How to Make the Most Out of Each Bonus

Golden Buffalo Slots

A new player bonus comes but once and it is often the bonus that attracts you to the casino in the very first place. While in search of the best value here are some hints and tips that will show you how to make the first deposit work for you.

The best place to start looking if you want to see the value of the bonus for you is to look in the terms and conditions. Please, don't just check the check box, read them.

Wagering requirements

This is how many times you need to play your bonus through. A wager is the amount of the bet and not to be confused with the amount of the deposit. As your balance goes up and down you can place hundreds of dollars worth of bets with a $20 deposit. There are going to be wagering requirements no matter where you play. The less the casino requires from you for a bonus, the higher the wagering will need to be on the deposit. The average play through requirements on any bonus amount is around 30 times and on free cash around 50 times. Since a 100% match bonus, where the casino matches your initial deposit, is an equal risk from each party, their terms and conditions tend to be slightly more lenient.

Though the terms will specify how many times the bonus needs to be played, make sure that you are able to work out the exact amount in cash. Take note of whether the wagering is on just the bonus or the deposit and bonus combined.

Another thing to look for is a capped cash-in amount. A no deposit bonus may have a maximum amount you can withdraw off this. So even though you have met the wagering requirements you may only be able to take out a maximum amount from that. A win for nothing is never a bad thing so either forfeit the cash or whittle your balance down to the maximum amount to get the most out of the play. Avoid a match bonus that has a maximum withdrawal amount.

Sometimes wagering on certain games doesn't count. These excluded games are usually table games so if you are an avid table game junkie please scan through the list of games before applying for the bonus. If the bonus is automatic and you did not want it knowing that your game choice would affect your being able to meet wagering, just chat with customer support, most of them are very reasonable and remove the bonus amount with no quibble.

Other tips

Make the most of your first match bonus by making the largest deposit to get the biggest possible bonus. This is not an investment to take lightly so take your time.

Choose your game. Play in guest mode to get the hang of the kinds of games you prefer. Some games pay out higher amounts less often while others have small wins regularly. This is helpful regardless of which bonus you have chosen. Look on the internet for game reviews. These are very helpful. Select two or three top games.

If you have chosen to play an hour free, make sure you have an hour to play undisturbed. Trying to pause the game can cause a timeout and forfeiting the rest of the time. While some casinos do offer to reset the timer this is not something you know up front.

Take note of the games that free spins are given on. These games have been chosen for a reason as the casino wants you to enjoy your time there and to encourage you to stay, they are trying to set you on the right track. These are invariably great beginner games.

Getting through wagering is easy if you make small bets. Playing on slots, remember to reduce your coin size and coins per payline and always activating the maximum paylines. Look also for games with fewer paylines.

Good luck!