Learn · Glossary
Promotions glossary
The terms used in casino, sportsbook and bingo promotions, in plain English, with a link to where each one shows up in live data.
A
- Abuse risk
- How easily an offer can be exploited by bonus hunters: players who open accounts only to extract bonus value. Low wagering, high value, cash prizes and few caps raise it; game restrictions, max-bet rules and caps on winnings lower it. Bonus cost calculator →
- Acca boost
- A sportsbook offer that adds a percentage to the winnings of an accumulator (a bet combining several selections), usually rising with the number of legs. Also called a combi boost or multi boost.
B
- Bet builder
- A single sportsbook bet combining several markets from the same match (for example scorer, corners and result). Many operators attach boosts or insurance offers to bet builders.
- Bonus abuse
- Claiming promotions in ways the terms forbid, such as multiple accounts, matched betting against the bonus or low-risk play to clear wagering. Operators manage it with eligibility rules, verification and caps.
C
- Cashback
- A refund of part of a player's net losses over a period (for example 10% weekly), paid as cash or as a bonus with wagering. No-wagering cashback is common in crypto casinos and VIP programmes. No-wagering offers →
D
- Deposit match
- A bonus worth a percentage of the player's deposit, up to a cap: '100% up to £100' doubles a deposit of up to £100. The most common casino welcome and reload structure. Welcome offer benchmarks →
- Drops & Wins
- Pragmatic Play's network promotion: daily tournaments and random prize drops on its slots, run across every operator that offers the games and funded by the provider. Prizes are usually paid without wagering. Network promotions →
- Dual-currency (sweepstakes) casino
- A US model with two currencies: Gold Coins, bought and played for fun, and Sweeps Coins, given free and redeemable for prizes. It relies on a 'no purchase necessary' route and is banned in a growing number of states. Sweepstakes casinos →
E
- Early payout
- A sportsbook offer that settles a bet as a winner early if the selected team goes a set number of goals or points ahead (for example two goals up), whatever the final result.
- Expiry
- How long a player has to use a bonus, spins or free bet, or to complete its wagering, before it is removed. Short expiries (24 hours to 7 days) are common on free spins.
F
- Free bet
- A sportsbook stake given to the player. Winnings normally exclude the stake itself ('stake not returned'), so a £10 free bet at evens returns £10, not £20.
- Free spins
- A set number of spins on a named slot at a fixed stake (often 10p), given on sign-up, deposit or as a reward. Winnings are paid as cash or as a bonus that must be wagered. Free spins offers by market →
G
- GGR (gross gaming revenue)
- Stakes minus winnings paid out: what an operator keeps before bonuses, taxes and costs. Gambling taxes are usually charged on GGR, and whether bonus costs can be deducted varies by country. Gambling tax and bonus deductibility →
H
- Headline value
- The figure an offer advertises that no single player receives, such as a tournament prize pool or a jackpot. BonusBench keeps it apart from the per-player bonus so prize offers do not inflate bonus benchmarks.
I
- Insurance (bet insurance)
- A refund, usually as a free bet, when a bet loses in a specific way: one leg of an accumulator fails, a 0-0 draw, or a horse finishes second.
L
- Leaderboard
- A ranking of players by points (from stakes, wins or win multipliers) over a period, with prizes for the top places. Common in crypto casinos as wager races.
M
- Max bet rule
- The largest stake allowed while a bonus is active, often £5 or 10% of the bonus. Breaking it can void the bonus and its winnings.
- Max win (cap on winnings)
- The most a player can withdraw from a bonus or free spins, for example 'winnings capped at £100'. Caps limit operator cost and abuse risk.
- Minimum deposit
- The smallest deposit that qualifies for an offer. £10 is the norm in the UK; other markets vary. Welcome offer benchmarks →
N
- Network promotion
- A promotion run by a game provider or platform across many operators at once (Drops & Wins, Lucky Rush), usually funded by the provider and shown on each operator's site. Network promotions →
- No-deposit bonus
- A bonus or free spins given on registration without a deposit. Usually small, capped and with wagering, because it attracts bonus abuse.
- No wagering
- An offer whose winnings are paid as withdrawable cash with no wagering requirement. More expensive per claim but simpler to explain; used as a brand position by some operators. No-wagering offers →
O
- Odds boost
- Higher odds than the normal price on a selected bet, either set by the operator (price boosts) or applied by the player with a boost token.
- Opt-in
- The step a player must take to join a promotion, such as clicking a button or entering a code. Opt-in offers are easier to measure; automatic ones reach more players.
P
- Prize draw
- A promotion where qualifying play earns entries into a random draw for prizes. Often run alongside a welcome offer to reach existing players too.
R
- Rakeback
- A share of the house edge on a player's bets returned to them, standard in poker and common in crypto casinos, where it is often instant and without wagering.
- Reload bonus
- A deposit bonus for existing players, often on set days (a 'Monday reload'). Typically smaller than the welcome offer. Promotion search →
- Retention offer (BTL)
- An offer sent to existing players by email, SMS or in their account rather than shown on the public promotions page ('below the line'). Often personal and more generous than public offers.
S
- Significant terms
- The terms a player must see before opting in, shown with the headline offer: in Great Britain eligibility, deposit and wagering requirements, time limits and bet restrictions. UK bonus rules →
- Sticky bonus
- A bonus that can be played with but never withdrawn: when the player cashes out, the bonus amount is removed. The opposite, a non-sticky or 'parachute' bonus, uses the player's own money first.
T
- Tournament
- A time-limited competition on selected games with a prize pool shared by the top players, ranked by points, wins or win multipliers. Slot tournaments are the most common casino prize offer.
W
- Wagering requirement
- How many times a bonus (or the bonus plus deposit, or free-spin winnings) must be bet before it can be withdrawn: £10 at 10× means £100 of bets. Great Britain capped it at 10× from January 2026. Wagering: cost versus value →
- Welcome offer
- The promotion for new customers, usually tied to the first deposit or first bet: a deposit match, free spins, free bets, or a mix. The main acquisition tool in most markets. Welcome offer benchmarks →