Do you play with Signup Bonuses? (2015)

[Simmo!]

Just under 2 years ago we ran the same poll. More has happened since then, new terms added, more restrictions and issues, some new ways of presenting them etc. So I am out to see if opinion is shifting or not.

 

[lockinlove]

very rarely. Only time I do is if the sign up bonus is good. free spins...play any games and wagering at 35x or lower.

Id say 5% of the time I will do it. Just so many damn rules and restrictions and high wagering. All I see are problems

 

[randomiam]

not these days

i used to love a good bonus but they are harder to wager these days and theres not many good 100% at 35x or less coming up
rather play straight cash 90% of the time now

 

[Batman]

Only when the T&C is transparent;
If I have doubts regarding my play-style contradicting their terms, I always get confirmation from support.
So most of the times, yes!

 

[Simmo!]

Only when the T&C is transparent;
If I have doubts regarding my play-style contradicting their terms, I always get confirmation from support.
So most of the times, yes!

And out of interest, how often would you say you get to a point where you could cash out a profit? (from the bonus deposit)

 

[Batman]

And out of interest, how often would you say you get to a point where you could cash out a profit? (from the bonus deposit)

It's really complicated;

But you are right! Cashing out is rarer and rarer nowadays than let's say 2 year or so ago...
Bigger wagering requirements, lower max bets, stupid max cash out limits - ON DEPOSITS !!! (still trying to recover over this one which seem really unfair)...

And it will only get worse!

I like playing with bonuses... more chances usually, however, if it will get absurd, I'll simply stop taking the bonuses,
It's not the case at the moment... thankfully!

 

[paul7388]

When signing up to a new casino I sometimes take the sign up offer on a low deposit.

Don't know why but I just feel that if I take the sign up offers it gets them out of the way and will have less problems later.

Sounds daft but take betspin for example. It says once you complete the 3 sign up bonuses you are then eligible for all the offers they give. So I am guessing that after first 3 deposits even without taking the bonus you would be eligible but I took the bonus anyway just to make sure.

After I start playing at a casino tho I rarely take a bonus at all. People say it gives a lot more playtime etc. but for example if I was depositing £50 to get a £50 bonus I would rather just deposit £50 without it or try and deposit more.

I like the fact that without the bonus I can play whatever I want and whatever bet size. No need to ever worry about breaking any of the terms that are getting more crazy all the time. Also nothing worse than hitting a great win knowing that by the time you meet wagering you will probably have lost it all. Better to have less funds to start and know that if lucks on your side you can cashout any time.

Also to me I just don't get why players take a bonus then spend hours stressing at how they will make playthrough. Worrying if they have broke some sort of term etc.

Gambling should be for fun not sitting trying to work out best way to meet playthrough and cash out as soon as its done. Just deposit real money and if you lose you lose. If you win its all yours.

Way I look at it if the slots are playing real bad you will lose the bonus money as well so why bother. How many posts are there where people have hit a good sized win then tried to complete wagering and still had over 50% wagering left after busting out. Without the bonus that money would be sitting in their account for them to spend.

 

[Simmo!]

Don't know why but I just feel that if I take the sign up offers it gets them out of the way and will have less problems later.

Ah now that's interesting. The only time I take a signup bonus is when it's automatically credited and like you, I just play through it thinking I am one step closer to winning with my own money. But I like to play it at big bets to either make it worth having or more usually to get to the 2nd deposit faster and more and more, you can't do that.

I am thinking maybe this poll will be less revealing than a poll asking "How do you approach a signup bonus". Maybe that should be a follow-up poll later.

 

[Casino2014man]

I never take sign up bonuses anymore unless they are wager free freespins.

I do not like spending my time reading through endless lines of terms, and prefer to just use my own money to cash out whenever I like.

personally I find 30x way too high for wagering let alone 50+ like some.

I never accept them.

 

[Wild Reels]

I will always take a sign up bonus at a new casino i join, and this is purely for the extended play time it offers, overall we are all supposed to be losing in the infinite time frame of rtp, so id rather share that burden with casino's bonus money .

