It’s hard to imagine a casino player who doesn’t like free bets. Therefore, bonuses make an essential part of online gambling, including its crypto variation.
Some players prefer not to use bonuses at all, fearing additional requirements that may come with such offers. Nevertheless, a good bonus can drastically improve your odds and make your time at an online casino more enjoyable.
This guide will show you how to pick the best bonuses and what to look for.
What is a Casino Bonus?
Generally speaking, a bonus is an offer that a casino makes to its players to boost their deposits or as a sign of recognition for their loyalty. Such bonuses are bound by terms and conditions that vary in different casinos and make some offers more valuable than the others.
What Types of Casino Bonuses Are There?
There are multiple types of bonuses that differ in rewards, requirements, and eligibility.
By reward
Deposit match
The match deposit bonus is a monetary bonus you can earn by making a deposit to increase its value. The casino literally matches your deposit up to a certain percentage with free money. For example, when a casino offers a 100% match, you get an extra $100 over your deposit of $100. In this case, your starting bankroll would be $100 + $100 or $200.
Sometimes, you will be offered a partial match, like 50%, but it is also possible to find bonuses that exceed the original deposit amount, like 200% or 300%.
Free spins
Free spins essentially allow you to make free bets without spending your money. Casinos often hand out free spins in batches of 20, 30, 50, or 100 and can credit them for a specific slot or a group of slots, for example, by a particular provider.
The amount you win during the free spins round is considered the bonus itself, so all wagering and other requirements will be applied to it. Free spins usually have an expiration date. In other words, you have to use them by this date, or they may be lost.
By requirements
With or without wager
Most often, you will have to wager a certain amount, and only after that the bonus money will be transferred to your main account. However, it happens that casinos offer wager-free bonuses. With such bonuses, there are no additional limitations, and you can cash out the whole amount right at once. Wager-free bonuses can come both in the form of free spins or as a monetary value.
Occasionally, you may be required to make a deposit to receive a wager-free bonus, but more often they are distributed as part of a VIP package for the most loyal players. Wager-free bonuses are one of the best deals a player can get at an online casino.
Sticky or non-sticky
As mentioned before, you have to fulfill certain requirements before withdrawing your money when playing with a bonus. However, it’s also possible to find non-sticky bonuses. A non-sticky bonus means that you can cash out the real money without fulfilling the wagering requirements linked to the bonus money.
First, you play with the real money in your account, and only if you lose it the wagering requirements will be applied. Therefore, you can cash out the whole amount at any time, less the bonus, which then would be forfeited.
With or without max bet
Most casino bonuses come with a max bet rule. To put it simply, the max bet rule means that you can’t exceed a certain bet amount when playing with a bonus. It is an essential rule, as by breaking it, you risk having your bonus canceled, including all the winnings.
The max bet in a bonus is different from the max bet of the game itself. For instance, a maximum stake at a Blackjack table may be $500, while the bonus max bet usually lies between $3 and $5. On the other hand, high rollers may get special offers that include an increased max bet or no max bet at all.
With or without withdrawal limits
In most cases, you can freely withdraw the whole amount after completing the wagering requirements. However, it is also possible that a casino may limit the available total for the withdrawal.
Typically, withdrawal limits are applied to no deposit bonuses. A casino credits your account with money or free spins, not asking for a deposit, but, in its turn, limits the amount you can win, let’s say, at $50 or $100. Deposit bonuses may also come with withdrawal limits, but they are usually relatively high. For instance, you may be allowed to withdraw up to $50,000 from a deposit of $100, of course, if you manage to win.
By eligibility
No deposit bonus for new players
No deposit bonuses are absolutely free and awarded to all new players by some casinos. All you have to do is create a new account and visit the bonus section to find the offer. No deposit bonuses usually come in the form of a few free spins or a symbolic monetary value, like $3 or $5. Moreover, it’s tough to find a no deposit bonus without withdrawal limits, so don’t expect to win a lot.
Welcome bonus
A welcome bonus or a sign-up bonus is the bonus you get upon registration with your first or multiple first deposits. Most often, this is a combination of a deposit match and free spins. For instance, you may be offered a 100% deposit bonus of up to $100 + 100 free spins.
A welcome bonus is the most lucrative offer you can get as a new player. However, be mindful of the potential pitfalls, as the bonus can easily become a burden if the casino applies onerous terms and conditions. More on that in the “How to Pick a Proper Casino Bonus” section.
Reload bonus
A reload bonus, on the other hand, is available to existing customers. Like the welcome bonus, it requires a deposit. Reload bonuses can be issued weekly on certain days or linked to some events, for instance, to the release of a new slot.
Reload bonuses are typically smaller in value than welcome bonuses. A standard reload bonus may comprise a 50% match + 25 free spins. The reload bonus is perfect for you if you have played at the casino before and want to increase your bankroll on the next deposit. Like most bonuses, this one comes with wagering requirements, but they may be more favorable compared to the welcome bonus.
