Pennsylvania Online Sportsbook Promotions, Bonus Codes, And Bonus Bets

Retail sports betting went live back in November of 2018, but it wasn’t until online sportsbooks started taking bets in June 2019 that sports betting in Pennsylvania really took off. Online is the clear choice for PA bettors where we have seen over 80% of all bets being placed over the internet.

Best PA sportsbook promos

Get a 20% Deposit Match up to $1,500 in Sports Bonus!

8.5
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  • Promo Code: USB1500
  • Paid in Sports Bonus
  • 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
  • Subject to 10x wagering requirement and not available in KY, NY, or DC.
  • Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Additional Terms and Conditions Apply.
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Wins!

8.5
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  • Legal and Licensed in PA
  • Tons of Props on 16+ Sports
  • 21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

Get up to $1,000 Back in Bonus Bets if Your First Bet Loses!

9.0
  • Promo Code: PENNBET1000
  • Tons of Event-Specific Promos
  • 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets Instantly

8
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  • Loaded Promotional Schedule
  • Tons of Player Props
  • 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

$500 2nd Chance Bet

8
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  • Strong promotional schedule
  • Unmatched Loyalty Program
  • 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
T&Cs Apply21+. Eligibility restrictions apply. See website for details.

Moving to the virtual realm gives operators the opportunity to be truly innovative by offering live in-game betting, odds boosts and, of course, very generous bonus money, bonus bets and other exciting promotions.

Sportsbooks are becoming more and more adept at setting lines, which means it is difficult for bettors to find success without exceptional luck. Fortunately, all major operators offer a spectrum of offers to temporarily shift the advantage back into the hands of players, so that they can entice a loyal following to their particular brand.

Read on for a comprehensive analysis of the wide range of future promotional offers from online and mobile sportsbooks in Pennsylvania, including code-based and automatic “Welcome” packages, bonus bets, bonus cash, discounted fees, and bet protection.

What are promo codes and why do I want one?

Often – but not always – many of the most beneficial promotions offered by online sportsbooks will only be available through the use of a special code. These codes, which may either be openly advertised by the sportsbook or else exclusively found on our site via exclusive affiliate deals with the online sportsbooks, must be entered into your account at the time of your first registration or during a deposit. But don’t worry, in our site reviews, we walk you through exactly when and where to enter these promo codes.

Typing the alphanumeric code into the clearly designated field at the appropriate time should result in the bonus being automatically applied to your account, allowing you to simply begin normal activity while benefiting from the offer.

These codes thus function as a coupon or ticket redeemed for extra value during your sports betting activity. Paying close attention to the offers sent to you by the operator (and also monitoring sites like this one, since we can often offer exclusive bonus codes separate from or better than those shared with the general public) will result in a much better value for the active sports gambler.

For bonuses that do not require a code, in many cases, a deposit will be still necessary and/or the promotion may need to be activated from a “Bonuses” tab on your interface. In any event, generally, a player will be only a few clicks or taps away from taking advantage of the offer during regular betting.

Who is eligible for online sports betting bonuses in Pennsylvania?

All players will occasionally find themselves on the receiving end of special offers, but some of the most tempting bonuses are usually those available only to newcomers signing up with a particular online sportsbook for the very first time.

To take advantage of these promotions one must first meet the three main prerequisite criteria to participate at the online sportsbook in the first place:

  • You must be at least 21 years old, which is the same as at the physical sportsbooks at casinos and racing locations (no matter if the PA online lottery only requires you to be 18).
  • You must be physically within the state boundaries at the time you place a bet. This does not mean you need to be a resident, just present. Likewise, you can legally create an account and unlock a Welcome Bonus from outside the state, or activate other offers, or even deposit and withdraw funds. You must simply be in Pennsylvania to make wagers.
  • Upon first creating your account, you must complete a vetting process to confirm your identity. Well-designed sites will make this a fast a painless process, requiring only a reasonable amount of personal information. But at a minimum, you will have to supply the last four digits of your SSN.

This is all that is necessary to register at an online sportsbook, and if the Welcome package includes a no-deposit bonus or bonus bets then a new player could immediately begin taking advantage. Otherwise, a first deposit will also be necessary, though generally, that will be occurring regardless.

Why are these bonuses offered by online betting sites?

Some prospective players may question why a for-profit business like a sportsbook would rise to the level of generosity seen in some of these offers, essentially giving away significant amounts of money to their customers.

All bonus offers and apparent “giveaways” still come with a significant amount of fine print and may be carefully crafted to require a certain amount of site activity in order to cash in. While the bettor is playing with the promised bonus money or unlocking cash back, they are getting further acclimated to the id-satisfying environment of the site or app, and experiencing the features the operator believes makes their experience the best.

Of course, this neither means the offers are predatory nor a scam (though one should always look critically at an insanely big bonus). As long as you are aware of the requirements pinned to the particular bonus, a great many of these bonuses prove to be extremely lucrative. Fortunately, we have done the hard work for you, and have broken down all the current and potential future promotional offers here in Pennsylvania.

