Tuesday 26 July 2016

Welcome Bonus or Free Play?


A number of factors can influence our decision to sign up with a new online casino. A wide choice of slot games, the ability to play different versions of roulette and the presence of live dealers: These are all important aspects to take into account but for most of us, it’s the size of the welcome bonus that really drags us in.

Big Money

I’ve you’ve ever compared casinos online then you’ll know that some of the cash bonuses for new customers can run into thousands of pounds – or currency equivalent. There will naturally be terms and conditions to look out for, however, but figures of that kind certainly can’t be ignored.

Alongside the cash deals are more humble, free play offers that allow you to effectively, ‘Try Before you Buy,’ but which is best?

What to watch for

With all welcome promos there will be some form of rollover requirement but what, exactly, does that mean? A rollover will specify the amount of times you have to wager the bonus before you can take any profits and transfer them onto your card, or into your bank or eWallet.

So, for example, if you have a £100.00 bonus and the rollover specifications are 30x, you have to stake £3,000 before any returns come in. You may also have a limited time in which to do this – possibly 30 days – so as you can see, it is vital that you check all the terms and conditions when comparing one casino against another.

These may seem like restrictive rules but serious casino players will have no issue with wagering that kind of money. However, you must adhere to responsible gambling guidelines and be comfortable with them yourself.

Freebies

Online casinos will often offer some form of free play deal that runs alongside their cash bonus although on occasions this may be listed separately. Free play sounds like a great offer and it’s certainly a good way to get to know a casino – there’s that ‘Try Before you Buy’ concept coming in again.

Points to look out for here include the likely fact that the rollover terms are much higher and your winnings may well be capped at something like £25.00. Free Play will also, most likely, apply to slot games only and in many cases they are restricted to one certain favourite such as Starburst.

However, as mentioned, this is an excellent way for anyone to get acquainted with the way that a casino works – its graphics, navigating around the site and so on – so even if you can’t secure a profit at the end of those free spins, you certainly haven’t lost anything.
Another point to look for is ongoing promotions: it’s one thing to reward new account holders but do you get paid back for your loyalty? Check the promotions page of the operator in question to see what’s on offer.

Casino bonuses are definitely worth considering and as long as you check all the relevant terms and conditions and are armed with all the necessary information, you can get involved knowing that some great rewards could be at stake.