How to Beat Wagering Requirements at an Online Casino
Welcome to the first blog post on online.casino! Today we’ll talk about something all gamblers have encountered while playing online casino: wagering requirements (and how to beat them). It’s something that many people find annoying, but it’s not going anywhere. They’ve become so common that it almost seems like a mandatory part of playing on online casinos.
Many casinos use enticing sign-up and deposit bonuses to attract new customers. The offer looks so good that you may fail to see the conditions behind the promotion. More often than not, you’ll find out that you won’t be able to convert any winnings to cash until you meet specific requirements.
If you’re looking to get around wagering requirements or better understand how these things work, then read on to get some helpful advice. You’ll be surprised by how much info is buried behind a seemingly simple sign-up offer.
What Is a Wagering Requirement?
Before we beat wagering requirements, it’s essential to have an understanding of what they are, especially if you’re new to online gambling or have never used a promotion bonus. This knowledge will help you understand how to assess them and what their purpose is.
A wager is any bet made on any casino game, like video slots, poker, roulette or even bingo. Wagering requirements come into play when casino bonuses are involved. Sometimes an operator will have other conditions such as minimum cash-out limits or even a restriction that you must wager on a particular game.
After you sign up and make a deposit, an online casino usually gives you a bonus and maybe free spins. When you accept this offer, you agree to all terms attached. One of these terms is that you have to meet a wagering requirement.
Until that requirement is met, you can’t convert any money you win into a cash withdrawal. For example, if the wagering requirement is 30x, you’ll have to play that many times before you get the opportunity to claim your winnings in cash.
Why Do They Exist?
It’s easy to believe that the reason behind wagering requirements is just because the casino wants more of your money, but that’s not the case at all. Not many people know this, but there’s a perfectly understandable reason for having this in place. Online operators enforce these conditions as an anti-money laundering measure.
If there were no minimum betting or other similar measures, criminals would be able to deposit their “dirty” money and immediately withdraw it as “clean” funds. Gambling requirements deter anyone from trying to cash out quickly from signing up. The last thing any legitimate establishment would want is to aid crime, so stopping this kind of activity also helps keep customers like you safe.
Calculating the Cost of a Wagering Requirement
You may not be interested in the math behind all of this, but it’s an essential factor you should nevertheless understand to beat wagering requirements. This knowledge will also help you pick a better casino for your budget.
Let’s say, for example, you sign-up for a new casino, and you decide to make a £20 deposit. You get awarded an £80 bonus with a 5x wagering requirement. To calculate the cost, do the following:
- Casino bonus X wagering requirement = total cost.
- $80 x 5 = $400
This means to be able to withdraw your winning; you would have to bet a total of $400. Sometimes you’ll have to include your deposit to meet the minimum conditions. In that case, your calculation will look like this:
- Deposit + casino bonus X wagering requirement = total cost.
- $20 + $80 x 5 = $500
By using this calculation, you’ll be able to quickly decide if the offer is good enough for you before depositing a single cent.
What Does Wager Free Mean?
You may have come across a bonus offer that says it’s wager free. Rest assured, it’s what it claims to be. There are no wagering requirements involved at all.
These kinds of wager free bonuses can be used immediately with no problem. Some casinos won’t even ask you for a deposit before receiving a bonus or no-wager free spins. The only thing to note is that the amount offered will be slightly smaller.
Online casinos are aware of how attractive this kind of bonus is, so you’re very likely to find a wager free bonus on many sites. It’s an excellent way to entice new players to join.
Another benefit of choosing a wager free bonus is that you have immediate access to your funds. You don’t have to meet any criteria to withdraw winnings even if they’re from free spins. In some cases, the casino will request that you deposit before you cash out.
How to Beat Wagering Requirements
Now that you know what wagering requirements are and how to calculate them, you can use the following tips to get the most out of your online bonus.
Do Your Research
A crucial step you should take is to do a lot of research. Simple things, like making sure the casino you’re signing up to is licensed by an accredited gaming authority, can help you avoid predatory casinos with dodgy bonuses.
Take your time and make sure the bonus is the correct fit for you.
