Casino bonuses can be an exciting and enticing aspect of online gambling. They provide players with extra funds or offer opportunities to win extra money. However, understanding wagering requirements is crucial in order to fully take advantage of these offers.
In this article, we will explain wagering requirements, provide examples, and offer tips for meeting these requirements to make the most of your online casino bonuses.
Key Takeaways
- Wagering requirements, or playthrough requirements, are common conditions that must be met before withdrawing winnings derived from a casino bonus.
- To clear a wagering requirement, a certain amount of money must be staked on casino games. Some games tend to contribute more to the wagering requirement than others.
- To calculate the amount that must be wagered, the received bonus amount is multiplied by the wagering requirement multiplier. Sometimes, a player’s deposited amount is also added to the received bonus and then multiplied by the wagering requirement.
- Wagering requirements often come with time limits and while wagering a bonus, players are normally limited to a maximum bet size and not allowed to play in certain ways.
- Tips for meeting wagering requirements include choosing bonuses with lower requirements, focusing on games with higher contributions and fully understanding the terms and conditions.
- Casino bonuses that normally come with wagering requirements are no deposit bonuses, match bonuses, free spin bonuses, and cashback bonuses.
What Are Wagering Requirements?
Wagering requirements, also known as playthrough requirements, are conditions that must be met before you can withdraw winnings derived from a casino bonus. These requirements exist to keep players at the casino for as long as possible and to protect the casino from incurring significant losses.
Example: A casino offers you a £100 bonus with a 35x wagering requirement. This means that you must wager a total of £3,500 (35 times the bonus amount) on casino games before you can withdraw any winnings associated with the bonus.
How to Calculate Wagering Requirements
To calculate the amount you must wager to meet the wagering requirement of a bonus, you normally multiply the received bonus amount by the wagering requirement multiplier.
However, with some casino bonuses, the wagering requirement applies not only to the received bonus but also to the deposit that triggered the bonus. In such a case, the wagering requirement is calculated by multiplying both the received bonus and the deposited amount with the wagering multiplier.
Example 1: You deposit £50 to receive a £100 bonus with a wagering requirement of 30x the received bonus amount. The sum to wager is calculated by multiplying 30 by £100. Thus, you need to wager a total of £3,000 (100 x 30) before you can withdraw your winnings.
Example 2: You deposit £50 to receive a £100 bonus with a wagering requirement of 30x the received bonus amount AND the deposited amount. The sum to wager is calculated by multiplying 30 by £150. Thus, you need to wager a total of £4,500 ((100 + 50) x 30) before you can withdraw your winnings.
Factors Affecting the Wagering Requirement
There are several factors that commonly affect wagering requirements, which are crucial to know about. These will determine how successful you are with a casino bonus and how much money you are expected to be left with once the wagering requirement is fulfilled.
Game Contributions
Different games often contribute differently to the wagering requirements. Slots usually contribute 100%, while table games like blackjack and roulette normally contribute at a lower percentage, such as 10%.
Additionally, it is common that certain games don’t contribute at all, which could include live casino games, jackpot slots and video pokers. Game contributions vary from one bonus to another.
Example: If you receive a £100 bonus with a 35x wagering requirement, playing slots could require a total of £3,500 in wagers to clear the requirement. However, if you play table games that only contribute 10%, you would need to wager £35,000 (10 times more) to clear the same requirement.
Time Limits
Many casino bonuses come with a time limit, within which you must meet the wagering requirements. Failing to do so would forfeit the received bonus as well as any winnings derived from it.
Example: A bonus may have a 7-day time limit from the moment it is claimed. If you don't meet the wagering requirements within this time, the bonus and any associated winnings will be forfeited.
Maximum Bet Limits
While wagering a casino bonus, it is common for a maximum bet limit to apply. This restricts the amount you are allowed to wager per spin or game round while playing with the bonus funds.
Example: A bonus may have a £5 maximum bet limit. If you place a higher bet than this, it may not contribute towards the wagering requirement. It can also be viewed as a breach of the bonus rules and result in the casino removing the bonus and all winnings that were derived from it.
Restricted Playstyles
There are often certain playstyles that the casino considers to be unfair and a way to abuse the bonus system, which are not allowed when meeting wagering requirements. This includes betting on two opposite outcomes in a game and bypassing wagering requirements by saving up bonus rounds in slots.
Example 1: You are wagering a bonus by systematically betting £1 on red and £1 on black in roulette. This is often considered bonus abuse by the casino and could lead to the bonus and any winnings derived from it being forfeited.
Example 2: You are wagering a bonus and trigger a free spin feature in a slot machine. Instead of activating the feature at once, you play other games until you have no bonus money left. You then go back to the slot, play the free spin feature, and receive the winnings as pure cash. This is commonly considered as breaching the bonus rules and could lead to account closure and confiscation of all winnings.
