California Sports Betting Bonuses June 2023

California sports betting bonuses will be worth the wait whenever sportsbooks launch in the state. With just under 40 million residents, California is the most populous state in the US by a wide margin. That means there’s a record-breaking amount of money to be made by sports betting apps and online sportsbooks when California sports betting is legal — perhaps upwards of $3 billion. Those sportsbooks will likely whip up their most lucrative and enticing welcome promo offers when they can finally launch in California. As a result, we think it will be a good idea to download multiple sportsbooks in order to take advantage of multiple California sportsbook bonuses. You likely won’t see promos that good ever again. Plus, joining multiple apps will allow you to see what you like, see what you don’t like, and eventually narrow your choices down to a favorite few. We shouldn’t forget ongoing promos and bonuses, either. Although welcome bonuses get most of the attention, these ongoing promotions are what can separate sportsbooks from the pack with sports bettors who are way past their welcome bonus offers. While we don’t know exactly what sportsbooks will launch and what they’ll offer as bonuses, we can review the promos they offer in other states to get an idea of what to expect here in California.

Best California Sportsbook Bonuses

Here are what we predict could be the California sports betting bonuses if online sports betting launches in the future (perhaps 2025), along with bonus codes and promo codes for each.

Sportsbook	Bonus Offer	Promo Code
DraftKings California	Get $50 Bonus Bet + 20% Deposit Match Up to $1,000	Claim here (only valid when sportsbook launches)
FanDuel California	Get No Sweat First Bet Up to $3,000	Claim here (only valid when sportsbook launches)
Caesars Sportsbook California	Get First Bet on Caesars Up to $1,250	SHARPBETFULL (only valid when sportsbook launches)
BetMGM California	Get Paid Back Up to $1,000 in Bonus Bets	SHARP (only valid when sportsbook launches)
BetRivers California	Get 2nd Chance Bet Up to $500	SHARPRIV (only valid when sportsbook launches)
PointsBet California	Get Two 2nd Chance Bonus Bets Up to $2,000	BESTOFFER (only valid when sportsbook launches)
Fliff California	Get 100% Match Bonus Up to $100 Fliff Cash + 600,000 Fliff Coins on Purchase	SHARP (available now)

All California Sportsbook Promos in June 2023

When it comes to welcome bonuses, nobody beats DraftKings. But this industry titan isn’t so successful just thanks to its promo offer. DraftKings boasts the deepest menu of sports and leagues to bet on (cornhole!) and its app is easy to navigate even for novice bettors. Plus, we all want the best odds, and DraftKings hits all the marks in that category. It consistently provides among the best sports betting odds in California. DraftKings offers any deposit or cashout method you could ever want, too. Simply put: DraftKings will be a must-download for any California sports bettor. If it launches, use our exclusive DraftKings California promo code to claim a $50 bonus bet plus a 20% deposit match up to $1,000 as a welcome promo.

FanDuel has the best sportsbook app in the US. It’s gorgeous. It’s a breeze to bop from section to section, exploring your options. And it feels like it never has glitches or bugs. Beyond a streamlined mobile experience, FanDuel also offers bettors a quality range of betting options and an excellent promo offer. In addition, FanDuel has become known as a trend-setter on oddboards, making it the potential best California sportsbook for line-shopping. If FanDuel launches, use our exclusive FanDuel California promo code to claim your No Sweat First Bet up to $3,000 as a welcome promo. That’s the biggest promo offer in the industry.

Caesars Sportsbook is backed by one of the biggest global entertainment brands in Caesars Entertainment. But it’s not just a flashy name. This sportsbook has great market depth and one of the best rewards programs in the industry. Those two factors, plus a quality mobile experience and odds that are usually pretty competitive, will leave Californians happy if they choose to download Caesars Sportsbook. If Caesars Sportsbook launches, use our exclusive Caesars Sportsbook California promo code to claim your First Bet on Caesars Up to $1,250 as a welcome promo.

BetMGM, much like Caesars Sportsbook, benefits from being associated with another world-renowned entreatment and gambling company, MGM Resorts. It’s hard to find a flaw with BetMGM Sportsbook. It offers users an easy-to-use app and it boasts routinely competitive odds. Also, if you want a top-notch loyalty program, look no further than MGM Rewards. Yes, BetMGM has an enticing welcome bonus offer. But it keeps its loyal customers happy with MGM Rewards and excellent ongoing promotions and bonuses. If BetMGM launches, use our exclusive BetMGM California bonus code to claim up to $1,000 Paid Back in Bonus Bets if your first bet loses.

