What Are Wagering Requirements?

Wagering Requirements often accompany the best casino bonuses and they’re important to understand before you decide to sign up for a welcome offer or any other casino bonuses.

The wagering requirement determines how many times you’ll need to wager before you’re able to withdraw your winnings.

Anything that you win from free spins or a deposit bonus is usually stored in your account balance until you meet the requirements. Read on as we breakdown the meaning of wagering requirements and how to find sites with the best terms and conditions for bonus offers.

Find out more about your bonus wagering requirements and how to claim your free spins winnings, with this full guide on how to withdraw any winnings from a bonus offer.

What Are Wagering Requirements?

Wagering requirements means how many times you must wager before being able to withdraw any winnings.

A wager is to put your money down and stake it for the chance to win more, in other words, it means to gamble your money.

When activating an online casino bonus whether it’s on a bingo site, casino site or slot games – you will usually need to meet casino wagering requirements before being able to withdraw your winnings.

The requirement is the number of times you must stake your bonus before being eligible to withdraw any winnings into your bank account.

Be sure to understand wagering before committing to gambling, different casinos come with various rules and regulations.

Always read the terms and conditions before using the online casinos and their bonuses. Also, be sure to check out the rest of this guide for everything that you need to know about wagering and how to get your hands on wins.

Can I Withdraw Free Bet Winnings?

This all comes down to the casino wagering requirements, if you meet the requirements then yes you can withdraw your free bet winnings.

Whether or not you are able to take your winnings is in the terms and conditions. Check the requirement of the specific casino bonus and make sure that you meet the conditions, once you have done that, you’re able to withdraw the money.

This is why it’s important to understand what a wagering requirement is and also why players should read up on gambling sites and their specific terms. They often change from bonus to bonus and are different on free spins or bonus spins, read on for everything that you need to know about withdrawing.

You will want to make the qualifying bet to enjoy casino bonuses but you will also be able to then find out when you can spend or withdraw that bonus money.

Which Sites Offer the Best Wagering Requirements?

There are top casino sites that consistently offer generous wagering requirements, our team have searched high and low for these casino sites.

Use our full guide and list below to find the best sites for wagering requirements and a list of low wagering casino sites:

What Are Good Wagering Requirements?

When it comes to gambling sites with a wagering requirement, we believe anything from 10x to 20x wagering to be a fantastic number.

It depends on the player and the type of bonus, you can find some sites with a 50x wagering requirement and some sites with no wagering required.

Obviously, no wagering requirements is as good as it gets although you should expect a smaller bonus amount for a deal of this nature. We discuss no wagering further into this article and how to find them.

Wagering Requirements Calculator

It’s imperative for you to understand wagering requirements, use this calculator and example to work out how many times you will need to use cash stakes before being eligible to withdraw winnings.

Imagine that you find an incredible 1st deposit bonus at some top casinos. When you sign-up you are rewarded cash bonuses. Let’s say the deal is when you deposit £20, you get a £60 bonus.

If the wagering requirement of the said deal is x10 then this is how to work out how much you will need to wager.

Example: You get a £60 casino bonus for a £20 deposit with an x10 wagering requirement

You will get £60 added to your account alongside your £20 deposit. The £80 will need to be staked a number of times, all in all, to meet the 10x wagering requirement you will need to wager £800’s worth.

Here’s the formula we calculated the wagering with:

£20 deposit + £60 bonus x 10 wagering requirement = £800

How Does it Work with Free Spins?

Many players wonder how free spins fit into wagering requirements, it works the same way although you will have to wager free spin winnings.

For instance, if you land 40 bonus spins and then have £40’s worth of free spins winnings with a 40x wagering requirement- you will be required to stake £400 before being able to withdraw your cash bonus.

Why Wagering Requirements are Used

The reason wagering requirements are used is to prevent players from abusing the offer.

Bonus hunters regularly jump between online casino brands making the most of the online casino bonus funds on offer and try to cash out before meeting the wagering requirements set out.

Most online casinos impose wagering multipliers on casino bonuses and free spins in order to stop the bonus hunters from jumping between online brands with no intention to ever deposit to play the games online.

Which Bonuses Require Wagering Multipliers?

Most bingo brands or casino games offer bonuses in order to attract new players or keep existing customers engaged. The online casino bonus funds include:

  • New Players Welcome First Deposit Bonus Offers
  • Free spins Casino Bonus
  • Re-Deposit Bonus Wagering
  • Weekly Special Bonus Offers
  • Seasonal Promotions

These bonus offers are free credit promotions to play online slot games, in bingo rooms on casino table games.

The problem lies when customers think it is a chance of withdrawing some real money with this credit.

Hence the reason wagering requirements was introduced. Often these bonuses require a qualifying deposit unless it is a free spins or a bonus spins offer.

How Does Wagering Works?

Don’t get confused between wagering and deposit requirements, the latter is how many times you must bet your bonus before being eligible to withdraw winnings.

Wagering, on the other hand, is simply cash stakes. Every time that you gamble, you’re wagering. It doesn’t mean depositing and doesn’t mean losing money, it means that you put money on the line, whether that’s on casino, slot or bingo sites.

