Most casinos want to offer their players a sweetener to invite them to sign up. That’s where casino bonuses come in. You can look out for all kinds of bonuses at online casinos, with some offering far more variety than others.
We’re going to highlight the main ones here, along with offering some tips on how you can look for them.
No deposit bonuses
Ah, this is the bonus everyone would love to get hold of when joining an online casino. This bonus gives you the chance to open an account at the casino. You don’t need to deposit anything to get the bonus either – they give you maybe five or ten dollars to sign up and try the casino.
Of course, most of these bonuses do carry wagering requirements. There is sometimes a limit on what you can win and withdraw using bonus funds. You might also need to wager the bonus a set quantity of times – say 25x – before you can withdraw any winnings. Some bonuses are sticky and stay with the casino, which means they’ll deduct them from any winnings before paying you.
Welcome bonuses and packages
The difference between these and the no deposit bonuses is that the welcome offer or bonus always asks for a deposit. The simplest deal would be something like 100% on your first deposit and that’s it. However, some casinos offer a package of deposit bonuses covering three or more deposits (we’ve seen up to 10 deposits covered in this way).
Some also give you some free spins for pokie games on at least one of those deposits. These might be free for you to use on any pokie game, or you might see a title, which means you can only use those spins on that title.
Another variation you might see is a choice of welcome packages. For instance, there could be a bonus for pokie players and another one for poker or table game players. This means you can choose whichever one you know you’ll get more use out of. Oftentimes you’ll get a bigger deal for the pokies, i.e., a bigger percentage bonus, than you would for the table games.
Reload bonuses
Once you’ve completed your initial bonus package, you may see something called a reload bonus. This offers another bonus on your next deposit if you wish to claim it. This isn’t usually worth more than 100%, and in some cases, we have seen 50% reload bonuses.
Free spins and free chips
Two more practical bonus types you might see at an online casino. Free casino chips are cool because they look superb when displayed on the website. However, you won’t see a real casino chip – it’s just an eye-catching way to show you what you could get with that deal.
Free spins are easier to understand as the casino should tell you how many spins you’ll get, which pokie you can play them on, and how much each spin is worth.
Top tip: Always watch for those wagering requirements
Every casino bonus is going to have terms and conditions attached. Make sure you read them in full before claiming the bonus. The wagering conditions will be shown as a multiple, so 10x is better than 25x. You’re looking for the lowest possible number. You should also make sure you know whether they apply just to the bonus or to the deposit as well.
Do you need a bonus code?
You might do, although not all casinos use them. If they do, the code you need should appear with the details for that specific offer. Make sure you copy and paste it rather than trying to memorize it – it’s far easier that way!
