Online Casino Wagering – The Ultimate Guide

Understanding the concept of the wagering requirement is crucial for anyone delving into the realm of online casinos and their bonuses. It stands as one of the fundamental elements shaping players’ experiences and determining the true value of offered incentives. As such, delving into its intricacies unveils a critical aspect of online gambling that can significantly impact gameplay and potential winnings.

• The Complete Definition of Wagering
• The purpose of a bonus
• Types of Wagering
• Wagering deduction
• No wagering offers
• How to clear wagering requirements?
• Restriction on wagering
• Our tips on clearing wagering requirements efficiently
• CasinoAlpha’s final remarks
• Methodology

The Complete Definition of Wagering

Wagering refers to a multiplier representing the number of times you have to play through a bonus before cashing out its associated winnings. Wagering requirements are very common for casino bonuses, and you will see that they are very diverse.

What you can find at an online casino, it is not mandatory to be available at another. Yet, it is not impossible to encounter some that don’t have any.

Other names for wagering requirements

You may encounter it in casino T&Cs as playthrough, rollover, turnover, playing requirements.

How does it work?

When you claim an offer tied to specific rollover requirements, any winnings generated while playing with the bonus shall be placed in a pending balance; this means that the winnings are not withdrawable.

Once you met the specified conditions, the funds will be released into your real balance and can be cashed out.

Why do casinos have wagering requirements?

• To make profit

Rollover requirements contribute towards generating profit.

Promotions are not free assets that online casinos dispose of. They actually represent an investment towards gaining new customers. But as we all know, gambling platforms work for profit.

Just like any other business, they need to financially sustain themselves. And without wagering requirements, these sites would be at risk of losing more than they invest.

• To prevent customers from abusing the bonus

Casino bonuses are meant to attract new players.

The purpose of a bonus

To make British punters join the platform and retain them as long-time customers. Thus, if wagering requirements wouldn’t exist, many users would be tempted to claim a promotion just to cash out winnings once, then never play on the site again.

To prevent money laundering

Redeeming bonuses via ill-gotten means to benefit from lawful funds and avoid being tracked by authorities.

As this practice became quite common in the online environment, gambling sites decided to make use of rollover requirements to prevent such outlawed activities.

Cybercriminals saw an opportunity of committing illegal activities such as money laundering via the website’s means.

How?

By depositing large amounts of illicit funds to cash out ‘clean’ money without raising any suspicion.

Disclaimer

1. The fact that wagering refers to how much one must deposit before being able to withdraw winnings is a common misconception.
2. Wagering losses are non-deductible, meaning that they won’t be subtracted from your taxable income base.

Types of Wagering

Depending on the promotion you claim, there are 5 different types of wagering involved:

• Deposit amount

Wagering is tied to the sum you deposit to claim the promotion. Usually, this situation is commonly associated with predetermined deposit amounts.

Hence, if an offer requires a minimum deposit to be claimed but no maximum limit is specified, it is highly unlike the bonus that will impose this type of wagering.

Let’s say you have the possibility of depositing either £10, £20 or £30 to claim a specific bonus amount, and the rollover requirement is 45x. Then, you have to multiply the sum you selected by 45 and wager the total amount.

• Bonus amount

This type of wagering applies only to bonus funds. So, whenever you encounter this, it means that you will have to calculate the playthrough amount by multiplying the bonus sum by the number of times specified in the bonus terms.

If you have the ‘30x B’ formulation, you need to multiply the total bonus value by 30.

• Spin winnings

The winning generated from free spins on sign-up will be converted to bonus credit. In this case, you’ll have to multiply the bonus amount obtained after using the spins.

Let’s take the supposed wagering requirement of ‘25x W’. In this situation, you must use all your spins, then multiply their associated winnings by 25.

• Deposit + bonus

Some offers may impose playthrough conditions on the total sum generated by adding the bonus amount to the initial deposit amount.

When you see the formula ‘50x D+B’, you must take the deposited sum, add it to the received bonus amount, then multiply the total by 50.

• Deposit + bonus + winnings

This type of wagering can only be encountered on promotions that offer both bonus credit and extra spins.

In this case, the total resulted from adding the initial deposit, the bonus amount and the spin winnings must be multiplied by the specified number. Yet, keep in mind that this is a rarer occurrence.

Most offers that include both spins and bonus credit will come with two different playthrough requirements.

Wagering deduction

Besides multiple types of wagering, there are also several ways in which it is deducted. To complete the necessary requirements, you need to place bets, which shall be deducted from a virtual balance.

User accounts at any online casino have two available balances:

• Real balance – comprised of funds you deposit from your payment service.
• Bonus balance – comprised of bonus funds you receive from the casino.

Winnings generated by bonus funds will usually go back into the bonus balance until the wagering requirement is cleared. After that, they are converted into real funds.

