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Earning bonuses is one of the most-exciting things about joining a new esports betting site. These offers help you jump-start your success by collecting free money. But it’s important to realize that there are several types of esports bonuses. You want to have thorough knowledge of these different deals so that you choose one that’s right for you.
That said, I’m going to discuss five types of esports gambling bonuses. I’ll also cover how you can qualify for these rewards and offer my opinion on the deal(s).
1 – Free Bet
A free bet is the most-common signup bonus at esports betting sites. A free wager allows you to place one esports bet without assuming any risk. Win and you receive your full winnings. Lose and the money goes right back into your account and will be yours upon meeting terms and conditions. The best thing about free bets is that they’re simple to understand for beginning esports gamblers. You either win your wager and collect the money, or you lose and become eligible to reclaim the funds.
2 – Deposit Bonus
Deposit bonuses offer a match percentage on your first deposit up to a specific amount. Here’s an example:
- An esports betting site is offering a 100% match bonus up to $100.
- You deposit $50.
- You’re now eligible to earn a $50 bonus.
Match deposit bonuses are perfect if you’re looking to earn a nice sum of cash. Of course, you can simply make the minimum deposit and still qualify for the offer. One catch with deposit bonuses is that you don’t receive any money until you meet terms and conditions. But this shouldn’t be a big problem if you plan on making lots of bets anyways.
3 – No Deposit Bonus
A no deposit bonus allows you to receive bonus funds upfront without making a deposit. All you need to do is complete the account registration process in order to qualify.
Here’s an example:
- A betting site is offering a $5 esports no deposit bonus.
- You register for an account.
- You now have $5 in free funds to wager with.
The obvious upside to esports no deposit bonuses is that you get free funds without risking anything. This is perfect if you’re on the fence about an esportsbook and want try it out. The drawback to no deposit offers is that the terms and conditions are stringent. Gambling sites don’t want you to collect free money off them without a serious challenge.
4 – Reload Bonus
A reload bonus is essentially the same thing as a welcome deposit bonus. The only difference is that reload bonuses are available to existing customers. This means that you can get a match percentage bonus beyond just your welcome offer. You simply need to wait for a reload bonus opportunity and take advantage.
Reload deals aren’t as common in the esports betting world as they are with online casinos and poker sites. But you can still look forward to these deals at some sites. Oftentimes, esportsbooks offer a reload bonus through their newsletter or social media channels. That said, make sure to sign up for the newsletter and check a site’s social media pages to take advantage.
5 – Objective Based Bonus
Some esports gambling hubs have a little fun with their bonus offers. They may offer an objective-based bonus, for example, which sees you complete specific challenges to earn your reward.
Here’s an example:
- You need to make a Dota 2 moneyline bet.
- The wager must be worth at least $25.
- You must bet at -140 odds or higher.
- You’ll receive a free $25 bet if you complete the objectives.
Objective-based offers can be confusing to newer esports gamblers. But they’re exciting when you’re an experienced bettor who knows the ropes.
How to Get Esports Bonuses
The easiest way to get esports bonuses is to find a betting site that’s offering a welcome deal. You shouldn’t have to look hard, because most esportsbooks offer some kind of welcome bonus.
The next step is to register for an account and become a member. This process involves entering required details, such as your name, username, password, email, home address, and bonus code (if required). You also need to make a deposit to qualify for the welcome offer. Look for the site’s list of available banking options and select one that you can use.
Some beginners make the mistake of thinking that they’ve automatically qualified for the bonus offer after completing the steps. However, you also have to go to your account and “claim” the bonus funds by selecting the appropriate button. The final step is to start placing your bets to earn your bonus. I highly suggest that you read the terms and conditions before making a bet, though, so that you know exactly what’s required in order to earn your money.
Terms and Conditions for Esports Bonuses
No gambling site offers you a bonus without attaching terms and conditions (T&Cs) to the deal. Otherwise, they’d be handing out free money left and right without getting any play in return. Esports betting sites are the same in that they want you to satisfy T&Cs before handing over bonus cash. Here are the main terms you should be aware of when going for these deals.
Bonus Code
You may be asked to enter a bonus code when depositing (deposit bonus) or registering for an account (no deposit bonus). Esportsbooks that offer multiple types of bonuses often require a code to differentiate which specific deal you want.
Here’s an example:
- A site offers two welcome bonus options.
- One is a $25 free bet with code “25FREE.”
- The other is a 100% match deposit bonus up to $50 with code “50MATCH.”
You’ll normally find these codes featured on a betting site’s homepage and/or in their promotions section. Check in either of these locations when prompted to enter a bonus code.
Claim Time Frame
Simply registering for your account isn’t enough to officially qualify for an esports bonus. You also have to visit your account afterward and claim the bonus within the specified time. Most esports gambling sites give you between three and seven days to claim your offer before it disappears. The good news is that this is extremely easy to do, because you merely have to visit your account and choose the appropriate button to claim your money. The only issue is making sure that you’re aware of the claim process. Knowing that you have to complete this step ensures you won’t overlook it and miss out on the chance to earn free money.
