What is Rollover?
A rollover is the term used for a requirement which an online bookmaker places when offering a bonus. It generally means that a certain amount of money has to be deposited in order to trigger a bonus amount paid into an account, and then a certain amount has to be wagered before any winnings which may have been accrued can be withdrawn.
How is a Rollover Used in Sports Betting?
Most online bookmakers offer a bonus as an incentive to sign up to their services. The bonus is a cash amount paid into the account of a bettor, usually equal to the opening deposit required. As this bonus is basically ‘free money’, bookmakers are naturally opposed to bettors simply withdrawing the money and walking away, perhaps to one of their competitors, and so they impose a rollover rule which stipulates that a certain amount of money has to be wagered before anything can be withdrawn from the account.
An example of a rollover in action would be an account which, in return for a £100 deposit, offers a bonus of £100. The rollover stipulation might be that the bettor can’t make any withdrawals until the deposit and the bonus have been rolled over five times. In this case, it means that the deposit plus bonus equals £200, and the rollover therefore means that £1000 worth of bets needs to be placed. It should be noted that it doesn’t matter whether these bets are successful or not, as soon as £1000 has been wagered, no matter how many bets are involved, the funds can be withdrawn. It’s vital to check all of the terms and conditions imposed by an individual bookmaker when choosing which one to bet with, as rollover terms differ from place to place. Some bookmakers offer a free bet upon joining, rather than a bonus. The main difference is that the stake of a free bet generally isn’t included in the pay out if the bet is successful, whereas the stake of a bonus is.