What is what does the bonus mean in basketball?

In basketball, a bonus is a situation in which a team has committed a certain number of fouls in a period (usually five or six) which puts the opposing team in a position to shoot free throws without any pressure from defenders. Once a team is in the bonus, any further fouls committed by that team will result in free throws for the opposing team, regardless of whether the foul occurred on a shooting attempt or not.

The bonus system is often used in both college and professional basketball leagues as a way to penalize teams for committing too many fouls and to reward the opposing team with the opportunity to score points without having to face defensive pressure. Teams must be strategic in their fouling tactics to avoid putting themselves in the bonus and giving their opponents free points at the foul line.