A Guide to Casino Bonuses

One of the reasons why more and more people want to play their favorite casino games at online casinos is the fact that these sites feature great bonus offers. There are literally all kinds of bonuses present in these casinos – from classic matching deposit bonuses to free spins. In order to get the most from these casino bonuses, you have to learn more about them. Just because a casino site has a bonus that features high figures, it doesn’t mean that you are looking at the best offer. That’s why we have created this guide to casino bonuses where you can find information that will help you make sound decisions in the future.

In this article:

The importance of Terms and Conditions and why reading T&Cs is a must

Let’s be honest, if you are like most new players interested in joining, then you probably don’t want to spend a second reading the terms. All you want to do is to become a registered player, make a deposit and start playing as fast as you can. Obviously, this will save you some time, but a move like this can cost you a lot in the future.

casino promotional terms and conditionsFirst of all, let’s start by saying that not every online casino has the same Terms and Conditions. This means that even if you have read the T&Cs of one casino site, this doesn’t mean that you know what to expect from another site like that. In addition, while it’s true that most players don’t read the terms, it’s also true that there are some casino sites that try to hide these out for players. Obviously, there’s a good reason why they do this – they are trying to trick players.

One of the most important things about T&Cs is to check the wagering requirements. Almost every online casino has wagering requirements attached to their bonuses. This makes perfect sense because if it wasn’t for these requirements, players could cash out right after they get the bonus even without trying the games. That’s obviously not the reason why casinos have these bonuses in the first place. To be more precise, online casinos are using these bonuses to market their sites and help players understand what they can expect at the site if they are playing on a regular basis.

These wagering requirements or play-through requirements as some people call them are linked to a specific number of times that players have to place the bonus amount (in some cases the deposit amount too) in order to withdraw their winnings. To be more precise, if the wagering requirement is 20 times and you have received a bonus of $100, you will have to place bets worth $2,000 to meet the requirements. But, it’s not just these requirements that are important. You also have to check the deposit and withdrawal methods and how they work, self-exclusion options and more.

ask casino livechatWhat’s best in situations like this is to read the T&Cs and confirm them with a live chat agent. The good news is that most online casinos have a live chat feature that’s available 24/7 so you don’t have to wait for too long to get a confirmation. There are situations where players are not sure whether they have met the wagering requirements or not and they want to withdraw their earnings. If you find yourself in a situation like this, it’s the best idea to get in touch with the customer service team of the casino website you are using. Remember that activities like this will take just a few minutes and they will help you understand what you can expect from your casino. Many players can confirm that they would have avoided some online casinos if they would have read the terms first.

Just a final note, players will often see separately “terms and conditions” and “promotional terms and conditions”. The first is more about the casino and which countries are not allowed to join whereas the promotional terms and conditions are very specific about the wagering requirements and this is what players should be looking for.

Bonus hunting

Back in the day, people who were looking for a way to make money easily were practicing so-called casino bonus hunting. Simply put, they were trying to take advantage of generous bonus offers from casinos. These players were analyzing the T&Cs and looking for holes in these terms in order to meet the requirements without risking their own money or by minimizing the risk. There are still many players that do this. However, experts are warning players that this is not just a waste of time, but it can be a waste of money, too.

bonuses casino bonus hunters search forFor starters, online casinos look down upon this practice. This means that casino sites might strip your bonuses or special deals if they suspect that you are abusing their offer. But, that’s not the worst part. Some online casinos have started banning players who are involved in bonus hunting without any warnings. If these things are not enough for you as a player to look for other ways to earn money in online casinos, we should also mention that an activity like this is becoming more difficult than ever. There are a few measures that the majority of online casinos have taken to crack down this practice.

To prevent bonus hunting, many casino websites have started offering sticky bonuses. We are talking about bonuses that can be bet but cannot be withdrawn. Let’s take an example to explain how these bonuses work. There are casinos that offer a sticky bonus of 100% up to $200. In case you accept this sticky bonus, you will have $400 in your account. However, just $200 is yours and the other $200 belongs to the site. Think of this as borrowing money from the casino website. So, you can win money with the bonus, but you can’t withdraw the bonus itself. Once again, you will have to meet certain wagering requirements to withdraw money.

We should also point out that there are online casinos that have extended their lists of games that are not contributing to the wagering requirements. In the past, many players were playing games like video poker, roulette and blackjack to meet the wagering requirements as fast as they can. But, the situation is different today, as almost all casinos have either removed these games from the lists or these games are contributing with just 5% or 10% to the requirements. In many cases, the only game that you can play to get a chance to cash out your bonus is slots. Winning at slots is not that easy.

