Choosing which online casino to play in can be a minefield at the best of times, with almost all of them offering competitive offers and bonuses to entice new players to play on their platform.
Understanding which bonuses will suit your needs as player will be the first step in choosing the right online casino.
But, first things first. Before signing up to any online casino, even when you have taken into account what bonuses they offer—always read the fine print.
It may sound obvious but different casinos have different wagering requirements depending on each individual bonus—so although a casino may offer what looks like the most generous bonus, it may not be as achievable as it may seem.
Choosing The Right Bonus For You
Most casinos will offer different bonus incentives depending on whether you are a first timer to their site or whether it is to reward your loyalty to their brand. Here we take a look at the most common bonuses available:
Sign Up
Sign Up bonuses can earn the player hundreds or even thousands of dollars. However, many require a deposit to be made before the bonus is unlocked.
Deposit
As a thank you for depositing money on their site, some casinos offer a Deposit Bonus. When a deposit bonus is on offer, you will receive a percentage of the money back, on top of your original deposits—meaning their is extra money in your account to play with. Note that most deposit bonuses have a cap on the amount you can receive regardless of the size of your deposit.
No Deposit
A No Deposit Bonus is a bonus that is given to the player without needing to have deposited any money. If it looks too good to be true, it usually is— so be careful to check the fine print as there is usually rules and regulations which go hand in hand with these kind of bonuses. However, this type of bonus is great for players looking to try a casino without a big commitment of a cash deposit.
Loyalty
A Loyalty Bonus is just that—a bonus that rewards players who are loyal to playing on the site. Usually loyalty bonuses are structured so that when players move up in the casinos standings—such as moving up in tiers in a VIP club where the perks for the player would be more than if you were just a casual player on the site—additional bonuses are offered.
Free Play
Free Play Bonuses cannot be withdrawn but are similar to the No Deposit bonus in terms of the casino giving you money to play with without having to make a deposit first.
Free Play bonuses allow players to make wagers and keep the winnings, but the amount that is bet does not stay in your account.
Free Spin
Free Spin Bonuses are just that, free spins on an online slot machine. These types of promotions allow a player to get a feel for the game and even keep their winning in most cases, though check the rules to be sure.
Referals
A common player bonus that comes with very little caveats is the Refer A Friend Bonus. Once a friend, colleague or family member has signed up to the casino (using a unique reference code that can be tracked back to the person that recommended them) the referrer will receive a percentage of the first deposit made by their friend as a bonus.
Finding the Best Bonuses
To find the best casino bonuses available you sometimes need to do more than just click through on an advertisement. You may find that the quality of bonuses varies depending on the country in which you are playing from. For example, one site may tout itself as the authority on casino bonuses in the UK, while another may be more focused on bonuses available in Spain.
Search for casino bonuses specific to your country to avoid playing only to find out that you do not qualify for all of the benefits simply because of where you are located.