BetRivers has quickly established itself as a major player in the sportsbook industry, even though it’s smaller compared to the giants like DraftKings and FanDuel. BetRivers Sportsbook has an impressive array of sports and league betting options, paired with a well-designed platform — on desktop, at least. It offers good ongoing bonuses, and you’ll rarely be disappointed by the sportsbook’s odds. If BetRivers launches, use our exclusive BetRivers California bonus code to claim a 2nd Chance Bet up to $500. This welcome bonus offer is nice because the bet credit has only a 1x playthrough requirement. That means you only need to bet through your bet credit once before you can withdraw winnings. Any time a bonus bet has just a 1x playthrough requirement, we recommend opting in.

PointsBet punches well above its weight in the sports betting industry thanks to its near-flawless app, its huge welcome bonus, and its one-of-a-kind type of wagering. The $2,000 value on the new user promo offer is the second most among US sportsbooks. And, say what you will about its potential for losing a lot of money, PointsBetting is certainly a unique way to bet on sports, and it’s a change of pace to traditional sports betting. If PointsBet launches, use our exclusive PointsBet California promo code to claim your Two 2nd Chance Bonus Bets up to $2,000 as a welcome promo.

Fliff offers a completely free and legal way to bet on sports in California, even though online sports betting is illegal. That’s because it uses something called the promotional sweepstakes model. In a nutshell, Fliff players use one of two fake currencies whenever they make wagers: Fliff Coins or Fliff Cash. Fliff Coins are available by the boatload and they can only be used for fake digital bets. Fliff Cash, however, isn’t as readily available and it can be redeemed for cash or gift cards once you reach a certain amount. Yes, this is legal — and it’s also an 18+ gambling in California. How? Because, even though you can redeem Fliff Cash for actual cash, Fliff Cash itself has no real-world value. You can’t buy things on Amazon with Fliff Cash. (But wouldn’t that be fun?) Fliff has become popular in California as it’s become clearer and clearer that online sports betting won’t be legalized in the 2022 election, and California bettors will instead have to wait until the 2024 election for a second attempt. So, for now, use our exclusive Fliff promo code to claim a 100% Match Bonus Up to $100 Fliff Cash + 600,000 Fliff Coins on purchase as a welcome promo. Remember: $100 in Fliff Cash is the same as $100 once you redeem it. Be aware, however, that you have to wager your Fliff Cash once through in order to redeem it.

Types of California Sports Betting Promos

Welcome bonuses are some of the most exciting aspects of when a state launches sports betting. So Californians may want to get familiar with the different types of promo offers they’ll encounter. These are very similar to the types of bonuses you’d find at legal California online casinos. Whether it’s Indian casinos or mobile sportsbooks, welcome bonuses will be offered no matter where or how you wager. Loyalty and VIP programs will also be prominent in whatever form the California sports betting market takes. When it comes to bonuses and promos, every bettor can find something that best fits their betting preferences. Here are the different types of California sports betting bonuses and welcome offers residents can expect when their state launches sports betting.

No-Deposit Bonuses

No-deposit bonuses are popular alternatives for sports bettors who prefer simpler incentives. And, really, they’re the best online welcome bonuses you can find. Essentially, they’re the same thing as a sign-up bonus, because you get the full value without any depositing requirements. Bettors don’t have to worry about the strings attached or think too hard about where they can spend the bonuses. The most common type of no-deposit bonus is a bonus bet. However, whenever California sports betting launches in the future, you might not see offers advertised as bonus bets. That’s because state regulators have recently started restricting the use of “free” in sportsbook advertising. That’s especially been the case in Ohio and Massachusetts. So, apps are now commonly calling bonus bets or bet credits. For instance, DraftKings offers a $50 bonus bet. Despite their relatively low value, these bonuses are great for new players who may want to check out a new sportsbook app without a financial commitment. Bettors don’t have to make a deposit to take advantage of these bonuses, hence the name. They’re a great way for sportsbooks to provide bettors the opportunity to flip through a book’s interface and check out its betting lines before committing to it. It’s still important for bettors to be in tune with the fine print of no-deposit bonuses.

