The first sports book to offer a bonus was Rich’s Superbook, run by Rich Ciarlante, a longtime Philadelphia bookie who opened up in the Dominican Republic. While some credit shops had already set up shop, Rich’s was part of the first wave of post-up sports books that required deposits. It was a pretty simple book, just the basics by phone. No online betting, no money lines, no props, just sides and some totals. Rich’s marketing advantage at the time was the crew of English speaking clerks from Philly and a 10% bankroll bonus. It was a simple concept, where a bettor’s initial deposit was bonused. A $1000 bonus became an $1100 opening balance, a $2500 deposit turned into a $2750 account. It was an effective tact, one that encouraged me to open an account at Rich’s. It was good for the players and good for Rich’s. As happens in many industries, the hassles of being a pioneer overwhelmed the benefits and Rich’s closed, paying all clients in full. Though Rich’s was gone, bonuses as a marketing edge were here to stay.

The bonus game had a downside, however. It became apparent to some less than reputable people that a great way to get a surge of deposits for a sports book was to offer a healthy bonus. The closest I ever came to getting ripped off by a book was in the early days of post-up account when I almost decided to take advantage of a 20% bonus offer from “Empire Sports”. Fortunately, I let judgment get the better of greed and didn’t sign up. Empire proved to be a disreputable organization that stopped answering their phones one day and absconded with their players’ cash.

Beware a bonus that is too big: In 1998 I began to hear widespread radio ads for offshore sports books and several offered “35% bonus”, “50% bonus”, even one with a “100% bonus”. It was no surprise that more than one of these sports books went out of business. As in any venture that involves your money, it is important to do some due diligence before getting involved. Any sports book advertising a bonus in excess of 20% should be summarily dismissed. It is likely that a sports book offering higher bonuses has some sort of catch involved. You may have to refer some friends or send more money later (35% bonus= 15% match play signup + 10% referral + 10% reload). Showing a tendency to mislead with bonuses is a very bad sign that other things about the book may not be on the up and up.

Types of bonuses: There are several different kinds of bonuses, let’s take a look at what kind there are.

Bankroll Bonus: The best kind of bonus is a pure bankroll bonus. If you deposit $1000 your initial bankroll is $1100. A $5000 deposit has your account opens is $5500. A $200 opening deposits shows your account with $220. A pure bankroll bonus will require you to play through your money at least twice and more likely three to five times. A $2000 bonus with a three times play through requirement will start your bankroll at $2200 but require you to put $6600 over the life of the account. This is a fair requirement, one that makes sure that people aren’t simply depositing in order to get the bonus without putting much in action.

Unrestricted match play bonus: A match play bonus is essentially a free bet. A 10% bonus on a $1000 account gives you a free $100 bet. If you win that bet your account is at $1100. If you lose the account is still at $1000. This is clearly worse than a pure bankroll bonus, as it is not “free money”, but something you must pick a winner to claim. There is nothing unethical about it as long as it is presented properly.

Restricted match play bonus: This is the same as a match play bonus, but it this terminology may mean that you are restricted in the kind of bet you may take. I’ve heard from people who were offered a “20% bonus” that was actually in the form of a free bet that could only be used to bet into the NFL Super Bowl champion future pool. Needless to say, the odds in this pool were pretty inferior, with the St. Louis Rams at 2-1 when they were 4-1 elsewhere and similarly low odds on every team. Others require that the free bet be a parlay. This is clearly inferior to the above types and is often represented in dishonest fashion.

Keep the account alive bonus: An advertised 20% bonus could conceivably only be a free shot to keep your account alive when you empty it out. Lose a $1000 account and you’ll have an opportunity to build it back up to $200 with an “empty account” match play bonus. If you win or even simply keep the account alive, this never comes into play. This is a pretty poor bonus and it is seldom represented honestly.

Remember three things about bonuses:

1. Unrealistic, too high bonuses may be the sign of a bad book.
2. A high bonus may actually be a combination of bonuses.
3. The best bonus is a bankroll bonus, and you should ask the proper question to get it. When opening an account with a 10% you should ask “If I open with x amount my opening balance is 1.1x and this is a pure bonus that is mine and I am required to play through my money x times before I can claim it. Is my understanding correct?”

But the single most important thing to remember about bonuses is to not make your choice of a sports book based on a bonus. You should be concerned with safety, ease of use, variety of wagers, and similar important factors. Using a respected book without a bonus is clearly superior to using a fly-by-night risky book with a bonus. Bonuses are nice to get from reputable books, but don’t become a “bonus whore” to the detriment of your wagering experience or the safety of your bankroll.

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