Casino Bonus Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements are the single biggest factor that separates advertised bonus value from what you actually get.
A $1,000 first deposit bonus with a 10x rollover is an entirely different offer than a $1,000 bonus with a 30x rollover, even though the advertised dollar amounts are identical. The wagering requirement is the first number to check on any bonus offer, and it is often the only one that matters.
This page explains how playthrough requirements work, how to calculate what any offer is actually worth when you take into account its wagering rules, and which other terms shape the real value of an online casino bonus.
Casino Bonuses with Low Rollover
What “Casino Bonus Playthrough” Means
A wagering requirement, also known as “playthrough” or “rollover,” is the total dollar amount you must bet on eligible games before your bonus funds (or the winnings derived from your bonus funds) convert to withdrawable cash.
The multiplier tells you how the casino calculates the offer’s wagering requirement. For example, a 15x rollover requirement on a $100 bonus means you need to place $1,500 in total wagers to clear the bonus (or winnings) for withdrawal.
That doesn’t mean you need to win or lose $1,500. It means you must cycle $1,500 through eligible casino games, and every bet counts toward the total whether it wins or loses.
What Happens When You Meet the Wagering Requirement
Completing a casino wagering requirement triggers one of two outcomes, depending on the offer’s terms and conditions:
- Cashable Casino Bonuses: With a cashable bonus, the bonus funds themselves and any winnings you generated along the way become withdrawable as cash.
- Sticky Casino Bonuses: With a sticky (non-cashable) casino bonus, only the winnings above the original bonus amount become withdrawable. When you initiate a withdrawal after clearing a sticky bonus, the casino removes the initial bonus amount from your account.
It’s worth understanding the differences between cashable and sticky casino bonuses before claiming any offer, because it dramatically changes what you walk away with after you complete the wagering requirement.
See our cashable casino bonuses guide for a full explainer of the differences between the two types and how to tell them apart when reading through any offer’s terms and conditions:
How Wagering Requirements Affect Real Bonus Value
Advertised bonus amounts (“get a bonus worth up to X”) tell you little about any offer’s real value. The only way to compare online casino bonuses accurately is to estimate the expected cost of clearing each offer for withdrawal and subtract that cost from the bonus amount.
Here’s how you work that out:
- Total wagers required x house edge = expected cost to clear
- Bonus amount – expected cost = net expected value
The house edge is the inverse of any game’s return-to-player figure (RTP). For example, a slot with a 96% RTP has a house edge of 4%, while a slot with a 94% RTP has a house edge of 6%. The higher the house edge on the games you use to clear the bonus, the more it erodes your balance as you play through it.
As a result, you calculate the expected cost of meeting an offer’s wagering requirement by multiplying the total amount of wagers you’ll need to place by the average house edge of the games you intend to play.
For example, here’s how you would calculate the expected value of a $500 bonus with a 15x rollover if you clear by playing slots with an average RTP of 96%:
- Total wagering required: $500 x 15 = $7,500
- Expected cost to clear: $7,500 x 0.04 = $300
- Net expected value: $500 – $300 = $200
So, by running this calculation, we determined that a bonus with an advertised value of $500 is actually worth $200 from an expected value standpoint.
Clearing the same bonus on slots with an average RTP of 92% would have an expected cost of $600, wiping out the offer’s entire value and then some. This example demonstrates why both the wagering requirement and the games you choose to clear it matter enormously.
Example: Similar Bonuses, Different Outcomes
Two bonuses with similar advertised values can produce dramatically different outcomes once you run the above calculation.
Offer 1: A $1,000 first deposit bonus with a 5x wagering requirement, cleared on 96% RTP slots.
- Total wagering required: $1,000 x 5 = $5,000
- Expected cost to clear: $5,000 x 0.04 = $200
- Net expected value: $1,000 – $200 = $800
Offer 2: A $1,000 first deposit bonus with a 20x wagering requirement, cleared on 96% slots.
- Total wagering required: $1,000 x 20 = $20,000
- Expected cost to clear: $20,000 x 0.04 = $800
- Net expected value: $1,000 – $800 = $200
Both bonuses provide value, but the second offer is worth dramatically less once we account for the expected cost of meeting its higher wagering requirement.
Neither outcome is guaranteed in any single session (variance can push your results in either direction), but the expected value is what determines whether an offer is worth your time over the long run.
Wagering Requirement Costs Calculator
Expected value represents the typical mathematical outcome over many plays. Any individual playthrough can land higher or lower due to variance. The calculator assumes you clear the full wagering requirement on games at the selected RTP, with slot contribution at 100%.
Other Wagering Requirement Rules Worth Knowing
The wagering requirement multiplier (e.g., 5x, 10x, etc.) is a critical metric for determining the value of any bonus, but the following terms can also have a significant impact on whether you can realistically clear the offer and what you walk away with when you do.
Rollover on the Bonus Amount Only or the Deposit + Bonus
Most casino bonuses apply the wagering requirement to the bonus amount alone, but occasionally, they apply it to both the bonus and the original deposit.
