One of the best things about online casinos is that they typically offer lots of casino bonuses for their players to take advantage. These can be to reward loyal players, to entice new players, or simply to reduce the house edge. However, it can be difficult to understand all of the different bonuses available and decide which is the best online casino bonus for your needs. This article aims to clear up some of that confusion.
What different kinds of casino bonuses can I find online?
One of the most simple and common bonuses you’ll come across is a cashable bonus. This is what it sounds like – they’ll add cash to your account, though there will be wagering requirements to fulfill before you can cash out. Similarly, you might be offered a ‘sticky’ bonus. The difference here is that you can’t ever withdraw this bonus, you can only use it to place wagers. Usually, the casino has you play with the cash you’ve deposited first, and then when your cash balance is zero, you can start wagering with your sticky bonus money. With some types of sticky bonuses, the bonus money will disappear when you withdraw your winnings. In others, it stays even when you have withdrawn – this second kind of bonus is, therefore, more appealing than the first.
Another popular type is free play and free spins casino bonuses, which allow you to play some of the casino games for free, with any winnings being credited as a bonus when you make your first deposit. This is appealing, as it allows you to try out new games without fear of losing money.
As well as these typical sorts of bonuses, there are more that you may encounter. Some are intended to reward loyal players, such as bonuses for VIPs or for referring a friend to the casino. Some are bonuses that are applied when you deposit money, known as casino deposit bonuses, – for example, a deposit matching bonus which means that the casino gives you as much money as you put it. You may even find cashback bonuses, which means that the casino pays back a portion of what you have lost, in an effort to keep you playing.
How do wagering requirements work when using online casino bonuses?
One thing that you have to take into account when using online casino bonuses is that online casinos use wagering requirements (sometimes called playthrough requirements) to protect the bonus money that they give out. This makes sense as if they didn’t people would just withdraw the money without playing any games!
Put simply, a wagering requirement will be described with a number and an ‘x’. So if you see ‘40x’, that means that you have to play the bonus amount forty times through before you can withdraw it to your bank account. As a more practical example, if the above 40x bonus has a value of £100, you will need to wager as much as £4000 before you can withdraw any money.
It’s worth knowing about playthrough requirements as they will help you to decide whether a certain bonus is actually a good deal or not. Remember, they should be clearly stated and will differ between different casino games depending on the house edge and how much money they expect to make from the game.
How can I choose the best casino bonus for me?
With so many different types of online casino bonus out there, from a casino deposit bonus to casino free spins, it can be hard to decide which is best for you. In terms of cashable bonuses, look for ones with a lower (or at least doable) wagering requirement, and look for the type of sticky bonus where you get to keep the bonus cash after withdrawing winnings. The rest depends on you – if you play a lot, then a cashback bonus to manage your losses may be useful, and if you have a lot of friends, look out for good referral bonuses. Generally, the more time you spend playing in and learning about casinos, the better you’ll be at spotting a good bonus.
Online bonuses are an essential part of making the most of your casino experience and will help you to gain an extra edge over the house. However, it’s worth trying to find out more about them in order to get the best from them and fully understand how they work. Feel free to check the site archives for more articles on online casinos and the bonuses and deals they offer.