In this edition of our casino guide we will tackle one of the most popular topics, and certainly one that is the most dear to the casino players – the welcome bonus. The “welcome bonus”, also often referred to as the “signup bonus” is the most valuable tool the online casinos have to attract new customers from their competitors, but it is also the best deal the casino players can get, in the short term, that is. If none of this makes sense yet, keep on reading, as we cover all of this and more. But before we even begin, here is a quick example of a welcome bonus and you should get the general idea of how attractive this type of proposition could be to anyone looking to maximize their bankroll at the online casino:
What is a casino welcome bonus?
The welcome bonus is a special one-time offer at an online casino, extended only to the first-time customer of the casino, which is why people often call it the signup bonus, as well. We know, more experienced players may find the explanation of the signup bonus boring and unnecessary, but if you are someone who is looking to try online gambling for the first time, the multitude of terms to which we are so accustomed, could be quite overwhelming. Not to mention that the term welcome bonus leaves itself open to many interpretations. For instance, do you get this bonus every time you visit the casino? After all, you will be “welcomed” when you log in (you better be).
So if you are new to the online casino jargon, the simple way to think of this offer is as a signup bonus instead. You are entitled to the signup bonus only once, and that is when you first create an account with the casino and make your first deposit. Let’s get deeper into the welcome bonus workings to see how it all comes together for the player.
How does the signup bonus work?
Starting from the very beginning, when you visit an online casino, the first thing that would likely catch your attention on their website would be the welcome bonus. This offer is the maximum bonus the casino is willing to give its new customers in order to attract them to open an account. So when you do open an account, you qualify to claim this signup bonus. The signup bonus works as a percentage of your first deposit, i.e. the casino will give you extra free money based on a certain percentage of your first deposit.
Let’s plug in a quick example to simplify it even further. Let’s say a casino is advertising a welcome bonus of 300%. This means that if your first deposit is of $100, the casino will give you additional $300 (i.e. 300% of your deposit) to play with, in essence making your starting bankroll $400, and not the $100 you deposited. As you can see, the signup bonus is extremely generous, but in all honesty, it’s not the end-all-be-all of the myriad of bonuses you would have the chance to claim over time with any decent online casino.
Now that you know how the signup bonus works, it’s time to talk about one condition of the welcome offer many people fail to initially realize, and that is the playthrough requirements. Every casino bonus will come with these strings attached, otherwise nothing would stop the player from simply claiming the bonus, then withdrawing the amount, without as much as spinning the reels of a slot even once. You can follow the link above to our wagering requirements guide if you want to learn more about this. But in a nutshell, know that every bonus, not just the signup bonus, will come with some form of play-through conditions.
More signup bonus Q&A
in conclusion, let’s quickly answer some of the most popular questions related to the online casino welcome bonus. If you have one that is not answered here, feel free to contact us with it and we will do our best to answer it as soon as possible. You would be helping not only yourself, but other people, too.
- Is the signup bonus mandatory?
Absolutely not. No player is required to claim not only the welcome bonus, but any other casino bonus. Some online casinos may automatically give you a deposit bonus, but you can opt out of those, as well. - Should I take the welcome bonus?
We highly recommend you do so. With longer play one gets the better possibility of winning, and the signup bonus extends your play time more than any other casino promotion would ever will. Plus, it’s much more fun to play with $100 than with $25, yet with a 400% welcome bonus (some casinos offer even higher, see our home page for bonus comparison), you get to play with $100, yet deposit only $25. - I see some casinos offer a dollar amount as a welcome bonus, not percentages, what gives?
Some online casinos will promote a dollar amount, instead of a percentage of your deposit, true. You may see a signup bonus as “$3,000 free”, for example. What this indicates is the maximum amount you can claim as your welcome bonus, the actual calculation is still based on a percentage of your deposit and is indeed noted under the terms of the bonus. For example, a $3,000 welcome bonus could be based on 300% match, meaning that you have to deposit $1,000 to get another $3,000 free. In that case, if you deposit just $10, you still get the 300% match, i.e. you will stat playing with $40.