If you are a prolific online casino player, then at some point or another, you must have wondered how to beat the all elusive wagering requirements (possibly). Also known as ‘Rollover’ or ‘Playthrough’, wagering requirements are applied to almost anything bonus-related in casinos.
Whether you prefer to spin the reels to online slots, spin the Roulette wheel at the live casino or else, sports betting, wagering requirements almost always come into play. Especially if you are taking advantage of deposit bonuses.
It is for this very reason that we are taking time to delve into the topic of wagering requirements, how they work, and how you can beat them.
What are wagering requirements?
To understand the complex issue and reason for the existence of wagering requirements, you need to understand its role in the online gambling world.
The online gambling world is a superbly, fierce market. Remember, that casinos are vying for your attention, so they are always coming up with new ways to entice you to their website to sign up. One such way they try to lure you with is the welcome deposit bonus.
A deposit bonus is a match offer provided to the player when they deposit at a casino. Some players might think that the casino is giving away money for free, but this isn’t the case. Enter the wagering requirements.
The wagering requirements are ultimately the number of times that the player must bet their bonus amount before they can request a cash withdrawal. Similarly, when you receive a deposit bonus, that is not free cash for you to withdraw. On the contrary, money is converted into bonus cash. You can’t withdraw it, but you can have fun spending it to play casino games.
Since casino bonuses come with lengthy terms and conditions, including game restrictions as well as bet limits, many players fail to go through them, purely out of boredom or imprudence. That being said, this careless lack of attention to detail can risk in not taking heed of the wagering requirements.
In recent years, casino bonuses have branched out into various subcategories. There is the no deposit bonus, which rewards players for signing up without having to make a money deposit.
One of the many reasons why casinos implement playthroughs is to spare themselves the hassle of a) dealing with bonus hunters, b) money laundering and c) not to lose out on cash. After all, casinos are in the business to make money, not to give it away.
What are wager-free casino bonuses?
Ah, the wager-free casino bonuses! Not only do players squeal with delight whenever they spot one, but they are so rare, that discovering one is like snapping up a no deposit bonus. It’s like receiving something for nothing.
A wager-free casino bonus is a bonus that has no playthroughs attached to it whatsoever. It also means that whatever you win from this bonus is yours to keep.
A wager-free casino bonus can come in the shape of either wager-free spins or else as a wager-free bonus. Both are beneficial and allow you to play freely without having to meet any terms and conditions.
Although they tend to be smaller, don’t scoff them off as they have a considerable advantage over your traditional casino bonus.
How to calculate wagering requirements?
Now that you understand the reason behind wagering requirements’ existence, you need to know how to calculate them. To do this, you must understand the basics.
Imagine you are signing up to an online casino with NZ dollars and it is offering the following casino bonus: 100% bonus up to $100 with a wagering requirement of 30x. This is how you would calculate to understand the playthroughs:
$100 (the bonus offered) x 30 (the rollover) = $3,000
What does that amount mean? It means that you would need to bet a total of $3,000 before you can cash out a withdrawal. That applies to you’re the bonus.
Since real money casinos in NZ apply a “sticky bonus”, your funds are thrown in the mix with the bonus money provided by the casino. The wagering requirements would look like this:
$100 (the bonus offered) + $100 (money deposited) x 30 (the rollover) = $6,000
You can now understand why beating wagering requirements can be nigh impossible, especially if you get a high wagering requirement. 30 to 35x is considered the standard in the casino industry. A bonus with a rollover of 35x higher should be avoided, as you are highly unlikely to ever meet them.
Top tips on how to beat the wagering requirements
Now that you understand how wagering requirements are and how they work, you need to be extra careful before signing up to any casino with a random deposit bonus. After all, you don’t want to play without having the chance to cash out a withdrawal. Follow out top tips to beat the wagering requirements:
Pick the right casino bonus offer
There is a reason for this. Don’t get fooled by big casino bonuses and more significant numbers, because the chances are that their wagering requirements are obscene. In many cases, the smaller the bonuses, the lower the wagering requirements are.
Regardless, you should always have a read through the terms and conditions to see the number of wagering requirements attached to the bonus. Additionally, it is vital that before signing up to a casino, you check that it’s licensed and is a secure site. If the casino you are interested in is being promoted at CasinoExperts, you can rest assured that it’s considered safe and trustworthy.
Furthermore, if a casino is licensed, it means that they have to adhere to the rules and regulates as set up by the gaming authority. These should be displayed clearly. If you can’t find links to terms and conditions, you might as well, steer clear. In the terms and conditions of your casino of choice, you should see a myriad of information including the elusive wagering requirement, any caps on winnings and what would happen if you would forfeit a bonus. Never sign up and provide any payment details unless you are sure that the casino is safe and secure.
Sign up to No Wagering Casinos
No wagering casinos are quite rare, but we do see them pop up often. It does not mean that all the bonuses at that casinos are wager-free but that the sign-up bonus tends to be. These casinos go out of their way to promote their wager-free bonus so that you can spot the offer quickly.
You still should read the fine print to learn about any potential caps on winnings.
Turn down the bonus
If your heart is set on a specific online casino, and you love its choice of games, but you are not too fond of the bonus offer or the wagering requirements that come with it, you can also refuse it. Turning down the casino bonus means that you can then proceed to play with your funds and are not eligible to take advantage of the bonus. When this happens, there are no playthroughs to meet, and thus, whatever you win is yours to keep.
Can I avoid wagering requirements?
Not if you want to snap up casino bonuses all the time. If you love a bonus or two, you will come across wagering requirements at some point or another. You can always denounce your bonus, but if you are playing for fun, the allure of playing with a bigger bankroll is too good to miss.
A casino bonus can easily double or triple whatever money you deposited. A bigger bankroll leads to more spins on the reels or an attempt at winning a jackpot.