Why You Need to Know This
Getting a shiny welcome bonus at an **online casino** feels great, right? It’s basically free money to play with! However, that “free” money usually comes with a catch, and that catch is called the wagering requirement.
Understanding these rules is absolutely essential before you accept any offer. Ignoring them can lead to serious frustration when you try to cash out your winnings later on.
Defining Wagering Requirements (Playthrough)
Simply put, a **wagering requirement** (sometimes called “playthrough”) is the total amount of money you must bet before the casino lets you withdraw any winnings derived from your bonus funds.
They are expressed as a multiplier, such as 30x or 40x. This multiplier tells you how many times you need to play through the bonus amount, or sometimes the bonus *plus* the deposit amount.
How the Math Works: A Quick Example
Let’s say you accept a $100 bonus with a 30x wagering requirement. This means you must place a total of $3,000 in bets ($100 x 30) before that $100 bonus money and any associated winnings are converted into real, withdrawable cash.
You don’t need to win $3,000; you just need to cycle that amount through the games. Both your wins and losses contribute equally to clearing the **playthrough**.
Important Fine Print to Check
Not all games contribute equally to meeting the requirement. Slots usually contribute 100%, meaning every dollar you bet counts fully toward clearing the bonus.
However, classic table games like Blackjack or Roulette often contribute much less, sometimes only 10% or 20%.
Always check the casino’s Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) for the **game contribution percentage**. A 30x requirement cleared on slots is very different from one played entirely on blackjack!
Also, look out for time limits. You usually have a set period (e.g., 7 days or 30 days) to clear the requirement, or the bonus and any winnings will expire. Don’t let your potential winnings vanish! ⏳
What’s a Good Requirement?
In the competitive world of **online casino** bonuses, lower is always better. Anything around 20x to 35x is generally considered fair, especially if the requirement applies only to the bonus amount.
If you see requirements pushing 50x or 60x, you might want to reconsider or choose a smaller bonus that is easier to clear.
Wagering requirements are the gatekeepers of your bonus cash. Take a moment to read the T&Cs, do the quick math, and you’ll be ready to enjoy those bonuses without any surprises! 👍