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The Welcome Bonus: Is Claiming It Worth The Effort?

We've all been there. Trawling through any number of online casinos. Looking at their welcome bonuses. This is a big pull, as the welcome bonus can make your bankroll go a lot further, thereby increasing your chances of having a win. But there are welcome bonuses and there are welcome bonuses Though they might look similar, but each offers a very different set of options. So, the question is; how can you tell if a welcome bonus is worth your time and effort?

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Claim a Welcome Bonus: You First Question

This should be simple, “Will I get paid if I win?”. Really, what’s the point of a welcome bonus if you’re not getting paid. You’ll notice that we are pretty big on researching an online casino before you start to play. Let alone sign up to. Have a good look at their Terms and Conditions. Check out all the small print. Look around the web for other player’s experiences with the same casino. Collate all this information together. A picture will start to emerge as to what type of bonus you’ll really be receiving. Bare in mind that the bonus is only as good as the casinos or the online jackpot sites offering it.

Getting More Action

Many novice punters look at the casino bonus, which is always written in $ signs and think that they’ll be receiving real money which they can spend. But things are not quite as straightforwards as that. Put yourself in the shoes of the casino for a few minutes and then you’ll see more clearly how things work. The bonus is really just a means of extending your playing time. It allows you to stretch your bankroll further, with the added possibility of a greater chance of winning whatever prizes are on offer. The welcome bonus is normally the largest bonus that an online casino will offer, and so having this extra amount added to your bankroll is a win. Now we come down to the nitty-gritty…and you’ll begin to see that it’s not exactly “free money”.

The Dreaded Wagering Requirement

Casinos are not in the business of simply giving free money away. Their businesses would last very long if that was the plan. And that’s the reason why all online casino set wagering requirements with their bonuses. An example would be, if the bonus is for $20, then it might have a 30x wagering requirement. That translates to you having to make at least $600 in bets before you can cash out. The problem here is that you may be required to play much more than you first imagined. The wagering requirement is set to keep you playing for as long as possible, without the bonus comes into play. Paint us cynical, but casinos are businesses like any other. They need to maximize their return. To that end, you’ll find that the higher the welcome bonus, the longer you might have to play in order to redeem it.

Claim a Welcome Bonus: Win Limits

As we previously mentioned, casinos are not in the business of giving away free cash. And that’s why a lot of welcome bonuses come with a restriction on exactly how much you are allowed to win. You may find yourself going after the big jackpot. But winning it will only pay you out with extra spins or cash. These cannot be redeemed but must be replayed into the same game. On the whole, if it’s a free bonus, without a deposit or bonuses of up to 300%, then you’re going to be limited in the payout department.

Claim a Welcome Bonus: Potential To Turn The Game

Yes, we’ve all been there. For some reason, you’ve hit a streak of bad luck. Coin after coin just brings up loss after loss. And before you can say “I’m outta here”, your rapidly depleting bankroll says it for you. Now with the addition of a welcome bonus, you have more time to get back to an even keel and start on the process of winning. Without the bonus, you probably would have had to call it a day. But thanks to the extra funds and time they provide, you have a greater chance of getting out of your losing rut. In effect, the bonus acts as a cushion against you zeroing out. It allows you to leave the game in a better position. Anyhow, that’s the best aspect of even the best jackpot deals.

Welcome Bonus Or Not?

Whatever online casino you decide to go with, always have it in your mind, that the welcome bonus needs some research before you sign on for the first time. Many sites will automatically claim the bonus the moment that you sign on. Others require a deposit and yet others might require a promo code to be entered on the signup page. If you have any doubts about whether the bonus is really of real benefit to you, then simply contact the site’s customer support and ask them how it all functions. Better to be informed than ignorant.