What is a bonus in basketball?

In basketball, a bonus is a situation where a team has committed a certain number of fouls in a specific period of time, resulting in the opposing team being awarded free throw attempts for each subsequent foul.

There are two types of bonuses in basketball: the team bonus and the double bonus.

1. Team Bonus: When a team has committed a certain number of fouls – typically five or more – in a quarter or half, the opposing team is awarded free throw attempts for each foul committed. Players are awarded one free throw attempt for non-shooting fouls and two free throw attempts for shooting fouls.

2. Double Bonus: When a team has committed a certain number of fouls – typically ten or more – in a quarter or half, the opposing team is awarded two free throw attempts for each subsequent foul committed. This is often referred to as the "double bonus" because the fouling team is penalized with double the number of free throw attempts.

Overall, the bonus system in basketball is designed to incentivize teams to play defense more carefully and avoid unnecessary fouls, as giving the opposing team free throw opportunities can result in easy points being scored.