Wagering requirements explained and how they affect casino bonuses.
Contents:
- Understanding wagering requirements in online casinos
- How playthrough requirements work
- Understanding multipliers like 20x, 30x, and 40x
- Bonus amount vs deposit and bonus
- Example of a wagering requirement calculation
- Common types of bonus terms you should know
- Why some games contribute more than others
- Slot games and contribution rates
- Table games and reduced contribution
- Games that may not count at all
- Wagering requirements vs no-wagering bonuses
- How wagering requirements affect your chances of profit
- How to compare casino bonus offers
- Tips for clearing bonus requirements more efficiently
- Choosing games with high contribution rates
- Managing your bankroll carefully
- Avoiding high-variance strategies
- Frequently asked questions
- What are wagering requirements?
- What does 40x wagering mean?
- Do all casino games count toward wagering requirements?
- What is a no-wagering bonus?
- Are lower wagering requirements better?
When we talk about casino bonuses we also have to talk about wagering requirements and how they affect the value of a casino bonus. So first of all we need to explain wagering requirements and then we can also talk about what we have to consider. Wagering requirements are the formal rules of play which have to be fulfilled with the bonus given in order to unlock the winnings which have been earned with the bonus given. So these are the rules for the bonus given, which have to be met in order to receive money from the bonus given. They affect the value of a promotion because of the built-in house edge in the games of chance which we play.
Understanding wagering requirements in online casinos
There are formal rules that apply to the money you were given as a promotional offer and these are the wagering requirements at online casinos. The purpose of wagering requirements is to prevent you from withdrawing the free cash that you were given as part of a casino promotion immediately after you have added it to your account.. To unlock the winnings that you have made with the promotional cash, you must spend the promotional funds on games at the online casino and you must do so within a set timeframe.
To better understand the requirements to unlock and withdraw your winnings, the wagering requirements for your casino bonus need to be explained and how they affect the value of your casino bonus. Wagering requirements for online casinos are the number of times that the bonus funds and the player’s deposit need to be wagered, before any withdrawals can be made. The purpose of wagering requirements is to prevent people from instantly withdrawing their free money. Players are expected to use their promotional funds to place wagers on real games at the online casino and therefore be subject to the average house edge of the game(s) they play, within a specified time period. Once the required number of wagers has been placed on the casino bonus funds, any winnings from those bets can be withdrawn from the player’s account.. The only amount that can be withdrawn from the account., after meeting the terms and conditions of the online casino bonus, is the amount that is in excess of the initial deposit. For example, a player makes a $100 deposit and is awarded a $100 bonus. Once the 20x wagering requirements have been completed on a $200 balance, the player can withdraw $200 – $100 = $100.
How playthrough requirements work
To work out how much you need to wager to clear a bonus, you need to take the bonus amount plus your initial deposit, and then multiply that by the wagering requirement. For example, if a casino offers a 100% up to $100 bonus, with a 15x wagering requirement on the combined sum of your deposit and bonus, then you would need to place a total of $3,000 in wagers to clear your bonus winnings. This is calculated as 15 x $200 (the combined sum of your deposit and bonus).
Understanding multipliers like 20x, 30x, and 40x
A 20x wagering requirement on a $10 bonus would mean the player has to spend $200 in order to withdraw the bonus and any winnings. A 30x wagering requirement on a £100 bonus would mean the player has to spend £3,000 in order to withdraw the bonus and any winnings. A 40x wagering requirement on a £100 bonus would mean the player has to spend £4,000 in order to withdraw the bonus and any winnings.
Bonus amount vs deposit and bonus
Rules and requirements apply to the bonus funds only or to bonus funds + player funds. In case of “bonus funds only” (bonus money) 20-times playthrough requirement applies only to the amount of promotional money awarded as a bonus. In case of “bonus + deposit” (your money + bonus money) 20-times playthrough requirement applies to the sum of initial deposit and bonus awarded. Thus, for a match-up bonus with 100% match-up amount (i.e. a 100% match-up bonus where you get back the amount of your initial deposit as a bonus), 20 times 100% match-up amount equals 20 times the amount of initial deposit required to activate the match-up bonus in the first place.
Example of a wagering requirement calculation
In this example, a 100% up to $100 bonus was granted on a $100 deposit. The 15x playthrough requirement would therefore be 15 x $200 = $3,000 in total wagers.
Common types of bonus terms you should know
Key Terms You Need to Know to Clear Promotions.
- promo funds: A term used by casino software providers to describe those parts of your real money + bonus balance which are funded with promo funds on which wagering requirements will apply.
- Eligible Activities: These are the specific games where wagering on your promo funds will count towards your terms and conditions for the promotion.
- Maximum Bet: The largest amount of money that you can play in one go to contribute to your playthrough requirement.
- Time Limits: This refers to the amount of time in days from the time that the bonus was activated that you have to meet the wagering requirements of the offer. Typical timeframes for these types of conditions are 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, 30 days. If you do not complete the wagering requirements within the allotted time then any outstanding funds from the offer will be forfeited and you will no longer be able to withdraw the funds from your account.
