Small Print

If you read no other page on this website, make sure you take notice of this one if you are looking for an online casino with a free bonus.

Before we start on what kinds of bonuses you can get, read the section below and make sure you understand it, because it could make the difference between you withdrawing a large amount of money and losing the lot.

Minimum Betting before Withdrawal

Online casinos have to make money to exist - so why would they give you a FREE bonus of real cash?  Surely - you may be saying to yourself - I can deposit $1000, receive a hefty $300 FREE and take it all out again?  Whoa there - no chance.  Any casino which would let you do this would be out of business in a couple of days.  So, what can they do to ensure you at least play for a while?

Easy - they do what any other business does.  They add SMALL PRINT, or TERMS & CONDITIONS.  Basically, these tell you that you must wager at least a particular amount before you can get your hands on any winnings.

ie.  You deposit $100 at an online casino for a bonus of 30%.  In your account, you will receive $130.  Simple so far?  Now - due to SMALL PRINT on the promotion - you have to wager 3 times the deposit and bonus ($390) before you can withdraw money.  For simplicity's sake, let's say you bet $100 on EVEN numbers at roulette, every spin.  The ball lands in 4, 26, 7 and 10 over the 4 spins.

So, turn 1.  You bet $100.  You win $100 + your stake back = $200.  Your account total = $230.

Turn 2.  You bet $100.  You win $100 + your stake back = $200.  Your account total = $330.

Turn 3.  You bet $100.  You LOSE.  Your account total = $230.

Turn 4.  You bet $100.  You win $100 + your stake back = $200.  Your account total = $330.

From this, you can see that you have made a total of $400 in bets, which is more than the $390 minimum.  This means you can now cash out your winnings... or can you??  This is where the casino SMALL PRINT can really kick you hard in the groin.  It is now commonplace for casinos - especially those offering bigger bonuses - to exclude certain games from their promotion.  This means that all those bets you made at roulette may not have counted to the $390 minimum...  so you have to start again at a different game.   AARGH!

Therefore, the advice we have to give you is... READ THE SMALL PRINT!!!

Bonus Types

A bonus comes in many forms, but the main five are:

1. A percentage on your initial deposit
2. A percentage (generally smaller than the initial bonus) on your future deposits
3. A free bet (usually about $10) with no deposit required
4. Dollar for dollar bonus
5. Fixed bonus with a deposit

1.  A percentage on your initial deposit - this is the most common type of bonus, and is generally speaking, the most fair in terms of the conditions you must meet before you can withdraw cash.  A 10-30% bonus is common and you should be able to cash out winnings after wagering 3-4 times your deposit and bonus.

Our advice:  This bonus should offer the best chance of you coming out with some winnings.

2.  A percentage (generally smaller than the initial bonus) on your future deposits - this will be a regular feature at some casinos and may offer very good value.  Although the percentage is almost definitely smaller than the one you received initially, the conditions before withdrawal may be more lenient.  For example, a 10% bonus on your next deposit may just require you to wager the total 1-2 times before cashout.

Our advice:  These are good for when you are established at a casino you enjoy and play at more than once.

3.  A free bet (usually about $10) with no deposit required - this sounds good, doesn't it?  Well, yes and no.  This is a bet to whet your appetite for your future gaming.

Pros

• You get a $10 bet for free.

Cons

• Usually have to bet a minimum of 8-10 times the amount before cash out - a huge task with such a small amount.  One lost bet could easily clean you out.
• Again, casinos must make money to exist, so the chances are that you are going to make a deposit with your own money after getting a taster of what the casino has to offer.  It's the old "Get 'em hooked and jack up the price" routine.
• Your first actual deposit may have a poor or non-existent bonus, which could cost you dear when compared to what you could have received with a straight percentage bonus.

Our advice:  Get the free bet, make the minimum wager (if you can!), then get the hell out of there.

4.  Dollar for dollar bonus - usually called the 100% bonus.  This bonus is getting more popular with the casinos... so that should start getting alarm bells ringing straight away.  Offers like "Deposit $30 and receive $30 FREE" look fantastic.  Keep repeating to yourself "Casinos must make money to exist" while you think about that offer.  Just like the "free bet" bonus, this is just to whet your appetite.

Pros

• You are getting a larger "percentage" bonus.

Cons

• The terms and conditions are astronomical.  Having to wager a minimum of 15 times your bonus and deposit before cashing out is not uncommon.
• If you happen to be Danish, then just forget about it because many casinos have a special arrangement for you, which is generally having to bet 1.5 to 2 times MORE than anyone else.  We have seen casinos which stipulate a minimum of 25 times your bonus and deposit before cashing out.  Apparently, Denmark have a high proportion of people who "abuse" these bonuses so they have to be treated differently.
• There is likely to be some games excluded from this promotion - almost certainly the ones with the smaller house advantage.  You are unlikely to see keno excluded from a promotion, due to a house advantage of over 35%.  The most likely games to be excluded are roulette, craps, baccarat and blackjack.  It's no coincidence that these are also some of the most popular games.

Our advice:  If you can afford to throw away $30, why not give it to charity instead?  You are highly unlikely to come out of this bet with any winnings.

5.  Fixed bonus with a deposit - "Deposit $20 and receive $50 FREE!" - this is online casino-speak for "Calling all suckers!"  For the cons of this bonus, just read them for the Dollar for Dollar bonus and make them CONSIDERABLY worse.

Our advice:  If you are a sucker, buy a chocolate fireguard.  At least you'll get some melted chocolate out of it.