How Casino Bonuses Work – Step-By-Step
Online casinos compete fiercely with each other for your business. This gives you a great opportunity to take advantage of the bonus and promotional offers that they constantly run. There are a number of different bonus types, and a smart casino player can make sure that they do not play a single hand or spin without taking advantage of one special offer or another. This article gives you an overview of casino bonuses, so you’ll know what to look out for when comparing the different casinos.
First below you will find a paragraph outlining the different categories of bonus and promotional offers available. Next I have gone through the key things to look out for when comparing welcome bonuses. After that reload bonuses are covered then comps and loyalty schemes. Finally special one-off promos and the high-roller ‘VIP’ bonuses are covered.
Overview of Casino Bonuses – Deposit / Welcome Bonuses
All casinos have welcome bonuses, and they are not shy in telling you about them. Generally you will see a 100% matched bonus on your first deposit, up to around $1000. There can be huge differences between bonuses which seem identical on the surface. Here is what to look out for:
Play-Through Requirement:
This is the main differentiator, and there are huge variations. One casino may ask you to play through your deposit 20 times to get the bonus, while another might ask for 50 times play-through or even more.
Game Exclusions:
Some casinos will not count certain games for clearing the welcome bonus, or may even invalidate the bonus offer if you play them. Low house edge games with easy 50/50 bets are often the excluded games, for example roulette. You might also find more favorable bonuses for specific games, for example a special Blackjack bonus.
How is Your Bonus Released:
Some bonuses are released in small chunks – some as low as $5 at a time, while others come in one lump sum when you meet the play-through requirements.
How Long Do You Have To Clear Your Bonus:
This can be as low as 14 days, up to 120. It can pay to make sure that you will have enough time to clear your welcome bonus before it expires.
Multiple Deposit:
Some casinos let you have a welcome bonus which is made of several smaller deposits. This can be useful to those who do not wish to deposit a larger sum in one go. Make sure that you check the length of time to make these deposits in, as this can vary in addition to the number of days you have to clear the bonus amount.
Overview of Casino Bonuses – Reload Bonuses
Casino bonuses do not generally end when you have finished clearing your welcome offer. The most common form of extra bonus offer is the reload. This is a percentage match on an additional deposit, and will generally be at 100% of the deposit amount.
Reloads can vary and some are weekly offers that you can take advantage of again and again. Others are unique one-offs and may be sent via mail and even matched to your specific game preferences. If you would like to deposit at your favorite casino and do not have a reload bonus, I recommend that you email customer services and ask if there is anything available. You will be surprised how often this gets you a positive response.
Overview of Casino Bonuses – Comps and Loyalty Schemes
These extras go under many different names, the common theme is that you collect points from real money play and then exchange these for extra bonuses, or even free chips. The amount of points will depend on the game and your wager amount, with the lower house edge games often giving you less. Some loyalty schemes are tiered, meaning you’ll collect points faster and have access to bigger bonuses the more that you play.
These extras can seem small in proportion to the welcome bonus offers, though they do add up to substantial sums over time , so make sure that you take advantage of them.
Overview of Casino Bonuses – One-Off Promotions
These are often based on specific games or just fun challenges themed around holidays or sporting events. A great point in regular promotions is that it shows there are dedicated members of staff looking after regular players and is a great sign that your casino takes retaining loyal customers seriously. Promotions can be themed around specific games, and some even give you the opportunity to win trips or gadgets.
Overview of Casino Bonuses – VIP Areas for High-Rollers
VIP high roller areas are invitation only, if you play high stakes regularly then you can expect many casinos to get in touch and invite you to join. There are various benefits to these schemes. Most will give you more points for each dollar bet, and access to exclusive bonuses. The highest rollers will also get invitations to special events such as VIP sports ticket packages. If you are a high roller then there is no reason to play at a casino which does not offer this kind of exclusive treatment.