The idea is to risk (gamble) the money you are given a certain number of times before you can cash it out (take the money back). Does the playthrough refer to your bankroll amount or to the bonus amount alone? The difference is rather significant!

This requirement refers to your deposit plus your bonus, which must be wagered 20 times before you can cash out (this number varies from casino to casino). Assuming you deposit $100 and receive an additional $100 in bonus (Match-up Bonus). Thus giving you a total bankroll of $200 to play with. However, before you can withdraw your winnings, you will have to make $4000 worth of bets – i.e $200 x 20.

This requirement refers to your bonus alone! Using the same example, from your $200 bankroll, $100 is the bonus. Before withdrawing your winnings, you'll have to make at least $2000 worth of bets – i.e $100 x 20.

Note: Check the Playthrough conditions with casinos first. If Blackjack is your preferred game and you haven't bothered to check the conditions, you can find yourself: a) making $10,000 worth of bets; b) finding that your overall playthrough still stands at zero; and c) not being able to withdraw your money. So beware!

Is to offer players a short introduction before starting to play for real money and getting the grasp for the various games at an online casinos. You register your details and have a small amount (such as $25) deposited in your casino account. Some casinos request your credit card details before letting you claim your free cash. This is a security measure to avoid 'bonus abuse' as well as players who try to open multiple accounts. The funds may be automatically credited to your account, or you may need to claim it via an email confirmation or a submission form on the casino site.

No-Deposit Bonus's always comes with certain conditions attached. You will be required to playthrough the bonus amount a certain number of times before withdrawing your money. Some games may not allow no-deposit terms. When it is time to get cash, there may be a maximum amount that you can withdraw using this bonus. However, you may be required to make a small deposit into your account before cashing out your winnings from a No-Deposit offer.

1st, Sign-Up, 2nd, Loyalty or whatever bonus, the principle is the same. When you make a deposit, the casino responds with its own money – thereby enlarging your total bankroll. This is a bonus you receive when you make a deposit at a casino. What matters are the percentages you get and the limits you have on playing.

Percentage: 100% bonus means that you deposit $100 and the casino gives you another $100 (total bankroll of $200). If it is a 200% bonus, you get $200 for your $100 (total bankroll of $300). Casino Bonuses vary from 10% to 250%

Limits: Casinos will limit the money it offers up to a set limit – for example enjoying 100% match bonus up to $200. This means that you get 100% in free money up to a maximum deposit of $200, but not beyond that.

Restrictions: Note that bonuses like these almost always require you to playthrough your bankroll a certain number of times before you can withdraw your winnings. Note too which games are included in the wagering requirement.

Online casinos offer this as a special kind of first deposit bonus: you know what you get without regard to the amount of money you deposit. For instance, a casino may offer $80 free if you deposit at least $20 (so you get a $100 bankroll). But you'll still get only $80 even if you deposit $70. In some cases a Free Money Bonus may be worth more to you than getting a Match Bonus from another casino. Do your comparisons based on the minimum deposit required.

All bonuses above the 1st/Welcome/Start-Up Bonus may fall into this category. Rewards for loyalty are awarded to players reaching a certain status at an online casino. Players who spend large amounts are offered Loyalty Bonuses. The amounts and types of bonus will vary from casino to casino. Some casinos will not require a playthrough on these. To cash out these bonuses, you will usually need a token requirement.

This bonus incentive ensures that when you are winning, you always keep some money in your account. 'Sticky' ascribes the amount you are awarded and this amount cannot be withdrawn. It remains solely in your account, whilst you withdraw your winnings. This is a good thing reason being a) you have more money to play with; b) you increase your chances of getting to a jackpot and c) can have a higher payout ratio when you hit the big wins. Online casinos are often generous with their sticky bonuses, offering $300 or more!

Pay attention to the following:

Wagering terms/requirements – Look for this term in the Conditions. The tendency at online casinos is to increase the wagering requirement – so you have to wager many more times (perhaps up to 20 times) your deposit and bonus amount before cashing out. Reason being, because bonuses are expensive promotions and some players try to abuse their bonus rights. If you find a casino with a Sticky Bonus, this can be a good solution because they generally don't carry wagering requirements. Sands of the Caribbean Casino is a good example.

When withdrawing your deposit – Treat all First Deposits with care. Check out to what extent you may have your initial $100 locked when you're offered an additional $50 bonus (see example above)?

Minimum hand limit – Casinos can insist that you must wager a minimum amount (i.e $20 per hand in Blackjack) when playing a game in which a bonus of 100% or over has been offered.

Restricting games – Consult the bonus-paying conditions for each game you play. Some games, like Craps and Roulette, are often not included in many bonus arrangements. This limitation is in addition to being prevented from withdrawing your bonus until you have accumulated an aggregated total amount of money betted. So read all bonus terms and conditions!

Sorting out multiple offers for bonuses – Casinos can offer many bonuses within the month, unfortunately you cannot benefit from more than one bonus. A typical situation is when you are offered a bonus for using an alternative deposit method like NETeller. We suggest you evaluate the conditions of each bonus first before wagering your money on that specific bonus.

Good Advice

Bankroll: Total sum of money (yours + bonus) that you have available for gambling.

Betting limits: The minimum-maximum scale that can be wagered by one player at a card or table game (example: Beginners' Slots with $0.50 to $50 limit).

Bonus: Credit added to a player's account for various reasons - such as being a new player, a loyal or VIP player.

Deposit: Any payment that you make to an online casino in order to play. Your deposit, plus any bonus you get, is your bankroll.

Free (or 'no-deposit') bonus: This bonus offered by online casinos does not require your deposit in order to receive it.

Match bonus: The percentage number is important. A 100% Match Bonus means that for your $100, the casino will add another $100.

Referral bonus: Get another person to sign up with the casino as a cash player and you'll receive a 'thank you' bonus from the casino.

Wagering requirement: Indicates how many times a bonus amount must be bet before you can cash-out your winnings (see example at top of page).

Withdrawal: Formal request to receive your payouts from an online casino.