Bonus Wagering Requirements and Rollover

Written by: Webster Lupton , Casino, Gambling, and Sports Journalist

A wagering requirement, also known as a rollover or play-through, is the total amount you need to bet before you can withdraw any winnings from your casino bonus funds. Usually, you have to meet this requirement within a specific timeframe.

When you get a casino bonus, it’s usually the first thing you’ll notice in the terms and conditions. But what exactly does a 35x wagering requirement mean? Is it the same as playthrough requirements?

In this guide, I’ll break down what wagering requirements are and how they work. You’ll learn about common casino rollovers, tips to clear them, and the best strategies to beat a bonus and cash out. Let’s dive in!

What Are Bonus Wagering Requirements?

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In simple terms, a wagering requirement is a rule online casinos have for withdrawing a bonus.

It means you have to bet the bonus amount a certain number of times before you can cash out any winnings from that promotion. And yes, you’ll need to deposit to your account to claim most promos.

This helps prevent bonus abuse and ensures that players don’t just take the money and run. Without this rule, someone could just withdraw the funds immediately – basically getting free money.

The idea is to make sure you play the casino’s games, and hopefully, you’ll enjoy them and stick around as a customer.

How Online Casino Rollovers Work

Each promo has an attached digit, usually noted with a multiplication symbol (x). It’s known as rollover, and it indicates the number of times you must wager the value of the bonus; for example 20x, 30x, 40x, and so on.

This condition applies to almost all casino bonuses and rewards programs, but the wagering requirement can change depending on the offer and the gambling site.

There is no need to wager the amount of the bonus and the rollover all at once. However, only after you meet the wagering requirements you can withdraw the winnings you earned from that promotion.

Calculating Your Wagers Requirements

At most casino sites, the rollover combines the size of the bonus received and the size of the deposit that triggered the promo. Since it’s a common practice, the basic formula to calculate the wagering requirement is:

Wagering Requirement = Rollover x (Deposit Amount + Bonus Amount)

For example, let’s say the promotion is 100% up to $1,000 in bonus cash with a 15x casino rollover. To get the maximum bonus, you deposit $1,000 and get $1,000 in bonus cash.

This means you must wager $2,000 x 15 = $30,000 to meet the requirements.

However, be careful when signing up for an offer because sometimes it is calculated as the bonus’s size plus the deposit’s size.

For example, If you make a $100 deposit with a 200% match rate, the calculation would be based on $300, not $100 (deposit: $100 + bonus: $200 = $300).

What Online Casino Wager Means

The wager requirement refers to the amount you bet, not your deposit size or how much you might lose. When you play at an online casino, placing a wager is simply putting some money on the line in a game or event.

You can place wagers on all sorts of games, whether you’re spinning the slots, playing blackjack, or even betting on your favorite sports team.

Each bet is a chance to turn your stake into something bigger, adding to the excitement and thrill of the game.

Bonus Rollover Types

Now that we’ve covered what wagering requirements are and how to calculate them, let’s look at the three levels of rollover requirements you can find in most online casino bonuses:

  • Low rollover: 10x to 25x
  • Standard Rollover: 30x to 45x
  • High Rollover: 50x and higher

Aside from the types of online casino rollovers, you might want a few examples to ensure the math is correct. Here is a $100 bonus multiplied by three specific playthrough amounts.

You can use low-wagering online casinos if you want to claim a promotions and cash out your winnings quickly. You’ll be able to meet the playthrough requirements faster and withdraw real money winnings in a shorter time.

Wagering Requirements For Different Bonus Categories

Online casino wagering requirements can vary based on the bonus type. You will see how different bonuses affect playthrough size below.

Welcome Bonuses

Many online casinos offer huge sign up bonuses to attract new players. Most also feature reasonable rollover ranging from 20x-40x the bonus plus deposit.

Reload Bonuses

Reload bonuses are smaller offers that are available to existing players. For instance, you might see a 75% up to $300 reload deal. Despite their lesser stature, this type of promos usually carry the same rollover as welcome offers.

Crypto

Crypto casino bonuses often have identical requirements to standard (fiat) offers.

You can find sites with a juicier crypto bonus, but the rollover will remain the same. For example, Bovada Casino has a fiat (up to $3,000k) and crypto (up to $3,750) welcome bonus.

Both offers feature a 25x playthrough on the first deposit and a 50x rollover on the second and third deposits.