Sometimes it can be a burden having to complete the wagering to cash out, but on other occasions the big hits and cash outs wouldn't have even happened if i didn't have that extra 100%, and as gamblers go i'm fairly cautious when playing purely with my own money, to say that id happily cash out if i doubled a £100 deposit in to £200.

When I've been tied to wagering and had to continue I've had some fantastic runs because i had to keep playing, and some horrible runs where ive got up considerably then slowly lost it all.

On the flip side, i don't sign up to any old casino just because they are offering a 100% match, i did the whole chasing the dead or alive wins with bonuses thing a while back, so now any new casino has to look like it will be worth playing at a second or 3rd time for me to even bother signing up to, any ridiculous terms for wagering/cash outs would make it a casino not worth signing up to in the first place for me.

 

[fun4all]

It's the only reason to try a new casino in my opinion. If I didn't want to try a new casino I would just play at 32red/betspin/guts/videoslots

 

[quber]

I don't take any bonuses at all except for the free spins on new games each month when they are automatically there, and i always load the game before I deposit to get any winnings out of the way.

I just prefer to be able to do what I want while I am playing and be able to cash out whenever I want.

 

[Dinahnana]

I agree with Wild Reels I will take sign up bonus if it's allowed at a sister site to an accredited casino or at a casino going through the BBF section. Having said that I am going to give GDay casino a shot as I have read really good things on here about this casino. Let's hope they decide to go for accreditation soon.

 

[syntynyt]

i would like to but pretty much i'm country bonus banned everywhere that matters. i do get though later bonuses after some deposits but usually are up to 50% so nothing interesting being a low-roller. i would like a new feature in a casino: deposit credited in free spins. i'm lucky on them

 

[Tirilej]

If I sign up to a new casino it will have to have been here for a while, or recommended by someone I trust.

If I don't like the rep (I do talk to them all) then I won't sign up no matter how good sign up bonus they have.

Some always have a few games I like excluded from bonus play, and since I'm not a millionaire, I see no reason to play there if that's the case.
They don't realize that they maybe don't lose much on those games with that kind of rules, but they are actually losing a lot from players that never sign up for that particular reason

I voted 50/50 but it's rare that I try a new casino. I have so many good choices already.

 

[psychogene]

I used to take sign up bonuses only occasionally but the last few places I have played at I have taken them all the time.

I think most people here would have their favorite places to play at now and if you are going to make the switch to play at another place at least on a regularly basis the sign up bonus would be one of the first things you look for. I don't really like most places wagering requirements these days (besides 32red 100%) even if it comes with free spins they all seem quite high and alot of places have their sign up bonuses WR even higher than their regular deposit bonuses. One good thing about sign up bonuses is they are almost always 100% at the minimum.

I vote 'Very Occasionally'.

 

[cncas2123]

I take a SUB but only for a small deposit, maybe £20 or £30, just to see how the site is and play a few games. I very rarely take any other bonus as I believe any bonus is just going to tie you in to hefty WR and if you are lucky enough to get a decent win you can waste it trying to hit the WR. When you look at some of the newer sites and the WR they have for DOA and other games, how can anyone make WR of x 175 and make a withdrawal?? Not very likely.

 

[horseplayer]

I voted very occasionally because new casino opportunities are few and far between in the US. I've long ago joined pretty much every casino available to me. I generally did use signup bonuses when they were offered.

 

[partyhummel]

i love no deposit bonus ;-)

i grab any i can. first i succeeded at casino la vida (lastz ywar may) 5 euro bonus - cashed out 160 € (recently they limited it to 100)

last week from freespins 100

rubyslots 3 times 100$

prismcasino 2 times 100$

pampercasino 240 but they didnt pay ...

yesterday i busted onlinecasinoeu - 25€ 99x wager - almost made it but close before aim it vanished ;-))))

those freechip goodies always get me. i just like presents (who doesnt?)

 

[hedgehok]

By reading partyhummels post I think the poll should have another option "only NDB" - because that's what many do, just no risk and a slim chance to convert

I think Simmo! some intention with this poll is to evaluate if players tend to use SUBs more often compared to years ago. For me much has changed since the old days. I still usually take them.
However much has changed how to approach the playthrough.