Tips for Meeting Wagering Requirements
To maximize the earning potential of a bonus, there are four tips related to wagering requirements that we recommend considering.
- Choose Bonuses With Lower Wagering Requirements
Lower wagering requirements are easier to meet, making it more likely that you'll be able to withdraw the bonus funds and any winnings derived from them. - Play the Games With the Highest Wagering Contributions
Playing games that contribute more towards the wagering requirement will help you clear it faster. For example, playing slots that contribute 100% will clear the wagering requirement ten times faster compared to playing table games that contribute only 10%. - Play Games With a High RTP and Low Volatility
Casino games with a high payout percentage (RTP) and low volatility are more likely to leave you with more money once a wagering requirement is fulfilled than other ones. - Understand Your Limitations and Restrictions
Always read the terms and conditions of a bonus carefully. If you don’t wager a bonus fast enough, it may be forfeited. Even worse, breaching bonus rules could lead to account closure and confiscation of all winnings. Not only those derived from the bonus but winnings derived from your own deposited money as well.
Types of Casino Bonuses and Their Wagering Requirements
There are many types of casino bonuses and wagering requirements can vary widely between these. There are even bonuses that require no wagering at all.
Below we have listed the types of bonuses that commonly come with a wagering requirement and explained what the extent of this wagering requirement normally is.
No Deposit Bonuses
These bonuses are awarded to players without requiring them to make a deposit. They usually come with higher wagering requirements to compensate for the fact that they're essentially free money.
Example: An online casino offers a £20 no-deposit bonus with an 80x wagering requirement. Thus, you must wager a total of £4,000 before you can withdraw any winnings.
Best No Deposit BonusesMatch Bonuses
Match bonuses are offered as a percentage of your deposited amount, such as your deposit being matched by 100% in bonus cash. The wagering requirements of match bonuses often have a huge difference between casino sites. At one casino it may be 30 times the received bonus, while another has a requirement of 60 and a third a requirement of 40 times the received bonus + deposited amount.
Example: A casino offers a 100% deposit bonus up to $100 with a 50x wagering requirement. If you deposit £100, you'll receive another £100 in bonus funds. To withdraw the bonus and its winnings, you need to wager a total of £5,000.
Best Match/Deposit BonusesFree Spins
Free spin bonuses grant you a certain number of spins on a slot machine. The wagering requirements for these bonuses usually apply to the winnings generated from the spins and rarely take any deposited amount into consideration. It is common for the wagering requirement to be around 40x.
Example: You deposit £20 to receive 50 free spins with a 40x wagering requirement. If you win £10 from the free spins, you'll need to wager £400 before you can withdraw the funds.
Best Free Spins OffersCashback Bonuses
Cashback bonuses return a percentage of your losses over a specified period of time. These bonuses typically come with low wagering requirements if any at all.
Example: A casino offers a 10% cashback bonus with a 5x wagering requirement. If you lose £100 within the specified time, you'll receive £10 back as a bonus. To withdraw this money, you would need to wager £50.
Best Cashback OffersFAQ
Why Do Casinos Have Wagering Requirements on Bonuses?
Wagering requirements are in place to keep players at the casino and to minimize the costs that the casino incurs for offering the bonus. From a casino’s stance, the point of a bonus is to attract players to its site and have them play on it for as long as possible. Without a wagering requirement, players could instantly cash out their bonus, which would be expensive and pointless for the casino.
Can I Withdraw Money Without Meeting the Wagering Requirement?
Any money that is considered a bonus and any winnings derived from playing with these bonus funds can never be withdrawn without meeting the wagering requirement. However, if a bonus was triggered from a deposit, it is often possible to withdraw the deposited amount and any winnings derived from the deposit. If possible, doing so would cancel the bonus.
How Can I Find Bonuses With Low Wagering Requirements?
You can find bonuses with low wagering requirements by checking websites that review casinos such as our own, or visiting casino forums where players share information about various offers.
Can I Meet the Wagering Requirement of Multiple Bonuses at the Same Time?
Generally, online casinos do not allow players to use multiple bonuses simultaneously. You must complete the wagering requirement for one bonus before you can claim and use another one.
Is It Only the Bonus Funds That Count Towards the Wagering Requirement?
This will vary from one casino bonus to another. Sometimes, playing with the deposited money that triggered a bonus will count towards the bonus’ wagering requirement and sometimes, the wagering requirement can only be fulfilled by playing with the bonus funds. Make sure to read the terms and conditions of the bonus you want to claim to understand this.
Conclusion
Understanding wagering requirements is essential for making the most of your casino bonuses. By keeping these requirements in mind, you can make informed decisions and choose bonuses that offer you the best chances of winning. Some are much more valuable than others due to their low wagering requirements.
Remember to read the terms and conditions of each bonus as there are many things that affect the wagering requirements such as game contributions, time limits, and maximum bet limits. You don’t want to breach any rules as this can lead to severe consequences such as account closure and confiscation of funds.
