Wagering requirements explained

Most casino bonus offers and free spins come with a wagering requirement that has to be fulfilled by betting on videoslots or other games. So how does this work? When you sign up for a new casino, nine times out of ten they will offer you a match bonus on your first deposit. The new player gets a larger balance to try out multiple games or make bigger bets. An example: let’s say you just made a fresh 50 euro deposit to a new casino and they gave you a 150% bonus on top.

Your starting balance will increase to 125 euro, but you can’t cash it out right away ’cause then the casino would go broke in no-time. So you’re going to have to bet a certain amount before the bonusmoney is “unlocked” and added to your account as real money. That amount is called a wagering requirement. Your free bonus money can be used on all video slots and jackpot games, sometimes even in the live casino or on sportsbook. If certain games are excluded we will tell you what you can play with your bonus. In any case, you’ll have to bet your bonus on games before you are able to cash out. If you plan on playing high variance Netent games with your bonus, be sure to check out our top 5 best paying slots.

The casino rules will state how often you have to play your bonus money before it can be withdrawn to your bank account. If we assume the turnover is 25x the bonus amount, you’d be tasked with wagering an amount of 25 x 75 = 1875 euro in the casino games before the money is converted into real cash that belongs to you now. In order to keep track of your progression, the state-of-the-art software from Net Entertainment can tell you precisely how much you have left to bet before the wagering is fullfilled. Once you complete the turnover, you are then free to do with the money as you please. This is a great way to play, because you are making bets “on the house” while minimising your own risk!

Using variance to your advantage

When you have only a small bit of wagering left, it’s sometimes wise to play a low variance slot. That’s because the return of that game is more consistent (less volatile), giving you a better chance of completing the entire wagering amount with enough money left to make a good cashout. Examples of low variance slots are Jack Hammer, Aliens and Starburst videoslot. The last one is the best because it has a so called “quick-spin” feature that allows you to play very fast spins (for 10 cents per spin).