How to Spot a Bad Casino Bonus
All casinos have some kind of bonus for new players. But not every welcome bonus is worth taking advantage of. We think it’s best to learn early on how to avoid getting a bad casino bonus.
In this article, you'll teach you how to:
- Grade the value of a welcome bonus.
- Compare welcome bonuses to discover which is best.
- What it means for a casino bonus to be bad.
What Do We Mean By “Casino Bonus”?
A casino bonus is an incentive given by casinos to new players. In return for a casino bonus a player will have to create an account or make a real money deposit.
These incentives are used to increase the casino’s customer base.All casino bonuses provide either free spins or site credit.
With free spins and bonus credits you can enjoy a single casino game (usually a slot game) or a small handful of casino games.
Read on to find out about the different kinds of bonuses available.
How Casino Bonuses Work
The main types of welcome bonus are:
- No Deposit Bonuses - These incentives are free to claim and will give you either free spins or bonus credits.
- Deposit Bonuses - These require you to make a deposit. You can get free spin, bonus credits or both, with better terms and improved value.
As you can see, the two are different depending on whether they are free or require a deposit.
The Different Kinds Of No Deposit Bonus
A "no deposit bonus" is a free bonus you can get when you create a new account. No deposit is required and you can win real money with them so long as you fulfill the T&Cs.
These bonuses are a lot like a “free trial.”
Casinos choose to offer free trials because it is a well known truth in marketing that players are more likely to become a long-term paying member after being given a free trial.
Let’s introduce you to the two types of no deposit bonus:
No deposit bonuses that allocate site credit work in much the same way as real money, except you need to fulfill wagering requirements.
Because of this, it is easier to think of site credit as a kind of coupon that can only be used inside the casino.
Nonetheless, your site credit will be advertised as if it were free money. Thus you are likely to receive something like USD20 in bonus credits.
With site credit, you’ll have the opportunity to play a wide range of eligible games, including the likes of slots and table games.
Casinos give out free spins bonuses in the form of a set number, like 30 no deposit free spins. Only certain slots can be played with free spins.
Usually, you can only play a limited number of slots with free spins. It's not uncommon for these kinds of free spins to only work on one slot.
The Different Kinds Of Deposit Bonus
All of the most generous casino bonuses will expect you to make a deposit. Thus if you are willing to make a deposit, you can expect to receive more free spins/site credit, plus better terms.
There are two types of deposit bonus that are regularly offered to new players:
The casino will match the value of your deposit by a certain percentage and up to a certain value.
For instance, say you get a bonus that matches your deposit by 200% up to USD250. If you put down USD250 on your first deposit, you’ll receive USD500 in bonus credit.
Most of the time, the rules for match bonuses are better than those for no deposit bonuses.
Even though they are called "free spins," it is not the most precise term.
In places with stringent gambling laws, "extra spins" or "deposit spins" are the names given for what are otherwise called deposit free spins. This is, obviously, because they necessitate a qualifying deposit.
Aside from requiring a deposit, they work identically to no deposit free spins. The only advantage of making a deposit is that you get more free spins and improved T&Cs.
5 Tips For Spotting Dreadful Casino Bonuses
Before you claim a casino bonus, use the following 5 tips to ensure it’s a great deal:
#1: Don't Play At Casinos That Don’t Have A License
This step is fairly self explanatory.
Casinos that don't have a license don't have to follow the rules that promote player safety and fairness.
You might find a casino that does not have a license, and is yet run by honorable people. Though it’s not worth the risk.
Unlicensed casinos are more likely to be fraudulent.
We recommend you avoid them at all costs.
Here at NoDepositFriend, we feature casinos that are licensed and regulated by top gambling authorities, such as the UKGC and the MGA.
#2: Find Out What Other Players Think
A license doesn’t always guarantee a good service.
Reading online casino forums is an easy way to avoid casinos with bad reputations.
Since third parties run these forums, players are able to freely log legitimate complaints about a casino’s service.
Please beware, however, that not all online complaints are valid. If players don't read the rules or do the research they need to do, it most likely isn’t the casino’s fault.
Before deciding to list a casino on NoDepositFriend, we first look at what real players have to say.
