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Betting for free is a true “rite of passage” in the world of online sports gambling. Everyone — and we mean everyone — rolls out global sportsbook promotions. These special bonuses (or promotional deals, in simpler terms) give players "free play" to wager with. Yes, free money!
Free play is how offshore betting sites set themselves apart from the crowded industry. Thanks to their non-regulated status, they can extend these offers to U.S. bettors. You’ll see platforms constantly trying to outdo each other with the top global betting offers to draw players in.
The result? Bettors cash in big and keep wagering for free until the offshore bonuses run dry. And don't worry about your location preventing you from getting stuck in — everyone can get involved! Even in states without regulated sports betting (like California or Texas), these bonuses and sites still operate. In fact, offshore bookmakers and their promotions exist precisely to serve bettors who lack convenient legal options.
This entire article is dedicated to showing you the most secure betting bonuses worth your time (and money). The key word here is secure — we’ve personally tested these sites and can vouch for their trustworthiness. Keep reading if you want free money to gamble with!
Best Online Sports Betting Bonuses
U.S. states that don't have regulated and licensed sports betting are well-supported by the offshore gambling industry — not just with killer promos, but tons of betting options. We'll be focusing on the best betting bonuses in this article, but rest assured, you can expect a full gamut of betting odds at these places too. Our list of recommended offshore bookies below is a perfect starting point to begin your betting journey:
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EXCLUSIVE BONUS
50% bonus up to $250Play NowT&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
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EXCLUSIVE BONUS 125% up to $1,250Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
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EXCLUSIVE BONUS 125% up to $3,125Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
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50% bonus up to $250Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
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125% up to $2,500Play Now
T&C apply, 18+, Play responsibly
Best Betting Bonuses and Promotions
Let's run through all the best betting bonuses and promotions from the top online sportsbooks, per our latest reviews. Please note that we're basing our findings and reviews purely on sign-up promotions. Let's get right into it:
Bovada
The Bovada sign-up bonus isn't going to wow anyone with its raw total. They will match 50 percent of all first-time deposits, but you can't get more than $250 out of it — unless you're using crypto. In that case, the bonus shoots up to $750. The crypto bonus, which is also a 75-percent match, is definitely far more "bang for your buck" than the non-crypto deal.
Outside of the Bovada sign-up bonus, the platform also offers a rewards program. Every bet made on the platform — not only on sports but casino or poker too — can score bettors points in return. These points can then be flipped for free play. It's a great incentive that benefits bettors who are in it for the long haul.
We get it, the site doesn't have the biggest bonuses. Not even close. However, Bovada makes up for it with the overall betting experience. We've ranked it as one of our absolute best online sportsbooks around.
BetOnline
BetOnline’s welcome bonus is on the lower end of things. Like Bovada, it’s a 50-percent match for $250 in free bets when you use promocode FREE250. But unlike Bovada, there’s no crypto bonus that shoots this deal up. So if you’re looking for a huge payout, BetOnline probably isn’t the place to look.
For what BetOnline lacks in big promotions, they usually make up in betting contests, however. Take NFL season, for example. The NFL has a season-long picks contest, known as the MegaContest, which pays out $200,000 to the top winners. Think that deal is good? There are also Monday Night Football, Thursday Night Football, and College Football contests with varying cash prizes.
These contests will change from season to season, but the biggest prizes are usually reserved for tentpole events like the Super Bowl or March Madness. So keep your eyes peeled at that time of the year.
