Casino Bonuses

A. Antonova (editor)

If you do a quick Google search using “casino bonus” as your search words, you will be stunned by the great number of results the search engine would provide you with. There is a staggering number of online casinos in operation today and nearly all of them are offering one type of bonus or another. Unlike landbased casinos that mostly treat their customers to complimentary drinks and meals, online gambling operators host different promotional incentives in order to attract new players and maintain the interest on behalf of existing ones.

This is to say both newcomers and existing players are provided with an opportunity to test the online casino games on offer for free, extend their gaming sessions, and boost their accounts’ balance by taking advantage of the promotions, available at their preferred web-based casinos. It goes without saying the bonuses on offer may vary greatly depending on the online gambling provider players have registered with. Because of this, it would be a good idea to get acquainted with the different types of bonuses and promotions you may come across at online casinos in advance.

In addition, players are recommended to acquaint themselves with the conditions they need to meet when participating in such promotional offers. Often, there are minimum deposit amounts players are required to comply with in order to obtain the bonus credits. What is more important, once the free funds are granted, certain wagering requirements need to be met so that the winnings generated with the bonus can be withdrawn from one’s casino account’s balance. The available games’ contribution to the said wagering requirements also should be taken into consideration.

The following article aims at introducing players to the different types of bonuses they get to claim at the established online casinos reviewed on this website. The gambling operators reviewed here collectively offer over $35,000 in bonus credits. These appealing offers pose as a great alternative for players looking to try hundreds of superior online casino games prior to risking any of their own money.

Welcome Bonuses

Welcome bonuses are the most common type of promotional incentive offered by reputable online gambling operators. Occasionally, they may be listed as “New Player” or “Sign-up” bonuses. The amount of free credits players receive varies depending on the online casino they have registered with, but Welcome bonuses typically start at the sum of $100. Older, well-known operators usually offer Welcome bonuses that are more impressive in size.

This type of promotional incentive is typically percentage-based and requires players to process a deposit after completing their registration. The first deposit is then matched with a given percentage that can range anywhere between 25% and even 500% of the deposited amount. For example, if a player claims a 100% Welcome bonus and deposits $150, they will be granted the additional sum of $150 and will have a total of $300 to play with.

Such bonuses are typically limited to predetermined amounts so if the bonus is 100% up to $200, this would mean the maximum amount of free credits you get to claim is set at $200 – even if you deposit $250, you will still receive $200 in bonus funds. If the Welcome bonus is a 300% match-up of the deposit, this would mean players are granted $3.00 per each $1.00 they have boosted their balance with.

Some of the most reputable online casinos in the industry usually offer Welcome packages which consist of match bonuses on players’ first, second, third, fourth, and even fifth deposits. However, before players proceed to opt in for these offers, they are strongly advised to go through the offers’ terms and conditions in order to see the bonuses’ playthrough and assess whether or not the bonus gives them good value for their money.

The playthrough should be met within a specific period of time, otherwise players will have the winnings they have generated with the bonus forfeited. Usually, slots have the highest contribution of 100% towards the playthrough which is to say, every $100 players spent on slots will clear the same amount of their wagering requirements.

Weekly and Monthly Bonuses

Renowned online casinos maintain the interest of existing members by treating them to various weekly or monthly bonuses on following deposits they process. For the most part, these offers resemble the Welcome bonuses and work roughly in the same manner. The amount players deposit to their already existing accounts is again matched by a specific percentage. Such bonuses quite often are set to 100% of up to $100, but it all depends on the web-based gambling operator one is playing at.

Wagering requirements are attached to these bonuses as well, which is why players must again go through the offer’s conditions to avoid forfeiture of their winnings or any withdrawal restrictions. The requirements may apply to the deposit plus bonus amounts or to the bonus amount only. If you have claimed a bonus of $100 with a playthrough of 30x the bonus amount, you will have to wager a total of $3,000 before your winnings become withdrawable.

Some of the biggest operators in the industry are highly regarded for their Weekly bonuses where players get to opt in for different promotional offers each day of the week. Monthly bonuses are also available at the websites of many online casinos – these are offered for limited amounts of time and players are typically required to enter valid codes in order to participate in such promotions.

No Deposit Bonuses

No Deposit bonuses are precisely what their name implies as players are not required to process deposits after registering in order to obtain the bonus. These offers are usually more humble in size, about $10 or $20, at least in most cases. In order to obtain one such bonus, players need to register with a real-money account and opt in for the No Deposit offer.

