Lila Thorn | January 4, 2023 | Updated on: December 12th, 2023
Welcoming you with free money is why so many casinos offer sign-up bonuses. These offers range across no deposit offers, free spins, and deposit bonuses to keep you coming back.
If you’re wondering how these casino bonuses work, then this guide is for you. We’ve compiled a list of premium online casinos, welcome bonuses, types of offers, and how to clear them.
In short, this is a promotion aimed at getting new players to sign up by offering free cash and spins on select slots. Generally, casinos will provide a real money deposit match up to 100% for the first sign-up bonus. After that, you might be able to claim more offers that are part of the promotion.
Types of Casino Sign-Up Bonuses
Claiming a welcome bonus is relatively simple, but which one could you get? Well, the most common sign-up bonus package will usually be one of the following:
Welcome Deposit Bonus– this type of bonus will match your first deposit up to a certain amount. Most casinos will offer from 50% in matches.
This means that your bankroll will add up to: deposit amount + % match bonus funds = final amount. I.e. $20 + $10 = $30.
Free SpinsWelcome Bonus – at specific gambling sites, American players will receive a few free spins on a selected slot after claiming a welcome bonus. Generally, this will start at ten spins.
Free Welcome Bonus No Deposit– while it may be rare, some casinos do offer players credits before claiming a deposit bonus. You can claim the offer after creating an account. Then, you will receive a few credits to test out on the games for a set time. Anything won during that time will be added to the account.
How to Claim
Claiming welcome bonuses is easy, and we’ve listed the usual steps below.
1. Sign Up for a Casino Account
Firstly, you’ll need to open an account and verify your identity with specific documents. You’ll need to have scanned copies of your identity document, proof of address, and any other documents the online gambling site requests. Once the casino team confirms verification, you can go to step two.
2. Use the Promo Code (If Offered)
Our recommended sites usually offer bonus codes to new players to claim the promos. You can copy the code on the promotions page and paste it in. Then, you can proceed to the next step of this process.
3. Make A Deposit
Copy your deposit bonus codes, make a deposit, and paste it into the right field. And, if you’re claiming a free sign up bonus, double-check that you’ve typed in the minimum deposit or more.
4. Play Real Money Games
Once your deposit and bonus amounts appear in your account, it’s time to play some games. We highly recommend starting with slot games because they usually count 100% towards clearing the offer terms.
5. Use Your Welcome Bonus Within the Time Limit
Many sign-up bonuses have a time limit that lasts anywhere between seven and 90 days. The casino should always outline the rules for your offer. To get a cashout, you need to play through your bonus within this time.
6. Cashout With a Safe Banking Option
When you’ve met the promotional terms and conditions by playing through your bonus and deposit amounts, it’s time to cash out. Ensure that you pick a trustworthy service and cash left over for any fees in the account.
Clearing Sign-Up Promotions – Wagering Requirements & Other Terms
Without fail, you’ll need to follow policies set out by the casino for bonuses. And this includes how much you can claim, how many times you need to wager the full amount, and which games apply. So, before opening an account, we recommend reading through the conditions and taking notes.
Here’s an example of how to clear a welcome bonus:
Let’s start with the deposit match. Every advertised offer will have a match that averages 100%. Then, look at the match; we’ll take an average of $1000 and a minimum deposit of $25. After that, you’ll probably have to wager the combined amount 30 times.
So, if you take the full amount, you’ll work it out like this:
$1000 deposit added to the $1000 cap = $2000. Then wager it 30 times, which works out to $60 000 in wagers.
If you decide to deposit the minimum of $25 and get $25 free, you’ll have $50 that you need to wager 30 times. So, $50 multiplied by 30 is $1500 in bets.
With that in mind, you also need to bet consistently, so you can’t jump from $1 bets to $10 in one go. Which is standard for playthrough requirements, so you need to follow this term.
Of course, there’s a time limit for how long you can keep the bonus, and you will lose it after that.
Cash Out Your Promotion
When you’re confident that you met the wagering/playthrough conditions, you can proceed to the withdrawal paged and follow these steps:
Select your banking option from the list.
Follow the instructions for the amounts.
Check the fees and then hit “confirm” to transfer funds to yourself.
Wait for the payment to process; you should know within 72 hours.
Double-check your bank’s processing times and wait for your money.
Pros & Cons of Using Sign-Up Bonuses
If you’re still on the fence about these bonus offers, here are our expert pros and cons to consider.
Benefits of Sign-Up Offers
You can play new games.
You’ll get free money for gameplay.
And there might be free spins.
Drawbacks of Welcome Bonuses
Playing through the bonus can get tiring.
Table games don’t count 100%.
Payouts might get tricky if you aren’t careful.
Top 10 Free Sign Up Bonus Casino Sites
While we recommend any of the sites we list, these are our favorites because they have the best offers and terms for new players. So, check out our top 10 welcome bonus casinos to get started.
While many casino sites advertise a sign-up bonus, the fine print can catch unwary players. To ensure that you get the most out of your extra cash, you’ll need to look at the terms. Most of our listed sites put the terms under the promotion on their sign-up bonus page.
If the terms are not on the page, go to the full rules for clarity. We recommend doing this before claiming anything to avoid misunderstandings.
If you read the casino reviews we list on the site, you’ll see that our reviewers outline these terms as well. So, you’ll always know what to expect when we recommend a casino welcome bonus. Try to keep in mind that there will be wagering/playthrough requirements for the bonus, too.
More Casino Promotions
Check out our other guides if you need more information:
Welcoming you with free money is why so many casinos offer sign-up bonuses. These offers range across no deposit offers, free spins, and deposit bonuses to keep you coming back.
