Most Frequent Types of Bookmaker Bonuses in 2021

Mar 8, 2021 Artyom Ustinov
Free bet, cash bonus, or money back? What is the difference between various bookmaker bonuses and which to take advantage of?


Bookmakers use bonuses of diverse nature to attract and retain players. These bonuses are different from those used, for example, by online casinos, and can be divided into certain categories.

By studying bookmakers’ offers, you can find the following ones: a certain sum of money as a gift for the first replenishment of the account, double deposit to new players, a free bet after registration, a bonus for the first deposit, etc. Each bookmaker selects the most suitable ones or comes up with his own solution.

Here you are the types of bonuses to be covered in this article, which are expected to be the most popular sportsbook bonuses in 2021.

  • First Deposit Bonus
  • Cash bonus
  • Free bet
  • Money back
  • No Deposit Bonus
  • Special Bonus
  • Promotions
  • Individual Bonus

Now, let’s talk details about each of them.

SoftGamings online casino bonus system


First Deposit Bonus

This bonus is granted once the player registers a game account and makes the first transfer of funds to it. The bookmaker can either encourage the new player with a bonus not being subject to any additional conditions or designate certain rules the player has to comply with to be able to use his bonus. Those rules are usually related to meeting the bonus wagering requirements. That means players are required to wager the amount of the deposit and bonus a specific number of times before being able to turn those bonuses into withdrawable cash. Other important terms and conditions usually refer to the minimum odds requirements and bonus expiration dates, and that is something players should pay attention to when selecting a bonus.

Either way, the first deposit bonus can match or even double the amount a player has deposited, which makes it one of the most sought after bonuses in the world of online gambling in general.


Cash bonus

This is the amount paid by the bookmaker to the player under certain conditions. For example, the player has made a deposit of 70 euros which the bookmaker can foster by granting the player a cash bonus of 100% of the deposit amount, i.e. 70 euros. Thus, the player gets 140 euros to his account, though he cannot withdraw money immediately. The player must make bets on the bonus amount several times whose number depends on the bookmaker. You can either make 3 bets on the bonus amount or one bet for the amount three times of the bonus amount. Also, the bookmaker can set the rule of the minimum coefficient, aka the minimum odds.


Free bet

This is the amount of money credited to the player for a bet. It is usually lower than cash bonus, and is intended only for betting: free bet is not real money. In case of a win, the player receives the money except for the bet amount, while in case of a fail he loses nothing. However, the bookmaker can often set additional conditions for the use of free bets, such as the wagering requirements, etc. Read the article about free bets to learn more.


Money back

Refund is the amount returned to the player by the bookmaker if the initial bet made on the platform turns out to be a losing one. The bookmaker can set the conditions for the bonus, for example, the player must only bet on a certain occurrence in order to get a refund of a bet in case of a loss, or a specified event must occur during the match, etc. This type of bonus is a very appealing one since it gives you a risk-free proposition. Even if your first bet does not live up to expectations, you will still get your wager back, so it is a win-win situation. Of course, don’t forget the bonus’ terms and conditions since they hold the key to any bonus’ true value.


No Deposit Bonus

This is a bonus granted for the registration of a new player without any extra conditions. However, in practice, these bonuses are hard to get due to too many players tending to abuse such cash gifts. With a no deposit bonus, you will usually get some cash to use on your bets before you even deposit any money. It is a great way to test the bookmaker’s betting markets and check out the odds without having to put your real money at stake. If you manage to win while also clearing all the requirements, you can take home the winnings as real cash, which makes this type of bonus quite popular for all the players looking to make their big breaks in 2021.


Special Bonuses

This category may include any bonuses related to current or future extraordinary events. They are a good player’s attention grabber and can be of multiple sorts.


Promotions

These include promotions not embraced by the categories listed above. Bookmakers can offer bonuses on express bets, loyalty programs, bonuses related to the non-standard gaming outcome, etc.


Individual bonuses

Individual bonuses are good to attract regular customers who, for some reason, stopped betting. Having made them an attractive offer, the bookmaker can return such players back “in the system”, as individual offers are more profitable for the player than the usual bonuses.


So, bookmakers’ arsenal features at least eight marketing tools which can attract new players and retain the existing ones if used wisely.

Artyom Ustinov

Artyom is Head of White Label & Turnkey Solutions and has been working in complex B2B/B2C sales, as well as business development and management consulting in iGaming for more than 10 years.

Together with the Key Account Management Team, he has helped over 100 start-ups and experienced gaming companies to launch their projects with SoftGamings.

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