You can claim a wide range of enticing offers if you sign up with the best online sportsbooks in the country right now. This guide highlights the most appealing welcome bonuses from licensed, legal sports betting sites and mobile apps.

We will break down the various bonus categories, explain what the key terms mean and walk you through the wagering requirements. Continue reading to discover the best welcome bonus offers available in your state.

Best Welcome Offers 2023

Top Online Betting Sites With Welcome Bonuses

1. Caesars – first bet insurance of up to $1,250, plus 1,000 rewards credits
2. BetMGM – risk-free first bet up to $1,000
3. BetRivers – 2^nd chance Bonus Bet up to $500
4. Betway – First-Bonus Bet up to $250 for new customers
5. Bet365 – bet $1, get $200 welcome bonus
6. Unibet – First-Bonus Bets for all new players
7. WynnBET – bet $100, get $100 bonus when you sign up

Sportsbooks With the Best Welcome Offers

Caesars Sportsbook

Caesars Sportsbook offers the largest sign-up bonus for online sports bettors. It will give you up to $1,250 back as a Bonus Bet if your first wager does not win. Just sign up and place a $10 bet on any sport to redeem this “Go Full Caesar” welcome bonus. If you succeed, Caesars Sportsbook will pay your winnings in cash. If you lose, you will get a Bonus Bet in return.

The maximum rebate you can receive is $1,250, and it has a 1x playthrough requirement. You have 14 days to use the Bonus Bet on any sport, and you will be paid any profits in cash. This welcome bonus also earns you 1,000 Tier Credits and 1,000 Reward Credits for the loyalty program, Caesars Rewards. You can then earn 1 Tier Credit and 1 Reward Credit for every $5 you wager going forward, and the Reward Credits are redeemable for Bonus Bets. Our rewards program page has more details.

Caesars Entertainment has consistently invested in huge bonuses since completing its $4 billion takeover of William Hill in 2021. It turned the William Hill app and website into Caesars Sportsbook, and the company is working hard to turn this brand into a market leader. After claiming the welcome bonus, you will gain access to a large selection of additional promotions, including profit boosts, daily bet boosts and Bonus Bets.

BetMGM

BetMGM is a joint venture between casino owner MGM Resorts International and a European company called Entain. It offers online sports betting, casino gaming, a poker room and a racebook. Entain supplies the technology, which is used to power a variety of brands within its empire, including PartyPoker, PartyCasino, Ladbrokes, Coral, Bwin and Sportingbet. MGM Resorts provides market access and industry expertise, and it has proved to be a strong combination.

The partners have established BetMGM as the number one online casino in America, and it is among the top three online sportsbooks. The BetMGM welcome bonus for sports bettors is a First-Bonus Bet of up to $1,000. It is just like any popular bonus, as new players can bet $10 on any market and get a 100% refund if they lose. If your refund is for $49 or less, you’ll get one Bonus Bet. If it is for $50 or more, your rebate is split into five.

For example, you will receive 5 x $200 Bonus Bets if you sign up with BetMGM and place a losing $1,000 bet. The Bonus Bets have a 1x rollover requirement. When you have completed it, your winnings will be eligible for withdrawal. You can then claim Bonus Bets, odds boosts, parlay offers and other promotions. Players also go into the MGM Rewards program.

BetRivers

BetRivers is a strong all-round sportsbook operated by a Chicago-based company called Rush Street Interactive. It uses a turnkey sports betting platform provided by Kambi, which is easy to use and offers a vast choice of wagering options. BetRivers provides extra features such as live streaming, automated payouts and bet boosts to enhance its offering. It has a sister site called PlaySugarHouse in Connecticut, and they are both covered by the company’s iRush Rewards program.

This sportsbook will give you a second chance Bonus Bet if your first wager loses. You must place a bet of $10 or more to qualify, and you will be paid cash if you win. If your first bet is unsuccessful, BetRivers will give you the money back as a Bonus Bet. That gives you a second chance to pick a winning wager.

This Bonus Bet has a 1x rollover requirement, which is a standard condition at all the best sportsbooks. You cannot divide the BetRivers Bonus Bet into smaller increments, so it must be used on one pick. There are also minimum odds of -200. BetRivers customers will then receive many more bonuses each week, including profit boosts, insurance offers and odds boosts.

Betway

Betway is a famous online sportsbook owned by the NYSE-listed Super Group. It has more than 2.3 million customers spread across 25 countries. The sportsbook operates on white-label technology from SBTech, which is a rival to Kambi. That allows Betway to cover around 30 different sports in remarkable depth, and it offers a strong user experience. The features on offer include streaming, a same game parlay builder, an extensive stats database, early cash out, Pick 6 contests and the ability to modify open bets.

The Betway welcome bonus earns you a full rebate of up to $250 if you are unsuccessful with your first bet after signing up. As is generally the case, it has a 1x rollover requirement. When you have satisfied that, you will be able to cash out any profit earned. Sportsbooks do not include the Bonus Bet in your return if you win. For example, if you use a $100 Bonus Bet on a team to win at +125, you will be paid a $125 profit, but the $100 bet amount is not part of your payout. You will receive a variety of odds boosts and additional promotions on a routine basis as a Betway customer.

Bet365

Bet365 is the world’s most popular online gambling brand. The company was founded in the UK back in 2000, and it has built up a vast global empire. It is the market leader in many countries across Europe, Asia and South America. Bet365 is live in New Jersey and Colorado, but there are plans to expand into additional states soon. It is also popular in Ontario.

