Frokat Even though most esports bettors are quite aware of the various Counter-Strike betting bonuses and offers, CS fans treat them as an occasional “cherry on top.” However, this approach to CS2 betting bonuses is far from correct. In fact, it’s possible to incorporate these CS2 betting bonuses into your betting strategy, making it less risky and more profitable with minimal research and time use. Let's dig in!
CS2 Gambling Sites With Best Bonuses And Free Coins
There are multiple ways to place Counter-Strike bets with minimum investments. Rare bonuses like no-deposit bets or free promotional bets are great but hard to come by. Instead, we’ll review Counter-Strike 2 betting sites that offer year-round ways to place free—or heavily discounted—bets on your favorite CS teams.
Bet365: All Around Great Betting Platform
Bet365 ranks at the top of the best CS2 betting sites for a good reason. The site doesn't offer free bets - instead, it offers a bet credit of up to $200 when signing up for the first time. No deposit bonuses aren't the only thing Bet365 is nearly every bettor's choice - its reputation and provably fair betting system make it a default choice for most punters. The site's extensive coverage of all the Major and Minor tier CS events and its varied betting markets make it a great option for CSGO match betting. If you're interested in traditional sports betting as well as other esports titles, Bet365 is also the leader here. It's one of the best UK-based bookmakers for a reason.
BC.Game: Massive Bet Market Variety
BC Games offers an immense selection of CS2 betting markets that cover all international tournaments and smaller events. Currently, more than 100 unique CS2 matches are included on BC.Game. These betting markets include various betting options, from the simplest match winner to in-game props. Learn more about BC.Game and other bookmakers in our CS2 (CSGO) gambling sites guide via this link.
Bitsler: Crypto Esports Betting Bookmaker
Bitsler is one of the non-standard Counter-Strike betting sites in more ways than one. It’s an end-to-end crypto CSGO gambling site that accepts over 30 cryptocurrencies, including its own Bitsler Coin. End-to-end crypto betting sites mean you don't need to submit your personal and financial information when signing up - your crypto wallet will serve as your ID. Bitsler's heavily invested in esports betting, offering a top-notch variety of esports titles, covering all the esports events from big to small, and supporting hundreds of different betting markets. What’s more important for us is its unique approach to betting bonuses. Bitsler’s XP system offers a unique approach to esports bonuses, rewarding long-time users with free CS coins, currency, and ways to bet.
Rollbit: Promo Code Attraction
Rollbit is another crypto-based esports betting site. It's built on the foundation of the three largest betting titles: Dota 2, League of Legends, and Counter-Strike 2. Its CS2 betting codes made it reach this list: the site has released many promotional codes that can be redeemed for the account balance. Collect enough promo codes, and you'll have a free bet on your hands. For this reason, it is among the best small-budget CS betting sites.
CSGOLounge: Best Way To Bet Online With Skins
CSGOLounge is one of the first Counter-Strike betting sites to spark the skin betting industry, making free bets accessible to thousands, if not millions, of CS fans. Its potentially "free money" nature, combined with having deposit bonuses on skin gambling deposits, made it one of the most popular choices for CS skin gambling sites. The site features an extensive set of different bonus offers, bonus codes, competitive CS odds, and other things, such as CSGO Lounge daily bonuses, that set it apart from its competition.
CSGOEmpire: Deposit Money, Deposit Skins
CSGOEmpire is one of the few bookies that can potentially offer a truly free CS betting experience. The key is that it’s not a traditional esports betting platform but rather an exchange of virtual Steam Market items (such as Counter-Strike skins) into free coins (the site’s virtual currency), which are then used to bet on CS2 matches, Counter-Strike-themed slots, and more! The CSGOEmpire coins can then be used to bet on more events or be converted into more valuable in-game items. It's no wonder that CSGOEmpire is one of the most popular esports betting sites thanks to its bonuses for betting, free bets, and coins.
Hellcase: Bet And Win CS Cases
Hellcase is much like CSGOEmpire, but for Counter-Strike cases instead of skins. These cases can contain valuable and coveted in-game skins, so potentially, they can be even more valuable than exchanging skins outright! Hellcase is not a traditional bookmaker that allows for betting on CS2 esports events; its main focus is on opening cases, CS-themed online slots, and a Counter-Strike online casino.
IEM Katowice is one of the most iconic Counter-Strike franchise events, awaited by the fans to watch - and to bet on!