Bonus Bets

Bonus bets are one of the two most common types of bonuses. Most often you’ll see them as welcome bonuses, but bonus bets can be parts of ongoing promos, too. BetMGM currently offers a bonus bet to new users that it calls Paid Back in Bonus Bets. Again, due to state regulators cracking down on the use of “free” in sports betting promotions, many sportsbooks are now calling bonus bets first-bet insurance or 2nd Chance Bets. FanDuel calls its offer a No Sweat First Bet and Caesars calls it your First Bet on Caesars. Whatever you call them, bonus bets all work the same way: If you lose your first bet, the sportsbook will refund you in full with site credits. These credits cannot be withdrawn as cash — they must be used for wagers. For instance, PointsBet is offering five 2nd Chance Bets up to $50 on your first five bets if they lose. Also, there’s sometimes a playthrough requirement before you can use those site credits. Always read the terms and conditions so you know what you’re signing up for. There may be certain betting odds requirements on your bonus bet. These bonus bets, if they’re a welcome bonus, will be for the bettor’s first wager. And it’s not for your first lost bet. Just your first bet. So if you win that first wager, awesome. But your chance at a full refund is now no longer there. You’ll often find bonus bet bonuses with California horse race betting apps, too.

Deposit Bonuses

Deposit bonuses will also be super common in California. These welcome promos most often come with a specific minimum deposit to qualify. Also, they will almost certainly only be available on your first deposit. Let’s use DraftKings’ 20% deposit match up to $1,000 for an example. If you planned on depositing $500, DraftKings would match the deposit with $100 in site credits (20% of 500 is 100). However, you won’t get all those site credits at once. There’s usually a playthrough requirement, and you’ll often get the deposit bonus credits slowly dispersed over time.

VIP/Loyalty Programs

Loyalty programs reward bettors who consistently bet big. BetRivers offers a loyalty program that takes a bettor’s rolling average wager amount and sets bettors in a reward tier. Reward tiers unlock special features like exclusive bonus offers and expedited withdrawals. It keeps the biggest bettors happy while maximizing BetRivers’ revenue. For high-rollers, VIP and loyalty programs may be worth the investment. However, they’re only worth it if bettors wager consistently like they normally would. Bettors who blow money they don’t have won’t realize gains from a sportsbook VIP program. One of the most impressive loyalty programs comes from Caesars Sportsbook. Caesars’ new app is linked to the Caesars Rewards program. Bettors will receive points towards their Rewards when they place bets on the app, win or lose.

Odds Boosts

Odds boosts are rarely found with welcome bonuses, but they’re quite common with ongoing promotions. And they’re pretty self-explanatory: The sportsbook will give a certain wager better odds and increase the bettor’s payout. Many sports betting sites offer daily or weekly odds boost promotions that are tied to a sport or league. NFL odds boost promos are common, for instance. An example could be: Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow will combine to throw over 5.5 touchdown passes, with odds boosted from -200 to -100. Caesars Sportsbook, for instance, was offering boosted odds of +700 for Eagles receiver DeVonta Smith to score the first touchdown in Super Bowl 57. With odds boosts for parlays, it’s always smart to manually enter the parlay before opting in for the odds boost promo. Why? Because, sometimes, the odds from a manually assembled parlay could be longer than the boosted odds the sportsbook is offering for its promo.

Profit Boosts

Profit boosts are similar to odds boosts, except you can apply them to whichever bet you want. Most odds boosts are for a particular bet — like the Mahomes and Burrow combined touchdowns example. You can apply your 20% profit boost, however, to whatever bet you want, as long as it fits the terms and conditions. The winnings come out essentially the same for an odds boost and profit boost. An example: If you apply a 20% profit boost to a winning bet of $100, you’d actually win $120. DraftKings, for instance, was offering a 100% profit boost on Same Game Parlays placed on Super Bowl 57.

Parlay Insurance

Parlay insurance is a refund policy for bettors who get all but one leg of a parlay correct. There are two types of parlay insurance: bonus bet insurance and cash-back insurance. With bonus bet insurance, the customer gets the amount of their parlay back in a bonus bet that can only be used for bets with the sportsbook. Cash-back insurance, on the other hand, the bettor gets their original bet deposited back into their account if they hit on all but one leg of their parlay. Essentially, the wager becomes a wash. Read the terms and conditions of a sportsbook’s parlay insurance, because they don’t usually advertise if it’s bonus bet or cash-back. And cash-back is much better, as the bonus bet would only be the amount you won from the parlay — not the entire amount you bet. An example of a parlay insurance promo: On Saturdays, BetRivers offers insurance on college basketball parlays with four or more legs. If just one leg of your parlay loses, BetRivers gives you your stake back up to $25 as a bonus bet. This is an example of bonus bet parlay insurance.

Event Bonuses

These ongoing promotions revolve around a certain league’s season or a major sporting event. For instance, FanDuel is currently offering the Rob Gronkowski FanDuel Kick of Destiny, where customers who place a $5 bet on the Super Bowl will win a piece of $10 million if Gronkowski successfully kicks a field goal during FanDuel’s live Super Bowl commercial. DraftKings, meanwhile, is offering a Big Game Squares promotional game where gamblers can win a share of $57,000 in prizes.

