best use of a free play bonus

[dherd]

i have a $1,000 free play bonus. i have already met the rollover requirement (i saved the free play until the end).

i had intended to use the free play on a couple of college football games i have picked out by making two straight bets of $500 each.

someone (at the sportsbook) suggested that "smart players" parlay their free plays.

i would like to have some feedback from the smart guys on here as to how you use your freeplays.

considering it is harder to hit a parlay and that two single bets or three single bets pay more than a two or three team parlay (assuming you let it all ride on each game) i am always inclined to make straight bets.

what is your thinking?

[rm18]

best use is longshots, whether parlays or bid dog

[whatsgood5]

A 3 team parlay in which you do every single option for 1/8 of the FP, would give you a guaranteed 75% ($750)return. However, this could very well be considered FP abuse, so I would not recommend doing all 8 legs.

What I would do, is do 4/8 legs of a 3 team for $250, then if you win you'll get $1500. Therefore you have a 50% chance of having $1500, whereas if you just made 1 $1000 bet on something -110, you'd have a 50% chance of having somewhere around $900.

[LostBankroll]

Thats great advice I would place it on a 10 teamer and cash big.

[whatsgood5]

best use is longshots, whether parlays or bid dog

Make sure you check with the site first to find what their FP rules are though. A lot of sites will accept the bet, but it is still against their FP rules for more than a 3 team parlay, or a straight bet of any dog/fav more than +/-200. Sites like that will also not allow more than a +/-200 to be included in a parlay with the FP as well.

[rm18]

i know that is bet phoenix group, but still can get 20/1 there

[whatsgood5]

i know that is bet phoenix group, but still can get 20/1 there

BetPhoenix follows the rules I described for FP's.

[dherd]

thanks for the input. anyone else have any ideas?

[sundin4prez]

if it was me, i would do the 3 team in the 8 possible options... if not that i would just play them in straight wagers that your confident in..

[JerseyShop101]

Another couple options you can do:

A vs. B
C vs. D
E vs. F

With the freeplay, do (4) 3-team parlays of $250 each, where you like team A (which must win for this to cash) Its basically a straight wager because if Team A wins it hits.
So you would have:
ACE
ACF
ADE
ADF

Again, this is basically a straight wager except this pays you 150% of your freeplay (If your A team wins, you get $1500 cash). Compare this to actually putting the $1000FP on Team A on an actual STRAIGHT wager you would only win $909 cash (NEVER EVER JUST DO A STRAIGHT WAGER w/the Freeplay).


Because some books don't take too kndly about doing the (3) 8 team parlays which guarantees (75%) cash you can do the following risk free wagering but it will pay you less (71%).
In conjunction with the above- in another book bet $781 to win $710 on team B.
If team B wins you win $710 cash and your freeplay (at the other book) is gone.
If team A wins, you lose $781 cash, but your freeplay parlay cashes for $1500, netting you $719.

[WeinketoWarrick]

Diamond doesn't allow freeplays to be used on anything other than straight bets...

[Cookie Monster]

Diamond doesn't allow freeplays to be used on anything other than straight bets...

In such cases you should take the highest baseball or hockey dog, as they are usually allowed and offer +220 or better. Even if they allow "only sides", MLB runlines and hockey pucklines you may get +200 or more.

[ZetaPsi808]

i do this...

http://www.sbrforum.com/Betting+Tools/Freeplay+Value+Calculator.aspx

[Ced's shadow]

Another couple options you can do:

A vs. B
C vs. D
E vs. F

With the freeplay, do (4) 3-team parlays of $250 each, where you like team A (which must win for this to cash) Its basically a straight wager because if Team A wins it hits.
So you would have:
ACE
ACF
ADE
ADF

Again, this is basically a straight wager except this pays you 150% of your freeplay (If your A team wins, you get $1500 cash). Compare this to actually putting the $1000FP on Team A on an actual STRAIGHT wager you would only win $909 cash (NEVER EVER JUST DO A STRAIGHT WAGER w/the Freeplay).


Because some books don't take too kndly about doing the (3) 8 team parlays which guarantees (75%) cash you can do the following risk free wagering but it will pay you less (71%).
In conjunction with the above- in another book bet $781 to win $710 on team B.
If team B wins you win $710 cash and your freeplay (at the other book) is gone.
If team A wins, you lose $781 cash, but your freeplay parlay cashes for $1500, netting you $719.

Jerseyshopman knows

[Ace_of_Spades]

Couple of good points in here.

