Bonus basics
Five clauses worth finding before you claim any bonus
Bonus terms run to thousands of words and five of them decide whether the offer is any good. Here is what to search for and what a reasonable answer looks like.
Nobody reads bonus terms end to end. You do not need to. Five clauses carry almost all the meaning, and you can find them in about ninety seconds if you know what you are looking for.
1. The wagering base
Search the terms for the word “deposit” near the wagering multiplier. You are looking for whether the requirement applies to the bonus alone or to deposit plus bonus.
Reasonable: bonus only, at 20x to 35x. Poor: deposit plus bonus at anything above 35x.
This one clause changes the real cost of the offer by a factor of two. It matters more than the headline percentage.
2. The maximum bet
Look for “maximum bet”, “maximum stake” or “max spin” and a per-spin figure, typically £2 to £5.
Reasonable: £5, clearly stated. Poor: anything under £2, or a figure expressed as a percentage of the bonus that changes as you play.
Breaching this is the most common way players lose a bonus, and operators enforce it retroactively. A single oversized spin can void a balance you spent a week building.
3. The maximum withdrawal
Search for “maximum withdrawal” or “win cap”. Some offers limit what you can take out of a bonus regardless of what you win, either as a flat figure or as a multiple of the bonus.
Reasonable: no cap, or a cap at five times the bonus or higher. Poor: a flat £50 or £100 cap on an offer being advertised at £200 or more.
No deposit bonuses almost always carry a low cap. Welcome matches sometimes do, and those are the ones to be careful with, because the cap is rarely mentioned anywhere near the headline.
4. Game contribution and exclusions
Look for a contribution table. Slots normally count 100%, table games 10% or less, and some titles are excluded entirely.
Reasonable: a clear table, with the excluded games listed by name. Poor: a rule that lets the operator exclude games at its discretion, or one that voids a bonus for playing an excluded game rather than simply not counting the stake.
Also check for excluded payment methods. Skrill and Neteller deposits are disqualified from bonuses far more often than people expect, and it is usually a single line well away from the offer itself.
5. The expiry, and what expires
Find the number of days, then check what happens at the end of them. In most cases unconverted bonus funds and any winnings attached to them are removed.
Reasonable: 21 to 30 days. Poor: 7 days on a four figure turnover requirement, which is a window designed not to be met.
Divide the turnover by the days. If the daily figure is not something you would actually play, the offer is not really being offered to you.
Where this leaves you
An offer that answers all five well is worth claiming even if the percentage is modest. An offer that fails two or more is worth skipping regardless of the number on the banner.
Every listing on this site shows the wagering base, the minimum deposit, the expiry and the withdrawal speed next to the headline, with the full key terms one click away, so you can run this check without leaving the page.