Something to bear in mind here is the Return to Player (RTP) of a slot or casino game. Theoretically, the RTP tells you how likely you are to win over a number of spins. For example, if you are on a slot with an RTP of 95% and you bet £100 in £1 spins, you can expect to win back £95 on average. This gives you a good idea of how to try and wager your bonus winnings.

For more information on payout percentages and RTP, use our full guide on RTP and the best RTP slots.

What Does Wagered Mean?

Wagered means that you stake money on a bet. Put your cash on the line to wager, every time you bet, that’s money wagered.

It is that simple, wagered is money that you have bet. For instance, if you get bonus money then bet it on a slot machine or video slot, each time you spin the reels, it counts as wagered.

If you had a 10x wagering requirement and a £10 bonus, then you could spin 10 x £10 spins to meet this requirement.

Find lots of different wagering and playthrough bonuses, our team of experts break down all of the different wageirng requirements and how to withdraw your winnings.

What does 1x wagering mean?

The 1x wagering means you must bet your deposit amount before the bookmaker or gambling account will match your stake bonus money.

So if you signed up with a £50 match welcome bonus then you must deposit and wager the £50 stake which triggers your £50 free credit.

The t&c’s for each brand can vary so make sure you check whether once you receive your free bonus whether there is a playthrough multiplier attached to it.

What Does 4x Wagering Mean?

Some sites that allow 4x wagering are generous, as this is a low wagering requirement.

It means that you only need to stake your bonus amount four times. For instance, if you enjoyed a £50 bonus then you would need to stake £200 in total before you’d be able to withdraw your cash.

What does 10x wagering requirement mean?

A 10x wagering requirement means you must play through the amount of bonus you received 10 times before any withdrawals.

The x10 wagering is classed as a low wagering requirement.

10x multiplier wagering requirement example is if you received a £20 bingo bonus, this means you need to wager £200 before being able to withdraw any pending winnings gained.

What is a 20x wagering requirement?

A 20x wagering requirement means you must play through and wager x20 the amount of your bonus offer.

You cannot withdraw cash from your pending balance until you have wagered the 20 times multiple.

The x20 wagering is classed as a low wagering requirement.

If your sign up bonus was £20, you’d have to wager £400 to meet the requirement in order for you to transfer your subsequent winnings from your pending balance to your Main Wallet.

What does 30x wagering mean?

A 30x wagering requirement means you must wager x30 the amount of your bonus.

Wager 30x means you must have wagered a minimum 30 times before withdrawal any of the winnings.

The x30 wagerings are classed as an average wagering requirement.

30x multiplier wagering requirement example is if you received a £20 casino bonus, you’d have to wager £600 to meet the requirement in order for you to transfer your casinos winnings from your pending balance to your main wallet.

What is 35x wager requirement?

A 35x wagering requirement means you have to ‘wager’ (another word for play through or bet) 35 times the amount you received on the bonus.

Some bonus terms and conditions state that you need to add your initial deposit to that amount.

So the x35 wagering calculation becomes 35 x £20 bonus cash received + £20 deposited which means the playthrough total is £1400. You will need to meet these playthrough requirements before being able to withdraw from your bonus credit account.

What is a 40x wagering requirement?

The 40x wagering requirement requires you to wager 40x the bonus amount before you’re able to withdraw any winnings.

You will need to wager the deposit bonus and deposit itself 40 times before you can take out any money that you may have won. Enjoy the bonus amount and keep spinning or wagering until you’re able to take your cash.

What is a 50x wagering requirement?

A 50x wagering requirement is a high demand and requires a lot of wagering in order to take your winnings.

The 50x wagering requirement means you must have wagered a minimum 50 times before you can withdraw any of the winnings.

The 10x, 20x and 30x playthrough wagering requirements is more fair and feasible to fulfil for players on slots, casino and bingo sites.

The x50 wagering is classed as a high wagering requirement.

If your welcome bonus was £20, you’d have to wager £1000 to meet the requirement for you to withdraw as a real money cash payout.

Wagering Terms and Conditions

Terms and conditions associated with free play, most players find confusing or are completely unaware of the t&c’s.

Some casino players realised that if they play table games with a low house edge such as Online Blackjack or Live Roulette then they could fulfil the wagering requirements without losing very much.

Casinos caught on to this tactic and introduced further wagering conditions which stipulated that not all games contribute the same towards wagering requirements.

Many gambling affiliate websites now are flooded with long bonus terms and conditions surrounding the bonuses on offer.

The most important checks on bonus terms and conditions are:

  • Play Responsibly Max Bet Limit
  • New Customers Min Deposit
  • Bonus Funds Max Bet
  • Matching First Deposit Bonus Wagering
  • Casino Games Min Deposit Trigger
  • New Players Bonus Cash

What does playthrough mean online casino?

The playthrough definition in online casinos means the number of times you have to wager your deposit amount or bonus amount in order for the winnings to be cashable.

Playthrough requirements are usually contained within the online casino standard terms and conditions, so they aren’t that hard to find.

When a player has played through their wagering requirements a player may cash out their winnings from their main wallet as opposed to it being demo play in a pending balance account.

