Types of Bonuses

Welcome / Sign-Up Bonuses: Wherever you choose to play, there is almost always a welcome bonus available, usually a match bonus for a few fifty dollars. This is an incentive to try out an unfamiliar casino, and though it usually comes with a play-through requirement, it’s a great way to get a bankroll, the code is WELCOME50.

Deposit Bonuses: Most sign-up bonuses are also deposit bonuses, in which the casino will match your deposit up to a certain amount.

No Deposit Bonuses: A welcome bonus will usually add a percentage of your original bet (or a fixed amount) to your bank roll after you have made a deposit. No-deposit casino bonuses, however, allow you try out a new casino without the actual investment of your first wager.

Refer a Friend Bonus: Online casinos may not be visited in person, but they’re certainly social! If you refer a friend and give a casino some extra business, they’ll reward you with some sort of bonus, like free spins. For instance, Hallmark Casino offers its players $50 for referrals.

Tournament Bonuses: While the majority of bonuses (including all of the aforementioned) are designed to reward loyalty, tournaments reward skill. Even if you have only frequented a certain casino for a short period of time, with the right talents and a little luck on your side you could take home some incredible tournament winnings.

Free-Spin/Bets Bonuses: Usually, in order to win big, you have to wager your own cash. Some casinos, though, offer a way around this: free-spin and free-bet bonuses. These bonuses give players the chance to play for free and keep their winnings either with extra spins on slots or roulette or extra plays on games like blackjack or Keno.

Free Money: Occasionally, casinos will reward their players with free cash, usually as part of a promotion or as an award for winning a tournament. Sometimes, the money will come in the form of credits, which players can wager on casino games.

High Roller / VIP Bonuses: High roller and VIP bonuses are another way casinos reward loyal customers. Online casinos will often group members into different levels according to the number of games or hours that they have played through the casino. High-ranking players, such as members of Hallmark Casino's VIP Elite members, can expect frequent, generous bonuses.

Bonuses

What Are Bonus Requirements? Online casinos use bonus requirements, also called wagering requirements or a playthrough requirement, to ensure that players don’t cash out their bonuses immediately. A wagering requirement (such as 30x) specifies how many times the original deposit or bonus amount must be staked in order for the player to cash out the bonus. For example, if you deposit $100, received a bonus of $100 and the wagering requirement is times 30, you will have to stake $3000 before you can cash out.

This does not mean that you have to lose $3000, but only wager it. It might seem like an impossible requirement but it is very possible to meet it. Let’s stick with the same example: If you are playing slots and your playthough requirement is $3000, you stake $1 and you won $2, the $1 you staked still counts

Towards the playthrough, even though you now have $2! If you staked $1 but lost it, it still counts towards the requirement as well.

Now, this is the point that it gets more confusing. Generally casinos will determine distinctive percentages on particular games that count for the contribution to meet the playthrough requirement. Normally slots will count 100% of their value towards the wagering requirement, but usually table games like blackjack & roulette may not count at all, or count only 0.10 cents for every $1 wagered. The percentage that counts on table games varies from casino to casino and isn’t excessively consistent in the industry.

The common wagering requirement in the industry used to be x25, but is slowly increasing to x30 and x40 and it is very rare nowadays to find an x25 playthrough. Additionally, there is a current trend to place the playthough on both deposit and bonus together, which will make you have to roll your money a lot more times.

Bonus Clearing Techniques: For large-stakes players, bonuses are usually cleared quickly. But for small-stakes players, certain techniques may be necessary. These players should look for tables with pots that are higher than average, as these will award more bonus credits. Playing multiple games simultaneously may also shorten the wait for a cleared bonus.

Cashable vs Non-Cashable Bonuses: Some bonuses are cashable, which means that you can withdraw them from your casino bankroll and spend them as you wish. Most, however, are non-cashable. These bonuses are added to your casino bankroll and may only be put toward additional games.

How to Find the Best Casino Offer?

Obviously, the size of a casino’s bonuses matters, but the fine print can be just as important. While one casino may offer $500 in welcome bonuses and another just $200, the first gambling hall’s play-through requirements may make it impossible to ever cash out the bonus. Reading through the terms and conditions to figure out the process for procuring and cashing a bonus is a veteran move that can save you money and headaches down the road. Don’t be swayed by big numbers — do your research and figure out the terms on which your bonus would be received.

Conclusion

Knowing what to look for when you do your homework is an important task for online gamblers. The research doesn’t have to be too torturous, but it’s important to know what sort of bonuses and promotions are available before getting involved with any online gambling hall. There is good news: we’re here to help. When we put together our casino reviews, we weight many factors in rating bonuses. We also make sure we have the latest casino bonuses. So if you found a better bonus — make sure to contact us!

For more on the many bonuses and promotions available, you can just check out all of our casino reviews, or start playing using the bonus below: