Five terms decide what a bonus is worth in practice.

Wagering

Wagering, sometimes called playthrough, means staking a bonus a set number of times before cashing out. Say you claim a 100% match of £100 with a 35x requirement. The target is £3,500 of bets, and the £100 itself is only the starting point. Find out whether the multiplier applies to the bonus alone or to bonus plus deposit, since the latter doubles the turnover although the advert looks identical.

Game weighting

Each game type chips away at the target at its own pace. Slots typically count 100%, table games often 10% or 5%, and live dealer and jackpot games frequently add nothing at all. Using the same £3,500 target, a 5% weighting on roulette would demand £70,000 of bets, which is twenty times the slot figure.

Maximum bet while clearing

While a bonus is active, the terms usually cap each stake, often at about £5. One bet above the cap can void your winnings, and it is the leading cause of refused withdrawals. Staking £2 a time against a £3,500 target means 1,750 bets, so pick a stake well under the cap.

Maximum withdrawal

No-deposit offers especially tend to limit the cash-out, whatever the spins earn. Treat that limit as the true value of the offer, and ignore the number of free spins on the banner.

Verification

Licensed operators are required to check who you are before they pay. Send your documents at sign-up rather than at your first withdrawal. Doing so can turn a wait of days into a payout within hours.

Four checks before you opt in

  • Convert the multiplier into a pound turnover figure.
  • Look up the weighting for your games.
  • Note the stake and withdrawal caps.
  • Verify your identity early.