Promo betting

Sportsbook promos are the easiest path to positive expected value for beginners. This is where most EV bettors begin their journey.

Types of promos

Profit boosts / odds boosts

The book increases your winnings by a percentage (e.g. 30% profit boost) or posts a juiced price on a featured bet. These are straightforward: recalculate EV with the boosted payout. If the boosted price is better than fair, take it.

EVantage’s Profit Boost filter applies a boost percentage to scanner results so you can see which plays become +EV (or more +EV) with your promo. Example: set Profit Boost to 30 to model a 30% boost on winnings.

Bet-and-get / deposit matches

You place a qualifying wager, then receive bonus bets or site credit. The EV of the promo depends on:

• Qualifying bet size and odds requirements
• Bonus amount and whether it is free bets vs cash
• Rollover / playthrough rules
• How efficiently you convert the bonus

Risk-free bets / insurance

If you lose, the book refunds stake as a free bet or credit. That refund has value even if the original bet was roughly fair or slightly −EV.

Bonus bets

Free bets usually return profit only (stake is not returned). That changes the math:

• A +200 free bet that wins pays $200 profit, not $300 total return on a $100 stake.
• Higher odds generally extract more value from free bets because more of the payout is “profit.”
• Many bettors target roughly +200 to +400 when using free bets.

Key takeaways

• Promos are often +EV by design. They are promotions and the sportsbooks want you to win.
• Use Profit Boost and odds filters to find eligible plays quickly.