An online casino bonus is an additional amount of money provided by a casino as an incentive to play their games. Players benefit by increasing their bankroll, play length, and chance to win.
Our casino bonus guide will help you every step of the way, from how to sign up for a casino bonus to what to look for in the fine print of the terms and conditions. You can find the latest casino bonus offers and learn all about the promotions you can claim.
Best online casino sign-up bonuses
of Gold Coins for $10
Different types of online casino bonuses
Casino sign-up bonuses come in various shapes and sizes. There are several types of these promotions in which players should become familiar. Here’s a rundown of the most popular bonus offers you will see from the top online casinos.
No-deposit sign-up bonus
A no-deposit bonus is the closest thing to “free money” online casinos offer. Players receive either free spins or a small amount of casino cash that can be used to play certain games. A casino may offer new players a $10 bonus without requiring a deposit. Players can use this $10 bonus to play any game they choose, such as slots, table games, or video poker.
Deposit match sign-up bonus
This type of bonus is a promotion where the casino matches a percentage of the deposit up to a maximum limit. For example, a 100% deposit match bonus up to $200 would mean that a player who deposits $200 would receive an additional $200 in bonus cash, for a total of $400 to play with.
How to deposit match bonuses are calculated:
| Example | Deposit | Bonus Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 20% deposit match bonus | $100 | $20 |
| 100% deposit match bonus | $100 | $100 |
| 200% deposit match bonus | $100 | $200 |
This is among the most popular welcome bonuses available at online casinos, but be sure to review its game-specific playthrough requirements.
Free spins bonus
Slot players can often find free spin bonus offers from online casinos. Many online casinos require you to deposit into your account before receiving free spins. Some online casinos refer to free spins as “extra spins” or “bonus spins.” These bonuses can be earned with a minimum deposit. Players can sometimes receive free spins as a part of a no deposit offer. Register at an online casino and start playing; it’s that easy. Generally speaking, new players will receive these immediately after registering at an online casino.
Loyalty programs
This rewards players for their loyalty to the casino by giving them points for their gameplay. Some loyalty programs offer 1 point for every $10 wagered, with players able to redeem 1,000 points for $10 in bonus cash.
Bonus buy slots
In recent years, Bonus Buy slots have quickly become popular with online casinos — especially slot enthusiasts. Bonus Buy slots allow players to buy their way into a slot bonus round.
Before taking a spin, players can select Bonus Buy, guaranteeing the chance to play for big prizes. Bonus Buy slots are exciting because now; players don’t have to spin the correct symbols to hit paydirt — get access to your bonus on a Bonus Buy slot.
Cashback bonus
This bonus returns a percentage of any losses incurred by the player while playing certain games. A cashback bonus could be a casino offering 10% cashback on net losses incurred during a particular week.
High roller bonus
Players with a history of making large deposits may be offered a high roller bonus where they receive a higher percentage deposit match than regular deposit bonuses and higher maximum limits. For example, a casino might offer a 50% high roller bonus of up to $5,000 for players who deposit $1,000 or more. This may also be provided to new players.
Reload bonus
This bonus is offered to current players when they make a subsequent deposit. An excellent example of a reload bonus would be a casino offering a 50% match bonus up to $100 for a player’s second deposit.
Refer-a-friend
This promotion rewards players who refer their friends to the casino. A refer-a-friend bonus could be a casino offering $50 in casino cash for each friend referred who signs up and makes a deposit.
Whether considering a casino sign-up bonus or existing player promotions, it’s essential to read the terms and conditions to understand any restrictions or wagering requirements. While these promos can enhance your gaming experience, only accept offers that suit your playing style and budget. You can go ahead and explore your options and choose one that works best for you.
Comparing real money casino bonuses, promos, and codes
The table below compares the best sign-up promo offers for real money casino players. When you compare online casino promos, make sure you pay attention to the playthrough requirements before you claim the bonus. They are significant indicators of the overall quality of a bonus.
| Casino | Best Bonus | Avg. Payout % | Bonus Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM Casino | $1,025 | 98.67% | PLAYUSACAS |
| DraftKings Casino | $285 | 97.89% | Click to claim promo |
| Caesars Palace Casino | $2,500 | 98.90% | FREE2500 |
| FanDuel Casino | $1,000 | 98.45% | Click to claim promo |
| BetRivers Casino | 24 hour losses back | 95.67% | RIVUSA |
| Golden Nugget Casino | $1,500 | 98.90% | PLAYBONUS |
| Betway Casino | $1,000 | 97.55% | None - Use Links |
Online casino bonus terms and conditions
With any online casino promo, it is essential to read and understand its terms and conditions to be considered. Sometimes, these terms and conditions can significantly affect the bonus’s quality, making it more or less attractive depending on its restrictions or limits.