These promotional incentives are not only a great way for the casinos to attract new patrons, but allow less experienced players to first test the games on offer prior to wagering with their own funds. This way players can easily see which games suit their preferences, style and budget the most. However, players residing in certain jurisdictions may find themselves excluded from participating in such offers. What is more, No Deposit bonuses also have requirements attached to them and the winnings players can withdraw may be capped at a predetermined amount.

Deposit Method Bonuses

When choosing a deposit method, players are recommended to carefully consider which payment option will give them the highest value. This is so because many trusted online casinos in the industry offer bonuses for processing deposits via specific payment solutions such as bank cards, prepaid cards, e-wallets, and online banking processors. This type of bonus is also based on given percentages, but these are smaller especially when compared to the Welcome bonuses.

The percentage of the match varies between 5% and 15% of the deposited amount, depending on the preferred deposit method and the online gambling provider you have registered with. For instance, if the casino you play at offers 15% bonuses on deposits processed via Visa or Mastercard and you boost your account’s balance with $200 with one such bank card, you will end up receiving a total of $230.

Loyalty Programs and Comp Points

All established online casinos are home to bespoke Loyalty programs and reward their regular members for their loyalty. In most cases, players get to automatically join the program as soon as they complete their registration successfully, make their first deposit, and place their first real-money wager at the casino. This typically guarantees them a spot on the first tier of the casino’s Loyalty scheme.

In many cases, the said programs consist of several tiers and the higher players climb up the loyalty ladder, the greater benefits and rewards they receive. Each real-money bet you make counts and can earn you a given number of Comp points. When you have accumulated a sufficient number of points, you can opt to exchange them for cash or additional bonus casino credits to play with some more. High-rollers and high-tier members of the casino get to enjoy better conversion rates for their points, faster withdrawals, and exclusive promotions, not to mention sometimes they are rewarded for their persistence with special gifts or are given free tickets to various events.

Free Spins

Newly registered reel fans are sometimes offered the opportunity to claim a given number of Free Spins (i.e. rounds on slots one is not required to pay for) on selected titles from the online casino’s slot gaming library. This is a great way to test at least some of the slots on offer and get a proper feel of the qualifying games. The Free Spins bonus may be offered on its own, without new players having to deposit in order to become eligible. In such cases, opening a real-money account and opting in for the Free Spins by entering a valid promotional code is all that is needed.

In some instances, the Free Spins are part of the Welcome bonus package, which is to say players must deposit after registering. Usually, the Free Spins in such cases are released in small increments, with players getting a predetermined number of bonus rounds on the qualifying slots each day for a week. More often than not, a separate playthrough applies to the bonus spins and the winnings need to be wagered a number of times before you can cash them out. Note that winnings from this bonus are often capped meaning that players may be permitted to withdraw only a limited amount of their Free Spins profits.

Free Play Bonuses

Free Play bonuses resemble Welcome bonuses in that they are usually granted to newcomers who have just opened real-money accounts at certain web-based casinos. Once again the name of the offer is indicative of what it entails. Newly registered players are granted a set amount of time, usually around an hour, during which they can play the available games free of charge. Some gambling operators provide new players with a certain amount of bonus credits to use for the duration of the promotion.

What newcomers win during their hour of free play is theirs to keep. However, the winnings may again be capped at a given amount, depending on which online gaming operator one has opened an account with. In addition, players are expected to process a qualifying deposit afterward in order to cash out their winnings.

Refer a Friend Bonuses

This type of promotion is quite common among online gambling providers and aims at rewarding existing members who help bring new players to the casino. All you need to do to receive one such bonus is invite one of your friends or acquaintances to your preferred online casinos, get them to open a real-money account and process a deposit. In some instances, the friend is required to wager a certain amount of their funds at the casino before you receive the bonus money. Of course, in the process of opening their account, your friend should provide your credentials (email and account username) so that the casino knows who had referred them.

It is absolutely essential that you read all terms and conditions associated with any online casino bonus you claim. The conditions and playthrough of these bonuses tend to vary wildly from one web-based gambling operator to another. The rules regarding the withdrawal of winnings accrued with bonus funds are vastly different and skipping on reading them may result in profits forfeiture and other unpleasant consequences you might wish to avoid. Make sure you always read the fine print of the bonus conditions.

Remember there is the option of contacting the casino’s customer support representatives for assistance whenever something is unclear – the support agents at established casinos are usually available at all times and will be happy to help.