Casino Bonuses

What Are Casino Bonuses?

Even if you’re new to the world of online casinos, you can probably guess what a casino bonus is. You know how Vegas casinos give comps in the forms of free drinks, accommodation, or extra chips? Online casino bonuses up the ante with extra money you can spend under certain conditions in the casino. They are one of the best aspects of online casinos, with many players saying that these bonuses and free spins are even better than comps or extra chips in Vegas.

Why? Well, comps come only for players who spend big. In online casinos, everyone can get a bonus. Welcome bonuses are for new players, while deposit bonus offers are for new and existing players both. They are the ace in the sleeve of online casinos. Since competition on the market is rough, casino sites promise free money to lure players in and grow their fanbase.

Of course, nothing ever comes for free in a casino. There’s no such thing as free money, even in the case of a no deposit bonus. The fact is that casino bonuses come with plenty of bonus terms and conditions, many of which might be unfair. Of course, we only feature the best casino bonuses in 2024, meaning you get the latest casino bonuses with the fairest terms.

Casino Bonus Types

Almost every gambling site offers a casino welcome bonus, but the extra money can also come in other shapes and sizes. There are many different casino bonuses to claim and they’re not all tied to a deposit. Cashbacks and reloads are for loyal players, just like VIP rewards. New players get a deposit bonus and free spins in most casinos, while the best gaming sites will offer no deposit bonus spins or something similar.

Let’s take a look at all the different casino bonus offers and say a few important things about them.

Welcome Bonuses

Nearly any casino in the industry has welcome deposit casino bonuses for new players. It’s pretty strange when a site doesn’t have one, but it happens. The good news is that the casinos we recommend all have a welcome bonus, which you can most likely claim on your initial deposit.

Welcome bonuses are a great idea for new players as long as the terms are fair. In the online gambling industry, it’s the most common type of bonus you’ll come across. In general, casinos usually offer a 100% match bonus on your first deposit which typically come with free spins. The bonus spins are a nice touch, especially when they’re available on the top slot games. Of course, the welcome package is never free. You must wager the deposit bonus and free spins winnings a certain number of times before you can claim any winnings.

Deposit Bonuses

Online gambling sites will continue boosting your bonuses beyond the welcome package. A deposit bonus may cover any of your deposits 100% or less. They have terms and conditions too, and work best when their wagering requirements are low enough. Keep an eye on other important terms when claiming a deposit bonus, more specifically the maximum bonus you can claim, the bet size, and eligible games.

No Deposit Bonus

This is the Holy Grail among casino bonuses online. The no deposit bonus doesn’t need you to fund your account in order to get bonus money. Due to that fact, it’s typically smaller than a deposit bonus or the batch of free spins you get as part of the welcome package. A no deposit bonus might also be exclusively offered from the casino’s partners, in which case it might require a bonus code.

Typically, the no deposit offer will be a free spins bonus, something like 25 spins on Starburst on sign up. It still comes with a host of terms, so read the fine print before you claim it, no matter how good it looks.

Cashback Bonuses

Cashback casino promotions give you cash back under certain conditions. It’s not an absolute must for all online casino sites, but its use is on the rise in recent years. Cashbacks are usually delivered on net losses during a certain period, and are available to all players unless stated otherwise.

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses reloads your bankroll every week or month. A reload bonus is commonly part of VIP packages, where the higher you climb up the VIP ladder, the more frequent reloads you’ll get.

Free Spins

Free spins are pretty common casino bonuses that you can only spent on online slot machines. They usually come as part of welcome bonuses, and are typically among the top online casino bonuses you can use. Of course, just like any other bonus, they have wagering requirements too, so they’re not free to use despite the name.

You can get bonus spins on the biggest slot hits or new online slots. They can come in two varieties – a deposit match bonus or a no deposit offer. More often, free spins are handed out as a mobile casino bonus to get players to download an app. Online casinos offer them pretty often, since it’s not extra money you’re getting. But, you can win real money and convert your free spins winnings once you complete the wagering requirements.

Loyalty Bonuses

Loyalty bonus offers are for VIPs only. These bonus winnings aren’t necessarily money. Some online casinos offer gadgets, trips, and other exclusive bonuses to VIPs, so it’s not just only bonus funds you’ll be getting.

Wagering Requirements

If you’ve ever claimed an online casino bonus, you’ve surely seen the term wagering requirements and wondered what it is. It’s the most important part of bonus T&Cs, stating how many times you need to play the bonus over to claim your winnings. No bonus comes for free, and the wagering requirements are the price you pay for using the extra money or free spins.

To put things into perspective, when you claim a $100 bonus with your casino account with wagering requirements of 20x, you need to spend a total of $2,000 to be eligible for a withdrawal. That’s a lot of money, which is why you should read the terms before you claim a bonus. That’s how casino bonuses work, and if you’re not ready to cover the wagering, you shouldn’t even claim a bonus on your first deposit or otherwise.

Most online casinos will keep the wagering in the 20x-30x range, which is high enough. For a clear shot at your winnings, we suggest finding bonuses with wagering requirements of 10-15x.

Withdraw

No, you can’t, and that’s where the wagering requirements come in. The best casino bonus sites will keep them low and fair. Of course, you will also come across casinos where the sign up bonus has unreasonably high wagering requirements. Online casino bonuses worth thousands of dollars mean nothing if the wagering is set to 50x or something of the sorts. There’s no amount of real money casino games that can help you wager bonus money that high, much less in a short timeframe.

In most cases, this will just be an unused bonus, especially if you’re a new player not ready to spend big on online casino games.