Rollover
After claiming your bonus, you need to meet rollover (a.k.a. wagering requirements) before cashing out the money. Rollover refers to the multiple of the bonus that you must wager.
Here’s an example for deposit bonuses:
- You’re eligible for a $50 bonus.
- Rollover is 10x the offer.
- 50 x 10 = 500
- You must make $500 in bets before cashing out your bonus.
Here’s another example for free bets:
- You receive a $25 free wager.
- You bet and lose.
- The $25 goes into a pending section of your account.
- You must meet 6x rollover to unlock the funds.
- 25 x 6 = 150
- You must wager $150 before officially receiving the $25.
Wagering requirements are a simple way to ensure that you actually offer an esportsbook some business before collecting your bonus cash.
Rollover Time Limit
Esports betting sites impose a timeframe on how long you have to meet wagering requirements. You usually have 30-180 days to satisfy rollover. You can see that betting sites normally give you a generous amount of time to meet rollover. Just make sure that you don’t start betting and forget about the time limit before reaching wagering requirements.
Maximum Bet
The point of bookmakers offering you an esports bonus is to encourage you to fully test out their site. Therefore, they don’t watch you trying to meet rollover within a single bet. This is when they instate maximum bets to keep you from making huge wagers just to meet wagering requirements quicker. Max bets usually range from $25 to $100. It’s very important that you know the maximum wager allowed. Betting over this amount means that your bonus offer will be nullified.
Minimum Odds
The easiest way to make profit from your bonus would be to meet rollover by betting on heavy favorites. This helps minimize your risk while satisfying wagering requirements. Esportsbooks are fully aware of this loophole, which is why they require that you bet at minimum odds when your bonus is active. For example, all of your bets might have to be at -160 or greater. This is yet another crucial term to note, because betting at lower odds will nix your bonus deal.
Meet the Minimum Withdrawal
All esports bookmakers feature a minimum withdrawal. The minimum cashout at most betting sites ranges between $10 and $25. Bookmakers require minimum withdrawals to minimize the amount of transactions they have to handle. Furthermore, they want to keep bettors from cashing out tiny amounts such as $2 or $4. Minimum cashouts create another barrier between you and withdrawing your bonus winnings. You might meet rollover only to find out at you don’t have enough money left to make a withdrawal.
You’ll simply have to place another deposit or continue wagering in these cases if you want to cash out. Here’s an example:
- You’re eligible for a $40 bonus.
- Rollover is 15x.
- 40 x 15 = $600 must be wagered
- You have $10 left after satisfying rollover.
- The site requires a $20 minimum cashout.
- You must continue betting until you have at least $20.
Also note that some bookmakers nullify your bonus if you make a withdrawal within less than 30 days after depositing. Therefore, you want to take special note of when you deposited and when it’s okay to cash out.
Market Restrictions
One more term worth mentioning is market restrictions. This refers to when your bonus offer is limited to a specific esport.
Here’s an example:
- You receive a $25 free bet.
- The wager can only be used on Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Dota 2, or League of Legends contests.
- All other games (markets) are restricted.
Market restrictions are sometimes used to get you to try a bookmaker’s latest offering. For example, a betting site that rolls out Super Smash Bros might offer a reload bonus to anybody who bets on this game.
Just like any other term, you want to be sure and stay within the guidelines of market restrictions. Betting on nonqualified games will make your potential bonus disappear.
Which Esports Bonus Is Best?
The best esports bonus can vary based on your tastes and specific situation. But you can’t go wrong with either a free bet or deposit bonus. A free bet is a nice way to place your first wager without fear. If you lose, you’ll have a chance to reclaim your funds by meeting rollover.
The downside to these deals is that they force you to meet higher rollover than a free bet. You don’t get anything if you fail to satisfy wagering requirements. No deposit deals are good if you’re a recreational bettor who’s not looking to risk much. All you do is register for an account and collect your offer.
But beware that no deposit esports bonuses feature brutal T&Cs. You’ll have to jump through hoops in order to withdraw anything from these deals. Reload offers are great for when you’re an existing gambler who’s already exhausted their welcome bonus. Reload bonuses feature the same pros and cons as a deposit offer.
You can use the advantages and disadvantages that I’ve covered with each bonus to figure out which deal you like best. Again, I’m a fan of free bets and deposit bonuses. I especially appreciate deposit offers for the fact that you have the potential to earn more cash. But you may like no deposit bonuses and/or objective-based deals for one reason or another.
Conclusion
Knowing how to handicap esports matches and other strategy is the most-important thing with regard to winning money. You’ll go far with esports betting if you’re willing to continue studying and improving your knowledge. But it never hurts to also collect bonus deals whenever possible. These promotions give you the chance to earn free money on top of your betting action.
Also be sure to thoroughly read terms and conditions before going for any deal. The last thing you want to do is fail to earn your bonus money because you bet above minimum odds or wagered on an off-limits market. The esports betting world is filled with the five bonus deals that I’ve discussed here. That said, get out there and start taking advantage!
