Casino Bonuses Explained

Many players look for the most generous perks before deciding which casino to join but, though searching for a huge first deposit bonus may seem like a good idea, there are other things that are just as important as the amount. Also, just because every site offers a welcome freebie, doesn’t mean they are all worthy of your time. Naturally, if you’re new to iGaming, it would be hard to identify the best options from a selection of good ones. But even if you have some experience with casino bonuses, you’ll still be able to learn how to pick the one that suits your needs best by reading on.

The Best Online Casino Bonuses

One of the main advantages of online casinos is the abundance of freebies users are offered. Actually, you wouldn’t go to a land-based casino expecting to be handed free play money. Yet, at sites, it is the norm to get rewards for spending your cash. But how to spot the best bonus for you? If you think 100% up to £100 isn’t as good as 100% up to £500, you may be right but that’s not necessarily the case. Because perks come with their specific terms you have to accept. Though getting more money sounds awfully tempting, what you’ll have to do to get the money matters, too. That’s why we’ve applied our expertise to selecting the top three bonuses for UK players.

Now, why these are the best bonuses for players at the moment you’ll find out in a bit but for now we’ll let you know that in order to recommend these to you, we’ve invested a great amount of time and effort into researching and testing the most reputable online casinos and their bonus and promotional offers. Moreover, we’ve taken into account not just the amount and the percentage but also the playthrough requirements, the validity, the game contribution, and other aspects. We’ll explain how all these matter when picking a bonus but first let’s see what types of perks there are.

Types of Bonuses

There are quite a number of freebies at casino sites you can get your hands on but in order not to get overwhelmed, you should first get acquainted with them. Then, choosing the right one for you will be easy. On the one hand, we could say that there are deposit and no deposit bonuses. Casinos usually have at least one deposit bonus, whereas they don’t offer a no deposit bonus so generously. So, if you see a no deposit one, make sure you get it while you can – it would allow you to explore the game portfolio before even using your own money. However, make sure you read the fine print, as some casinos may ask for a deposit bonus before letting you withdraw any winnings accumulated while using your no deposit perk.

On the other hand, freebies could be divided into those for new and those for regular players. The welcome bonus is usually a 100% match of your first deposit but it could be more or less, depending on the site. If you’re just starting out, you may pass on the info for bonuses for regular players, thinking it doesn’t concern you. That would be a mistake. Very soon, your welcome bonus will be over and you’ll be looking forward to more perks. That’s when loyalty tier programmes, comp points, and cashback systems come in handy. Unfortunately, regular promotions for loyal users aren’t that common. We think rewarding users for playing is important. That’s why we’ve only picked sites that have either a sound loyalty programme or regular promotional offers.

• A Look at the Bonuses
• +Welcome Bonus
• +Welcome Package
• +Free Play
• +Promotions

While the welcome bonus is a single reward, the reload bonus or the welcome package consists of a few instalments – you get money for your second and third, sometimes even fourth, deposit as well. By following the rules of a welcome package, you could easily end up with an impressive sum of money like £1000 in the matter of days – it all depends on how quickly you make your deposits and play through your bonuses.

No matter if they are part of the welcome bonus or of a weekly offer, free spins win you time playing and thus extend your chances of hitting a jackpot. You can have a deal such as the bet365 welcome bonus, which offers you 50 free spins, if you stake £10. Free spins may be tied with specific wagering conditions, so make sure you’re aware of those. While free spins can only be used at slots, free play is usually not restricted to a particular game and you can play whichever you like.

Great operators don’t just tempt you with a welcome deposit to leave you hanging once you’ve played it through. They offer regular promotions. These could be tied to a specific game (e.g. roulette), a particular payment method (e.g. a PayPal deposit) or a platform (e.g. live dealer games). They might require a promo code or not.

Finally, there’s usually a whole different level of perks for VIP players and at many sites you don’t need to be a high roller to become one. If there’s a tier system, for example, you can climb up the tiers and take advantage of the awesome freebies for VIPs just by devoting time to playing. Moreover, many operators have special raffles and sweepstakes for players to take part in and win amazing things, such as cruise trips and commodity items.

