Bonuses are often one of the most defining characteristics of online casinos. There are about half a dozen types of bonuses you can claim online and most casinos will offer either one or more bonuses to new and existing players. Whatever type of bonus you choose, you will be getting a “free” chance to try out different casino games and win back some cash.
Claiming a bonus is very simple to do, as most offers are almost instantly awarded and available for spending as soon as you register with a casino, or make a deposit. However, although getting some extra credit is great, bonuses are still something you should take with a grain of salt, as they always come with terms and conditions that might or might not be something you’d want to accept.
The key terms to look for are always the wagering requirements and the game “contribution”, which state how much money you have to wager before you meet your bonus terms, but also which games you can spend the money on. Thus, when accepting a bonus, it’s great to keep an eye on all the requirements that come attached to it.
If you want to know more about the different types of online casino bonuses you can find across today’s operators, check out the guide below for more insight into the standard offers.
Deposit Bonuses
The deposit bonus is the most common type of bonus given online. These bonuses are awarded after you make a deposit at the casino and are usually in the amount of some portion of your deposit. The standard offer is a 100% bonus that matches the amount of your deposit, but some casinos offer even more.
Deposit bonuses are usually given as a welcome bonus or as a part of a welcome package of several bonuses for new players who register and make a play in the casino. They can also be reload bonuses that are given to existing players on a weekly, daily, or monthly basis. And since they involve multiple deposits, they often have better bonus terms than other types of bonus offers.
No Deposit Bonuses
The opposite of deposit bonuses, no deposit offers are given away without the need to deposit money first. Thus, no deposit bonuses are usually smaller and come with higher wagering requirements than your standard offer, although this is not always the case.
No deposit bonuses can come in the form of free money or even free chips and free spins at the casino. And despite their name, in most cases you will be asked to make some deposit before you are allowed to withdraw the winnings you’ve made with your no deposit bonus.
Free Spins
A very popular type of no deposit bonus, free spins are free play offers that are exclusive to slot games. Free Spins can be given both as a no-deposit bonus as well as an extra on your deposits. Depending on the casino, you might get anywhere from a small batch to dozens of free spins. The spins are often tied to a pre-selected slot game and come with higher wagering requirements, but exceptions do exist.
VIP / High-roller Bonuses
Some casinos also give away high-roller/VIP bonuses to those who spend money often. These offers are usually exclusive to players who rank high enough and tied to better terms and higher limits. They come in any type: free spins, deposit/no deposit, and even cashback bonuses.
Cashback Bonuses
Cashback bonuses are bonuses that are mostly given to card and table game players. Depending on the offer, with a cashback bonus you can receive some portion of money you’ve either lost or won at selected games in the form of bonus funds. Cashback bonuses normally have smaller wagering requirements than deposit or no deposit bonuses, and sometimes no wagering terms at all.
Sticky Bonuses
A sticky bonus is a bonus that “sticks” in your player account. What this means actually is that you won’t be able to withdraw any of the bonus funds you were given when you want to cash out. Thus, if you’ve claimed any bonus offer that was “sticky”, the remaining bonus amount will be subtracted when you activate a withdrawal
What Bonus Terms and Conditions to Look Out For?
When accepting a bonus offer, the first thing you should be looking for in the fine print is how high the wagering requirements are. In short, these requirements will tell you how much of your bonus + deposit you have to wager at the casino before you are allowed to withdraw the winnings you’ve made with Netent bonus funds, if there are any.
For example, if you find that the casino asks your funds to be wagered 35x, that means you’ll have to bet 35 times your bonus + deposit amount to be able to withdraw any money you’ve won with your bonus. If you don’t meet these terms, you will have to forfeit those winnings.
Another thing to look out for is which games “contribute” to your wagering terms. Slots, being luck-based games, will generally have a full (100%) contribution, which means any 1/£/$/€ you spend on them will be counted as 1/£/$/€ towards your wagering requirements. Skill-based games, like Blackjack, for example, will have a much lower contribution or even none at all.
And finally, you also have to consider whether there are any limits on how much you can cash out, but also how much time you have to meet your bonus terms. Some casinos choose to impose fair limits, or even none at all, but this is not always the case. It is therefore in the player’s best interest to carefully read the fine print before deciding to take up a bonus offer and start wagering.
Loose slots give better odds
Picking the right games with the highest returns will give you increased odds of meeting the wagering requirements before busting out. Choose some of Netent’s loosest slots to maximise your play time and cash out more often.
One of our recommended Netent slots for beating bonuses is BloodSuckers with a stellar 98% RTP.
Pro’s & Cons of playing with a bonus
Pros of Casino Bonuses
- You get extra money to spend
- You can minimize your risk
- You can test games for “free”
Cons of Casino Bonuses
- You have to watch out for game contributions
- You have to meet wagering terms
- You might be imposed a cash-out limit
