Welcome Bonus is the bonus most online casino sites offer to newly registered customers who make their first deposit. Casino Welcome Bonus is a good opportunity to increase the chances of winning more than if wagering only the deposit. Find out the pros and cons of the Welcome casino bonus with Casinos Hunter!
In 2021, finding a suitable bonus can be difficult. The market of online gambling is abundant, and in this abundance, some unfair or even fraudulent offers may sneak in. However, if you are here, CasinosHunter has your back covered with the guide on choosing the most profitable Welcome Bonuses.
Welcome Package by LeoVegas Casino
Welcome Package by King Billy Casino
Casino Welcome Bonus is usually the promotion offered to new casino customers who register their account with the site for the first time. For the casino, the task of this promotion is to lure the potential customer in, by promising them additional cash for bets, Free Spins, and other perks. For gamblers, a casino Welcome Bonus shows how welcoming the site is, how much they are ready to give to their players, and how much additional cash one can get to increase their chances of winning.
It is important not only to tell a good offer from a bad one, but also to differentiate between offers, to avoid misleading ones.
One of the most widespread mistakes (that many not very honest platforms use) is failing to differentiate between Welcome Deposit bonus, and Sign Up No Deposit bonus (free welcome bonus). To avoid this extremely popular mistake, check out the table.
If you would like to get yourself a casino Welcome Bonus, but not sure how to claim it correctly and how to use it, take advantage of this step by step instruction:
All the details about how the casino Welcome Bonus works are to be found in the Bonus Terms and Conditions, and they are usually repeatedly stated in the general T&C. All players are absolutely obliged to read these rules carefully, because the T&C document often contains important nuances not stated on the Promotions page.
T&C usually indicate whether the wagering requirements apply only to the bonus cash or to the deposit and bonus money together, what games are allowed for wagering the bonus, what is the maximum bet possible when the bonus is active, etc. If the casino Welcome Bonus contains Welcome bonus Free Spins, the maximum possible winnings are indicated (usually from $25 to $100).
Wagering requirements show how many times the full sum of the bonus (or the bonus and the deposit together, and this is a less favourable option) should be played through, before the winnings of the bonus can be withdrawn as real cash.
At the time of writing, adequate wagering requirements range between x30 and x45; less looks suspicious, while more is a rip-off. If the casino Welcome Bonus contains Free Spins, the wagering requirements may differ for the cash part of the bonus and the Free Spins part. Usually, the player needs to wager not the value of the Spins, but the sum they win by spinning the spins. In any case, the wagering requirements for Spins are usually smaller.
When the casino Welcome Bonus on the deposit is active, the size of the bet is limited, and maximum bet allowed is usually capped at $5 or equivalent; $10 in rare cases, when the bonus is a high roller type.
Maximum bet limit is set to prevent the player from making two or three huge bets and playthrough the bonus quickly; the casino wants the player to make more bets and play longer. Of course - and it must be said if we want to be honest - this is done by the casino sites to make the player lose more than win, but this is how gambling works.
Please keep in mind that the size of the bets is checked by the operator. If the operator finds out the maximum bet limit was exceeded while wagering the bonus, all the bonus winnings will be forfeited.
Free Spins as part of the casino Welcome Bonus are nice to have and fun to use. If casino sites offer Free Spins, the number may vary from 10 to 200, depending on many factors. The smaller the amount of spins, the more chances you will get them all at once.
If the amount of Free Spins is over 20, high chances they will be given to the player in portions; for example, 100 Free Spins are given 20 spins per day, for 5 days since the moment of bonus activation.
The casino Welcome Bonus, as any other online casino bonus, is not unlimited in time. Usually, the cash parts of the bonuses are valid for the period from 7 to 14 days. Free Spins may be valid for 3-7 days, but if they are granted in portions, each portion may be valid for 1-3 days. All these terms are stated in T&C, and the player should be aware of the expiry time.
