Casino bonuses are rife. Most major casinos have them and they are constantly competing with one another to offer bigger and better bonuses. This is great news for players, as they are the ones benefiting from this rampant competition, and it also gives newer and smaller casinos a platform from which they can launch their business.
But with so many different types of online casino bonus available, it’s hard to know which one is best, and even you eventually find one that works for you, there’s still the matter of wagering requirements, limits, and restrictions to get your head around.
It can all be a little confusing, but in this guide, we’ll address each of these issues in turn. By the end, you will know how to find top casino bonuses and use them in a way that benefits you and not the casino.
Online casino bonuses come in many forms and are offered to players depending on their status, stake level, and activity. The most common types of casino bonus include:
A matched deposit bonus “matches” your deposit with a number of bonus credits. Often used to entice new players into online casinos, these bonuses are some of the biggest and most generous.
There are two important numbers to focus on when determining if a matched deposit bonus is worthwhile:
With a no deposit bonus, you can get a handful of free credits without requiring a deposit. Some casinos require you to establish a deposit method or undergo verification checks, others will provide the bonus simply for registering your name and contact details.
These casino bonuses tend to be much smaller than matched deposits and are tailored towards casual, small stake players.
Typically offered as a part of a welcome package bonus (see below) or as a way of promoting a new slot, a free spins bonuses gives you several free shots at one or more online slot machines.
You’ll receive a fixed number of spins and all of these will have a fixed value, typically between €0.05 and €0.10. The value is arguably more important than the number of spins being offered. For instance, a bonus of 100 free spins looks decidedly better than one of 25 free spins, but not if the former is valued at €0.05 and the latter at €0.50.
A reload bonus is offered to active players, typically in the form of a matched deposit bonus. The only way it differs from the details outlined above is that it is much smaller, with many reload bonuses offering a matched rate of between 25% and 50%.
A welcome bonus is used to attract new players and typically includes a mixture of bonuses, including a matched deposit bonus and/or no deposit bonus, along with free spins.
Considered to be one of the best casino bonuses, a welcome package targets players at all levels and all currencies.
One of the better online casino bonuses, a loyalty scheme promotes regular play and ensures that players stick around long after they have finished with their welcome bonus.
Generally, a loyalty scheme will give you loyalty points every time you play. These points can then be exchanged for rewards such as cash, bonuses, and gifts. The more points you earn, the faster you will climb through the levels and the higher your rate of rewards will be.
The best loyalty schemes offer advanced rewards (including VIP event tickets, birthday gifts, and unique bonuses) for those who make it to the elite levels.
Casino bonuses have a few terms you need to pay close attention to. Misreading these terms could lead to a lot of frustration and potentially deplete your bankroll. The terms you need to look out for include:
Casino bonuses are at the heart of many online casino complaints. Players join solely to collect these bonuses and if they are not released, they feel cheated and are quick to vent their anger.
Top casino bonuses will be released as soon as you join and don’t require any kind of specific activity on your part. However, some casinos require you to do one of the following things:
Furthermore, many casinos will refuse bonuses to players who use specific payment methods, including Skrill and Neteller, while others limit their bonuses to players from specific regions. You can find more information about these terms in the casino’s terms and conditions.
Casinos don’t want you to withdraw your bonus as soon as you receive it. They also know that the more games you play, the more the laws of probability will tilt in their favor. As a result, all welcome bonuses, no deposit bonuses, and free spins use something known as a wagering requirement or playthrough rate.
Typically listed as a multiple, such as “25x” or “50x”, it describes how many times you need to risk the money before it can be withdrawn. For instance, if the wagering requirement is 25x and you have a bonus of €100, you will need to wager €2,500.
You can find the wagering requirements in the bonus terms and conditions. It’s important to look at these closely, as there are a couple of other specific details to note, including:
We highly recommend reading our article about how to beat wagering requirements. It will reveal useful tricks on how to save your money and probably win more while using online casino offers as well as some very good low wagering casino bonuses.
One of the great things about casino bonuses is that you get more spins at your favorite slots, more hands of your favorite card games, and more chances to win big. However, many bonuses limit the amount that you can win on a single game and this greatly reduces the benefits of the bonus and your chances of securing a return.
The limits you need to look for include:
All casinos have a minimum deposit limit but the better ones don’t have win limits or cash out limits and are therefore more preferable.
Struggling to get the most out of online casino bonuses? Keep the following tips in mind:
Online casinos are not in the business of giving away free money. It may seem like that, but everything they do is carefully measured and designed to promote profits and increase player numbers.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t secure a profit by properly utilizing these bonuses.
To understand this, you need to know how casinos operate. The goal of a casino is not to win every game and beat every player. It’s true that the “house always wins”, but only when accounting for all players, all games, and all sessions.
A single player can bet €1, win a €100,000 jackpot, and then never gamble again. But a casino doesn’t care, because the next 10,001 players may lose €10 each, putting the house back in the black.
Casino bonuses work in much the same way. If you deposit €100, get a free €100 and then win €200 by the time you meet the wagering requirements, the casino has just lost a couple of hundred Euros, but in the grand scheme of things, more players will lose in the long run. More importantly, bonuses are a valuable tool for attracting new players, which means they save on marketing costs, increase player numbers, and improve their bottom line.
Now that you know all about casino bonuses, there’s only one thing left: Where can you find the best casino bonuses?
The problem is the best bonus for you may not be the best bonus for the next person. It all comes down to your stake level and level of activity.
If, for instance, you are a small stake player who gambles infrequently, you should probably focus on no deposit bonuses. However, if you’re a medium to high stakes player who gambles multiple times a week, it’s highly unlikely that these bonuses will appeal to you. Instead, you should look for large matched deposit bonuses.
High-stake players should also look for big matched deposit bonuses, as they can collect the highest amounts from these bonuses. They should also look for loyalty schemes. These schemes are designed to benefit all players as the points and rewards are relative to their deposit amounts and playing styles. But loyalty schemes work better for high stake players and give them far greater rewards overall.
Whatever you choose, make sure you consider all of the information in this guide to get the most out of your bonus.
There are deposit-related and no deposit online casino bonuses, with appendices such as free spins, or extra cash. Bonuses can be intended for all players, high rollers only, depositors who use Bitcoins or those who play slot games/live games, etc.
Casino welcome bonus is the first bonus a player receives upon opening an account in a casino. In some cases, only a registration is needed (then it’s a no deposit bonus), while in a majority of situations a player has to make a qualifying deposit.
Some bonuses are automatically added to one’s account upon registering or making a qualifying deposit. In some cases, one needs to contact the support agents and ask them to add the promo on his/her account manually.