This Newbie has many questions

[Adriana B]

Hi Guys. Do you really think these bonuses are worth it? I won close to $400 on DOA and still had $1200 left in WR before I could cash out. Of course, I lost it all. I came close but to add insult to injury, they added WR to the 50 free spins I had (BETAT). Secondly, is it just me or do you need a lawyer to interpret these T&C's? I only go on casinos recommended by Casinomeister -- never, ever a rogue casino. Last but not least, am I the only person on this forum that has never been able to withdraw winnings? I used to play on the Canadian site but the games are so dull compared to these, however, I can't help but feel that you never know if you will get what is rightfully yours with these offshore casinos. Thanks and sorry for being so lengthy!

 

[psychogene]

Bonuses are worth taking at least once in a while especially if they are 100% bonus with reasonable WR (x30 - x40). Some places give you extra free spins on certain slots but I wouldn't touch them until you are bust. You have to expect the free spins will come with WR too but there are places that have wager free 'free spins' like VideoSlots, Guts and Thrills.

Its the nature of playing with bonuses though that there are going to be alot of times you are well up and would have withdrawn but you can't because you have not cleared the WR. Guess you have to expect it - either bet big (close to the max bet size or at the max bet size but never over) and go risky to clear the WR fast or go the long journey of low-mid size bets where you ride your luck at a slower pace but a longer road. Or you can mix it up - go big if you are feeling its playing great and then low roll for awhile before trying again.

Either way no strategy works 100% or even at all so best to just play what you like to play (for entertainment) and assume - like with all deposits - you are not going to make a withdrawal. One thing bonuses are made for is extended gameplay on slots but I honestly do not think they increase your chances of withdrawing because I have the feeling that before you hit the WR (like you just did) theres a GOOD chance you will hit something big and that would have been the time to withdrawal usually but you cannot and are forced to play on and (as in most cases) lose it all.

Some people are quite good playing with bonuses and I have had some success with bonuses but only when the WR is under x40 and at 100%. Dead or alive has a tendency to give crazy good wins and then crazy bad streaks all in the one session. It could help to switch to a medium-low variance slot after a big win on a high variance slot like DOA before returning to a high variance slot again.

Also what I do is if I am going to play say $60 at a casino I would take a $20 bonus if its 100% as my first deposit and just play it out win and I would have got good playtime/money's worth and lose and I would just deposit without bonus as per usual.

Without knowing your playstyle I am sure at some point you could have made a withdrawal but did not if you play enough. It happens alot (I am guilty of this) - just chase small to medium withdrawals as a start and go from there

 

[Jono777]

Apology first - sorry!

You could have withdrawn at any time at Betat and forfeit the bonus portion (providing you had not 'dipped' in to it)
They do not 'tie' your real funds in with your bonuses at that casino

 

[psychogene]

Jonminchers right forgot about that. If you did not dip below your 'deposit amount minus the bonus' you could withdraw at any point.

For your sake Barbara I am hoping you dipped below your initial deposit amount and was playing with just bonus money!

 

[Dinahnana]

I would also like to add where Betat's concerned you do not have to take the freespins you can wait until you cashout or bust out. This is the way I always do it anyway. This way you are not tied into any extra wagering on your initial deposit. Betat has a very good bonus structure IMHO (just don't have a whole lotta luck with the games)

 

[spintee]

I like a bonus but unless you really no about them than they can be a mind field as vary across sites,

Few examples::: some site offer bonus but you have to wager the deposit and bonus, others just wager bonus, some sites let you withdraw any winnings as long as you not touched the bonus, Also some sites do not count the wager untill you actually go into wager, Some sites I think betat only of the top of my head actually count your normal play and count as wager, so well worth taking there bonus even if its 10% as you have nothing to lose and also something to gain,
I am surprised you had near 400 with only 1200, you must of run into some bad luck,


A lawyer will come in handy with some of theses terms that are about now days,

And your absolute right about theses offsore casino's, There are some out there which take care of you but if they decided to shut shop one day than there's not much that can be done, stick to the list on here

Link Outdated / Removed

keep to the rules and you cannot go far wrong,

Good Luck

 

[hedgehok]

Apology first - sorry!

You could have withdrawn at any time at Betat and forfeit the bonus portion (providing you had not 'dipped' in to it)
They do not 'tie' your real funds in with your bonuses at that casino

I am not sure if the OP did play with free spin winnings - so no prior withdrawal possible since no cash balance.

 

[Jono777]

I am not sure if the OP did play with free spin winnings - so no prior withdrawal possible since no cash balance.

Good point and quite possible - More of a 'heads up' for future play really

 

[Batman]

Bonuses are OK if you are aware of the terms. There are a lot of rules that would come when playing with a bonus (Max bets / Max cashouts / Wagering requirements which differs from casino to casino, from bonus to bonus, from type of game to type of game, and so on), so you need to read and understand the terms that would come attached to the bonus / specific bonus.

IMHO you have better chances when playing with a bonus.
It's much simpler though to play without one...

 

[Adriana B]

Thanks -- what an awesome group this is

I did not know most of these things you have just informed me of. For example, yes, I did play the free spins first. I didn't realize that it tied up your money once you did that. So lesson learned. Secondly, I was not aware that I was able to withdraw if I had not touched into my bonus. Another huge lesson learned. Thank you for all your helpful tips. Perhaps now I can play smarter !!!!

 

[KasinoKing]

I did not know most of these things you have just informed me of. For example, yes, I did play the free spins first. I didn't realize that it tied up your money once you did that. So lesson learned. Secondly, I was not aware that I was able to withdraw if I had not touched into my bonus. Another huge lesson learned. Thank you for all your helpful tips. Perhaps now I can play smarter !!!!

