How Do Sportsbook Referral Bonuses Work?

Affiliate marketing is a big business nowadays. There is no doubt about that. In fact, this sector began to thrive with the invention of the Internet, or when this technology became available to the global public. Once that happened, everyone had a space to pitch services and goods to others.

According to sources, this sector has a value that currently surpasses $17 billion, and its worldwide one will grow to around $30 billion in the next four years. That is occurring on account of the fact that over 80% of all brands implement affiliate marketing, and this business type contributes to more than 16% of all e-commerce sales in North America right now. Hence, it should come as no surprise that gaming and sports rank among the top ten affiliate niches.

Given that gambling operators, online and offline, face various advertising restrictions, it stands to reason that they are more open to third parties trying to lure people in to use their offered services. If you have read any of our sportsbook reviews, you know that we are always referencing how much online bookies are giving out in commissions. We also sometimes provide other info about their referral programs, telling you what makes them appealing. Below, we get more into how their systems usually work, giving you a general overview of the rules these schemes implement.

What Are Referral Bonuses?

They are what they sound like. A promotional incentive supplied by Internet bookmakers that tries to get you to go out and find other gamblers who you can hopefully sway to sign up with the site offering a bonus if you accomplish this feat. Successfully doing this earns you a reward, which can be a fixed one, but in most cases, the bettor who you get to register gets tied into your dashboard, and you get a slice of the revenues or profits, depending on the scheme, he brings in/generates.

Online sportsbooks offer these bonuses as a way to expand their user base by getting current customers to do the gambler acquisition for them, throwing them something in return if their efforts yield benefits for their website, meaning its bottom line.

Participating in a Sportsbook’s Referral System

To become active in these programs, you need to go to their dedicated pages, usually possible by clicking a link in the homepage footer. Some sites make you create a distinct affiliate account, and at others, you can utilize your standard gambling one to get referral benefits.

Usually, the only requirement for participating in these systems is to have an active account and no implemented restrictions on it. Nonetheless, we know that a few bookies ask that your balance not be negative. We have also seen platforms demanding you be an active member for at least a little while, not allowing users to immediately get a referral link after joining.

Depending on the number and type of gamblers you promise to bring in, the brand will have a defined commission structure. In most, you must build up to higher fees by proving your worth or your referrals showing high activity.

Sportsbooks give you a referral link, which is your unique one, through which they can track who you have gotten to sign up. You must make people create an account via this link or get them to enter a special code given to you upon account creation. Once they do this, they get tied in with you for life. Nevertheless, you do not earn passive income instantly. Your referred users may have to meet some stipulations, like making a minimum deposit, betting on events with odds above a specific minimum coefficient, etc. Only after they do this will you be able to get rewarded for your marketing or persuasion skills.

Referral Fees vs. Fixed Sum Bonuses

We pretty much explained the commission/fee model above. The fixed-sum bonus one is more common for US-based online bookmakers. These are offers where, for example, if you get five or ten gamblers to create an account in a certain period, like a month, and each one deposits over a specific sum, then you will get a fixed reward amount. Let us say $100 for getting the job done. The bookmaker may also demand that the bettors you have referred wager over a given sum with an exclusive period for you to get your advertised bonus. If they do not do this, you get left empty-handed.  

Almost all the brand we have reviewed feature fee-based schemes offering a multi-tier revenue share model.

Types of Referral Bonuses

Aside from cash sums credited to an affiliate partner’s account, which may require the completion of a rollover, deposit matches, and free bets also get supplied as referral bonuses. The first is your typical percentage matches, and the second is on-the-house wagers of a specified amount, one or more of these complimentary wagers. Again, these rewards may not get provided stipulation-free. For free wagers, restrictions on the types of bets you can make using this bonus will likely be in play, and there are sure to be deadlines. So, please be aware of that.

Maximizing Referral Bonuses

Use social media by giving away tips for sharing gambling advice to enthusiasts, suggesting your affiliate site as a prime place to bet. Engaging in communities on Discord, Reddit, or gambling forums, listing your referral link in your profile or signature is a must. If you post quality replies and content, others will look at you as a trusted individual and maybe use your link to create an account at your partner platform as a favor or because they believe you when you say it is a good one. You can also use incentives for people to use your link.

It is vital not to spam or be overly aggressive. Avoid mass emailing, and always take a personal approach when you can. Set reasonable expectations, and know that it is not easy to get people to join an online bookie and for them to continuously use that hub. Follow your dashboard stats, and look to adjust your strategy accordingly, promoting your link harder when there is a noticeable slowdown in activity.

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