BetNow
Promos are more unique at BetNow. Unique because they offer a whopping four different welcome bonuses. Four! Each one has a different match percentage, rollover rate, and max free-play potential. Though, bettors can only pick one deal (there's no "double dipping" allowed). Here’s all four BetNow sportsbook deals at a quick glance:
- 125% Crypto Bonus (PROMOCRYPTO) — Min. $50 deposit, max. $2,500 bonus, 12x rollover
- 100% Bonus (PROMOBUCKS) — Min. $50 deposit, max. $2,500 bonus, 10x rollover
- 30% Crypto Bonus (WELCOME30) — Min. $50 deposit, max. $2,500 bonus, 5x rollover
- 25% Bonus (WELCOME25) — Min. $50 deposit, max. $500 bonus, 5x rollover
It's very rare to get this type of optionality with bonuses elsewhere. At the majority of places, it's a one-size-fits-all approach. That means complete newbies to online betting get the same welcome bonus as a "high roller" of sorts. Does that make sense? Probably not, which is why we're big fans of BetNow. Bettors can truly choose the best deal based on their needs.
BetUS
You’re not going to get a bigger free-play deal than the ones at this site. BetUS is in a league of its own in the promotion category, and that goes in more ways than one.
Get this, new sign ups can earn up to $6000 in free play from BetUS. Six grand! This is because BetUS will match the first three deposits a player makes — each at 100 percent and $2000. All three deposits when maxed out hit that eye-popping $6000 mark. BetUS' sign-up bonus sounds too good to be true, but it 100% is.
BetUS also offers a tempting sign-up bonus totalling $3,125. The offer entails a 125% match up to $2,000 on each of your first three deposits (min. $100), plus a 25% Casino Bonus up to $625 (30x rollover, $2,500 max cash out, 7-day expiry).
Bookmaker
Joining Bookmaker is the right move for you if speed is your best friend. They are often the first to post lines for upcoming events, have a highly rated mobile app experience, and close out transactions in record time. This is quite advantageous. For line-hunters, you often get the best prices right off the bat. For bettors that just need quick cash (to pay bills), Bookmaker doesn't waste your time either. Not only fast, but Bookmaker is also giving with its promotions.
Get this, three sign-up bonus options are readily available at Bookmaker. One is based on crypto deposits. This Bookmaker sign-up deal is a 20-percent match that tops out at $500 in free play. If using cash or card, players can choose between a 25-percent match for $500 or a 100-percent match for $400. You do you, but the latter option is dripping with value if we do say so ourselves.
Everygame
Everygame is currently offering a 50% sign-up bonus which maxes out at a modest $200 — regardless of the payment method. All you need to do is sign up, deposit money, and use promocode WELCOME200. This is less exciting than previous Everygame sign-up deals, but these can go up and down over time.
While Everygame is "par for the course" when it comes to welcome bonuses, it's a lot more creative with other deals. Take this one for example — a raffle for a free trip to the Super Bowl. That's right, tickets to the "Big Game" (flights and hotel too) on Everygame's own dime. For every dollar bet on the NFL during the regular season on the site, Everygame will give bettors a raffle entry into the contest (so a $50 NFL bet equals 50 raffle tickets). A winner will be chosen at random at the end of the season and boom, someone's going to New Orleans for free!
BetDSI
Few sportsbooks promotions are more value-rich than the BetDSI sign-up bonus. They currently match 50% of the value of the deposit, returning a maximum amount of $500 to the bettor when using promocode WELCOME500. Even better, the betting experience at BetDSI is incredibly intuitive. You won't find much to complain about from the moment you register.
BetDSI offers various bonuses for both new and existing customers. For sports betting enthusiasts, there are several cash bonuses available, such as a 100% bonus using the promocode SPORT100 up to a maximum bonus of $1,000, which comes with a 20x rollover requirement. This means that if you deposit $100 and receive a $100 bonus, the total amount needs to be wagered 20 times before any winnings can be withdrawn. Other bonuses include a 30% cash bonus with a 8x rollover using the promocode RE-UP30 and a 15% cash bonus with a 4x rollover using RE-UP15, offering more flexibility depending on the player’s preferred wagering conditions.
