The gambling world is not very imaginative. When one site starts a trend, it will likely be duplicated until it becomes the norm. Bonuses are so expected of online casinos that a player would look for another option immediately if they didn’t get this offer. The only thing that differs with a casino bonus is the amount and its administration. Often players will look out for the site giving the most money, but looking a little deeper could be something more people want to do.
We demystify offers and promotions in the gambling world and what players may want to look out for if they want an offer worth their time.
Types of Casino Bonuses
There are several bonuses, but we will only look at the top that every casino has.
Deposit Bonuses
This is usually the welcoming package that is also the biggest bonus offer most casinos make new players. You will be offered a match to your deposit and your account credited as soon as you accept this offer. So, you are offered a 200% deposit bonus as a match for your $50 deposit, and you will be playing with $1,000. There will be conditions to meet before you can withdraw this money, so read the T&Cs first.
Reload Bonuses
Second, even the third time’s a charm with this offer as you get some cash for free for funding your account again. Most sites will match your deposit, notably with a higher percentage than the first time. It’s best to believe they do this to encourage you to check them out again and again after the first deposit. You may still want to read the terms again because there is no guarantee that they are the same as the initial deposit.
Free Spins and Other No Deposit Bonuses
Free spins can also be part of a deposit bonus, but they are mostly given as a marketing gimmick to get existing players to test some slots. As a part of the welcome package, you may get, say, 100 spins to test on a specific slot as well as some money on the side. You can also get it as an offer to play slots well after joining the site. Usually, the money you generate from using these spins may be subjected to further wagering requirements, so you want to read the fine print.
Cashback Offers
How would you like to be paid back the money you lost? Because that is what this bonus is about. Casinos will set a percentage they will refund if you lose games to convince you that you will win. Here’s how it works. Say a casino offers to refund 20% of your losses within seven days of depositing some cash. You lose $100 within this period, and they refund $20.
This gives new players the confidence they need to start playing, but you may want to focus on the total loss instead of just the cashback bonus.
Worth Noting: You are not obliged to accept a bonus even when it is offered prominently on the login page. If it doesn’t feel or look right for you, just skip it and spend your deposit.
Benefits of These Offers
They encourage you to register an account and start gambling if you are unsure whether it is the right move. Take no deposit offers, for instance. You will get some free cash to get you started even without making any financial commitment. You will also be stretching your dollar since you can give your cash a rest until you have utilized the free money. You will be free to explore more games since you have some free cash, and there is a feeling of appreciation by the casino.
Disadvantages
Some of the issues we will discuss here are not disadvantages, per se more like points of concern.
Wagering Requirements: Casinos are out to make profits, so they will not give you free money without expecting you to earn it. Usually, they give you a list of games that contribute 100% to the bonus, and this list of mostly made up of low-paying games. You will also have time limits to meet these rollover requirements, putting more pressure on you simply so you can make a little money.
Some sites ask you to utilize your deposit before they can give you the bonus, and this may not always work well if you want to use the offer money to test the waters. There could be other smaller details hidden in the terms and conditions that may not favor you, so you want to read the document from cover to cover.
Conclusion
So, are the offers still worth it? It all boils down to the specific bonuses and their terms. If you can meet the set deadlines to get the free money, it will be a worthy deal. If the wagering requirements are too difficult to meet, especially with limited time, you may want to let the opportunity pass. You want to take your time reading and understanding the terms, so you don’t sign up for something other than what you had hoped for when you saw the offer.