Compare these bonus offers to when a car dealership offers 3 free oil changes with the purchase of a new car. The dealership will eat the initial maintenance costs in hopes that you have a pleasant experience and continue to bring your vehicle to them when you need repairs in the future. Along the same lines, if a sportsbook is offering a 100% deposit match up to $100 with 1x wagering requirements and a bonus$20 just for signing up. While you are enjoying the bonus, they will be woo-ing you into sticking around long after its gone.

Types of promotional offers and bonuses at PA online sportsbooks

No-deposit offers

No-deposit promotions are the easiest and least risky type of bonus available to players, and make it possible for a new gambler to experience the rush of sports wagering before adding any of their own money into the mix.

These types of bonuses are generally only given as a first-time offer for new accounts, and often require a promo code entered on account creation. Usually, then a credit is immediately available to start making your first bets.

Keep in mind that even if you can begin betting this small amount (typically $10 or $20, but up to $50 is not unheard of) right away, you will still need to complete the wagering requirement before you can cash out your winnings. Make sure to be aware of the multiplier on this requirement, so you can prioritize sites that make it easier to unlock your bonuses (sportsbooks with 1X or 5X will be out there, so you don’t need to subject yourself to 20X or more).

Some sites will have extra stipulations on collecting this bonus. There may also be a need to make an actual deposit before you can withdraw, even if you build up a sizable amount of money just from repeatedly winning with this initial small amount.

Be sure to read the fine print and leave yourself enough time to complete the wagering requirements in a timely manner as many of these no-deposit bonuses expire fairly quick, sometimes as little as one week.

Bonus bets

Bonus bets are probably the most common bonus offer at online sportsbooks, especially those that focus on sports betting exclusively and don’t also dabble in casino gambling. They are usually the perk for new sign-ups.

In these promos, the gambler is given a one-time chance to bet with the house’s money, which disappears after the bet but any winning amount converts to cash.

The bettor is given the freedom to play it smart and safe with a very good chance of converting the bonus gift into a small amount of bonus credit or else dump it on a crazy long shot that has the smallest possibility of turning into a huge fortune since there is no loss to you either way.

There are a few different varieties this type of offer can take:

  • Deposit-match bets: Similar to a standard deposit bonus, except in this variation the amount you deposit into your account is not matched by bonus cash but instead the same amount available for a single extra bet. These types of bonus bet usually have a very low maximum value, but are still an extremely advantageous play for the bettor.
  • Second Chance bets: Less lucrative than the aforementioned, but becoming more and more common, second chance bets allow players to receive a full refund (up to a specified monetary cap) should their first wager lose. The downside here is pretty obvious — if the first wager wins, then players do not receive any sort of bonus. In short, think of this like a loss-prevention offer.

Many of the top online sportsbooks in Pennsylvania have their Welcome Bonus framed as a “Second Chance Bet” returned as site credit instead of just a one time large bonus bet. Another thing to look out for with bonus bets is whether they will pay both the stake amount and winnings. Only a select few do.

SiteBonusPromo Code
FanDuel Sportsbook PABet $5 Get $200 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet WinsNo Code Needed – Click Here
BetRivers Sportsbook PA2nd Chance Bet up to $500No Code Needed – Click Here
BetMGM Sportsbook PAGet a 20% Deposit Match up to $1,600 in Sports Bonus or Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets! Bonus Bets Expire in 7 Days. One New Customer Offer Only. Additional Terms and Conditions Apply.USB1600
Betway Sportsbook PASecond Chance Bet up to $1000TBA
Barstool SportsbookUp to $1,000 Refunded If You LoseTBA

Deposit match bonuses

Fans of online casinos are already familiar with easy-to-understand deposit bonuses as the most frequently offered promotion, though for some reason they aren’t nearly as common with online sports betting yet (mostly available from sportsbooks with the most successful casino game sites).

You simply add funds to your account, sometimes with a code or else just at a specific time, and an extra amount is added on top as bonus money that must be unlocked over time. These offers will be clearly marked as to the upper limit of the offer and the percentage of match, though either 100% or 50% are pretty typical.

Always be aware of the terms and conditions behind each and every deposit match bonus offer you come across, as many will come attached with a hefty wagering requirement. While some books might allow your funds to clear after just a 1x rollover, others may require a rather intimidating 30x rollover. Rather to be safe than sorry, always read the terms before opting into any promotion.

Discounted vig

It is a constant fact that the operators’ vigorish, more commonly referred to as the “juice”, is a frustrating but necessary element in the sports betting equation. Unfortunately, it is also true that in many emerging markets the sportsbooks have extremely high vigs, at least compared to the olden days of Las Vegas betting.

The amount will of course vary from sportsbook to sportsbook, and certainly a few online operators in the U.S. stand out as above the pack, but many are very disappointing. Despite the extremely high tax rate in the state, Pennsylvania online sportsbooks juice have fortunately been on par with what we have seen in other markets with more reasonable tax rates.