If the player managed to wager the online casino Welcome bonus while it is valid, they are eligible for taking the winnings. If the player fails to meet the playthrough requirements, the remaining bonus and the winnings associated with it will be removed from the account. If the player feels they will not be able to play through the bonus in time, they may ask the Support to remove the bonus and the winnings; this way, the obligation of wagering requirements will be removed, too.
To be able to assess whether you should or should not take a casino Welcome Bonus, you have to be aware of the differences between the online casino Welcome bonus types, their possible variations, plus, terms and conditions applied. Two similar offers with similar percent and sums indicated, and same wagering requirements, but different terms and conditions applied, can lead to two very different outcomes for you as a gambler.
And yes, there is an option not to claim the promotion. You are not obliged to take it if you don’t want it; the secret is, many experienced gamblers either hunt for Welcome offers all around the niche, or avoid these offers altogether. That depends on the goals the punter puts. If you would like to learn and gamble like a pro, find out more about pros and cons, varieties, and nuances of how the Welcome offers work.
This Bitcoin online casino, opened in 2014, is run by a well-known operator, and holds the license of Curacao. It offers games, including exclusive BTC games, and Live Dealer games, by over 80 software providers, which is impressive.
In terms of bonuses, this is what 7Bit Casino offers:
WildTornado casino was opened in 2017 by Direx N.V., and holds the license by Curacao. This site offers over 3000 games by over 40 providers, including Live Dealer games and cryptocurrency games. This way, WildTornado’s casino lobby is more than enough to keep most gamblers happy with the games.
The bonuses offered by WildTornado include:
Twin Casino was opened in 2017 by Oring Ltd; the license for this casino is issued by MGA, which is a great advantage. It is also certified by eCOGRA and has its own official mobile application. The casino has lots of games to offer - at the time of writing, there are 2000+ games by 25+ software providers, including Live Dealer Games.
In terms of bonuses, this is what offered by Twin casino:
Even despite the fact that bonuses at Twin Casino seem less lucrative, this site, in its turn, is more secure and reliable than many other online casinos out there.
A Welcome Bonus casino is usually perceived as a lucrative casino sign up bonus gift that a gambling platform gives away to any new gambler who decided to register an account with the site. Most beginner punters think so, and end up leaving complaints about online casinos that did not give them their money. However, in the majority of cases, it is the inability of the beginner gambler to read Terms and Conditions - rather than the casino’s ill intentions - that cause misuse of the casino sign up bonus and eventually, no payments for the player.
To avoid all this unpleasant stuff, you have to be aware that casino sign up bonus offers are not gift from above. These are marketing tools that casino sites use to attract visitors and make them register on the platform. And, as any tool, it has its advantages and disadvantages. Below, you will find generalized pros and cons of the casino sign up bonus offer as such. However, you will also need to learn to assess individual pros and cons of every separate offer you stumble across at every new online casino.
Pros:
Cons:
This is how it all works. When the new customer signs up for the online casino, they are offered a Welcome Bonus casino for their first deposit, or several deposits. To get the promotion, they need to provide all the real data about themselves. Then, they need to add a payment method they will use to deposit money. They should choose the method out of those available on the site; it is impossible to deposit using any random payment method of their preference. This is why it is important to check out available banking methods before one registers an account at all.
By the way, it makes sense to read the rules of the promotion, and also read Terms and Conditions of the site carefully, before salivating over the promotions advertised. Some international websites have limitations caused by local legislation, and can limit their casino sign up bonus offer (and other offers) only to players from certain jurisdictions. Such cases are not at all rare, so take time to explore what rules are applied on the platform.
After the customer chooses the banking method, they have to double-check what minimum deposit is eligible for the bonus, and what maximum amount qualifies for the match bonus. Then, they decide what deposit they can afford. When deciding upon this, the customer should also keep in mind the wagering requirements, because they will have to wager the bonus several times (usually no less than 30 times) before the withdrawal function will be unlocked for them. So, when the customer assesses what size of deposit they can afford, they should also take into account potential need to deposit a bit more, to meet the wagering requirements and be able to withdraw the winnings, if any.
