Tips on Using Your Online Casino Welcome Bonus Wisely

• Georgia
• Gaming & Lotteries

If you have visited FreeStuffSearch before, you will be well aware that many online casinos will provide welcome bonuses for new players who register to the platform. The industry is very competitive, so it makes sense that they offer some kind of incentive to catch the attention of prospective players.

Of course, not every bonus is the same. And we would always advise you to do some research when joining a real money online casino. That way, you can weigh up the best bonus offers and ensure you are getting the best value. Broadly speaking, we can say that welcome offers come in four different types:

• No Deposit Bonus: A free amount of bonus cash given simply for registering at the platform.


• Deposit Bonuses: A bonus cash award, often matched to the amount deposited.


• Free Spins: An amount of free spins to use on a specific game. Winnings usually must be wagered a number of times before they can be withdrawn as real cash.


• Wager-Free Spins: An amount of free spins on a specific game. Winnings are paid in real, withdrawable cash.

The above list is not an exhaustive one. And you can sometimes find other welcome bonus offers, including golden chips to play at the live casino. Moreover, sometimes online casinos will offer a combination of those bonuses listed above. But when you do receive a bonus, it’s worth building a strategy for it. And, most likely, that’s going to include understanding all the terms and conditions attached to the bonus.

In all walks of life, we tend to shy away from reading terms and conditions: How many times have you clicked "Accept" when signing up for a product without bothering to read all the legalese? But casino bonuses usually have some clear Ts and Cs attached to them, and they are usually quite easy to understand.

Read the rules before you play

The three main areas of terms for bonuses are wagering, win caps and game exclusions. As we mentioned above, you often have to wager the bonus a certain amount of times before it can become real, withdrawable cash. Typically, you might see wagering requirements of 20-40 times when a casino gives a no-deposit bonus or free spins. So, if your bonus was worth £20, you may need to wager £600 before it can be withdrawn.

Playing £600 might seem like a lot, and it is, as it is the equivalent of making 600 £1 spins on a slot. But it’s worth bearing in mind that this means wagering £600, not losing £600. If you can keep your bonus balance above water, it might exceed £20 when the wagering is complete. The key, however, is to play low-volatility games to give yourself the best opportunity of keeping the bonus funds.

Earlier we mentioned reading the small print, and it should be noted that some games are excluded from bonus wagering. Typically, you might see exclusions for classic casino games like blackjack and roulette. Or, at times, they might not count fully to the wagering. It requires a little bit of research, but a good casino will lay out all the details in its Ts and Cs section.

There ain't no such thing as a free lunch, but what about those bonuses, like wager-free spins, that require no wagering turnover? In theory, there is no catch. But we should point out that the free spins are usually of lower value than the bonuses with wagering attached to them. Still, a standard slot game might have a jackpot worth 1000s of times more than the bet, so those wager-free spins could lead to a decent payout.

Finally, we should point out that some casinos might apply a max win cap to the bonus money. This is most often seen for no-deposit bonuses. The win cap could be something like £500, but it does vary. While some players might grumble at this, you should remember that it’s free money.

Above all, our advice is to do two things: be patient and read the rules. That way, you will be aware of the parameters and give yourself the best chance of making a profit. Another way to look at it is that a bonus is a way to explore the casino without using your own money. Regardless, play responsibly to get the best experience.