Daily or Weekly Promotions

These are the bonuses sportsbooks regularly give out to keep loyal customers happy and returning for more action. They usually aren’t as eye-popping as a welcome promo, but they’re still valuable nonetheless. These are often tied to leagues or sports, like event bonuses, but they don’t have to be. For instance: On Tuesdays, BetRivers offers NHL first field goal insurance — meaning, if the player you bet on to score the game’s first goal scores at any point during the game, you’ll get your bet back up to $25 in the form of a bonus bet.

Referral Bonuses

Sometimes sportsbooks will reward customers for getting a friend or someone they know to also sign up. This is what’s referred to as a referral bonus. They’re also sometimes called refer a friend bonuses. Some sportsbooks give both the referrer and the referred friend a promo. Some just give the referrer the bonus. These are quite simple: Send your referral code to your friend and have that friend enter the referral code when they sign up. Typically you’ll get the bonus once that friend has signed up and made a deposit or placed a bet, but sometimes sportsbooks are extra nice and give the referral bonus for just signing up. The DraftKings referral promo, for instance, gives you and your friend up to $100 in bonus bets depending on how much your friend deposits when they make their account.

When Will California Sportsbook Bonuses Be Offered?

Not until 2025, at the earliest. (So you’ve got plenty of time to study this information.) And, if you ask industry experts, even that seems like it could be a long shot. Some estimates from respected sources are closer to 5-7 years — so somewhere in the 2027-29 range. Gulp. But, for the sake of this discussion, let’s assume a sports betting initiative — whether tribal-led, sportsbook-led, a compromise, or something the legislature concocts — gets passed in the 2024 election. If Prop 27 had passed in 2022, it stipulated online sports betting licenses could start being applied for on June 10, 2023, and sports betting would launch no later than Aug. 29, 2023. If Prop 26 had passed, the tribes who own California Indian casinos would have had to negotiate new gaming compacts that include sports betting. Racetracks would have also likely needed to go through some formal procedure to open retail sportsbooks on their premises. That process likely wouldn’t be any faster than that of Prop 27. So, if interest groups can somehow rebound from more than 80% of California voters rejecting sports betting of any kind on Nov. 8 and get something approved in November 2024, we can safely assume sports betting could launch in CA by September 2025. That means those California sportsbook bonuses would go live in September 2025, too. But there’d likely be pre-launch offers for those California sports betting promos, and those would likely be unveiled in August 2025. This same timeline applies if things fail in 2024 again and we have to wait until the 2026 election, too. Things would likely be up and running by September 2027. If we have to wait for the 2028 election, then by September 2029 … and so on.

How to Get California Sportsbook Promos

Even though sports betting likely won’t happen in California until 2025, bettors can still get familiar with how they can claim their welcome bonus and promo offers when the time comes.

Step 1: Find the Sportsbook

Honestly, most major US sportsbooks provide a quality product so you might need some help splitting hairs when picking which apps you want to download. That’s where we come in. Come check out our sports betting pages to read all our California sportsbook reviews. They can help you sort through the noise and pick your favorites. We grade on a scale of 1-5. Currently, our top-rated sportsbook is BetMGM at 4.9.

Step 2: Use Our California Sportsbook Promo Codes

Once you’ve chosen your preferred sportsbook or sportsbooks, you can either simply return to this page or look at the sportsbook review page to find our exclusive California sportsbook bonus codes. Just click “Claim Now” next to your desired sports betting app on this page or on the review. At that point, you’ll be directed to the online sportsbook. If you’re doing this on your phone, it’s easier to have the sportsbook app downloaded before this step so you can simply be directed right to the app. Be sure to download the sportsbook app, not the DFS or Casino app. Most major sportsbook operators that will come to California either also offer DFS, an online Casino, or both. For iOS users, sportsbook apps can be downloaded in the App Store. Android users can find most sports betting apps in the Google Play Store, but they’ll have to download some directly from the sportsbook’s website. You may also need to type in a certain promo code. They’ll all be SHARP, except BetRivers, which will be SHARPRIV.

Step 3: Register for the Sportsbook

Either before or after you’ve entered your bonus code, you’ll be asked to register for the sportsbook. You’ll need to provide personal identification information, such as name, address, Social Security number, and birth date. Double-check your name and address to make sure they match your payment method and ID — that will make identity identification and cashouts a whole lot easier down the line.

