What is a casino deposit bonus?
Deposit bonus is a gift you get when you deposit in an online casino. The welcome bonus is the most popular type, but you can also earn deposit bonuses later as part of a promotional campaign.
Basically, the deposit bonus means more money to play with. This increases your bankroll and allows you to place more bets, so it gives you more chances to win. Often, the bonus represents a percentage of your deposit, e.g. 50%, 100%, etc.
Let’s say you have a deposit bonus offer for 100%. This means that if you deposit $100 you will receive $100 as a bonus and you will start playing with $200.
However, keep in mind that the bonus amount you receive is not real money, it’s bonus money. In order to turn the profit from this bonus into real money, you will have to fulfill the wagering requirements of the bonus. Meaning, you have to place a certain amount of bets to free the money from any requirements. Usually the bonus amount itself is not withdrawable, you can only receive your winnings from the bonus.
Each casino and each bonus come with different requirements, so you have to check the bonus terms in order to see the full info. This is crucial before you start playing, since in some cases the wagering (rollover) might be too big and the bonus not worth it.
Pay attention also to the time limit of the bonus. Usually the bonuses come with expiration date. Depending on the bonus, you might need to fulfill the rollover for a certain period of time (e.g. 30 days from receiving the bonus).
Furthermore, there might be a list of specific games which do not contribute to the wagering. Slots usually wager 100% (except for jackpots in some cases), but table games don’t contribute that much (or not at all).
Watch out for maximum bet limit. Often there is a limit on the maximum bet amount you can place while playing with a bonus. It might be $5 or $10 depending on the bonus.