Change Your Technique
One thing you can do is make changes to your strategy by making fewer bets with larger amounts. This technique does increase the amount of risk, but it’ll keep you in the game much longer. Doing this can tip the odds in your favour for beating the wagering requirement.
Once you feel like you’re far enough ahead, you can go back to making smaller bets to keep your winnings secure. This is just one of many strategy changes you can try.
Shop Around
Sometimes the best way to beat the bonus wagering is to find the best one for you. Many online casinos offer low requirements. Make sure that there are no hidden costs involved.
Some operators offer low bonuses but then say that your deposit is included in the wagering requirements. This stipulation leads to a higher threshold you have to reach. As seen earlier in the article, the total cost can increase by quite a bit.
If you’re struggling to reach the threshold, then look for a game that will help you. The best type of game to choose is slots. Many casinos give these games 100% weighting, which means that any money you bet will fully count towards your wagering requirement.
A video slot with low to medium volatility is an excellent low-risk choice because you’ll have a lesser chance of losing your money and you’ll be able to play longer. It’s also recommended that you play a game with an attractive RTP. Watch out though: many casinos restrict playing high RTP games while you’re still reaching your wagering requirement.
Table games can sometimes have a weighting of only 10% so may not be the best option. The percentages are all dependent on the game and casino so you’ll have to look up these conditions before making your choice.
Understand the Legal Side
Reading the fine print of any agreement is very important, and it’s no different for gambling. Always make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions for getting a bonus. Nothing is more frustrating than working hard and then being told you don’t meet the requirements.
It’s easy to get distracted by the beautiful offer in front of you, but sometimes there’s a trap in the fine print on the bottom. Some casinos don’t mention wagering requirements in the prominent promotion. You’ll think you’re getting a good deal and then find out that you have to play 35x before you can withdraw any money.
Another thing to consider is knowing the rules. If you break one, all your winnings will be forfeit.
If you, for example, use the bonus money to bet higher than the max bet you violate the rules and won’t get any money. You needn’t be paranoid about these rules or wonder if you’re within the terms of the agreement if you read the conditions before you play.
Never assume that you understand all the terms in an agreement before extensive reading. If you’re unsure of any condition, then make sure to study it properly to avoid problems in the future.
Casinos With Good Wagering Requirements
It can be quite tiring to look for a casino, especially when you’ve specific criteria in mind. Here’s a list of casinos that have low wagering requirements on bonuses:
- Scores Casino (10x wagering on bonus + deposit amount)
- LeoVegas Casino (10x wagering on bonus)
- Tsars Casino (25x wagering on bonus + deposit amount)
These are just a few examples of what a reasonably good casino bonus offer should look like for someone who’s not looking to spend a lot of money.
Avoiding Wagering Requirements
The only way you can completely avoid wagering requirements is by declining the bonus altogether so you’ll only play with your money. Some casinos make the offer trigger automatically. To prevent this, make sure to check with the website support before depositing.
Another way to avoid this is by only accepting bonuses with no requirements. This way, you can enjoy the benefits of a bonus with the added perk of enjoying your winnings immediately. These have become more popular over the years, but it’s uncommon to find such a promotion easily.
Conclusion
Wagering requirements can be quite annoying to anyone who’s trying to enjoy their sign-up bonus. For many people, it isn’t easy to see how much promotions will actually cost and how long it’ll take to be able to withdraw funds.
Even if there’s a legal reason for wagering requirements, it’s still important to know if it’s worth your time. It’s helpful to always do your research and fully understand the agreement so you can avoid any problems. The last thing good casinos want is for customers to feel tricked.
There’s no concrete plan for beating a wagering requirement, but you can use different techniques. Making changes to your gameplay or taking your time to find the right kind of game can be incredibly beneficial. Also, take time to know what rules apply to the casino so that you don’t end up losing everything you make.
At the end of the day, if you follow the tips given, you can get the upper hand on wagering requirements. Remember that this is gambling, so nothing is inevitable, and sometimes lady luck will shine on you. If you’re not into the idea of being forced to play a certain number of times or if you feel it’s not worth it, then opt for less valuable bonuses without conditions.
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