Welcome Bonus
Welcome offers are a casino’s special. They exist with the sole purpose of making the overall experience more satisfying and accessible to even the most conservative players. And because there are so many different bonuses to pick from, you will always find something new.
These welcome offers can be significant, vowing thousands of worth. Yet, they can be more moderate, offering a little less. Whether the amount is small or big, we are here to talk about everything you need to know about casino welcome offers.
Table of Contents
We will cover the different versions of such promotions as well as how to claim them and play through the requirements. There is a lot to see so buckle your seatbelts. You are about to get a full-ride across the entire domain of welcome bonuses and specifically those promotions that are worth your time to a split second.
Free Welcome Bonus No Deposit
First, you have the most desirable of them all: The free welcome bonus no deposit option. This is a bonus that will simply grant you a specific amount established by the casino. All you need to do is to claim it after registering your account. No first deposit is necessary to claim the promotion, making it all the handier.
Some players might be a little sceptical of such promotions, but the simple truth is many online casinos don’t mind using these to help players out at first. Once you have gone through a promotion, this means you have had some time to study what games are on offer.
And therein lies the secret to any successful casino welcome offer – no deposit or otherwise. It’s all about exploring the casino at your own pace and making the most out of your gaming funds. Welcome bonuses do help out with establishing a firmer hold in an online casino.
But still, there is also the simple fact that with a no deposit offer, you don’t have to carry any of the actual risks. No deposit welcome offers must be the most tempting and ingenious way to invite new players and give them a chance to study a casino. It’s a sort of bilateral agreement that benefits both parties.
A happy player is likely to stick around, and he might even bring over his friends whereas a great welcome bonus will do wonders for the reputation and further success of a casino – not to mention it will help a player to have a great time playing.
With this said, the no deposit welcome offer is definitely one of the best treats a casino can offer to its players. Let’s take a look at the best online casino welcome bonuses today.
Best Online Casino Welcome Bonus
Picking the best casino bonus out there is definitely not as easy as it sounds. First, you need to teach yourself how to ignore marketing. Everyone would try to convince you that the bonus they offer is indeed the best you can get your hands on.
That may be true, but what you need to do is understand the bonus beforehand. The best casino online you find on the Internet won’t just tell you it’s the best, it will help you understand why its offer is superior to competitors’. Today, we have the opportunity to explore some of the best welcome bonuses – and not only that, but what makes them such.
It doesn’t matter what promotion you have picked up. It will always come down to a few common denominators, such as wagering requirements and general terms and conditions, which include the deadlines and any other specifics. And so, you will want to make sure that the promo you are claiming on your way in is actually helpful.
Of course, helpful means different things to different people. For instance, a high-roller wouldn’t shy from a bonus condition that runs a little higher than the industry average. On the flip side, you have the budget player who would probably think twice before committing to anything too eccentric.
Even then, you will have some flexibility in choosing the bonus that you enjoy the most. Just make a habit of inspecting the terms and conditions and wagering requirements beforehand so that you are absolutely on board with what comes next. Now, let’s look at some common welcome offers available at an online casino.
A Pretty Standard Offer: 100% Welcome Bonus
The 100% welcome bonus has become a bit of a staple. When you think of a new casino, you surely expect to see it. Any casino with a bonus will most likely feature it. While there are no guarantees what each operator might offer, you can always calibrate your search a bit here and there.
As to this welcome bonus itself – the offer is quite standard. You deposit any amount, but usually around €10 or €25, and just like that, your bankroll doubles its value. The deadline is usually at least 30 days, and the wagering requirements shouldn’t exceed 35x for either the bonus or (deposit+bonus).
Some minor quirks may apply to each offer, that’s why scrutiny is a virtue for any bonus hunter – new or experienced. The offer shouldn’t be too difficult to cash out; however, one last detail you need to consider are the wagering contributions.
Not all games have been created equal, especially if you ask for a bonus. You see, some slots will contribute less than 100% towards your wagering contributions which could stretch the overall time you need to complete the bonus. And time is often of the essence with these things.
All things considered, though, the trend in casino bonuses is to emphasise transparency. That makes it very easy to stay on point and pick the best picks.
Antes Up: 200% Welcome Bonus
A 200% welcome bonus doesn’t necessarily mean bigger. It simply could mean a better bonus rate. You see both a 100% and 200% rate could promise you €100 in bonus funds. Yet, one will help you out to claim that amount a little quicker. But hey, don’t automatically assume that one bonus is better than the other by virtue of its size alone.
Once again, you will need to go through the wagering requirements and make sure you understand the contract you are inking. You see, 200% in bonus funds is not bad at all. It means that even a nominal deposit of €10 results into €30 you can play with right away.
Don’t hesitate to have a look through the terms and conditions and see what deadlines and playthrough there are attached to the offer.