Free Spins

These offers only pay winnings and usually have low rollover ranging from 20x to 40x the bonus. For example, the SlotsandCasino sign-up promo carries wagering requirements of 30x the bonus plus the deposit.

But its free spins bonuses require 30x the winnings only.

No Deposit Bonuses

A no-deposit bonus doesn’t require an investment on your part—only registration. Casinos are providing a chance at free money, so they increase the requirements.

For example, Red Dog Casino offers a $40 free chip with a rollover worth 50x the winnings. Meanwhile, its free spins only carry a playthrough worth 20x the winnings.

Real-Life Wagering Requirement Examples

Wondering how these rollover requirements translate into real life? Let’s take a look at some examples.

Making the Minimum Deposit for a 500% Welcome Bonus

Let’s take as example DuckyLuck casino with a welcome offer of 500% up to $7,500.

You must deposit a minimum of $25 to claim the promo and wager the bonus money 30x plus the original deposit amount. Here’s the breakdown if you pay the minimum amount:

  • Playthrough requirement: 30x
  • Deposit amount: $25
  • Bonus amount: 500% of $25 = $125
  • Total playable amount (deposit + bonus): $25 + $125 = $150
  • No time limit to fulfill the requirement

Let’s calculate the playthrough using the formula:

30x rollover multiplied by the $150 total playable amount = $4,500 Wagering Requirement

Making a $500 Deposit for a 500% Welcome Bonus

Let’s use the same offer with a higher deposit so we can show you the differences.

You have the same promotion of 500% up to $7,500. But you want to deposit $500 instead of $25.

Here’s an overview of this scenario:

  • Playthrough Requirement: 30x
  • Deposit amount: $500
  • Bonus amount: 500% of $500 = $2,500
  • Total playable amount (deposit + bonus): $500 + $2,500 = $3,000

Now, let’s calculate the playthrough requirement using the formula given above:

30x rollover multiplied by the $3,000 total playable amount = $90,000 Wagering Requirement

Making a $100 Deposit for a 100% Match Bonus

Now let’s look at a real example with a different promo. Let’s consider the 100% match bonus on your first credit card deposit of up to $1,000 at Bovada. This promotion has a lower online casino rollover at 25x.

Here’s what we have for this example:

  • Playthrough Requirement: 25x
  • Deposit amount: $100
  • Bonus amount: 100% of $100 = $100
  • Total playable amount (deposit + bonus): $100 + $100 = $200
  • No time limit to fulfill the requirement

Let’s apply the formula again to know how much you will need to wager.

25x rollover multiplied by the $200 total playable amount = $5,000 Wagering Requirement

Benefits of Low Playthrough Requirements

One of the main advantages of low playthrough requirements is to help players have enough funds to explore real money casinos. Here are some other ways it benefits online casino players.

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Speed

Players can play through the bonus amount at a faster rate when compared to higher wagering requirements.

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Fair Gaming

Low wagering requirements prevent online players from abusing the casino’s promos and/or free spins.

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Faster Payouts

With lower requirements, players have to wait less time to cash out their real money winnings.

Best Low Wagering Casino Bonus

The Slotocash offer is the best low-wagering casino bonus we’ve found so far.

With this appealing deal, you get a 65% matching bonus of up to $1,000. It has a 15x rollover rate, making it one of the USA casinos with the lowest playthrough requirements.

Here are the main features of this offer:

  • Minimum Deposit: $25
  • Bonus code: 65EASYWIN
  • Rollover: 15x
  • No Max. Cashout
  • Games: Slots and Keno

The casino site also offers free-spins deals where you can deposit $25 or more and get spins on a select game. You have to wager from 5x to 30x to get these promos.

How to Beat Wagering Requirements

You want to clear playthrough requirements efficiently to earn real money from bonuses.

The following tips will help you beat online casino rollover and boost your odds of winning with bonuses.

Look for Bonuses With Fair Wagering Requirements

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As explained on this page, bonus rollover can vary from one gaming site to the next.

The goal is to find promos with low wagering requirements and limit how much you must bet.

Here’s a comparison example:

Bonus #1: $100 bonus with a 60x rollover = $6,000 wagering amount
Bonus #2: $100 bonus with 20x rollover = $2,000 wagering amount

The second deal is better because it reduces the wagering amount by $4,000 compared to the first offer.

This difference illustrates the importance of finding offers with low playthrough requirements. As explained on this page, casino wagering requirements can vary from one gaming site to the next.

