The NBA season is full of non-stop action, with 30 teams facing off nightly in what can only be described as a sports bettor’s dream.
Whether it’s marquee national TV games featuring megastars on Christmas, a regular-season doubleheader with massive playoff implications, or the incredibly dramatic NBA playoffs, there’s no shortage of action in the basketball season.
If you are new to betting on the NBA or are looking to try out a new sportsbook, you can instantly build your bankroll with some lucrative new player offers. These bonuses range from second-chance bets, deposit matches, and many other promos and can help you start off betting with house money.
Looking for the best sportsbook bonuses for the upcoming season can be overwhelming, but we will help you through the process.
Best NBA Betting Promos
Each online sportsbook has a unique offer, but they typically break down into a few categories. Each comes with a unique set of terms and conditions — usually minimum odds or minimum deposit amounts — but we did the hard work and combed through offers.
Here’s a look at the best.
Site Credit vs Bonus Bets
NBA betting promos usually end with a new user having either site credit or bonus bets added to their account. Before we jump into the top bonus offers, let’s clear up the difference between site credit and bonus bets.
When you get site credit added to your account, it plays the same as cash. Users can bet in any denomination, and it is converted to cash once they bet the amount. Site credit also pays out the bet plus profits, so if you were to bet $500 in site credit at (+200), the potential payout would be $1500 ($500 bet + $1,000 profit).
Bonus bets, on the other hand, typically have to be used in one shot and only pay the profit from the wager. Using the example above, a $500 bonus bet wager at (+200) would only pay out $1,000 for a winning bet. Some sites will let you break your bonus bet into smaller amounts, but for the most part, it is a “one and done" situation.
Deposit Bonus
Online sportsbooks can offer new players a match on their first deposit up to a certain amount. What they match and wagering requirements will vary by sportsbook and may not always match 100% of the first deposit.
Sportsbook A may offer a 100% deposit match up to $500 with 1x wagering. Once the registration process is complete, you use one of the site’s many safe and secure deposit methods to load up $500 into your new account.
Your bankroll will instantly double to $1,000 ($500 cash and $500 in site credit), and once you bet the $500 in site credit in play, any remaining bonus funds will convert to your cash balance.
Sportsbook B may offer a 25% deposit match up to $1,000 with 10x wagering requirements. To trigger the full $1,000 in bonus funds, you would need to deposit $4,000, which would start you off with $5,000 to bet with. The 10x wagering requirements would mean you have to place $10,000 in bets to convert the bonus to cash.
Bet Insurance
Bet insurance can come in many shapes and sizes, but the basic premise of the promotional offer is that you place a bet, and if it comes out as a loss, you get a refund up to a certain amount in the form of a bonus bet or site credit. This was often previously referred to as a second-chance bet.
Sportsbook A may be offering bet insurance up to $1,000 that pays out a refund in site credit if your first bet loses. You make your first deposit of $2,000 and bet $1,500 on the Philadelphia 76ers over the Golden State Warriors at (+200) odds.
If the 76ers prevail, you will be paid out the usual $4,500 ($1,500 bet + $3,000 profit) and if nothing else happens, you are done with the promo.
If the Warriors win, your bet will be graded as a loss, but you will still get $1,000 in site credit refunded to your account. You can then bet that site credit in various denominations, and anything left over is yours to keep.
If the same scenario as above plays out at Sportsbook B, which is offering a second-chance bet up to $2,000 that pays out in a bonus bet, the only change would be how a losing bet is refunded.
If you put $2,000 on the 76ers and they win, you would still be paid out $6,000, just as any other cash bet. However, if that first bet loses, you will get a one-time bonus bet for $2,000.
That bonus bet will need to be used on a single wager, and will only pay the profits. So, let’s say you put that $2,000 on the New York Knicks at (-110) odds. You would be paid out $1,888 — the profit from the bet — and would not receive the $2,000 stake.
First Bet Match
If you sign up for a new online sportsbook that is offering a bet match, you will find yourself in a similar scenario to bet insurance, but with the refund coming regardless of the result.
For instance, if you register a new account at a sportsbook that is offering a bet match up to $1,000, you would make a deposit and place a wager on any qualifying market.