How about a 300% Welcome Bonus?
A 300% welcome bonus is a serious enough offer. The rate is excellent, and there can be little doubt that depositing even the minimum amount would result in a solid benefit for the player. In fact, what you need to check here first is the casino. Can you trust it and if so, are you looking for a welcome offer?
A 300% welcome offer is quite a little treat. Let’s assume you need to deposit at least €20 to claim it. Suddenly, you ‘ve turned your €20 into €80. Assuming that the casino asks you to even wager the amount over 35 times, that is not bad at all. After all, you have only placed €20 of your own cash and got €60 extra.
If you wonder how this compares to a 100% bonus, remember that a simple €20 will fetch you €20. Let’s assume you need to clear the bonus
at a rate of 35, which makes for 40*35 or a total of €1400. Now, let’s assume that you are clearing the €80 funds (300% deposit + bonus) at a rate of 35x. That would be a total of €2800. In other words, you are accepting the same risk to get access to potentially higher returns.
Of course, these returns are only hypothetical. Playing more doesn’t mean you will mean more – not by any stretch. However, a 100% bonus
would require you to deposit €40 of your own money to claim €80, and a €300 expects you to deposit just €20. If the 300% welcome bonus is too big, in terms of cap amount – i.e. €3,000 – you might need to think about other factors.
Don’t Forget the €5 Cap Per Bet
Surely, perhaps you can afford to spend this amount, but don’t forget about the terms and conditions. The bonuses are very often capped at €5 per spin. Now imagine yourself playing through €3,000*35x for a total of €105,000. That is a lot!
Pros and Cons: Why Choose a Welcome Bonus in the First Place?
Before we move on, we ought to ask ourselves something very simple – what are the clear advantages we have heard about when studying welcome bonuses? And similarly, what are the disadvantages that might prove a bit too much trouble to even go through in the first place? There is more than one interpretation of this, so we will list the pros and cons to hopefully help you understand the industry a little better.
Pros
- A welcome bonus will help you extend your game time at any casino. You will get additional funds to study the offer and use it on most of the popular games.
- A bonus will share some of the financial burdens and help you have access to more money at a smaller investment.
- Having access to a bonus could actually lead to more profit at the end of the wagering requirements after the rollover has been cleared in full.
Cons
- A welcome bonus is a contract between you and the casino and you will need to fulfil the wagering conditions before you can withdraw your winnings.
- Sometimes the wagering conditions can be too much to cover on your own, leading to complications. To avoid this, always check with the wagering requirements and decide how much you want to invest.
Overall, a welcome bonus is a great thing. Bar the minor drawbacks – which can be moderated – you don’t have to worry about much. Just have fun, but remember – this may be just bonus money, but it never hurts to actually play with a bit of foresight. Good habits are taught early.
What’s a New Casino Welcome Bonus
A new casino welcome offer must be fun. It will probably have a few curious idiosyncrasies to come along with it. New casinos will usually try to be a bit of an outlier. In other words, they will hook you up with bonuses that are arguably better than what you have had so far. This could be reflected in the terms and conditions or wagering requirements.
For example, a new bonus can have lower wagering requirements with the sole purpose of attracting more interest from players and retaining any passersby. In fact, it makes perfect sense to have your look around. These new bonuses might, in fact, come with much smaller playthrough requirements or even bigger wagering contributions for some games.
There are often some extra details – such as free spins. In fact, it’s almost impossible to find a welcome bonus today that doesn’t offer something extra. Even if this extra is just a few spins in there, that’s still a very good idea to have a look at these bonuses.
How new promotion is doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better, but experience shows there is a very good chance you would find something to pique your curiosity at least a bit. These new casino welcome offers are also often a combination of money and spins.
This way, you can explore different mechanics of the bonus experience and decide which one you like better. CasinoChimp.com doesn’t suggest that there is much of a difference, but the mechanics of these two bonuses could be slightly different.
What about the Welcome Bonus on Mobile?
With players taking fondly to the mobile experience, it’s not surprising that some sites will advertise specifically to these customers. Mobile bonuses are mostly a complete replica of the desktop bonus. This is not to say they are an imitation.
No, it’s all about the omnichannel experience which has made it very possible for players to enjoy a unified gaming experience across all casinos. You may be playing from mobile or desktop and still expect the same level of integrity and focus on your well-being.
That starts with the proper allocation of a bonus. Mobile, some players argue, make it way easier to get cracking. You will be able to play on the go and not have to spend as much concentrated effort, even. Yet, some online casinos will still offer mobile-only bonuses.
This is done to convert a few old-timers and prompt them to play or at least try mobile. The focus on the mobile segment has not been incidental as well. Mobile devices just make any casino experience far better. They provide you with an opportunity to game remotely, benefit from the full list of games and even deposit and withdraw your money from your online casino account.
