Every casino bonus comes with wagering requirements — and understanding them is the difference between walking away with real money and losing your bonus entirely. This guide explains exactly how wagering requirements work, with real calculations, so you know what you're signing up for.
💡 Quick Summary
A wagering requirement tells you how many times you must bet your bonus (or bonus + deposit) before you can withdraw any winnings. A €100 bonus with 35x wagering means you need to place €3,500 in total bets before cashing out.
What Are Wagering Requirements?
Wagering requirements (sometimes called "playthrough requirements" or "rollover") are conditions attached to casino bonuses. They exist because casinos would go bankrupt if every player could simply claim a bonus and withdraw it immediately.
When a casino says a bonus has "35x wagering", it means you must wager (place bets totalling) 35 times the bonus amount before any bonus-derived winnings become withdrawable.
Wagering requirements apply to virtually every type of bonus — welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, free spin winnings, and cashback offers. The only exceptions are rare "no wagering" promotions, which we always highlight in our bonus reviews.
How Wagering Requirements Work — A Worked Example
Let's walk through a real-world scenario step by step.
📈 Example Calculation
Bonus: 100% match up to €100
Your deposit: €100
Bonus received: €100
Wagering requirement: 35x (bonus only)
Total wagering needed: €100 × 35 = €3,500
This means you need to place €3,500 in total bets before you can withdraw bonus winnings. You don't need to lose €3,500 — you just need €3,500 in total stakes. If you bet €5 per spin on slots, that's 700 spins.
Bonus Only vs. Bonus + Deposit Wagering
Pay close attention to whether the requirement applies to the bonus only or bonus + deposit:
- 35x bonus only: €100 bonus × 35 = €3,500 to wager
- 35x (bonus + deposit): (€100 bonus + €100 deposit) × 35 = €7,000 to wager
That's double the wagering for the same bonus. Always check the T&Cs to see which applies.
Game Contribution Rates
Not all games contribute equally to clearing your wagering requirement. Here's how it typically breaks down:
| Game Type | Typical Contribution | Impact on Wagering |
|---|---|---|
| Online Slots | 100% | €1 bet = €1 cleared |
| Scratch Cards / Instant Wins | 100% | €1 bet = €1 cleared |
| Roulette | 10–20% | €1 bet = €0.10–€0.20 cleared |
| Blackjack | 10–20% | €1 bet = €0.10–€0.20 cleared |
| Video Poker | 10–20% | €1 bet = €0.10–€0.20 cleared |
| Baccarat | 10–15% | €1 bet = €0.10–€0.15 cleared |
| Live Casino Games | 0–10% | €1 bet = €0–€0.10 cleared |
| Progressive Jackpot Slots | 0% | Usually excluded entirely |
What this means in practice: If you have €3,500 to wager and play only blackjack at 10% contribution, you'd actually need to place €35,000 in bets. Stick to slots if you want to clear wagering efficiently.
Tips to Clear Wagering Requirements Faster
- Play slots with high RTP. Games like Blood Suckers (98% RTP) or Starmania (97.87%) give you more spins for your money, helping you clear wagering while losing less. Read our RTP guide to learn more.
- Stick to 100% contribution games. Slots almost always contribute 100%. Playing table games will take 5–10 times longer to clear the same wagering.
- Use medium-sized bets. Very small bets extend your playing time but take forever. Very large bets burn through your balance quickly. Find a middle ground — typically €1–€5 per spin.
- Watch the clock. Most bonuses expire in 7–30 days. Don't claim a bonus if you won't have time to clear it.
- Read the T&Cs before you deposit. Check the wagering multiplier, contribution rates, max bet, and time limit. All of this is in the bonus terms.
- Avoid progressive jackpot slots. They usually contribute 0% to wagering and have lower base-game RTP.
Low vs. High Wagering Casinos
Not all wagering requirements are created equal. Here's how to think about what's fair:
| Wagering Level | Multiplier | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Very Low | 0–10x | Excellent — rare but very player-friendly |
| Low | 10–25x | Good — realistic chance of withdrawing bonus winnings |
| Average | 25–40x | Standard — most casinos fall here |
| High | 40–60x | Tough — difficult to clear profitably |
| Very High | 60x+ | Avoid — almost impossible to beat |
As a rule of thumb, anything under 35x is reasonable. Below 25x is genuinely good. If you see 50x or higher, think carefully about whether the bonus is worth claiming at all.
Common Bonus Terms You Should Know
📖 Glossary of Bonus Terms
- Max Bet: The maximum stake you can place per spin/hand while wagering a bonus. Typically €5–€10. Exceeding this can void your bonus and winnings.
- Time Limit: How long you have to clear the wagering. Usually 7–30 days from the time you claim the bonus.
- Max Withdrawal: Some bonuses cap how much you can withdraw from bonus winnings. For example, "max withdrawal 5x bonus" on a €100 bonus means you can cash out a maximum of €500.
- Game Restrictions: Certain games may be excluded entirely from bonus play, or they may not count towards wagering.
- No Deposit Bonus: A bonus given without requiring a deposit. These typically have higher wagering (40–60x) and lower max withdrawal caps.
- Sticky Bonus: The bonus amount itself cannot be withdrawn — only the winnings generated from it. Once wagering is cleared, the bonus is removed from your balance.
- Negative Carryover: If you lose your deposit before touching the bonus, the losses carry over and increase your wagering requirement. Avoid casinos with this policy.
Red Flags to Watch For
Not all bonuses are created equal. Watch out for these warning signs:
Red Flags
- Wagering above 50x — nearly impossible to clear profitably
- No clear T&Cs or T&Cs hidden behind multiple clicks
- Max withdrawal caps below 5x the bonus amount
- Extremely short time limits (under 7 days for large bonuses)
- Negative carryover policies
- Max bet below €2 per spin
- "Bonus + deposit" wagering disguised as "bonus only"
- Games with 100% contribution suddenly excluded after you've started