One of the ways online casinos bring players in is to offer deposit bonuses. These promotions will vary from one casino to another. The differences go far beyond just the size and percentage.
Each online casino advertises a deposit bonus prominently on their website. These may be massive percentages and amounts. It is extremely important to look closely at each of them to make sure what the terms and conditions are. Bonus disputes are by far the most common complaint in the entire online casino industry. Most of these can be easily avoided.
The first item to look for in a casino’s bonus terms and conditions is how much must be wagered before withdrawing. This is described as a wager or play through requirement. Slots are usually between 20 and 50 times the bonus. For example, a $100 bonus with a 25 times wager requirement would mean that a player would have to bet $2,500 at a qualifying game to request a cashout. The smaller wager requirements will often require the deposit to also be wagered.
Some games have higher wager requirements than the advertised one. The smaller wager requirements tend to include only slots and keno. Table games and video poker often have a double play through requirements. Blackjack may be as much as 10 times higher than slots. All of this can be found in the bonus offer’s details and terms.
Some games have such a low house edge that they are excluded from bonuses. Baccarat, craps, and blackjack often fall into this category. Some bonus terms will state that playing these games with a pending bonus will completely void all winnings, even those earned from qualifying games.
Some bonuses allow players to withdraw the bonus. Others offer a sticky bonus, meaning that the bonus is not cashable. A sticky bonus may only be played with and can never be withdrawn.
Online casinos generally allow just one offer per household. If your spouse already received a bonus at that casino then you will not be able to receive one.
Large percentage bonuses can be tricky. If a site offers a 500% bonus, that makes the play through requirement massive. A $100 deposit would receive a $500 bonus under this scenario. If the wager requirement was 25 times, that means a player must wager $12,500 to request a withdrawal. A $600 bankroll might make clearing the bonus impossible without hitting a jackpot. The risk of going bust during the swings is extremely high.
You do not have to claim a bonus. If you would prefer to play games that are barred from bonuses then it is important to play without one. Always check with live support before playing to make sure a bonus was not automatically added to your account after making the deposit. If it was, you can request that support remove the bonus.
Always read the terms and conditions from top to bottom. If there is anything that you do not understand then go to live support and ask for clarification before playing. It is much better to spend a few minutes making sure you understand the bonus then to end up in a dispute.
