Bonuses and Betting Requirements

Logging on to your favorite online casino is an exciting experience. Besides all the dazzling graphics, hypnotic sounds and the awesome gaming platform, there is the allure of windfall profits and plenty more.

The prospect of hitting it big – jackpots, promotions, bonuses and the like – that’s the pull and it’s plenty strong. The many perks at online casinos are part of the reason why gaming is rated as highly as it is.

For many of us, clicking through the terms and conditions is second nature, but therein lies the mystery that we’re about to unravel. All the secrets of bonuses, promotions and wagering requirements are revealed in this section.

Getting started

Online casinos are jam-packed with generous promotions, sign-up bonuses and big jackpots. Knowing what the terms and conditions are helps players to maximize their gaming experience.

For example new players at online casinos are often entitled to rather generous sign-up bonuses. These are termed many different things, but the bottom line is that it’s money for nothing.

In fact online gambling is loaded wit promotions and perks. It is important to understand one’s entitlements because when it comes time to withdraw winnings, that’s when the fine print becomes relevant.

Understanding the terminology

Whether you are an old hand at big-stakes online casino play – affectionately termed a whale – or merely a novice, online gaming will provide you with maximum entertainment value.

Those highly promoted online casino bonuses that are evident on casino landing pages are the hook, line and sinker of attracting and retaining players.

While promotions, bonuses and jackpots change all the time, they are all pervasive. It’s to this element of online gaming that players are eternally grateful.

Not all casino games allow online players to use their bonus cash to gamble with. For example Roulette, Blackjack and Craps often prohibit usage of the bonus money.

This brings us to the most important point of all – it’s all in the terminology – wagering requirements.

What are wagering requirements all about?

In essence a wagering requirement is a rule. It states, quite clearly, that a certain number of wagers or bets have to be placed before a player qualifies for receiving the bonus money.

Typically a casino player will be required to make a bet tantamount to the initial deposit plus a bonus, multiple times over before the player can withdraw any money from the real money account.

Typically the number of times this wagering requirement is required is anything up to 37. The good news is that at the end of the day, that bonus money is free playing money.

Many folks are perplexed at the legal jargon surrounding the bonus money and terms and conditions. But it’s all there for pretty good reasons. If online casinos simply handed out sign-up bonus cash, many players would simply withdraw it and leave.

That’s why there’s incentive to keep gaming, so that the money is earned – even though it’s essentially a free gift. Consider it your reward for your patronage and if you win after meeting certain gambling criteria – it’s yours to keep.

This whole concept is described as a play through requirement or simply a wagering requirement. The wagering requirement includes the deposit plus the bonus, or simply the bonus alone.

The ‘wagering requirement’ means that an online casino player must put a certain amount of cash into play before they qualify for the bonus cash.

And another point worth noting is that these aren’t open-ended invitations. Casino players must be cognizant of the time constraints on their betting endeavors.

An avalanche of winnings can be yours

Many folks consider the fine print a daunting read. But it’s really the legalese of the operation for player and online casino protection. It works in a player’s favor by clarifying everything.

These wagering requirements – once met – qualify players for the windfall winnings that may result.

And believe it or not, with that magical number 37 – the predetermined number of wagers – a typical player would break even or at least be able to win.

Naturally the better a casino gaming player you are, the higher your chances of logging off with your initial deposit and your bonus money, plus a fat wad of extra cash.

The trick is to understand the most important aspects of your wagering requirements. And then to game with all the liberty that ‘free money’ affords you.