Your Expert Guide to Evaluating No Deposit Bonuses 2024
At first glance, no deposit bonuses are amazing. They provide the potential to win money without risk. But while this is true, they do come with limitations. In this article, we are going to explain what they are and what you can do to find the ones with the highest value.
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✖How We Rank Casino Bonuses using BonusRank
Not just any online casino makes the grade. We have a strict process for testing online casinos to determine whether we even list them.
Once we approve a casino, our team of experts starts the real work. And it's thorough. Our unique BonusRank algorithm considers all the important aspects of a bonus and calculates a score that allows meaningful and direct comparison between bonuses. You don't have to guess, our rating scale will clearly show you if a bonus is great, good enough, or should be avoided.
Read more about our BonusRank system and how we make bonus comparisons.
✖What is a No Deposit Bonus?
No deposit bonuses are exactly as described. They are free online casino bonuses that, once wagered, convert into real money that you can withdraw and spend.
We will get into wagering and other limitations further down the line but for now, it is important to know that they do not require you to make any kind of deposit.
In a nutshell, they are 100% free to claim, and you will not be asked to provide financial details when signing up for this free bonus. That will come later when you come to make a withdrawal.
Before claiming your no deposit bonus, it is worthwhile making a distinction between the two types of no deposit offers available:
Which No Deposit Bonus is Best?
Side-by-side comparison:
| No Deposit Bonus Credit | No Deposit Free Spins | |
|---|---|---|
| Game Eligibility | Flexible | Specific slot(s) |
| Wagering Requirement | Applies to Bonus Credit | Applies to Winnings |
| Overall Value | Fixed amount ($10, $20 etc) | Depends on coin size and paylines |
| Time Limitation | Yes | Yes |
As you can see, the difference between the two is very subtle. One is no better or worse than the other. Both bonuses offer the chance to win real money without risk.
Your choice between the two may just come down to the games you prefer to play (slots or a variety), or the one that offers the best winning potential.
Why Do Casinos Offer No Deposit Bonuses?
You may be wondering why online casinos make such generous offers. It’s a good question and one that has a simple answer. No deposit bonuses are a promotional tool used by online casinos to attract new customers.
By providing you with the means to try the service and play games with the chance to win real money risk-free, it is hoped you will become a regular customer. In other words, it’s a free trial offering an excellent opportunity to try different online casinos with no cost or risk involved.
By trying different offers, you will get to learn the features, benefits and drawbacks of different casinos to find the ones that best suit your preferences. Of course, you also have a chance to make a profit.
Expert Tips for Choosing a No Deposit Bonus
Now you know what a no deposit bonus is and the general limitations that are attached to this type of bonus. Let's explore the ways we can use our knowledge to find the best value for comparison.
Tip 1: Read the Terms and Conditions
All the limitations pertaining to a specific offer can be found in the T&Cs attached to the offer. Most will contain much legal information that the casino is obliged to publish.
To evaluate the value of a bonus, or compare a more than one bonus offer, there are only a few we need to pay particular attention to:
Skimming through the T&Cs will give us all the information we need relating to game eligibility and contribution, wagering requirements, win caps, and bet limits. We will go through each to explain how you can use this information to your advantage when selecting a no-deposit bonus.
Tip 2: Select options with the highest bet limits and win caps
Off the bat, it makes perfect sense to find the bonus options that offer the most potential for how much we can win. A bonus with a win cap of $20 does not have the same value as a bonus with a win cap of £150.
Similarly, slot games with higher bet limits offer greater opportunities for bigger wins. Armed with this information, you can narrow down your options by choosing bonuses with high bet limits and higher win caps.
Tip 3: Choose bonuses with the easiest wagering requirements
No deposit bonuses typically come with higher-than-average wagering requirements. This helps online casinos mitigate their risk on the likelihood of players winning huge jackpots with their free bonus.
With that being said, an average to high wagering requirement is to be expected, when we consider a X50 wagering multiplier average. As a general rule, anything around x50 or below should be considered an acceptable level.
The lower the multiplier, the easier it will be to meet the wagering requirements. If you want to learn more about wagering requirements, we recommend you check out our Beginners Guide to No Deposit Wagering Requirements.
Tip 4: Play Eligible Games with the highest RTP
Slot game RTP (Return to Player) is an important metric. Expressed as a percentage, it indicates the average amount a slot machine returns to players over time. A higher RTP signifies better player odds and potential returns.
With a no deposit bonus, it is likely that you will be limited to games with a low RTP percentage, where anything below 94% can be considered low.
In instances where you have a choice of games, or when comparing bonuses with different eligible games, you should always choose the games with the highest RTP.
Tip 5: Claim Multiple Bonuses
There are no limits to the number of no deposit bonuses you can claim from different casinos. This being the case, claiming multiple bonuses will improve your chances of winning and provide the opportunity to try more casinos and games.
No Deposit Bonuses Vs Deposit Bonuses - What’s The Difference?
For anyone new to online casino bonuses, it is good to have an understanding of the differences between no deposit bonuses and standard deposit bonuses.
Deposit bonuses come in various forms. Often, they are known as Sign up or welcome bonuses when promoted to new customers. You will sometimes come across the term match deposit bonus. For existing customers, they are referred to as reload bonuses.
A standard deposit bonus is a casino bonus offer that requires a player to make a cash deposit before receiving free spins or bonus credit. Typically, a deposit can be as little as $10 or £20.
In making a deposit, the casino will award free credit. The amount awarded is matched to the deposit amount by a certain percentage, limited to a maximum amount.
For example, the bonus may be advertised as follows:
100% Deposit Match up to $250
In this example, if you deposit $20, you will receive $40 in bonus credit
The Pros and Cons of No Deposit Bonuses
While deposit bonuses do come with some risk attached, they may be the better option in some circumstances. They offer higher amounts of bonus credit and come with fewer limitations, like better wagering requirements without bet size limits, for instance.
