The Role of Terms and Conditions When Comparing Bonuses
It’s understandable to be drawn in by the exterior value of a bonus. Naturally, a $100 bonus provides better value compared with a $20 one, and in most cases, you’d be doing the right thing by simply taking the higher offer.
However, there’s occasions where the T&Cs play a bigger role in determining a bonus’s true worth. To present a clear picture of what these are, here are the key elements to look out for for each bonus type.
All Bonuses
Wagering Requirements
In real terms, a casino bonus isn’t worth anything until it’s converted into real money. This is why the wagering requirements are considered the most crucial aspect when coming to comparing different offers, mainly because they indicate the likelihood of this being achieved.
The lower the wagering requirements, the better chance you have of withdrawing real money. Therefore, it’s recommended to shop around before opting into any offer; our low wagering casinos is the best place to start!
To illustrate how wagering requirements affect your chances of converting a bonus to real money, here’s two contrasting examples:
- A $100 bonus with a 50x wagering requirement.
- A $20 bonus with a 25x wagering requirement.
Despite option 1 giving us a much bigger chunk of bonus cash to play with, the total wagering required would be a pretty hefty $5,000. With option 2 however, we’d only be tasked with wagering $500 despite the reduced bonus reward – ten times less!
Top Tip
Give Me More!
We know of some players who simply want to play in the casino for as long as possible – especially if just testing before making a deposit. In this instance, there’s nothing wrong with grabbing the biggest portion of bonus cash available to prolong your initial gaming session, no matter the wagering requirements imposed.
Game Eligibility
You should also consider which games the casino allows you to play whilst bonus wagering. Not all of them will be eligible during this stage, although to which extent depends on the casino itself.
For example, whilst most brands will prohibit wagering on table games, a select few will allow you to play on their helpings of blackjack, roulette and baccarat. Again, check for mention of this in the terms if these are your preferred games.
In other words, claiming a large chunk of bonus cash may seem great to begin with, but if you can’t play any of your favourite games with an active bonus, its worth will be severely diminished.
Game Weighting
Another aspect to also bear in mind is that of ‘game weighting’. This is a type of levy applied on certain casino games to counter their high payout potential, specifically when it comes to wagering with bonus funds.
Most slots will typically contribute your full stake towards the wagering requirements, meaning $1 is deducted for every $1 bet. However, live casino tables may be weighted down at 10%, meaning the same stake now counts for just $0.10.
Remember, the higher the weighting, the more of your bet will contribute towards the wagering requirement. To learn more about how they can affect your chances of converting a bonus, our full game weighting guide explains more.
Withdrawal Limits
Withdrawal limits restrict the amount you can cash out as real money after completing the wagering requirements. They’re applied to no deposit bonuses as a form of protection for the casino.
A $200 no deposit bonus may seem incredible value from the outside, but if the withdrawal cap is just $20 then this severely reduces its actual worth. Conversely, a smaller bonus with a more lenient withdrawal limit allows you to keep more of what you win.
Naturally, you’d want to find withdrawal limits as high as possible. They’ll be listed in one of the key terms found on NoDepositKings, meaning you should browse various offers before deciding on your preferred option.
- Seek out deals with lower wagering requirements to give yourself a better chance of converting the bonus into real money. Anything above 65x is excessive.
- If you wish to play alternatives to slots, shop around for which other types of games – i.e. keno, scratchcards and live casino – are eligible for bonus wagering.
- Next, investigate the game weighting on these eligible to help you complete the wagering requirements quicker. The higher the better.
- Higher withdrawal limits are your friend. Anything below R50 is on the small size whilst R100 or higher is above industry standard.
Deposit Bonuses
Wagering Requirements
When it comes to match deposit bonuses, there’s one potential element to keep in mind when it comes to wagering requirements. This is the fact that some casinos include the deposit value in their calculations.
This means you must wager a multiple of the combined sum of the bonus and your initial deposit together. The following example is for a 100% match bonus and 30x wagering requirement.
- You deposit $50, crediting your account with an additional $50 in bonus cash.
- You’d need to wager the bonus amount ($50) plus the deposit value ($50) multiplied by the wagering requirement (30) – a total of $3,000.
Without the deposit added, the wagering would only be $1,500 ($50×30). Therefore, you should check the terms for any mention of this particular clause and swiftly move onto another offer, especially if the wagering requirements are above average in the first place.
Deposit Percentage
With match bonuses, the amount of bonus cash you’ll receive is tied to how much you deposit, expressed as a percentage. Typical examples include 50% or 100%, but some casinos offer as much as 200% or even higher.
As a quick example, a 150% deposit match would see an initial deposit of $100 credit your account with an extra $150 in bonus cash – thus giving you $250 to play with in total.
So, if you’re looking to maximise your deposit, it’s best to find a deal with a high match percentage – preferably over 100%. This is perfect if you don’t wish to commit too much in personal funds on your first session yet still stretch out your gameplay.
Maximum Reward
Match deposit bonuses also come with a maximum reward, i.e. a limit to how much bonus cash you can claim. Again, this will differ depending on the casino and so becomes yet another factor to consider.
The main consideration is your bankroll. If you are willing to make a large deposit, it’s best to look for bonuses with a high maximum reward to receive as much bonus cash as possible.
The proceeding examples will help visualise this:
- 200% match bonus worth up to $50.
- 50% match bonus worth up to $300.
Although option 1 essentially gives you more bang for your buck, the maximum reward on offer is limited. However, for players willing to deposit a hefty $600, option 2 will credit you with an incredible $300 in bonus cash!
Minimum Deposit
If you don’t want to commit too much too soon, your best option is to seek out a ‘minimum deposit’ casino. These allow you to still claim a bonus via a relatively small outlay, usually around the $10 mark.
In rare cases, you may be able to find a match deposit bonus of $5 or even less! Head to our minimum deposit casinos if this is your preferred bonus type.
- Bonuses where you need to only wager the bonus are far more ideal compared to wagering the bonus amount + the deposit value.
- A high match percentage is worth seeking out if you only wish to make a conservative deposit but extend your gameplay to its fullest extent.
- For VIP level players, an offer with a high maximum bonus reward is more ideal, regardless of the match percentage.
- Look out for bonuses credited upon a small deposit such as R5 or R10 if you don’t wish to spend too much from the onset.
Free Spins
Bonus Value
With free spins, the first port of call is to look at the total bonus value in monetary terms. By obtaining this value, you’re able to compare it with a bonus cash offer with added clarity.
To do this, you multiply the number of free spins by the value of each spin. For example, 50 free spins worth $0.10 each would result in a total bonus value of $5.
Selected Game
Usually, the casino will designate the slot game where the free spins are credited. Therefore, the onus is on you to pick out the best game to maximise your winnings. Some basic research can be conducted to help with this. The main components to look for are return-to-player (RTP), volatility and maximum win potential.
To learn more, our designated RTP and volatility guide explain these in more detail.
Top Tip
Keep The Bonuses Coming!
If one bonus just isn’t enough, then fear not. Various online casinos are happy to serve up multiple bonuses upon successive deposits. This could be something like a 100% boost up to €100 on your first deposit, and a 200% boost up to €200 on your second deposit. They might even chuck in some free spins too!