An online casino is a place where plenty of surprises happen, but not all of them are so pleasant — and the worst are the ones that cost us money we could have avoided. We’ve talked to online gambling expert Jan Michalski to see how you can actually benefit from bonus offers at an online casino! That said, this article is the result of several analyses and surveys we have conducted over the past 4 months, so it’s all based on facts.
Always Read Terms & Conditions
One thing that beginners should know is that if a bonus sounds too good to be true, it is a red flag. All these beautiful slogans and professional marketing catchphrases sound so lovely. However, they are here to attract you, and the real offer is in… its terms and conditions.
Yes, we know that it’s boring, and the font with which it is written is not so encouraging. However, gambling experts we spoke with conducted a pretty interesting study, where results suggest that 84% of bonus offers at online casinos differ significantly in actual offerings compared to what their slogans promise. And of course, there are some universal things you should always check for, such as:
- Wagering requirements (with game contribution rates)
- Game restrictions
- Deposit and withdrawal methods
- Minimum deposit
- Validity period
However, depending on the bonus, there might be more aspects to review, and if you can run through every letter of the bonus’s terms and conditions, that’s great. Again, we know that it’s not as “cool” as just grabbing the bonus and going for the Jackpot, but that’s how you’re going to profit more from your next session. And well, profit is “cool,” isn’t it? All in all, if there is only one tip we could give you, it would be to read the terms and conditions; the rest is just a, well, “bonus”.
Choose Bonuses with Low Wagering Requirements
The wagering requirement is the number of times you have to turn over the bonus amount before you can withdraw the money. The lower the wagering requirement, the easier it will be for you to meet the conditions and cash out your winnings, simple as that.
And this is where we mainly want to warn you about no-deposit bonuses, which can often sound like a great offer, but the wagering requirement is often so high that the offer is not as attractive. Don’t get us wrong — it doesn’t mean that all no-deposit bonuses are bad; there are some great offers on the market, like this one, for example: https://sizzlinghotspot.pl/bonusy-bez-depozytu/. All in all, bonuses with low wagering requirements basically mean that you can meet the bonus conditions faster; you don't have to actually spend extra money just to play. Fewer spendings, a higher overall bonus, faster payouts — sounds like a great deal, right?
Use Your Bonus at Promotional Events
Our analysis shows that as much as 77% of all online casino bonus offers do not allow combining the various bonus offers, but this statistic does not apply to promotional events. That said, when utilizing your bonus at an online casino, we recommend checking if there is an option to combine it with an ongoing event; even if you can maximize your winnings by just 5%, that’s still 5% of extra profit!
And these don't have to be big weekly or monthly events; on certain days, casinos may offer special bonuses related to a specific theme, such as holidays or important sports events. But again, these promotional events also have their terms and conditions, so before you use your bonus there, be sure to get familiar with them as well.
Use Bonuses as a Learning Opportunity
So, using bonuses to learn and explore new games… well, that doesn’t sound as cool as hitting a big jackpot, but it will be worth it in the long run. And we have to highlight no-deposit bonuses here as well, because these can often work as a low-risk opportunity to try new things, make a few mistakes, and learn without worrying about losing a significant part of your winnings.
Plus, if you don't set your expectations for big wins, and treat it as something developmental, you can have even more fun! In this case, one could say that the actual “bonus” is your learning experience, and all the extra wins are optional benefits that may or may not happen. At the end of the day, we’re still in the casino, so you can’t really control all outcomes, but you can control how you’re going to approach them.
Rotate Casinos for Maximum Bonuses
Lastly, if you truly love bonus offers (who doesn’t?) and you are not tied to playing at one specific online casino, we have your new favorite strategy. The concept is simple — don’t put all your chips in one casino.
Hop around, try new ones, and take advantage of all those welcome bonuses, deposit matches, and loyalty rewards. Treat it like a buffet of bonus opportunities, and you get to pick the best deals. It might sound like a lot of work, we know. However, when you realize you can rack up more bonuses this way… yeah, it starts to sound like a pretty sweet deal, wouldn’t you say?
