guide
Bonus terms decoded: how to read wagering requirements
A casino bonus is only as good as its wagering requirement. Here is how to work out what a bonus is really worth — and the clauses that quietly make it worthless.
A casino bonus is a marketing number, not free money. Whether it is worth claiming comes down almost entirely to one figure buried in the terms: the wagering requirement. Learn to read it and you can tell in thirty seconds whether an offer is generous or a trap.
What a wagering requirement actually is
A wagering requirement (or “playthrough”) is how many times you must bet the bonus before any winnings can be withdrawn. It is written as a multiplier — 20x, 40x, sometimes more — and the base it applies to matters just as much as the number.
- Bonus only (B): 40x on a 100 bonus = 4,000 in wagering.
- Bonus + deposit (D+B): 40x on a 100 deposit plus 100 bonus = 8,000 in wagering. Same multiplier, double the work.
Always check which base the multiplier uses. “40x” can mean two very different things.
Doing the quick math
You do not need a spreadsheet. Multiply the bonus by the requirement to get your turnover, then remember the house edge applies to all of it. If a game has a 4% edge and you must turn over 4,000, the expected cost of clearing the bonus is roughly 160 — which you pay out of your own balance, on average, while chasing a 100 bonus. That is why a high multiplier can make a “big” bonus worth less than nothing.
The clauses that quietly matter
The multiplier is only half the story. These terms decide whether you can realistically clear it:
- Max bet while wagering. Often capped (e.g. 5 per spin). Exceed it and your winnings can be voided — a very common reason wins disappear.
- Game weighting. Slots usually count 100%, but table games and live dealer may count 10% or 0%. A bonus that excludes the games you actually play is not for you.
- Expiry. A 7-day window with a 40x requirement can be impossible to clear without betting recklessly.
- Max cashout. Some bonuses cap what you can withdraw from winnings, regardless of how much you win.
How this fits our reviews
We treat bonuses as a minor factor, never a headline. Operators that lean hardest on promotions — see our BC.GAME review — are exactly where the terms deserve the closest reading. A clean payout record and real licensing matter far more than any welcome offer.
The honest takeaway
Before you opt in, find the multiplier, find its base, and check the max-bet, weighting and expiry clauses. If the math does not clear comfortably within the rules, skip the bonus and play with your own balance — the house edge is enough of a headwind without an unrealistic playthrough on top. And remember the underlying maths never changes: see house edge and RTP.
FAQ
- What does a 40x wagering requirement mean?
- It means you must bet the bonus (and often the deposit too) 40 times before you can withdraw. On a 100 unit bonus with 40x on the bonus only, that is 4,000 units of wagering. With house edge applied across that turnover, the expected value of the bonus is far less than its face value.
- Are casino bonuses worth it?
- Sometimes, but rarely as much as the headline suggests. A low wagering multiplier, a long expiry, high game weighting and no tight max-bet clause make a bonus genuinely useful. High multipliers, short expiry and restrictive clauses can make it mathematically not worth claiming.
- Why was my bonus win voided?
- The most common reasons are breaking a max-bet limit while wagering, playing excluded games, or letting the bonus expire before completing the playthrough. These clauses are in the bonus terms — read them before opting in, not after a win.