For those new to the online casino community, you've probably noticed a lot of "Online Casino Bonus" offers. You've probably wondered what makes a good online casino bonus, and what all of the often times confusing "terms" of these bonuses are. For novice and less experienced Internet gamblers, this article will answer the question "What constitutes a good online casino bonus?"
We'll start by explaining how online casino bonuses work. With so many online casinos out there, these operations are attempting to encourage player sign-ups by offering the best online casino bonus. In fact, most Internet casinos will tell you they have the "best", "highest" or "easiest" online casino bonus in the industry; but the fact is quality almost always presides over quantity.
Online casino bonuses typically consist of a percentage based bonus on a new player's first deposit. For example, 100% matching up to $500 means that a first-time deposit of $100 would award a $100 bonus; a $250 deposit awards a $250 bonus, and a $500 deposit awards a $500 bonus. The player could deposit $1,000, but the bonus would only be $500 - the maximum allotment.
There are many offers out there, such as 50% up to $1,000 or even 200% up to $2,000. Players must be cautious, however, depending on their personal spending limits. A high roller may easily take full advantage of a high online casino bonus, where a casual gamer may not find it so appealing. Why not? Read on...
Now comes the fun part - the fine print - where "quality" comes into play. Online casino bonuses are not awarded simply because the establishment is in a generous mood. The online casino is trying to make sure you remain a loyal customer by throwing "wagering requirements" into the deal. In many cases, these wagering requirements are a fair trade for the online casino bonus, but be sure to know what you're getting into before you take the offer.
An average example of wagering requirements would be this - 15x play-through of the deposit+bonus. To better explain, let's try an example. A new player signs-up and deposits $100, rewarded with an additional $100 online casino bonus. The wagering requirements are 15x play-through of the deposit+bonus, which is $200. This means the player needs to wager $3,000 ($200x15) to clear the bonus.
What is the penalty for not clearing the bonus? You can't request a withdrawal of your winnings. Requesting a withdrawal prior to clearing the bonus will result in the forfeiture of the bonus money and all winnings derived from it. Let's say you've taken you $200 deposit+bonus, wagered $400 and won $800. You will need to continue wagering another $2,600 before you can withdrawal your winnings or you will be back down to the original $100 deposit.
Okay, so you're aware of the wagering requirements. There's one other important aspect of the terms and conditions you'll need to look out for - Eligible Games. Online casinos offer a full range of games to play for real money, but not all will count towards wagering requirements. Online casino managers are fully aware of the ability to place a Roulette bet on Red and Black, and the incredibly low risk involved, therefore Roulette is rarely an option. Many other Table Games will also be stricken from the eligibility list of clearing online casino bonuses, so read the entire terms to ensure you are not making fruitless wagers.
All in all, online casino bonuses are a great reason to join one of the hundreds of online casinos on the Internet, but without proper knowledge of their execution, they can be more of a burden than a perk. Be sure to read the fine print and know what is required of you before taking advantage of an online casino bonus.