How Can I Check How Much I Have Left To Wager?

If you’re wondering what does left to wager mean, it simply describes how long you have left until you have met the wagering requirements. Some casino bonuses let you know how much is left to wager and you can then figure out how much more you need to stake before being eligible to withdraw this money.

Here’s how to check what is left to wager:

  1. You need to click on your Account and go to active bonuses.
  2. Here you’ll be able to see a handy little progress bar so you know instantly how much you have left to wager from your bonuses received.
  3. Each bingo, slots or casino brand will have the progress bars in your account under promotions or active bonuses.

How to beat wagering requirements?

The best way to beat wagering requirements is to get wins over 300 times your stake.

The best techniques to get around wagering requirements is to stick to low variance slots.

If you managed to land a jackpot this can beat the wager multiplier.

New customers are always looking at ways on how to beat wagering requirements set by the casinos.

Checking the RTP value for slots or playing the table games where the casino edge is low are the best ways of beating the wagering limits.

What Does No Wagering Mean?

No Wagering means that the bonus or free spins don’t have any wagering requirements attached to them.

All winnings from the bonus or free spins are yours to keep as real money cash payouts.

The winnings are added to your withdrawable main wallet balance.

No wagering offers will apply to an account from the time a bonus is accepted or applied to an account.

No funds stored in the pending balance for that bonus and all will be credited directly into the withdrawable cash balance.

Check out all the best brands offering no wagering requirements:

  • Buzz Bingo Slots

    Buzz Bingo Logo
    SPEND £10 GET 200 BONUS SPINS

    Deposit & stake £10 Bingo get £30 bonus (x4 WR) + £10 Club voucher, &/or stake £10 slots get 200 x 10p Fire Blaze™ Blue Wizard Megaways™ spins (x20 WR) + £5 Club slots voucher. Use or add to balance to get both. 18+.

    Full T&C's Apply

  • MrQ

    MrQ Logo
    GET 30 FREE SPINS

    First deposit only. Min deposit & spend £10. Max 30 spins on Big Bass Splash at 10p per spin. Spins credited upon spend of £10.

    Full T&C's Apply

  • PlayOJO Casino

    Play Ojo Logo
    50 FREE SPINS NO WAGERING

    First deposit only. 50 Free Spins on Book of Dead slot. Free Spin valued at £0.10. OJO’s Rewards and Game Play policy applies.

    Full T&C's Apply

Or see or lists of no wagering sites for bingo, online casino and online fruit machines below.

The no wager free spins are the best kind of bonus spins. So there is no wonder slot players go crazy about these particular free spins offers.

How to Choose Best Wagering Requirement Sites?

Choosing a website has been made easy with the help of our team. Here are things that you should be looking for in the best slot sites with wagering requirements.

Deposit Types & Deposit Methods

As always, you’ll want to have a range of deposit methods. This makes it easier to make a deposit bonus and you can capitalise on the latest welcome offer.

Customers can use various deposit types including PayPal, Visa, Skrill and other methods. Always check for a trusted payment source.

Enjoy your preferred way of making the min deposit and qualifying for the first deposit bonus by choosing a deposit method.

Wagering Requirement

It goes without saying, you want to search for the best wagering requirement. The lower the wagering requirement, the better.

You have more chance of withdrawing your real money without the need to wager it too often. Enjoy a 1st deposit bonus on the best sites, if you can find lower wagering requirements then it’s well worth enjoying wagering bonuses.

Reputation

Always check the reputation of a casino site, we have already trialled a number of UK casino sites. All of the sites that we list are completely reputable and are recommended.

Selected Games

When using a free spins bonus or wagering bonus credit, most sites will only allow you to pick from specific games.

Check the catalogue and find the site that provides the best games. We often find great slot games such as Book of Dead and Starburst that come with great deposit bonus offers. Use the sites we have listed for bonus spins and free spins on games such as Book of Dead and many more.

What Can I Use Wagering Bonuses On?

It all depends on the specific bonus, check the terms and conditions. You’re often able to play first deposit bonuses on selected games and sites. Enjoy on the casino, slot or bingo sites.

Summary

There is a lot of stigma around wagering limits because imagine you had won £500, £3000 or even £10,000 off your bonus credit, only to realise you’d have to carry on playing and risk losing it all just to be able to withdraw it as hard-earned cash.

It makes it not quite as appealing knowing that. Many players refuse to accept any bonuses for that very reason. Although we understand this, many players miss out on incredible deposit bonus offers for that very reason.

It’s understandable for casino, slot and bingo sites to put wagering requirements on their free spins and other bonuses but we urge players to understand wagering before capitalising on these money offers.

We have searched high and low to review and analyse all the best bonuses available and our recommendation is to check out our carefully crafted list of brands offering no wagering requirements. Get your hands on the best UK 1st deposit offers and get the chance to land some incredible real bonus money with fair wagering requirements and t&cs.

James has almost a decade of experience in the iGaming Industry. Winning several awards including "UK Casino Affiliate of the Year" he uses his experience to research the UK market to source the best bingo welcome bonuses, highest casino slots real money payouts and free spins sign up offers.