Here are some explanations for some standard terms and conditions that you should be aware of:
Playthrough requirements
Players must bet a specified amount associated with the bonus offer to withdraw any money from an online casino bonus. These wagering requirements are designed to prevent players from immediately withdrawing cash from the casino. Playthrough requirements can be up to 20x, which means you’ll have to wager 20x the sum of your initial deposit.
For example, if you claimed $100 on a 100% deposit match, you would have $200. A player would have to wager 20 times before the total amount before withdrawing. $200 at 20 times would equal $4000 in total bets.
Game contributions
We mentioned above how some online casino bonuses come with wagering or playthrough requirements. For example, say you’ve received $100 with a 10x wagering requirement. That means you need to wager ten times the bonus amount — $100 x 10 = $1,000 — before the funds will be released into your account.
Sometimes, the amount you contribute to your wagering requirement depends on the particular casino game, with some game contributions being different than others.
For example, when DraftKings Casino assigns wagering requirements to a bonus, some games clear the requirement faster than others:
- Most slots — 100% contribution
- Blackjack, select table games, select slots — 20% contribution
- Live dealer games, video poker, baccarat, roulette — 10% contribution
- Craps, other games — 0% contribution
If you wager $100 at slots, you satisfy $100 worth of your wagering requirement as you work to clear the bonus (100%). However, if you wager $100 at blackjack, you only clear $20 of the wagering requirement (20%). If you wager $100 at video poker, you only clear $10 of the requirement (10%).
All of which is to say, don’t just make a note of a wagering requirement, but also look at the individual game contributions as you anticipate how much you’ll need to play to withdraw funds from the casino.
Time limitations
Time limitations are easier to understand but still essential to know about. An online casino bonus might need to be used within a certain period. Welcome bonuses often have to be used shortly after receiving them, such as during your first 24 hours or week on the site. You may have to forfeit if you don’t use it within the allotted time.
Wagering requirements often come with time limitations, too. You might have 90 days to satisfy a wagering requirement, which might not be a problem. But you might also only have one week to do so, and that could be difficult if it is a particularly arduous requirement.
Game limitation
A sign-up bonus for online casinos can be used to play any game on the site—however, some casinos limit which games you can play with these funds. One common type is free spins on slots; often, you might only be able to use those spins on a particular slot. In other instances, you can use the promotion on any available games except live dealer games.
Cap on winnings
Another factor worth considering is whether or not the online casino bonus has any associated cap on winnings. For example, BetMGM Casino has a welcome offer includes a $25 no deposit bonus, aka Freeplay. However much you can win with that bonus is yours, with no maximum limit or cap on the amount you can win. That said, BetMGM also sometimes offers what they call a withdrawal-restricted bonus that might be set up to limit the potential winning amount (among other possible restrictions).
You might also encounter other promotions with wagering requirements or other restrictions. A play-restricted bonus requires you to play a certain amount and perhaps a particular game to earn the prize, and if you play less than the requirement, that can function as a cap on your winnings.
How to calculate the value of your casino bonus
We’ve created a bonus calculator to help you understand how much you must bet to get your cash out.
- Enter the amount you are willing to deposit
- Add the percentage the casino is willing to match your deposit
- Fill in wagering requirements from the terms and conditions. These can be as low as 1x and as high as 30x
- If needed provide game contribution percentage.
- Hit calculate
Wagering Calculator
-
Results
- Free Bonus Money:
- Total Play Money:
- Amount You Need to Bet:
- Amount You Need to Bet:
How to choose an online casino bonus?
There are a few key factors to consider before deciding whether an online casino bonus is right for you:
How much of a bonus are you getting?
Consider the size of a particular casino bonus and how much money you need to risk to unlock the bonus credits. That will help you determine whether it suits your budget.
For example, players with large bankrolls might like to consider a 100% deposit match bonus worth up to $2,500. That means you can deposit $2,500 of your own money, leaving you with $5,000 to play with.
