Offshore sportsbooks reuse the word bonus so loosely that two offers with the same percentage can behave like completely different products.
Key Takeaways
- Free play usually means the stake is not returned on a winning bonus bet.
- Cash bonus sounds cleaner, but it can still carry rollover and withdrawal restrictions.
- Locked bonus funds are bonus balances that sit inside the account but are not real withdrawable cash until conditions are met.
Free play
Free play is most familiar on sportsbook offers. The classic rule is: if you win the bet, you keep the profit but not the original free-play stake.
- BetOnline is the clearest free-play example in this set.
- BetUS also uses sportsbook free play, but with harsher surrounding mechanics such as lower-of-risk-or-win rollover credit.
The math in practice: you place a $100 free play at -110 and win. Your balance is credited $90.91 — the profit — and the $100 free-play stake evaporates. Lose, and nothing is returned. That is why $100 in free play is worth roughly $45-50 in expected cash value at even win rates, before rollover costs.
Free play is not fake, but it is less valuable than the same dollar amount of cash.
How to use a free play on BetOnline
On BetOnline, free plays live in a separate balance. To use one: build your bet slip normally, and on the slip select the free-play balance instead of cash before confirming. The stake amount must not exceed your available free-play balance, free plays cannot be split across multiple slips, and unused free plays expire 30 days after issue. Winnings post to your cash balance minus the free-play stake.
Cash bonus
A cash bonus is closer to what casual users think a bonus is, but it is still not automatically withdrawable. It can still require rollover, and the book can still limit how the bonus is used.
- BookMaker currently markets several welcome and reload offers as cash bonuses.
- BetUS also has a few smaller cash-credit style promos such as 10CASH and 20CASH.
The problem is that “cash” in promo copy does not always mean “withdrawable right now.”
Locked bonus funds
Locked bonus funds are the most restrictive common category. The balance exists, but it is locked behind playthrough rules and often sits under extra max-bet rules while it is active.
- Bovada is the clearest locked-bonus-fund example in this four-book set.
- Some Bovada pages even spell out that the bonus is not immediately withdrawable cash.
This is why Bovada’s big percentages can still feel less generous than casual users expect.
The four books at a glance
| Book | Primary welcome type | Headline | Rollover | Expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | Sportsbook free play | 50% up to $1,000 | 10x | 30 days |
| BookMaker | Cash (crypto/fiat) + free play | 20-25% up to $500 / 100% up to $400 FP | 10x cash / 1x FP | Per offer |
| Bovada | Locked bonus funds | 75% crypto up to $750 | 5x | Per offer |
| BetUS | Split free play + casino wallet | 125% up to $2,625 total | 14x-18x sports / 30x casino | 7 days |
The BookMaker wrinkle: mixed language
BookMaker adds another layer of confusion because its front-end promo pages and Help Center are not fully synchronized. Some pages frame offers as cash while support content still uses free-play language. When that happens, users should trust the active cashier terms over affiliate shorthand.
The BetUS wrinkle: split wallets
BetUS is the most complex book in the group because it mixes sportsbook free play and casino bonus balances in separate wallets. That means one headline percentage can actually hide multiple products, each with different rollover rules and different expiry clocks.
How to read the promo before you deposit
Look for these phrases:
- Profit only
- Stake not returned
- Locked bonus funds
- Bonus and deposit
- Separate sportsbook and casino wallets
- Max bet while bonus is active
- Max cashout
If those phrases are buried or contradictory, the offer is lower quality even if the percentage is large.
Which bonus type is worth most
Ranked by expected value per headline dollar: a low-rollover cash bonus beats everything, locked funds at 5x (Bovada) come second, free play at 10x (BetOnline) third, and split wallets at 14x-30x (BetUS) last. The pattern is simple — every extra multiple of rollover burns more of the bonus in vig churn before you can withdraw. For the clearing math, see sportsbook rollover explained.
Final takeaway
Offshore bonus language matters because the label changes the economics. A $500 free-play offer is not the same as a $500 cash bonus, and neither is the same as $500 in locked bonus funds.
What’s next
- Read sportsbook rollover explained
- See how bettors clear rollover in practice — clearing strategies and what gets flagged
- Compare the four books at /offshore-sportsbooks/
- Read BookMaker bonuses
- New to sports betting? Start with Sports Betting 101