A "$1,000 welcome bonus" is the headline. The wagering requirement is the fine print — and the fine print is what decides whether that bonus is worth claiming or a trap that locks up your own money. Most players read the headline and click. Smart players read the terms first.
This guide explains every common casino bonus type, how wagering requirements actually work (with the math worked out), and the handful of terms that matter far more than the headline number. It's market-neutral: the mechanics here apply whether you play in Canada, Australia, or anywhere else.
The main bonus types
Casinos market a lot of offers under different names, but they nearly all reduce to a few mechanics.
| Bonus type | What you get | Typical catch |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome / match bonus | A percentage match on your deposit (often 100%, sometimes up to 200–400%) | Wagering on the bonus, sometimes on the deposit too |
| No-deposit bonus | A small bonus or a few free spins just for registering | High wagering and low max-cashout caps |
| Free spins | A set number of slot spins (10, 20, 50+) | Winnings are usually bonus funds with wagering attached |
| Reload bonus | A match on later deposits, not just the first | Lower cap than the welcome, but often friendlier terms |
| Cashback | A percentage of net losses returned (commonly 5–20%) | May itself carry light wagering; rates rise with VIP tier |
| No-wagering bonus | Winnings paid as real cash, no rollover | Smaller headline value, often game-restricted |
The pattern: the bigger and louder the headline, the heavier the strings. A 400% match with 50x wagering can be worth less, in practice, than a modest 100% match at 25x — or a small no-wagering offer you can actually cash out.
Wagering requirements, explained properly
A wagering requirement (also called playthrough or rollover) is the number of times you must bet a bonus before any winnings from it become withdrawable. It's written as a multiplier like 35x.
The single most important question is 35x of what? — because casinos apply it two different ways:
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35x the bonus. You wager the bonus amount 35 times.
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35x (deposit + bonus). You wager the combined total 35 times — far harder.
Worked example. You deposit $100 and get a $100 match with 35x wagering.
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If it's 35x the bonus: 35 × $100 = $3,500 in total bets before you can withdraw.
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If it's 35x deposit + bonus: 35 × $200 = $7,000 in total bets.
Same headline, double the work. Always check which basis applies — it's the difference between a clearable bonus and one you'll likely never finish. Typical requirements run 20x–50x; anything above 50x is steep, and 10x–20x is genuinely player-friendly.
Sticky vs non-sticky: the distinction that matters most
This is the term most players have never heard of, and it changes everything about how a bonus behaves.
Non-sticky (parachute) bonus. Your deposit and the bonus are kept separate, and you play with your own money first. If you win while still on your deposit, you can withdraw your winnings and your deposit with no wagering at all — the bonus only activates if you lose your deposit. This is the player-friendly structure: it's effectively a safety net.
Sticky (non-cashable) bonus. The bonus is glued to your balance and can never be withdrawn — it's only fuel for wagering. You must clear the full wagering requirement, and even then the bonus amount itself is removed when you cash out; you keep only the winnings above it. Sticky bonuses usually carry higher requirements precisely because the house faces less risk.
If a casino doesn't say which it is, assume sticky and read carefully. Given the choice, a non-sticky bonus is almost always the better deal.
The terms that quietly decide everything
The multiplier gets the attention, but these clauses do most of the damage:
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Game weighting. Not every game counts the same toward wagering. Slots usually count 100%, but table games like blackjack and roulette often count 10% or even 0%. Bet $100 on blackjack at 10% weighting and only $10 goes toward clearing the bonus. If you plan to play tables, a "low wagering" slots bonus may be useless to you.
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Max bet while wagering. Most bonuses cap your bet size — commonly around $5 — until the bonus is cleared. Place a single bet above the cap and you can void the entire bonus and its winnings. This is the most common way players accidentally forfeit a bonus.
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Maximum cashout. No-deposit and free-spin offers frequently cap how much you can withdraw (e.g. winnings capped at $100), no matter how much you win.
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Time limit. Bonuses expire — often within 7–30 days. Unfinished wagering at expiry usually means the bonus and its winnings vanish.
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Excluded games. Some high-RTP slots are barred from bonus play entirely, because they'd clear wagering too efficiently.
When you compare offers, compare these, not the headline. Our How to Choose an Online Casino guide covers vetting the operator itself; this is about vetting the offer.
How to read a bonus before you claim it
A quick five-point check before clicking "claim":
- Wagering basis and multiplier — is it ×bonus or ×(deposit+bonus), and what's the number?
- Sticky or non-sticky — can the bonus convert to cash, or only the winnings above it?
- Game weighting — do the games you actually play count toward clearing it?
- Max bet and max cashout — what's the bet cap, and is there a winnings ceiling?
- Expiry — can you realistically clear it in the time allowed?
If a bonus scores badly on these, the bigger headline doesn't save it. Sometimes the right move is to decline the bonus entirely and play with your own funds, with no strings on your withdrawals.
Is a bonus ever worth it?
Yes — when the terms are fair. A 100% match at 25x on the bonus only, non-sticky, with slots at 100% weighting and a reasonable expiry, genuinely extends your play and your chances. A no-wagering free-spins offer is pure upside, just smaller. The goal isn't to avoid bonuses; it's to claim the ones whose math works in your favour and skip the ones engineered to look generous while being nearly impossible to clear.
For where bonuses fit into overall play, our high vs low volatility guide and highest-RTP slots breakdown explain how game choice affects how efficiently you clear wagering. When you're ready to compare offers, see our casino reviews.
Frequently asked questions
What does 35x wagering mean? You must place bets totalling 35 times the bonus before winnings become withdrawable. On a $100 bonus that's $3,500 in bets — or $7,000 if the requirement applies to deposit + bonus combined. Always check which basis is used.
What's the difference between sticky and non-sticky bonuses? A non-sticky bonus keeps your deposit separate so you can withdraw deposit winnings without wagering; the bonus only activates if you lose your deposit. A sticky bonus must be fully wagered and the bonus amount itself is never withdrawable — only winnings above it.
Why didn't my table-game bets clear the bonus? Game weighting. Slots usually count 100% toward wagering, while blackjack and roulette often count 10% or 0%. Check the weighting table before choosing what to play.
Can I lose a bonus by betting too much? Yes. Most bonuses set a max bet (often around $5) while wagering. A single bet above the cap can void the bonus and any winnings from it.
Are no-wagering bonuses really better? Often, yes. They're usually smaller, but winnings are paid as real cash you can withdraw immediately — no rollover, no math, no expiry trap.
The bottom line
The headline number sells the bonus; the terms decide its value. Before you claim anything, check the wagering basis and multiplier, whether it's sticky or non-sticky, game weighting, the max-bet and max-cashout caps, and the expiry. A modest, fair offer beats a giant one wrapped in conditions you can't realistically meet — and sometimes no bonus at all, with clean withdrawals, is the smartest play.
Gambling should be entertainment, not a way to make money. Only play with funds you can afford to lose, set deposit and time limits, and take breaks. Bonuses are designed to encourage play — never deposit more than you intended just to claim one. If gambling stops being fun, confidential support is available through your national problem-gambling helpline. Must be of legal gambling age in your jurisdiction (18+ or 19+ depending on region).