If you’re new to online casinos, you’ve probably seen some flashy casino offers that claim to give you free money, free spins, or many other fun incentives. Sounds great, but is there a catch? Of course there is! Not every bonus is as amazing as it sounds! The truth is, sometimes, the best offers do not appear generous at first glance. But understanding how to pick the right bonus can be a hassle. This is why we put together a casino bonus checklist that will help you navigate the world of casino bonuses with ease.
Types Of Casino Bonuses
Prior to discussing all the things you should consider before redeeming a thrilling casino bonus, we have to go through the different types of bonuses casinos offer.
No Deposit Sign Up Offers
The no deposit bonuses are a fun type of casino promotion that targets new players. This offer doesn’t require a deposit; all new players have to do is register for an account. In exchange, they will receive free spins, money, or chips.
No Deposit Bonus
This casino promotion provides gamblers with funds to play slots, table games, and other types of games, such as keno. Different may games contribute differently to the wagering requirements, depending on the promotion.
Free Spins No Deposit
The best no deposit promotion is probably the free spins no deposit required keep your winnings. This promotion for new players is a casino bonus that gives you access to rotations for slot games without having to make a deposit first. Basically, you have to register an account, claim & activate the bonus, and you will receive a number of spins. If you win, you are eligible for a cash withdrawal.
Welcome Offers
There is almost always an interesting welcome bonus to claim if you’re looking at a new casino. These bonuses require a minimum deposit and can include several different perks.
1st Deposit Bonus
As the name implies, this promotion is for gamblers who feel ready to make their first investment. In exchange, they can receive:
- A match bonus;
- Extra spins;
- Both above incentives.
Welcome Package
Similar to the welcome deal, the welcome package is also a deposit promotion. The difference between the two is that the welcome package includes more perks. For example, besides a first deposit match bonus, gamblers can receive match bonuses for the first three or four (sometimes even more) deposits. Additionally, extra spins may accompany each of the match bonuses.
Moreover, the deals can include other compelling incentives, such as crab bonuses (which give you access to a digital crab machine where you can win extra perks) and even cashback promotions.
Bonuses For Existing Players
While the promotions we discussed in the previous paragraphs exclusively target new players, the offers we’ll discuss in this section were specifically crafted for account holders.
Cashback Offers
With a cashback bonus, you can expect a refund of some of your losses. Casinos choose the percentage they plan to return before you gain access to the deal. This is a great promo because it returns some money to your account. After that, you will be able to continue to gamble while still being within the budget limits you set.
Reload Bonuses
These bonuses are either freestanding promotions for existing players, usually designed to rekindle gamblers’ interest in a gambling platform, or part of welcome packages, such as a match bonus for the second, third, and so on deposit.
VIP Bonuses
Casinos have various ways to reward gamblers’ loyalty. As a result, many gambling sites have loyalty programs or VIP clubs that come with numerous benefits, including:
- Cashback promotions;
- Higher withdrawal limits;
- Personal manager;
- Reload bonuses;
- Personalized offers and rewards.
Bonus-Checklist – What You Need To Know As a New Player
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Wagering Requirements
Also known as rollover and playthrough requirements, wagering requirements are the value of the multiplier that indicates how many times you have to play a bonus (or a bonus + deposit) before your winnings become available for withdrawal.
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Incentive Value
This usually applies to incentives like free spins or free chips, where each casino assigns a value to the perks included in the bonus. For example, a promotion can offer 50 free spins with a 0.2 value.
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Game Requirements
Just like before, the free spins and free chips promotions can have game requirements. In this case, some bonuses might limit the spins to a single slot game. Other times, the casino may allow gamblers to play all the slot games for a game provider of their choice.
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Game Contribution
Even promotions that do not have game requirements might have some limitations you should be aware of. For instance, a fun no deposit bonus that gives you cash to play casino games can have different game contribution percentages, so table games may contribute 20% to the wagering requirements, and slot games 80%.
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Expiration Dates
Not only do casino bonuses have expiration dates, but the perks included in them also have validity periods. Some promos are seasonal, while others are available for a limited amount of time. Furthermore, you might have to wager the included perks within a certain period (usually a few days after bonus activation). Otherwise, you will lose the perks and the wins you got using said perks.
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Max Cashout Limits
Getting a no deposit bonus, winning, and then being able to cash out all your wins sounded like a too good to be true deal? That’s because it is that way. We’re not saying you cannot win with these promotions; we’re saying that the amount you will be able to take home will not necessarily be as high as you’d like. How come? Because casinos have cashout limits that prevent you from withdrawing more than the cashout cap of a promotion.
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Minimum Deposit Amounts
The minimum deposit applies to all the deals that have deposit requirements, such as welcome packages, first deposit bonuses, and reload promotions. As you can probably tell, when you see a minimum deposit requirement, if you want a bonus, you cannot deposit less than the minimum required.
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Bonus Code Requirements
Oftentimes, casino deals have dedicated promotional codes you have to use to activate them. These promo codes are either on the casino site or on the site where you found the offer. Bonus codes can be a sign for an exclusive deal or for the fact that a specific casino has multiple active promotions, similar ones with different game requirements, and you need the right code to activate the right deal.
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Country Restrictions
While the online gambling world is definitely way more accessible than that of land casinos, that doesn’t mean you can play at any online casino you stumble upon while browsing the internet. Just like any other business, casinos have to respect laws and follow a strict set of gambling regulations. Thus, some casinos cannot be available everywhere.
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Player Eligibility
Before you claim a bonus, you have to check if you are eligible to do so. As you noticed from the previous checklist points, your country might not be able to partake in certain promotions. In addition, you won’t be able to claim a sign up promotion if you already have an account on a gambling platform.
How To Identify A Good Bonus & Tips For Maximizing It
The best casino bonus is one that has clear rewards and fair terms. To identify this type of promotion, you have to go through every single checklist point we highlighted above and locate them in the casino’s bonus T&C.
Wagering requirements can vary from 1x to 99x. The lower the requirement, the higher your chances of winning. Some casinos do not have wagering requirements at all, so you can keep all your wins. As you can imagine, those promotions are definitely rare.
To maximize your bonus:
- Even when you’re allowed to play several games, keeping in mind the game contributions, you should stick to games that contribute 100% to wagering requirements to make sure you meet them and get to keep your winnings.
- Use sites that compare casino bonuses to identify one that perfectly suits your wants.
- Always gamble responsibly, have a budget and stick to it, do not chase losses, and only gamble for fun, not as a way to make a profit.
Conclusions
In conclusion, we advise you to be bonus smart! Casino bonuses are a great way to explore a new casino, extend gameplay, and make a few extra bucks. However, to have the best experience, it is very important to choose the right casino and the right bonus. So don’t skip the checklist when making a choice!
