Casinos give bonus to attract players. That’s the short answer. Why you should take advantage anyway? That needs some more explaining. In this article, we will give you a quick overview of what different types of bonuses are out there and what you should keep in mind while using them. What are the red flags and what bonus can give you a great advantage? This is what each bonus user needs to know.
Why casinos give bonus
It’s a risk they are willing to take. The house always wins, so why not give the players a bonus? It seems a bit cocky because you get a better chance of hitting a jackpot, but they make good odds for themselves by creating the right terms and conditions that the bonuses are subject to. Some casinos can be pretty cruel in the little letters, but fortunately most keep it straight. They want to attract players after all and most important: they want to keep them.
A warm welcome (bonus)
With over 1.000 online casinos to choose from, it’s no secret that the competition for casinos is fierce. One way they can convince players to come play is to give them a welcome bonus upon registration. Normally you will get a 100% or 200% deposit bonus with some free spins to enjoy. This way the player has got some time to get to know the casino and enjoy the game portfolio. If the experience was great, chances are the player will come back again. And with so many casinos to choose from, some go really far to keep you pleased. Deposit enough and some will even give you a VIP treatment with free spins, bonus money and high rollers maybe even a Tesla car.
Here is a list of different casino bonuses players can choose from:
Welcome bonus (package) / Registration bonus
This is one of the most common bonuses casinos use to attract players. After you made a successful registration, you will get the chance to multiply your deposit to a certain degree. Often you can double your money up to € 1.000. So if you use a ‘100% welcome bonus’ and make a deposit of € 100, you will get to play with € 200. Most of the time you will also get a bunch of free spins in the welcome package.
With most bonuses, you won’t be able to withdraw your money. Your money is mixed with the bonus money until all bonus conditions are met. This can be a wager of 20x or even 50x so always read the bonus terms carefully.
Free spins
Online casinos like to give away free spins. It’s a great way for new players to learn how slots work and experienced players get to play their favorite slots for free. Some casinos like to give you 100 free spins in one single go, other casinos prefer to give you 10 spins each day to keep you motivated to keep coming. This is the main reason why you get the free spins in the first place.
No deposit bonus
The name says it all. A registration is enough to get free money to play with. Normally you will get around € 5 of € 10 to play with so you get a little taste of the casino thrill. Maybe you get lucky and triple your money. And if you lose it, you might be able to win it back if you do another deposit, right? One of the reasons why casinos give you this offer.
Deposit / re-load bonus
A lot of casinos like to give you another chance. Most of the time, a re-load bonus isn’t as fancy as the welcome bonus, but with a lower wager to beat, it can be pretty fun to use. Most reload bonuses are around 50% of your deposit.
Non-sticky bonus
The non-sticky bonus is the best bonus an online casino can offer. Normally it’s a welcome bonus of 100% or 200% which has an interesting difference then the ‘normal’ bonus types. Your money won’t be mixed with the bonus money and you can play with your own real money first. The big advantage is that if you hit it big, you can withdraw without having to wager the bonus. And if you lose your own money, you get a second chance to win using the free bonus money. Great, right? You can get a great one right here.
Cashback
If you are a regular player, cash backs are usually what’s best for you. For example, if you deposit € 100 and lose it all, some online casinos will return 5% to 20% back to you the following week or sometimes even the following day. The terms can be very different. Normally the higher the cashback, the bigger the wager. And it’s not unusual that the lower ones have no wager at all and are free for you to withdraw immediately.
We recommend a non-sticky bonus with a low wager.
Regulars might be better of choosing a brand with a high percentage cashback and a low to none wager requirement.
Pay attention to the bonus terms and conditions
All casinos have their own bonus terms and conditions, but most of them are pretty much the same. Most brands keep it straight and the big brands usually have the best terms. Some lesser know casinos try to steal your money, so always pay attention to the rules and the reputation of the casinos before you deposit. You don’t want to win big to see it all go away in the pockets of the casinos because you didn’t play by their rules. You won’t be the first who can kiss their profits goodbye. We only offer trusted brands, but some sites don’t care that much.
Rule 1: To get a bonus, you need to make a minimum deposit
Usually this is around €10 (100 NOK, 100 SEK, $10, £10).
Rule 2: Meet the wagering requirements
Wager amount
Most bonuses need to be wagered. Normally this is between 25 and 50 times, so this is something you should always look out for. The lower the wager, the faster you will meet the bonus conditions and you can enjoy your winnings. A high wager can make it almost impossible to get your deposit back.
Wager requirements
Certain games will wager more than others. Below are the wagering requirements for each individual game type at Betsson Casino. These are pretty standard:
– Slots: 100%
– All Live Casino games: 15% – Except Dream Catcher: 50%
– All Roulette (except Live), Caribbean Stud, Crash & Casino Stud Poker games: 10%
– All Casino Hold’Em, Red Dog, Pai Gow, Poker Games, Oasis Poker & Texas Hold’Em Poker Games: 10%
– All BlackJack (except Live BlackJack), Baccarat, Video Poker, Pontoon, Beat Me, Punto Banco Games: 5%
Excluded slots
Most casinos have a list of slots you can’t play until the bonus conditions are met. Usually the list is shown in the bonus terms and conditions and isn’t a big deal. The slots usually have a high RTP (return to player) percentage, but with thousands of slots to choose from, who can complain?
Almost always you just won’t be able to play the game with your bonus money and a pop-up will show.
Rule 3: No more than one bonus a household and no playing in restricted countries
Bonuses are limited to one person per household and some casinos don’t allow players from certain countries. Most of the time this is tracked by your IP address, so it’s useless to lie about where you live.
Rule 4: Expiration dates
Most bonuses expire after a certain time. This can be 3 days, a week or a month. If you do not meet the bonus conditions before the bonus expires, you will end up losing it all.
Rule 5: Max bet (very important)
At most casinos you are not allowed to bet more than €5 (50 NOK, 50 SEK, $50, £50) on a single bet. This means no more than €5 a press on a slot and no more than €5 a total bet on roulette or Crazy Time. If you meet the wagering requirements and want to withdraw your money, the casinos always do a check if you didn’t exceed the bet limit. If you bet even a 0.01 more than the limit, your winning will be confiscated and there is nothing you can do about it. That why you should always obey the last rule.
Rule 6: Play fair
Casino management reserves the right to void any bonuses and/or winnings obtained by fraudulent behavior or if you didn’t follow their bonus rules. They also have the right to modify and change these rules at any time and in the event of any dispute the casino management’s decision is final and binding in all cases. If you play fair and choose a trusted casino, you don’t have anything to worry about.
Conclusion: Should you use a bonus?
With the right bonus conditions: Yes. If you have more money to bet, you increase your chances of getting a big win. You should look out for bonuses with a low wager or a non-sticky bonus. Always check the bonus terms and conditions before you deposit and play by the rules of that casino. Never bet more than you can afford and most of all: have a great time playing. That’s why you are looking for a great casino bonus in the first place.