A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Online Casino Bonuses

Online casino bonuses are one of the biggest reasons players choose one casino over another. Whether you are playing slots, blackjack, roulette, or live casino games, bonuses can dramatically increase your bankroll, extend your playtime, and improve your chances of winning real money.

However, many beginners misunderstand how casino bonuses actually work. Terms like wagering requirements, free spins, no deposit bonuses, double chance bets, and triple bet bonuses can sound confusing at first.

This complete guide explains everything you need to know about online casino bonuses, how to use them strategically, and how to avoid the common mistakes that cost players money.

If you want to maximize every bonus you claim at online casinos, this guide is for you.

How bonuses work

The most important thing that a beginner needs to understand is how an online casino bonus works. Online casinos give out bonuses both to attract and keep players. These bonuses may include free spins, deposit bonuses, and no-deposit bonuses. But there’s a catch! Every bonus comes with wagering requirements. What are wagering requirements? Well, they’re casino-designed safeguards against gamblers who would just withdraw everything and run away with the funds. Needless to say, that would be a tremendous inconvenience for a deposit-based business. Think about it. They have to account for paying their staff, licensing games, covering office rent, and more.

Most worthwhile casinos start their new players off with a Welcome Bonus. That’s usually the best bonus that you’ll be receiving during your playtime. As previously stated, it’s an incentive to attract new players. Unlike land-based casinos, they can’t offer players free dinners or live entertainment. For example, MrWest’s online casino Welcome Bonus comes in three steps:

Let’s take the first step and explain it. If you get a 100% bonus up to €200, that means that your first deposit can range from the minimum deposit to a maximum €200. So, if you deposit, let’s say, €100, you get a 100% match bonus which equals another €100. You’d be playing with €200 from the start. Couple this bonus with a ton of free spins and newbies are going to have a profitable first gambling session.

For players new to the online gambling world, risking their own money is often stressful. That’s why some casinos offer new clients no-deposit bonuses so that they can play with zero risks. These bonuses are far smaller but they’re a great way to learn how it all works without the risk of losing cash. The wagering requirements on these no-deposit bonuses are very high, though. Keep that in mind.

A little piece of advice? Before depositing money at any online casino, always check out their Terms and Conditions. It’s a tedious job, we know, but you’ll be richer for the experience. Remember! An informed player is an efficient player. Plus, you lower the risk of being blind-sided with a bonus abuse allegation and, as a result, confiscation of funds.

 

What are Wagering Requirements?

Most bonuses entail meeting certain wagering requirements before being able to withdraw your winnings. For example, if you claim a €/$50 bonus, you’ll need to wager that amount and the deposit amount 35 times. Winnings from free spins must be wagered 35 times, as well. For further information about wagering requirements, kindly visit our Terms and Conditions section.

What is online gaming bonus abuse?

Basically, this term amounts to using one or more schemes to earn a bonus much easier. These scammers are a problem for the online gambling industry in general. Most players, however, don’t think that they’re doing anything wrong. Instead, they might just feel that they’ve found a creative way to win faster. That’s the problem with bonus abuse. Many gamblers don’t know that they’re being abusers. They simply realize that they can satisfy the wagering requirements faster by placing bigger bets. Most casinos have stipulations in their Terms and Conditions that prohibits wagers higher than €100 per round with an active bonus. Even if that’s not the case, casinos may revoke a bonus if they feel that a player bets big just to clear wagering requirements.

What you can do to avoid being a bonus abuser

When bonus abusers are caught they have to deal with the consequences. They might lose their bonus, get banned, or, even worse, have their entire deposit confiscated. You should do whatever is necessary to avoid being labeled a bonus abuser. How?

• Don’t place big bets just to earn bonuses.
• Know a casino’s rules on bonuses. Read the Terms and Conditions.
• Avoid irregular play. This varies from casino to casino.

Conclusion

Bonuses are a great way to have an edge when gambling online. However, you should always be informed when trying out a new casino. Read the Terms and Conditions, check out wagering requirements and avoid abusing bonuses as much as possible. If you’re ever falsely accused of bonus abuse, there are third parties out there like AskGamblers.com that you can take your complaint to. They will listen to both sides of the story and resolve the dispute efficiently and elegantly. Lastly, gambling is about winning big and having fun. Make sure to do both!