Bonus bets, answered properly

Four steps. One: sign up through the offer link — it applies the promo, no code needed. Two: deposit and place the qualifying bet with your own money, meeting any odds floor. Three: the bonus bets land when it settles — instantly at some books, win-only at others, depending on your state. Four: stake them before they expire — winnings become real money, the bonus stake doesn't come back. That's the whole machine.

Because they're not free — you risk your own money first, so regulators in several states banned calling them 'free' or 'risk-free.' 'Bonus bets' is the honest label, and honestly, we prefer it.

No. You can only stake them. Win, and the winnings (minus the bonus stake) become withdrawable cash. Lose, and they're gone. They also expire — usually in about a week.

Almost always — around 7 days from when they're credited is standard. The books are quietly betting you'll forget. Set a reminder the day they land.

Insurance. If your first bet loses, the book refunds it in bonus bets up to the cap. If it wins, the offer did nothing. Never bet bigger than normal just to 'use' the insurance.

Bonus-bet offers ($5 unlocking $150–$200) suit small stakers: maximum chances for minimum risk. Insurance offers suit bigger bettors who were staking real money anyway. Value per dollar, the bonus-bet structures win; one confident play with a safety net, take the insurance. Either way, never size up to fit the headline.

Usually one of four things: the qualifying bet missed the odds floor; you're in a state where the offer works differently (win-only, for instance); the bet hasn't settled yet; or the promo needed an opt-in you skipped. If it's none of those, support chat will get it fixed fast.

Usually, yes — singles, parlays and same-game parlays are typically all fine, though some books fence off specific markets. Spend them like real money, because that's what they're worth when they win.

Depends on the book — each is licensed state by state, and offers change shape across state lines. You must be 21+ and physically inside a legal state when you bet. We'll show exact availability per book at launch.

Yes — sign up through the offer link first, then log into the book's app; the promo follows your account, not your device. Some books run app-only boosts on top; where one matters, we'll flag it on the ticket.

You get the winnings, not the stake: a $25 bonus bet at +200 pays $50, not $75. 'Stake not returned' — four words that explain most bonus-bet disappointment.

Every book on this page is licensed in the states where it operates, and we only get paid when you sign up — never from your losses. 21+. If gambling stops being fun, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

Gambling winnings are taxable income in the US — including profit won with bonus bets — and books issue tax forms above certain thresholds. Some states tax winnings separately on top. Keep records, and treat this answer as a heads-up rather than tax advice: on this one topic, a professional beats a betting site every time.