need to deposit at least a certain amount of money, this is known as the qualifying deposit.
Minimum Odds
Most free bet offers will stipulate the minimum odds that can be taken as a qualifying bet. Some bonuses will also stipulate minimum odds to satisfy the wagering requirement, but this is less common.
Expiry Date
All bonuses come with an expiry date, by which point you need to have used the bonus amount and completed any wagering requirements. If you don’t, the bonus will expire and you’ll lose any bonus funds.
Win Cap
Some promotions come with a win cap or max win. This is the maximum amount that you can win from using this bonus.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Claiming Sportsbook Bonus
While claiming any of the sportsbook bonuses in this guide is a good way to find some extra value, there are still pitfalls to look out for. Yes, even when the professionals have vetted the T&Cs! Below are some common mistakes to look out for to ensure you get maximum value from your sports betting bonuses.
Forgetting to cover the wagering requirement
Not paying attention to the expiry date
Ignoring the minimum odds requirement
Not reaching the minimum deposit requirement
Betting on markets that aren’t eligible for the bonus
Promote Responsible Betting
Betting on sports events should always be fun. If you find that you’re not enjoying betting any more, or struggling to bet within your means, here are some steps you can take.
Use Tools: All licensed betting sites will provide you with tools to help you gamble responsibly. These could include time reminders, deposit and loss limits, and self exclusion.
Set Limits: Only bet with money that you can afford to lose. If you struggle to stick to your limits then set a deposit limit in your account preferences.
Seek Help: If you’re still struggling to maintain a healthy relationship with betting then you need to seek help. There are lots of dedicated organizations and charities who can help you.
FAQs
Depending on the two of sports betting promotions you’re claiming, you might need to enter a code during the sign up process, when you deposit money, or on the promo page itself.