The Bonus Terms

Though what you normally see is the amount, the percentage and the terms are of even greater significance. For instance, a £200 bonus might not sound as tempting as a £500 one but what if the former is a 200% match of your deposit and the latter is a 100% match? That would make the former a much better deal. And then there is the 32Red welcome bonus of up to £150. If you were too quick to dismiss it expecting at least £500, you’d not have the chance to find out that the operator is giving you £32 for every £10 of you deposit – that makes 320%. Of course, based on the percentage match alone, 200% up to £200 definitely sounds more appealing that 100% up to £200, twice as much but there are other things to consider.

First of all, what is the validity period of the perk? That defines how much time you’ll have to turn it over. If it’s an unrealistic period like 24 hours, it’s very unlikely that you’d be able to go through with it. Then, what is the minimum deposit in order to claim it? Also, are there any restrictions on the payment methods accepted? For instance, the bonus might not be claimed with a deposit via NETeller and that could just be your preferred option.

However, the most important aspects of casino bonuses are the wagering conditions and the game contribution. Once you claim a perk, it’s typical to be expected to turn that money over a certain number of times. Those are usually over 40 but there are select operators that cordially expect a more convenient number of turnovers, such as 30. But let’s look at the average 40 playthrough. Let’s say, you deposit £20 and get a 100% match of £20 and have to turn the bonus over 40 times. That means you’ll need to play through £800 just so you can get £20 for free.

As far as game contribution goes, sites attribute different percentages to games. Slots and scratch cards normally have 100% contribution to the playthrough requirements, while other games may have very low percentages. For example, if you like live roulette, you should feel lucky if your casino counts that as 20% towards the wagering requirements because many casinos would not give it any weigh at all. Game contribution could really be a problem then if you want to use your deposit predominantly on live roulette.

Advantages and Disadvantages

888casino

£100

A Welcome Bonus & FreePlay Ongoing Promotions Game-Specific Offers

Claim Here!

Full T&Cs apply. No Deposit Offer: New players with valid mobile number only • Claim in 48 hrs • 14 day expiry • Valid for selected games • Pre-1st deposit only: FS voucher winnings is uncapped, bonus wins & max redeemable amount for non-funded players capped at £100, excl. JP wins • Wager Bonus x1 - req. contributions vary by game • Bonus expires in 90 days • Deposit Offer: 1st time depositor at 888casino only • £20 min deposit • Claim in 48 hrs • Valid for selected games • Bonus wins capped at £500, excl. JP wins • Pre-1st deposit only: Bonus wins & max redeemable amount capped at £100, excl. JP wins • 30x wagering – req. vary by game • Bonus expires in 90 days • Payment method & country restrictions apply • Withdrawal terms, No Deposit Offer terms & Deposit Bonus Offer terms apply. • Full Bonus Policy applies • BeGambleAware

Having all those specific aspects of casino bonuses in mind, one could wonder whether claiming one is a good idea in the first place. On the one hand, a bonus allows you to play longer, thus prolonging the fun and also increasing the chances to win. It might encourage you to try out new games and varieties, you wouldn’t think of playing otherwise. For instance, you might get free spins to use at a particular slot. Or you might decide to step out of your comfort zone of playing blackjack, for example, and play slots for a while.

On the other hand, the wagering conditions may quickly turn things sour for a less experienced player because failure to meet the requirements will cause the loss of the bonus but also of any winnings resulting from it. Moreover, you might be interested in playing games that are either not included or have very low weight. Finally, you might not want the stress associated with the conditions.

However, once in a while an operator offers the perfect solution. Case in point 888 Casino. Though they may sound too good to be true, their bonus terms would be appreciated even by a sceptic. They offer a 88 Free Spins and once you’re ready to commit, they’ll match your first deposit 100%, up to £100. More importantly, they’ll give you 90 days to play through it 30 times. The operator also has regular promotions for players and makes coming back worthwhile.

Choose Wisely, Extend Your Play Time

All in all, a bonus can be a dream or a nightmare, it depends on how wisely you pick it. We have listed all the essential things to consider before choosing a freebie and we have highlighted some key facts and given you a number of examples. We have also recommended the best operator and the two runners-up so that you’d have alternatives. Finally, we’d like to remind you that you should always play at fully-regulated and licensed casinos only. Otherwise, there would be no one to guarantee your player rights are protected, the bonus terms doable, and the games fair and random.