Free Bets and Other Bonuses at Illinois Sportsbooks

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Free Bets/No-Deposit Bonus:

No-deposit bonuses are simple: you sign up to an account and on registration you are given a free bet. You do not need to deposit but it is usually for new accounts only.

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Risk-free Bets:

Risk-free bets are bonuses where if you place a bet and win you get paid as usual but if you lose you get credited back the amount you lost in the form of a free bet. Basically, they are a bet where you can’t lose. For instance, if you place a risk-free $20 bet on the Patriots to win but they lose, you get a $20 free bet.

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Deposit/Match Bonus:

Matched bonuses are usually on your first deposit only. You make a deposit and then the sportsbook will match your deposit amount or a % of your deposit. There are typically playthrough requirements to release these bonuses. On some sites they might be only 1x playthrough but others make them up 50x. This makes the initial offer not as lucrative as it seems because you will have to make a lot of bets before your bonus money is available to withdraw.

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Reload Bonus:

Reload bonus are bonuses that the gaming companies offer from time to time. You re-deposit money into an already set-up account and subsequently receive some form of site credit. It is usually in the form of a matched bonus.

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Refer A Friend:

This is a bonus you get for referring a friend to register a new account with one of the sportsbooks. When they complete their account registration, make a deposit or place their first bet you get credit to your account depending on the specific sportsbook’s offer.

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Loyalty/Bonus Programs:

Bonuses and VIP Awards are given when you play through a certain amount of money and are usually released in small increments. Some sportsbooks may offer these VIP rewards in the form of tickets to sporting events for high volume, high wagering bettors. However, not all providers offer VIP Rewards.