Step 4: Make a Deposit

Many welcome bonuses can only be taken advantage of after customers make their first deposit. This is pretty obvious for deposit-match bonuses, but this can also be the case for some bonus bet offers. But, remember, before this step, make sure you use the sportsbook’s promo code or bonus code during sign-up. In order to fully take advantage of a deposit bonus, you have to deposit the full amount. For instance, DraftKings offers a 20% first deposit match up to $1,000. To get the full $200 bonus match, you’d need to deposit $1,000. There’s no right way to utilize a deposit bonus. Decide what deposit amount is right for you.

Step 5: Start Betting

Whether it’s a bonus bet, or deposit bonus, you need to start placing bets in order to take full advantage of your promo offer. So, at your own pace, go ahead and find some games to bet on. Have fun, but please gamble responsibly.

Are Sportsbook Bonuses Worth It?

As corny as this sounds, the answer to this question is really up into each individual bettor. How much money are they comfortable depositing when signing up? What type of playthrough requirement is acceptable for them in a welcome promotion? Are they willing to wait for a potentially long time to receice their bonus bet credits? As you can probably already tell, there are lots of factors to consider when it comes to bonus offers — whether it’s for sports betting, online poker in California, or anything else. But let’s start here: A no-deposit bonus is always worth it. It’s essentially free money. The most common kind of no-deposit bonus is a bonus bet. Yes, there are always terms and conditions you need to understand with bonus bets, but these are usually pretty bettor-friendly (compared to some other welcome promos). The biggest caveat with these bonus bets is usually that they come with an odds restriction for your promo wager. But that’s not much to sweat about. Bonus bets can be great, depending on what you want. These promos do come with terms and conditions that we strongly encourage you read. You’ll want to keep an eye out for what the wagering requirements are. If it’s just a 1x wagering requirement, that’s a great deal — you only need to bet the value of the bonus bet once to keep your winnings. Anything more than 1x, you’ll have to weigh the pros and cons for yourself. For example: If you opt-in for a bonus bet up to $500 with a 3x wagering requirement, and you bet the full value, you’d need to wager another $1,500 before getting the full reward of your bonus offer.

What Are Playthrough Requirements?

Deposit bonuses also need to be fully understood before you opt-in. These welcome bonuses often boast eye-popping dollar amounts. That’s the whole point. But they come with something called playthrough requirements, which dictate how much money you have to bet before your deposit match enters your account. These are the same thing as wagering requirements. A deposit bonus sounds a lot less fun when it’s attached to a 5x playthrough requirement, doesn’t it? On the other hand, if a requirement is just 1x, that’s likely going to be a good deal. That means you only need to bet through your deposit once before you get the deposit match in your account.

What Is the Sportsbook Vig?

The vig, or vigorish, is essentially how the sportsbook gives itself the house edge over its customers. Explained differently, it’s the amount sportsbooks charge for every bet you place. The vig can vary with each bet, but the typical vig is somewhere around 4.55%. So, how does that affect your California sportsbook promo offer? The vig will actually make your welcome bonus smaller than what is advertised. With the standard 4.55% vig, you will lose $4.55 for every $100 you bet. If there’s a promo with a $100 value and there’s a 10x playthrough requirement, you’ll have to wager $1,000 to get the full value — and, thanks to the vig, you’ll automatically lose $45.50 of that $1,000. Is that a huge amount? No. Is a sportsbook’s vig something to keep in mind when evaluating if their California sports betting bonus is worth it? Absolutely.

Will California Sportsbooks Use Promo Codes?

Yes. Sportsbook bonuses and promos go hand-in-hand with bonus codes and promo codes. That’s how new users are able to get an immediate leg up and benefit from a welcome offer over new bettors who didn’t have a promo code. California sportsbooks may also use promo links or bonus links, like the ones you see on our DraftKings California and BetMGM California reviews, for instance. These are, in effect, the same thing, as you must click on our welcome offer links in order to get the full bonus. Promo codes are a sequence of letters and/or numbers that a new bettor enters when directed while they’re registering for a sportsbook. You can do it via the sportsbook app, or via desktop on your computer. Our promo code for Fliff, for instance, is SHARP. If you enter SHARP when signing up for Fliff, you’ll get access to the welcome bonus. If you don’t have access to a promo code or promo link, you can still sign up. However, you would not get the welcome promo. If that doesn’t matter to you, then don’t worry about it. If that does matter to you, be sure to bookmark this page so you can see all California sportsbook promo codes when the state finally launches legal sports betting. A sportsbook also might suspend its bonus offer in a certain state. However, this only happens on rare occasions. In those unusual circumstances, there would be no need for a promo code.

California Sports Betting Bonuses FAQs