The goal is to find bonuses with low wagering requirements and limit how much you must bet.

Here’s a comparison example:

Bonus #1: $100 bonus with a 60x rollover = $6,000 wagering amount
Bonus #2: $100 bonus with 20x rollover = $2,000 wagering amount

The second deal is better because it reduces the wagering amount by $4,000 compared to the first offer.

Play High Contribution Games

online slots rollover contribution

When clearing casino rollover, your first inclination might be to play games with the lowest house edges, which are between 0.5% and 5%.

Take blackjack, for example. Even if you play it with bad rules, the house edge is around 1%. So, if you wager $30,000, you’re looking at an expected loss of just $300.

But online casinos make this path less attractive by reducing contribution rates for high-paying games. Here’s an example:

Slots usually have a contribution rate of 100%. Suppose we have a $200 bonus with 30x rollover requirements.

That’s 200 x 30 = $6,000 with a house edge of 3%, meaning $180 theoretical losses if we play slot machines.

Blackjack typically has a 20% contribution. Let’s use the same $200 offer with 30x rollover requirements.
200 x 30 / 0.2 = $30,000 with 1% house edge, which means $300 theoretical losses.

The online slot carries a higher house edge but will theoretically see you lose less when earning bonuses.

That said, you can consider both playthroughs and contributions when choosing a game.

Read Other Terms And Conditions

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Casino bonuses involve more terms and conditions than wagering requirements. Therefore, you want to thoroughly read all T&Cs before diving in.

One of them involves how dividends get paid once you meet the terms. The two options include:

Cashable bonus – You receive the bonus value and winnings after meeting T&Cs (e.g., $100 bonus = $100 paid).

Winnings only – You only get the winnings, while the pormo disappears upon cashing out (e.g., $200 bonus + $55 winnings = $55 paid).

Cashable bonuses are associated with match percentages starting at 100% or less. Promos that only pay winnings are typical of match promotions beginning at 200% or higher.

Other Bonus Terms And Conditions

  • Max Bet – You must keep wagers under a certain amount while meeting casino rollover (e.g., $10 max).
  • Time Frame – Most promos limit the time to cover playthrough requirements (e.g., 90 days).
  • Game Restrictions – Some games don’t contribute towards playthrough (usually high RTP games).
  • Country Restrictions – Countries with high rates of bonus abuse do not qualify for some casino promotions.
  • Deposit Method Restrictions – Neteller and Skrill deposits are not eligible for promotions at certain gambling sites.

Start With High RTP Games

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Games with high RTP have low house edges, which boost your odds of meeting casino rollover.

You can compare games with similar playthrough contributions to determine which is better for bonuses. Here’s a scenario to explain:

Slot #1 has a 100% contribution with a 97.3% RTP, and you must wager $3,000 to clear the playthrough.

It means $3,000 x 0.973 = $2,919 in theoretical winnings (+ bonus)

Slot #2 also has a 100% contribution with a 96.5% RTP, and you must bet $3,000 to clear the playthrough.

This means 3,000 x 0.965 = $2,895 in theoretical winnings (+ bonus)

The first slot will theoretically see you win $24 more when meeting casino wagering requirements. You will find a game’s RTP in the info section. After looking at RTP, you can run comparisons like the one above.

Game Contribution To Playthrough Requirements

Different game types have varying contributions toward casino wagering requirements.

As explained earlier, some games contribute 100% toward playthrough, while others have lower contributions. The highest-paying online casino games may not even provide anything.

We encourage you to examine terms and conditions to learn each game’s contribution level. The following table provides an in-depth example of contribution percentages we often see associated with casino bonuses.

Game CategoryRollover contribution
Slots100%
Blackjack10%
Roulette5%
Poker20%
Scratch CardsNot listed (likely 100%)
KenoNot listed (likely 100%
Craps0%
Video Poker10%
BingoNot listed

Comparing Online Casinos Playthrough

These top gambling sites have the best online casino welcome bonuses for US players with the smallest rollover.

Some sites have impressive sign-up bonuses and/or Bitcoin bonuses. These are fantastic offers, and high-rollers should consider accepting them. But the wagering requirements can go as high as $200,000 if you deposit the max amount.

Also, some sites apply the rollover requirement to the value of the bonus, while others calculate it as the bonus plus the deposit amount.

Let’s look at the following table to compare rollover requirements at different casinos.

