Sample for the tone/style we can write in: Expert authority.
- 1200w
- expert and formal
- third-person
- UK English
- medium-KW
The biggest attraction of any online casino is its welcome bonus. This is a bonus given to those who sign up for a new account on the website. A welcome bonus (or package, if it’s spread over multiple deposits) gives you matched deposit bonuses and possibly also free spins. A lot of unsuspecting users compare the welcome bonuses of these platforms and get lured in by big numbers on flashy, neon-lit banners – only to be disappointed later.
Today’s article will serve as a handy guide to how to actually review welcome bonuses to compare online casinos, so you don’t waste your precious time and more importantly, money.
The Numbers
First and foremost, it’s a numbers game. More means better. If all else is the same, go with the bonus that offers bigger numbers.
- A matched deposit is the percentage of your deposit that the casino will match. A 100% matched deposit on a £100 deposit will mean £100 in bonus funds and £100 in cash balance (meaning you’ve doubled your deposit).
- Free spins are also bundled sometimes with welcome bonuses. They can be redeemed on slot games of the operator’s choice.
This was the simple stuff.
Wagering Requirements
This is the most important consideration. And it’s very likely that you already have a good idea about what this is. The minimum wagering requirement or playthrough requirement is the number of times you must wager an amount for it to be withdrawable.
Let’s say you deposit £100 and get £100. The £100 you get is the bonus fund, not the cash balance. That bonus fund is subject to a 30x wagering requirement, let’s say. What this means is that you must wager £100 x 30 = £3000 to convert any winnings from the bonus into a cash balance to be withdrawn.
The wagering requirement could be on the bonus funds only or on the combination of the deposit and the bonus funds (so £200 x 30 = £6000).
So, what if you don’t meet the wagering requirements? Anything in your cash balance is withdrawable at any time. When you deposit £100, this amount remains in your cash balance, and the bonus funds are separate from it. You can withdraw this at any time (any wagers will deduct money from your cash balance before the bonus). But if you do withdraw your cash balance without meeting the minimum wagering requirements while the welcome bonus is in play, your account will permanently forfeit the bonus.
Note that the wagered amount includes losses. So, a 30x wagering requirement of £3000 means you must play £3000 worth of spins, including all the losses.
A wagering requirement of up to 30x is considered low. Anywhere from 30x to 75x is moderate. Jackpot games might carry a wagering requirement as high as 200x.
Applicable Games
Not all bonuses are for all games. Typically, welcome bonuses are only for casino or slot games. Table games often don’t count. A lot of online casinos will offer separate welcome bonuses for slots, sports betting, esports betting, mini-games, and very rarely, table games or live dealers.
Read the terms and conditions in full to understand this better.
Most slot games count 100% toward meeting the minimum wagering requirement. Certain games, game categories, or game developers might contribute less or not at all. For example, an online casino can have a rule like all video slot games except for Blueprint Gaming ones contribute 100%, table games contribute 25%, and Blueprint Gaming games contribute 0% toward the wagering requirement.
So, all you play on a Blueprint Gaming title will not count toward your wagering requirement for the bonus funds. Finishing your wagering requirement ASAP is the #1 priority after activating a welcome bonus.
Casinos can also tie any free spins to low-RTP games or games that are just bad. If you’re comparing multiple welcome bonuses with free spins, see which game is better before you sign up.
Max Bets
When the welcome bonus is in play, the casino wants you not to exceed a particular bet size (often £5). Some games can go as much as £20 per spin. They can also lead to much bigger wins, and that would be bad for business. If you’re in the welcome bonus and spin for £10 every roll, any winnings can be confiscated.
Similar limits apply to free spins (if you receive 100 free spins, they cannot exceed the size of £2 per spin, for example) and sports betting welcome bonuses (you must bet on events with odds of 1.4 or higher, for example).
Special Rules for Big Wins
If you win big, the casino might take it as a red flag. After all, you just signed up. Even with clean gameplay, the casino might choose to confiscate the winnings, delay them perpetually, or just refuse to communicate at all. It’s not rare.
That’s why it’s important to only play at reputed online casinos that have been reviewed positively by known casino review platforms.
The casino can quote several things to withhold payments. So, make sure your account is in good standing:
- Don’t make a second account from the same IP address or with the same details.
- Don’t use a VPN if the casino forbids it in the terms, though it’s nearly impossible to determine if you’re using one (not one of those free browser extensions that are terribly unreliable).
- Making fractional bets, irregular bets, or deposits of different sizes can be a red flag.
- Don’t suddenly go all-in with your entire savings and then end up winning a big sum. This will almost always lead to a ban and confiscation.
Other Considerations
Before we end, here are a few other things to keep in mind:
- Accepted Deposit Methods: Sometimes, methods like Skrill and Neteller are accepted on the casino, but don’t qualify for the welcome bonus, meaning if you use them to make your first deposit, you have said goodbye to ever getting it.
- Promotional Terms: Read all promotional terms in detail before signing up. You might find an outlier, some kind of predatory or unfair clause, or a fact that renders the bonus unusable for you.
- Bonus Exclusivity: Generally, the welcome bonus doesn’t stack with anything else. If you get 20 no-deposit free spins, first use them before you get your welcome bonus. Similarly, if there are second- and third-deposit bonuses, first meet the wagering of the earlier bonus before moving on.
- Bonus Expiry/Duration: Each bonus expires at a particular time. Usually, a welcome bonus has an expiry time of 30 days, but this can vary from casino to casino.
- Maximum Limits: Casinos will almost certainly have an upper cap on how much you can get with the welcome bonus. They clearly advertise it as such: 150% matched deposit of up to £1000. You cannot get more than £1000, so it’s pointless to deposit more than £666 (150% of £666 = £1000).
- Currency: If your currency is not one of the “accepted currencies” or “official currencies” of the casino, an exchange rate will be applicable to any transaction. This is true for all deposits and withdrawals, not just those involving the welcome bonus.