MyBookie
Folks will love the sign-up bonus at MyBookie. They'll match 100 percent of all initial crypto deposits up to $1,000 (rollover requirements apply), making it one of the largest offerings in the biz. For those looking to deposit cash, MyBookie offer a 10% match up to a maximum of $200. After the welcome bonus is used up, players can leverage the site's reload bonus. This is a tiered program that on the top end, can reach as high as a 55-percent match on re-ups made. Best of all, the reload bonus can be used over and over again, unlike the one-time welcome bonus.
Equally important, MyBookie provides a nice overall betting experience, particularly if you're interested in placing wagers on the go. We're huge fans of the MyBookie live betting feature. It's lightning-fast and offers support on all the big games. Live betting is a perfect spot to spend that $1000 crypto sign-up bonus. Combine the promotions and the playing experience, and you end up with one of the top-performing platforms around.
Sportsbetting.ag
The Sportsbetting.ag sign-up bonus doesn't currently distinguish between cash and crypto deposits. All you need to do is deposit $50 or more using the payment method of your choice and enter promocode WELCOME to secure up to $250 in free bets and 100 free spins on Sportsbetting.ag's casino page.
SportsBetting also offers a generous 100% poker welcome bonus worth up to $1,000.
XBet
XBet offers a pair of sign-up bonus. The difference? You guessed it, how to choose to fund your account — with cash or crypto. The thing is both deals top out at $200 in max free play. Both entail a minimum $50 deposit and a 10x playthrough requirement, so these two XBet welcome bonuses are practically identical.
The good thing is XBet isn't nearly as cheap with its casino platform. For instance, the first-deposit bonus here has a ceiling of $500 — more than double that of the sportsbook. The same goes for the casino reload bonus, which tops out at that sum too. There is no sportsbook reload deal for those wondering.
WagerWeb
As far as we can tell, there is no standard sign-up bonus for WagerWeb. Instead, players here will progressively get higher match percentages with every new deposit. It starts at 10 percent (technically this is the sign-up bonus) and escalates by 10 percent with each new deposit before topping out at 50 percent. On all deposits, free play is capped at $500 in free play. Either way, this progressive approach is rather unique for WagerWeb.
Speaking of unique, WagerWeb is one of the very places around that offers sportsbook cashback on volume, not losses. Get this, members of the WagerWeb rewards program will get 1 percent back on any and all sports bets made. Other sites do this on net losses, but WagerWeb is including wins too. That means bettors who wager $5000 on sports will get a $50 cashback (credited as free play).
It's almost impossible to get truly one-of-a-kind deals in the online betting space. However, WagerWeb has managed to do just that with this sportsbook cashback. Props to them for being trailblazers in this regard.
Others Bonuses and Promotions
There is no shortage of bookies and bonuses out there, beyond the great ones we listed above. Many bettors often come to us, telling us "so and so is offering this, is it any good?" For this reason, we're going to have a dedicated section to cover other common bonuses you might come across — and whether they're worth it or not.
5Dimes
While you'll get to choose from a whole bunch of sign-up bonuses at 5Dimes, they have hidden details in the fine print. They have specific promotions for the casino, poker room, and, of course, the sportsbook. The most uses bonus 5Dimes is their cash-back offering. Here, you should be careful about the bonuses you choose, as their wagering requirements are quite large.
Bodog
Bodog is the Canadian arm of Bovada. Bodog is not available to US players, even though Bovada is. Like some other sportsbooks, the Bodog sign-up bonus isn't that large. They'll match 100 percent of your initial deposit, but only up to $250. Don't worry, though. Bodog makes up for it by grading out as one of our two best Canadian sportsbooks.
Intertops
All Intertops sign-up bonuses were based on the amount of your first bet. However, they are now known as Everygame. They covered you up to $500 for the first wager you place in their sportsbook. This promotion varied if you were using the Intertops casino.