The "withdraw any time" rule only applies at a handful of casinos - NEVER assume any 2 casinos have the same rules!

Also, psychogene wasn't totally clear when talking about the WR; when he said x30 - x40 is OK - he meant Bonus (ONLY) x the figure.
Some casinos ask for (Deposit + Bonus) x N, which means the WR is DOUBLED! (If it's a 100% bonus).

You also need to know if the bonus money is cashable after you finish the WR; some bonuses are PHANTOM (bonus amount removed when you cash-out).

Good bonuses do give you a better chance of a cash-out IMO - but you need to avoid the ones which stack the odds too high in the casino's favour.

KK

 

[sigothx1]

Just want to chime in and say if your thinking of expanding the sites you play at, just know that betat are at least in this players opinion the top of the industry right now, there terms are very clear, they will help you with anything you need to know via live support, and i wouldn't worry about being paid, so far this month ive withdrawn around 6-£7000 and over my course of playing at betat around 15-£20,000 and have never had even a small worry.

if your going to be taking bonuses, start learning to read terms and conditions, as casinos can and will void money if you make a mistake, after a while youll understand all the jargon and they will seem alot less complicated.

 

[Adriana B]

I do trust Betat but they do not have certain games that I like. That is why I prefer GUTS -- and I feel that they are quite reliable as well.

 

[Dinahnana]

I do trust Betat but they do not have certain games that I like. That is why I prefer GUTS -- and I feel that they are quite reliable as well.

There are so many great casinos out there that are a pleasure to deal with and pay fast. You could give Betspin a try also good welcome bonus and selection of game is similar to Guts. They also payout fast. I am also partial to Mr. Green I mostly play without a bonus there so I can't say much about that but they do have some good promos, large game selection to include MG, Netent, Bally, IGT and others. They also pay fast. The accredited list is full of great casinos.

 

[DukeLasVegas]

Bonuses, Yes Please.

If one deposits money to these sites, he or she is trusting they are legit.

Why not take a bonus, then ?

I've won more with bonuses than without.

Good luck.

 

[GoldenGhoul]

I play both with and without bonuses and although I prefer having no wagering requirements to worry about, I have to say that sometimes having the bonus might turn out a good thing as you are forced to keep playing instead of withdrawing - and who knows where this might lead you I had cases of nice withdrawals where if there were no WR, I would have withdrawn much earlier and it would have been a much smaller amount, but due to having to clear the WR I upped the stakes, kept playing, and hit even bigger. As others have said, always understand how exactly the bonus will work as there are dozens of completely different bonus policies across different casinos.

 

[Adriana B]

OK so it appears that I am the only loser here !!!! Never won a dime after hundreds of dollars. However, many of the members on this forum have made me wiser so hopefully there are better days ahead.

 

[jackanory2279]

dont like the deposit bonus at all TBH .. only use em if the wagering isnt high... BET365 have the lowest wagering ive seen for a deposit bonus and thats x20

 

[Dinahnana]

I play both with and without bonuses and although I prefer having no wagering requirements to worry about, I have to say that sometimes having the bonus might turn out a good thing as you are forced to keep playing instead of withdrawing - and who knows where this might lead you I had cases of nice withdrawals where if there were no WR, I would have withdrawn much earlier and it would have been a much smaller amount, but due to having to clear the WR I upped the stakes, kept playing, and hit even bigger. As others have said, always understand how exactly the bonus will work as there are dozens of completely different bonus policies across different casinos.

If I have a decent amount of budget for gambling then I will deposit without a bonus. That way I am not tied into any wagering requirements and can cashout when I want. If my budget is low then I usually will use a bonus. I prefer to play at sites that have payouts fast (4hours or under) and to me that is more important than bonuses. So I guess it's all about preferences.

 

[Vegasbum]

OK so it appears that I am the only loser here !!!! Never won a dime after hundreds of dollars. However, many of the members on this forum have made me wiser so hopefully there are better days ahead.

No you aren't the only loser here. Everyone loses sometimes but regulars also withdraw many times as well. The odds are not in your favor but with a little luck you can and will win....sometimes.

You mentioned why doesn't everyone play with a bonus. It is the play through required on a bonus before you can cash out. Say you deposit, take a bonus and then hit a 500 dollar win after the first few spins? Well with a bonus you can't cash out until you meet the bonus requirements. If you deposit with no bonus you can take that 500 dollar win and cash out right away.

 

[Valhalla]

I NEVER take bonuses. I'll repeat what I've said before:

My personal opinion is that bonuses are a way for the casino to claim ownership of your money, whilst also enforcing rules upon your play (restricted games, bets, and so on).
Some places are ok - you can cancel bonuses at any time before you've actually touched it and only lose the bonus money. I still don't take them but I think they are fair and I can see the attraction.

I also immediately cancel any free spins I am given (by contacting Live Chat where applicable). I find it offensive that I'll have got my balance up a few hundred pounds, only to be given 10 or 20 minimum bet free spins, which if I played would immediately tie me to some ludicrous wagering requirements for the sake of a few tiny wins. There are a few exceptions (Guts, BetSpin) where there are no wagering on free spins, but I still find it daft to be betting £1.50 or £2 a spin for hours, and then be given 10 spins at 10p or 15p. Thanks

By not taking bonuses I can deposit, play whatever games I want at whatever bet I want, and then withdraw when I want.
I've never had any trouble with a casino, because I only ever play with MY money