For example, imagine depositing $500 to claim a 100% first deposit bonus with a 10x wagering requirement:
- A standard bonus would apply the rollover to the bonus amount only, meaning you would have to wager $5,000 to clear the bonus for withdrawal (10x rollover x $500 bonus).
- Rarely, the bonus would apply the rollover requirement to the bonus amount and the initial deposit. In that case, you would have to wager $10,000 to clear the bonus (10x rollover x [$500 bonus + $500 deposit]).
The second bonus requires twice as much play to clear the same bonus, which means roughly twice the expected loss to the house edge before the funds become withdrawable.
Bonus Clearing Time Limits
Every wagering requirement comes with a deadline. If you don’t meet the wagering requirement by the deadline, the casino removes the bonus funds and any associated winnings from your balance.
Typical time limits range from 7 to 30 days and have a significant impact on whether you have a realistic chance to clear a bonus for withdrawal. A generous-looking wagering requirement paired with a tight window can make it nearly impossible for casual players to clear some bonuses.
For example, consider a $500 bonus with a 20x playthrough requirement and a 7-day deadline. You’d need to place $10,000 worth of wagers to clear the bonus, which works out to roughly $1,430 per day.
A player wagering $2 per spin would need to place 715 spins per day, for seven consecutive days. Larger bets would decrease the spin count but increase variance and the odds of losing the balance before meeting the wagering requirement.
It would be wise to consider how many wagers you’ll need to place every day before opting in to any bonus. If the numbers don’t fit your typical play habits, the bonus isn’t worth the trouble, regardless of its advertised value.
Game Restrictions and Contribution Rates
With most online casino bonuses, different games contribute to the wagering requirement at varying rates.
Slots almost always count at 100%, meaning every dollar wagered counts as a full dollar toward the playthrough requirement. Table games, video poker, and certain specialty games usually contribute at reduced rates or not at all.
For example, many casino bonuses count blackjack wagers at a 10% contribution rate. In that case, clearing a $5,000 wagering requirement would require $50,000 in actual blackjack wagers.
Note: The following figures are just typical contribution rates, so you should still verify the specifics for any bonus you’re considering claiming.
| Game Type | Typical Contribution Rate |
| Most slots | 100% |
| Scratch cards / instant win games | 100% |
| Roulette | 10-20% |
| Blackjack | 0-10% |
| Baccarat | 0-10% |
| Craps | 0-10% |
| Video Poker | 0-10% |
| Excluded slots* | 0% |
*The terms and conditions of most online casino bonuses include a list of specific slot games that do not count toward the wagering requirement.
The main takeaway here is that players who primarily play non-slot games like blackjack and other table games should always check an offer’s terms for contribution rates. A bonus that credits slots at 100% and all other games at 10% is effectively a slots-only bonus.
Order of Funds and Pending Bonus Balance
Most legal online casinos keep your deposited cash and bonus funds in separate balances. The casino's "order of funds" policy determines which balance gets debited first when you place a bet.
Typically, online casinos draw from your cash balance first, which means your bonus funds function as a backstop rather than as additional money stacked on top of your bankroll. You only actually play with bonus funds once your deposit runs out. In other words, a $500 deposit paired with a $500 bonus gives you $1,000 in total playable funds, but the first $500 at risk is your own money.
During the playthrough, the bonus sits in a "pending" or "locked" balance that shows your progress toward clearing. You can see how much of the wagering requirement you've completed, but you cannot withdraw any portion of the pending balance until the full requirement is met.
Max Bet Limits While Clearing a Bonus
Licensed online casinos often limit the size of individual bets you can place while clearing a bonus. Common limits range from $5 to $10 per spin or hand, although some operators set higher thresholds.
Exceeding the max bet limit, even accidentally on a single spin, can void the entire bonus and any winnings derived from it. This rule rarely appears in the main promotional material; you’ll often only see it when reading deep into the offer’s terms and conditions.
Always confirm the max bet limit before playing through a bonus. If you typically wager above the cap, it will take you longer than you might expect to clear the bonus and put you at risk of missing the deadline.
How to Find These Terms in the T&Cs
Bonus terms and conditions pages are long, inconsistently formatted, and rarely summarized in a way that makes the important details easy to find. Running an on-page search for these specific phrases will help you identify the key terms:
- Search for "wagering requirement," "playthrough," or "rollover" to find the multiplier and whether it applies to the bonus funds only or your deposit plus the bonus funds.
- Search for "game contribution" or "eligible games" to find contribution rates and excluded titles.
- Search for "maximum bet" or "max wager" to find the per-bet cap.
- Search for "order of funds" or "priority of funds" to find which balance gets debited first.
- Search for "expiration" or "time limit" to find the clearing deadline.
Gambling Responsibly While Clearing Casino Bonuses
Bonus wagering requirements are not ideal from a responsible gambling standpoint. A rollover requirement encourages players to keep playing to meet a specific wagering requirement by a certain deadline, which runs counter to the basic responsible gambling principles of treating gambling as entertainment and sticking to a budget.
Setting a loss limit before starting a playthrough is particularly useful because wagering requirement deadlines can create pressure to keep playing even when you're losing or no longer find it fun.