Breaking Down Online Casino Bonuses
When it comes to choosing an online casino, bonuses are often the number one consideration when it comes to deciding between sites as these can sometimes be worth hundreds, if not thousands, of pounds. However, before you go entering your details into a new site, you'll need to understand the commonly offered bonuses and promotions inside out to make sure you are getting the right deal – that is where we come in.
Finding the best bonuses is not easy as easy as it sounds. Casinos often have complex terms and conditions, which can really affect how good a bonus is. Don't worry though, when you've finished reading this page, you'll be a whizz at decoding the jargon and deciphering how good a bonus really is. Of course, we'll also let you know about some of the best bonuses around, so you don't have to do all the searching yourself!
How We Evaluate Every Bonus
We'll always give you the total truth about a bonus, so you always pick the best one.
At Casino.co.uk, we don't simply pick random bonuses out of thin air, and then recommend them to you. Instead, we take a huge range of different considerations into account, to ensure we only ever point you towards the best bonuses around. Don't think that we're obliged to give favourable reviews to any online casino either, as we're independent, so we'll tell you straight if we think that a bonus really isn't a very good one.
Of course, size does matter in the world of bonuses, so it goes without saying that we'll only ever recommend bonuses that can lead to some large amounts of money. We'll also look at the rollover requirement though – which is explained later on this page – as well as what you can actually do with your bonus money. We'll also let you know if a bonus can't be claimed by those depositing using a specific payment method. Once we're finished, you'll know everything you need to know about the bonuses and promotions at a site.
The Different Types of Casino Bonuses
From welcome bonuses through to giveaways, there's something for every casino fan.
You will find absolutely loads of different types of bonuses at online casinos, ensuring that new players nearly always get a boost to their accounts, and that existing players have an incentive to keep playing at a site.
Types of bonuses include:
- Welcome Bonuses - Often the biggest bonus offered by an online casino, welcome bonuses usually add a set percentage to your first deposit at a site. For example: if a site offers a 100% first deposit bonus, you'll essentially double your money. Some welcome bonuses offer a smaller percentage than this, but a larger overall amount – such as a 50% first deposit bonus, up to a value of £1000 – so you need to weigh up your personal needs when choosing the one that is best for you.
- Reload Bonuses - Typically a bonus that adds a set percentage to every deposit you make at the site, after your first deposit, reload bonuses are not usually as high as the welcome bonus, however these reload bonuses are still more than worth taking advantage of, as they can add around an extra 50% to your deposit.
- Some sites also offer free spins on certain slots to those depositing, either in lieu of, or alongside, the reload bonus. If this is the case, check the small print, as you might only be able to use these free spins at certain online slots.
- Non-withdrawable Bonuses - Bonuses that offer on-site rewards that cannot be converted to real cash and withdrawn from your account are labelled non-withdrawable bonuses and these often include additional spins, free chips, and other small boosts that can be used to assist in building your bankroll in other ways.
- Loyalty Bonuses - Often involving programs that give players points as they play that can be redeemed as prizes such as bonus money, free gifts, additional bonuses, and more.
Land Bonuses vs Online Bonuses
Land Bonuses are bonuses only offered by a land-based casino, with the most common form of bonuses offering players free chips to spend at specified games, though bonuses also include loyalty programs for VIP members and more. Land-based bonuses are not always as lucrative as online bonuses and they are often timed rewards that require use as they are given, unlike online casino bonuses which can be kept and used when most convenient.
On top of all the other bonuses on offer, most online casinos also offer special, device and even payment method specific bonuses. These bonuses include:
- Bonuses such as extra credit or free spins for using site preferred payment methods e.g. Credit Cards or bank deposits
- Reload Bonuses - Typically a bonus that adds a set percentage to every deposit you make at the site, after your first deposit, reload bonuses are not usually as high as the welcome bonus, however these reload bonuses are still more than worth taking advantage of, as they can add around an extra 50% to your deposit. Some sites also offer free spins on certain slots to those depositing, either in lieu of, or alongside, the reload bonus. If this is the case, check the small print, as you might only be able to use these free spins at certain online slots.
- Bonuses and rewards for downloading and using mobile applications
Wagering Requirements Explained
As with many things in life, always check the small print!
Looking over the small print of anything is usually a pretty boring job, however it is essential when it comes to online casino bonuses. Some people think that they can get a bonus, and then withdraw it straightaway, but this isn't the case. After all, why would a casino want to give away free money to people? To prevent this from happening, they have what's known as a playthrough requirement, which is also sometimes known as a wagering requirement. This states that you have to make a certain value of bets before you can withdraw the bonus, or any money you win by using it. The rollover requirement is usually expressed as a multiple, such as 30x. So, if you get a bonus worth £50, and the wagering requirement is 30x, you'll have to make £1,500 of bets before you can withdraw. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Wagering requirement = 30x
- Bonus = £50
- To work out how much you need to wager to meet the requirement use this formula: Wagering requirement x bonus amount = Money you need to wager
- 30 x £50 = £1500
This number simply represents how much you need to wager in order to fulfil this requirement You need to wager at least this amount in order to fulfil the wagering requirement however you can use winnings to fill to do this: i.e. you do not have to deposit the full amount required; you can use winnings from other games to wager with. So, if you win £10,000 on a slot, you'll be able to use these winnings to fulfil the wagering requirement, and then withdraw the leftover money.
You should also be aware that some games count towards the wagering requirement more than others. It is usually the case that slots contribute 100% towards the requirement, meaning that a 30x wagering requirement is exactly as it sounds. Some other games have lower contributions though. For example, some sites say that blackjack only has a 10% contribution. This means that you'll have to wager 10x more when playing blackjack than you'll need to wager when playing slots. This is simply because you have a much better chance of winning when playing blackjack. So, before you use a bonus, check to see how much your favourite game contributes towards the rollover requirement.
Where to Find the Best Bonuses
Thanks to our reviews, you'll always find the best bonuses for you.
Searching for the best bonus around can be a tiresome job, and many casino players simply opt for the first one they find. This means that they could be missing out on loads of extra money though, and we don't want this to be the case. This is why we look at the bonuses and promotions offered by any online casino we review, checking the small print and making sure it's as good as it looks. Only once we have gone over the bonus with the utmost of detail will we recommend the casino to you. We also continually re-evaluate the casinos we've reviewed, to ensure that the bonuses are still as good (or as bad) as they were before.
So, if you want to find the top bonuses in the online casino world, the best thing to do is look through the many different reviews on this site. When you do, you'll be able to pick the casino that is perfect for you, and get some fantastic bonuses in the process!
How to Get a Bonus
It's incredibly easy to claim most online casino bonuses.
The majority of online casino bonuses are really easy to claim – in fact, you don't have to do anything in order to receive them! This is because most bonuses are automatically added to your casino balance. You should always check to ensure that this is the case though, as there are a couple of other ways that casinos occasionally add bonus funds to your account.
The first thing that you might have to do in order to get a bonus is use a code. Normally, this code is displayed prominently on the site, and you can therefore find it straightaway. There are some occasions when the casino will hide the code in the terms and conditions. So, if you don't see a code displayed, you must check the terms and conditions! If you still don't find a code, it's pretty safe to assume that the bonus is automatically credited to your account.
While rare, some sites require you to contact them in order to get your bonus. This is, as you might imagine, quite annoying. Therefore, we won't generally recommend online casinos that require this from you. If you do need to contact a site to claim a bonus, this will be stated in the terms and conditions.
