Do you enjoy bonuses?

When I was a daily depositor online (bearing in mind I dont play online anymore) this year I started taking bonuses on every MG deposit. I quite liked them. Gave me the chance to bet more than I normally would (mainly low-medium variance). Went three months without being able to more than triple my initiall BR amount though and that's why I stopped playing. Taking a bonus can also give you a bit of extra playtime as well.

You just need to work out if the above outweighs being tied into the WR. I would never take a bonus on a deposit over $15. I would rather play with my own money on a $40-60 deposit even with a low playthrough 30x$40=$1200=Far to much for a measily $40 (IMO).

Of course I dont get any bonuses at my local venue but they have other incentives like free finger food, rewards card, raffles, the occasionall free drink, last Christmas they were giving away little boxes of lindt chocolates. No wagering and I'm well up there.
 
Seriously, you've won thousands from a 30c bet?

Yes, low rolling with a bonus will get you extra playtime and you may eventually grind out a small win, but unless you win a random jackpot you have no chance of winning anything decent. Use the bonus to bet big and give yourself a chance to win something memorable.

If you're lucky and hit 1000x at $3 (which I have done at least 50x in the last few years) you are guaranteed a cashout (if playthrough is $3000 - $100 bonus x 30). Get the same 1000x pay when playing 30c (win only $300) and chances are you wont meet it.
 
Seriously, you've won thousands from a 30c bet?

Yes, low rolling with a bonus will get you extra playtime and you may eventually grind out a small win, but unless you win a random jackpot you have no chance of winning anything decent. Use the bonus to bet big and give yourself a chance to win something memorable.

If you're lucky and hit 1000x at $3 (which I have done at least 50x in the last few years) you are guaranteed a cashout (if playthrough is $3000 - $100 bonus x 30). Get the same 1000x pay when playing 30c (win only $300) and chances are you wont meet it.

whoever said i was looking for thousands in a win? some of us are quite happy to take home a few hundred
and yes, ive cleared a bonus in the thousands on 30 cent bets..i dont have to hit it all in one go, i can grind it out, some people actually enjoy playing for a long session then taking home a modest return
 
I normally play without bonuses too. I have a brain problem - I find that if I do get a bonus I see my entire balance as 'play money' until (if) I can meet wagering. So I'll stay longer at games that aren't paying and/or bet higher than usual to get rid of the bonus as quickly as possible, so I usually bust out too.

But it also depends on the software - I never EVER take deposit bonuses at RTG or Playtech or NetEnt, but occasionally I will at a Microgaming casino.
 
I see some mention not taking bonuses at RTG software and thats just it. Maybe when im able to play elsewhere i will take a bonus but for now i dont. Sometimes the playthru is just too high.
 
I only take bonuses if I'm running low on funds and the bonus match is worthwhile, at least 100% with a decent rollover requirement.

My experience with them has been abysmal to say the least. Just took a couple the a few weeks ago and I could only complete ~15% of wagering. In all my past experiences with them, you'd have to have one hell of a run to be able to cash out a decent withdrawal, let alone complete the wagering requirement.

So for me I'm not really a fan of them but I can see why others might like them.
 
I see some mention not taking bonuses at RTG software and thats just it. Maybe when im able to play elsewhere i will take a bonus but for now i dont. Sometimes the playthru is just too high.

That's it...RTG playthrough is high, sometimes it's D+B wagering, there are disallowed games or max bet....and Playtech is even worse, most of their bonus terms are way too restrictive as far as the games you're even allowed to play with a bonus. For me anyhow!
 
i always take bonus at 32red because they are generous i take them because it gives me a target and if i dont get it i have a some fun then i deposit again and play the same games,i like to think i have primed them (fool that i am) but i have manged to do playthrough quite a few times:lolup:
 
I normally play without bonuses too. I have a brain problem - I find that if I do get a bonus I see my entire balance as 'play money' until (if) I can meet wagering. So I'll stay longer at games that aren't paying and/or bet higher than usual to get rid of the bonus as quickly as possible, so I usually bust out too.