Cashback bonus
A cashback bonus is essentially a partial refund of money you lost during the previous session. Cashbacks may be credited daily, weekly, or monthly and may include a monetary value or free spins. Often, cashback bonuses come without any wagering requirements and so are especially appealing.
Exclusive bonuses
An exclusive bonus is an offer that casinos can make to their most loyal players. Exclusive bonuses are often superior to the standard ones and may require lowered wagering or no wagering at all and include a massive match on the deposit, like 300%.
A casino can offer exclusive bonuses to a player upon reaching a specific VIP level. Some casinos don’t have a standalone VIP program and may credit such bonuses on their internal discretion. However, to be entitled to an exclusive bonus, you must be seen as a valuable player by the casino.
In fact, you don’t even have to play with mind-blowing amounts to receive special offers. In many places, players, who occasionally deposit $200 – 500, can expect such bonuses, but it is always up to the casino whether to make an offer or not. After all, an exclusive bonus is just a pleasant surprise and nothing more.
How to Pick a Proper Casino Bonus
It is no secret there is enormous competition in the gambling market, so bonuses became one of the casinos’ primary marketing tools. It may look like casinos effectively offer free money, but be vigilant, as they will try all to get it back.
We are here to show you how to avoid rookie mistakes and make the most out of the bonus.
Choose a reliable casino
A fair-dealing casino is absolutely required for satisfactory gambling experience. There are two dominant points when looking for a casino to play with a bonus.
First, there should be no hidden requirements in the bonus itself. Usually, all critical information, including the wager and the max bet, is stated on the bonus promo page. However, it’s always better to check the details, so you can avoid unwanted surprises in the future.
Secondly, the casino should have a good reputation. Sometimes, they offer unbelievably advantageous bonus terms, but, as the saying goes, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.” Shady casino operators may provide exceptional bonuses, knowing that they are not going to pay or planning on withholding your winnings for months. It doesn’t take much time to check what other people say about their experience at a certain casino. Get into the habit of checking the reputation first and making a deposit later, not vice versa.
Check the wagering requirements
Wagering requirements can be somewhat tricky. There are two ways to indicate them: as applied only to the bonus amount or to the bonus and deposit. The difference here is highly perceptible. For instance, if you pick a 50% bonus on a $30 deposit with a wager of 40x, in the first case, the requirement will be $15 bonus amount * 40x = $600. However, if together with the bonus amount you have to wager the deposit amount, the requirement will be ($30 +$15) * 40x = $1 800.
It’s not a crime for a casino to specify the wagering requirements as deposit + bonus. However, it should be clear from the terms which approach is used. If the wager is too low, chances are it applies both to the deposit and the bonus.
Check the bonus validity period
Most casino bonuses come with an expiration date. Occasionally, you are given only a day to claim and use the bonus. For instance, big packages of free spins may be provided in small amounts during a week. Consider if you can claim the free spins every day, or they may expire.
Check the eligible games
More often than not, casinos limit the number of games one can play with a bonus. In some cases, certain games are entirely restricted, while in other cases, these games may contribute less to the wagering requirements. Therefore, it’s essential to check the list of available games. For instance, you want to play Blackjack, but it may be restricted by the bonus terms.
Consider various bonus packages
It’s not unusual for welcome and reload bonuses to come in different variations. For example, the number of free spins may depend on the deposit size or there may be a different ratio between the monetary bonus and the number of free spins. Consider various bonus options and choose one closer to your risk profile.
Crypto Casinos with the Best Bonuses
All casinos from the list support deposits in Bitcoin (BTC), Litecoin (LTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tether (USDT), and Dogecoin (DOGE) and ensure fast payouts.
- Welcome bonus – 100% up to €100
- Weekly reload – 50% up to €100
- 50 free spins for any deposit of €/$20 or more
- Weekly lottery
- Slots race
- Welcome package of 4 bonuses up to €1,000 + 200 free spins
- Weekly reload – 50% up to €100
- 50 free spins for any deposit of €/$20 or more
- Weekly lottery
- Slots race
- Welcome bonus – 100% up to €100 + 100 free spins
- VIP program with multiple rewards, including deposit bonuses, free spins, and monetary value up to €10,000.
How to Claim Your Bonus
Claiming bonuses at an online casino couldn’t be more straightforward.
- If you are a new casino player, go to the Promotions tab to see what they offer. As mentioned above, carefully read terms and conditions before making a decision. If it’s all right, pick the bonus of your choice and make a deposit. You may be required to enter a bonus code specified in the description.
- If you have received an exclusive offer, follow the instructions in the email.
- If the bonus doesn’t appear in your account, contact support BEFORE placing the first bet with the deposited amount.
- Also, feel free to contact support if you have any questions in general. Every so often, they can even make you an offer that wasn’t listed on the Promotions page!
- Pick the games with the highest RTP to improve your odds of completing the wagering requirements, but make sure they are allowed by the bonus terms.
