Bonus basics
Wagering requirements, and the one word that doubles them
A 30x requirement can mean two very different numbers depending on a single phrase in the terms. Here is how to work out what a bonus will actually cost you in turnover.
Every bonus on this site carries a wagering requirement, sometimes called a playthrough. It is the amount you have to stake before bonus funds turn into money you can withdraw. It is also where nearly all the value in a bonus is decided, and where nearly all comparison sites stop paying attention.
The multiplier is only half the term
A wagering requirement is written as a multiplier: 20x, 30x, 45x. On its own that number tells you very little, because it has to be applied to something, and operators apply it to one of two bases.
Bonus only. The multiplier applies to the bonus amount alone. Deposit £100, take a £100 bonus at 30x, and you need to stake £3,000.
Deposit plus bonus. The multiplier applies to both. The same £100 deposit and £100 bonus at 30x now requires £6,000.
Identical headline, double the work. When you see two offers with the same multiplier, this phrase is what separates them, and it is usually four words deep in a paragraph you were not meant to read.
Working out the real cost
The arithmetic is simple once you know which base applies:
- Bonus only:
bonus x multiplier - Deposit plus bonus:
(deposit + bonus) x multiplier
Run it before you claim, not after. A 300% match at 45x on deposit plus bonus asks more of you than a 100% match at 20x on bonus only, even though the first number is three times larger.
Game contribution changes the maths again
Not every stake counts fully. A typical contribution table looks like this:
| Game type | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Slots | 100% |
| Live game shows | 20% |
| Blackjack and roulette | 10% |
| Video poker | 0% |
If you clear a £3,000 requirement on blackjack at 10% contribution, you are actually staking £30,000. Most bonuses are designed to be cleared on slots, and playing anything else is usually a mistake while a bonus is active.
The maximum bet clause
Almost every set of bonus terms caps your stake per spin while a bonus is live, typically between £2 and £5. Exceeding it is the single most common way players lose a bonus, and operators do enforce it. One £10 spin during a session can void the entire balance, including anything you had already cleared.
If you are used to playing at higher stakes, either stake down for the duration or do not take the bonus.
Expiry windows
Requirements come with a clock. Seven days is common, thirty is generous. Divide the turnover by the days available and be honest about whether you will get there.
A £6,000 requirement over seven days is £857 of turnover per day. At £1 spins that is roughly 850 spins a day, every day, for a week. If that is not a realistic description of how you play, the bonus is not worth claiming regardless of its size.
What to do with this
Before claiming anything, find four numbers in the terms: the multiplier, the base it applies to, the maximum bet, and the expiry. Every offer we list has those four pulled out and shown next to the headline, because they determine whether a bonus is worth having far more than the percentage does.