But it also depends on the software - I never EVER take deposit bonuses at RTG or Playtech or NetEnt, but occasionally I will at a Microgaming casino.
Well, I think this statement points directly to my mental problem with bonuses. I believe that my gameplay is not perfect for taking a bonus (lowrolling slots and high bets in BJ).
Thank you for all your points of view:)
 
SPEAKING OF RTG AND BONUSES

That's it...RTG playthrough is high, sometimes it's D+B wagering, there are disallowed games or max bet....and Playtech is even worse, most of their bonus terms are way too restrictive as far as the games you're even allowed to play with a bonus. For me anyhow!


I received this e-mail from InetBet this morning:


Dear *****

We sent you an email about bonus use earlier in the month. You do not seem
to have taken any notice of this.

I have been asked to inform you that our accounts department have flagged
your account on a final warning.

You continually availed of bonus's that we send out to reward our regular
players, but you do not play unless it is bonus advantage play.

I must therefore confirm that unless we see a change in your pattern of
play i.e. bonus free playing, we will be denying any future bonus's that
you try to redeem.

This is not an action that we take lightly, however continual misuse of
the bonus program seriously effects our ability to reward our regular
players.

Please take note of this otherwise bonus use will be turned off on your account.

Kind regards
iNetBet Support

I responded to them indicating that I play a lot of video poker and therefore not all of my deposits could possibly be bonuses.

I then 'quickly' received this reply:

Hi ******
I am sorry if you say you did not receive a prior mail
This was sent on the 9th October

As to your recent play we checked and of the last 20 deposits just 3 have been without a bonus applied

If you would like a figure then we ideally would like to see around 50% of deposits bonus free.

To clarify there is no exclusion in place at this time.

We hope this information is of some help

Have a good weekend

Regards
iNetBet Support


SO-------even to a LONG time player at their casino, they are not satisfied with one partaking of their bonuses.

Note----I am not excluded-----YET.

Just thought you'd like this information for your consideration.

MaryJean
 
I actually don't really see anything wrong with the casino's behavior above.

Depending on the player it question, it may be a poor business move to accuse or imply that a player is taking "advantage" of bonuses, but they're entirely in their rights to prevent players from receiving future bonuses (which is far, far different than denying winnings from previous bonuses.)

They've apparently given you a couple of heads ups about the bonuses, which I think is pretty reasonable of them. Also, they're not saying you'll be banned entirely, just from bonuses. If you generally prefer to play with bonuses, and this particular casino doesn't want you playing with them, it may just be time to find another casino. Think of it like a business arrangement - sometimes, if an agreement can't be reached, both parties just need to walk away from the table. No harm done.

The only issue I see is with the accusatory tone of the letter towards their player, but that's pretty minor in the scheme of things.
 
For Future Reference

I actually don't really see anything wrong with the casino's behavior above.

Depending on the player it question, it may be a poor business move to accuse or imply that a player is taking "advantage" of bonuses, but they're entirely in their rights to prevent players from receiving future bonuses (which is far, far different than denying winnings from previous bonuses.)

They've apparently given you a couple of heads ups about the bonuses, which I think is pretty reasonable of them. Also, they're not saying you'll be banned entirely, just from bonuses. If you generally prefer to play with bonuses, and this particular casino doesn't want you playing with them, it may just be time to find another casino. Think of it like a business arrangement - sometimes, if an agreement can't be reached, both parties just need to walk away from the table. No harm done.

The only issue I see is with the accusatory tone of the letter towards their player, but that's pretty minor in the scheme of things.
*************************
I attached the letters because I thought the Meister members might like to know their attitude towards bonus play, since there has been much discussion as to whether to use them or not.

The letter happened to be timely---also I thought you all might like to know their thinking of 50%.

It is rather strange when they offer VIP bonuses every weekend, that entail a 4th bonus that requires that you have played the first 3. That necessarily means taking 4 bonuses in a row. It is supposed to be an honor bonus given to VIP players.


MaryJean
 
Yeah, the 50% thing is interesting, and it's definitely the case that taking bonuses can open you up to a bit more scrutiny, along with the attitude demonstrated in the letter. It's impossible to say from an outside point of view whether it's simply the % of bonuses you've taken or the way in which you play that the casino doesn't like though, especially since some video poker games can have a low house edge.

But I think that fact that taking bonuses could lead the casino preventing you from taking bonuses in the future shouldn't really be too troublesome as far as taking bonuses in the first place goes. (Since if you weren't going to take bonuses anyway, you wouldn't lose anything by losing your bonus privileges.)