When a customer merely makes a deposit of own money and bets with this money, their deposits should be wagered at least once before withdrawing the winnings. When a bonus is attached to the deposit, the withdrawal requirements are way higher. This is done to keep the player betting more, and also, to make the player leave more money on the site (let’s be honest here). There are a bunch of rules that are connected to meeting the wagering requirements, and you should read through them very carefully; if you fail to comply with all the rules, the bonus can be forfeited, and all your winnings can be voided.
These rules are usually as follows:
This type is classic, because you will most likely find it on the majority of websites in the online gambling niche. This type is a match prize to the deposit. For example, it can be a 100% match up to $100, with the minimum deposit eligible $10, plus 25 Free Spins on a featured slots game. Wagering requirements are usually from x30 to x50. While such a bonus may seem unimpressive - you will see way more lucrative match online casino bonuses out there - it is rather realistic and may signal that the website does not promise pie in the sky, and is actually ready to pay you.
This type is a variation of classic, but it is used in a cascade manner to several consecutive deposits made by the newly registered customer. For example, you get 100% match up to $100 for your first deposit, 75% match up to $100 for second deposit, 50% match up to $100 for the third deposit, and so on, plus 100 Free Spins, given out 20 FS per day in five consecutive days.
The match percentage, the minimum deposits and maximum sums, and amount of free spins bonuses vary from site to site. Some platforms offer smaller bonuses with each next deposit, others, in contrast, increase the match percentage with every consecutive deposit to keep the customer interested. To get the most out of such packages, read the rules carefully.
As a rule, classic variations do not allow making bets at Live Dealer casino. This is usually caused by internal technical specifications and processes on the website; some casinos do allow access to Live Dealer games with a general Welcome bonus casino. Yet, if you are fan of the Live Dealer Games, you may want to find a specific Welcome Bonus casino for Live Dealer lobbies. These often resemble classic casino sign up bonus offers, but the bet size and the wagering requirements are usually higher. Also, in contrast to the general Welcome bonus casino that can potentially be used in any game, the Live Dealer Games Welcome Bonus casino can only be wagered on Live Dealer games. Obviously.
Another rare variation is Welcome Bonus casino for customers who are willing to deposit in crypto coins, be it Bitcoin casino or other currencies. The concept of the casino sign up bonus offer is usually the same - a match percentage to the initial deposit. Here, the scope of games allowed is even smaller, because there are really few casino game software products that are suitable for betting with cryptocurrencies. In other aspects, the sign up bonus casino offer is pretty much the same.
Word or warning to customers depositing with digital currencies - before you even deposit, check if the site allows withdrawal of digital currency, not only depositing. Such a situation is not rare, as some smart ass casinos accept crypto money, but pay the winnings out in fiat currencies, this way, accumulating crypto coins for themselves. Avoid this scheme and make sure you can send and withdraw at a cryptocurrency casino.
Sign up bonus casino offer becomes available after making the first deposit, but it is never granted automatically, although the player becomes eligible automatically. This is done to enable players who wish to avoid taking the sign up bonus casino offer, to do so without bothering the Customer Support.
So, if you are willing to avoid the sign up bonus casino offer, just do not claim it. If you want it - then click the button “get the bonus”, add promo code, or contact Customer Support - depending on what the online casino instructions tell you to do.
After you see that the bonus was added to your bonus balance in the casino account, you can start making bets. As a rule, first the deposited money is used for the bets, and only after the actual balance is empty, the player starts to use bonus money to bet. If the bonus is not sticky, all winnings will be added to the bonus balance.
As soon as the wagering requirements are met, the bonus balance money will be moved to the actual balance, and the customer will be able to order a withdrawal of the funds.
The majority of modern web casinos are mobile compatible, and many of them already have official mobile applications for different OS. As a result, the online casino Welcome Bonuses are naturally available for customers on any platform, be it PC or mobile, regardless of the OS or device. Some sites take this even further and offer special Welcome promotions to punters who prefer access via mobile devices, to stimulate them play via the mobile more often. This is done to, firstly, make the punter bet more often since their mobile devices are always at hand, and secondly, to monitor the betting trends via various questionnaires and feedback sent on mobile.
