Demystifying Online Casino Bonus Game Weighting: A Comprehensive Guide
Are you confused by game weighting? This in-depth guide explains all you need to know about game weighting and how it impacts your chances of winning real money you can withdraw. Learn all there is to know about game weighting and ensure you optimise your bonus!
What is Game Weighting?
By definition, it is the contribution a game makes towards meeting casino bonus wagering requirements. To understand what it is, we should first consider the fact that it is easier to win money with some games than others.
Let’s consider two totally different casino games, Scratch cards and online casino Blackjack. Which of the two do you think has the best chance of making a profit? At optimum strategy, player odds in Blackjack can be anything between 49% to 51%.
In this type of game, the skill and experience of the player can greatly influence the outcome. There is no such possibility with online casino scratch card games, no skill is involved and the outcome is purely down to luck.
Game weighting, therefore, is put in place to address the imbalance between different casino games. Games of pure chance count more towards the wagering requirement, and games of skill with more favourable odds in your favour count for less.
An understanding of game weighting will help you make informed choices and shape your bonus strategy. It will ultimately help you decide what games and what bonuses offer the best chance of winning real money you can cash out.
Why Do Online Casinos Have Game Weighting?
There are a few good reasons why the game weighting bonus attribute is applied to games as they relate to casino bonuses. Ultimately, all reasons attempt to strike a balance between player engagement and limiting the casino's exposure to risk.
Here are the main reasons for game weighting:
Risk Management and Mitigation
Game weighting reduces a casino's exposure to risk. Assigning lower weighting to games with a higher payout potential (because they have a lower house edge and are easier to win) safeguards financial stability while still offering game diversity.
Encourages Diverse Gameplay
Without game weighting, players would naturally choose to play their bonus on games that are easier to win. Eliminating this imbalance between games encourages players to try a wider variety of games to enrich the gaming experience of players.
Prevents Exploitation
The application of game weighting to games also discourages players from abusing the bonus system by solely playing low-risk games. This creates a level playing field and assures a more equal distribution of player activity across all games.
Games Are Not Created Equally
Rather than individual games, online casinos apply game weighting to different game categories. For instance, all online casino slots are typically assigned 100% weighting due to their randomness. The same can be said for instant win games like scratch cards.
Table games like Blackjack and Baccarat have a lower house edge and can offer a player a greater advantage when played strategically. This means they have a lower weight. Typically, they may only contribute around 20% to meeting the wagering requirement.
The following is a list of game categories and the typical weightings, though keep in mind that this is only a rough guide and game weightings can vary from one casino to another:
| Game Category | Examples | Typical Weighting | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slots | Progressive jackpots Video Slots Classic 3-reel slots | 100% | Due to their random nature |
| Video Poker | Jacks or Better Deuces Wild Aces & Faces Joker Poker | 0-20% | Weightings vary depending on the variant and it’s complexity |
| Speciality Games and Instant Wins | Scratch Cards Keno Bingo | 100% | Usually contribute fully but can be weighted less depending on complexity and randomness |
| Table Games | Blackjack Roulette Baccarat Craps | 0-20% | Due to lower house edge and varying betting options |
| Live Dealer Games | European Blackjack American Roulette Live Poker | 0-5% | Live dealer games are better suited to real money games |
Game Weighting Strategies
The impact of game weighting should impact your strategy for the types of games you play and the online casino bonuses you choose to claim. Everything depends on the strategy you choose to play your bonus.
Option 1: Swift Completion Strategy
Aiming to fulfil the wagering requirement as quickly makes a lot of sense. The basic idea is that the more you wager the bonus, the greater the likelihood that you will burn through your bonus credits before they convert to money available for withdrawal.
This is how it works. You wager on games that contribute 100% to the wagering requirements, to meet the obligation in the fastest time possible with the least amount of wagering.
With 100% weighted games, the entire amount wagered contributes to the requirement. For example, Suppose you wager USD100 bonus credit with a 100% weighted game like slots or online casino bingo. Then USD100 will contribute towards the wagering requirement.
Option 2: Low-Risk Strategy
An alternative to the swift completion strategy is to play a low-risk strategy with lower weighted games and a lower house edge, and therefore higher win potential. This option aims to accumulate small wins more frequently to meet the wagering requirement.
It works like this. You wager on games with a very low house edge when played at optimum strategy. The basic idea is that with skill and judgement, you can make enough small wins to remain in profit after wagering.
For instance, you wager USD100 on blackjack at 20% weighting. Because it only counts one-fifth towards wagering, only USD20 counts towards wagering. This effectively means you have to wager this type of game X5 more than slots.