On a side note, from a rhetorical point of view, it helps a bit to understand your point more easily if you provide a bit of context/summary of what you intend to say before launching into the details.
 
Thanks for your posting Maryjean. I play in one casino with playtech and can play each game without restrictions. I had a battle 2 weeks ago, took a 100% 150 Euro bonus. BJ counts 10%. Ok, I started and was on a good way. But then I lost my luck, at the end of my WR I had 250 Euros, without bonus I had played the same strategy and had a withdrawal of 4000 Euros. I had 4000 in my account but it was impossible to play through the bonus and that`s the reason for opening this threat. Is it really worth the pain to have some free money? I don`t know, well not for me anymore.
 
Thanks for your posting Maryjean. I play in one casino with playtech and can play each game without restrictions. I had a battle 2 weeks ago, took a 100% 150 Euro bonus. BJ counts 10%. Ok, I started and was on a good way. But then I lost my luck, at the end of my WR I had 250 Euros, without bonus I had played the same strategy and had a withdrawal of 4000 Euros. I had 4000 in my account but it was impossible to play through the bonus and that`s the reason for opening this threat. Is it really worth the pain to have some free money? I don`t know, well not for me anymore.

Taking a bonus and then playing a game that only counts 10% toward wagering you'll be doomed to failure - basically just tack an extra zero to your wagering requirements at the start and it might give you a different perspective. Say you deposit $100 and get $100 bonus and the playthrough is 40x but you play blackjack so in reality your WR is 400x. So instead of having to wager 4000, you're going to have to wager 40000!

Unless my math is completely wrong....ha. :oops:
 
re:bonuses

Thanks for your posting Maryjean. I play in one casino with playtech and can play each game without restrictions. I had a battle 2 weeks ago, took a 100% 150 Euro bonus. BJ counts 10%. Ok, I started and was on a good way. But then I lost my luck, at the end of my WR I had 250 Euros, without bonus I had played the same strategy and had a withdrawal of 4000 Euros. I had 4000 in my account but it was impossible to play through the bonus and that`s the reason for opening this threat. Is it really worth the pain to have some free money? I don`t know, well not for me anymore.

Thanks Gagamel,

Again, I wasn't whining----I was merely stating what I had just received from InetBet, seeing as how this mornings subject seems to have been about "to take or not to take" bonuses.

I have been playing on line and especially at InetBet for many years. I have had some very good wins with and without bonuses and then on the other hand I have had 1.4X playthroughs on 20X requirements many times also.

Without bonuses I usually play video poker, since I am not really a fan of slot machines. Some are fun once in awhile, but mostly they are an exercise in clicking my mouse. I can do that playing Solitaire.

I will not deny that I think it is hypocritical on a casino's part to offer so many bonuses and then complain when a player uses them. If they don't want them used so much then they should only offer them on special occasions, such as the one I just used that caused their complaint---Halloween.

Somehow I cannot feel sorry for casinos when they have such gosh awfully high wager requirements.
Most of the time the player loses long before they have a chance to cashout.

And I am especially disappointed in InetBet. I thought they were more concerned with their players than that. It doesn't seem to do much good to be called a VIP either.

MaryJean
 
I suppose for VIP you should use the translation of loser! I too have had that email from inetbet. You only get it if you win regularly or large amounts from a deposit bonus. It offended me to have been implicated in bonus abuse. I therefore have uninstalled the casino.
 
MaryJean, you are in EXCELLENT company!

I received this e-mail from InetBet this morning:


Dear *****

We sent you an email about bonus use earlier in the month. You do not seem
to have taken any notice of this.

I have been asked to inform you that our accounts department have flagged
your account on a final warning.

You continually availed of bonus's that we send out to reward our regular
players, but you do not play unless it is bonus advantage play.

I must therefore confirm that unless we see a change in your pattern of
play i.e. bonus free playing, we will be denying any future bonus's that
you try to redeem.

This is not an action that we take lightly, however continual misuse of
the bonus program seriously effects our ability to reward our regular
players.

Please take note of this otherwise bonus use will be turned off on your account.

Kind regards
iNetBet Support

I responded to them indicating that I play a lot of video poker and therefore not all of my deposits could possibly be bonuses.

