Play smart: How to maximise the benefits of casino promotions and bonuses

Sarah Parker
Authored by Sarah Parker
Posted: Tuesday, June 30, 2020 - 15:24

Online casinos have made it so much easier for players to access their favourite games from the comfort of their homes. As the iGaming industry becomes more competitive, casinos are vying with each other to offer better services and get more customers. Very few things attract a player’s attention than the ability to play for free and potentially win real money. The best casinos are, therefore, getting more innovative with their bonuses and promotions. When you sign up to an online casino, you're almost always guaranteed to find a selection of bonuses and promotions waiting for you. But, with so much on offer, how can you get the best value for your time and money?

This article discusses how to compare some of the most popular bonus types, make an educated choice, and enjoy your online gaming experience a lot more.

Where do you start?

Whether you're a new player or an online casino veteran, bonuses can significantly improve your gaming experience at a casino. Today, casinos are offering more than just a boost in your bankroll. Players can now enter draws, or get fantastic perks in VIP programs. However, you need to know how to tell legitimate casinos apart from rogue ones. The first step is to choose only legitimate and reviewed casinos from reliable platforms such as www.gamble.xyz to avoid scams and fraud. You can also read their guides and learn to spot the best bonuses. 

What types of bonuses and promotions can you get?

Different players have different online gaming preferences. Casinos, therefore, create their bonuses and promotions to cater to as many players as possible. The most common bonus that you'll find on almost every online casino is the welcome bonus. Welcome offers provide you with a chance to figure out a new casino without risking a lot of your own money. After you go through the welcome offer, most casinos will continue to offer you more promotions to keep you fully engaged. 

Matched bonuses offer players a percentage of their first bonus as bonus money. You can expect to receive anything from 100% to 1000% over your first few deposits. You can also receive a no deposit bonus, where you don't have to put up any of your own money to play and win. If you’re a fan of online slots, then you’ll love free spins. This type of bonus allows players to spin specific slot games for free a certain number of times. You can expect to receive between 10 and 300 free spins. 

Losing isn’t that much fun, but getting even a small percentage of your losses back takes some of that sting away. Cashback bonuses usually offer up to 10% of your net losses back in cash. 

These are just a few of the bonuses and promotions that you can claim. But getting the best deal is not always as easy as it seems.

Making the best out of casino bonuses and promotions

The first step to being able to always get the best offers is learning how to read and understand the fine print. Bonuses and promotions always have terms and conditions which can make a lot of difference in your gaming experience.  The most common is what's called wagering requirements. The casino will require you to play with your bonus money a certain number of times before you can cash out any winnings. 

Some casinos will require you to play as much as 100 times the bonus amount, which makes it almost impossible to get any cash winnings. Such requirements usually come with a massive bonus and can be excellent if you just want to play for free. So, it's vital to understand the purpose of the bonus and play on games that contribute to the wagering conditions. If you're looking to cash out a few pounds, then go with smaller bonuses that don't have any wagering conditions. 

Before you make a massive win using bonus money, it’s also wise to check if you’re going to be able to take it home with you. If your idea of winning a few pounds is getting over £500, then you’ll need to look out for cashout limits as well. Most casinos limit the amount of real money winnings that you can get from bonus money. 

Casinos will also usually limit the amount of time that you can use your bonus. For example, you can receive 300 free spins, but only be able to use them for 14 days. So before your bonus expires right under your nose, check how long it’ll be valid and make the most out of it. 

Sometimes online casino newsletters can get a bit spammy, but they help you keep an eye on what’s coming up. Perhaps there’s a new slot game coming, and you can be one of the first hundred players who get to play for free.