Wagering requirements Guide

What is a wager?

In its simplest form, a wager is the money you stake when playing an online casino game. It could be to spin the reels of a slot game or join a round of poker. The same definition applies to the amount of money you place on a sports bet.

This term (wager) has evolved to take on another meaning, especially when bonus money is involved. It no longer refers solely to the money you bet but also encompasses the wagering requirements. Therefore, you’ll focus more on fulfilling the wagering requirement than just placing a bet.

What are wagering requirements?

Casino bonuses have become mainstream, with operators striving to outdo each other. The same applies to sportsbooks that offer bonus money to players. These offers keep players engaged and encourage them to return to the site for more online gambling.

Online casino bonuses include free spins, deposit matches, cashback, reloads, etc. One common aspect among all, whether a free spins bonus or cashback, is a wagering requirement. This locks in the bonus amount and the winnings until you fulfill them.

Hence, wagering requirements refer to the amount of money you must wager (play-through) before you can withdraw your winnings. That means your deposit or free spin winnings will remain locked until you have wagered the required amount.

Most bonuses at many casinos come with wagering requirements. Nevertheless, you can still find some that are wager-free.

Wagering requirements may cover the bonus amount and your deposit. The casino will state that in the terms and conditions.

You won’t often find the total wager in the wagering requirement. Instead, wagering requirements will be represented by how many times you must wager the bonus money. A free spins offer uses the winnings derived to fulfill the wagering requirement.

Additionally, most casinos will specify the game contributions toward satisfying the wagering requirement.

You may encounter terms like playthrough requirements or rollover requirements on some sites. These mean the same thing as wagering requirements.

Let's see a practical example.

This section will explain how to calculate wagering requirements and win real money from a bonus offer. The key is to determine the total amount and know how much you need to wager before unlocking the casino bonus.

Let’s assume that casino XYZ offers a 100% deposit match up to NZ$100 plus 100 free spins. Then, it places a 35x wagering requirement on the casino bonus and your initial deposit. That means you must stake your initial deposit and the bonus amount 35 times to fulfill the wagering requirement.

Note that the 35 in “35x” or whatever number is the wagering multiplier. That’s what we’ll use to calculate the total wager.

Every wagering requirements calculator uses a simple formula. Let’s say you deposit NZ$100. Here’s what will happen:

• The casino will offer you a bonus amount of NZ$100.
• The total amount you’ll have to wager is NZ$200.
• If the wagering requirement includes your deposit, then you must wager the sum of the deposit amount and bonus money (NZ$200 * 35). That totals NZ$7,000.
• If the wagering requirement does not include your deposit, then you must wager only the bonus amount (NZ$100 * 35). That totals NZ$3,500.

The above example shows how you can meet wagering requirements. What happens in a bonus offer without wagering requirements attached? You don’t need to wager the bonus money any number of times to unlock your winnings.

Some online casinos allow players to withdraw bonus money immediately. Others will request that the bonus money be wagered at least once before withdrawals.

What Does Wagering Mean for Free Spins?

You might wonder how to wager free spins. Since they don’t have bonus money, the wagering requirement calculation uses a slightly different approach.

The approach is to multiply your free spins winnings by the wagering multiplier. Let’s assume you win NZ$100 from the free spins, and the online casino bonus has a 35x wagering requirement.

The total wager is (NZ$100 * 35). That totals NZ$3,500.

Our illustrations only state how to calculate the total wager from the wagering requirements. Other factors, like the qualifying games, will affect the wager.

What games to play to meet wagering requirements?

Knowing which casino games contribute to the wagering requirements is essential. You could play a game, and it wouldn’t count towards the playthrough.

The eligible casino games enhance the appeal of online casino deals. They provide entertainment value as you meet wagering requirements one after another. The more engaging they are, the quicker you’ll fulfill the wager for the bonus money and deposit amount.

Most online casinos will outline the games that contribute to the wagering requirements. These are indicated with percentages. The table below shows how they’re typically represented:

This will guide you on what games to play when fulfilling the bonus wagering requirements. Slot machines often contribute 100% to the total wager. That means if you bet NZ$5 in a slot, the online casino will count NZ$5 towards the wagering requirement.

From the table above, table games contribute 10%. That means if you bet NZ$10 in a table game, the online casino will count NZ$1 towards the wagering requirement.

Live casino games rarely contribute to bonus wagering requirements. An exception would be where the casino's offer is for live casino games.

Online casinos will have different contributions. However, slot machines often contribute the most. That includes low and high RTP slots. You’ll get the chance to enjoy the best slots as you slash through the wagering requirements.

Always read the terms and conditions for the casino bonuses to see the game restrictions and contributions. Then, you can enjoy the casino games as you work towards the wagering requirements.

Tips to scale through wagering requirements

Playing through a welcome bonus multiplier can be challenging. Some players may have no winnings left to continue with the playthrough.

Our recommendations do not guarantee that you will play through the extra cash. Some bonuses are better left unactivated, depending on your situation.

With that in mind, here are our tips to scale through rollover multipliers:

Choose Your Games

For free spins, focus on low-volatility slots if possible. High-volatility slots may offer bigger wins but often have fewer frequent payouts.

Prioritize games that contribute 100% to the playthrough requirements, even if they are less entertaining. If the bonus applies to table or live casino games, select titles you are skilled at to increase your chances.

Start Playing Early

Begin wagering towards the bonus immediately after activation. The sooner you start, the more time you have to meet the requirement.

Activate bonuses only when ready to start playing, and avoid unnecessary delays.

Manage Your Bankroll

Choose games that allow smaller bets to maximize your bankroll. This approach provides more gameplay opportunities and increases the chance to complete the wagering requirements.

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