What Are Wagering Requirements for Bonuses & How to Beat Them

What Is a Wagering Requirement?

Casino wagering requirements, also known as playthrough requirements or rollover requirements, are conditions set by online casinos. The wagering requirements dictate the number of times you are required to play through your bonus funds (or winnings derived from casino bonuses) before you can withdraw your money from a casino.

👉 For example: If you receive a bonus of €100 bonus with a 10x wagering requirement, you would need to place bets of €1,000 in total (10 times €100) before you can withdraw.

Can I Avoid Wagering Requirements?

No, you cannot avoid wagering requirements. Fulfilling the playthrough requirements will convert your bonus money into real money. If you don’t meet the wagering requirements, your bonus money will never be converted into withdrawable real money and will be forfeited.

How to Wager a Casino Bonus?

Wager-Free Casino Bonuses

Wager-free casino bonuses, also known as no wager casino bonuses, are bonuses that do not require fulfilling any wagering requirements in order to withdraw your winnings. 

Promotions that don't carry online casino bonus wagering requirements are rare. Should you manage to find a wager free bonus, grab it without hesitation. Wager free money bonuses are mostly available as free spins bonuses, i.e. wager-free free spins. The winnings from these bonuses are yours and ready to be withdrawn. Although, keep in mind that it’s likely to be a maximum win limit or a maximum withdrawal limit.

How to Mathematically Calculate the Wagering Requirements

Understanding how to calculate the wagering requirement of a bonus is important in order to understand if a bonus is worth claiming. There are two key things to consider: the bonus amount and the wagering multiplier.

1. Check the bonus amount: Identify the amount of your bonus money.
2. Check the wagering multiplier. Check what is the playthrough requirement. For example, if the wagering requirement is 60x, the multiplier would be 60.
3. Calculate the wagering requirements. Multiply the bonus amount by the wagering multiplier. And voilà! That’s your wagering requirement.

Wagering Free Spins

Wagering free spins works in the same way as it does with bonus money. Unless you’ve found a rare casino that offers no wager free spins, the winnings from your free spins are seen as bonus money, and it must be wagered.

Say, you get 20 free spins with a wagering requirement of 40x. You spin away and manage to win €10. The total cost of wagering the bonus is €400 (your win times wagering = 10x40).

Wagering On Deposit Bonuses

When fulfilling the wagering requirements of a deposit bonus, it’s important to know whether you have to wager the bonus alone, or the bonus PLUS your deposit (“B”, or “D+B”). This information is always stated in the T&Cs of the bonus offer. This is also determining factor in assessing the quality of a bonus. Here’s how it works:

💡 A note from Mr. Gamble: Make sure to play eligible games; otherwise, your bets won’t count for anything in terms of wagering requirements.

Wagering No Deposit Bonus

Wagering a no deposit bonus works in the same way as any other casino bonus. So make sure you’re aware of the wagering requirement and the rules of wagering. Ask yourself, how many times do I have to wager the online casino no deposit bonus, what games are eligible for wagering, what is the minimum bet level, what’s the maximum win?

💡 A note from Mr. Gamble: Often, a no deposit bonus has higher wagering requirements compared to deposit bonuses. So smaller bonuses with lower playthrough requirements could even be a better deal down the road. 

Where Can I Find More About a Bonus’ Terms and Conditions?

The rules and guidelines of a casino bonus are always attached to the bonus if you play at a licensed and regulated casino. As per a number of laws and regulations ensuring that the T&Cs are visible to the player, they should always be just a click away. 

Since the wagering requirements vary greatly from one casino to another, you should always keep an eye out for the casino bonus’ terms and conditions. Before making a deposit, check the requirements so that you know exactly how much you need to play before actually getting to retrieve the money.

Why Do Wagering Requirements Exist?

The casino wagering requirements prevent bonus abuse. As a player, you can't just withdraw bonus money without playing first. 

What’s more, wagering requirements determine the quality of a bonus in online casinos. For instance, you may find a free spins bonus with a 30x requirement and another one with a 45x demand. The difference is stunning between these requirements if you convert them into real money.

Bonus Wagering Requirements Examples

Different online casinos have different wagering requirements. There is even such a thing as a low wagering casino where you could try your luck in a low-risk environment.

Let’s have a look at some of the most common examples of wagering requirements out there.

5 Tips on How to Beat Wagering Requirements

It’s not always easy to beat the wagering requirement. The only way to improve your chances is to be fully aware of the T&Cs. To beat the wagering requirements and come out on top requires knowledge and a fair bit of luck.

Make Sure You Understand the T&Cs

If you don’t meet the Terms & Conditions, an online casino can cancel the bonus. This is the main reason why we strongly encourage players to pay attention to the online casino T&Cs.

Different online casinos apply different rules for bonus wagering and other terms, so always, and we do mean always, check out the details of the promotion before claiming the bonus. You should check the following:

1. Minimum deposit
2. Wagering requirements
3. Maximum winning cap
4. Bonus expiry date
5. Eligible games
6. Bonus bet limits

Play Eligible Games

Different casino games affect the wagering differently – and you should only play the games that contribute 100% towards the wagering to meet the requirements quicker. 

Place Strategic Bets 

Keep track of your bets and avoid excessive or high-risk bets that can kill your bankroll quickly. Instead, make consistent and smaller bets. It will prolong your playing time and increase your chances of fulfilling the wagering requirements.

Choose Low House Edge Casino Games

Play those games that have a lower house edge the statistical advantage a casino holds in any given game). These include: 

• Blackjack
• Craps
• Poker
• Certain slot machines

If you lose, your wagered amount still counts towards the overall wagering requirement. But playing low house edge games will give you the best chance of winnings. This way, you can prolong your gameplay and improve your chances of completing the playthrough requirements.

Be Patient 

Take your time and be patient when playing to complete the wagering requirements. You might get tempted to go big or rush through the process, but it can lead to impulsive decisions and bets. Stay committed to your strategy to avoid potential losses. 

Best Games for Wagering a Casino Bonus

The best games to play to wager a casino bonus are the ones that contribute 100% of the bet towards the wagering. This is stated in the T&Cs but may require a bit of searching.

Slots are usually included in the list of games that contribute 100% towards wagering requirements (although there might be exceptions). Live casino and some table games rarely contribute at all, but there are a few casinos where live casino games contribute up to 20%. However, these terms vary from one casino to the next, so you should always check the T&Cs. 

Best Slots for Wagering

There are most usually slot machines that are excluded from bonus wagering play. These are usually slots with a progressive mega jackpot like Jackpot 6000, Mega Moolah, Mega Fortune, and so on. There are, however, some jackpot slots that tend to be eligible, such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Holmes and the Stolen Stones.

In general, the higher the RTP and the lower the volatility of a slot, the better it is for the purpose of wagering a bonus.

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