What To Look For In A Good Betting Site Bonus

Betting sites often offer a wide range of bonuses to get new users invested, whether that is pushing them towards specific games or just getting them on the site as a whole. However, this does not make them a bad thing, and many bones can be well worth pursuing if you are looking for a new site to play at.

But, like all things, there is no perfect bonus that fits all situations and users. Identifying a good bonus takes more than simply looking at how much it is worth - and if there are multiple sites you are considering signing up to, then finding the best of the best can matter. But what should you look for?

1. The Deposit Requirements

While some bonuses are automatic or given to you for free, many bonuses are only triggered if you deposit a certain amount of money. Sometimes this is a small amount that you are basically always going to hit with your first deposit, but other times it could be a significant threshold, or scale upwards as you deposit more money.

This means that you often need to consider how much you are willing to deposit, especially if the bonus will expire within a week or two if you do not claim it via a first deposit. Some sites treat this requirement as a simple check that you have made a deposit, while others have a higher threshold or require you to deposit multiple times to reach the full bonus.

2. The Bonus Percentage or Bonus Value

The bonus percentage is usually the most visible part of a bonus since it is what many sites use in their advertising to draw users in. This generally applies to deposit bonuses that offer a percentage increase on whatever you deposit - meaning that a $50 deposit with a 50% bonus would total $75, or $25 in bonus funds.

Other bonuses use fixed values, such as an extra $30 bonus fund if you sign up and make a deposit. “Bet 10 get 30 offers” are a great example of this, and are present on a lot of sites due to how easy they are to understand. These can be easier to predict and manage but also tend to be lower overall than percentage-based bonuses.

Neither of these options is bad, and there are also bonuses that avoid this entirely through random bonus amounts or loyalty system points. Overall, you want to look for bonuses that offer you good value for the things you actually want to do, whether that means overall betting types or even very specific games and events.

3. ID Requirements and Other Restrictions

Many betting sites need to verify your identity before you can bet or even activate a free bonus feature, and this can include asking for a driver's license or other form of ID. This means that some bonus features are going to be locked behind you giving up personal information, which might not be ideal if you are not sure how to feel about a site yet.

Additionally, some sites might have restrictions on how and when you can withdraw your winnings or require you to play a certain number of times before being eligible for a cashout. This can be important to know if you are going to be making frequent bets or are planning on taking advantage of bonus features, so be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully.

Remember that sites may have restrictions outside of bonus features, too. For example, some payment methods may not be usable on the site at all, or may have a limit on how much you can deposit or withdraw in a given timeframe. 

While these are not the same as bonus restrictions, they can impact your experience with a site even when not using a bonus, so it is important to know before signing up.

4. The Availability of Different Betting Types

Betting sites are usually defined by the types of bets they offer and what kind of sports you can bet on. Some sites focus on big-name sports like football, basketball, and baseball, while others focus on more niche events or markets.

Naturally, this means that you want to choose both sites and bonuses that fit with the betting types or activities that you want to do. For example, if you only care about football, a bonus on cricket betting is not going to matter much to you unless you are willing to risk trying it just to use up the bonus and potentially win something.

Even bonuses that give you credit to use in a more freeform way can still be limited to certain games or types of bet, which means that you might not be able to use them in the way you were hoping. Depending on your preferences, this could be anything from a disappointment to a complete deal-breaker.

5. The Site's History and Reputation

While bonuses are the main focus here, you still want to choose a site that is reputable and has a good track record. Some sites will offer bonuses that are too good to be true, come with major restrictions, or may have a genuine bonus but offer poor service overall.

You always want to be betting at sites that have a good reputation and a solid history of serving customers well, even if that means you might miss out on the best bonuses or deals. No matter your level of experience or familiarity with betting, the site you choose needs to be one that you trust to deliver a quality experience.

That's why it is important to read reviews and do your research before deciding where to place your bets and choose a site based on more than just its bonus. 

Even the best bonuses in the world are not going to save you if the site is unreliable or untrustworthy, and the last thing you want is to be caught up in a scam site that is able to leech money from your account or trick you into giving up personal information.