Online Casino Bonus
Bling bling! Online casinos offer some of the best bling out there, in the form of free bonuses. They can total up to thousands of dollars. You can get that kind of bling from a land-based casino. But before you sign up with the best-looking offer, it’s important to consider a few things so you don’t get hustled.
Before signing up, you should know the low-down on all of the different types of bonuses out there. There’s a lot of bling to be had but many have strings attached so always read the terms and conditions (all that fine print) carefully.
Match Bonus: most common for the first deposit. A certain percentage (25%, 50% or 100% for example) of your deposit is matched by the online casino. Look for a 100% match on your initial deposit worth up to a certain amount, and a lesser match, such as 50%, on the next few deposits. The amount fluctuates with the promotion at that given time.
Cashable Bonus: meet certain bonus wager requirements, such as bet amounts or specific game play, before you are allowed to cash out the free bonus money, which is then added to your winnings.
Sticky Bonus: the bonus itself is not allowed to be withdrawn but any winnings earned while playing the sticky bonus is.
Cash Back Bonus: rare but given following a loss. A portion of the stake is returned, often as cash. Depending on the promotion, an online casino might offer a 20% cash back bonus each week. In other words, if you had a loss over the span of the week, you would get 20% of your losses back. Winners are not eligible.
Comp Points: like land-based but not as lavish as a free rooms. Instead, they can be exchanged for cash or prizes. The amount of points varies with the game and is usually minimal per wager. A dollar value is accessed to comp points. For example, an online casino may offer two comp points for every $10 blackjack bet and one comp point for every $10 roulette bet.
Loyalty Rewards: most return around $10 for each $10,000 played. It sounds like a scam but the reward is earned on every win or loss wagered so it doesn’t take that long to accumulate for the fervent gambler. Some have different loyalty levels with benefits and also offer a birthday bonus.
Also, I have the skinny on bonus requirement most people don’t know about. All casino bonuses have a play through requirement. This means that once you qualify for the bonus, you have to play through to a certain amount of money before you withdraw the actual money. Most online casinos place a 15-30 multiplier (x) play through on a free bonus. In other words, if you deposit $100 to get a $100 match bonus on a 15x play through, you have to play through to that amount.
So, $100 deposit + $100 free bonus x 15 = $3,000 play through requirement. The purpose of the play through is to discourage bonus abusers who leave the site for a new one after their bonus is used up. In other words, don’t try to hustle the casino or they will catch you eventually and banish you from the site and their affiliates.
A no-deposit casino bonus, which means there is no minimum deposit, usually has a 30x play through. If you received $20 free on a no-deposit, you would have to bet $600 before making a withdrawal. To make it even more problematic, some websites do not allow play on progressive jackpot slot machines for no-deposit bonuses.
It is wise to choose an online casino that offers promotions and bonuses for the casino games you enjoy the most. Some bonuses restrict you from playing certain games so they should be avoided if your favorite game is not allowed. Usually, restricted bonuses do not allow play on low-risk games like roulette. Got it, playa?
One last thing to remember is that when you want to cash out, most bank transfers take 3-5 business days. If you are confused on withdrawal/deposit policies or bonus wagering requirements, call or e-mail customer support. The service is usually available 24/7. If you have a serious problem with the casino that can’t be resolved, contact the independent online casino auditor organization eCogra.