How to decide on an online casino Bonus
What you are primarily interested in is finding out the wagering requirements and the allowed games. These two factors will probably make the decision for you, but whilst browsing through the T&C’s of a casino Bonus, there are a couple of other things to look out for. You’ll need to know whether you are actually “eligible” to claim the Bonus, how it’s credited to your online player account, and whether your location comes with any additional requirements. Also good to find out is if any maximum cashouts apply to the winnings of a Bonus.
When claiming an online casino Bonus, you need to find out whether it’s credited automatically or whether it needs to be claimed by you. Some online casinos insist that once you signed up and made your first deposit, you either claim your Bonus through a link on the website’s “Promotions” page or you can email the online casino support team to request the Bonus. Others simply credit your account, though this may not happen immediately, but the T&C’s will tell you.
In actual fact, claiming a casino Bonus is a far better method for the player (be aware that the casino often says that this must be done within 24-72 hours of registering at the casino). Why? Because you can deposit, play your own money and if you win, cashout without any restrictions. If you lose, then you can claim your Bonus and have another go with the restrictions attached! With auto-credited Bonuses, you are immediately subject to wagering requirements which can interfere with your ability to win.
For sure you will be able to find some online casinos that have some good deals. Most of the casinos however will ask you to wager at least 15 times the total of the deposit and casino Bonus before you can withdraw. Combined with the game restrictions, the wagering requirements often make it difficult to win, so be very careful to read the T&C’s and understand these fully before you decide to deposit.
A few online casinos, primarily those using RTG software, place a maximum cashout on any money won using the Signup Bonus. Typically this might be 10 times the amount of the casino Bonus awarded, so before you go chasing that progressive Jackpot, make sure you know if this rule applies. A similar principle is sometimes attached to promotions. In general, at reputable casinos anyhow, this rule should be clear in the T&C’s of the casino Bonus or promotion, but it’s another reason to make sure you fully understand them before you deposit!
You can pretty much be sure that any game that includes 50/50 bets, or close approximations, will not be allowed when you are counting bets towards a wagering requirement. Consequently games like Roulette, Blackjack and Sic Bo are almost always disallowed. A lot of online casinos also exclude Video Poker games (or allow them at an increased wagering requirement) largely because these games often offer high expected returns and can be used to the player’s advantage in Bonus situations. You will also find a lot of Bonuses are called “Slots Only” Bonuses and consequently can only be wagered on Slots which typically have a 90%-95% expected return.