Bonus traps

This page lists no offers and recommends none. It teaches you to evaluate any offer yourself in about two minutes.

Wagering requirements — the number that matters

If a $100 bonus carries a 35× wagering requirement, you must place $3,500 in total bets before the bonus — and often winnings from it — becomes withdrawable. At a 96% RTP game, the expected cost of turning over $3,500 is about 4% × $3,500 = $140 in expected losses — more than the $100 bonus. The multiple, not the match percentage, decides real value.

Check before you accept anything

Does wagering apply to the bonus only, or to deposit + bonus (which doubles the turnover)?
Do all games count 100%? Table games and some slots often count less or not at all.
What is the deadline, and the maximum bet allowed while wagering? Exceeding the max bet can void winnings under the terms.
Is it paid as cash or as bonus funds with its own wagering?
Expiry dates, excluded games, countries and payment methods, caps on winnings, and one-offer-per-person/household rules.

“Free” and cashback, honestly

A winning $10 free bet at even money typically pays $10 of winnings, not $20 — the stake is not returned. Free-spin winnings are frequently paid as bonus funds with wagering attached. Cashback is a percentage of net losses (or turnover) returned: 10% back on $500 of net losses is $50 — it reduces a loss, it never turns the maths positive.

Any specific operator’s current promotion and terms are unconfirmed here by design. Read the operator’s own current terms for your jurisdiction at the moment you consider an offer. Content adapted from WagerClarity’s verified promotions explainer.