General Guide to Casino Bonuses

WELCOME BONUSES

The first bonus that you may come across when you join an online casino is a welcome bonus. In most cases, this will consist of at least one match deposit offer. However, the bonus may form part of a package which spans your first several deposits.

A typical offer may be shown as a percentage. For instance, you might be eligible to receive a 100% match worth up to $1,000 when you deposit. This means that your deposit will be given a bonus worth the equivalent of 100% of its value. In short, a $100 deposit is granted a 100% match (so, another $100), allowing you to start playing with $200 in the kitty.

It’s important for new players to know that these bonus offers for welcome deposits and similar need to be claimed before a deposit is made, as online gambling sites will typically not honour the welcome bonus after the first deposit is made.

NO DEPOSIT BONUSES

Many recommended casinos like to throw no deposit bonuses at new players, and this is not a bad thing by any means. Because (as its title suggests) a no deposit bonus is free, it will typically tend to be smaller in value than a deposit-based welcome offer. You may receive a free bonus worth anything from $5 up to $25 in cash. Some casinos prefer to deliver free spins on selected online slots with this deal instead.

It’s often the case that these no deposit bonuses are specific to one or two casino game options, and it’s unlikely to be live dealer casino games or more involved titles – these bonuses tend to favor simple games like slots or blackjack. Some of these no deposit bonuses are also made specifically for certain software providers games and can lead to exciting play opportunities for new players on some of the best casino games.

Whether you get free spins, or a little cash bonus does not really matter. The purpose of this deal is to lure you into making a deposit and playing there for real money. No deposit bonuses certainly give you the chance to win real money for free, and they also provide an excellent introduction to any casino you might consider playing at in the long term.

RE-DEPOSIT BONUSES

It is not uncommon to find reload deposit bonuses at online casinos. These offers will usually work in the same way as the initial welcome bonus. In short, you will receive another percentage-based deposit offer. However, they tend to be smaller in value than the initial welcome package.

Re-deposit bonuses may be offered by online casinos daily, weekly or every month. Some may provide reload bonuses on your birthday or the anniversary of you first joining their website. Either way, they give you a much-needed cash influx to tackle your favorite games, giving you a helping hand as you try to land a big win.

MONTHLY SPECIALS

Monthly specials will vary – a lot. Every online casino has its own take on these bonuses, how valuable they are, and what they consist of. For instance, to some casinos, a monthly special may be a month-long series of deposit offers. By contrast, another casino might decide that it wants to run a tournament or a prize draw competition.

Some offer free spins on selected slots when you choose to deposit, and others provide a great deal more. The only way to see what monthly specials your casino has to offer (if any), is to head to the promotions page at the casino. Some online casino guide options will also teach players ways of finding monthly specials that may not be easily visible.

At a glance, some particular monthly specials typically work like this:

TOURNAMENTS

Players compete against one another and earn points either for winning or wagering on games. Those points are accumulated, earning you a spot on a leaderboard. At the end of a promotional period, the players who finish highest up the leaderboard will win free spins, cash prizes or other goodies.

Most popular casino games, particularly games of skill will have regular online tournaments for players to win money.

PRIZE DRAWS

These will see gizmos and gadgets, holidays in the sun, free spins, loyalty points or cash prizes afforded to the winners. Unlike tournaments, you do not need to accumulate points here. Instead, merely fulfilling the prerequisites is enough to get your name entered into the draw. One player (or a handful) is then drawn out of the hat to win.

ONLINE CASINO VIP PROGRAM

An online casino’s VIP program can see you pocket prizes and goodies based on your gambling habits. Most top casinos have them, and while there are many similarities in terms of what they offer, there are usually a few differences, too. For instance, a good VIP program can offer the following:

• Higher deposit/withdrawal limits
• Faster transaction times
• Personalized promotions based on your gambling habits
• Access to exclusive tournaments and games
• High-roller tables
• Personal VIP manager and immediate support
• Lower wagering requirements
• Better comp point redemption rates

In most cases, you will find that a casino’s VIP program is tier-based. You can work your way up a casino’s VIP levels by earning comp points or loyalty points. On occasion, comp points can be exchanged for real money once enough have been accumulated. These are awarded by depositing and betting on games. The more you acquire, the quicker you will climb the loyalty ladder at your casino. The upper echelons of the loyalty club are reserved for the biggest spenders and highest rollers. These tiers and the extensive rewards they offer may be open to you by invitation only, although this varies from site to site.

HOW TO CLAIM CASINO BONUSES

Every casino awards bonuses in its own way. Some require you to enter promotional bonus codes (found on the promotions page) when you deposit to trigger a bonus. Others may require you to opt-in when you deposit, some require you to contact customer support to request a bonus personally, and many are triggered automatically. You can find out about the specific deals a casino has to offer, as well as the means to activate them by visiting a casino’s promotions page.

Most online casinos will also offer promotions that are specific for many different games too, this may be first deposit bonuses based on a certain game, bonuses for popular titles in particular. Some types of bonuses available could include;

• Progressive jackpots specific bonuses for free spins or additional winnings
• Bonuses targetted for the most popular games
• Free chips for table games
• Free spins for slots games
• Weekly promotions for certain game types or for days of the week
• Live casinos games promotions

These are just a few of the many available and the casino experience can be greatly enhanced by learning more about these bonuses.