Whether you are a newbie or an existing player, receiving a bonus or promotion is one of the best things about visiting an online casino.
From matched deposits to free spins and more, casino bonuses are a great way to pad out your bankroll and boost your chances of winning.
However, one of the most frustrating aspects of bonuses and promotions are the wagering requirements that are often attached to the offers.
Read on as we look at why how wagering requirements work and why you should always check the terms and conditions on your chosen bonus.
Introducing Wagering Requirements
It is important to note that wagering requirements can go under other names. Some casinos call them rollover requirements, while others list them as playthrough requirements.
Regardless of the wording, wagering requirements are effectively the number of times you must wager a casino bonus before you can withdraw any accrued winnings.
For example, let’s say an online casino offers new players a 100% matched bonus up to $100 with wagering requirements of 10x.
This means if you deposit $100, you must place wagers to the value of $1,000 before you can withdraw the bonus and winnings as cash.
Why do Casinos Implement Wagering Requirements?
In simple terms, casinos use wagering requirements to manage their risk levels. If every player was able to withdraw free money, they would soon go bust.
Some casino players are under the misapprehension that you cannot beat wagering requirements, but this is not true.
While playing through a bonus ten times is difficult, there are plenty of casino sites that offer much lower wagering requirements.
Choosing a site that has bonuses requiring you to play through just three or four times will significantly improve your chances of unlocking the cash.
Study the Game Weighting
Before you use any online casino bonus or promotion, it is imperative to determine whether any game weighting rules are in play.
The terms and conditions will explain the ‘weight’ a game has towards the wagering requirements. For example, roulette may have a weight of 20% while slots could be 100%.
This means that for every $1 you bet on roulette, only $0.20 counts towards meeting the specified wagering requirements.
By contrast, a 100% weighting means that every dollar of your bet goes towards the wagering requirements, making it much easier to unlock your winnings.
The Best Way to Beat Wagering Requirements
Beating wagering requirements is no easy task, but there are ways you can significantly improve your chances of achieving the feat.
One way of doing this is taking advantage of small bonuses with low wagering requirements rather than larger ones with excessive wagering requirements.
A $50 bonus with 3x wagering requirements is much easier to unlock than a $200 bonus with 20x wagering requirements.
You could also use online casinos that offer bonuses with zero or 1x wagering requirements, although it is likely that there will be a limit placed on how much you can win and withdraw.
