The message from Casino Papa is simple – in order to benefit most from online casino bonuses, you have to know exactly how online casino bonuses work! As is the case in so many instances, knowledge really is power!
What Are Casino Bonuses?
In the simplest of terms, casino bonuses are offered as a means by which to attract new players and to hold onto existing players. Nevertheless, the overwhelming majority of casino bonuses are offered in a manner which means that it is in fact the casino itself that benefits in a monetary sense. That being said, there are certain casino bonuses that stand head and shoulders above others which is why it is of the utmost importance to never take anything you see at immediate face value.
Instead, you need to have your wits about you, know exactly how bonuses work and check out the reviews and recommendations of those you can trust…not mentioning any names, of course!
Almost every casino bonus you come across will fit into one of the following categories:
Match deposit bonuses
These are the most common and in many cases enticing bonuses you are ever likely to come across. Long story short, the casino offers to pay you a certain percentage on top of your first deposit, in order to persuade you to join up in the first place. You add £200 to your account, they offer a 100% match bonus which means you end up with £400 in your account to play with.
Nevertheless, there will be very strict terms and conditions attached with regard to how much of your own money you need to spend before being able to withdraw any bonus money.
No-deposit bonus
The no-deposit bonus really does come across as money being given away free of charge. These are becoming more popular all the time and are available right now from hundreds of online casinos. The deal basically being one whereby you sign up and without having to deposit a penny, you get something like £10 in your account to play with.
Unsurprisingly, terms and conditions tend to be even heavier with this kind of ‘free’ money and you will most likely have to wager hundreds and hundreds of pounds of your own money, if you want to make any withdrawals.
Reload Bonus
The reload bonus works in pretty much the same way as the initial match bonus – the casino offering you a percentage of any given deposit after your first deposit. So once again, they may claim to offer a 50% reload bonus, which means that if you were to top up your account with £200, they would add an extra £100 to give you £300 to play with.
More often than not, the terms and conditions attached to the reload bonus are identical to those of the initial match bonus.
VIP Programs
Loyalty schemes and VIP programs are also classified as bonuses and have the potential to be reasonably rewarding. The reason being that it is usually a case of gradually earning VIP points along the way, as a means by which to qualify for VIP status and be offered a variety of perks accordingly. Which in turn means that if you were planning on playing quite heavily and wagering quite a lot of money anyway, these are all perks and bonuses that are offered free of charge.
Terms, conditions and exactly what’s on offer by way of VIP programs differs comprehensively from one service provider to the next, so be sure to read up carefully before getting started.
Terms and Conditions
Some online casinos make it incredibly easy to find their bonus terms and conditions – others do a seriously impressive job of hiding them away. Irrespective of how easy or difficult they are to find, you need to ensure you locate them, read them and understand every single word of them.
There isn’t a single casino bonus available these days that is not bound by an array of terms and conditions that are guaranteed to affect its value. In many instances, you may find that it is actually in your best interests to opt out of bonus offers entirely.
Do your homework and stay safe – the message from Casino Papa!