No Deposit Sportsbook Bonuses Explained

A no deposit sportsbook bonus is perhaps the holy grail of online sports betting promotions. Who doesn’t want the opportunity to win money without any risk?! The chance to place a free bet on your favorite sports team without depositing any of your own money is too good to pass up.

In this guide, we break down no deposit bonuses, how they work, who they are geared towards, and why they can be challenging to find.

Read on to discover the pros and cons of no deposit bonuses compared to other sportsbook promo offers.

What Is a No Deposit Sportsbook Bonus?

A no deposit bonus essentially allows you to “try before you buy” at an online sportsbook. All you have to do is sign up to place a free bet. If you win, you keep the winnings, subject to terms and conditions. If you lose, well, no harm, no foul. After all, you haven’t put up any of your own money yet.

The biggest difference between a sports betting site no deposit bonus and other risk-free bet offerings is that most risk-free bonuses require the bettor to make a deposit first, whereas a no deposit bonus does not (duh!).

So, why would an online sportsbook offer you the chance at free money?

From the sportsbook’s perspective, the bet (pun intended) is that win or lose, you’ll enjoy the experience on their betting website or mobile app and decide to stick around.

As we explain in the next section, you often need to continue using the site if you want to collect the winnings on your free bet.

How Does a No Deposit Bonus Work?

Like any other promotional offer at a sportsbook, no deposit bonuses are there to entice new customers. Taking advantage of these promotions is an easy way to grow your bankroll, but they all come with important conditions you should understand.

As a no deposit bonus does not require you to start with any of your own money, the process is straightforward. Simply sign up for an account with an online sportsbook, study the odds, and place your bet for the allowable amount(s).

Sometimes, the sportsbook will offer a no deposit bonus in the form of a single $10, $20, or $25 free bet. In other instances, the sports betting site may provide a series of smaller free bets, such as five $5 wagers. Multiple free bets let you try out both the site itself and various types of wagering.

It’s easy to think of a no deposit bonus as a way to place a free bet, withdraw the winnings, buy yourself a beer, and move on. Unfortunately, that’s not quite how it works. There is usually a waiting period and sometimes other requirements before you can withdraw any winnings.

Sportsbooks often implement play-through obligations on no deposit offers. Play-through conditions stipulate that in order to withdraw any bonus winnings, you’ll have to keep playing until you’ve wagered a specific dollar amount or placed a certain number of bets. This is also known as a rollover, and there is often a time constraint attached to it.

Other wagering requirements for no deposit bonuses may include:

• Stipulations on minimum odds (typically -200 or higher)
• Restrictions on which sections of your sportsbook you can use your bonus on

As with any sportsbook promo you choose, always read the fine print!

Who Are No Deposit Offers Geared Towards?

No deposit bonuses are very much geared towards new online betting app users and first-time bettors.

These promotions allow you to test out a betting site or app without making any commitments. That makes them particularly appealing to a casual or even diehard sports fan who has never gambled before. You can give sports betting a try without transferring any of your money out of your bank account.

Experienced sports bettors who are ready to deposit money into an online account may prefer other promotions such as risk-free bets, matched bet bonuses, and deposit matches.  While these bonuses require you to make a deposit, they offer much bigger increases to your bankroll. Expect these offers to come with higher rollover requirements, though.

Just as line shopping is essential to finding the best odds, comparing bonus terms is key to finding the promotion that is right for you.

How to Find No Deposit Bonuses at Sports Betting Sites

Sports betting sites offering no deposit bonuses are increasingly hard to find. Deposit match offers or risk-free bets are much more common in the industry today. However, most other risk-free bets require you to make an initial deposit to access the bonus.

No deposit bonuses are rare because the terms are highly favorable to the bettor. The sportsbook collects your contact information but does not hold on to any of your money.

That said, no deposit bonuses still exist. You’re most likely to find them when a sportsbook launches in a new market, as online operators seek to introduce sports betting to new bettors and attract customers early on.

Note that you may come across no deposit bonuses that are only accessible through a referral link.

Here are the best no deposit offers our reviewers could find:

Best No Deposit Promos

Here is a list of the best no deposit promos from premier sportsbooks.

Use the links in the table above to learn more about the sportsbooks with the best no deposit bonuses.

Pros & Cons of No Deposit Bonuses

Each type of sportsbook bonus and promotional offer has its pros and cons. Here’s what you should keep in mind when considering no deposit sports betting bonuses:

Pros

• No deposit required
• Chance to win free money with truly no risk
• Test out online sports betting for free, with no commitments
• Fewer rollover requirements than other promotional offerings

Cons

• Smaller bonus amounts (typical range is $10 to $25)
• Usually require a waiting period before cashing out
• Can be hard to find

The Bottom Line

With so many online sportsbooks competing for your business, there’s no shortage of sign up promotions to take advantage of.

Sports Betting Dime is here to help you make informed decisions and find the online sports betting site that’s best for you.  Our extensive set of guides to sports betting bonuses will help ensure you don’t leave any money on the table!