The world of online casinos has rapidly expanded over the past several years. Today, there are literally thousands of registered websites where you can play your favourite casino games, like video slots, roulette, poker, and more.
Casino Bonuses, Welcome Offers, Free Plays and many more
Online operators are constantly trying to stand out from the crowd by giving players the best possible offers. In order for an online casino to be successful, it must provide players with enough choice in terms of games, software quality, mobile accessibility, and payment option. However, one of the most crucial aspects of every casino room on the web are the bonuses.
Bonuses are what most players check first when deciding where to place bets. For a novice punter, casino bonuses can cause a lot of confusion as not everybody is familiar with the way they work. That’s why we decided to write an extensive guide and explain to you what casino bonuses are, what types of bonuses exist, and how they can help you get ahead when deciding to bet online.
No Deposit Bonus
Receive bonus money without depositing any of your own
Welcome Offer
Multiply your deposit by one, three or more times
Free Spins
Enjoy some Free Spins of favorite games without using your money
Reload Bonus
Receive a bonus on deposit even if you are a customer already
What Are Casino Bonuses?
Casino bonuses are extra funds casinos gives to players after they meet certain requirements. Bonuses can basically be described as free credits you get to play with. They usually become unlocked after you register on a casino site and make your first deposit, but there are also no deposit bonuses or free bets.
Sometimes, casinos issue bonus codes that players need to use upon registration in order to unlock bonus funds. Online casinos don’t necessarily have only one bonus — you can often find multiple offers of this kind in some top casinos.
Moreover, there are plenty of different bonus types on casino sites. Some are specifically designed for sports betting, others are used for playing casino games, free spin bonuses are reserved for video slots, while there are also other promotions that reward players’ loyalty and establish point systems.
So what are some of the most common bonus types you can take advantage of while signing up on an online casino site?
Best Bonus Package
Online Casino Deposit Bonuses
Casino promotions can be categorised into two main types — deposit and no deposit bonuses. Deposit bonuses require from players to fund their accounts before being able to play with the extra money. They are commonly referred to as welcome offers, as they are only given to new customers on the website, but they can sometimes be offered on a weekly or monthly basis too. Here are some of the most common deposit bonuses you can find in online casinos today.
Percentage Bonuses
Percentage bonuses are the most common type of promotions on casino sites. The bonus amount for these promotions is calculated through a percentage of your initial deposit. So, for example, if a casino offers you a 50% bonus on your first deposit and you fund your account with ₦20,000, you will get additional ₦10,000 to play with.
Sometimes, percentage bonuses can be a little more generous, and they usually range between 25% and 200%. More often than not, they will also have a cap. If a casino states that you will get a 100% bonus up to ₦40,000, that means you won’t be able to get more than that amount even if you decide to deposit over ₦40,000. While online casinos also have general rules about minimum deposits, minimum deposit amounts for the bonus itself can be different.
Percentage bonuses do not necessarily have to count only toward your first deposit. On some websites, you will get what’s called a reload bonus. This means that the casino will offer you an additional percentage bonus for your second, and sometimes your third deposit as well. However, the percentages for reload bonuses are usually a bit lower, somewhere between 10% and 75%.
Fixed bonuses are a little more straightforward than the ones we discussed above. When it comes to these promotions, casinos offer players a fixed amount of bonus money to play with as long as they meet the minimum deposit requirements.
For example, if a fixed bonus is ₦30,000, you will get that amount even if you deposit more than the stated minimum amount. Note that this number is only an example and that fixed bonuses are usually lower.
Cashback Casino Bonuses
Everybody deserves a second chance, and some online casinos give their players cashback bonuses with which they can play again after they’ve lost on their initial bet. Cashback bonuses can be fixed, but they can also be counted as a percentage of your daily, weekly, or monthly losses.
So if you lost ₦10,000 in a given time, and a casino offers a 20% cashback bonus for your bets, you will practically get to play risk-free with another ₦2,000.
Free Spins
If you ever lurked around online casino websites, you might have noticed that the majority of games consist of video slots. These games are extremely popular among online punters, as they offer them an opportunity to win a lot of money quickly and without the need to learn complicated rules like it is the case with certain table and card games.
Since they are so popular, it comes as no surprise that casinos often promote bonuses which are specifically designed for video slots. These are called free spins, and they come in bundles. Each time you spin the reels of a slot game, you need to wager money, but with the free spins bonus, you can get 10, 20, 50, or even more spins without risking anything.
Of course, this kind of bonus is often available only after you’ve made a deposit. Free spins are also usually available only for specific games — the ones online casinos promote. Free spins can be connected to other bonuses as well in the form of a package deal.
VIP and Loyalty Programmes
Land-based casinos tend to reward big spenders, or high-rollers, by giving them access to exclusive lounges and other premium services. Most online casinos work similarly by offering VIP tables and loyalty points schemes.
Those who acquire a VIP status on a particular casino site enjoy plenty of benefits. For example, you can enter special tables to play with other VIP members and have the opportunity to unlock more bonuses. The way VIP invites work is often kept secret by online casinos, but as long as you wager a lot, casinos will recognise that and stimulate you to play more by giving you VIP treatment.
