Here are the most popular types of bonuses online casino sites offer, along with some tips on how to benefit from them:
Deposit Bonus (also known as a ‘Matched Bonus or ‘Welcome Bonus’)
Most online casinos offer first deposit bonuses of at least 100% of the amount of money you put in your account, but the percentage can go as high as 500%. The beauty of these casino offers is you can deposit £100 and end up having £600 in your account. Sign up bonuses have wagering requirements attached to them together with other terms and conditions such as time to clear the bonus and withdrawal restrictions – more on these below. The bonuses detailed on Top 5 Casino Sites are matched ones, and where possible we’ve secured exclusive sign-up bonuses for you that are even better than the already decent standard offers.
Essentially an extension to the first stage match deposit bonus is the multi-stage welcome bonus to reward you on your first few deposits. Casinos will typically reward you with a matched bonus on your first, second, and third deposits, and sometimes even more. Usually the bonus percentage varies from deposit to deposit, with the first one attracting the highest amount. The benefit of multi-deposit offers is greatest for those who plan on making larger, multiple deposits, as it can cost hundreds of pounds to claim the maximum bonus possible.Multi-Stage Welcome Bonus
777 Casino Multi-Stage Welcome Package (Worth up to £1500)
| STAGE # |
BONUS (% OF DEPOSIT) |
MAXIMUM BONUS AMOUNT |
WAGERING REQUIREMENTS |
| 1 |
100% |
£100 |
30x |
| 2 |
30% |
£350 |
30x |
| 3 |
30% |
£350 |
30x |
| 4 |
30% |
£350 |
30x |
| 5 |
30% |
£350 |
30x |
No-Deposit Bonus
Used as a marketing strategy to allow new customers get a taste of the games, no deposit bonus offers usually have a value of between £5 and £20. As these bonuses have no strings attached, it gives you a chance to see what you’ll get once you decide to deposit.
The first thing you need to know about no-deposit bonuses is that if you are lucky enough to win using this bonus money, many casinos will only let you withdraw your winnings. Only a few will allow you to withdraw the bonus amount and the winnings.
Furthermore, in almost all cases no-deposit bonuses will have very high wagering requirements (sometimes referred to as playthrough requirements). In many cases the bonuses need to be wagered around 50 times before you are eligible to withdraw any winnings. On top of that, it’s possible your favourite game won’t count towards the wagering requirements. The bottom line is: read the terms and conditions. Nowdays true no deposit bonuses are quite a rarity and have been phased out in favor of deposit bonuses and free spins.
Reload Bonus
Most online casinos don’t stop rewarding you after the first deposit, but let you qualify for a bonus on subsequent deposits too. This means that the casino will credit your account with a certain percentage of your deposit. Not all gambling websites offer bonuses on redeposit, and, usually they are lower than the first deposit ones. Others offer reload bonuses on a certain day of the week, or if you achieve a specified number of loyalty points. There are also some common caveats to reload bonus such as the payment method you use, time restrictions, or a limited number of qualifying games. Always read the terms and conditions.
Free Spins
Another type of online casino bonuses is free spins. They are used to reward both new and existing players. There are generally two types of free spins: those offered as a bonus for a deposit, and those for which no deposit is required. Sometimes, free spins are part of a bigger package: a deposit can be rewarded with both match bonus and free spins, as in the case of Dunder casino which offers both a matched welcome bonus and 200 free spins. Often, free spins offers are restricted to a particular slot game, or limited group of titles, but this will be stated clearly in the promotional materials. In the case of free spins, you will have to play-through the winnings you make from any free spins X number of times before the winnings are cashable.
Loyalty Points
Although different than the other types of bonuses, loyalty points are yet another rewarding strategy online casinos use. Loyalty – or comp – points are usually awarded based on the amount of cash a player wagers. For instance, for a bet of £10, you can get 1 loyalty point, no matter if you win or lose. When you have amassed enough points, you can convert them back in to money, or exchange them for prizes. If you are considered a VIP player, these comp points will have a higher exchange value than if you are a newbie.
Cash-Back Bonus
Less common than the other types of casino offers, a cash back bonus is sometimes given to players based on the money they wagered.
Refer-a-Friend Bonus
Another marketing technique, refer a friend bonus is offered when you recommend the respective online casino to a friend, and they sign up and starts playing. The value of these bonuses differs from one gambling site to another. Usually the sums involved are around £30-£50 and like all the other bonuses you will need to play-through or clear the bonus in order to unlock it.
VIP Treatment
The moment you get confirmed as a VIP customer of your favorite online casino, the array of bonuses instantly diversifies: cash rewards, free spins, monthly loyalty bonuses, access to special features and unique games, and even real-world events. Some VIP programs are just the higher levels locked into the loyalty points program whilst others are run on invitational lines to select high rollers.
Mobile Casino Bonuses
When the first generation of mobile casinos were launched uk casino sites would often present ‘mobile’ specific welcome bonuses for players who came through and registered and deposited via the mobile site. Nowadays with mobile ubiquitous and over 50% of players reaching a casino via app or mobile responsive site these have almost been phased out – with the welcome bonuses presented on the smaller screen identical to those on desktop.
