A casino bonus is an internet-based free offer given to new and old casino players. New players receive the biggest bonuses, as they need to join and start depositing money. Existing players receive smaller but regular bonuses to keep depositing money and remaining loyal to the casino. Bonuses can be given in a particular game, for example, Buy Bonus Feature in online slots that give you an opportunity to buy Free Spins or other game features. But to use this bonus, gamblers have to find Bonus Buy slots among all games in the casino. Examples of common casino bonuses include:
- Deposit bonus
- No deposit bonus
- Happy hour bonus
- Reload bonus
- Free spins
- Cashbacks
- Tournaments
- Wheel of fortune spins
How to Claim a Casino Bonus Safely?
Once a bonus is awarded, it is usually up to the player to claim it. While claiming a bonus might seem easy, there are some wagering rules and tricks you should focus on. If you skip the rules, join the site, and claim the bonus, don’t complain later on when you realize that you cannot withdraw anything. Read the terms and conditions for each bonus before you can claim it.
Summarizing Tricky Bonuses
Tricks are hidden in casino bonus terms and conditions. If you ignore reading these, you can miss some important tips. Some bonuses are sort of deceptive. These are the trickiest kinds of bonuses. These are:
- Sticky bonuses. If you claim these, you will not withdraw them as they are for betting purposes only. You will not be allowed to withdraw them at any given time. They are non-cashable and not worth claiming. A sticky bonus will be added to your casino account, and the period it will stay there is unpredictable. Some casinos will remove it soon after you make your first withdrawal. Others will leave there indefinitely. The only way to know is to read your bonus terms and conditions.
- Half sticky bonuses. These can play even more serious tricks with your mind. The original bonus money is not touched first. So you will make your first deposit to be allowed to play your first game. As the name suggests, half of your wagering money will be deducted from your first deposit, and the other half will be deducted from the provided bonus money. The amount that will finally be in your account is all you can withdraw. Don’t even entertain the thought of claiming half sticky bonuses. Luckily, they are less common.
Common Terms and Conditions Making Bonuses Tricky
Note that every bonus or promotional offer a casino offers is accompanied by some bonus terms. These are general rules that are laid down to help players comprehend the claiming process. You will find bonus terms either on a separate web page or in the casino site’s general terms and conditions section. These rules are tricky, and this is exactly why you should read them first. They include the following:
1. Wagering Requirements
Any casino bonus entails a wagering requirement. This requirement can be low, average, or high. It is usually all about the number of times you must wager your bonus amount before you can be allowed to withdraw any winnings from it. Selecting bonuses based on wagering requirements is vital but tricky. Here is the trick. If you choose a bonus with higher wagering requirements, you will increase your odds of losing. On the other hand, if you select a bonus with a low wagering requirement, you will increase your odds of winning.
The difference between the two offers is the quoted bonus amount. High wagering requirements will always accompany big bonuses. Since your risk of losing is high, grabbing these bonuses is a total risk. But, if luck is on your side, you could take home a mammoth bonus. For instance, you may get a match-up bonus of 100%, plus a wagering requirement of 30x, if your first deposit is $100.
If you deposit $100, you will receive a bonus of $100. You should wager this bonus 30 times before you can withdraw your winnings. Some casinos can complicate this further by asking you to wager your first deposit too for the stipulated number of times before withdrawing any winnings. As you can see, a high wagering requirement makes winning difficult and a longer process.
2. Smaller Games Selection
As a result of receiving an entry bonus, you may not get access to certain games. Specific slots from given software developers may be restricted in some casinos. You may have access to only 10 percent of all live casino games.
3. Country of Origin Restrictions
No matter how juicy a casino entry bonus might appear, you have no chance of getting it if your country of origin is restricted. Thus, you should read the casino’s bonus terms to know if players from your country can claim any bonus or promotions.
4. Minimum Deposit Restriction
Unless you are claiming a no deposit bonus, there will be a minimum deposit requirement. It is normally set between 10 to 30 dollars.
5. Deadline Restrictions
You will be offered a generous deposit or no deposit entry bonus. However, a restriction on the deadline you are supposed to meet will be offered too. If you don’t claim the bonus within a few hours, the chance will be lost in some casinos. If you cannot fulfill the wagering requirements by the set period for some reason, then your chance to get the bonus will go down the drain. It helps to read the bonus terms to know if this period is shorter or longer.
6. Limitations on Payment Methods and Minimum Withdrawal Amount
Some online casinos will seem good to you until you find out about their payment methods and withdrawal restrictions. These two things are important as if they are not fulfilled, you cannot play games for real money at any online casino. In most cases, you will find that most popular casinos restrict some payment methods, especially Skrill and Neteller. As for withdrawals, most casinos have a minimum amount you need to win before you can cash out. It’s tricky because the promotional offers might promise you withdrawals whenever you want.
Apart from the above, things can get trickier when you are told to enter a bonus code to be allowed to withdraw your bonus money. If you didn’t bother reading bonus terms or lost the promo code, you can as well forget cashing out any bonus.
Conclusion
First, take the time to read every wagering requirement that accompanies a bonus you are interested in. Doing so can help eliminate a lot of disappointments later on. You will understand exactly what’s required of you. Secondly, focus on payment methods to know the ones with restrictions. If those are the only methods that work in your country, you should move to the next casino with favorable terms. You don’t want a casino that will advertise a bonus that it is not ready to award, like in the case of sticky bonuses. Focus on non-sticky casino bonuses only as you can withdraw winnings from your deposit and the bonuses. Finally, choose bonuses that are offered by properly registered, licensed, and trusted casinos.