See also: What does volatility mean in slots? Tips for choosing the right game
Why some games contribute more than others
Games have different risk profiles, and therefore are assigned a different contribution towards the wagering requirements. Games of low risk (i.e. low house edge) have a lower contribution towards the wagering requirements than games of high risk (i.e. high house edge). This means that in order to clear the same amount of required wagering conditions in games of low risk, the player will have to place a larger number of wagers than in games of high risk (more typical for slots).
Slot games and contribution rates
100% contribution rate on most modern video slot games. That means that 100% of the amount you play with will count towards the total required wagers to clear a promotional offer. An example would be a $100 deposit plus a 100% match-up to $100 for a total of $200. Then 15 times $200 is $3,000. So in this case you would have to place $3,000 in wagers to clear the promotional amount for withdrawal.
Table games and reduced contribution
On the other hand, games such as Blackjack and Roulette have a contribution of 20% towards the wagering requirements as they have a low house edge. This means that for each $1 staked, $0.20 of the promotion will be cleared. Consequently, a player will need 5 times longer to complete the same rollover requirements when playing such games compared to high-variance video slots. Not to mention that players would also incur higher losses in the long run with such games as well.
Games that may not count at all
There are, however, certain games which do not contribute at all towards the wagering requirements. In most cases these are games that offer low house edges, games of skill or games with unusual rules of play. Some examples of these types of games are craps, most versions of video poker and even some of the casino skill games that can be found in download casinos and some online casinos. In the terms and conditions of a no-deposit bonus or a casino promotion, these games are often listed by name and it will be stated that they do not count towards the bonus terms and conditions.
Wagering requirements vs no-wagering bonuses
There are two different types of bonus offers that are provided to players by online casinos, wagering offers and No-wagering offers.
| Feature | Standard wagering offer | No-wagering offer |
| Withdrawal | Locked until multiplier is fully met | Winnings are instantly withdrawable as cash |
| Betting Volume | 1x to 40x+ the specified base value | None required after the initial spins/bets |
| Game Restrictions | Strict contribution percentages and banned games | Fewer restrictions, but capped games |
| Risk Level | High house edge exposure over time | Minimal risk to initial deposit |
How wagering requirements affect your chances of profit
A higher multiplier means more spins and thus higher exposure to the casino’s house edge over time. A lower target amount on the other hand means fewer spins in total, thus allowing you to keep more of your deposit as cash.
How to compare casino bonus offers
A correct comparison can only be made by comparing the actual value of the multipliers declared for the respective offers in question. This means that one has to ask the question if the declared multipliers are only for the value of the free spins/promotion itself or if they also include the value of the player’s initial deposit. Furthermore, one has to ask for the given timeframe for the respective rollover in question, the maximum bet amounts in question, as well as the list of games which are allowed for the rollover in question.
See also: How to win at the casino with $20: Smart tips for small budgets
Tips for clearing bonus requirements more efficiently
However, it is very important to be able to play in a mathematically efficient way in order to be able to win money with promos. In this way, you are able to convert locked funds such as bonus money into withdrawable cash more efficiently. To this end, you should avoid playing mistakes more than anything else, since the latter could cost you more money than you can afford to lose with the amount of your deposit.
Choosing games with high contribution rates
Play only games that 100% count towards the wagering conditions. This means that you should only play slot machines. Also, read the terms and conditions before you play for bonus money, so you know which games are excluded.
Managing your bankroll carefully
Manage your bankroll in a manner that sees you playing with small amounts of cash regularly. In this manner you shall go a long time at online casinos and hopefully not experience too much variance with the losses you encounter along the way and you will be able to play within set limits as well.
Avoiding high-variance strategies
Avoid high-variance games like jackpot slot games as the risk to your funds is just too high and can get depleted in a very short space of time. Instead opt for moderate- to low-variance games with high RTP (Return to Player) like our recommended Slots in our Slots Guide. These types of games will help you last longer and reach your withdrawal amount.
Frequently asked questions
What are wagering requirements?
Wagering requirements for bonuses at online casinos are terms and conditions of the casino that have to be fulfilled by players in order to withdraw funds from their casino account. that were won with bonus money. These wagering requirements are put into place in order to give the online casino time to gain from the player’s activity. The terms are in place to prevent players from immediately withdrawing their bonus funds and are typically used to encourage players to play games within the casino.
What does 40x wagering mean?
The above example will help to make this clearer. A 40x wagering requirement on a £50 bonus would mean that the player would have to place the full £50 bonus amount 40 times, in order to withdraw the £50 as real money. This would mean that the player would have to place a total of £2,000 in wagers in order to withdraw the initial bonus of £50 as real cash.
Do all casino games count toward wagering requirements?
No, each game has a different weighting and most online slots count 100% to the wagering requirements. Other games such as Roulette and Blackjack have a 20% weighting, while games like Craps have a 0% weighting. This means that no wagering requirements can be completed using these games.
What is a no-wagering bonus?
A no-wagering bonus is a casino promotion which does not have any wagering requirements. This means that any money you win from playing with a no-wagering bonus can be withdrawn immediately. However, a no-wagering bonus is typically restricted to a specific amount that can be withdrawn, and only be played on certain games.
Are lower wagering requirements better?
These enable you to extract more value from a casino promotion than higher wagers do, as you need to place fewer wagers in order to release funds.
See also: How to Win at Slot Machines: Top Strategies and Tips to Boost Your Chances
