There are many myths and misconceptions about casinos. From land-based casinos pumping oxygen into the building to games being rigged and slot machines being ‘hot’ or ‘cold.’
Misconceptions surround online gambling too, and some of them focus on wagering requirements. They are seen as dark and mysterious roadblocks that are purposely deceiving and inhibitive. But things are not always as they seem and it is possible to find good low wagering bonuses out there.
What are Wagering Requirements?
When you collect a bonus at an online casino, more often than not in the terms and conditions there will be a wagering requirement. If you are credited with a $10 bonus, it means that you need to bet that amount with real cash however many times the wagering requirement sets out. If it’s 20x then you need $300 to play with. Only after staking that amount will the real cash value of the bonus or its winnings be released.
Myth 1: All Wagering Requirements Are Unattainable
This is a myth because they are not — players use them all the time. There are certainly some out there that reach unappealing levels. A good average number is a 35x wagering requirement. Some casino offers go up to 50%, some lower at 30x.
This does tie into the player being prepared when looking to claim a bonus. If you get drawn in by a huge bonus amount, say $100 but then notice after 40x wagering requirements, then that may well put the bonus out of your reach.
It is about finding a nice balance of what your regular gambling budget could potentially pull back from any kind of bonus. Time is also a factor with sign-up offers, as players are only given something like two weeks to fully complete the wagering requirements.
The best approach is to look for low-wagering casino bonuses, for instance, at https://bstcasinos.com/low-wagering-casino-bonuses/, which means lower playthrough amounts.
Myth 2: Deposit Value Isn’t Important
Another thing to watch for is the terminology of the terms and conditions. In some instances, wagering requirements could include the value of the deposit as well as the bonus value. That adds an extra stack of financial outlay to clear the bonus. An example could be 30x bonus value + 30x deposit value.
Myth 3: All Games Count Equally Towards Wagering Requirements
This is not the case. Slot play in most instances generally counts for 100% of the stake played towards the wagering requirements. But if you jump over to table games like blackjack for example, then only 10% of play may count towards the wagering requirements. It’s vital to do your homework.
Myth 4: No Deposit Bonuses Are Common
This is not a particularly common thing to find at online casinos through welcome bonus offers. It is possible to get no deposit bonuses, but they can be hard to come across. When you can, these won’t reward a high bonus amount and will still be subjected to T&Cs.
But they are great if you get lucky enough to grab one. You sign up and get some free play tokens added to your account. The winnings will then be subjected to wagering requirements and there are no concerns over matching a deposit value as well.
Loyalty clubs are a good way to go as well when looking for bonuses. So there are ways to pull some value — look for long-standing value and low-wagering offers.
Don’t Get Put Off
The wagering requirements of an online casino bonus welcome offer are not the be-all and end-all of the experience. Far from it in fact. There is generally much greater value to be found through the regular promotions that are hosted for existing customers.
That could be from reload bonuses, free spins and special daily rewards on specific games or cashback. The advantage is that they give longer-term value from regular play, and often don’t have such sky-high bonus value as sign-up offers do.
Wagering requirements aren’t exclusive to welcome bonus offers. Research and calculate how much you would have to put in first to complete one. That will help you judge whether it is worth playing for, depending on your budget. It’s never a good idea to stretch yourself just to complete a bonus.
When trying to complete one, look for the games that contribute 100% to wagering requirements, otherwise, the value of the initial bonus decreases because you have to play through more.
