In the past few years, online casinos have skyrocketed in popularity, with players flocking to the massive arsenal of online casino pages to try their luck at various casino games. With the sheer number of casino sites competing with each other, it can be a challenge to determine which sites are the best. One of the main ways these casino websites entice new users is by offering sign up bonuses and welcome offers.
In this guide, we will breakdown what a casino bonus is. Plus, we will provide you with resources for finding the best casino bonus offers in your country. Let’s get straight to it so that you can start earning!
If you’d like to know more about the best casino bonuses in a specific country, you can find a link to a specific page below:
- Best Casino Bonus Australia
- Best Casino Bonus UK
- Best Casino Bonus Canada
- Best Casino Bonus India
- Best Casino Bonus Ireland
- Best Casino Bonus New Zealand
WHAT IS A CASINO BONUS?
Casino bonuses are essentially welcome offers. Online casino sites give these to users when they sign up and add money to their accounts. Generally, this bonus will be extra funds that you can use to play games or “free spins”, which allows you to play online slots for free. Since there is such a large amount of competition in the online casino industry, many sites offer pretty attractive bonuses as an attempt to cut through the competition and get new users to sign up. Bonus offers can range from a few free spins to hundreds of dollars in funds to use on the casino site. Generally, higher value bonuses are offered to players who spend more money on the casino site.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF CASINO BONUSES
So, what can you expect from a casino bonus and what types of bonuses do casino sites generally offer? Let’s take a look at some of the different types of welcome offers that online casinos can provide.
DEPOSIT BONUS
This is the most common type of casino bonus. A deposit bonus works like so: You deposit a specified amount of money to your account, the casino site matches your deposit, and you get extra funds to play with. Deposit bonuses are designed to inceltivize you to play online casino games more often. In some cases, casino sites will even offer welcome bonuses in which they will match your initial deposit by up to 200%. So, if you add $1,000, the site will reward you with an additional $2,000 to play with!
NO DEPOSIT BONUS
While generally less generous than deposit bonuses, these online casino offers typically let you try out the games on the platform without having to deposit any money of your own. So, if you are feeling hesitant about risking your own money, no deposit bonuses are a great way to play. As mentioned, no deposit bonuses will likely be much lower in value than deposit bonuses. So, if you are looking to get the most bang for your buck, you’ll likely want to find a casino site with a high deposit bonus.
FREE SPINS
While deposit and no deposit bonuses tend to be exclusively account sign up offers, you’ll likely find free “Free Spins” often. A Free Spin is similar to a no deposit bonus, since you won’t be risking any of your own funds. But they are exclusively for online slots. A casino site may offer you Free Spins as a monthly reward, as a “thank you” whenever you add funds to your account, or as a daily incentive to continue playing games on the site.
CASHBACK BONUS
Cashback bonuses are reserved for players who may have had a rough day on an online casino, losing a large sum of money. If you lose a large amount of money, some online casinos will recognize the hurt and return some of the money you lost.
VIP PROGRAMS
If you play online casino games often and are loyal to a specific website, the site may show its gratitude by enrolling you in their “VIP” program. Casino VIP programs vary. But they can offer everything from access to higher stakes games, to exclusive cashback and deposit bonuses, better customer support, faster payouts, and more!
HOW TO FIND THE BEST CASINO BONUSES
Online casino bonuses are on every corner, but comparing them and determining which sites have the most attractive offerings is no easy feat. In order to maximize your bonus earnings it’s essential to understand the types of bonuses available and how they can benefit you.
Some casino sites will offer regular promotions, such as weekly and monthly reload bonuses and cashback offers, while others will provide a one-time bonus when you sign up or make an initial deposit. Here are some tips for finding the best casino bonuses online.
PAY ATTENTION TO THE WAGERING REQUIREMENTS
Wagering requirements dictate how much you need to bet in order to receive your casino bonus. For example, a casino website offers a $100 sign up bonus with a 10x wagering requirement. You’ll need to top up your account and wager $1,000 before you can receive the $100 bonus.
READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS
We know how annoying it can be to read the fine print. I mean come on, does anyone actually read the terms and conditions anyways? While it is definitely a bit of a hassle, reading the fine print is super important when it comes to online casino sites and welcome bonuses. The terms and conditions will give you all of the necessary information you need to make sure you get the most of your bonus such as the maximum offer, the wagering requirement, minimum deposit amount, and more.
THE BONUS AMOUNT MATTERS
This one may seem obvious, but the value of the casino bonus is incredibly important to pay attention to. That said, this doesn’t mean that the site with the highest bonus offer is the best. For example, one casino site offers a welcome bonus of $25 with no deposit required and another offers a $200 welcome bonus with a 20x wagering requirement. The $25 bonus is actually more valuable as you won’t be required to wager any money in order to receive the bonus. On the other hand, you’ll need to wager $4,000 to receive the $200 bonus!
MAKE SURE THE SITE IS LEGITIMATE
Unfortunately, there are a growing number of scams and “fake” casino sites out there. So, it is more crucial now than ever to use due diligence and ensure that the casino site is trusted and legit before signing up and adding funds to your account. Head over to our post on common casino scams for more info on how to identify and avoid them.
There are loads of laws and restrictions in the gambling industry. So, it is also important to ensure the casino site you use is legally allowed to operate in your region. Each country (or even state) has different rules surrounding online casinos, and the last thing you want is to end up getting fined for gambling illegally. For example, in the state of Texas, online gambling, including sports betting is prohibited. So, if you live in Texas, you cannot play online casinos for real money.
