A Look at How No Deposits Bonuses Work in Sports Betting

When it comes to sports betting, the only thing that's as satisfying as winning is using a good bonus to get even more out of your lucky streak. It’s no surprise that receiving no deposit bonuses for sportsbooks is high on my list of all-time favorite things - there's nothing quite like getting rewarded for enjoying your own hobbies. So, what do these deals give you, and are they worth getting excited about?

Why Should You Be Interested?

Free money is great, but with a sportsbook, there's more to it than just picking up something while you can. These bonuses give you an easy way to bet online and find out if a sportsbook is right for you.

If you’re looking for a site to bet on, a no deposit bonus gives you the perfect start. You can see exactly what they offer while you make your first bet with no risk of losing your own money.

The idea is that you feel welcomed and get a vibe of being at home with a sportsbook. This should mean that you’re more relaxed about funding the account with your own money. Naturally, if you win a heap of money with the free bet, you’ll be blown away to get something for nothing. It’s not every day you can say that, is it?

Why do betting companies give money away? Well, it’s not like they're giving it away because they feel like being nice, so it must be a business decision for them. These betting sites work when customers come back to them time and time again, so they see giving you a bonus as being a smart investment for the future.

You need to sign up to claim the bonus, so they can send you promotions by email in the future. Even if you don’t start betting with your own money, they’ll be hoping that you do at some point. You’ve shown that you're interested in sports betting by claiming the bonus, so they think you’ll be back for more.

What Do You Get?

Every sportsbook offers different bonuses to get new players to sign up, which is why you should check reviews to see how they stack up. Some will give you a cashback promo if your first bet doesn’t win, while others boost or add free bets onto your first deposit.

With no deposit bonuses, you get a free bet or cash added to your account even before you send any money across. This is the most attractive offer for someone who's looking to test the market to find who works best.

How much free money do you get? I’ve seen $100 bonuses generally offered to newcomers on sportsbooks like BetMGM, FanDuel, and Caesars, but you might see more or less than this because it changes regularly.

They target these offers at people in certain states, instead of at all customers across the country, to ensure they give no deposit bonuses in really competitive states where sports betting is about to get introduced.

For example, some of the best no deposit bonus offers are for Louisiana customers. Sports betting in this state has recently been made legal, so all the big operators who got a license there are trying hard to get people to sign up with them as soon as the market goes live.

This should set them up with a huge customer base without costing too much money in marketing. Don’t forget that most new members aren’t expected to withdraw any winnings from these offers because they’ll either lose their first bet or keep betting with it until they eventually lose.

Even if you aren’t lucky enough to live in the Bayou State, you can still check for these bonuses. If you’re in a state where sports betting is allowed or is about to be made legal, your chances of getting a no deposit bonus are higher. But even if you can't get these bonuses, you should still look around to see if there is anything you can scoop up right now.

Big betting market operators usually copy each other, so if one of them brings out an interesting new offer, you’re almost certain to see others follow, which is great news for thrifty people like us.

Look for the Terms and Conditions

No matter how attractive a no deposit bonus seems, you need to read the full terms & conditions to be sure of what you’re getting. You’ll see who qualifies for it, how quickly you need to use it, and all the other important information.

The offer will either list T&Cs or have a link to follow. Not everyone takes the time to read this list of conditions, but if you skip it to save time, you risk misusing the bonus or failing to take full advantage of it.

Pay attention to whether there are any limits to the maximum amount you can win or the odds you can place your free bets, as these can have a big effect on how much value you can squeeze out of the bonus.

If you need to play through the bonus, this means that you'll need to bet said amount a set number of times. The higher this number climbs, the more difficult it’s going to be for you to take some money out.

Sometimes, you can only use the free bet on certain sports or in a particular betting market, which can make the bonus less useful (unless it’s what you planned to bet on anyway).

The key thing is to find the bonus that suits you. By taking your bet type into account, you can look for deals that line up with what you like.

What’s the Sportsbook Like?

Getting a bonus from a poor sportsbook is like getting a cheap plane ticket to somewhere you don’t want to go. It might be cheap, but there is no real value in getting something that you're not interested in.

What does the ideal welcome bonus look like? I’ve already mentioned that it should be a good fit for your gambling style, but it also has to be for a site that you're happy to use.

The first point to look for is if it’s legal in your state. No matter how big a bonus they offer, there's just no reason to consider joining a site that isn’t licensed where you live. So, start by looking to see which licensed sportsbooks have bonuses that are right for you.

Then you'll want to look at things like:

• The sports and odds they offer
• How easy the site is to use
• If there's a mobile app that’s suitable for your device
• What banking methods they accept
• How long it takes to open an account
• Promotions for existing members

The reason I say this is that you don’t want to just grab the bonus and then never use the site again, especially if it takes a long time to get through the sign-up process.

I’m guessing that you see a no deposit bonus as a way of getting started on a sportsbook that you're going to keep using. Looking at it in this way, you could see it as an introduction that lets you get settled in with a warm feeling inside and an extra few bucks in your account.

Check for New Bonuses Regularly

No deposit bonuses aren’t always available, and when they appear someone might only offer them for a limited period. To increase your chances of grabbing one, you should stake out for them.

Look at OddsIndex regularly, or sign up to our newsletter, to let us point you in the right direction to pick up a bonus that makes getting started easier.