The buddy who reads the fine print · US

Bonus bets in. Fine print handled.

Hey — here's every sportsbook sign-up offer actually worth your first five bucks, from the five biggest books in America. We read every word of the fine print so you see the multiplier, the odds floor, the expiry, and the catch before you deposit a dime. Sample offers shown while our program approvals clear.

✓ Licensed US sportsbooks only✓ Fine print? We read it for you✓ No promo codes, no runaround

SoccerHacks — at last, a country where the name just works. (Yes, we cover the Premier League too.)

This week's headline offers

FanDuel

$150for a $5 bet

SH·26·01

Crowd favorite

Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets

30× value$5 minimumBonus bets expire 7 daysNon-withdrawable

Grab it at FanDuel →AD

21+ and present in a state where FanDuel operates. New customers only. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable and expire in 7 days; stake not returned with winnings. Terms apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

DraftKings

$200for a $5 bet

SH·26·02

The other giant

Bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets instantly

40× valueCredited instantlyBonus bets expire 7 daysNon-withdrawable

Grab it at DraftKings →AD

21+ and present in a state where DraftKings operates. New customers only. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable and expire in 7 days; stake not returned with winnings. Terms apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

BetMGM

$1.5Kfirst-bet safety net

SH·26·03

Biggest safety net

$1,500 first bet offer — get it back in bonus bets if it loses

First-bet insuranceRefund as bonus betsOnly pays if you lose

Grab it at BetMGM →AD

21+ and present in a state where BetMGM operates. New customers only. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable and expire in 7 days; stake not returned with winnings. Terms apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

bet365

$150for a $5 bet

SH·26·04

The UK giant, stateside

Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets

30× valueWin or loseBonus bets expire 7 daysNon-withdrawable

Grab it at bet365 →AD

21+ and present in a state where bet365 operates. New customers only. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable and expire in 7 days; stake not returned with winnings. Terms apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

This SundayWorld Cup final — Sunday, 3pm ET at MetLife. Sign up today and your bonus bets are settled and ready for kickoff.Kickoff in 0d 00h 00m

The bonus wall · biggest books first

Every bonus, ranked and explained

Ordered by size of the sportsbook — a welcome bonus is also a choice about who holds your bankroll. The stub on each ticket shows what your first bet unlocks. Small book, big bonus? We flag it. Weak bonus? We say so.

The big five, at a glance Sample structures — approvals pending
Sportsbook	You stake	You get	Bang per buck	Structure
FanDuel	$5	$150 in bonus bets	30×	Win or lose*	Jump to it ↓
DraftKings	$5	$200 in bonus bets	40×	Instant*	Jump to it ↓
bet365	$5	$150 in bonus bets	30×	Win or lose*	Jump to it ↓
BetMGM	up to $1,500	First bet back if it loses	Insurance	Loss refund*	Jump to it ↓
Caesars	up to $1,000	First bet back if it loses	Insurance	Loss refund*	Jump to it ↓

Heads up: these five are sample offers — real market structures, placeholder numbers — shown while our US program approvals clear. Tracked links and exact state-by-state terms drop in at approval. (*) Structures vary by state.

Crowd favoriteSAMPLE

#01

$150for a $5 bet

FanDuelAmerica's #1 sportsbook

Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets

30× value$5 minimumBonus bets expire 7 daysNon-withdrawable

Grab it →

The catch: in some states the $150 only lands if your first bet wins — in others it's win-or-lose. Same headline, different fine print, depending on where you're standing. We print the exact structure per state at launch. VERIFY TERMS BEFORE LAUNCH

SAMPLE

#02

$200for a $5 bet

DraftKingsThe other giant

Bet $5, get $200 in bonus bets instantly

40× valueCredited instantlyBonus bets expire 7 daysNon-withdrawable

Grab it →

The catch: the $200 usually arrives as eight $25 bonus bets — you can't stack them on one play, and winnings don't include the bonus stake. Biggest number on the wall, sliced thin. VERIFY TERMS BEFORE LAUNCH

SAMPLE

#03

$150for a $5 bet

bet365The UK giant, stateside

Bet $5, get $150 in bonus bets

30× valueWin or loseBonus bets expire 7 daysNon-withdrawable

Grab it →

The catch: standard bonus-bet rules — stake not returned, short expiry. The book itself is the draw: deepest soccer markets of any US app, by a mile. VERIFY TERMS BEFORE LAUNCH

Biggest safety netSAMPLE

#04

$1.5Kfirst-bet safety net

BetMGMVegas royalty

$1,500 first bet offer — get it back in bonus bets if it loses

First-bet insuranceRefund as bonus betsOnly pays if you lose

Grab it →

The catch: this is insurance, not a gift — you only see bonus bets if your first bet loses, and you'd have to stake $1,500 to unlock the full number. Bet what you'd actually bet, not the headline. VERIFY TERMS BEFORE LAUNCH

SAMPLE

#05

$1Kfirst-bet safety net

CaesarsThe empire

$1,000 first bet back if it loses

First-bet insuranceRefund as a bonus betOnly pays if you lose

21+ and present in a state where Caesars operates. New customers only. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable and expire in 7 days; stake not returned with winnings. Terms apply. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.

Grab it →

The catch: same insurance logic as BetMGM with a smaller ceiling — the refund is one bonus bet, one shot, stake not returned. Hail Caesar, read the terms. VERIFY TERMS BEFORE LAUNCH

The method

How this works (no funny business)

No "guaranteed winners", no locks, no whale picks — the only edge on this page is knowing the fine print better than the next guy.

STEP 01

Pick your ticket

Every ticket shows what matters: the multiplier, the structure (instant, win-only, or insurance), and the expiry. The catch is printed on the ticket — not buried in section 12.

STEP 02

Place the qualifying bet

That first bet is real money and it can lose. With insurance-style offers, never bet the headline number just to unlock it — bet what you'd normally bet.

STEP 03

Use the bonus bets fast

Most expire in about 7 days, and when a bonus bet wins you get the winnings, not the stake. That one sentence is 90% of the fine print.

How we rank, straight up: biggest sportsbook first — a bonus is also a choice about who holds your bankroll. The stub shows the value; where a smaller book out-bids a bigger one, you'll see it. We only list books licensed in legal states, and by the way — the industry says "bonus bets," not "free bets," because several state regulators banned the word "free" for offers that need your money first. We think that rule is fair, so we talk the same way. Sign up through our links and the book pays us a commission — it never changes your offer.

The full guide: how bonus bets work →

Bonus bets, explained properly

Things you'd ask us at the bar

How do bonus bets work, start to finish?

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.

Why 'bonus bets' and not 'free bets'?

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.

Are bonus bets cash?

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.

Do bonus bets expire?

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.

All 11 questions →

Responsible gaming

The part where we drop the bar talk

No jokes in this section. Bonus bets are entertainment, not income — no offer on this page (or anywhere) makes betting profitable by design. You must be 21 or older and physically present in a state with legal sports betting. Decide what you can afford before you claim anything, set limits on day one, and if it stops being fun, stop — and talk to someone.

Need to talk? Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER — free, confidential, 24/7, nationwide.

Worried about someone else's gambling? 1-800-GAMBLER and ncpgambling.org support family members too.

Responsible gaming: the full page →