When browsing for a new online casino to try, welcome offers are almost the first thing most people look at. Discerning what’s good and bad in this area is very much a goldilocks-situation. If they’re too low, it’s uninteresting.
If they’re too high, you want to make sure they’re legit. That’s why we have created a short introductory guide on online casino welcome bonuses, and where to find the right ones for you.
Bonus Basics
First on the agenda: dissecting the welcome bonus. There are several factors casinos usually choose from to craft the welcome bonus that best fits their site.
Deposit Bonuses
This type of bonus rewards players in accordance with the size of their first, and sometimes subsequent, deposits. Deposit bonuses split into several parts have the advantage of allowing a player to make small risk-free deposits when testing the casino, and still having a bonus available for later.
Bonus Percentage
The percentage on a bonus usually ranges between 100%-200%, and on rare occasions (such as with promo codes) even more. This means that your deposit will be matched depending on the set percentage (up to a certain limit) by the casino. Always keep an eye on the limit, as a bonus percentage may look good, but may only be valid for a small amount of the deposit.
No Deposit Bonuses
No-deposit bonuses are great for beginners and fans of low-stakes gaming. With this kind of reward, you can begin to play at the casino without having to pay a single cent, meaning you can make risk-free losses.
Free Spins
The most common form of no-deposit bonuses are gifts such as free spins, which provide you several attempts on slots without having to pay. Make sure to check which slots they apply to, as the casino’s terms and conditions often mention a certain provider or game.
Wagering Requirements
Most bonuses, whether they are deposit, no deposit, cash gifts or free spins, have wagering requirements. In short, you need to meet the requirements to withdraw winnings as real money. They usually range somewhere between 30x and 50x, but always check if the requirements are on the combined value of the deposit and bonus, or only on one of them, as this can make a huge difference! Unless of course, you are playing at a rare Non-Sticky casino, where you can withdraw your initial deposit and winnings made before reaching requirements, but you would then be forfeiting the bonus money completely.
Go get ‘em!
This may be a lot to take in at once, so we would recommend looking at one of the many Top 10 Casino sites out there, which often list need-to-know information, so you can find the bonus for you whilst being sure everything else about the casino is secure. Now go spin some slots, and remember it’s not about the bonus, it’s about the fun!