The Truth About Online Casino Bonuses

In this modern day and age, it can be incredibly difficult to sift through the fine terms of every single casino offer and figure out how it works. In some cases, even reading these terms and conditions leaves users confused.

We have heard from numerous players regarding online casino bonuses. Many ask how these bonuses work and why on earth a site would offer so much "free money".

In this article, our experts will break down exactly why casino bonuses are offered so often and how they work. The exact details will vary based on the exact offer and the casino, but there are many things that are important to consider and understand about bonuses.

What is a Casino Bonus?

A casino bonus is usually an offer including free casino play, free spins, or a combination of both. Online casinos often offer seemingly generous and large bonuses for first-time customers.

Almost every one of these casino bonus offers comes with very specific terms and conditions, or more specifically, wagering requirements. This means that the player will need to gamble through these bonus funds a certain specified amount before being able to request a withdrawal.

Why Do Casinos Offer These Bonuses?

The answer to this question is extremely simple but also a tad convoluted. Casinos offer bonuses to attract customers, get customers to deposit money, and to advertise and earn more business.

Because of this fact and the competition between casinos, finding an offer that seems favorable is simple. Casinos offer many competitive bonuses, and it is likely that whichever bonus you consider, you'll be receiving a good amount of free play.

Although this sounds excellent, these bonuses come with strict playthrough requirements. Some of the most common playthrough requirements currently are around 25-40x the total deposit and bonus.

To understand this concept more clearly, let's take a look at a simple example. A casino is offering a 200% first deposit bonus worth up to $1,000. The bonus comes with a 30x rollover requirement.

This 200% bonus at Lucky Rebel has a standard 30x playthrough

If said user deposited the full $1,000 and ended up with $3,000 to play with total, at least $90,000 in play would be required prior to any withdrawal. It is also important to consider which games are allowed to be played with bonus funds and which games contribute to bonus completion. Most frequently, users will only be able to play slots to get full bonus contribution.

Wagering chart at Lucky Rebel

Are Bonuses Worth It?

This question is really the most important part of this article. When considering a casino bonus offer, it is very important to take things into consideration and decide how valuable entertainment is for you.

To be very clear, slot machines are generally not a way to make money. Playing slots will often result in losing. Casino operators hold a percentage of all funds gambled on average (around 5% online) and it is nearly impossible to win long term.

With that being said, there are many scenarios where we would accept a bonus or suggest accepting a bonus. One example would be an extremely generous offer like a 300% bonus worth up to $3,000 with additional perks like free spins. Now, is it actually profitable to accept a bonus like this with a significant playthrough requirement, let's say 30x? Likely not.

However, if a player did take full advantage of an offer like this, the player would have a whopping $4,000 to play with as opposed to the mere $1,000 they deposited. This means the player will get much more play in general regardless of the financial outcome.

a 30x playthrough requirement on a $1,000 deposit + a $3,000 bonus is exactly $120,000. Make no mistake, successfully wagering $120,000 with a $4,000 starting bankroll is incredibly difficult. Not impossible, but difficult.

Tips For Completing Large Playthrough Requirements

As we have covered, successfully completing a casino bonus is not easy. The majority of the time, the entire deposit will be lost before reaching the wagering requirement.

Keeping this in mind, there are certain tactics that can be utilized to improve chances of success. The first thing to talk about is game selection. Casinos often offer hundreds if not thousands of casino games and slots to choose from, so deciding which game or games to play can be tricky.

Volatility is extremely important to consider. In simple terms, certain slots are set to pay more frequent small wins while other slots are set to pay less frequently, but for larger amounts. Games with higher volatility may be inherently riskier, but the potential upside is much better than a low variance slot.

In instances where a casino bonus is accepted, a player must decide what they are trying to accomplish. If the goal is simply to play as long as possible and completing the playthrough is not the goal, then a low volatility game might be the best choice.

On the other hand, if the primary goal is to actually complete a 30x playthrough requirement, playing high volatility slots are likely the way to go. Increasing the variance and risk will actually improve the overall odds of completing a bonus. Keep in mind, however, that it is likely that utilizing this method will result is faster losing and less time for entertainment.

Trusted Casino Site Bonuses

The internet is a massive, wild place with all kinds of casinos operating and offering various bonus offers. It is paramount to ensure that any bonus offer you are interested in is offered by a trustworthy and reputable site with plenty of positive customer reviews.

With that being said, our experts have more than 20 years in the online gaming industry and are familiar with numerous operators. The list below includes only known, reputable establishments that we trust along with the current welcome bonus available.

• Lucky Rebel: 200% up to $2,500 + 50 Free Spins
• Cafe Casino: 350% BTC Bonus up to $5,000 using code CCBTCVIP
• Ignition Casino: 150% up to $1,500
• Slots.lv: 200% up to $3,000
• Bovada: 125% up to $1,250
• BetUS: 25% up to $625
• SuperSlots: 300 Free Spins
• BetOnline: 100 Free Spins
• Wild Casino: 250 Free Spins
• Sportsbetting Casino: 100 Free Spins
• Joe Fortune Casino: 150% up to $2,000 + 30 Free Spins

Slots Can Be Fun and Entertaining

As we have discussed, slots are simply not a reliable or good way of attempting to make money. Even the most generous casino bonuses have exclusions, limitations, and losing the entire amount is much more likely than success. Because of these unavoidable facts, slots and casino bonuses should be primarily considered entertainment.

Accepting a bonus may allow for much more gameplay, longer entertainment, and a chance of winning big enough to complete the playthrough requirements and withdraw a big win.

As long as these facts are clearly understood, slots can be very fun and enticing. The thrill of the lights, sounds, and wins can be truly enthralling and casino bonuses provide a way to play more for less of an upfront investment. Cafe Casino is one of the best options with a massive 350% BTC bonus using our exclusive promo code, CCBTCVIP.

Of course, it is always an option to forego casino bonuses and deposit without a bonus. This way, any win will be immediately available for withdrawal without any long or drawn out playthrough requirements. Good luck and happy slotting!