Besides, many mobile casinos have slightly better navigation than their desktop counterparts and arguably better wagering requirements as well. Of course, this is subject to individual testing. You can just pick a mobile casino you like and have a quick look through the available wagering requirements to decide for yourself.
The trend today is to see more casinos tailoring their offer to players who want to keep playing on the go and feel unrestricted in their choice of games. That’s why casinos bonus options have evolved to reflect this trend not buck it.
What’s the Most Common Wagering Requirement?
A great question to consider. The wagering requirement of a bonus will vary from one promo to the next. Yet, there is a baseline, a common denominator if you will that will help you always know what to expect. The most common wagering requirement is 35x. Yet, there are a few possible variances here. The wagering requirement can apply to your deposit or bonus, or both.
This is usually what determines how good promotion is – other than the playthrough, of course. Since we are talking about the most popular variations here, however, you will need to know that 35x will most likely apply to both the deposit and bonus.
Is this a bad thing? Not at all. Some players might soon realise that they have been overreaching when they have decided to go the full distance with their bonus. Yet, for those who make a habit of reading the available wagering requirement before depositing, are far more likely to be successful.
What Games Do Welcome Offers Apply To?
A welcome bonus will usually apply to all games, but some games are more popular than others when it comes to the deposit at least. We will now take a look at welcome bonuses and three main categories of games: slots, table games, and live games and see what they have to offer.
Slots
Slots are the most popular destination for welcome offers. Why? Because casinos prefer players to sign up and play slots. Slots are fair in their nature, but they also come with the payout percentage that gives casinos a better advantage. Yet, slots are fun, they can land you a big win, and players themselves prefer these games.
More so than some alternatives that have better payouts, but might not be liked for their complexity or perhaps even the silly fact that they remind people of gambling. Yes, it’s strange like this, but many people consider slots to be a form of entertainment and not gambling.
Therefore, the bonuses you can find for slots are more. In fact, they always tend to give you 100% towards your wagering requirement – unlike any other game. Some casinos, which CasinoChimp.com won’t recommend, tend to make some of their slots contribute only 50% towards the wagering requirement.
This is not very thoughtful nor helpful, so these bonuses are best avoided. However, the majority of offers will make it very simple for you to claim some honestly delightful options. Slots will run with both free spins, no deposit and free play welcome offers, to mention just a few.
Blackjack, Roulette, and Others
Now, table games are a little more generous. They have better RTP, which usually starts at 99%. But what about the bonuses? Welcome offers that focus on table games are a rarity, but they do exist. First, you need to understand that a normal bonus will give you around 10-25% towards your wagering.
A welcome bonus that is specifically designed to help you with these types of games is still very likely to offer you just 30% towards your wagering, or even less. Yet, the bonus is granted specifically for table games which means it might come with a slightly smaller wagering requirement.
Once again, each casino is different, and in most cases – nothing beats going through the terms and conditions yourself in detail.
The Live Welcome Bonus
Live casinos may be a bit of eccentricity still, but don’t worry. They are more popular than ever. The fact is many people have realised how easy and pleasant it is to play from the comfort of one’s home. Naturally, live casinos have followed the trail by adding some cool welcome casino bonuses for live dealer games specifically.
Once again, live games are a bit out of the comfort zone to most casinos when it comes to bonuses. But don’t worry, because they still bring you some exclusive promos. By picking useful habits, such as reading the wagering requirements yourself, you will be able to very quickly find specific casino bonuses you will be happy to pick up and play with.
Are Bonus and Real Money Treated Differently by Casinos?
It really depends on the casino. Usually, some casinos will ask you to first burn through your real money and only then through your bonus funds. This way, you will be more inclined to stick around and try to play through the bonus. That may look like a bit of a disadvantage, but there’s a good reason behind it.
After all, the casino wants you involved. That’s why at CasinoChimp.com, we always remind players to think twice before committing to even the most tempting welcome bonus. By its nature, a welcome bonus is a contract, and even though it can be quite fun, if your heart isn’t in it, and you don’t genuinely want to play, you might be better off just playing without a bonus.
Yet, if you opt-out of a bonus you must be aware that you are missing out on a lot and that’s why people love to have their look around and always get a promo.
Welcome Bonuses? Definitely Pick One!
Even if it takes a while to find a welcome bonus, picking one is always worth the effort. The basic benefit of a welcome bonus is simple – it gives you an opportunity to explore and see what’s out there. The longer you can spend playing, the more you can see out of a casino which is ultimately the goal here. True, a lengthier session doesn’t mean that you will necessarily win more, but it does give you more situations to test out what the casino has to offer. There are trades to be made when picking a bonus, but we agree – it’s still pretty much worth it.
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