Bonus Bets - Mmmm !

What I mean by that is I find that if I am having a good day, I will search for runners who have some hope at good odds and use them, so they are diverting me from my strategy for the day.

I usually just let them run out so as far as my record for using them successfully, it would be about 30 to 40 % success rate but that is from a small example. 

I find the Deposit matches handy - as they allow me to bet on something I was probably going to bet on anyway. I do get get annoyed at not being able to go e/w on say golfing / cycling which is how I normally bet on those sports. Has actually cost me money a few times when I have used them & my selection fills a hole. When I occasionally punt on the nags race to race for a bit of entertainment they also work well - although I generally stay away from low value multiple exotics as you can lose your return altogether if a few fav's come in & the stake deduction takes it all. So Deposit matches is a tick - even if in fact they still induce you to punt when you where not intending too (which is their main aim of course)

The money back stuff leaves me cold though. Deadest con. For my style of crazed punting it just annoys me - esp. when i realise I'm getting stitched up on unders. I'd love to see some statistical info on Fixed Price Offer (which you need to take to get it on SB) vs Best Tote or even middle Tote a few minutes before jump across the field. The fav's in particular are gross unders. At 5% to 10% less on average i reckon - so in order to get effectively half your stake back (Bonus bet) you are giving up money when you back a winner with the Fixed offer. And its even worse - when you do the quick calculation & go the Fixed offer path - half the time the bet gets intercepted & reduced further just to make sure you have no edge  So like you you Voyager I pay absolutely no attention to Bet Refund Bonus Bet Offers

Just changing tack. I have 4 Active Accounts - SB, Betfair, Bet365 & Unibet. Over xmas had a few days punting race to race on SB - which i have deliberately stayed away from for a while. Standard punting style is win bet plus that selection stood out in a multi quinella. So often I'm scrambling getting the bets on. SB was always the best getting on after race jump - could literally get the quinella on quarter way through the race. For me - it was the BIGGEST reason I did my race betting with them. All the others cut off exactly or even before jump. Now they are the same as the others. Obviously the regulators finally cottoned on & gave them a serve. I tried Bet365 the other day & found their overall offer actually better.

Depends which book as to how long they will tolerate it but yes, unless you are putting other action through you won’t be allowed to do this long term. 

With a Deposit match you know you are going to get it once the deposit is made

With a Bonus Bet you can have a bet & not be guaranteed anything. So it is bet success dependent.

Are you suggesting if you have a deposit match of $100, and put the $200 on an evens pop, they’ll pay you $400?

Deposit matches get customers active when some had no intention of doing same. Once the money goes in - & the match made - the Corporates finish in front - as the vast majority punt until its ALL gone

Bet returns have the same effect - however the Corporates sneakily claw it back via reduced Fixed Odds offer

So taking $5 when $6 was available elsewhere was still an attractive option.