[chachi]

JerseyShop101 speaketh the truth ...

[Slim]

Diamond doesn't allow freeplays to be used on anything other than straight bets...

That sucks. Does Bookmaker do the same?

[JerseyShop101]

Wow, a noinmated post! Thanks Chachi and LostBankroll.

[JerseyShop101]

That sucks. Does Bookmaker do the same?

I just pulled this off of the Bookmaker website:

Basic Free Plays Rules

• 1. Free Plays can only be wagered on:
  • • Football (NFL / NCAA)
  • • Basketball (NBA / NCAA / WNBA)
  • • Major League Baseball
  • • NHL
  • • Soccer
  
  2. The minimum deposit eligible to apply for a free play is $300 (it may vary according to the promotion).3. They can be used only on straight wagers, parlays and teasers.4. When a customer wins a free play, he receives the win amount only.5. Ties lose.6. All free plays are subject to a rollover of the deposited amount. A player must complete the required rollover prior to taking a payout.7. Maximum payout for any FREE Play is $5000.8. Maximum bonus awarded is $500.9. Free Plays can only be used on major sports and cannot be used on prop bets. For football and basketball, free plays can only be applied to spread and total lines; money lines are not allowed. On NHL and baseball, free plays can be used for money lines and totals. On Soccer, free plays can only be used on spreads and totals; 3 way lines (money line) are not allowed.10. Free plays are not automatic . Customer has 24 hours to request a free play after the deposit is made.11. If a free play is used in a specific wager whose outcome is a push or a tie, the free play is lost.
  

[astrodomer]

1st post

[JerseyShop101]

Diamond doesn't allow freeplays to be used on anything other than straight bets...

DSI's Freeplay rules are listed twice on their website, but they CONTRADICT each other:

http://www.2betdsi.com/betting-promotions.aspx

Under Promotions:

• Get $300 for Free:
• Deposit up to $600 and get $300:Fund your account and get a 50% free sports bonus, up to $300.
  Valid for new players only.
• Promotion valid from 08/05/2010 to 02/02/2015

Conditions & Restrictions:

• • Deposit amount $101 to $600
  • 10 Time Rollover
  • Credit card deposit applies
  • Max Bonus $300
  
  
• One bonus per account per household.
  If eligible, the 50% bonus will be applied to your betting account up to 24 hours after your initial deposit.
  The maximum bonus payable as part of this promotion is $300 regardless of the deposit amount.
  The 50% bonus is in the form of a free play.
  
  Bonus only applies to straight wagers on the spread and totals.
  
  Not available for Moneybookers or Neteller deposits

Under House Rules:

http://www.2betdsi.com/rules-postup.aspx

Basic Free Plays Rules

• 1. Free Plays can only be wagered on:
  • • Football (NFL / NCAA)
  • • Basketball (NBA / NCAA / WNBA)
  • • Major League Baseball
  • • NHL
  • • Soccer
  
  2. The minimum deposit eligible to apply for a free play is $300 (it may vary according to the promotion).3. They can be used only on straight wagers, parlays and teasers.4. When a customer wins a free play, he receives the win amount only.5. Ties lose.6. All free plays are subject to a rollover of the deposited amount. A player must complete the required rollover prior to taking a payout.7. Maximum payout for any FREE Play is $5000.8. Maximum bonus awarded is $500.9. Free Plays can only be used on major sports and cannot be used on prop bets. For football and basketball, free plays can only be applied to spread and total lines; money lines are not allowed. On NHL and baseball, free plays can be used for money lines and totals. On Soccer, free plays can only be used on spreads and totals; 3 way lines (money line) are not allowed.10. Free plays are not automatic . Customer has 24 hours to request a free play after the deposit is made.11. If a free play is used in a specific wager whose outcome is a push or a tie, the free play is lost.

So which is it?

If it was a sht book- it would be whichever rule screws you over, lol, but this is DSI, which is the Bookmaker/Cris family of books, which is of a much higher standard. And thats a great thing. They usually side with the player in my past experience.

[chachi]

Perhaps it is just that the current 50% promotion has a more limiting structure attached, is the usual signup bonus generally more like 25% or 30% ?

And, you're welcome, the post well deserves a nomination for explaining the concept succinctly and clearly

[Herky]

lock up the money - 8, 3 teamers.

[rm18]

you can bet parlays at DSI

[ericthegangster]

just bet it all on the packers to win the superbowl and thank me later