I then 'quickly' received this reply:

Hi ******
I am sorry if you say you did not receive a prior mail
This was sent on the 9th October

As to your recent play we checked and of the last 20 deposits just 3 have been without a bonus applied

If you would like a figure then we ideally would like to see around 50% of deposits bonus free.

To clarify there is no exclusion in place at this time.

We hope this information is of some help

Have a good weekend

Regards
iNetBet Support


SO-------even to a LONG time player at their casino, they are not satisfied with one partaking of their bonuses.

Note----I am not excluded-----YET.

Just thought you'd like this information for your consideration.

MaryJean

I don't think there are very many members of this forum--myself included--that have played significantly at Inetbet who have not received the same email. I was bonus banned after an incredibly lucky run at Inetbet nearly 3 years ago.

To be clear and fair, Inetbet is IMO the best RTG casino for American players by far. Additionally, their typical bonus terms and wagering requirements are far more favorable than any other CM Accredited RTG casino.

I was banned from all of their promotions for about a year. During that year I deposited very little at Inetbet knowing full well that they had shot themselves in the foot by bonus banning me. Had they not made this decision, I would have undoubtedly lost back the estimated $10,000 or so I was up on them MUCH sooner.

Then they kindly removed the ban so I could accept a Christmas Free chip offer a couple of years ago. Since then, while I do not have the exact figures, I am pretty certain they have got every dime I ever won there back plus some.

It all boils down to luck combined with discipline and money management. The discipline is of course in withdrawing and not reversing and throwing it back which has become a major challenge in all of my online play.

They of course have every right to bonus ban me or anyone else they choose at any time. I think whenever they bonus ban most players who have enjoyed a streak of uncommonly good luck--they are usually ensuring that player will throw all the money that was won to Club World, or JPC Group which is exactly what the result was in my case.

Whoever makes this decision--I believe--has usually failed to look at the big picture. Keep 'em playing long enough and the house will ALWAYS win even if they usually take a bonus.

Their Bonus offers are the only ones available to an American that could truly be exploited by an advantage player so I can understand why they tend to get a bit paranoid about it.
 
Without question!

I suppose for VIP you should use the translation of loser!

My thoughts exactly! VIP status at any RTG is NOT something a winner will aspire to be. An a VIP will NEVER be a winner.
 
it would be best to start with just the minimum deposit with the bonus and feel the casino. this worked for me before when joining new casinos. the minimum deposit doesn't hurt the budget that much. if you think you'll have a better day, then play with the bonus, if not, you'll know what to do. gambling = risk taking. that's all. XD
 
Casino's are becoming greedy....... To give you an idea, its insane to wager $400 for a $10 bonus. But then again, nothing is free and everybody is in it to make money ;)

Went to play 32Red a few weeks back, was $200 for $50. Risk $200 to win $50 @ 30x wagering. I passed :D
 
i think u can leave the bonus if u have not touched the bonus yet then u can forfeited.. for example if u deposit 100 u got 100 bonus u win money with your first 100 u can forfeit the bonus but if u have lose and drop under and touched the bonus then u are obligated to play the wagering requirement...that is how i think it works at BETaT

Betat uses the MGS cash/bonus balance system as it was intended to be used. Fortune Lounge I believe (maybe not on welcome bonuses) but on regular comps, allow players to withdrawal winning before meeting wagering and forfeit the bonus in total. That is, the bonus received is deducted from winnings.

imo, most MGS casinos abuse the fundimental purpose and the intended use of the ClearPlay Bonus System.

Found an article about the CPS at
You do not have permission to view link Log in or register now.


Under traditional implementation of the Clearplay bonus system, you can withdraw your cash balance and bonus winnings at any time, whether you have completed wagering or not.

Unfortunately, many casino groups use a modified form of the bonus where you must complete the full wagering before making a withdrawal.
 
Yeah I think the 10-20% bonuses should come with less WR maybe 20x. I'm sure they would probably get more people taking that bonus and depositing rather than those who decide to deposit at a different casino where they might be able to get a 100% bonus. I think their marketing department really need to do something about giving customers an incentive to take those (quite frankly) tiny bonuses. Players would still need to wager $800 and more people would probably take them meaning more profit. They could call it an Ultra or Exclusive Low Wagering Bonus Chip.

Sorry my creative mind's just getting a bit carried away lol! :oops:
 

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