To cut the long story short - if a Welcome bonus casino is offered on the site, it is for sure available on the same site if you access via mobile devices.
The main drawback of the Welcome bonus casino, whatever huge and lucrative and promising it is, is the need to meet the wagering requirements. The main catch here is that the player can spend their deposit, their whole bonus, and everything they win by wagering those two sums, and still fail to meet the wagering requirements attached to the sign up bonus casino offer they have claimed.
Many players face the need to deposit additionally to the site, in order to make more real money bets, meet the requirements, and eventually unlock the withdrawal function. This is why the higher the wagering requirements, the worse it is for the player, and the more time and money the player is to waste by managing those. So, there are lots of cases when experienced punters avoid taking any bonuses at all, and prefer to manage their bets as they wish, without being bound by additional rules.
No, please do not use VPN for any online casino activities, from registering with sites or claiming bonuses you are otherwise not eligible to. Online casinos do not take VPNs kindly, and become suspicious about players who use VPN to access the site or promotions. If you want to learn more about using VPN for online gambling, please check out this guide.
You should definitely avoid sticky bonuses, be they Welcome offers or any other type of offer. Sticky bonuses mean that winnings you get from wagering this bonus can never be cashed out; they sit on your bonus account and you can’t even withdraw them.
Also, it makes sense avoiding unfair or unfavourable bonuses. If you would like to learn more about casino bonuses and how they work, please take advantage of our guide.
If in order to get a promotion, the customer has to provide a promotion code, they will most likely find those codes on the page of promotions, or in their customer account when they register, and the system shows them what promotions are available to them. Sometimes, the code change, so keep an eye on them to get the right one.
While the bonus can be wagered only on certain games - or types of games - there are no games bound to the bonus, It works the other way round. If you claim a bonus, you can wager it only on specific games, but if you want to play some of these games without having bonus attached to your deposit, you can do so. In most cases, the games allowed for wagering the promotions are slots.
In case the site itself is safe, then yes, their promotions are also safe. If you are worried about the safety of your sensitive data and also money, double-check the next things - license, legal information about the operator, additional certifications and seals of trust, software providers represented on the site, payment processing companies represented on the site’s payment gateway.
If your jurisdiction does not prohibit real money online casinos and allows winning real cash at web casinos, then yes, taking a promotion is legal. Unfortunately, it is only yours responsibility as a punter to check if your country allows gambling and winning. The casino does not bear any responsibility, even if they accept you as a real money customer despite prohibiting legislation in your jurisdiction. Yes, some casinos do that.
Yes, Welcome bonus enables the customer to win more money than if wagering their deposit only, obviously because there is more cash on balance, and more bets can be made. However, if you want to play like a pro and win considerably, take time to explore the casino, the bonus itself, and all additional terms and conditions that are applied to it.
Nope. If the site is safe, secure, reliable, and cares for its reputation on the market, they do not offer rigged software, or rigged promotions. The bonus can be unfair, or not really advantageous, but rarely you will meet a rigged scammy offer straight away.
Unfortunately, as a rule, you can’t. Most platforms prohibit wagering the bonus money on jackpot games, let alone progressive jackpots. This is done to avoid issues with huge wins received by wagering the bonus money - the customer will obviously want their money, but if the wagering requirements are not met yet, a scandal is about to come. So, web casinos avoid potential problems by restricting access to jackpots if bets are to be made with bonus cash, or bonus free spins.
Pay attention to the rules that apply to the promotion. If the deposit is too high, the withdrawal is too low, the wagering requirements are huge, and the bonus itself is too unrealistic, you may want to proceed without it, rather than waste your time bothering with this bunch of additional limitations.
Reviewed by - Mike Hunter
Hi there hunter. I’m Mike, gambler and casino expert. Subscribe, grab your rifle, and let’s hunt down some juicy prizes!