By contrast, casual players might be more attracted to an online casino offering a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $1,000, plus $25 on the house. In that case, you could deposit just $10 of your money to unlock $35 in bonus credits – $10 matched and $25 on the house. That would leave you with $45 to play with.
Consider the online casino you’ll be playing at
It is also essential to consider the game variety, game quality, and user experience at the online casino that is offering the bonus.
There is no point in claiming a welcome bonus at an online casino that does not offer your favorite games or accept your preferred payment methods.
Choose a legal online casino that offers a wide range of high-quality games in your state. You can also consider the rewards program, the ongoing promotions, the payout speeds, and the customer service on offer when making your decision.
Read the Terms & Conditions
Size matters when considering an online casino bonus. However, the wagering requirements are equally important, highlighting the likelihood of you cashing out a profit after claiming it.
These are the key terms and conditions to look out for before redeeming an online casino bonus:
- Playthrough requirements
- Game contribution rates
- Expiry dates
Gamble with what you can afford
For example, you might need to deposit $50 or more to unlock a 100% deposit match bonus at a particular online casino. If you only intended to play with $20 and cannot afford to deposit any additional funds, do not dip into money you had earmarked for essential expenses to claim the promo. If you think you might have a problem sticking to a budget, our responsible gambling guide could be of help to you.
Online casino bonus offers FAQs
Welcome bonuses are online casino incentives meant to encourage players to register accounts and play their games. They come in different forms, ranging from no-deposit cash bonuses to casino credits to other offers like free spins. However they come, they enable players to play more while spending less.
A online casino sign up bonus is a mutual benefit for the casino and the player. An online casino bonus benefits by attracting new players to their site while players earn additional money to play at their favorite slots and table games.
The best online casino bonus right now is from Caesars Palace. They currently 100% deposit match up to $2,500, plus and additional 2500 Reward Credits on $25+ wager.
Sometimes you need to enter a promo code to receive the bonus from the online casino. When signing up with the online casino, you will be provided with a space to enter the promo code. However, some online casino bonuses do not require a promo code and are automatically added to your account when you sign up.
BetMGM Casino consistently offers a nice selection of ongoing promotions to those who play games on the BetMGM Casino app. Still, it’s important to remember that promotions vary from state to state for each of the casino apps.
BetMGM has an ongoing Refer-a-Friend bonus of $50 for referring others to create accounts. There is a $10K Weekend Leaderboard promotion for which players earn leaderboard points by playing various games to win cash prizes. You’ll also find promos linked to specific games such as the recent Squealin’ Riches Bet & Get promotion inviting players to wager $30 on the Squealin’ Riches slot to receive $10 in FREEPLAY (casino credit).
Yes, the winnings can be withdrawn even if you have used a casino bonus, however, make sure you read through the bonus terms and conditions and consider the playthrough requirements, as these may vary depending on the promotion you used. Also remember that all casino winnings are taxable, including those from bonuses.
If you hit a jackpot using an online casino bonus, whether or not you can withdraw your winnings depends on the terms and conditions of the bonus and the casino. Some bonuses allow jackpot winnings, some exclude them, and some require additional wagering. It’s important to read the terms and conditions of the bonus carefully to understand the requirements and potential outcomes.
Most casinos may allow you to use only one bonus at a time. However, some types of online casino bonuses can be combined. For example, some casinos offer a deposit match bonus combined with free spins that you can use on a popular slot game. Just make sure to read through their terms and conditions to make sure you can use them simultaneously.
It depends on the casino, although in most cases you are only limited by the number of bonuses a particular online casino offers. Usually, each casino sign-up bonus has its maximum associated with it.
For example, a 100% deposit match bonus might award you a matching amount of money up to a particular total such as $500 or $1,000, thereby limiting the amount you can receive for that particular offer. You might also occasionally encounter bonuses that include a cap on winnings you can receive with the bonus.
That said, you can usually seek as much bonus money as a site offers. You can always earn bonuses on different sites, too, in order to increase the overall amount of bonus money you receive by signing up with multiple casinos.
Opting out of a bonus depends on the bonus type and the terms and conditions associated with it. Some casino online bonuses simply expire if you don’t take the necessary actions to receive them.
For example, if you receive a bonus with a wagering requirement and have seven days to complete the requirement but fail to do so, you forfeit the bonus (or the remaining unclaimed amount). Usually, you cannot simply cancel or opt out of a bonus after having already opted in, but again there are exceptions.