Free signup bonuses: Which one should I take?
Experienced players are already plenty familiar with the different types of free casino bonuses, and have a good idea which one they prefer, but for the people just starting with the whole online casino thing, all the various bonus offers may seem a bit downing and overwhelming at first. For those folks we created this easy to read guide, explaining the few kinds of free casino bonuses you may encounter, and offer practical advice on choosing the right one, depending on your circumstances and style of play.
Don’t forget – see the latest free signup bonuses at our dedicated page on this topic.
Let’s begin with the very basic – the notion of the free bonus offered by every casino on the internet. Unlike the match bonuses or the always popular signup bonus, where the player gets a bunch of free chips based on a percentage of their deposit, the free bonus is an entirely different animal altogether. As the name implies, despite the fact that some folks may think it’s just a gimmick, this type of bonus is indeed free money offered by the online casino.
Just like any other bonus you may be offered at your chosen casino, it will come with strings attached, more on this a bit later, but the fact is that you will indeed receive free bonus money from the online casino. Naturally the amount is not going to be extremely large, but, hey, free is free, right? So now that we have established this, let’s get a little more detailed on this topic.
In essence there are two types of free casino bonuses: the free spins and the free money. Each one will affect your play differently, will pay out differently, but both types will end up giving you free play and you will be able to withdraw your winnings. Next, we will look at each one individually, pointing out the differences and at the same time, giving you a blueprint towards your decision which one to take. Of course, if you have the option to take just one, for example, your favorite online casino only offers one kind of free bonus, then that would be your only option. But don’t look at this as a disadvantage, since either bonus is great to have.
Let’s start with the more popular and sought after: the free money bonus. With this type of bonus, the casino gives the player a certain amount of free chips, then the player can use them to play the majority of the games. As a rule of thumb, the free money bonus usually includes only the video slots, while table games and such are excluded. That said, you often get to play any of the slots, with restriction of the level of your bet. The best feature of the free money bonus is exactly that – you can use it to play any of the casino slots available.
The free spins bonus is quite different from the free money bonus, although you still end up getting something for nothing. Unlike any other casino bonus, the free spins one gives the player a certain number of spins at a particular slot machine only. One can easily see how this is not quite the same as the free money bonus we talked about earlier, where you can play your chips anywhere you wish. Not only is the free spin bonus tied to one video slot chosen by the casino, but your bet level is also already predetermined. For example, you may get 50 free spins at $1 per spin, and you will not be able to change the wager higher or lower.
While the free spins aren’t as good as the free money bonus, the positive side is that there are a lot of those types of casino bonuses around. Players still enjoy gambling with what is essentially free money, so the online casinos are always happy to oblige. As a matter of fact, there are so many of them, we have a dedicated no deposit free bonus codes page which tracks the very latest offers by the top casinos. In addition, the free spins are often the most popular promotional item for new video slots, so if one is about to be published, always keep an eye for free spins bonuses associated with it.
Now it’s time to discuss some of the strings attached to the free casino bonus in general, regardless of which type you calm.
The most important part of the terms and conditions of literally any online casino bonus is the wagering requirements, and the free casino bonuses are no exception to this rule. Whether you claim a free money bonus or free spins, you will have playthrough requirements. This means that you will have to wager a certain amount before you can cash out real money stemming from your chosen bonus. Always make sure that you are aware of these requirements and that yiu have net them before attempting your cashout. Luckily, the casino cashier section will show you how far you are into satisfying these requirements.
Another important point to be made is that, even though you can win real money with these types of no-deposit bonuses, the actual amount you can cash out will be limited. There is no hard-and-fast rule to the exact amount, but generally yiu won’t be able to cash out more than a few hundred dollars. But when yiu consider that you risked literally nothing, a few hundred is actually a pretty great deal!
In the end, the free casino bonuses are an amazing way to try your luck at winning real money, have fun playing some real casino slots, all while at the same time risking none of your own money. Make sure you understand the difference between the free money bonus and the free spins, be mindful of the requirements and the max cashout amount, and yiu will be guaranteed a lot of entertainment.