Casino Bonus Wagering Requirements Explained - Your Ultimate Guide for 2024
Free casino bonuses come with a few conditions attached. Meeting the Wagering requirement is one such condition, and arguably the most significant. Why? Because you will need to meet this requirement before your free credit becomes money you can cash out. We show you how it works and how you can turn your bonus cash into real cash in 2024.
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✖Introduction to Wagering Requirements
In simple terms, the wagering requirement attached to a casino bonus indicates the number of times free credit must be played before it becomes money you can withdraw and spend.
It is always expressed as a multiplier, such as x30 or x40, denoting the number of times free credit must be wagered. The value of the multiplier determines how easy, or difficult, it will be to turn your free credit into withdrawable cash.
We will explain how to calculate the wagering requirement in more detail. The most important point to remember is, the lower the multiplier, the easier it will be to meet the wagering requirements and convert it into cash.
Wagering Requirements Assessed
There is no standard wagering requirement applied to all bonuses. The multiplier amount will vary from one casino bonus offer to another. As a rule of thumb, you can expect lower wagering requirements the more you deposit.
Here is a general guideline you can follow when assessing and comparing wagering requirements:
| Wagering Multiplier | Rating |
|---|---|
| X1 - X5 | Doesn’t get better than This |
| X5 - X25 | Excellent |
| X25 - X40 | Low |
| X45 - X50 | Average |
| X50 - X70 | High |
| X70 and higher | Excessive |
No deposit bonuses typically come with high wagering requirements. It is the price we have to pay for a chance to win casino cash without risking our own money.
You can get a top bonus with lower wagering and better terms when you make a deposit of $10 or more. Check out some of our amazing deposit match bonuses with free spins for a better deal.
How To Complete Wagering Requirements And Win Money
Understanding a bonus wagering requirement is not as difficult as it may first appear. The wagering requirement for every bonus offer can be found in the T&Cs and is expressed as a multiplier of the bonus credit X30, X40 and so on.
To calculate the amount you need to wager before it converts to money you can cash out, you need to multiply the wagering requirement with the bonus award.
So if the bonus award is $20 and the wagering requirement is x40, you simply multiply these two numbers together, 20 x 40 - $800. This gives you the total amount you will need to wager to meet the wagering requirement.
The $800 you need to play through will reduce every time you place a bet on a casino game regardless of the outcome. For example, if you place a $2.00 bet on a slot spin, your playthrough amount reduces by $2. ($800-$2.00 = $798).
As a result, the key to making a profit from a casino bonus is to maintain a positive balance after the full $800 has been wagered. Better still, win more and increase the balance and keep the full amount after wagering.
Game Weighting
The example above assumes that the game you are playing counts 100% towards the wagering requirement.
While this is true of some games, like slots and instant win games, for instance, the contribution (otherwise known as game weighting) is not the same for all games.
Some casino games will contribute significantly less. Live dealer games might only contribute around 5% towards the wagering requirement, which means you will have to wager them ten times more than slots.
The key takeaway is that you should only play games that meet 100% of the wagering requirement for the best chance of winning money you can cash out.
Other Important T&Cs Attached to Casino Bonuses
The wagering requirement is not the only limitation online casinos place on free bonus offers.
There are a few more you need to pay attention to that will affect the amount of money you can win and withdraw.
Withdrawal Limits
Withdrawal limits express the total amount you can withdraw from a free bonus. No deposit bonuses can sometimes have very low maximum withdrawal limits, so it is worth learning what they are and comparing bonuses to find the best options.
Typically no deposit bonuses have a maximum withdrawal limit of between $10 and $200. If you want the possibility of winning higher amounts, regular deposit bonuses may be the better option. These come with higher rewards and better terms.
Game Eligibility
You can only use a bonus offer with the games that are eligible. Free spin bonuses are usually provided on a specific game or games, and this will be emphasised in the terms and conditions. Other bonuses may be more flexible.
Bet Size Limits
Bet size limits may also apply, which will limit the amount it is possible to win from a hand or spin. For this reason, it would be impossible to win a large jackpot and keep the entire amount.
Even if you could, there would likely be a withdrawal limit in place that would prohibit the amount you could cash out.
Time Limits
Casino bonuses come with time limits. This means that the clock is ticking from the moment you claim a bonus. Time limits can apply to the use of the bonus and the wagering requirements, so it’s advisable to know in advance what they are.
Every bonus offer comes with terms and conditions unique to each offer which makes it difficult to determine the good from the bad. Learn how to calculate the value of a bonus offer in our expert guide.