Casino Bonus Examples

While casinos are free to set their own bonuses, most stick to a certain pattern, especially when talking about the first deposit bonus or welcome bonuses. Free spins also always come in batches, meaning you won’t ever see a single or a pair of free spins offered – there will most likely be 10, 20, 30, or even a few hundred.

• Welcome bonus: 100% match on your first deposit up to $100 + 100 free spins (wagering requirements 30x in 30 days, max bonus bet $5. Maximum bonus amount – $200)
• Deposit bonus: 75% boost on your deposit on Wednesday (wagering requirements 25x, maximum bonus amount $100)
• Free spins: 20 free spins on Book of Dead when you deposit $50 or more on Tuesdays
• Cashback bonuses: 10% cashback on net losses from Monday to Friday
• Reload bonuses: Happy Hour reload bonus of 40% every Friday from 5-7 PM

How to Find the Best Casino Bonus

How to Find the Best Casino Bonus

There are plenty of fish in the casino bonus sea, but they’re not all worth a catch. The best deposit and free spins bonuses are right here on this page, and our experts have ranked them after a thorough inspection of their terms and value. A generous welcome bonus might look great to the untrained eye, but no matter how much bonus cash it offers, it may ultimately be let down by its terms.

Let’s take a look at what you need to pay attention to when getting ‘free cash’ in casinos on the web.

Minimum Deposit

The first you need to check is the minimum deposit. For example, a welcome bonus shouldn’t have too high of a min. deposit. It should be in the $10-$20 range, since you’re already spending money to get your bonus worth. If the minimum is set to $50, something’s fishy and you should take a look at the terms. Most players aren’t willing to spend more than $10 or $20 on welcome deposit bonuses, so you should get a look at this condition.

Bonus Size

The size of the welcome bonus or any other bonus for that matter is important too. It doesn’t matter if it’s a generous sign up bonus if the terms are unfair. The best online casino bonuses will give you a reasonable bonus amount with low wagering requirements and other solid terms too.

Wagering Requirements

We already talked about the wagering requirements. Different bonus types will have different wagering, so depending if you’re getting a welcome bonus or a match bonus, you will find the wagering different.

Eligible Games

Not all casino games qualify for bonus wagering. For example, live casino games are almost always excluded from the wagering. In most cases, all bets on slots with a deposit match bonus will count compared to a live casino bonus which is specifically aimed at live dealer titles. Keep an eye on the list of excluded games, as some might not qualify for the bonus bets at all.

Casino Bonus Code

When getting a reload bonus, loyalty bonuses, or any first deposit offer, check if it needs a bonus code. If you don’t redeem it, you won’t be able to get and spend the bonus amount.

Online Casino Bonus Terms and Conditions

The bonus lingo can be confusing, but we’re here to let you in on a few of the most important terms. Whether it’s casino or sports betting bonuses, the language is the same, so you’ll meet the same terms.

• Minimum Deposit: the minimum deposit is the first thing you’ll meet on a banner along with the wagering requirements. It states the minimum amount you must spend in order to claim a bonus.
• Wagering Requirements: as mentioned earlier, this term explains the number of times you need to play the bonus over before you can withdraw. For example, a bonus of $50 with wagering of 10 means you must spend $500 before making a withdrawal request.
• Maximum Bet Size: the maximum size of the bet you can play with the bonus. You can splash the full amount in one try, with most bet sizes capped at $5 per spin or round, depending on the casino games.
• Maximum Bonus Cash: this term describes the maximum amount of bonus cash you can get when you claim a bonus offer.
• Eligible Games: the list of slot games and other types of games that you can spend casino bonuses on. They don’t the same to the wagering. Typically, all bets on slots will count, but live casino games may not count at all.
• Bonus Codes: some deposit bonuses (or any other bonus offer) will require you to use a bonus or promo code. It’s usually a bold-lettered phrase or word that describes what the bonus offers.

FAQ: Casino Bonuses

What is a casino bonus?

Casino bonuses are special offers that can be claimed by new players upon sign up or loyal players as they continue to deposit and play.

Where Can I Get an Online Casino Bonus?

All Canadian online casinos have bonuses on offer. The majority will offer welcome bonuses, paving the way for deposit and no deposit bonus offers, free spins, and loyalty rewards.

Which Casino Bonus Is the Best?

It depends on what you like. Slot fans prefer free spins, while regular players like deposit bonuses. Make sure to check the promo lobbies of online casinos to see what each one offers and find one that will suit your interests the most.

Can I Use More Than One Bonus in an Online Casino?

No, you can’t. While there are some exceptions, you won’t be able to mix most casino bonuses with other offers.

How Often Will I Be Offered a Casino Bonus?

There are plenty of casino bonuses to be excited about. Each online casino determines the frequency on its own, but in general you can expect a welcome bonus, deposit and no deposit bonuses, free spins, and other offers pretty frequently.

Is There A Maximum Amount I Can Bet when Using a Bonus?

Yes, all bonuses have the maximum bet size capped. In most online casinos, it’ll be set at $5. When it comes to free spins, they’re worth less than a buck, usually $0.10 or $0.20.

Can I Wait to Use My Casino Bonus?

No, you can’t. Since you’ll need to complete the wagering in a pre-determined period, it’s best to start using your casino bonus right away.

Pros & Cons of an Online Casino Bonuses

Where Can Players Find the Best Online Casino Bonuses?

No need to look for the best casino bonuses on your own. Players have the top casino promotions right here on this page, so you can just point and click.