Counter-Strike item betting is controversial after it suffered a massive blow from Valve Corporation lawsuits. Only a few licensed and legal sites, like CSGOEmpire and Hellcase, remain, operating on the basis of converting existing in-game items into free coins (the site’s currency.)
Intro To CS2 Bonuses: What Bonuses Do CS Betting Sites Have?
With the best resources for using your CS betting site bonuses aside, let's outline the most popular types of CS promotions most bettors will encounter. Treating them as insignificant is a rookie mistake since they’re key to player welcoming and retention. Needless to say, it’s not just the bookies themselves who can benefit from that retention part—if you know your way around CS gambling websites!
This is a standard CS2 betting bonus for new players signing up with an esports betting bookie. It usually comes in the form of a deposit match or deposit bonus, where the bookie matches the player's initial deposit up to a certain amount. Some Counter-Strikle betting sites give you free coins or in-site currency you can use to bet right off the bat, with no strings attached - but that's pretty rare among the betting options. Instead, these free coins come with different wagering requirements.
The deposit bonus is the most typical bonus variant of virtually every online gambling platform. It works as its name implies—the bookmaker rewards players for depositing funds by multiplying the deposit, granting free bets, or making the gambling experience smoother and better. Note that most deposit bonuses usually have some sort of condition attached to them that requires their activation. Usually, it comes in the form of a certain deposit amount required to activate it, plus a time frame on the bonus' usage.
It’s exceedingly rare to encounter truly free CS gambling sites that let you place bets with no deposit to withdraw, so it's best to think of this bonus as a deposit bonus with extra steps. This bonus is similar to a welcome bonus, but instead of receiving bonus funds, players receive free no deposit CS bets - but they’re always limited to certain amounts. Free bets can be used to place wagers on CS2 matches without risking any of the player's own money. If the bet wins, the player receives the winnings but not the original stake. Free bets also have limitations - for instance, most bookies won't let you use bonus funds to place accumulator bets and similar complex wagers.
This bonus is offered to regulars who have already made their first deposit. It's similar to a welcome bonus, except the bonus amount is usually smaller in this case. For example, it's common to see a bookie offer a 50% reload bonus up to $50 for players who make a second deposit. This type of bonus is particularly important for players who want to stick to one bookie instead of hopping around. Still, it is often overlooked in these kinds of reviews despite potentially being way more significant for esports betting than even the flashiest of one-time welcome deposit bonuses!
This type of CS bonus is given to players who have incurred losses while betting on esports, making it perfect for those seeking to minimize potential losses. A cashback bonus improves the gambling experience for bettors who like taking risks. It works like bank cashback: the bookie will refund a percentage of the player's losses to their account. For example, a CS betting site might offer a 10% cashback bonus on all losses incurred during a specific period - or indefinitely.
Bookies often try to make bettors stay with them for a while by offering longevity bonuses. Loyalty bonuses can take many forms, such as free bets, cashback bonuses, odds boosts to grant the best odds on important events, or exclusive promotions, such as perks for using CS2 esports betting apps or whatnot.
This bonus is offered to players who refer their friends to the esports betting bookie. If invited via a referral link, the referrer and the referee will get bonus goodies, similar to refer-a-friend bonuses on other projects. The bonus amount varies depending on the bookie—it can range from a huge bonus on a first bet to some quality-of-life improvements.
A bonus code for a CS betting site is a common sight—you can even grab some for your bookie of choice from our site! These come in various shapes and sizes—welcome bonuses, deposit bonuses, free bets, cashbacks, etc. By using affiliate sites' CS betting promo codes, bettors can easily access more goodies anytime. We even have some hanging around on our site's banners - go check them out on different bookmakers!
Alternatives To No Deposit CS2 Sites
If your goal is finding safe CS2 betting sites for low-budget betting, a deposit bonus might seem ideal on paper. But, in reality, these promotions are heavily limited - they're either available only as welcome bonuses or rarely active as seasonal events, so their supply eventually dries up. In this case, looking for alternatives is needed. Thankfully, there are plenty of these!
CS2 Fantasy Betting
Fantasy betting is a fulfilling alternative for those who bet on CS2 teams for fun. In fantasy betting, the players assemble their own professional rosters out of a pool of active esports players. In this case, the fantasy roster's performance is measured by gauging their real counterparts' metrics, be it titles they claim or the in-game stats like KDA, ADR, HS%, etc., they rack up. Sometimes, fantasy betting can even be done for monetary gain (albeit very rarely).
