How Do Welcome Bonuses Work?

There are absolutely loads of different things to look for when you’re trying to decide on a new online casino, from the range of games, all the way through to the security features. For many, the biggest consideration to make is the welcome bonus though, and this is exactly what we’re going to look at on this page.

On this page, we’re going to look at everything from the types of bonuses offered, through to what to look for in the terms and conditions. Once you’ve finished reading, you should know everything you need to know about claiming casino welcome bonuses online!

The Three Types of Welcome Bonuses

In general, welcome bonuses can be broken down into three different categories: no deposit bonuses, deposit bonuses, and free spins.

Let’s start with the no deposit bonus first, and this does exactly what it says on the tin – you’ll get a bonus without even having to deposit any funds to the site. This bonus is usually granted as soon as you sign-up with a site, and it is generally quite small. If you get a no deposit bonus that exceeds £5, then you can count yourself as pretty lucky.

Then there’s the deposit bonus, and this is generally expressed as a percentage. If you, for example, got a deposit bonus worth 100%, this would mean that your deposit would be doubled. So, if you deposited £50, you would have a grand total of £100 to play with. These bonuses are generally much higher than no deposit bonuses – they can even be worth thousands of pounds sometimes!

Finally, there are free spins, and these are pretty self-explanatory. You’ll be granted a set number of free spins and usually you’re restricted to just a few different slots. These free spins can be a sort of no deposit bonus, or they can be tacked onto a deposit bonus. Use them quickly, as they often expire in just a few days.

How Do Welcome Bonuses Work?

Welcome bonuses work pretty simply. The first thing to always double check is whether there is a bonus code you need to use. If there is, you’ll need to input this when you’re depositing, or when you’re signing up with the site. If you fail to put in the bonus code, you will lose the opportunity to claim your bonus funds.

Once you have the money in your account, you will often see that it’s displayed separately from your real money funds. You will then need to use this bonus money within the allotted time, otherwise it will be removed from your account. If you manage to win anything from the bonus money, you will then need to meet the wagering requirements in order to make a withdrawal, and you can learn about wagering requirements in the next section of this page…

Looking at the Terms and Conditions

Welcome bonuses might seem pretty simple, however you do need to understand some specific aspects of the terms and conditions. The most important thing to understand is the wagering requirement, and this can be slightly confusing. It basically outlines how much money you need to wager before you can withdraw your bonus money. So, if you received a £50 bonus and the wagering requirement was 30x, you’d need to make £1,500 worth of bets before a withdrawal could be initiated. This is to stop people from claiming the bonus and then withdrawing it straightaway.

You also need to double check that all depositing options can claim the welcome bonus. For example, sometimes Neteller users are barred from a promotion. If you’re playing at one of the credit/debit card, Skrill or PayPal casinos though, you should be fine. Also, look to see when the bonus funds expire, as you don’t want to lose them before you’ve even had the chance to play with them.