#3: Unreasonable Wagering Requirements
In general, a quick look at the wagering requirements will tell you if a bonus isn't very good.
It's hard to get any bonus because it's hard to meet the requirements. They don't want you to win, after all.
But just because a casino doesn't want you to meet the wagering requirements, it doesn't mean that winning should be impossible.
Understandably, the odds of winning are better if the wagering requirements are lower.
So, it's important to stay away from casino bonuses with high wagering requirements.
All players have a good chance of winning if the wagering requirements are between 10x and 40x.
#4: Ambiguous Bonus Rules
Bonuses that do not clearly state the terms and conditions of the bonus ought to be avoided.
The following terms and conditions should be easy to find:
- Wagering Requirements - The amount you have to wager before you can withdraw your winnings
- Eligible Games - The games you are allowed to use the bonus on.
- Max Cashout - The most real money you can get out of your bonus.
- Maximum Bet Value - The most you can wager on a single spin or bet.
- Date Of Expiration - The amount of time you get before your bonus is confiscated.
- Game Contribution - How much of your bet goes toward the wagering requirements, depending on the game you play.
If the T&Cs aren't clear, it's likely that you'll break them by accident and lose your bonus.
#5: Look Into The Game Restrictions
The best game to play with a casino bonus is determined by the following rules:
- Eligible Games - The "eligible games" list shows which games can be played with your bonus.
- Game Weighting Percentages - This is how much of your bet goes toward meeting the wagering requirements.
There is a way in which these two rules combine to make it more difficult to fulfill the wagering requirements.
To begin with, the eligible games rule.
When casinos offer bonuses, they risk their short-term profits. So, casinos don't like it when their bonuses can be used on specifically high odds games, regardless of the game types. (Though this mostly affects table games).
Because of this, bonuses often only allow you to play one or a few slots. Moreover, it's likely that these slots will have average odds and low volatility.
You have to stick to these games throughout the entirety of your bonus. In other words: until you lose, or until you win.
This is straightforward, right?
It only gets complicated when you are allowed to play casino games with great odds.
And this is where Game Contribution comes in.
Games with very good odds, such as blackjack and roulette, will probably only count a small percentage of your stake toward the requirements.
Inevitably, this makes a huge difference in how likely you are to win real money.
Imagine, for instance, you claim a bonus that alters the blackjack’s contribution to 6%.
Imagine, too, you also use your bonus to place a USD200 bet on blackjack. Due to the lowered contribution, only USD12 of that USD200 bet would go toward meeting the requirements.
Conversely, most slots contribute 100%, which means that your whole bet will count.
With a casino bonus, it's not worth it to play games with high odds. Even in normal situations, you may have to wager between 20 and 25 times more on a game with high odds to meet the requirements.
It might be best to just play slot machines.
Our Exclusive Bonuses Are The Best in The World!
Have you come across our “Exclusive” label?
If a bonus has this label, it means it's been negotiated for by our team of industry experts.
In return for featuring a casino on our list, we can arrange for bonuses with superior terms and conditions, exceptional value and eligibility on the top games.
For more information, visit our Exclusive Bonuses page.
Final Verdict
In summary, to avoid claiming a terrible casino bonus all you really have to do is:
- Play at licensed casinos.
- Pay careful attention to the rules of your bonus.
If you stick to these rules, you can avoid most of the unfair bonuses.
Here at NoDepositFriend we refuse to feature bonuses that are unfair. Every bonus is tried and tested to ensure they give players a realistic chance of winning.
FAQ
Yes, they are - though we only recommend casinos that have passed an evaluation carried out by an industry pro.
There are pros and cons to both arguments. In this case, though, we think the benefits of claiming tend to be greater than the drawbacks.
Even though you might want to play for real money right away, if you deposit real money without claiming a bonus, you won't be able to:
- More To Play With - Getting a bonus can often make your first deposit worth twice or even three times as much.
- Win Real Money - Providing you fulfill the T&Cs, most bonuses will reward you with real money.
- Longer Sessions - The more you have, the longer you can play for.
- Some Are FREE - New players can try out new games for free by claiming a no deposit bonus.
Yes, you can often win real money if you adhere to the bonus rules and fulfill the wagering requirements.
However, please make sure the bonus is “cashable” before you claim it.