Getting an edge in sports betting is critical to becoming a long term winner.
One way to do that is to take advantage of any promotions sportsbooks send your way. Odds boosts and profit boosts are two common offers from sportsbooks that can give you and edge.
What is the Difference Between an Odds Boost and Profit Boost?
The main difference between an odds boost and a profit boost is which bets you can apply them to. Odds boosts typically apply to a very specific bet determined by the sportsbook, often times a player prop or parlay. Profit boosts are usually given to a user and can be applied to any bet under certain conditions.
As you can see below, the FanDuel screenshot on the left shows an example of an Odds Boost: LeBron James, Stephen Curry & Klay Thompson to Make 10+ Combined Threes on March 5th (was +105, boosted to +150).
The DraftKings screenshot on the right shows a 20% Profit Boost I applied to a UFC fight. Tim Elliott Moneyline was +195 but I applied a 20% Profit Boost to effectively move the odds to +234. Note that I chose to apply my Profit Boost to this bet rather than DraftKings offering specific boosted odds.
Applying a profit boost is essentially the same as receiving better odds on the bet of your choice. The math behind the payouts for odds boosts and profit boosts is exactly the same.
What is Better: Odds Boost or Profit Boost?
Since the end result is the same, profit boosts are typically better than odds boosts since they can be applied to any type of bet. Having flexibility with profit boosts allows you to event hedge your bet with another sportsbook.
Odds boosts are frequently custom prop bets that make it difficult to tell how much of a “boost” there is for each bet.
Odds Boost vs. Profit Boost: What to Watch For
There are many things to watch out for when it comes to odds boosts and profit boosts:
Max Bet Amounts and Max Winnings
Most sportsbooks limit both what you can bet and what you can win. The max bet amount is typically set to $25 or $50 so the sportsbooks can limit their exposure if it is a really good boost.
Limited Bet Types
Profit profit boosts are typically limited to certain types of bets. This will include pregame moneyline/spread/total and live bets. Special bet types like cash outs are usually not valid for profit boosts.
Check the Boost at Other Sportsbooks
If you have time, it is sometimes worth looking at other sportsbooks to see similar bets and what the odds are. Often times people just assume that an odds boost is a good deal, but it is possible the sportsbooks alter the base odds before boosting it to make the odds boost more enticing.
Odds Boosts are Usually Long Shots/Parlays
Sportsbooks typically offer odds boost on parlayed player props. These are much harder for the user to gauge how good the boost is and what the true underlying odds should be. Profit boosts can be applied to the bets you choose, which is much more reliable in determining value.
Odds Boost vs. Profit Boost: Which one should you use?
You should use a profit boost if you have one available. Odds boosts are often available to anyone and thus aren’t typically a huge boost.
Which Sportsbooks offer Odds Boosts and Profit Boosts?
All of the major sportsbooks offer some form of odds boosts and profit boosts:
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- PointsBet Sportsbook
- BetRivers Sportsbook
- Barstool Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
