Online casinos es contribute to wagering based on their return-to-player (RTP). Also known as payout percentage, RTP relates to the amount of money a game will return to players over millions of rounds. For instance, an online slot with an RTP of 96% will theoretically pay $96 for every $100 bet.
As table games such as online blackjack and craps have a higher RTP than slots, the amount they contribute towards wagering varies. Game weightings look something like this:
- Slots: 100%
- Blackjack: 25%
- Craps: 10%
What does this mean? Let’s assume you have $3,000 to wager and bet $100 on each of the three games mentioned above.
- Slots: A $100 spin contributes $100 towards wagering. Therefore, the total amount you must wager decreases to $2,900.
- Blackjack: A $100 bet contributes as $25 towards wagering. Therefore, the total amount you must wager decreases to $2,975.
- Craps: A $100 bet contributes as $10 towards wagering. Therefore, the total amount you must wager decreases to $2,990.
Of course, game weightings vary according to which online casino you play at and the type of bonus you accept. The weightings will look different if you accept a table games bonus rather than a slot bonus.
Every casino bonus 
has terms and conditions (T&Cs). You can think of bonus terms and conditions as an agreement between you and the casino. The casino outlines all the rules for a specific bonus, covering everything from the minimum deposit to which games you can play with bonus funds.
By accepting these terms and conditions, you acknowledge that you have read the small print. Of course, most players are in such a hurry to play that they never actually read the terms and conditions. They simply tick the box to confirm they accept the bonus terms and deposit.
This, of course, puts them at risk of breaking the bonus terms, which often leads to bonuses being forfeited and accounts being closed. These players then accuse the casino of being unfair, when in fact, the player lied about reading the bonus terms and accepted a bonus without knowing all the rules.
To avoid this scenario, always read the terms and conditions when claiming an online casino bonus. Besides wagering requirements, the bonus terms will cover many factors including:
Bonus Code
Not all casino bonuses are issued automatically. Some online casinos ask players to enter a bonus code when depositing. This bonus code will relate to a specific promotion advertised on the casino’s website. For instance, you may see the code “WELCOME100” for a 100% welcome bonus. In this scenario, you must enter “WELCOME100” in the bonus code field when making your first deposit.
Some casinos are strict about bonus codes. If you forget to enter a bonus code or enter it incorrectly, you may not receive your bonus. Thankfully, the best online casinos are more lenient.
Game Restrictions
In most cases, the casino will restrict you from playing certain games when you accept a bonus. While some bonuses allow you to play a broad range of games, others are more specific and only allow you to play slots or table games. They es in these categories. For instance, you can only use free spins bonuses on certain slots.
In addition, casinos restrict which games you can play with bonus funds for wagering purposes. High variance slots that can pay upwards of 10,000x your bet in one spin may be on this list because one big hit would make it easy to beat the wagering requirements and make a large withdrawal.