CS2 Betting Tips
Known as either community betting or tips, this kind of betting takes the form of publicly displayed voting. The main type of betting for those who make Counter-Strike bets for the fun of it nevertheless helps out the for-profit punters. Knowing the fanbase's opinion on the match helps find out the relative strength of the teams. Whole communities have been developed around the idea of tips. By the way, our site has community betting, too! Tip, and get rewards for getting your tips right.
CS2 Skin Gambling
The most interesting—and controversial—option on this shortlist is CS2 skin betting. It combines the best of both worlds: low-budget betting and potential profits. But, as with everything in this world, there's a catch. Strictly speaking, CS skin betting is against Valve's Terms of Service. Therefore, the few sites that still do it have to operate in a workaround grey area. Who knows if Valve will take another step toward crushing them (just like they did in 2016).
Still, this option is fairly interesting since it allows players to bet pretty much free of charge, and it's possible to earn free skins by simply playing the game. These sites also double as a convenient skin marketplace. Our top short list of best CS2 (CSGO) skin gambling sites:
- CSGOLounge;
- CSGOFast;
- WTFSkins.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls In Using Counter-Strike Betting Bonuses
Be aware, however, that Counter-Strike esports betting bonuses are not a charity. When used unwisely, they can actually result in more money being spent than saved! Massive deposit bonuses might look mouth-watering, but a smaller bonus may sometimes be better for efficiency’s sake. Let’s review some tips for maximizing this betting efficiency.
Whether you’re a novice or an experienced esports gambler, it pays to consider the betting bonus offers available more carefully. While bonuses of up to hundreds of dollars/euros may seem attractive at first glance, many come with caveats that demand hefty deposits in return. To maximize your earnings from signing up for an export bettors site, look for smaller bonuses that offer higher returns than staked ones - they could make all the difference!
It’s easy to be lured in with the idea of an “efficient bonus” and think you’re saving money. The truth is - you’re not saving any money if you spend more than you first intended! Therefore, only search for bonuses for events and matches you want, and don’t overbet because you feel like you can get away with it, thanks to CS betting bonuses.
To make the most of your esports betting experience, it's important to choose a site that offers an easy-to-understand bonus. While some sites may try to dupe you with confusing terms and conditions, selecting one that keeps things simple can help ensure smooth sailing when placing bets. A good rule of thumb is: if you feel like bringing your lawyer along to read the betting site's Terms of Service, it might be a good idea to skip trying to get this bonus.
CS betting bonuses can offer a lot of value—sometimes, seemingly too much value. It can be really tempting to just use them right away on a first match or a slot game that looks fun, but hold back! Wait for a team you’re actually familiar with to play and think about the bet more.
Would you blast through your real hard-earned money as easily as free coins? Probably not! Being as careful with bonus funds pays off as you are with your real money. You are careful with it, are you not?
It’s a very general and vague tip but very effective. Familiarize yourself with Counter-Strike basics with our guide and the pro scene before placing bets, and the profits will skyrocket.
Combining free CS coins with real funds can be an exceedingly effective way to multiply profits. However, it’s important not to get carried away while doing that. Establish a rigid budget and follow it rigorously. That’s the core principle of responsible gambling everyone should follow!
Strategies For Free CS2 Betting Sites Experience
We’ve discussed the bonuses we have plenty of. How about learning the best ways to use them? Don’t worry, we’ll be keeping things simple - but these strats are still awesome if you care about making your experience as risk-free and profitable as possible.
Use CS Betting Bonuses Best With Matched Betting
Matched betting is the exceptionally easy version of arbitrage betting - something we covered in our sports betting strategy guide. The core principle is the same - placing bets on the multiple outcomes of the same CS2 match. Except, in the case of Matched betting, we take advantage of various promotions, such as a deposit bonus, most commonly across different esports betting sites, to guarantee winnings without painstakingly monitoring the odds.
Match betting is most commonly done by placing a bet with a free bet bonus on Bookmaker A and countering this bet with your own funds on Bookmaker B. Your profits are guaranteed and will depend on the odds difference offered by bookies.
Differences between odds are much easier to exploit when doing matched betting than when arbing (more on that in our article on sports betting terms). Not to mention, the betting sites can’t really deal with this strategy and stop you from using it, either!
Summing Up
We’ve discussed the three core principles of using Counter-Strike betting bonuses. Now, we can all see how easy they are to understand and incorporate into real betting strategies. Just be aware of the Terms of Service and the limitations that come with them. Review our CS GO bet sites list for an overview of all bookies, including an overview of their bonuses.