Wager Your Bonus On 100% Weighted Games
Top Tip: Wagering with 100% weighted games such as slots, scratch cards, bingo, Keno etc. will give you the best possible chance of converting your no deposit bonus credit into real money you can withdraw and spend.
Calculate Game Weighting Impact On Wagering Requirements
You will need to calculate the game weighting within the context of wagering requirements if you are seeking to make the most of a casino bonus:
| Weighting | Amount Wagered | Contribution to Wagering Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | USD1 | USD1 |
| 20% | USD1 | USD0.20 |
| 5% | USD1 | USD0.05 |
Hypothetically, if you have a USD100 bonus with a 30x wagering requirement and you decide to play a slot game with a 100% weighting, each USD1 you wager contributes USD1 towards the requirement.
Similarly, If you have a USD100 bonus with a 30% wagering requirement and you decide to play a casino table game like Blackjack or Roulette with a 20% weighting, each USD1 you wager contributes 20 pence towards the wagering requirement.
Ultimately, the amount you will need to wager can be calculated by multiplying the wagering requirement by the bonus award. Therefore, if you take a USD20 no deposit bonus with a wagering requirement of 30X, you need to play through USD600 (20x30).
Game weighting does not change the amount you have to play through. It merely affects the time, effort and risk level involved in meeting the wagering requirements.
A game weighting of 20%, for example, will require X5 more effort than wagering a 100% weighted game. This can be significant in terms of other bonus terms and conditions such as the bonus expiry date.
Where to Find the Game Weightings for Casino Bonuses
Hey, in case you were wondering, the game weighting for a casino’s games can normally be found in the terms and conditions for each bonus. Go to the bonus T&Cs and you should find it listed alongside other terms.
Other Bonus Limitations
Now you understand more about game weighting, let’s look at other factors that affect the amount of money you can win with a free bonus.
These are generally limitations and restrictions found in the T&Cs attached to the bonus.
Wagering Requirements
All casino bonuses come with wagering requirements attached which represent the number of times bonus credit must be played through, expressed as a multiplier like X30, before it becomes real money you can cash out and spend.
They are in many ways the primary obstacle you must overcome to win cash from a free bonus. The higher the wagering requirement multiplier, the harder it will be to convert your bonus credits
If you want to learn more on this topic, our comprehensive guide to wagering requirements explains how you can win more with the best options.
Time Limits
Time limits are very common and can be applied to the time in which you have to use the bonus, typically 1-3 days, as well as the time limit to play through the wagering requirement, usually around 3-5 days.
The clock is ticking the moment you claim a bonus so you should ensure you know what they are and you have sufficient time to play within these limits. Also, note that games with a low game weighting will take longer to wager.
Eligible Games
Your bonus may only be eligible for selected games. Free spin bonuses, for example, often restrict bonus play on one or a few selected slot games. The games and bonuses you select influence the amount you can win.
This is because slots vary in terms of RTP and volatility. An understanding of these two measurements will help you to choose the games with the highest win potential. Our article on RTP and volatility explains more about these influential attributes.
Win Caps
Win Caps place limits on the amount you can win from an online casino bonus. This is in place to mitigate against large and frequent casino losses and generally applies to most no deposit bonuses.
Typically, win caps can be anything from USD10 to USD200, so it is good practice to check the win cap when comparing the value of different bonuses. Offers with a lower win cap have greater potential value and are worth more effort.
Top Tips For Maximizing Bonus Winnings
There are several good reasons to claim a no deposit bonus, but for most of us, winning real money we can cash out is the ultimate goal. With all the limitations attached, success is often a matter of understanding the options and strategic planning.
With this in mind, here is a quick summary of the things you can do to maximise the potential of your free casino bonus:
- Play bonuses with the lowest wagering requirement
- Check time limits and ensure you have sufficient time
- Only play games with a 100% contribution to the wagering requirement - eg. Slots, speciality games and instant win games.
- When playing slots, choose games with the highest RTP (+95%) and low volatility (for more frequent wins)
- Select higher value bonuses with a low win cap (USD150 in good)
- Read the T&Cs for bonus details to avoid common pitfalls
Final Thoughts on Game Weighting
Knowledge of game weighting can help with the decision-making process when it comes to choosing bonuses and games, increase your chances of converting bonus credits into cash and improve your overall game enjoyment and experience.
In the future, it is highly possible that game weighting will be standardized across casino game categories to maintain a better balance between player engagement and casino profitability. This will also fall in line with responsible gambling policies and eliminate predatory practices.
We strongly advise you to stick to 100% weighted games like slots and instant win games, if you are aiming to win real money you can withdraw. Otherwise, lower-weight games are ideal to stretch your bonus and try different games.