We highly recommend claiming the Bet365 welcome bonus. You just need to sign up and bet $1 to claim the offer, and you will then get $200 in Bonus Bet credits. These bonus funds only need to be rolled over a single time before cashing out your winnings, and you can use them on any markets you like – either as a single bet and lots of smaller bets. There are lots of additional bonuses, including early payout specials, parlay boosts and tons of daily odds boosts. It also offers instant payouts, 24/7 customer service, great bonuses, a peerless live betting section, live streaming and a world-class interface.

Unibet

A Swedish bookmaker called Anders Ström set up Unibet in his London apartment back in the 1990s. It is now one of the world’s largest online gambling companies, with thousands of employees around the world. Unibet also created Kambi, the white-label technology provider that powers sportsbooks such as BetRivers and MaximBet. The company is now called Kindred Group, which is listed in Stockholm, but Unibet is its leading brand.

Unibet offers new customers a First-Bonus Bet. It varies in size depending on which state you are in when you create your account. The sign-up bonus for bettors in New Jersey is particularly impressive. Garden State players can place a $250 bet on any sport and get a cash payout if it wins. If it loses, Unibet will refund you in cash – not site credit.

That allows you to withdraw it immediately, with no rollover requirements, so it is a fully First-Bonus Bet. In other states, Unibet gives you the money back in Bonus Bet credits, just like most of its competitors. The credits have a 1x rollover requirement. There are lots of additional bonuses for Unibet customers to claim. It offers a superb online casino alongside its feature-rich sportsbook in some states too.

WynnBET

WynnBET is a simpler online sportsbook than the other operators featured on this page. Most rivals cover at least 20 sports, whereas only 10 are featured at WynnBET. That makes it very quick and easy to browse, so it’s a great option for any beginners to sports betting. It also has some of the best odds available – especially on Thursdays, when a reduced juice promo called Wynn Hour is active – along with various Bonus Bet bonuses each week.

WynnBET runs a “bet $100, get $100” welcome bonus in most states. A $100 bet at minimum odds of -120 on any sport is required to qualify. WynnBET will then credit your account with a $100 Bonus Bet, which has a 1x playthrough requirement. Players need to hit minimum odds of -150 on the Bonus Bet, which will be awarded if your qualifying $100 bet wins, loses or pushes.

If you are in a state where WynnBET has an online casino, such as Michigan or New Jersey, it will give you a $50 free sports bet and $50 in casino credits for placing a $100 bet. In New York, WynnBET only gives new players a $5 Bonus Bet for wagering $100. New York has far higher taxes than most other states, so it cannot afford to offer such large deals. Some sportsbooks have stopped offering welcome bonuses entirely in New York.

What kinds of welcome bonuses do sportsbooks offer?

First-Bonus Bets | Most sportsbooks offer some variation of a First-Bonus Bet as their welcome bonus. It comes in various guises – no sweat first bet, second chance Bonus Bet, first bet insurance – but the idea remains the same. You place a bet and get the money back if you lose. It is occasionally paid in cash, as is the case at Unibet NJ, but it is normally paid in bonus funds, with a 1x rollover required before you can cash out.

Match Deposit Bonuses | This is a rarer type of welcome bonus, but it will appeal to many players, as you get the bonus money if your first bet wins, loses or pushes. Just sign up and make an initial deposit to qualify. The sportsbook then agrees to match a percentage of that deposit amount with bonus funds – such as a 100% deposit match up to $250. You then need to complete wagering requirements before withdrawing.

Bet and Get | Some sportsbooks give you Bonus Bet credits upon signing up as a reward for placing a particular bet. For example, there is a “Bet $100, Get a $100 Bonus Bet” bonus at WynnBET. Occasionally, you will be required to win your qualifying bet to get the bonus funds – as is the case with the DraftKings offer – but they are usually issued as soon as you place your first wager.

Why do sportsbooks offer welcome bonuses?

Sportsbooks provide a sign-up bonus to appeal to new customers. Legal sports betting is a new and competitive industry, with lots of rival companies striving to build up their player bases at the same time. They provide welcome bonuses to build market share and encourage betting activity.

Using a Sports Betting Welcome Bonus

You can claim your bonus credits at an online sportsbook by following these links:

1. Find an offer at www.therx.com and click the accompanying “Claim Deal” or “Visit Partner” button to redeem it. If a bonus code is needed, clicking the link from www.therx.com will add it to your account.
2. Sign up for an account by providing the personal details requested. Create a password and agree to the terms of service.
3. Verify your account and download the app.
4. Make a minimum first deposit in the cashier. The Bonus Betting credits will be released at this point if the sportsbook offers a deposit match bonus.
5. If the sportsbook offers a bet and bet bonus or a First-Bonus Bet, place the qualifying wager stated and you will then be in line for the Bonus Bet credits.

FAQ – Using Sportsbook Welcome Promotions

Why should you use a welcome bonus? 

Welcome bonuses are designed to give you an incentive to sign up for an online sports betting account. Sportsbooks often incur a loss from their sign-up bonuses, simply to build up market share, so it is well worth taking advantage of that trend by claiming them. You normally just need to place a qualifying bet, and you will then receive Bonus Bet credits, allowing you to play with house money.

Can I sign up and create multiple accounts?

You can only create a single account at each online sportsbook. The companies that operate the sportsbooks have sophisticated systems in place to prevent account duplication, and they will ban you if they find evidence of you creating multiple accounts, so we advise against it. However, you can create accounts with multiple, competing sportsbooks and claim all their welcome bonus offers.