When I started playing online 2005 most bonuses had no catch: You could see the wagering requirements and that's it. No max-bet, no excluded games (let alone excluded slots), no max-cashout shenanigans.
Back then I played many different games. Slots, Live-Casino-Games, but also table-games. Basically everything you can find.
In 2015 things have change dramatically. Casinos are cought in the bonus-race and therefore decrease the bonus-quality up to a point where it's almost impossible to make the playthrough. And I play much more slots today.

The biggest difference comparing 2005 with 2015 is I usually don't make the playthrough. I don't fancy playing hours to make the playthrough so I only play at casinos where I can play the bet-size I find fitting to fulfill the wagering requirements in modest time. However I mostly fail to do so and bust. This is why I sometimes make a straight deposit to just a play for half an hour.

What I actually like is that many casinos offer things like (wager-free) free spins or cashbacks as incentives. This approach you see far more often nowadays which I consider a good thing.
I think that's the future. And many innovative casinos do that already. For example Videoslots with it's race/cashback, Thrills with the free-spins treasure journey (you trigger chests with wager-free freespins along the way), betat with bonuses you get with a certain playing activity (or the supercharged winnings at their sister Slottyvegas).

 

[sapit222]

Last year i almost never took any signup bonuses or others.

This year i always take them all if they are 100% or above..
I always check the terms of course, but mostly just a quick check..
Most of the casinos i play at are accredited though.

 

[Valhalla]

I never take any kind of bonus.

 

[brianleeporter]

I always Take the signup bonus me.

Gives you more cash to play with obviously and explore the site.

I Always read those terms tho just in case.

 

[KasinoKing]

Sorry Simmo, but I don't think the question was worded very well.
I think you should have asked: "When you join a new casino, do you take the sign-up bonuses?"

I say this, because people who play regularly at the same casino(s) can only vote "pretty much never", whereas I suspect that it is new sign-ups that you are particularly interested in... ?

Just IMO!

KK

 

[mcgameboy]

Yes. Every time. Because I do like a bonus. I joined three new casinos this year, all of which are CM accredited. BETAT, Gala and GUTS. The reasons why were simple....

1. I wanted to try games by developers other than MG and Playtech.
2. Those three casinos cover a pretty sizeable chunk of those developers.
3. Those three casinos are among the cream of the crop and CM accredited.

I also "re-joined" Bet365 after a near year long absence. And I did so for the same reasons.

That said, I have found myself playing more often without a bonus. I'm happy to take the SUBs/welcome package bonuses for two reasons...
1. simply because they are there and
2. Because every so often, I like to take on a WR challenge, which SUBs enable me to do.

But after the SUBs/welcome packages have been used up/exhausted, I am quite happy to make deposits with no bonus attached. It's taken me quite some time to really appreciate the benefits of playing without a bonus. But now that I have realised what those benefits are, I find myself embracing them more and more.

Nowadays, the only casino where I find myself regularly taking any "post-SUB/welcome package" bonus is at 32Red with their DOTD. And that's because it's a considerably "less daunting" WR of £1,500 on a £50 bonus. I still get offers of 25% at Gala and Bet365, but I am simply not prepared to take them, because they are in effect bonuses which come with a WR of Bx100. To me, that is ridiculously -EV.

 

[mattsgame]

Had to say "Pretty Much Never", I rarely sign up to new casinos these days and stick to the one or 2, as a player. If we are talking regular bonuses, I take them more often than not, but as above its at the casinos I frequent and know the bonus rules.

As an affiliate I do try new casinos but only with a small deposits + no bonuses.

Cheers
Matt

 

[ProbabilityZero]

Rarely sign up to new casinos as 32 Red provides most needs and Videoslots for non MG slots.

As someone else has said.... I do take bonuses because my philosophy is that I would have bet that extra money anyway.

Having said that I do find that I'm playing far more when on a bonus as eager to find out if make WR so in reality I may be getting more play time but not saving money!

Without bonuses I find it hard to have an "END GOAL". I actually find bonus WR rides quite thrilling in themselves.

