Welcome to New Online Slots. If you're new to the world of online slots or have come across terms that baffle you, you're in the right place. Today, we're going to unravel one of the most common but often misunderstood concepts in online gambling: wagering.
What exactly does "wagering" mean when playing slots? Alongside defining this crucial term, we will also dive into wagering requirements — the rules that dictate how many times you need to play through a bonus before you can withdraw any winnings, including how to meet these requirements across various types of promotional bonuses.
Whether you plan on claiming promotional offers or not, understanding these terms and concepts can help deepen your knowledge of the casino and slot landscape, which could help you make more informed decisions. Let's get started.
What Is Wagering On Slots?
Wagering on slots can refer to two things. First of all, you have 'placing a wager', which is another term for placing a bet. So, every time you place a bet in a slot game, you are essentially wagering (betting) on a spin.
Then, you have wagering in terms of the process of meeting requirements set out by a promotional bonus offer.
If you play online slots and decide to claim a promotional offer, and you manage to receive some winnings from the bonus funds or Free Spins, you typically can't just take the winnings and withdraw them immediately. The casino asks you to bet the bonus amount or the value of the winnings a certain number of times before you can withdraw your cash. Each casino has its own set of rules for wagering.
Let's explore wagering requirements in a bit more detail.
Wagering Requirements Explained
Wagering requirements can seem like a tricky concept at first, but they're quite straightforward once you wrap your head around them. They're conditions placed upon a bonus offer that protects the casino from players abusing the bonus offer by claiming the bonus and withdrawing the funds immediately. If this were allowed, then the casino would suffer huge losses as they would simply be giving away free money. Therefore, wagering requirements give the casino a chance to win some money back.
Wagering requirements are essentially part of the rules of the game if you're playing with bonus funds or Free Spins from a casino's promotional offer.
Here's an example. Say you win £10 from Free Spins given as part of a bonus offer, and the wagering requirement for that offer is 30x. This means you need to bet £300 on valid slot games before you can withdraw your £10 winnings.
Why do casinos have these requirements? They help protect the casino from losing too much money on big bonuses and make sure players engage more with their site. It's like a balance to give everyone a fair shot at winning.
In short, wagering requirements are a condition that must be met in order for you to "unlock" your winnings. This is why it's always important to read through the terms and conditions of a promotional offer before you claim it so you know what to expect.
How Do You Meet Wagering Requirements?
Meeting wagering requirements might seem like a daunting task, but with a bit of know-how, you can navigate through them. Let's look at the different types of bonuses and how wagering applies to each.
Deposit Bonus
A deposit bonus is when the casino matches your deposit with extra money to play with. For instance, if you deposit £20 and the bonus is 100%, you get an extra £20 in bonus funds to play with, giving you £40 in total. To meet the wagering requirements, you'll need to bet the bonus amount a specified number of times. If the requirement is 20x on your £20 bonus, you'll need to place bets totalling £400 before you can withdraw any winnings.
Free Spins Bonus
A Free Spins bonus is where you receive a specific number of spins on a specific slot game, but they don't take from your funds. The wagering requirements for this type of bonus apply to any winnings generated from the spins. For example, if you use the Free Spins and win £7, and the requirement for the bonus offer is 20x, you'll have to wager £140 in total before you can withdraw winnings.
Promotions and Terms & Conditions
Casinos often run promotions offering bonuses like those discussed in this blog post, but each comes with its own set of rules in the fine print. Before diving in, read the terms & conditions carefully. Pay special attention to the wagering requirements, expiry dates, and which games contribute to meeting the requirements. Some games might contribute 100%, while others less, which could impact how you go about meeting them.
Understanding how each bonus works helps you to decide whether it is right for you and how to meet those requirements without any surprises. By keeping these tips in mind, you can engage with casinos' promotional offers in an enjoyable and responsible way.