Finally, look at the history of wagering requirements. About 15 years ago, there were many online casinos where the bonus wagering requirements were 10x or 20x or even less. Nowadays, we have a completely different situation. It’s almost impossible to find casinos with terms like that. Most of them have 30x, 40x, or even 60x wagering requirements. In addition, you have to use the bonus within a specific period of time (less than 30 days or in some cases less than a week). According to many experts, the wagering requirements will keep growing in the near future. This makes sense because more and more people are joining online casinos, and these sites just don’t need special promotions with simple terms to attract players anymore. So, if you are thinking about taking advantage of casino bonuses, think twice before you do something like that.

Poker Bonuses

Just a quick note on poker bonuses. They are very different than casino bonuses where you have to clear a set amount of rake before you can withdraw or be able to receive the bonus itself. Just like casino bonuses, players should always read the terms and conditions carefully of poker bonuses. You can always find a complete list of poker rooms on this site.

Categories of bonuses

If you want to maximize the benefits of using casino bonuses, it’s important to understand the different categories of bonuses. It turns out that online casinos can be quite innovative when it comes to bonuses. They are doing their best to include attractive bonuses that will keep their regular players and attract new players. Now let’s check out some of these bonuses that are worth mentioning.

Free spins

free spins casino example

Many casinos offer some form of a free spins bonus

Free spin bonuses are specially designed online casino deals that can be used on slot games. In many cases, they are linked to specific online slots like new slot games or popular slots. Not all of these free spins bonuses are the same, but they are very similar. As a player that has used a bonus like this, you will be able to play for free and the winnings you get can be withdrawn, but only if you meet the wagering requirements. Typically, you have to play with the money you’ve won for a certain number of times (10, 20, 30, etc.). What’s interesting about these bonuses is that they usually have slightly easier requirements compared to other bonuses. Free spins bonuses are usually offered to new players, but it’s not unusual for regular players to get deals like this for placing new deposits or for reaching a new level at the site’s VIP program for example.

No deposit bonuses

This is definitely one of the most desired types of casino bonuses today, but it’s also becoming one of the rarest forms of bonuses. Most of these deals are available to new players interested in joining a casino site. They are literally free cash that players receive simply by signing up. There is no need to make a deposit (invest your own money) to get a bonus like this, hence the name. Obviously, this is a type of marketing tool that has excellent effects.

But, just like in the case of regular deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses come with wagering requirements. It would be just too much to get a chance to withdraw this free cash right away once you join a casino website. Some online casinos in the 1990s had options like this, but they were forced to stop giving away no deposit bonuses without wagering requirements because many people were coming to the site just to get paid without trying any of the games found in the casino. While we are still discussing the wagering requirements, it’s good to mention that players should expect more difficult requirements here. Many of these bonuses have to be wagered 50x, 60x or more before players have a chance to withdraw their earnings. Besides that, they also have to wager this money in a short period of time – just a few days. Before using a no deposit bonus, it’s crucial to read these rules.

Exclusive bonuses

As the name suggests, we are talking about bonuses that are not available to all players. They are usually given to players who have established a special relationship with the casino site. Players can get these bonuses from affiliate websites that work out a deal with the marketing departments of the casinos they are interested in.

Remember that these are just some of the categories of bonuses you can find in online casinos today. Other popular offers include reload bonuses, payment method bonuses, high roller bonuses, refer a friend bonus, and special welcome bonuses.

Tournaments

Of course, we can’t say that tournaments are a form of casino bonus, but players can benefit a lot by participating in tournaments organized by online casinos. To join a tournament, you will probably have to pay a certain fee. However, with some luck and knowledge, you will be able to make profit. There are many benefits to competing at events like this.

For example, the majority of these tournaments have big prize pots that are available to the best (luckiest) players. You don’t need special skills to win these prize pots when you are using slots tournaments for example. Of course, playing at poker tournaments is something else. We should also highlight the fact that many casinos that offer tournaments provide freerolls too. This means that you can enter a tournament with no real money and have an opportunity to win cash. This is obviously a good option for those who don’t want to risk their money to win at casinos.

Bitstarz slots tournamentBut it’s not just the bonuses that make casino tournaments attractive. Online casinos usually have chat features that allow players to communicate with each other making the gaming experience more memorable and enjoyable. Some of them have live tournaments with real dealers that create an exciting atmosphere. If you have a chance, choose tournaments where you can see the experience of other players. This is a good way to enter a tournament and have equal chances of winning like the rest of the players.