CASINO Welcome Bonus Balance After $100 Deposit Rollover Total Wager
Welcome Bonus 500% up to $7,500 Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $500 Bonus = $600 Rollover 30x Total Wager $18,000
Welcome Bonus 125% up to $3,750 Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $125 Bonus = $225 Rollover 25x Total Wager $5,625
Welcome Bonus 250% up to $6,000 Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $250 Bonus = $350 Rollover 40x Total Wager $14,000
Welcome Bonus $8,000 Welcome Bonus Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $400 Bonus = $500 Rollover 50x Total Wager $25,000
Welcome Bonus 500% up to $7,500 Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $500 Bonus = $600 Rollover 30x Total Wager $18,000
Welcome Bonus 100% match up to $5,000 Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $100 Bonus = $200 Rollover 35x Total Wager $7,000
Welcome Bonus Up to $7,500 welcome bonus Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $250 Bonus = $350 Rollover 35x Total Wager $12,250
Welcome Bonus $5,000 Welcome Package Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $250 Bonus = $350 Rollover 35x Total Wager $12,250
Welcome Bonus 150% up to $3,000 Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $150 Bonus = $350 Rollover 30x Total Wager $10,500
Welcome Bonus $8,000 Welcome Bonus + 100 Free Spins Balance After $100 Deposit $100 + $400 Bonus = $500 Rollover 35x Total Wager $17,500

Do No Deposit Bonuses Have Low Wagering Requirements?

No, usually, no deposit promos have high wagering requirements.

When internet casinos offer a bonus without making you deposit, it actually isn’t that simple. You will have to sign up with the casino, and that promo will have strict restrictions.

There will be additional stipulations, too. You may have to deposit a high minimum at some point, or they may require you to play certain games and prohibit others.

In the end – when you read the fine print – a standard matching bonus is usually a better deal than a no deposit promotion.

What is Rollover in Sports Betting?

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Sports betting bonuses also carry wagering requirements. They require you to place bets and meet rollover before cashing out bonus funds like casino offers.

But the difference is that online sportsbooks feature lower bonus wagering requirements than gaming sites.

In many cases, betting promotions only require between 4x and 15x rollover. Sports betting sites offer lower playthroughs due to the skill element.

They make earning promos easier because some unskilled bettors lose serious money.

What is a Good Bonus Rollover?

An achievable rollover is all about finding the sweet spot between a manageable betting requirement, the games you love playing, and how much you’re comfortable wagering.

For most players, a rollover between 20x to 30x on just the bonus amount is pretty doable. If you find something lower, you’re in luck! Higher than that, though, and it might be tough for more casual players.

Finding a good bonus deal can be a bit of a hunt, but with some good research and smart choices, you can definitely land one that works for you.

FAQ

We’ve anticipated common questions that depositors have about bonus wagering requirements. Calculating the rollover is a particular issue with many players, so read through our FAQ if you have problems.

Are there online casinos without wagering requirements?

No. All casino sites have wagering requirements. If you find a site without a wagering requirement, be suspicious.

The rollover exists to protect the casino operator from bonus shoppers and scammers. It’s a promotional tool from the site’s promotional budget.

If a site promises free cash with no strings attached, it will have strings attached some other way, or the operator will go out of business soon.

Are there online casinos with low wagering requirements?

Yes, you can find low wagering requirements at casino sites. You will find operators that have 1x, 3x, or 5x rollover requirements on limited offers, bonus chips, and special contests. Anything from 20x to 30x is a good number for welcome promos in the online gambling industry.

Can I cancel a casino bonus?

Yes, you can usually cancel an online casino bonus, but how you do it and what happens next can differ based on the casino’s rules. Keep in mind you might lose the bonus money and any winnings tied to it.

It’s always a good idea to read through the terms and conditions first. If you’re unsure, don’t hesitate to reach out to customer support—they can give you advice tailored to your situation.

Can I check the bonus rollover progress?

Yes, most gambling sites make it easy to keep track of your rollover progress right in your account section. Just look for an “Active Bonuses” tab or something similar.

You might also notice an information icon or tooltip that, when clicked, shows exactly how much more you need to wager to meet the requirements.

Webster Lupton

Webster Lupton Casino, Gambling, and Sports Journalist

Webster Lupton is a journalist and expert sports and casino writer with over 30 years of experience. He is a seasoned researcher and a published author that enjoys the outdoors and birdwatching.

Learn More About Webster