Everything You Have to Know About Wagering Requirements

Last Updated on September 2, 2024 by Mary

The world of online gambling is littered with promotions, bonuses and special offers, some of which are better than others, some of which may even seem too good to be true.

Casinos and sports betting sites primarily use promotions, bonuses and special offers to entice players, though this doesn’t mean that customers shouldn’t look to take advantage, as some bonuses and promotions are certainly worth snapping up.

However, very few gambling bonuses and promotions come without wagering requirements attached.

In this article, we’re going to look at all things related to wagering requirements, such as what wagering requirements are, the different types of wagering requirements, plus why you should pay attention to them before accepting an offer.

What are wagering requirements?

Let’s start nice and simple. What are wagering requirements?

If you’ve done any amount of gambling, particularly online, then chances are, you will have taken advantage of a welcome offer when registering with a bookmaker or casino, which means that it’s likely that you’ll have stumbled across the concept of wagering requirement, though if not this explanation is for you.

Wagering requirements are requirements set by either a casino or a bookmaker. These requirements come attached to an offer or promotion. Lots of offers involve a player receiving either free bets or bonus cash. Typically, to receive the bonus funds, a player either has to wager a certain amount or will need to playthrough the bonus funds a certain number of times before they can withdraw, thus meeting the wagering requirements.

In general, wagering requirements dictate the amount of money you need to wager before you are permitted to withdraw any winnings that you may have generated using your bonus.

Wagering requirements are commonly used by online casinos and betting sites to stop players from simply signing up to take advantage of a bonus and then never playing again. Before the online gambling industry became as clued up as it is now, many players used to abuse bonuses, signing up at multiple different sites just to claim the bonus, never using any funds of their own.

Wagering requirements make it much harder for players to abuse promotions and special offers.

Types of wagering requirements

Wagering requirements come in different forms. You may have to playthrough your bonus a certain number of times, only certain games/markets may count towards the wagering requirements, the wagering requirements may have time limits, and you may also have to wager a certain amount before you are given your bonus.

Let’s look at these types in more detail:

Playthrough requirements

This is the most common type of wagering requirement. Most bonuses and offers that have wagering requirements attached require players to continue betting with their bonus funds a certain number of times before they are allowed to make a withdrawal.

This may sound complicated, but it’s really rather simple. Let’s say you sign up for a new online casino and are awarded $20 in bonus funds. The bonus funds have a 5x wagering requirement. This means that if you win using your bonus funds, you have to wager the amount a further four times before you can make a withdrawal.

It’s important to check if a bonus or promotion has playthrough requirements, as it may make the offer look far less appealing. At the end of the day, not everybody wants to play through their bonus a certain number of times before they can withdraw, as there’s a good chance that you’ll lose before you get to the point of withdrawal.

Up front requirements

Some bonuses carry playthrough requirements, in fact, most do, but some bonuses also require you to bet a certain amount of your own money upfront as well.

In other words, to get the bonus cash, free casino money, or free spins that you desire, you need to bet a certain amount, typically on a certain game or certain market, in order to unlock the bonus.

For example, you may get something like $50 in free bets when you bet $50 first. On top of that, there may be a playthrough requirement of 10x. Again, this is why it is important to check the details of any bonus or promotion before accepting, as you may not be willing to accept such stipulations.

Time limits

Some wagering requirements have a time limit attached. This means that you will have to meet the terms of the wagering requirements by a certain date. If you fail to do so, your bonus or winnings generated from your bonus may be revoked.

For example, once your bonus or free bets have been unlocked, you may have only three days to meet the playthrough requirements. The time limits on wagering requirements vary depending on the operator, but again, it’s a good idea to check for time limits before accepting a bonus or offer, as you may not plan on paying frequently enough within the given timeframe to make the bonus count.

Wagering requirements tips and tricks

As someone who has worked for numerous casinos, I know a thing or two about promotions and bonuses, so here are a couple of tips and tricks regarding wagering requirements.

Always check the terms and conditions.

When it comes to wagering requirements, it is hugely important to check the terms and conditions of the bonus or offer that you’re about to accept.

For example, I wouldn’t want to accept a bonus that has a playthrough requirement of 50x, as it’s highly likely that I would lose long before I got to the point where I could withdraw the cash that I’d been able to generate from the bonus.

Some offers seem great at first glance, but they often carry terms and conditions, such as heavy playthrough requirements, that make them far less appealing. Unless you check the T&Cs, you won’t know, so take the time to read the details of any offer before accepting it.

Look for low-wagering requirements.

Not all bonuses and free bets carry large wagering requirements. Sure, some do require you to play through the bonus funds 50 or even 100 times, but many offers have much more user-friendly playthrough requirements, such as 1x, 2x, or 3x.

By only accepting the offers that carry lower wagering requirements, you can give yourself the best chance of actually generating withdrawable profit with your bonus funds or free bets.

Snap-up offers that have no wagering requirements

Though rare, there are some bonuses and offers that carry no wagering requirements. Such offers are certainly player-favorable and should be taken into account. After all, it’s not often that a casino gives you anything for free, so you should certainly take advantage of bonuses and offers that have no wagering requirements attached.

Wagering Requirements FAQ