A rollover in sports betting is a term used to describe the number of times that bettors need to wager their sportsbook deposit and bonus funds to convert these funds into withdrawable cash.
What is a Rollover in Betting?
Every sportsbook can set its own rollover, also known as a playthrough, for each bonus offer. Until this rollover is met, bonus funds cannot be withdrawn and can only be used to place wagers.
It’s extremely important for sports bettors to understand how rollover requirements work. All legal sports betting sites offer bonuses, yet some come with unfavorable terms and conditions that make it difficult for players to turn bonus funds into real money. This guide explains exactly how rollovers are met and provides a number of useful examples of common rollover requirements.
Rollover in Betting Meaning
All legal US sportsbooks provide bonuses to their new and existing members. Of course, these betting platforms are not in the business of giving money away with no strings attached. Most bonuses come with rollover requirements, a term that describes how much bettors need to wager in order to turn bonus funds into withdrawable cash.
The rollover benefits sportsbooks, as it encourages players to make bets. Without this requirement, players could claim a bonus and immediately run away with the winnings. Sportsbooks can set the rollover requirement for each bonus, often ranging from 1x to 35x the amount of bonus money received. Discover some common rollover examples below.
5x Rollover Example
A 5x rollover is standard for many bonuses. It is considered fairly generous to bettors, requiring them to wager just 5-times the amount of bonus funds received to withdraw this money.
Let’s look at an online sportsbook that is offering a 50% first-deposit bonus of up to $500 with a 5x rollover. A new member then signs up to this online sports betting site, claims the welcome bonus, and makes a first deposit of $200. This sportsbook would then credit the new player with $100 in bonus funds, bringing their total bankroll to $300. In order for this new player to withdraw their money or any winnings associated with this bonus, they would need to wager $1,500.
10x Rollover Example
As sportsbook bonuses get larger, the rollover requirements can sometimes increase, as well. A 10x rollover is fairly common, yet makes it more difficult for bettors to withdraw their funds.
One example is a betting site offering a 100% first deposit bonus of up to $1,000. A new member joins this betting site and makes a first deposit of $1,000, earning the maximum bonus possible. This sportsbook credits the player $2,000 (the initial $1,000 deposit and $1,000 in bonus bets) and the player must then wager $20,000 to withdraw their funds.
35x Rollover Example
35x tends to be the largest rollover requirements attached to sports betting bonuses. This requires players to bet 35-times their account balance after claiming a sports betting bonus for that balance to become withdrawable.
One example could be an online sportsbook offering a 100% first-bet refund of up to $500. A new member of this sportsbook places their first bet of $200, loses, and receives $200 in bonus funds from the sportsbook. To hit the 35x rollover and turn the $200 in bonus money into withdrawable cash, the player would need to wager $7,000.
Betting Rollover Calculator
Calculating the rollover for bonuses is simple. Reputable sportsbooks will always provide terms and conditions for each bonus that reveal the rollover for bonuses. As mentioned, this tends to range from 1x to 35x.
Once the rollover is established, bettors need to do some basic math to determine the amount of money that needs to be wagered to withdraw their balance. As a hypothetical example, let’s pretend an online sportsbook is offering its new members a 100% first-bet refund of up to $500 with a 5x rollover attached. The calculation to determine how to reach the rollover requirement for a bonus like this one can be seen below.
- Rollover requirement: (first deposit amount* + bonus amount) x rollover multiplier
If a new member of this sportsbook makes a first wager of $150 and loses, they will receive $150 in bonus bets. To make these funds withdrawable, this player would need to bet $750. Using the example above, the calculation looks like this.
- Rollover Requirement: $150 x 5 = $750
Are Rollover Requirements the Same at Sportsbooks?
No. Online sports betting platforms are able to set their own rollovers for each bonus being offered. There is no standard; these rollovers tend to range from 1x to 35x. A low rollover makes it easier for bettors to meet the requirement and turn their bonus funds into withdrawable cash. Higher rollovers tend to favor sportsbooks, as they make it harder for bettors to withdraw bonus funds.
How to Find the Betting Rollover Requirements
Finding the rollover requirements for bonuses should be easy. Legal online sportsbooks are required to provide a full list of terms and conditions for each bonus they offer. Within these terms and conditions, these sportsbooks must reveal the rollover for bonuses.
Below is a look at the terms and conditions for the welcome bonus offered by DraftKings Sportsbook, offering $200 in bonus bets.
It can sometimes be difficult to find the rollover requirements for bonuses. In DraftKings’ case, this information is found deep within the terms and conditions section. This bonus comes with a generous 1x rollover, however, meaning bettors need to wager just 1-time the bonus amount to make their balance withdrawable. Below are a few other ways to find information on rollover requirements for bonuses.
- Reach out to customer support: The customer support system of an online sportsbook should be able to tell players about the rollover requirements or each bonus being offered.
- Read Gamble USA’s sportsbook review pages: Gamble USA provides in-depth reviews on the top legal sportsbooks in the US. In these reviews, we discuss the rollover requirements for the bonuses these sportsbooks offer to members.
