Casino bonus wagering requirements, explained
· Published · 4 min read
What a playthrough multiple means, how game weighting changes it, and how to work out what a welcome bonus will actually cost to clear.
A casino welcome bonus is almost never the amount on the banner. A 100% match up to 500 means the operator adds up to 500 in bonus funds when you deposit, and then attaches conditions to those funds that decide how much of them, if any, you will ever withdraw. The most important condition is the wagering requirement. This guide explains how to read one and how to work out what a bonus is actually worth.
What a wagering requirement is
A wagering requirement, also called playthrough or rollover, is the total amount you must bet before bonus funds, and any winnings from them, become withdrawable. It is expressed as a multiple. A 30× requirement on a 100 bonus means you must place 3,000 in total bets before you can cash out.
Read the terms carefully for what the multiple applies to. Some operators apply it to the bonus only. Others apply it to the deposit plus the bonus, which doubles the figure for a 100% match. A 30× requirement on bonus-only for a 100 deposit and 100 bonus is 3,000. The same multiple on deposit-plus-bonus is 6,000.
Game weighting
Not every bet counts in full. Operators assign each game type a contribution percentage. Slots usually contribute 100%, meaning a 10 bet reduces the requirement by 10. Table games and live dealer games often contribute far less, sometimes 10% or 20%, and some games contribute nothing at all. A 10 bet on a game weighted at 10% reduces the requirement by 1.
This matters more than the headline multiple. A 30× requirement that can be cleared on slots at 100% is a very different proposition from one where your preferred game counts at 10%, which turns it into an effective 300×.
Working out the cost
The cost of clearing a wagering requirement is the house edge applied to the total amount you have to bet. If you must wager 3,000 on a slot with a return to player of 96%, the house edge is 4% and the expected cost of the playthrough is 3,000 × 0.04 = 120. You started with 100 in bonus funds. On average you will have lost more than the bonus before you are allowed to withdraw anything.
That is the typical shape of a casino bonus: the expected value is negative, and the requirement is set so that it is. It can still be worth taking for the entertainment and the extended play, as long as you understand that it is a discount on the cost of playing rather than money the operator is giving away.
A bonus has positive expected value only when the expected cost of the playthrough is less than the bonus amount. Using the formula above, that requires the house edge multiplied by the wagering requirement multiple to be less than 1. At 4% house edge the break-even multiple is 25×. At 2% it is 50×. Almost no bonus is offered at those terms on games that contribute 100%.
The other conditions
- Maximum bet. Most bonuses cap the stake per spin or hand while the requirement is active, often at a small fixed amount. Exceeding it, even once, can void the bonus and any winnings.
- Time limit. The requirement must usually be met within a set number of days. Unmet requirements forfeit the bonus and, under some terms, the winnings from it.
- Maximum cashout. Some bonuses, particularly no-deposit ones, cap how much can be withdrawn from bonus winnings regardless of how much is won.
- Excluded games. Certain high-return or feature-buy slots are often excluded entirely. Playing them with active bonus funds can void the bonus.
- Sticky versus non-sticky. A non-sticky bonus lets you play your deposit first and withdraw winnings without touching the bonus. A sticky bonus mixes deposit and bonus from the first bet and locks everything behind the requirement.
A checklist before you accept
- Find the multiple and confirm whether it applies to the bonus alone or to deposit plus bonus.
- Find the contribution table and look up the games you actually intend to play.
- Multiply the bonus (or deposit plus bonus) by the multiple, then divide by your games' contribution percentage, to get the real amount you must wager.
- Multiply that figure by the house edge of those games. That is what clearing the bonus is expected to cost you.
- Compare the cost to the bonus amount. If the cost is higher, the bonus is a discount, not a gift, and you should decide whether you want to play that much on those terms.
- Check the maximum bet, the time limit and the excluded games, and decide whether you can comfortably stay within them.
What to do instead
If a bonus does not suit how you play, most operators let you decline it at the point of deposit or through support before your first bet. A deposit without a bonus has no wagering requirement, no maximum bet and no excluded games. For a player who wants a few sessions on table games, declining is usually the better deal. The bonus is a product the operator is selling. Treating it that way is the whole trick.
- A wagering requirement is the total you must bet before bonus funds can be withdrawn; check whether the multiple applies to the bonus alone or to deposit plus bonus.
- Game weighting changes the real figure: a 30× requirement on a game that contributes 10% is an effective 300×.
- The expected cost of clearing is the house edge times the total wagered; when that exceeds the bonus, the bonus is a discount on play, not free money.