Promo codes: what they do, where to enter them and the ones to ignore

What a promo code is

A short string, typed into a field on the registration or deposit page, that attaches a promotion to your account. Two kinds exist. Enhanced-offer codes raise the welcome bonus above the standard one: the international platforms use them to reward affiliates, so a code from a review site can lift a 100 percent match to 130 percent. Tracking codes do nothing visible and only record the source of the registration. Most codes are both.

Where to enter it

At registration, in the field marked promo code, bonus code or coupon; at bet365 and the British books, in a field at sign-up or on the first deposit; at the 1xBet family, at registration, with the bonus type selected on the same screen. Once the first deposit is made without a code, support can rarely add it. Deposit-page codes exist for reload offers and are entered with each deposit.

Do they change the bonus?

At the international platforms, yes: the enhanced code is the difference between the standard first-deposit match and the larger one, and the terms are usually the same. At the European brands, rarely: the code selects the offer but does not enlarge it. At the Asian bookie, there is no code and almost no offer. Read the terms attached to the code, not the headline; a larger bonus with a larger rollover can be worth less, as our valuation guide shows.

Codes to ignore

"No deposit bonus" codes posted in social media comments, telegram channels and videos: almost all are fake, and the rest lead to sites that will never pay. Codes that ask for personal details on a site other than the operator’s. Codes "for VIP only" sold for money. And any code whose terms you cannot find on the operator’s own site.

If the code did not work

Check that it was entered before the first deposit and that the deposit method is eligible; e-wallets are excluded from most European offers. Contact live chat before betting; once the bonus balance is used, nothing can be changed.