Even with the industry standard lines coming to PA, it’s smart always keep an eye open for a discount on the juice. Certain sportsbooks may very often offer a brief limited-time promotion for better odds/decreased fees on a certain sports or particular game (usually involving a local team or star player). Seizing these opportunities when they come will result in a great amount of savings compared to the amount of juice ordinarily paid.

Cashback bonuses and bet protection

The unfortunate downside of all sports wagering is that some of the time you will lose. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be gambling.

Sometimes pride convinces us to support a favorite team, sometimes you pick a long shot just to see what happens, and sometimes you go with a smart safe bet and luck just isn’t on your side.

While losing is an inevitable aspect of the game, there are occasionally small chances to lessen the damage in the form cashback refunds.

In these instances, the operator offers a promotion where a certain specified percentage of your losses will be returned to you as a bonus credit (up to a clearly stated maximum).

Of course, this bonus will still have its own betting requirement after (and while the bigger the offer the better, always check the multiplier beforehand). But, if luck wasn’t with you before you still have to hope it will be with you the next time.

Loyalty programs and VIP bonuses

Generally, an online sportsbook will offer some sort of Reward Program or VIP Club, with the better options being those sites that are tied to good casino partners.

An ideal program awards redeemable points for every dollar bet (which can either be converted into cash or used to place bonus bets) but also allows bettors to ascend through a series of tiers that will result in progressively better rewards the higher you roll.

Frequent bettors thus earn many benefits and are motivated to keep betting frequently. Eventually, spoils become available like gifts and merchandise, comped travel to the physical resort, higher point multipliers, extra bonus cash or scratch tickets, better point multipliers, and VIP treatment.

Usually, the same program will be linked to the operator’s online casino and/or poker room and the brick-and-mortar casino (and, if applicable, a network of other similar properties). For this same reason, frequent visitors to a particular land-based casino in PA will in some cases find themselves starting out at a high tier after signing up at an online sportsbook. PA’s unique branding rules on sports betting skins may affect this slightly.

BetRivers has the reputation as the best in the market thanks to its iRush Rewards program.

Referral bonuses

If you are already enjoying online sports betting in Pennsylvania and would like to share it with family and friends, you are in a good position to take advantage of the referral offers that most operators have.

On signup a new bettor will be able to indicate the username (or a unique generated code) of the person that convinced them to join the site, awarding that person a moderate bonus amount of usually $20-$50 (but sometimes even up to $250) once the new account has bet a required amount.

In many cases, the bonus goes both ways, with the newer player also receiving an extra reward as well. Sports gamblers that are friends with other sports gamblers should never ignore this opportunity when starting out on a new site.

How to find the very best bonuses at Pennsylvania’s online sportsbooks

  • Always check the fine print, especially betting requirements: Most of the Pennsylvania online sportsbook welcome packages have come with very low wagering requirements, but it may not stay that way in the future. Where a 1x wagering requirement could classify as bonus credit, and 5x being a reasonable offer, once we start moving above that threshold, the edge may start creeping back over to the sportsbook. If we have a $500 bonus with 25x wagering requirements, this would mean having to bet $12,500 to clear the bonus money, which could bring most bettors out of their comfort zone.
  • Be aware of the nature of cashback offers: Many of the better bonus offers are those that award cashback for losses, essentially giving you a chance to bet with reduced risk. But the term “cashback” is not always used in an honest and literal way; while some sportsbooks will refund your money immediately as cash in your account, others will instead award it is “bonus cash” with a significantly high betting requirement thus enticing you to lose even more to earn it. Always keep your eyes open for true cashback.
  • Keep track of expiration dates: Every bonus offer you receive has a time limit in which you can redeem the reward. An offer is worthless if you overestimate your ability to complete the wagering requirement in time, so if you aren’t likely to capitalize on the promotion then skip it outright.
  • Do not cancel a bonus early: Even worse than getting partway through an offer and hitting the deadline is choosing to end it outright: the nature of most bonuses is that they unlock after the requirements are met, so if you’ve already played through part of the cost before recouping any of the reward you are worse off than if you haven’t started at all. This does not mean you can’t back out of an offer if it stands in the way of a better one, just be wary that you haven’t paid a price for anything.
  • Prioritize matched bonus bets: Jump on offers for a bonus bet in exchange for another real-money bet. If your wager results in an extra bet of anywhere from 20% to 100% of the original amount, you have increased your odds enough to give you an advantage on most reasonable picks. It’s rare to get to play with an edge over the house, and the opportunity should not be wasted.
  • Consult this website frequently for exclusive offers.

The common theme here is simply to be aware of the finer stipulations of promotions and choose those that will not be self-defeating to fulfill. However, since this amount of homework requires much more time and effort than some players have at their disposal, this site will do much of the work for you in finding the best bonuses and explaining them as clearly as possible in our reviews.