Matched Free Bet Bonus Vs Casino Deposit Bonus
Excitement, thrills, and plenty of spills – the world of gambling is delivering a bit of everything right now. From all-action games to unstoppable promotions, gambling has never been more open and fun than it is today. Adding to all the excitement, you’re going to find a wealth of bonuses being offered by the big – and not so big – online betting sites. The two leading types of bonus – alongside free spins – are matched free bet bonuses and casino deposit bonuses.
Thrown at you from every angle, we’re here to help you make sense of what’s around. The following weighs up the sports-based matched free bets bonus vs the traditional casino deposit bonus.
What is a matched free bet bonus?
Your high street bookie might take your business for granted, but that certainly isn’t the case at online bookmakers. Top sports betting sites will fall over themselves to hand you matched free bet bonuses. The term “free bet” is bounced around all over the place, but sometimes it can present confusion. Making matters clear, a matched free bet bonus is when a bookmaker doubles (or sometimes more than doubles) your bet up to a predetermined figure. For example, if you get £25 to bet with at a bookmaker and wager the full amount on a match with odds 1/2, you will win £37.50. As it’s a matched free bet, the bookmaker will only pay out your winnings – £12.50. A matched free bet bonus will sometimes be listed as an SNR (stake not returned) free bet.
What is a casino deposit bonus?
The casino deposit bonus is the most common of the welcome bonuses offered by casinos – more popular than free spins and no deposit bonus offers; and any ‘best casino welcome bonus‘ type list will feature this type of bonus over the others.
How they work is by matching a deposit you make by a set percentage. For example, BitStarz currently offers a 100% casino deposit bonus on the first deposit made up to €100 or 1 BTC. You’ll find that casino deposit bonuses can come about in a number of forms. Loyalty bonuses, reload bonuses, and more, so odds are when you deposit you’ll likely find a deal that’ll give your account balance a boost.
The difference is in the details
Both matched free bet bonuses and casino deposit bonuses will come with a wealth of terms and conditions related to use. Most of these T&Cs are expected, limiting you to potentially set games or markets and a time limit for use. Yet, there is one condition that tends to drum up plenty of controversy – that’s the wagering requirement.
The wagering requirement is whispered about in gambling circles, but it’s nowhere near as bad as some will have you believe. Taking BitStarz as an example, the first deposit bonus we mentioned has a 40x wagering requirement. Here’s how the numbers break down, claiming a £100 figure, with a 40x wagering requirement, you’ll need to wager £4,000 before the bonus becomes cashable. Yes, it might sound like the wagering requirement is there to stop you, but it certainly isn’t something that can’t be overcome. The luxury of a casino deposit bonus wager requirement is that you’re usually given a fair amount of time to beat it, upwards of 30 days or more.
The wagering requirement attached to matched free bet bonuses tend to be more favorable, but max win limits are almost certainly going to be in effect. You’ll also find that free bet bonuses have much shorter time limits – as it’s often a case of move it or lose it.
The choice is yours!
In terms of value, both bonus types have plenty to offer. The final decision will probably come down to what avenue of gambling you’re heading down. If you fancy a flutter on the biggest sporting events – such as the World Cup – then look to grab a matched free bet bonus. But, if you have eyes on the cards, reels, and dice, you’ll find that a casino deposit bonus can certainly give your gambling efforts a boost.