JustBet
So far, we’ve mostly listed deals that either have 50 or 100-percent matches on deposits. However, JustBet bucks the trend with its sign-up bonus that begins at only a 25-percent match. Sure, the deal goes up to $500 in free play, but bettors here won’t be getting “bang for their buck” due to the low match percentage. Even more disappointing, the crypto welcome bonus is worse with a 20-percent match (that’s also capped at $500 in free play). The JustBet sign-up offers could do way better honestly.
GTBets
While first-time customers of GT Bets are not currently able to benefit from any welcome bonuses, they will find tempting reload bonuses and favorable odds when betting on their favorite team. GTBets promos are regularly changing, so keep an eye on their website for the latest offers.
Pinnacle
Looking for a Pinnacle sign-up bonus? Well, you're plum out of luck. Pinnacle doesn't offer one, plus they are not available for US bettors. They've set up a model where they try to let the website and sportsbook odds speak for itself. It's risky, but the overall betting experience is actually quite pleasant.
RealBet
While the sign-up bonus at RealBet used to be 100% up to a maximum of $300, this sportsbook does not appear to be offering anything comparable at this moment in time. In any case, you'll probably be better off finding a juicier promotion elsewhere.
SBG Global
The SBG Global sign-up bonus is a little bit different from the typical one. New users will have 25 percent of their first deposit matched up to a maximum value of $500. SBG Global also offers re-up bonuses of up to 25%.
SportBet
The SportBet sign-up bonus is similar to the sportsbook promos run by many other sites. They'll give you 50 percent of your first deposit. However, SportBet isn't too clear on what value at which this will top out. Our research shows you're probably looking at a maximum of $500, but you may want to contact their customer service to confirm. Any sportsbook that is unclear about these things should be raising alarm bells.
Sports Interaction
Sports Interaction is not available to US bettors, as it is a Canadian sportsbook. There are bigger promotions than the Sports Interaction sign-up bonus, but don't be completely turned off. They reimburse 125% percent of your first deposit up to $250, and they will usually run similar offers for their repeat customers. This kind of treatment for established bettors at Sports Interaction can add up over time, compared to other sites who will only promise lump-sum bonuses at your time of registration.
TopBet
Once upon a time, TopBet was a respectable betting site. That time is no more. A flurry of complaints have hit the Internet of TopBet not paying out its players. Where there's smoke, there's fire, which is why we recommend bettors to avoid TopBet like the plague. Why risk it when there's so many other trustworthy options out there? Skip out on TopBet here for the sake of your wallet.
YouWin
Unfortunately, there isn't a YouWin sign-up bonus right now. And to that end, YouWin could really do a lot to improve. These days, with all the options out there, online sports bettors want high quality bonuses, something YouWin is just not doing.
Overview of Betting Bonuses Available From Global Sportsbooks
The good news is bonuses come in different types. This means more ways for bettors to reap free-play rewards. Let’s quickly cover the international betting bonuses you’re most likely to come across — and yes, they are international. Bonuses can be had by bettors across the world, not just the United States.
Welcome Bonuses
This is the most popular bonus type by far. As the name hints, it’s available to new players who are being “welcomed” into the site. All the bonuses we mentioned above are welcome bonuses, or sign-up bonuses, as they’re also referred to. With any of these deals, new players will get a percentage of their first deposit matched back in free play. The best welcome bonuses for U.S. bettors will have higher match percentages and free-play maxes.
Deposit Bonuses
We’ve already described deposit bonuses. These are just bonuses where the player’s deposit is matched by a certain percentage and up to a certain figure in free play. Deposit bonus is the catch-all term for describing that type of deal.
However, the deposit bonus can manifest in multiple ways. Of course, there’s the aforementioned sign-up deal, which applies only to new players. But there’s also the reload bonus, which we get into shortly. Buy any deal that requires the bettor to deposit funds first before getting free play counts as a deposit bonus.
WagerWeb offered a unique deposit bonus. If you remember, they’ll up the match percentage with each new deposit made by a player. Look into that one for a killer way to do the deposit bonus.