Top Tips to Convert Bonuses Into Money You Can Cashout
Unfortunately, there is no strategy that can guarantee you will win money you can cash out, but there are ways to significantly improve your chances:
- Choose bonuses with low wagering requirements
Choosing bonuses with a low wagering requirement is by far the best thing you can do to win money you can cash out from a casino bonus. - Play only 100% weighted games
Playing games that are weighted less than 100% means you will have to wager significantly more often to meet the requirements. This will significantly reduce your chances of making it through the wagering with a positive balance. - Play Games with High RTP
Games with a higher RTP are statistically more likely to hit enough wins to meet the wagering requirements. You may not have the flexibility to choose, but all the same, you should aim for the Higher RTP where possible. - Choose low-volatility games
As with RTP, you may not have the flexibility to choose, but if you have the choice, opt for low-volatility games. This is because they pay out more frequently and you will have a better chance of maintaining a positive balance.
More tips on the things you can do to maximise your casino bonus and improve your chances of cashing out are available in our expert guide on the topic.
Why Do Bonuses Require Wagering
You may be wondering why casino bonuses have wagering requirements at all. In fact, there was a time when free credit was awarded without such limitations but over time they became abused.
Without wagering requirements, many players would simply withdraw the free cash, which would defeat the purpose of the promotion. After all, online casinos offer free bonuses so players would try the casino and its games.
To counter bonus abuse, gambling venues introduced a method by which players must play the casino’s games.
Bonus Types with Wagering
To be clear, wagering only applies to casino bonuses. When you are playing real money games without a bonus - there is no wagering requirement.
Most casino bonuses come with wagering requirements.
Here is a list of the most common casino bonuses available online:
No Deposit Free Credit Bonuses
No deposit bonuses are one of the most popular and sought-after casino bonuses available online. And for a very good reason. No deposit bonuses give you a free trial of a casino and its games with the chance to win real money.
However, because all the risk falls on the online casino making the offer, wagering requirements for no deposit free credit and free spin bonuses tend to be higher than average.
As you might expect, there are ways to maximise your chances of cashing out money from a no deposit bonus. Our expert guide will show you how.
No Deposit Free Spins Bonus
No deposit free spin bonuses are very similar to free spins bonus credit. But instead of giving you free credit to use on any game, no deposit free spins are normally attached to a specific slot game.
You will be awarded a set number of free spins, and if you are lucky, you will get to keep the winnings but this is not guaranteed. Typically, the winnings from free spins need to meet wagering requirements before you can cash out.
Minimum Deposit Bonuses
Many online casinos offer bonuses that only require a very small deposit. This is a step up from no deposit bonuses and you may be wondering why you would want to take such a bonus when you can without a deposit.
Minimum deposit bonuses generally come with better terms, making it easier to convert from a bonus to money you can cash out. Wagering requirements, therefore, tend to be lower and easier to meet than no deposit bonuses.
For a small deposit of $5 or $10 dollars, you can enjoy bigger bonuses which are easier to win.
Sign Up Bonuses
Sign up bonuses, also known as welcome bonuses, are the most type of bonuses offered by online casinos. To get such a bonus, you will need to make a deposit. The minimum deposit amount is typically around $20 on average.
These types of bonuses generally come with more favourable terms, and it is not uncommon to see wagering requirements as low as x25 for deposit bonuses like this one.
Reload Bonuses
Online casinos offer sign up bonuses to attract new players. However, existing customers can still get this type of bonus after signing up, which are typically promoted as reload bonuses or deposit match bonuses.
Reload bonuses are a daily, weekly, or monthly promotion offered to the casino's regular customers as an incentive to make a deposit. For example, it is not uncommon to find free spins attached to reload bonuses.
Like all other bonuses, wagering requirements will be attached to the bonus offer, but bonuses promoted to existing customers can be much more favourable than those offered to new customers.
Free Spins Bonuses
Free spin bonuses are very flexible and can be used as a promotional tool in many ways. Due to their popularity, online casinos offer free spins bonuses to their existing customers on a regular and frequent basis.
This might be offered in the form of weekly or daily free spin bonuses, as part of a casino loyalty program or free spin tournament event. In any instance, wagering requirements will be applied to the free spins unless otherwise stated.
It is sometimes possible to find free spins bonuses that do not require wagering. This means you get to withdraw and keep everything you make from free spins.
We have a beginner's guide to free spin bonuses if you want to learn more about this type of offer.
Casino Bonuses with No Wagering Requirement
Casino bonuses offer the opportunity to win real money and boost your bankroll. The one thing that keeps for from banking all your winnings as you do with non-bonus games, is the wagering requirement.
So how good would it be if you could snag a casino bonus that does not require wagering? At NoDepositRewards.org, you can! We offer a healthy selection of free spin bonuses without wagering here on this site. Here are 5 top offers you can claim today!
Furthermore, there are some very good no-wager online casinos that provide some of the best offers you will find online. We partner with the best of them and even manage to negotiate exclusive bonuses with better terms to give you free spins with no wagering.
Conclusion
Choosing the lowest wagering requirement is one of the best things you can do to make money you can keep and withdraw from an online casino bonus offer. However, don’t expect to find low wagering requirements with no deposit offers.
If you want bonuses that offer the best chance of converting bonus credits into real money, bonuses that require you to make a small deposit are the better option.