When you add this all up, they may offer a better chance of winning real money you can withdraw.
A better understanding of the pros and cons of no deposit bonuses will help you to assess which type of bonus is the better option for you.
Advantages of No Deposit Bonuses
The main benefits of no deposit bonuses are as follows:
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100% risk-free
No deposit bonuses are 100% risk-free. You do not have to deposit your own money and will not be asked to provide your bank details. At least not until it comes to withdrawing any winnings you make.
Can win real money
It is very possible to win real casino cash from nothing with a no deposit bonus and some players do. Winnings from a no deposit casino bonuses are yours to keep. You can withdraw the money or use it to bankroll real money games without limitation.
Free trial of platform and games
No deposit bonuses offer the opportunity to try a casino platform and its games without risking your own money. It also gives you a chance to practice certain games before playing with your own money.
Disadvantages of No Deposit Bonuses
Like all free casino bonuses, no deposit bonuses come with some drawbacks too. These are in the form of limitations as defined within the terms and conditions attached to the bonus offer.
In the early days of no deposit bonuses, they were often provided as no strings attached deals. However, widespread abuse forced online casinos to take steps to make them workable.
Here are the main limitations you need to know:
Wagering Requirements
Bonus wagering requirements specify the number of times a player must bet the bonus amount before they can withdraw winnings. It ensures players engage in sufficient gameplay before cashing out their bonus-related earnings.
No deposit bonus wagering requirements are often higher than standard deposit bonuses, making it harder for players to meet the requirement and still have money from winnings that they can withdraw.
If you want to learn more, we have an in-depth guide on wagering requirements that covers the topic of wagering requirements in greater detail.
Win Caps (withdrawal limits)
Online casino bonus win caps, also known as withdrawal limits, are restrictions imposed on the maximum amount a player can cash out from their bonus winnings. It limits potential profits beyond a specified amount.
Again, these win caps attached to no deposit bonuses can sometimes be for a very low amount, $10, or $20 for example. If the intention is to win real money, you will have to decide what level is worth the effort.
Maximum Bet Size Limit
In a slot game, you get to decide how many coins to play per spin (Bet size) and the number of active lines to play (Paylines). Together, they determine the amount you can win from a slot spin of table game hand.
No deposit bonuses often come with bet size limits attached. This, in turn, limits the amount you can potentially win from a game.
Game Restrictions
Depending on the type of no deposit bonus you are playing, you may encounter game restrictions. No deposit free spins typically restrict the bonus award to games played on a specific slot game.
Game Contribution (weighting)
Even if you are using bonus credit that gives you the option to play a variety of games, you may be limited in a practical sense by game weighting.
Bonus game weighting determines the contribution of different games towards fulfilling wagering requirements. Some games may contribute more than others, influencing the speed at which players can clear the bonus and withdraw winnings.
Here is a breakdown of the standard game weighting applied to online casino games:
| Type of Game | Game Weighting Contribution |
|---|---|
| Slots | 100% |
| Scratch Cards | 100% |
| Bingo and Keno | 100% |
| Table Games (Roulette, Blackjack) | Up to 20% |
| Video Poker | 10% |
| Craps and live dealer games | 5% |
Comparing No Deposit Bonuses
In your search for the no deposit bonus with the highest potential, a side-by-side comparison can help you find the best options to choose from.
Here is an example of the type of comparison table you can build:
| Casino | Bonus Win Cap | Wagering Req. | Slot RTP | Final Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option A | £60 | x45 | 95% | 2nd |
| Option B | £10 | x50 | 94% | 3rd |
| Option C | £120 | x40 | 96% | Top Choice |
The Top 5 No Deposit Bonuses Available Right Now
By organising the key information in the right way, it is not overly difficult to zoom in on the no deposit bonuses that offer the best chance of winning real money you can withdraw.
Try it for yourself from our list of the top 5 no deposit bonuses available to players in your country:
The Influence of Intent
So far in this expert guide, we have explained how to choose the best no deposit bonus with a focus on gaining the best advantage to win money. However, for some, the underlying intent may be to find the best casino for other reasons.
For example, perhaps you want a casino with the best games and a no deposit is a good way to explore a casino catalogue and try some new ones. Or possibly, you may simply want to find a top casino with a great range of bonuses.
Either way, we should take a wider perspective where our intent is not solely to win free casino cash.
Other factors will come into play in our choices when we are looking at the long-term benefits of an online casino:
Casino Reputation
The reputation of an online casino should be an important consideration when it comes to choosing an online venue to wager on games. Fortunately, NoDepositRewards.org has done much of the hard work for you.
We only ever recommend licensed and trusted online casinos that meet our high standards. But that should not deter you from doing your own research.
Ongoing Promotions
By comparison, ongoing bonuses offered to existing players can be far more lucrative than the no deposit bonuses offered to new players. More often than not, they offer higher bonus awards with lower and fewer restrictions.
The types of bonuses you can get as an existing customer are varied.
Typically, many online casinos offer some or many of the following on a daily, weekly or monthly basis:
- Reload bonuses
- Free spins Bonuses
- Slot Tournaments
- Prize Draws
- Loyalty or VIP Programs
- Cashback Bonuses
In consideration, if you are looking for a top online casino for the long term, it would be advisable to consider the wider benefits an online casino offers in conjunction with its headline new customer bonus offer.
Conclusion
The idea of evaluating no deposit bonuses may feel a bit intimidating at first. But in reality, it is easily achievable when you know what to look for and where to find the information you need.
After a few attempts, you will soon be assessing and comparing the top offers like a pro. So what are you waiting for? Try it today with some of the best no deposit bonuses available online!