The other thing to bear in mind is that if you plan to cash out as soon as meeting WR then a 25% bonus is no less valuable in reality than a 100% bonus (except for reduced playtime) as the theoretical percentage losses are equal in both cases. Many don't consider this:

For example:

100% bonus £50 deposit and £50 bonus. WR x30
WR £1500
Example slot 96% RTP = Projected loss £60 (50 bonus and 10 cash loss)

25% bonus £50 deposit and £12.50 bonus WR x 30
WR £375
Example slot 96% RTP = Projected loss £15 (12.50 bonus and 2.50 cash)

So if you deposit £200 with the 25% your ending balance probability is actually equal to that of depositing £50. The only difference being that a bad run eats away more if your deposit. However statistically in the long run your net losses on a 25% bonus will be equal to that of 100% bonus providing you always cash out upon completion of WR.

 

[hedgehok]

Rarely sign up to new casinos as 32 Red provides most needs and Videoslots for non MG slots.

As someone else has said.... I do take bonuses because my philosophy is that I would have bet that extra money anyway.

Having said that I do find that I'm playing far more when on a bonus as eager to find out if make WR so in reality I may be getting more play time but not saving money!

Without bonuses I find it hard to have an "END GOAL". I actually find bonus WR rides quite thrilling in themselves.

The other thing to bear in mind is that if you plan to cash out as soon as meeting WR then a 25% bonus is no less valuable in reality than a 100% bonus (except for reduced playtime) as the theoretical percentage losses are equal in both cases. Many don't consider this:

For example:

100% bonus £50 deposit and £50 bonus. WR x30
WR £1500
Example slot 96% RTP = Projected loss £60 (50 bonus and 10 cash loss)

25% bonus £50 deposit and £12.50 bonus WR x 30
WR £375
Example slot 96% RTP = Projected loss £15 (12.50 bonus and 2.50 cash)

So if you deposit £200 with the 25% your ending balance probability is actually equal to that of depositing £50. The only difference being that a bad run eats away more if your deposit. However statistically in the long run your net losses on a 25% bonus will be equal to that of 100% bonus providing you always cash out upon completion of WR.

Your calculation is flawed: You have to consider bet-sizes: Your example would be (close to) correct with minimum-bets.

 

[The Dude]

I'm rather surprised at the number of people who are indicating that they take them most of the time. I never take bonuses - well rarely if ever. I don't have the time to deal with pages of convoluted terms and conditions.

We did this poll two years ago with about 40% saying they take bonuses most of the time. I figured since a number of casinos have introduced draconian terms, the number would have decreased. Me so wrong :axeman2:

Here is a related thread which I hope will generate some positive ideas on bonus alternatives:
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/threads/the-slow-death-of-the-online-casino-bonus.67419/

 

[Batman]

I'm rather surprised at the number of people who are indicating that they take them most of the time. I never take bonuses - well rarely if ever. I don't have the time to deal with pages of convoluted terms and conditions.

We did this poll two years ago with about 40% saying they take bonuses most of the time. I figured since a number of casinos have introduced draconian terms, the number would have decreased. Me so wrong :axeman2:

Here is a related thread which I hope will generate some positive ideas on bonus alternatives:
https://www.casinomeister.com/forums/threads/the-slow-death-of-the-online-casino-bonus.67419/

Guessing there are players out there that understand Sign Up Bonuses to be Free (no deposit) sign up bonuses, thus the high number of pro bonus votes...

 

[nilaynilay]

i only look for loss-back. i recently got 100% loss-back and BJ was allowed. live BJ so not cheating.

10% loss back has been offered by 2 diff casinos. I hope to see more loss-back insurance. signups are such a pain these days.

specially if you play roulette or BJ

 

[datch]

Hi,


I take signup bonusses if t&c's are reasonable and no BS like "withdrawal capped 6X the deposit" or other imho rogue paragraphs are in place and if the wr is not more then 50X bonus.

If I do not like the welcome bonus, I will most likely not register an account with the casino.


