Casinos used bonuses as one of the main tools for promoting their services and attracting new players. Bonuses are also a good way to keep the loyal and long-term players satisfied and to reward them for their loyalty. A new player needs to examine the casinos and their bonus policy before deciding on setting up an account with one.
If you use the bonuses correctly and if you’re mindful of the wagering requirements that come with it, you could benefit from the casino policy at least in the long run.
Do Your Research
The first step in choosing a casino is to find the online casino bonus guide that it offers and to study it with great care and diligence. The casinos are obligated to explain their offer and to be open about them. It’s up to the players to use that information and make a call based on it.
It’s important to keep in mind that the size and frequency of the bonuses aren’t the only characteristics to be on the lookout for. These are important but they can sometimes be undermined by other policies attached to the bonuses.
Is There a Deposit?
The first and arguably the most important thing to inquire about is the deposit that you need to place in order to qualify and get the bonus. Some casinos don’t require any deposit at all and those are the most generous bonuses usually reserved for high stake players.
On the other hand, most bonuses need to be attached to some deposit that the players make and they are usually a percentage of the amount you’ve added to your account. That way the players have skin in the game instead of just getting free money from the casino.
Terms and Conditions
Bonuses come with a complicated set of terms and conditions that underline who can use them and how. It’s important that you go over these terms and conditions and that you understand them before making a call. Many players neglect to do so since these can sometimes be a complicated read.
It’s a mistake to do so. If you’re not able to understand the terms and conditions as they are written – there are review sites out there that usually offer a condensed and simplified version. They are a valuable resource when choosing a casino to play in.
New Casinos
New casinos often have bonus offers that are far more generous than those you would otherwise get. That’s because new casinos are trying to establish themselves on the market and offer something that others can’t. Using those bonuses can be a good way to get in on the ground floor and take advantage of the policy.
However, you can never know how well a new casino will do and how long the new bonus policy will last. These bonuses are often attached to wagering requirements as well and you need to be aware of them, as you are with established casinos.
What Are Wagering Requirements
A wagering requirement is an additional requirement that the casino puts on using a bonus deposit. This means that you can’t withdraw the bonus unless you’ve bet a certain amount of your own. This amount is usually connected to how much you’ve got as a bonus.
Sometimes you’ll be required to bet twice the amount you’ve got as a bonus before you’re able to withdraw the bonus in the first place. When this is the case, it may be better not to use the bonus at all, even though it seems as if you’re rejecting free money.
Free Spins
Free spins are another common bonus offered by many casinos. They seem to be the most generous bonus out there since they allow you to play for free and to win based on the spins provided by the house. However, as is often the case if things seem to be too good to be true – they usually are.
These spins usually come with wagering requirements attached. This means that the casino assigns a value to them and requires the players to bet more than that amount before they are able to withdraw the funds set in a bonus.
Bonuses for Referrals
There are also bonuses set up to help casinos bring in new players. This is done by offering a bonus to a player that has referred someone to the casino. These bonuses usually come in the form of perks and spins rather than deposits, but some casinos offer deposits as well.
When they do, the deposits also have wagering requirements attached to them meaning that you need to add some of your own funds before you’re able to withdraw the funds. It’s important to be aware of these before accepting the bonus.
It’s OK to Let Go
There are cases in which it pays more to let go of the bonus than to use it. That’s when the wagering requirements are too high and you end up spending too much in order to use the bonus. Many players are hesitant to do so since it feels as if you’re giving up on free money.
Comparing different bonuses and different casino policies is the key when it comes to choosing the casino that will suit your needs most of all. Make sure to research the casinos in detail and not to decide too quickly and without proper caution.