Free Bets
Free bet bonuses take a much different approach to deposit bonuses. With this promotion, the player doesn’t have to insert any of their own money. Literally no dollar deposited. Instead, a sportsbook will offer a player a certain amount on a free bet — maybe $25 or even a $100 on the high end. Sometimes, a sportsbook will offer this free bet on a specific sport or outcome of their choosing.
The thing with this bonus is that if a bettor wins, they’ll take home the winning profit only — not the free bet money amount. If they lose, welp, no harm is done here since it wasn’t their money to begin with.
Reload Bonuses
Alright, this is a deposit bonus that applies on “reloads” or re-ups made to an account. This is any deposit into the sportsbook besides the initial one.
The best thing about the reload bonus is that it can generally be used over and over again. That means the long-term potential of a reload deal is almost never-ending, unlike a sign-up bonus which is a one-time ordeal.
No-Deposit Bonuses
The name says it all, doesn’t it? These are bonuses that don’t require the bettor to make a deposit to earn the deal. It’s sort of like the free bet bonus, but looser. Bettors earn a sum of free play and can really spend it as they wish. So this, more than anything else, is the definition of free money since the bettor has absolutely zero to lose.
No-deposit bonuses are harder to come by in the industry nowadays since most platforms want the user to have “skin in the game.” But they do exist and generally pay a lot less than regular deposit bonuses.
Why Offshore Betting Bonuses Are Worth Considering
Let’s be honest — legal betting can be a maze. Rules vary not just from state to state in the U.S., but also across countries, and they’re constantly changing. If you're a bettor, not a legal scholar, navigating all that can be frustrating. That’s why many turn to offshore sportsbooks. These sites accept players from nearly everywhere and often sidestep the red tape.
If you live in a state with strict gambling laws — like Georgia where it's banned or Florida where it's tightly restricted — offshore betting platforms are often your most reliable way to bet online. On top of that, they frequently offer generous welcome bonuses for U.S. users.
In fact, many international sportsbooks offer better promotions than their licensed U.S. counterparts. That massive $6,000 bonus from BetUS? You won’t find anything close to that on platforms like DraftKings or BetMGM.
How To Maximize Betting Bonuses
Bonus options are plenty, as we’ve covered at length in this article. Hell, you might have too many options where it’s hard to actually pick one out. But here’s our number one-tip for choosing the right bonus: know what you want most.
Is that just earning the most free play humanely possible? Or maybe the option to use crypt to deposit? What about a low rollover requirement so you can withdraw funds faster? Answer these questions first. Then seek out the bonus that checks those boxes. We can’t do this for you as bettors have different preferences across the spectrum.
One more important thing when making this decision: make sure to check the bonus wagering requirements. This is the “fine print” of the deal. Most betting sites are mostly upfront with their promotions, but a few will try to sneak in some terms in the deal’s terms and conditions. It’s worth reading this closely to make sure you’re getting everything you want and not being blindsided by anything.
For instance, in the requirements, you’ll often see how long the free play lasts. Most deals have 30-day expiration windows but there’s a few that are shorter at 7 or 14 days. This is an important deal cause ideally, you want to “time” the bonus redemption. Say it’s March Madness, which goes on for three weeks. Ideally, you redeem right before the NCAA Tournament starts and the free play lasts you til the very end.
Conclusion
We could ramble on and on about free-play bonuses. However, everything we’ve covered up until now is the must-know information. Any more details can just become information overload. So re-read the best offers we outlined and decide which suits you the best — and be sure to check this page from time to time as we update it with the freshest promos.
We’ll leave you with one last reminder: bonuses are your best weapon to be a successful bettor. The free play you earn off them will minimize the inherent risks that come with gambling. Plus, bonuses are widely available and easy to redeem. There’s no real downside to bonuses, just pure upside — the ultimate low-risk, high-reward play if ever one!