Loyalty points are acquired each time you play games on a certain casino website regardless of the outcome. While earning points is easy, you will need to accumulate a lot of them to be able to purchase something from the casino. The casino store usually sells bonuses and free spin packages, and some even have authentic merchandise. Some loyalty schemes have different levels, and the higher the level you acquire, the more advantage you will have for playing on that casino site.
No Deposit Casino Bonuses
No deposit bonuses are a great way to test a website without actually risking any money. All you need to do to become eligible for a no deposit bonus is to create an account and the casino will reward you with a certain bonus amount. However, no deposit bonuses can be part of a time-limited offer, and sometimes part of a promotion for a specific game.
Fixed No Deposit Bonuses
These are usually released to you immediately after your new casino account has been verified. For example, the operator might give you ₦2,000 or ₦3,000 to play with for free, but some casinos can be more generous than others. Fixed no deposit bonuses can frequently be used for playing any casino games on the site. You can win real money with this bonus and withdraw it, as long as you meet the wagering requirements.
If an online casino has sports betting, this no deposit bonus can also be referred to as a free bet. Again, you will get a fixed amount to wager with on your favourite sports markets.
Free Spins
We mentioned that free spins can be part of deposit bonuses, but they can also sometimes be truly ‘free’ and not require you to fund your account first. These usually pop up when a casino wants to promote a new game on their website, so they give several dozens of spins to players to test it out. Just like deposit free spins, this bonus only relates to video slots.
Free Time Bonuses
These are sometimes called free play bonuses. They are rare, but some casinos still use them to attract new players. With free time bonuses, you will get free chips to play casino games on the website. However, you can only use them for a specific amount of time.
If you manage to win something with the free chips, those chips will be converted into bonus cash and added to your balance. The bonus money you win can only be used for playing further on the website, so it’s like buying the bonus yourself. Only when you meet the wagering requirements will you be able to withdraw the money.
Mobile Online Casino Bonuses
Smartphones and tablets have become popular tools for online gambling over the past several years. They represent a practical way to access your account and play your favourite casino games on the go. All you need is internet access and you can gamble from the comfort of your home.
That being said, online casinos have started to develop dedicated apps players can download for free. Most of these apps are compatible with both Android and iOS devices.
In order to stimulate mobile gaming, casinos often have special bonuses which are reserved for mobile app users. These can include all the bonuses we mentioned above, but they are usually in the form of free spins. Moreover, some slot games can also be mobile-only.
Wagering Requirements
You might be wondering how come that online casinos allow players an advantage or give them an opportunity to win money without risking anything. Well, there’s a catch. All the bonuses we discussed above come with wagering or rollover requirements. While you can find casinos that have no wagering bonuses, these are rare and the offers are not so great to begin with.
So what are wagering requirements and how do they work?
Wagering requirements represent the number of times you need to play your bonus amount over before being able to withdraw your winnings. The bonus money itself cannot be withdrawn but must be used to play casino games until you meet these requirements.
To explain further, we’ll use an example. Let’s say that your bonus amount is ₦10,000 and the wagering requirements are 30x. That means you will need to play a total of ₦300,000 with your bonus funds before being able to withdraw anything.
The same system is used for free spin bonuses. You might get 20 free spins for a particular slot game, but you will need to play that amount of spins for 30 times before you can collect the money.
Of course, wagering requirements of 30x are just an example; you can expect anything between 20x and 50x on major online casino sites.
How to Choose the Best Casino Bonuses?
All of these different bonuses can make your head spin, and you can really feel overwhelmed when trying to find the right one. Luckily, we are here to give you some tips.
First of all, you should choose your bonus according to the games you like playing. If you enjoy video slots, aim for operators that offer plenty of free spins. If you like more versatility when gambling, try finding bonuses that relate to all casino games. Mobile players often seek bonuses related to using apps, so if you’re one of those, check which casino rewards their mobile users.
No deposit bonuses are ideal for beginner gamblers as they offer them a way to explore the world of online casinos without risking any of their money. On the other end of the spectrum are high rollers who prefer VIP bonuses and loyalty programmes.
Of course, don’t forget about the wagering requirements. The higher they are, the less chance you will have to actually win anything. Wagering requirements are usually not in plain sight, so you will have to check the bonus’ terms to learn about them.
Remember that bonuses can be beneficial, but they’re not the only important aspect of an online casino. Apart from rewarding bonuses, look for websites that offer quality games and good user experience. Other than that — good luck!
Casino promotions can be categorised into two main types — deposit and no deposit bonuses. Deposit bonuses require from players to fund their accounts before being able to play with the extra money. They are commonly referred to as welcome offers, as they are only given to new customers on the website, but they can sometimes be offered on a weekly or monthly basis too. Here are some of the most common deposit bonuses you can find in online casinos today.
Everybody deserves a second chance, and some online casinos give their players cashback bonuses with which they can play again after they’ve lost on their initial bet. Cashback bonuses can be fixed, but they can also be counted as a percentage of your daily, weekly, or monthly losses.
No deposit bonuses are a great way to test a website without actually risking any money. All you need to do to become eligible for a no deposit bonus is to create an account and the casino will reward you with a certain bonus amount. However, no deposit bonuses can be part of a time-limited offer, and sometimes part of a promotion for a specific game.
Smartphones and tablets have become popular tools for 
