Learn/promos
Bonus bets, boosts, credits, deposit bait?
The gift is still a price
A ‘free’ bet is a voucher with rules. A boost is a price. A site credit is often stickier than cash. Read the back of the ticket.
5 min read
gifts
Four wrappers, one question: is True still shorter?
Bonus bet
Profit only. Stake usually dies.
Boost
Just a longer sticker. Still check True.
Site credit
Leash + rollover. Count the tax.
Deposit match
Bait to walk in. Convert once.
A bonus bet usually pays profit only — stake is not returned. A $100 bonus at 2.00 is not a $100 win. It is closer to $50 of real value before you even pick a side, and worse if you hammer a huge favourite.
A boost (say +200 instead of +150) is just a longer price. Run it through Value / the checker. If True is already +210, the boost is still a bad number with a balloon on it.
Site credit and deposit matches often rollover. That is a leash: you must bet the gift through the juice before it becomes cash. Count the tax.
Signup bait exists to get you in the door. Use it once, convert it cleanly, then go back to True. A desk built on welcome offers is a desk that dies when the offers die.
takeawayPrice the promo like any other number. If the fair is still shorter after the gift, it is not a gift.