Welcome Bonus Guide — What to Check Before You Claim

How a welcome bonus works

A welcome bonus typically matches your first deposit up to a capped amount. A 100% bonus up to £200 means if you deposit £200, you receive £200 in bonus funds, giving you £400 total to play with. The bonus funds cannot be withdrawn directly — they must be wagered through before any winnings from bonus play can be cashed out.

Wagering requirements

The wagering requirement specifies how many times you must bet through the bonus amount before it becomes withdrawable. A 35x wagering requirement on a £200 bonus means you must place £7,000 in bets. If the slots you play have a 96% RTP, the expected cost of playing through that £7,000 is £7,000 × 4% = £280. That is more than the bonus itself — which means the bonus actually costs you money on average.

Game contribution rates

Not all games count the same towards wagering requirements. Slots typically count 100%. Live casino games often count 10% or 0%. Blackjack frequently contributes 5% or 0%. If you plan to play table games with a bonus, the wagering requirement could be ten times harder to meet than it appears.

When a bonus might be worth it

Bonuses with low wagering requirements (10x or under), full game contribution rates, and no max win cap can occasionally offer positive expected value. These are rare. Most bonuses favour the casino.