If that first bet is for the full $1,000 amount, you will find a $1,000 bonus bet or site credit in your account no matter if your first bet won or lost. If that wager is matched in site credit, you will need to wager that $1,000 through 1x to convert it to cash.
If you get a bonus bet, you can place that bet on any qualifying market, but only the profits from the wager will be paid out.
Bet & Get
When you are offered a bet and get promo, it boils down to making a specified wager or amount of wagers before you are rewarded with free bets, site credit, or cash.
If FanDuel is offering a Bet $5, Get $150 if your team wins, you would simply need to bet $5, and if your team wins the game, you would get $150 in bonus bets.
NBA Betting No-Deposit Bonus
Although this has become one of the least popular new player offers in the US sports betting market, some sites will offer a no-deposit bonus where you are credited with a bonus bet or site credit just for successfully registering a new account.
These no-deposit bonuses tend to be on the smaller side and can be cashed out once the bonus bet or site credit is played one time through. You are not going to be able to pay your rent with this offer, but it’s worth trying.
Best Finals Betting Promotions
Sportsbooks feature several useful promotions that users should take advantage of. These promotions provide significant odds boosts that can help build your bankroll.
The NBA playoffs are a marquee sports betting event with multiple games each night, especially in the early rounds. There are great opportunities to build bankrolls so users continue to have funds in their accounts throughout the postseason and Finals.
Best NBA Sportsbook Betting Bonuses
Caesars Sportsbook
When Caesars first launched its online sportsbook, it was hard to get excited about limited markets, no in-game betting, and a short list of betting sports. However, Caesars has since shown its commitment to becoming a top online sportsbook by acquiring international superstar William Hill in 2021.
With that acquisition, Caesars has transformed into one of the top betting options for sports fans in the US market. The William Hill-powered Caesars Sportsbook has a ton of betting markets, enough prop bets for even the most niche bettor, and a seemingly endless supply of betting promotions.
Caesars has become a sportsbook that caters to both the casual bettor and the high-stakes punter with their willingness to take bets of all sizes, not limiting customers as their competition has in the past.
BetMGM Sportsbook
MGM is one of the most recognizable names in the international gambling community, with high-end properties throughout the world. The online betting wing, BetMGM, brings that same level of elegance that you have come to expect from their parent company.
BetMGM Sportsbook has one of the most robust prop betting menus in the US market and offers daily odds boosts. In states that have online casinos, you can always find promos that cross between the two verticals and an easy-to-use app that helps you find your NBA bets in seconds.
FanDuel Sportsbook
FanDuel got its start in the DFS industry, but since the dawn of legal sports betting in the US, it has been one of the top online sportsbooks in the country. FanDuel Sportsbook is the go-to betting site for most bettors.
FanDuel offers a full daily list of odds boosts, promos for nearly every betting market, and plenty of safe and secure banking options.
FanDuel also offers some of the most competitive lines among the legal US sportsbooks and one of the most intuitive apps out there. It also has a partnership with TNT that enables boosts for marquee games.
BetRivers Sportsbook
BetRivers Sportsbook has arguably the best new-player bonuses of any online sportsbook: a second-chance bet of up to $500.
BetRivers offers a myriad of betting options for basketball and has one of the best rewards programs in the industry. The more you wager, the more points you get.
These points can be traded in for odds boosts, site credit, or to spin a wheel to earn prizes. There’s also no shortage of prop bets and parlays boosts, plus BetRivers helps new and novice bettors with a helpful glossary.
DraftKings Sportsbook
DraftKings has one of the best online sportsbooks around and is available in just about every state where online sports betting is legal. DraftKings has great odds, dozens of games — in sports both in the United States and around the globe — and hundreds of markets for each game each night.
DraftKings Sportsbook’s best new-user offer is a no-sweat bet of up to $1,500. When your first bet of up to $1,500 loses, DraftKings will return your stake to you as a bonus bet.
SI Sportsbook
The Sports Illustrated brand is synonymous with sports, and the people there are hoping that also converts to bettors. SI purchased New Jersey-based 888 Sport in 2021 and launched its online sportsbook shortly thereafter.
SI is currently only available in Colorado, Michigan, and Virginia, but it is growing every day.
