One of the perks of playing at online casinos comes in the form of bonuses. You could visit a local land-based casino and have a great time, or you can play very similar games online and benefit from having your bank roll boosted by claiming bonuses.Ryan's Thoughts"Bonuses are one of the biggest advantages online casino have over land-based casinos. Online casinos regularly update their promotions and are far more likely to reward their players for loyalty, consistency and signing up than land-based casinos. "
These come in various forms, including match bonuses, free spins, loyalty offers, refer-a-friend rewards and many others (as explored below). Most casinos typically use bonuses to not only attract players to join them, but as a means of rewarding their loyalty.
This is a very broad topic but in this article we have condensed the most important information about bonuses. Read on to learn about:
- Where to find the best bonuses
- The types of bonuses, their benefits, and how to use them;
- Information about some unusual offers such as “second chance bonuses” ;
- Frequently asked questions about wagering requirements and other bonus rules.
The Best Casino Bonuses Based On Type
Finding the Best Bonuses
Finding the best bonuses on your own can be challenging and often times confusing. That is why we have a team of full-time experts who maintain a database of all the best bonuses. We keep adding new bonuses almost daily, and capture their fine print in a way that is easy to understand.
It can be frustrating and tedious for players to go through the lengthy terms and conditions that are attached to each bonus offer. That is why we have decided to simplify things for you by condensing the information and highlighting the key terms and conditions of each bonus.
- Details on wagering requirements and how much you need to play with the bonus to release your winnings;
- Cashout restrictions, which may involve a maximum you can win with the bonus or incremental limits on how much you can cash out per day, month or year;
- Permitted games and how they contribute towards bonus clearance;
- Conditional wagers – where there are restrictions attached such as limits on how much you can wager.
Sign Up Bonus Types
Here is a list of some of the most common types of bonuses offers:
No Deposit Bonus
These are usually free money bonuses or free spins that are credited to a new player’s account when the sign-up process is completed. These bonus credits typically have a cashout restriction of around £50, sometimes more. They have high wagering requirements, since it’s the casinos money after all. The free bonuses allow players the opportunity to experience the casino and test a number of their games for free.
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First Deposit Bonus
This is a match bonus given away as a percentage on a player's first deposit amount. For example, Roxy Palace Casino offers a first deposit bonus of 100 percent matching the initial amount deposited with a cap set at £350.
Composite Match Bonus
A composite bonus is usually a guaranteed bonus that is generally distributed over several initial deposits. For instance, Betway casino offers a bonus of 100 percent on the first deposit with a max of £250, 25 percent on the second bonus with a max of £250 and 50 percent on the third deposit with a max of £500.
Free Spins with No Deposit Required
Some casinos offer a no deposit bonus in the form of free spins. 21 Casino is one such casino that provides new players with 21 free spins with no deposit required.
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Deposit Bonus with Free Spins
This is a match bonus that also includes free spins on featured slots. Thrills Casino is one such casino that provides this bonus. This online casino has a new player welcome package that includes €400 plus 20 free spins.
Free Play Bonuses
These are no deposit bonuses that are “sticky” in nature. Players are given a brief time span within which they must use these bonuses and win as many prizes as possible. Players can retain their winnings up to a specific amount, but in order to withdraw them, they have to satisfy the wagering requirements. 888 Casino is one such casino that currently offers £888 in free play bonuses.
Refer-a-friend Bonus
Players who refer friends to the online casino will receive a bonus as soon as they sign up and make a deposit.
Other Types Of Casino Bonuses
In addition to the above, casinos may also offer the following type of bonuses:
- Loyalty Bonuses: These are given away to players who have achieved a particular level in the loyalty scheme.
- Birthday Bonuses: Some casinos reward players with bonuses on their birthday.
- Anniversary Bonuses: Designed to make loyal players feel special, anniversary bonuses are given away to celebrate the fact that players have completed one year at the online casino.
- Payment Method Bonuses: Some players choose to use alternative payment methods to make their deposits and there are some casinos that recognize this and reward players with unique bonuses.
Needless to say, all types of casino bonuses come with terms and conditions, which include wagering requirements. In order to avoid disappointment in the future, players have to read the fine print thoroughly. There are a few casinos that offer wager-free bonuses, which are bonuses that do not have any wagering requirements, but these are few and far between.
Unusual Casino Bonuses
Some casinos offer unusual casino bonuses in order to differentiate themselves from their competitors and attract more players. We look at two unusual casino bonuses below:
- Second Chance Bonuses: Royal Panda Casino allows players to start playing with their real cash deposits initially instead of their free bonuses. This allows players to cashout immediately instead of having to meet wagering requirements that are usually attached to free no deposit bonuses. 10bet Casino and Leo Vegas are some of the other online casinos that offer similar bonuses.
- Deposit For Free Spins: There are some casinos who give out free spins as bonuses instead of free money. Freespins Casino is one such casino that provides players with free spins on their first deposit. The online casino currently provides a 400 percent Free Spins welcome bonus on monster, regular or super spins.
Casino Bonus FAQ – All Your Questions Answered
When a player uses a bonus from an online casino, they need to understand the wagering requirements attached to the bonus. Unless, or until, players fulfil the wagering requirements attached to the specific bonus, they will not be able to withdraw their winnings.
If you take the wagering requirements attached to the 32red Casino, if a player deposits £10, they will have to play through the bonus amount 30 times i.e. £10 x 30 = £300 before they are eligible to withdraw their winnings.
Yes, free spins usually have wagering requirements. Free spins winnings are regarded as bonus money and must be utilized by the specified deadline before players can withdraw them. However, there are a few online casinos such as Guts Casino and Thrills casino that offer free spins with no wagering conditions attached.
Some online casinos offer a certain number of free spins on featured slots along with their deposit match bonuses. These are called free spins with deposit bonuses. The free spins winnings are considered to be bonus money and must be cleared before they can be withdrawn.
The simple truth is that no bonus is absolutely free even if a casino calls it “free cash” or “free bonus.” No deposit bonuses are small gifts of cash or free spins. Most of the time, they are sticky bonuses, but players can withdraw the winnings after making a deposit and satisfying the wagering requirements.
A fair wagering requirement is one that is not completely one sided and in favour of the online casino. An online casino that offers players a wagering requirement around 50 times the bonus amount or 60 percent is usually considered a fair wagering requirement. Wagering requirements that require a higher percentage can be considered very one sided.
If a player attempts to withdraw their funds without meeting the wagering requirements, they can end up losing their deposit and even have their accounts locked.
Online casinos keep a close watch on betting systems and do not allow players to use them. If a player is found to be using a betting system, their account is suspended rather quickly.
We believe there are other ways in which a player can speed up the process of meeting their wagering requirements. We list a few of them below.
- Select the bonus offer with care. Read the terms and conditions carefully and make sure that its wagering requirements are reasonable.
- Get the biggest possible bonus by making large deposits.
- Start clearing your bonus immediately.
- Select the slot with the highest RTP % (Return to Player).
- Don't request a cashout before satisfying the wagering requirements or else you'll forfeit your bonus (and possibly even your deposit and winnings).
You can forfeit or surrender your bonus only before you have started using it to play real money casino games. To forfeit or surrender a bonus, players should visit their account page, click on the "Active Bonuses" option, and then hit the "Forfeit" button.
A bonus code is a combination of letters and numbers that let casinos identify a bonus offer in cases where they offer multiple bonuses. If a player signs up through an affiliate link, they have to enter the bonus code provided by the affiliate so that the casino comes to know the identity of the affiliate site that has referred the player.