Casino bonus wagering requirements aren’t fun. Most players don’t like them, but that doesn’t mean we don’t understand why casinos use them. A typical casino bonus boosts your balance, facilitating extended gameplay and aiding you in winning. However, this great bounty doesn’t come free. To ensure that you can’t play for free and walk away with the casino’s money, operators implement wagering requirements.
It is crucial to understand how casino wagering requirements work to identify the best bonuses and take advantage of them. Doing so enables you to maximise your winnings and withdraw your winnings rapidly, as we’ll explain in this Go Spin blog.
What Are Casino Bonus Wagering Requirements?
A wagering requirement means you must bet your bonus amount 20 times before withdrawing any winnings. It ensures fair play and bonus use.
Casino wagering requirements essentially dictate that you must wager whatever cash bonus you receive (or the amount you win) several times before withdrawals are permitted. Here are two examples:
- If you claim a bonus worth $100, which has 30x wagering requirements, you must wager $3,000 (30x $100) before withdrawing.
- If you claim 10 free spins with wagering requirements of 10x and win $50, you must wager $500 (10x $50) before withdrawing.
Some operators also add the amount you deposit into the equation, meaning you’ll wager 35x (for example) the total sum of your bonus and deposit. It varies from casino to casino. Wagering requirements apply to most bonuses, even cashback offers, loyalty rewards and other deals.
How Wagering Requirements Impact Withdrawals
Before you can withdraw winnings from bonuses, you’ll need to learn how to clear casino bonuses and their wagering requirements. Failing to do so means your withdrawal is frozen until you clear them. Also known as playthrough or rollover rates, you’ll clear wagering requirements by betting on games.
Not all games weigh equally when doing this. For instance, a $1 bet on slots will often see $1 erased from your wagering requirements. However, a $1 bet on blackjack may only knock $0.50 off, as wager contributions on the game are 50%. You’ll find different wagering contributions in place for different games and not checking these beforehand is a common pitfall you’ll want to avoid.
Strategies to Meet Wagering Requirements Faster
The best way to turn a bonus into real cash is to stick to tried and tested strategies. Go Spin’s experts have four red hot tips for you to take to the bank and ensure that you’ll clear wagering requirements faster. Here’s our advice:
- Choose casino bonuses with low wagering requirements in the first place. We’d stick to 40x or lower with cash bonuses and 30x or lower on free spin/cashback deals. No deposit bonuses should have wagering requirements of 25x or lower.
- Only play games that have high contribution rates. For instance, this means choosing to play slots rather than table games, since each slot bet counts 100% towards clearing the requirements.
- Manage your bankroll effectively to prolong gameplay. If you know you need to clear playthrough rates, then stick to low-value bets and play low-variance games. This will keep you betting for an extended period, allowing you to clear wagering requirements more quickly.
- Some gambling games may not count towards wagering requirements at all, and in many cases, bonus funds won’t count either. Avoid playing restricted games or wagering with bonus funds (from another offer), as they won’t count and you may just end up increasing your wagering requirements.
Best Casino Bonuses with Low or No Wagering Requirements
While the best low-wagering promotions are well worth exploring, there is an even better offer to consider – wager-free bonuses. These are promos and bonuses that don’t feature wagering requirements at all. Naturally, sites with these deals are the easiest online casinos to meet wagering requirements, since you won’t have to do so at all. Admittedly, the number of wager-free bonuses at casinos is limited.
The best way to spot casinos with bonuses featuring fair wagering requirements is to check the T&Cs associated with them. Top casinos will be fair and transparent with this. Explore their offers’ terms and conditions and look specifically for bonus wagering requirements. Calculate what you’ll have to bet to clear wagering conditions before you snap up bonuses. This should tell whether the offers are fair or not.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Bagging Casino Bonuses
Finally, let’s touch on a few of the most common mistakes you’ll want to avoid when claiming casino bonuses. Don’t make these mistakes when snapping up deals:
- Ignoring bonus T&Cs will likely lead to you claiming unfair bonuses and finding yourself stuck with excessive requirements.
- Playing excluded games won’t help you clear wagering requirements at all.
- Withdrawing before completing wagering requirements is a waste of time, as the casino will simply refuse to process your transaction.
- Using multiple bonuses without clearing previous ones will soon see your cumulative wagering requirements add up. You’ll clear one set of casino bonus wagering requirements, only to discover that another is hindering your withdrawal.
FAQ
Can I withdraw my winnings without meeting wagering requirements?
No. While there are exceptions for wager-free bonuses, you’ll always need to clear playthrough rates to withdraw or get the casino to cancel your bonus. If you choose the latter, you’ll forfeit any winnings earned through the bonus.
Which games help to clear wagering requirements the fastest?
In a word – slots. Wagers on most (albeit not all) slot games count 100% towards clearing wagering requirements. Stick to low-variance slots and low-value stakes to clear them rapidly.
Are wagering requirements the same for all casinos?
Absolutely not. While most casinos try to stick to an industry standard, or thereabouts, each operator is free to apply whatever wagering requirements they see fit to their bonuses. Of course, the higher they are, the more unfair the bonus will be.
How do cashback bonuses work in relation to wagering?
Cashback bonuses often have wagering requirements, too. However, because you’re playing with bonus funds, any bets made with cashback bonuses (unless they are wager-free) won’t count towards clearing playthrough rates.
Final Thoughts
Wagering requirements aren’t evil. We understand why casinos use them. Without wagering requirements, casino bonuses would likely dry up. There are plenty of top casino bonuses out there with reasonable wagering requirements that can boost your balance and help you win. Go Spin encourages you to claim reasonable offers, and the best way to do that is to consider all the terms and conditions associated with an offer before claiming it.