How To Pick The Best NBA Sportsbook Promos
It’s important to pick the right sportsbook bonus to allow you to make the most out of it, so let’s take a look at the criteria to help you make this selection:
- Type of Bonus: Check to see which type of bonus is being offered. The preferred choice is the first deposit bonus since you are given bet credits immediately upon your first deposit, which is useful.
- Time Constraints: Sportsbooks require you to use the bet credits within a certain timeframe, so make sure that you’re aware of their expiration date.
- Odds Restrictions: Some bonuses can only be used on limited moneyline odds, preventing you from using them on heavy favorites. You might also be restricted to certain bet types, such as straight bets.
- Wagering Requirements: Some bet credits can’t be withdrawn, while others might require you to place a specific amount of wagers to be able to deposit them.
NBA Sportsbook Promo Codes vs Bonus Codes
Promo codes and bonus codes are terms sportsbooks use interchangeably. Marketing departments at all sportsbooks employ this strategy, and while it can get confusing at times, just keep in mind that they are the same thing.
Do You Need A Promo Code?
Some sites will require a promo code, and others will just require you to opt in once you register.
To guarantee the best offer, be sure to click through The Game Day and use our promo codes. We have developed partnerships with all the top online sportsbooks to offer you the most lucrative bonus offer, often better than the advertised new player offer.
Promo codes grant additional value to your sports betting experience and represent an enticing way to bring both casual and seasoned sports bettors to the platform.
Best Way to Use NBA Betting Bonuses
The best way to use the welcome bonus is to treat it as if it is your money. You don’t want to use these bet credits recklessly just because they were given to you for making a first deposit. Instead, research your wager just as you would normally.
I would suggest mixing the bet types between straight bets with safer picks and longshot parlays to take a shot at a large payout. You can use your straight bets as insurance in case you lose your parlay. Keep trying to swing for the fence with these bet credits.
You should also make sure to choose your bet with these promotions carefully. It’s a good idea to take favorites with the odds boosts to increase your expected value.
It doesn’t make sense to take a heavy underdog at (+1600) when you’re getting a (+3000) odds boost because you can take a favorite at (-120) moneyline instead. This is a good way to get the most out of this promotion.
You can also take a team that hits a lot of three-pointers if it’s a promotion that rewards you some bet credits if your team hits a three. This is just another way to maximize your potential winnings with these promotions.
Always remember to be diligent with these bonuses and promotions as a way of putting yourself in the best position to succeed.
Do NBA Betting Promos Have Restrictions or Limitations?
Almost all NBA betting bonuses have restrictions and limitations.
Time limitations and bet amount requirements are the common types of restrictions, or as we will discuss next, wagering requirements.
At some sportsbooks, bet types are heavily affected. Bet Insurance offers may not work with parlays unless explicitly stated in the promotion that they do.
Being thoroughly aware of the restrictions and limitations for each promotion is important for sports bettors looking to get maximum value on their returns.
What Are Wagering Requirements?
Wagering requirements have a significant impact on the value each promotion carries. They are extremely common and stand as a way for sportsbooks to not be in the business of handing out free money.
One common form of wagering requirement is the time limitation. Bet amount wagering requirements are also quite common.
Viewing the wagering requirements in the fine print of promotions is the best way to approach them.
Benefits of NBA Betting Promos
No matter if you are an experienced bettor or a new player interested in getting in on the action, starting with a new online sportsbook comes with many benefits. Whether it’s a deposit match, bet insurance, or a bet-and-get offer, you are playing with their money, not yours.
You may be wondering why an online sportsbook would just be giving away bonus bets. In short, they want you to try their service and see how exciting it is, thus creating millions of long-term customers. A small investment results in consistent playing.
New player bonuses give you the chance to play around on the sports betting site, and in turn, the sites hope you come back for all your future sports betting needs. These new player offers can seem a bit confusing, but we will walk you through how to claim these offers and the best way to collect some cash along the way.
Look For More Than One NBA Sportsbook Bonus
It is important for all sports bettors with varying bankroll sizes to cash in on as many sportsbook bonuses as possible. With the NBA locking in agreements with many sportsbooks, it is paramount to take advantage of good promos while they last.
By getting NBA sportsbook promotions, you are not just extracting the maximum monetary value — you are also extracting the maximum amount of “edge" over sportsbooks. Plus, with odds varying from site to site, shopping for the best odds is integral to max out your return and build your bankroll.
