Understanding Wagering Requirements
This is probably the most crucial thing that you should get familiar with before playing with bonus money. Also known as staking or rollover requirements, they determine how many times you would have to play through a given bonus before you can cash out.
If for example, you get €100 in house money with a rollover requirement of 20x, you would need to accumulate total bets of €100×20 = €2,000. The other thing you should bear in mind is that different games have different wagering contributions. Slots usually contribute 100%, which means that every euro you stake will be deducted from the total amount you need to wager. If a game type has a 50% contribution, it means that for every euro staked only half counts towards the requirements. This information is always available on the bonus page and is a must-read for everybody intending to play with house money.
Casino Welcome Bonus
Every reputable online casino offers a welcome bonus to give players a better idea of its offering. The welcome bonus usually comes in the form of a match bonus – a deposit increase of a certain amount.
If for example, a venue offers a starting bonus of 100% up to €100, it means your first deposit will get doubled. Simply put, if you top up €100, you will have €200 in total to play with. Keep in mind that there are almost always wagering requirements to watch out for here. These are listed on the bonus page and it is strongly recommended to get familiar with them early on.
Depending on the casino, the welcome bonus may consist of a series of match bonuses as well – each of different sizes and sometimes coupled with free spins. Furthermore, the venue may require a certain minimum deposit, can limit the offer to certain markets, and may exclude certain payment methods. Again, all of this information is available on the bonus page under Terms and Conditions.
Live Casino Bonus
This is no different than a standard match bonus that is only available for live casino games. In the vast majority of cases, it can be used on a game of choice unless the venue explicitly has limited the offer to certain titles. Given the nature of the card and table games, the staking requirements on the other hand are typically lower. However, often casinos limit the maximum bet, which may make achieving them more of a challenge.
Free Spins
This is an extremely common incentive providing you with a certain amount of free spins for preselected titles. Free spin bonuses can come as stand-alone offers or can be a part of a welcome bonus package. The free spins you get are usually at a minimum bet but that is not always. What is more, they usually require you to top up a certain amount and almost always have staking requirements attached to them. There are of course certain exceptions like wager-free offers, which however are quite rare.
Loyalty Bonuses
Most online casinos put reward programs in place (VIP programs or loyalty schemes) to encourage players to stick around. Almost always they work by rewarding players bonus points (comps) for all real-money wagers made. These points usually work in two ways. They can be redeemed for cash or other prizes and simultaneously, they will keep you climbing up the program’s status levels. It goes without saying that the further up the ladder you are, the better the bonuses become and the more perks you get to benefit from.
Cashback Bonus
Cashbacks are a great way to make up for a losing streak. They guarantee that the venue will reimburse you for your net losses up to a certain amount. Often they have staking requirements but that is not always the case. What is more, some cashback bonuses may cover only bets made on live tables or slot machines.
No-deposit Bonus
Casinos normally require a certain minimum deposit in order to make a bonus available. This however is not always the case. Sometimes venues offer a small amount of money or a handful of free spins without further complications or requirements. As attractive as they are, they are just as hard to come by as the wager-free bonuses. What is more, they usually have staking requirements attached. Needless to say, however, even if you don’t meet the requirements, it is impossible to lose with a no-deposit bonus.
Wager-free Bonus
Now that you know what staking requirements are, it is important to note that not all bonuses come with wagering requirements. To put it simply, you are given cash or free spins to play with and everything you make out of the free play is yours to keep. These are by far the best bonuses you can get, but as they lead to losses for the venue, they are rather hard to come by. What is more, there is usually a cap on how much you can win from them, which is always stated in the bonus T&Cs.
Refer-a-Friend Bonus
Casinos are struggling for exposure and know well the power of word of mouth. That is why you can often come across venues offering referral bonuses. There are usually certain requirements in a place like the referred player having to make a certain number of deposits. Once the requirements are met you will get the bonus credited as cash with no further requirements. What is more, if you have a friend who is serious about online gaming, you can simply share the bonus or try to beat the house with it.
High-roller Bonus
If you like high stakes, you can expect some special on the casino’s end. As a high roller – a player with a bankroll of about €500, you may get access to exclusive events or live tables. The venues’ criteria of a high roller however often vary and you are normally published on the casino’s T&Cs.