Greetz

 

[lotusch]

Hi guys,I play very rarely with a bonus.
Simply because I do not want to get attached to a WR and adittional t&c's on max bet rules and stuff.
For me bonusses are more a pain in the arse then they would do me any good.
I know there are probably a lot of "pro" bonus players around in this world who know exactly how to beat a bonus or know the best way to try and beat it.
I am more straight forward,I deposit and I play.
If I win I can cash out whenever I want and if I lose I lose.

So for me bonusses are not interesting,personally.

 

[Frenzal]

Bonuses are good if you never plan on taking money out

Bonuses in my eye's are there to hold you back. Just another gimmick to stop casino's from ever needing to pay you out.

If you just want to play and don't have much money then bonuses might be for you but then again if that's the case then maybe you should just play without money to begin with.
When I play I have a set amount of money I am willing to lose but ultimately I'm playing because I want to win some money.

 

[silcnlayc]

I very seldom take sign up bonuses because I very rarely play at new casinos. I take regular bonuses that are 100% or over because it is too hard to win on a small deposit any more. It is hard to win with bonuses, but it allows more playtime. I stopped playing at casinos that I have been a longtime member of due to bonuses being reduced to the ridiculous.

I play only simple bonuses without a max cash out and at a minimum of 100% starting bonus. I do not like tiered bonuses. They are the worst. Cashback offers without strings are OK, but I don't ask for them because if it is offered, it should be automatically placed into the account without strings.

.

 

[Birdy84]

I have pretty much always played with a bonus since i started playing a couple of years back, but there have been so many occasions i would have had a cash out if i didn't have masses of wr to get through i don't think i will take them in the future. If you just want a longer play sessio there fine aside from that personally i just don't think they are worth taking.

 

[bluebirdy]

I Pretty much never take sign up bonus, i like to try the site with a few £'s then if win i can withdraw and test out how long withdrawal times are at the same time with out the hassle of WR. way to many T&C's

 

[francy5]

Bonuses

I answered "more often than not" which turns out to be not often. I tend to play the same casinos and rarely play new ones to get the sign up bonus. I've gotten ripped off when I first started playing online with huge bonus offers like 600%. In order to win (depending on your deposit) you could be playing forever to meet the terms of the bonuses offered. I like the 100% match bonus with a play through of 25/30 times the deposit plus the bonus. I'm in no way a expert player, but I've had great success in this way. This is not to say I won't try a new casino that is on the accredited list that has a decent sign up bonus, reasonable play through, and fast and easy payouts.

I never bet more than I can afford to lose.

 

[Mousey]

With casino T&Cs reading like a paranoid lawyer on crack wrote them, WR going through the roof, unreasonable and illogical disallowed games, max bet limitations, max withdrawal limitations, and for USA players insane withdrawal fees, along with minimum withdrawals .... Bonus? no thank you - not even a sign up bonus.

Most land based casinos have done away with free money for new players. If you're lucky you might get a free key ring or t-shirt. Where most USA B&M casinos excel is player loyalty and retention. You sign up, play awhile using your brand new players card, enjoy free booze, go home, a few weeks later you get coupons for free nights in their hotel, free food credits, and usually a little free play (1x play through and you can walk right out the door with any winnings), if you'll only go back and play there again.

I haven't been to my fav B&M casino in over 2 years and they still send me coupons for 3 free nights, $50 food, and some free play because they'd really like to have a go at my money again. Makes sense doesn't it? why give the dough up to a new player who may waltz out the door and never show up again?

Save the promos and freebies for those that return. That's called player retention. Online casinos seem to have lost or never had a clue about the concept.

 

[Geddes333]

Thinking the same thing!!

Just under 2 years ago we ran the same poll. More has happened since then, new terms added, more restrictions and issues, some new ways of presenting them etc. So I am out to see if opinion is shifting or not.

Was thinking the same thing recently as it seems every time I take the purchase bonus offer my credits don't last very long and I'm out the door not even coming close to the wagering requirements let alone being entertained for ten minutes no matter how much I spend or receive. Seems like it's past coincidence and happens every time.

