Understanding Wagering Requirements in Online Casino Bonuses
Online casinos offer all sorts of bonuses – with the promise of offering a better gaming experience. However, although these bonuses can look very impressive, they will all come with specific terms and conditions – including wagering requirements, which can make or break the bonus. That’s why understanding wagering requirements is essential if you want to make the most of your online casino bonuses.
So here, we’ll look at exactly what wagering requirements are, how they work, and how you can navigate your way through them safely!
What Are Wagering Requirements?
Wagering requirements, sometimes referred to as playthrough or rollover requirements, are conditions that are imposed by casinos on most of their bonuses. These requirements stipulate how much money of their own money they have to wager before they can withdraw their bonus money and any winnings they get from the bonus. They are usually expressed as a multiple of the bonus amount or the total of the bonus plus the qualifying deposit.
So, for example, if you claim a £100 bonus that comes with a 30x wagering requirement, you will need to wager a total of £3,000 (£100 bonus x 30) before you can cash out your winnings.
How Do Wagering Requirements Work?
To fulfil wagering requirements, you will need to play eligible casino games as specified in the T&Cs with real money. Generally, different games will contribute differently towards wagering requirements. Slots normally contribute 100%, while table games like blackjack or roulette might contribute 20%, 10% or sometimes even nothing at all.
This means that for every £1 you wager on slots, the whole £1 will count towards fulfilling the wagering requirements. However, for table games, your contribution may be just £0.20, £0.10 or even nothing at all.
So, let’s take a closer look at an example:
- You receive a £100 bonus with 30x wagering requirements.
- You decide to play slots that contribute 100%.
- For every £1 you bet on a slot, the £1 will count towards your wagering requirements so you will need to wager £3,000 in total to meet the requirements (£100 bonus x 30).
- However, if you choose to play blackjack, which contributes only 10%, you would need to wager £30,000 (£100 bonus x 30 x 10) to meet the same requirements – ouch!
Why Do Casinos Impose Wagering Requirements?
There are several reasons that casinos impose wagering requirements…
- To Mitigate Risks Casinos don’t want players to just claim a bonus and immediately withdraw it as profit. By adding wagering requirements, players are more likely to keep playing and potentially lose some of their bonus, thus mitigating the casino’s risk.
- Encourage Play: By offering bonuses with wagering requirements, casinos are encouraging players to try out their games and hopefully play more. This increased playtime can end up leading to more wins – for both the players and casinos.
- Competitive Edge: Casinos use bonuses to attract players and compete with other online online casinos. The higher the bonus amount, the more attractive it seems, – even if the associated wagering requirements are tough. The wagering requirements allow the casinos to offer bigger-looking bonuses.
- Make a Profit: Casinos are businesses – and they want to make a profit. Wagering requirements can bring casinos decent profits in the long run.
How to Navigate Wagering Requirements
So, how do you successfully navigate your way around casino bonus wagering requirements?
Firstly, make sure you always read and understand the terms and conditions associated with a bonus. Pay close attention to the wagering requirements, game contributions, and any time limits. Never claim a bonus without knowing exactly what’s involved with it.
You also need to pick your bonus wisely. Choose those bonuses that work with your gaming preferences and your budget. If you prefer slots, choose bonuses with a higher game contribution for slots. It’s also worth being aware that higher bonuses often come with higher wagering requirements.
Once you are working towards fulfilling those wagering requirements, keep track. Make sure you keep a record of your wagers so that you can track your progress towards meeting the wagering requirements. Some casinos have a progress bar or so you can see where you are.
Its also important to be aware of any time limits associated with the bonus. Plan your gameplay so that you are confident that you’ll be able to meet the requirements within the specified timeframe.
Remember, if you do have questions or need something to be clarified about wagering requirements, then you can contact customer support.
Ultimately, you need to be wise and be patient. Meeting wagering requirements can take quite a bit of time as sometimes you have to bet thousands… and there’s no guaranteed outcome. Forget the wins, just enjoy your gameplay, and see the bonuses as an extra opportunity to keep playing rather than a guaranteed free money.
Wagering requirements are an integral part of online casino bonuses..l and you need to go into them with your eyes wide open. Remember that the main thing about casino bonuses should be to enjoy them and have fun – and the additional winnings you might get from them are just an added… bonus!
