Casino Welcome Bonuses
Best welcome bonuses and sign up offers, use our welcome bonus list and find the best welcome offer to use upon registration at one of the trusted online casinos.
Best welcome bonuses and sign up offers, use our welcome bonus list and find the best welcome offer to use upon registration at one of the trusted online casinos.
When you think of the online casino industry, you think of colourful slot machines, attractive live dealers, and an endless succession of gaming titles. But the one thing that stands out above all else, the idea that stands at the forefront of most player’s minds, are the bonuses that casino sites offer! Casino bonuses are the buzzing neon banner-offers that attract players to join the site. They are the focal point of most marketing campaigns. When it comes to casino bonuses, nothing is more coveted than the welcome bonus. So, what makes these bonuses so unique, and why are they so highly sought-after by players?
As the name suggests, casino welcome bonuses represent a welcome gift for new players signing into a casino. They are the digital equivalent of the massive red “sale” banners that hang from department store doors and the free drinks offered by your local bar. Contrary to what you might think, most online casinos don’t create their games, nor do they code their platforms. These services are provided by third-party companies and licensed to hundreds and even thousands of websites at once. Third-party platforms also provide the licenses, payment structures, and all of this means there isn’t much of a difference between one casino and the next. It can be challenging, therefore, for a brand-new casino to compete with established brands. Welcome bonuses help newcomers to do this, allowing them to stand up and be counted, to enter a crowded room, wave their hands, and scream, “Look at me!”. Casino welcome bonuses can help a new casino to compete with the biggest and best brands in the casino sector, allowing them to gain a large following very quickly. It represents a chance for you as a player to use generous sign-up offers an increase in winning potential!
A welcome bonus comes in several forms. Sign-up offers can include no deposit bonuses, whereby you are given free funds to gamble with, and free spins, which allow you to spin some slots for free! The most common online casino welcome bonus is the matched deposit bonus. In simple terms, this bonus matches your deposit with a pre-determined sum. It literally “matches” your deposit and gives you free credits to gamble. Free credits can often be used as cash, allowing you to play casino games with bonus money. However, it’s not quite that simple, as there are some key terms you need to know and some potential issues you should be aware of.
Welcome bonus example: 100% Matched Deposit Bonus (up to £200) and 200 Free Spins
The above is an example of a welcome bonus, similar to the ones you can find at a vast number of online casinos now. The three essential aspects of this bonus are:
There is much more to a welcome bonus than the details we briefly outlined above. Most of this information can be found in the bonus Terms and Conditions, often as a bulleted list at the bottom of the dedicated bonus page. It’s important to consider all of these elements when deducing the true value of a welcome bonus:
In addition to the deposit cap, outlined above, online casinos also require you to deposit a minimum amount before you can qualify. For most casinos, this amount is £10, but some are fixed as high as £20. If you deposit less than this, you won’t qualify, and the bonus will be voided. Casinos may also restrict you to specific payment methods. Some insist that you use a debit card to qualify, others allow multiple deposit methods but not e-wallets Neteller or Skrill.
The majority of players focus only on the number of Free Spins being offered and not on the value of these spins. That’s because the former is listed clearly in the casino’s marketing. At the same time, the latter is hidden in the terms and conditions. But the value of the spins is arguably more important. For instance, an offer of 100 Free Spins might seem considerably better than an offer of 50 Free Spins, but not if the former is fixed at £0.05 each and the latter at £0.20. It’s the difference between a cash bonus of £5 and one of £10.
The wagering requirements are incredibly important and are the backbone of all welcome bonuses. In simple terms, the wagering requirements describe how much money you need to wager before your bonus cash can be withdrawn. The wagering requirement, also known as a playthrough rate, is listed as a number followed by a multiplication symbol, and typically spans between 20x and 50x. If we assume a wagering requirement of 50x and a bonus of £100, this means you need to wager £5,000 (£100 x 50 = £5,000) before your credits will turn in to cash and can be withdrawn. However, it’s not always that clear cut. Some casinos tie the wagering requirements to the bonus amount, others link it to the deposit amount, while others focus on both. It’s essential to read the Terms and Conditions to understand which is which, as it could double the total amount you need to wager.
With wagering requirements, not all games are treated equally. Most casinos count every £1 you bet on slots as £1 towards your total, but the amount offered for table games and live casino games may drop to 10% of this. There are limits on how much money you can stake on a single spin and how much you can win with bonus.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of welcome bonuses, showing you how they work and what you need to look for, it’s time to look at some of the pros and cons.
Online casinos like welcome bonuses and players adore them—it’s fair to assume that these bonuses won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. If you’re about to join a brand-new casino, be sure to check the welcome bonus. See what’s on offer, compare and contrast, and check the Terms and Conditions to ensure you maximise your payout! Use our list of best online casino welcome bonuses and find the right offer to start!