Checking Your Progress
Tracking the progress of reaching the rollover requirement for your bonus is fairly simple. As previously mentioned, a simple math equation will reveal the amount of money that needs to be wagered to make bonus money withdrawable. Once this information is known, bettors can simply track their wagers to determine how close they are to reaching this rollover requirement.
Some online sportsbooks, such as BetMGM, offer rollover status updates for bonuses. These statuses reveal whether bonuses are New, Waiting, Active, or Accepted. While this will not necessarily track the specific progress of reaching a rollover requirement, it does help members quickly see whether or not they have managed to hit this rollover.
Rollover Betting Strategies & Tips
Online sports betting bonuses can vary tremendously. Unsurprisingly, the rollover requirements for these bonuses can vary tremendously, too. There are, however, a few helpful tips that all bettors can keep in mind to better help them reach the rollover requirements for the bonuses they have claimed.
Understand the Terms and Conditions for Every Bonus
It’s important to understand all of the terms and conditions associated with bonuses. This means knowing more than just the rollover requirements. Having a real knowledge of how these bonuses work will ensure that players can take the steps necessary to turn bonus funds into withdrawable cash.
Plan Your Betting Strategy
Having a betting strategy is an important part of sports wagering in general. It is particularly important when attempting to reach a rollover requirement for a bonus. Oftentimes, these rollovers can require a huge amount of money to be wagered, and having an idea of how to reach that amount will increase the odds of the rollover being met. Betting on favorites is often the smartest idea, as it increases the likelihood of making a winning bet, allowing players to continue making wagers to reach the rollover.
Are Rollover and Wagering Requirements the Same?
Yes. A rollover requirement is often described as a wagering requirement, too. A rollover represents the amount that bettors need to wager to convert their balance from bonus offers into withdrawable cash. For that reason, it is often referred to more simply as a “wagering requirement.”
Bonus Bets Rollover Conditions
Most US betting sites have abandoned match deposit bonuses. The latter is the category involving rollover requirements, as it can be observed through the DraftKing 20% welcome bonus up to $2,000, attached with a 20x rollover.
On the other, insurance bets and bonus bets usually come with 1x rollover. Players simply place the bonus bet and any winnings are theirs to keep.
The downside with 1x rollover bonus bets compared to higher WR match bonuses is that the initial bonus bet is not cashable.
Other Important Terms and Conditions in Betting
Sportsbook bonuses come with a huge number of specific terms and conditions. Online betting sites set these conditions to ensure they are still likely to turn a profit, despite offering bonus funds to players. Some common terms and conditions associated with bonuses can be seen below.
- Minimum odds requirement: Many of the top legal US online sportsbooks offer first-bet refunds. In some cases, players must place this initial bet on an event with a certain odds requirement to earn this bet refund. For example, a sportsbook may require that bettors place this bet on an event with odds of -500 or greater.
- Eligible markets requirement: Some online sportsbooks limit the markets that bonus funds can be used to wager on. In some cases, this bonus money will only be available to wager on straight bets, and cannot be used to make special types of wagers such as futures or same-game parlays. Bonus funds are sometimes limited to specific sports or sporting events, too.
- Bonus expiration requirements: All funds earned from sportsbook bonuses expire after a certain amount of time. The amount of time set before these funds expire can vary. Some will disappear within 7 days, while others can remain in a player’s account for months.
Why Do Sportsbooks Set Rollover Requirements?
Online sportsbooks set rollover requirements for several reasons. These companies are not in the business of giving away money for free and rollover requirements ultimately increase the odds they will turn a profit.
- Loss prevention: The primary reason for rollover requirements is to prevent huge losses. If an online sportsbook provided its members with bonuses with no rollover requirements, many would simply withdraw their bonus funds and leave. Rollover requirements make that impossible, ultimately preventing sportsbooks from experiencing massive losses.
- It encourages betting: The other most obvious reason for setting a rollover requirement is to encourage betting. In order for bettors to turn bonus funds into withdrawable cash, they will need to wager a certain amount.
Do All Sportsbook Bonuses Have Rollover Conditions?
All bonuses that automatically add money to a player’s account, such as initial deposit bonuses, come with rollover conditions. Some promotions work differently and can be claimed without rollovers attached.
Online sportsbook bonuses can vary greatly, and some do not automatically boost a player’s bankroll. For example, FanDuel Sportsbook is offering a new profit boost bonus, allowing its members to earn a 50% profit boost on NBA wagers made within a certain time period. The money earned from this bonus does not come with any rollover conditions and is automatically turned into withdrawable cash.
Summary
Millions of new sports bettors ask, “What is a rollover in betting?” Fortunately, rollover requirements are far easier to understand than many new sports bettors may first expect. These are basic requirements attached to bonuses, describing the amount of money that bettors need to wager to convert their balance of bonus money into withdrawable cash.
It’s recommended to compare bonuses across multiple online sportsbooks. Make sure to take a look at the Gamble USA recommended legal sportsbooks for more information on these platforms’ welcome bonuses. Check out our reviews of these betting sites to find information on their bonus rollover requirements, too.
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