Let’s move on to the three types of wagering deduction a casino might have:

• From the real balance only

You must complete the wagering only by placing bets with your deposited funds to cash out the winnings.

You can use your bonus credit, but it won’t count towards meeting the specified requirements.

An advantage of this is that you are allowed to deposit as many times as you want for the purpose of fulfilling the requirements.

Keep in mind that sometimes you might deposit more than you will actually cash out from the bonus.

• From the bonus balance only

This type of deduction is more restrictive. If you run out of bonus funds prior to meeting the playthrough requirements, you are not allowed to make additional deposits to complete them and cash out. Thus, you will lose all winnings generated by the bonus.

However, gambling platforms that impose this wagering deduction are not as common. No deposit bonuses are a way for UK players to try out the platform and its requirements with no payment attached.

• From both real and bonus balances

Here, bets placed from both balances will count towards meeting the playthrough conditions. So, you won’t be bothered by running out of funds.

The chances of cashing out more than you deposited to complete the wagering are higher.

The third type of deduction is also the most common.

No wagering offers

These are no wagering bonuses that are tied. Therefore, you will be able to cash out the entire amount generated by the bonus without worrying about additional restrictions.

The no wagering characteristic can apply to:

• Offers including extra spins
• Bonus funds
• Both

Yet, it is more commonly encountered at bonus spins.

If you are looking for this kind of promotions, you will find plenty of them on our site. We have a particular page where we list only no wagering offers. So, you may navigate through an array of such options.

No wagering casinos

A casino that disposes of no wagering offers may either provide a few such alternatives or even have an entire no wagering policy.

A no wagering casino policy refers to an agreement stating that the gambling site only provides promotions without playthrough conditions. If that’s the case, it will be stated in the platform’s terms and conditions or even on its main page.

Find the no wagering casino UK that is right for you by navigating our site! You can use the filters to customize your search.

What are the limitations?

Although no wagering promotions may seem more attractive than the regular ones, most of them come with several restrictions that must be taken into account.

Here are a few examples:

• Smaller bonus value;
• Low cashout limit;
• Limited games you can play with the bonus;
• Limited payment methods to redeem the promotion;
• The impossibility of withdrawing winnings before making a deposit.

When you decide to claim a no wagering offer, pay attention to its terms and carefully analyse them.

Unless stated otherwise, if a casino allows you to have multiple bonuses active at the same time, then the wagering will first apply to the promotion you claimed first.

How to clear wagering requirements?

1. Read the bonus terms carefully;
2. Establish the type of wagering the bonus has;
3. Calculate the playthrough amount;
4. Establish the deduction;
5. Look for games that bring wagering contribution;
6. Start placing bets on these games;
7. If necessary, deposit more funds (not applicable for wagering deducted only from the bonus balance);
8. Continue playing until the wagering is cleared;
9. Cash out the remaining winnings.

How to calculate wagering?

To make it easier for British punters to understand how wagering is calculated, we shall give some examples for each type.

Keep in mind that these situations are hypothetical, and you will have to calculate the wagering yourself when claiming an offer.

• Deposit

Suppose you claim a bonus by depositing £10, and the wagering is 30x D. You will have to place bets equal to £300 before being able to cash out.

• Bonus

Should you receive a £20 bonus, with a 35x B playthrough condition. You must wager a total of £700 before withdrawing the winnings.

• Deposit + bonus

Let’s say an offer comes with a 15x D+B wagering requirement. If one deposits £10 and gets another £10 as a bonus, the total amount that must be wagered is £300.

• Spin winnings

Suppose you redeem an offer containing 100 extra spins with a 45x W playthrough requirement. After using all the spins, you generate £20 in bonus funds. So, you have to place additional bets equal to £900 before cashing out any winnings.

• Deposit + bonus + spin winnings

Let’s assume you claim an offer containing 50 spins and a £20 bonus by depositing £10. The promotion has a 25x D+B+W wagering requirement. After using the spins, you get another £10. In this situation, you must wager a total of £1000 prior to withdrawing the remaining winnings.

Where to see the remaining wagering

Depending on the platform you join, there are several ways of tracking your remaining wagering.

As there are hundreds of gambling sites with different interfaces, display options and account features, it would be quite challenging to determine which is the most common approach.

Multiple methods of keeping track of your remaining wagering:

• Look in the promotions section

This is probably the easiest way to determine what amount you have left to wager.

Go to the promotional hub or the page you claimed the offer from and search for your active bonus. A progress bar should appear under it, displaying how much of the requirement you have met.

This can either be a percentage or even the sum you have already wagered.

• Check your account

Some websites will display the remaining wagering amongst the account features. To find it, just log in and navigate through the account options. You may spot a designated wagering section or even a progress bar under your username.

• Access the live chat

If none of the alternatives listed above are available on your chosen platform, you should get in touch with a support member via live chat and ask them about your wagering progress.

