Bonus bets vs cash: how they differ
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Cash can be withdrawn, while bonus bets are credits you can only stake. When a bonus bet wins, you usually receive the profit but not the stake. Bonus bets also tend to expire within days and cannot be withdrawn.
Bonus bets vs cash comes down to what you can do with the money: cash can be withdrawn, while bonus bets can only be staked and the stake itself is not paid back. Knowing the difference tells you what a promotion is really worth.
Bonus bets vs cash: key differences
- Withdrawal: you can withdraw cash, but you cannot withdraw bonus bets.
- Stake returned: a winning cash bet returns your stake plus profit, while a winning bonus bet pays profit only.
- Expiry: bonus bets often expire within days, and unused credits disappear.
Rules can also apply, such as minimum odds, eligible markets or single-use credits, so read the terms before you opt in.
An example
A $50 bonus bet at +200 odds that wins pays $100 in profit, and the $50 stake is not returned. A $50 cash bet at the same odds returns $150, which is the $100 profit plus your stake. In other words, a bonus bet is worth less than the same amount in cash, but it still costs you nothing from your own balance if it loses.
What to do with a bonus bet
Because the stake is not returned, a bonus bet keeps more of its value on longer odds than on a heavy favorite, which is why many bettors use them on longer-odds selections within the minimum-odds rules of the offer. Longer odds also mean a lower chance of winning, so choose a risk level you are comfortable with. Winnings are usually withdrawable if the terms add no conditions, and some credits are single-use while others can be split across bets.