Best Casino Bonuses For Sep 2024

What makes an online casino bonus a good one entirely depends on each player’s perspective and preferences. The fact that an offer includes tons of extra spins and/or bonus cash is not enough to classify it as good, let alone the best.

As you probably know, every bonus consists of several important segments, of which wagering requirements, game contribution percentage, cashout limits, and validity period represent the crucial ones. The slight differences in these components dictate whether a bonus is worth claiming or not.

When evaluating an online casino bonus, players should pay close attention to all these factors, because they are all equally important. Only when they coexist in some sort of a balance we can be sure that they are worthy of our time.

For example, when you have a hefty bonus with an abundance of extra spins with only several games permitted to play with those freebies, you can hardly call it the best. Or, if it comes with too low cashout limits. Having to struggle with overly high wagering requirements doesn’t sound like the most entertaining activity in the world, does it?

This guide aims to introduce you to the five essential features that are universal and apply to most bonus types in the industry today, helping you sort the wheat from the chaff. Let’s get started, shall we?

#1 Aim for Low or No Wagering Requirements

The bonus wagering requirement (also called playthrough or turnover) is the amount of money a player must wager before they become eligible to withdraw. Wagering requirements typically apply to bonus money, but in some cases, they can also include both bonus credits and deposited funds.

Talking about the industry’s average, the most common playthrough ranges between 30x and 50x. Anything below this threshold is ideal, while above is considered a bit more challenging to meet. The higher the wagering requirements are, the harder it is to meet them.

Let’s take an example to illustrate how the wagering amount is calculated on bonus funds. If a player receives a bonus of $50 and it comes with 30x WR, it means that they will have to wager a total of $1,500 ($50 bonus x 30 WRs), before they can request a cash out of associated winnings.

As we hinted, the ideal scenario would be to find a bonus that comes with no strings attached, meaning zero wagering requirements, but they are quite rare nowadays.

In case your math skills are not high and you find it difficult to calculate the wagering, have no worries, we’ve got you covered. Feel free to use our bonus wagering calculator. Simply enter the deposit amount, bonus amount, and wagering contributing percentage and specify whether the calculation is done on bonus money only or on bonus + deposit.

#2 Mind the Games Contribution Percentage-The More, The Merrier

In close correlation with wagering requirements, game contribution percentage has a significant impact on whether a bonus will be classified as claim-worthy.

Casinos will usually determine what games you can use your bonus money on, and a percentage of every bet you make in these games will contribute to the bonus wagering completion. What we are trying to say is that both the type of the game/ genre and contribution percentage determine how demanding it would be to meet the playthrough requirements.

If we’re looking for something that would fall into the definition of “best casino bonus”, then it would be the bonuses with an unlimited game selection that contribute 100%.

Let’s take a $100 bonus with 20x wagering requirements on bonus only as an example. In this case, the total playthrough amount is $2,000.

If all the participating games contribute 100%, and a player makes bets of $1 per spin, it means that a total of 2,000 spins is needed to meet the requirements and qualify for the cashout.

However, if the game counts only 20%, it means that only $0.20 from a $1 bet contributes towards meeting the WRs while the remaining part, $0.80 doesn’t count.

Calculated in spins, a player would have to make as many as 10,000 ($2.000/ $0.20) to complete the playthrough. This would make the odds of building a bankroll and eventually cashing out much lower.

In reality, it’s quite rare to find a casino that allows 100% contribution from every game. Usually, a vast majority of slot games contribute 100%, but most commonly those with high RTP and jackpot slots are fully excluded from contribution. Other genres such as table games and live games, instant wins, and so on, either have a small contribution percentage or don’t count at all.

To make it simpler for players to understand which games are permitted and which aren’t, casinos usually list the prohibited titles in the terms, either by names or by categories. Alternatively, if the promotion includes a smaller number of games, the list will be featured alongside the rules of the specific offer.

#3 Check the Validity Period

Inspecting the terms of bonuses, you will probably encounter something like “valid for 7 calendar days after being credited”.

This means that you have 7 days to meet the wagering requirements. If that doesn’t happen, the bonus and any winnings generated from it will be forfeited.

Therefore, the longer a bonus is valid after claiming, the better. Ideally, aim for those with a validity period of 30 days or longer, to have enough time to complete the rollover.

So even if it is true that time constraints have a significant impact on decision-making process, by forcing people to come up with quick and practical solutions, bonuses don’t work that way. You simply need more time to complete the WRs. Having a longer period to meet the requirements takes the pressure off and allows consumers to play at their own pace.

#4 Pay Attention to Max Cashout Limit & Max Bet Limit

How do unlimited cashout and unlimited bet size with active bonuses sound to you? Fantastic, don’t they?

Well, unfortunately, that’s not the case at the majority of online casinos today. While pushing the boundaries and breaking the limits does make sense in some aspects of life, that’s not the case with casino bonuses.

The maximum cashout rule refers to the amount of money a player can cash out from a bonus, regardless of how much they’ve generated from the bonus. For example, if the max cashout is $200, and a consumer has won $450, they will only be able to withdraw $200, while all the rest ($250) will be voided.

Most often, casino spins and no deposit bonuses are notorious for very low cashout limits, there are many other types of bonus offers with more reasonable caps.

As mentioned earlier, the amount a player can bet while playing with bonus money is also limited. Usually, it’s capped at $5 per spin/ hand or an equivalent sum in other applicable currencies. Bets higher than the predetermined limits will result in a confiscated bonus, so make sure to read the terms and conditions beforehand to find out how much you are allowed to bet.

#5 Irregular Betting Patterns- Double-Edged Sword

Bonus terms and conditions that ban irregular betting patterns or irregular play place restrictions not only on bet sizes and types but also on using strategies.

This includes advantage play strategies, Martingale or similar betting systems, frequent changing of bet sizes, betting patterns, and games. such behavior is often viewed as bonus abuse or exploitation by some casinos.

On the other hand, limitations like these force consumers to conform to a limited playstyle that may differ from how they’d naturally choose to play. They not only take the spontaneity away but reduce winning chances as well.

Now, whether such systems work or not is a topic on its own, but the problem is in the casino’s bonus-related Terms. Such strict rules are often unfair to players, especially because whether something is classified as an irregular betting pattern is usually “evaluated at the casino’s own discretion”.

It is best to avoid bonuses with these terms attached.

Finding the Best Casino Bonuses!

As you can see, good bonuses are not just about the size - multiple variables are at play, and you should learn them all.

Aside from taking these five crucial aspects into account, there are a couple of other things that can help you fine-tune your quest, to say so.

For starters, we’d once again like to emphasize the importance of playing only at reputable, licensed casinos to ensure fair and transparent service. Don’t let the casinos which promise the moon but bear no license fool you, because if an issue comes up there’ll be no one to cover your back.

Also, check the qualifying payment method, if you’re interested in deposit-based bonuses. Sometimes certain banking options, such as Skrill and Neteller, can be restricted as eligible methods for claiming bonuses at all, leaving you with limited or no choice at all.

Always read the Terms attached to bonuses, especially the fine print. In case some details are missing, or you find something to be confusing, don’t hesitate to reach out to the customer support department. Based on the efficiency and helpfulness of their response you will be able to evaluate whether they care about their players and the overall satisfaction and positive experience.

We hope this guide has been valuable in your quest for casino bonuses worth taking. Enjoy the best casino bonuses and gamble responsibly!