 

[Operette]

Nope

I play to win - and these "bonuses" are a burden. It's ridiculous how some casinos will tie up any bonus money with one's own money. I hate it when they do that. Then those terms and conditions...they are getting crazier all the time. It's a waste of time and monies.

 

[Googobucs]

I very rarely play a new casino but when I do; If the T&C are reasonable, I always take the SUB so I have an opportunity to really check them out. After that I would almost never take a bonus of any kind.
When I cash out really depends on a lot of things but I don't change my strategy with or without a SUB bonus. I usually deposit $50 and would cash out once I get over $300.

 

[datshowiwoll]

When I join a new casino I tend to take the SUB if they are accredited around half of the time, but very rarely take subsequent ones unless like at Betat and Leo Vegas my money isn't tied in .... I am a sucker for a FS offer though!

A great promotion though such as the Casumo Challenge would be much more likely to get me to sign up than a SUB

 

[Fjellsame]

Tend to go for SUB almost all of the time. Only a high wagering stops me.

 

[Thunderluck]

I'll go for a SUB if it's something big like deposit £10 get £50 as it gives me more play time, I see it as a way to play for a few hours at a £10 cost with the added bonus of a small chance of a win.

I blame sites like moneysavingexpert in the UK, they have a sub forum dedicated to extracting every single penny from sportsbook bonuses making it harder for the rest of us who like a casual punt. How bet365 still offer £200 match I don't know (and the terms are very good)

 

[jasonuk]

Taking the "bonus" out of sign-up bonus...

While I voted "more often than not", I would agree that it has been a race to the bottom over the past few years. As the bonuses have got bigger and the RTP payouts have increased, it was inevitable that the master race between bonus offers and bonus exploiters would kick in. Sadly it's Joe Punter that loses out.

For me, it also seems like a good indicator of the "fairness" of the casino. I appreciate the days of 20xB have long gone (particularly with 98% slots in the wild), but some of these SUB offerings are so insanely one sided that I'd be amazed if a single person cashed out.

The most annoying thing is all these extra terms that are creeping in - the use of "D+B" on small bonuses (20xD+B may not sound scary but 120xB does), the increasing use of capped payouts, intentional phantom wagering requirements, and the ever-increasing list of restricted games. Sadly when the big players such as Ladbrokes have previously or are now using such terms across their bonuses, it's a green light for everyone else!

I rarely play (post-SUB) deposit bonuses now, in favour of "post-rewards" (e.g. play £X, get Y tomorrow on GUTS) - I can stop at any time, and I don't have to worry about large wagering requirements or other predatory terms.

 

[me_and_ed]

I never take SUB and on a vary rare occasion take a free spins bonus, I don't have time to read the whole post so I am sure its been said but bonuses are 95% of all issues here, from both sides, I personally do not want any restrictions on my funds.

 

[gsx600]

I rarely take a bonus anymore...once in a great while but on the last 2 I took I was able to cash out from both. I have been getting really lucky lately hitting good amounts shortly after depositing. My husband bought me new computer because my wireless card was going, so had to figure how to take screenshots again.

 

[silentvet]

Are we talking sign-up or the other bonuses frequently available

The term used in the poll is "SIGN-UP." The way I see it, it's the same promo method that any other business uses to get the attention of potential new customers. "Come on in and try our wares..." What's wrong with that? Do you shop for airline specials? Hotel offers? Better read the small print. It's a way of life. So, if a casino wants me to try them out I surely want a sign-up bonus so as to provide me with time to play their games and see if they offer a good game of chance.

The other bonuses are offered to keep gamblers coming back. If you don't like the offers then don't take them. If you do like them and are willing to read their T&C and are willing to go through the patience of getting thru the WR, then that's your business. Don't try to take something away from the businesses or the gamblers just cause you don't like it. Let CHOICE rule the day.

Who doesn't agree with choice? Those who seek to stop YOU from doing something THEY don't approve of.

I've been using bonuses to my benefit since I began using online casinos back in 2008. I say leave them alone. Just keep up the forums and let us complain about those casinos that rip us off and those that have great customer service. We'll take it from there.

 

[str8wild]

Never. They're the worst thing about the online casinos. There isn't one decent U.S. one out there.