We all love getting value for money on our entertainment, whether it’s discounted last-minute theatre tickets, 2-for-1 entry to a theme park, or online casino bonuses that give you bonus funds to play real money games. However, there are certain drawbacks that you must be aware of when claiming bonuses from online casinos. To ensure you’re getting the best value for money, we’re here to give you all the information you need about the pros and cons of claiming a bonus from an online casino.
Pros
To start off, let’s take a look at the pros of claiming a casino bonus – after all, there are plenty of benefits to claiming these bonuses, which is why they’re so popular!
Risk-Free Way To Play
Online casino bonuses give players a risk-free way to play their favourite casino games. When you make a deposit, you’re rewarded with either free spins on popular online slots or bonus funds, which can be used at any online casino game. By playing with these bonuses, you have the chance to win real money without any risk.
Try New Games
As these bonuses give you a risk-free way to play online casino games, they give you a great opportunity to try new games that you’ve always wanted to play. For example, if you’re a table games player and you’ve always wanted to try online slots, you could claim a free spins bonus that gives you the opportunity to play online slots without any risk.
Makes Your Deposit Go Further
Another benefit of claiming a casino bonus is that it makes your deposit go much further. Instead of depositing £50 and only getting £50 worth of play, you could get an additional £50 in bonus funds, as well as some free spins to use. This means you get more than double the amount of casino play for the same deposit when you claim a bonus!
Cons
However, there are some downsides that come with claiming casino bonuses that you should be aware of before claiming them.
Wagering Requirements
A common misconception is that once you claim a casino bonus, you’re free to withdraw it immediately – effectively doubling your money in a couple of minutes. However, that’s not the case, as you must “play through” your casino bonus before it becomes eligible for withdrawal. The wagering requirements dictate how much you need to play through the bonus before you can withdraw it, and they’re often extremely tough to meet.
For example, a common wagering requirement is 30x your bonus amount, so if you claim a £10 deposit, you need to play £300 worth of casino games with your bonus funds before you can withdraw them.
Expiry Date
Nothing lasts forever, and the same applies to casino bonuses. Almost all bonuses will expire after a certain amount of time – so you need to use it or lose it! The length of time it takes for the bonus to expire can be anywhere from 24 hours to 90 days, so always read the terms and conditions before claiming your bonus to ensure it won’t expire before you can use it.
Maximum Wins
While online casinos can be generous – they’re not that generous. They won’t let you run up hundreds or thousands of pounds in winnings from bonus funds, so they impose a cap on the amount you can win. If you’re lucky enough to win over the maximum amount after meeting the wagering requirements, the excess funds will be removed from your account. It’s harsh, but they’re the rules!
Are Casino Bonuses Worth It?
Absolutely! While there are some downsides to be aware of, claiming casino bonuses is a great way to grow your bankroll and play casino games with zero risk. There are many different types of casino bonuses to claim, so make sure you compare sites to find the one that’s right for you.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
