Casino bonus terms explained

A bonus is not free money. It is a sum you may not withdraw until you have wagered a multiple of it, under rules that vary enormously between casinos. The headline number is the least important part of the offer.

Wagering requirements

A €100 bonus with 35x wagering means you must place €3,500 of bets before any of it can be withdrawn. On a 96% RTP slot, wagering €3,500 costs about €140 in expected losses — more than the bonus.

That is the calculation almost nobody does, and it is why a large bonus with heavy wagering is frequently worse than a small one with light wagering, and sometimes worse than no bonus at all.

Check whether the requirement applies to the bonus alone or to the deposit plus the bonus. The second doubles the work.

The terms that catch people

Maximum cashout caps what you can withdraw from bonus winnings regardless of how much you win. A €50 bonus with a 5x cap means €250 is the most you will ever see from it.

Game weighting decides what counts. Slots usually contribute 100%, while blackjack and roulette often contribute 10% or nothing — so clearing wagering on table games can take ten times as long, if it is permitted at all.

A maximum bet while wagering, commonly €5, is the rule that most often voids a win. Exceed it once, even accidentally, and the casino can confiscate the bonus and everything won with it.

Wagering requirement
How many times the bonus must be bet before withdrawal. 35x on €100 means €3,500 in bets.
Max cashout
A ceiling on what bonus winnings can pay out, usually a multiple of the bonus.
Game weighting
How much each game contributes to wagering. Slots typically 100%, table games often 10% or zero.
Max bet rule
The largest single bet allowed while wagering. Breaking it can void the bonus and the winnings.
Sticky bonus
A bonus that is never withdrawable itself — only what you win with it.

When a bonus is worth taking

Low wagering, no cashout cap, a realistic expiry and slots weighted at 100%. A 20x offer with no cap is usually better value than a 60x offer twice the size.

If the terms are hard to find, that is information too. Every bonus on this site has its wagering and expiry shown on the card, before you click anything.