If you are ever unsure about an online casino’s legitimacy or legality in your region, feel free to reach out to us. We are always happy to answer your questions!
COMPARE MULTIPLE CASINO SITES
With such a wide variety in casino bonus offers, narrowing down your options to just one casino site will undoubtedly be a challenge. So, we recommend comparing the bonuses of a few different sites and then determining which one is the best for you. Don’t simply go for the first casino bonus you come across. There are too many choices out there, and not all casino bonuses are created equal!
HOW TO MAXIMIZE YOUR ONLINE CASINO BONUSES
Looking to get the most out of your welcome offer? Here are some tips for maximizing the amount of value you get from your casino bonus.
CHECK THE PLAY THROUGH CONTRIBUTION RATE
Your casino’s contribution rate is the amount of your wagers that contribute the minimum requirements to receive your bonus. Still confused? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Here is an example:
Your casino bonus requires you to wager $500 to receive a $100 bonus. Slots have a 100% contribution rate, meaning every dollar you bet contributes to the $500 requirement. But online blackjack only has a 50% contribution rate, meaning only 50 cents of every dollar contributes to your $500 requirement.
So, in this exampl,e it is more worth your while to play slots than blackjack, as you’ll need to bet less money to get the $100 bonus.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NO DEPOSIT OR LOW WAGERING REQUIREMENT BONUSES
No deposit welcome offers are essentially “free” money as you don’t need to spend anything to get the bonus. You should absolutely take advantage of these as they cost you nothing to use. Low wagering requirements bonuses are also great as they allow you to get access to your bonus sooner.
Remember, even if the dollar amount of the bonus seems much lower than other offers, a no deposit or lower wagering requirement bonus is much more valuable than a large bonus with a large wagering requirement.
BECOME A VIP MEMBER
One of the best ways to maximize your casino bonus is by becoming a loyal user of a specific casino site. The more you use an online casino and the more money you wager, the more likely they are going to be to provide more bonus offers down the line. Many casino sites will also allow you to become a VIP member after you have spent a certain amount of money. VIP members often get access to more games, high stakes, and other benefits. VIP bonuses also tend to be worth much more!
WHY YOU SHOULD AVOID ABUSING CASINO BONUSES
Many casino players will sign up for several online casinos and take advantage of all the different casino welcome offers. While this may seem like a good strategy at first, it actually can have some major setbacks.
LOYALTY = BETTER BONUSES
As mentioned above, online casino sites will generally reward you for being a loyal user. The more time and money you spend on a specific platform, the more bonuses and higher value offers you’ll be able to take advantage of. If you sign up for several casino sites to maximize your bonuses, you may be able to cash in on more welcome offers. But, on the flip side, you won’t get access to higher value or VIP offers.
CASINO BONUSES OFTEN SEEM BETTER THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE
It is easy to see dollar signs when casino sites flash “shiny objects” and seemingly attractive welcome bonuses. But it is important to take a closer look at what the casino bonuses actually offer and what it will actually cost you to get the bonus. Online casinos will often advertize the bonus value without displaying much information on the wagering requirements or minimum deposits. While signing up for several casino sites at the same time can seem like a good idea at first, you may eventually find yourself having to deposit hundreds or even thousands of dollars to take advantage of them.
The most important rule of online casinos is to play responsibly and to remember that the goal is to win money and have fun!
FAQs BEST ONLINE CASINOS
What Are the Best Types of Online Casino Bonuses Globally?
The best types of online casino bonuses vary based on player preferences, but some universally popular ones are:
- Welcome Bonuses are often the most generous, offering a match to your initial deposit(s), sometimes coupled with free spins.
- No Deposit Bonuses are ideal for trying a casino without risking your own money. These bonuses are smaller but offer a risk-free introduction to gaming.
- Free Spins are commonly bundled with other bonuses. These are great for slot enthusiasts and often come with specific game restrictions.
- Reload Bonuses are aimed at existing players. These bonuses offer extra funds on subsequent deposits.
- Loyalty Programs and VIP Bonuses are rewarding consistent play. These can include cashback, exclusive promotions, and personalized offers.
How Do I Choose the Right Casino Bonus for My Gaming Style?
If you enjoy slots, look for free spins or bonuses with low wagering requirements on slot games. For table games, seek bonuses usable on these games. Larger bonuses often come with higher wagering requirements. Balance the bonus size with the feasibility of meeting these requirements. Regular players might benefit more from loyalty programs, while occasional players may prefer no deposit or welcome bonuses.
What Should I Consider When Evaluating Wagering Requirements?
Typically, a wagering requirement between 20x to 40x is considered reasonable. Different games contribute differently towards meeting these requirements. Slots usually contribute 100%, while table games might contribute less. Ensure you have enough time to meet the requirements before the bonus expires.
Are There Specific Bonuses for Different Banking Options Internationally?
Yes, some online casinos offer specific bonuses for using certain banking options. These are becoming more common, offering additional incentives for using Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Some casinos encourage the use of e-wallets like PayPal or Skrill by offering special bonuses. Occasionally, bonuses are offered for using traditional bank transfers, though these are less common.
How Do I Ensure the Safety and Legitimacy of Online Casino Bonuses?
To ensure safety and legitimacy, you should ensure the casino is licensed by a reputable authority. Read reviews and player feedback and look for player experiences and professional reviews online. Read the fine print of each bonus to avoid surprises. Extremely high requirements can be a red flag for unfair practices.