Bitcoin bonuses

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that has emerged over a decade ago. However, most people were not aware of its existence until a couple of years ago when the value of this digital currency has started increasing incredibly fast. As a result of that, many online businesses (and even some land-based businesses) have started accepting Bitcoin as a payment method. Obviously, online casinos are not an exception.

There are dozens of online casinos where you can use Bitcoin to place deposits or get paid. As a matter of fact, there are specially designed Bitcoin casinos out there. At these casino websites, players can use Bitcoin only or in some cases Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, TRON, Litecoin, and Dogecoin. Needless to say, you have “regular” online casinos where you can use fiat currencies and cryptocurrencies at the same time. More and more players are using this payment method on casino sites today because Bitcoin brings many benefits like anonymity, no fees, safety and of course – bonuses. The only downside here is that Bitcoin is a volatile currency. It’s not unusual for this currency to change its value for a double-digit percentage in less than 24 hours.

When we take a closer look at the bonus offers that involve Bitcoin payments, we will notice that these offers are usually better than the ones offered to players that want to use traditional currencies. Generally speaking, you can expect similar terms like the ones used in regular bonuses. In most cases, we are talking about welcome bonus offers focused on Bitcoin. Typically, players can choose between a regular welcome offer and a Bitcoin welcome offer which is usually higher. The wagering requirements are the same. According to many experts, this is one of the fastest-growing parts of bonuses today. So, if you own a Bitcoin wallet, you should definitely consider using Bitcoin bonuses at online casinos.

Cashback bonuses

Here’s another example of casino bonuses that are becoming more popular. The fact is that if you play games at these sites, you will eventually lose money. This is perfectly natural because playing these games is all about taking risks to get a chance to win more money. But, even if you are out of luck and you are experiencing a losing streak, you can still save some of your money if you use a casino cashback offers.

Cashback bonuses available at online casinos represent a popular type of bonuses that are linked to the net loss that players have endured while they were playing games for some time. The casino will calculate the loss and provide a specific percentage of the money you’ve lost in the form of bonus money.

Every casino website has a unique way of delivering this bonus, but in most cases, players will a cashback deal when they deposit a specific sum of money, place bets and lose these bets. Once this activity is over, the online casino will deliver a cashback bonus deal that will help you bring back some of your money. There are no specific terms and conditions that players should meet to get this bonus.

It’s obvious that casinos have created offers like this to keep players satisfied even the players that are not winning. On the other hand, players that will get some of their cash back will use this money to place new bets and get more chances to win without investing more of their money.

As mentioned before, casino websites have a different approach when it comes to calculating the losses. These are online casinos that are conducting this activity every day. There are also sites that are conducting this activity weekly or monthly. It’s also good to know that in most cases, the cashback bonus is not linked to all casino games. You should read carefully about the games that are covered with this offer in case you are planning on using it. The cashback percentage offered by most online casinos usually goes between 5% and 30%. Sometimes, these offers are part of a VIP program created for the most loyal players. The higher the level you reach that program, the higher percentage in the cashback deal you can expect.

Even though cashback bonuses are another type of casino bonus, the truth is that they are unique and nothing like other casino bonuses. One of the things that make them different is the absence of wagering requirements. The casino won’t force you to play, so it can release your money. The money from this bonus is sent directly to the player’s account upon their request or automatically. Once they are transferred, they will become part of your regular balance.

Another thing that makes cashback bonuses special is that players are not looking forward to these bonuses; at least not before they start playing. However, when they start losing money, they will definitely check the options they have to cover some of the losses for free. To get the most out of this bonus, check the deal carefully and focus on the games that can contribute to this bonus. Another bonus that is similar to a cashback offer that rewards loyalty is the reload bonus but is just as rare as a cashback offer.

Final thoughts

When players are evaluating online casinos, they should definitely take the casino bonus offer at these casinos in mind. There’s no doubt that casino bonuses are a great way to increase your balance with funds that you can use on all types of casino games. Something like this will improve your gaming experience.

Casino bonuses are promotional tools used by casino sites to attract players. They also use these offers to keep their current players satisfied. On the other hand, most knowledgeable players can benefit greatly from these bonuses. By learning more about the bonus offer they are about to take, they will get a chance to win big without risking their own money. That’s why it’s a smart move to take some time and read all the terms and conditions associated with the bonus before actually using it. We hope that this casino bonus guide will help you with this task.

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