• Send an email

When all other options are unavailable, the only solution would be sending an email. However, keep in mind that it may take some time to receive an answer, and in the meantime, your wagering progress might also change.

At CasinoAlpha our professionals these algorithms in either our casino reviews or in our bonus descriptions.

Restriction on wagering

Before trying to clear playthrough requirements, you have to pay close attention to the casino’s terms and conditions. Why? Because there might be certain restrictions linked to the wagering of the bonus.

Let’s dive into these!

Game contribution

Have a look at the following examples:

Suppose you have to meet a rollover requirement of £300. If you only play slots to fulfil it, then you’ll have to place bets equal to £300.

When you pick a game with a lower contribution, things are a bit different. Let’s say you wager £300 in total on Roulette. In that case, only £90 will count towards meeting the playthrough requirements. So, you’ll still have £210 left to wager until you can cash out.

The lower the game contribution, the more bets you have to place.

Each platform has its own rules when it comes to wagering contribution. Some casino sites might display a table like the one presented above, while others may have an entire list of games that don’t contribute at all. Thus, we recommend always checking the terms and conditions carefully.

Maximum bet

Another restriction might refer to the maximum amount you are allowed to bet per spin or per round. This will usually be specified in the bonus terms.

Let’s assume you have to meet a £500 wagering condition. Although some slots may have a maximum betting limit of £500, you cannot fulfil the requirement by placing only one bet.

If the maximum bet per spin is £5, you will have to place 100 bets equal to £5 to complete the wagering.

Expiration period

British players shall remember that each bonus comes with a specific timeframe to meet the wagering requirement. On average, bonus funds have a 30-day wagering period, while extra spins have only 7 days.

Sometimes, no deposit spins must be wagered within 24 hours of claiming them.

If you don’t fulfil the playthrough requirements within the specified timeframe, you should expect the following:

• The bonus and its related winnings will be forfeited;
• You cannot reclaim the bonus;
• You won’t receive a refund of the deposit you made to redeem the promotion.

Irregular play

It refers to when players try to cheat the system via various ways to avoid meeting wagering requirements on a fair basis.

Irregular play means:

• Placing bets in excess of x% of the bonus value;
• Equal, zero or low margin bets;
• Leaving large bets on table (usually in table games) and returning after wagering has been completed;
• Decreasing your stake amount after a large win (e.g. Winning C$100 and reducing your stake amount to C$50 or less);
• Moving from a low weighted game (25% or less) to a high weighted game (70% or more) after significant wins;
• Delaying a round inside a game (including free spins features and bonus features) to a later time when there are no wagering requirements left;
• Depositing funds while having free spins features or bonus features still available in the game.

Our tips on clearing wagering requirements efficiently

Clearing the wagering conditions of a bonus will take time. Still, there are specific things you can do to shorten the process and access your winnings faster.

Here’s what might help:

• Read the terms and conditions carefully

This will help you comprehend all the requirements and avoid any misunderstandings. Additionally, you should check the casino’s wagering deduction.

We suggest going for websites where both real and bonus balances contribute.

• Claim bonuses with lower wagering requirements (15x, 20x, 25x)

This tip is quite obvious. The higher the playthrough conditions, the more you will have to wager.

Take your time to analyse multiple promotional offers and start by claiming one with lower requirements.

• Play games with a high wagering contribution (more than 50%)

The games with the highest contribution are usually slots. On most gambling sites, they have a 100% contribution.

Don’t forget to check the casino’s terms, as some slots may not contribute at all.

• Choose games with higher RTP

Essentially, RTP refers to the amount a casino game is supposed to pay back to the player. This is represented by a percentage and can usually be found in the game’s information.

Why choose products with higher RTPs?

Because a high RTP means increased chances of completing rollover requirements without depositing additional funds.

Slots with the highest RTP

CasinoAlpha’s final remarks

Now that you know what wagering is and how to clear it, there is one more thing to be done: claiming a bonus!

But remember to be attentive to its terms and conditions and take our tips into consideration. Consequently, you will be able to cash out your winnings in no time.

Do you feel like wagering requirements are too complicated?

Take a look on our site to explore them, and most importantly, don’t forget to play responsibly! Being informed and taking precautionary measures will help you avoid gambling addiction and have a hassle-free playing experience.

Methodology

While doing this guide, we analysed over 15 gambling platforms to get an accurate overview of the industry’s wagering system. In this way, we were able to determine all the existing wagering types and the way in which they are calculated on different sites.

We arrived at an objective opinion

This allowed us to compare the offering of top UK online casinos and have a clear understanding of how wagering works. Above all, we also examined multiple no wagering bonuses and casinos to discover their assets and limitations.

After a thorough analysis, we were able to come up with useful tips and advice meant to help our players complete wagering requirements efficiently.