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Everything You Need to Know About Casino Bonuses

Everything About Casino Bonuses

If you’re just getting into online gambling, you may have noticed the word 'bonus' being plastered on the home page of casino sites as well as, enticing offers from CA review sites. Perhaps you're even wondering what this is; or if should you take advantage of something which claims to be "free money".

We’ve been in your shoes and remember the days of trying to figure out whether or not to take advantage of a casino’s offer. The truth is the money is not exactly free. But if you know how casino bonuses work, you can use them to your benefit.

How Casino Bonuses Work

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of casinos online. Each one is a little bit different; some are good and some are not so good. Like any business, there are things that must be done to draw people in. Brick and mortar casinos will offer free buffets, free drinks, free games or even free accommodation. This is their gimmick. An online casino cannot offer those things, so they offer money and lots of it. This money comes in the form of bonuses and most often is accessible through the initial sign up or first deposit. It’s a way of saying “thank you and we hope you’ll keep playing here”. There are all kinds of casino bonuses and each has their own rules and stipulations. Before you ever take advantage of one, you should know how they work. By failing to educate yourself on this topic, you could end up confused or disappointed.

How Playthrough Requirements Work

It's important to take into consideration the playthrough requirements of that particular casino before you start making bets. Casino bonuses almost always come with a playthrough requirement. Playthrough requirements will be displayed with a number and an ‘x’, for example 40x. This number symbolises the number of times you should stake or bet your deposit amount or bonus amount for that bonus to be cashable.

If you make a deposit of C$100 and receive a bonus of C$100, you have C$200 to play with. However, before you withdrawal your winnings, you must wager this C$200 at least 40 times or C$8000 total worth of bets.

You should not that not all games qualify for this playthrough. For example, you may find that a particular game such as blackjack or poker does not qualify. Always read the terms and conditions before making a bet.

At Casino.ca we negotiate the very best offers for our visitors. Check out our exclusive online casino bonus page to compare the top deals for Canadians!

Types of Welcome Bonuses You’ll See at Casinos Online

Types of Welcome Bonuses No Deposit Bonus

The most common of all bonuses, all you need to do is sign up for a free account. You’ll get the money in your bankroll without having to make a deposit. However, sometimes you will have to claim it via a form or email. You will have to make a deposit before withdrawing any winnings.

Match Bonus

A match bonus can be collected upon the first deposit. This means the site will match your deposit with a certain percentage of your total amount. For example, if you make a C$200 deposit, and the site has a match deposit of 100%, they will give you a further CA$200. There are almost always playthrough requirements as well as a set time you must meet this by. It’s best to do a little math and work out how much you need to spend before this bonus helps you out. Remember, you can always make small deposits like $20 or $40 and still receive a match bonus.

Ruby Fortune Casino proudly gives out a fortune of a match bonus to all new players, it’s one of our favourites so take a look and let us know what you think.

Free Money

Free money bonuses are offered on certain sites usually with or without making any deposit. For example, you may receive $50 upon a deposit of $20, giving you $70 to play games. With this offer, even if you deposit $40, you would still only get $50 from the casino. . Alternately, you could get $10, as in the case of PlayOLG, before you add cash to your account. Your best approach to this situation is by comparing bonuses and work out the math to see where you can actually get more for your buck.

The Free Roll Bonus

This is a rare bonus to come by, but when you do, can be very much worthwhile. In most cases, you will get a certain amount of money to bet with in a set amount of time. If you win past the bonus offer, you will get extra cash, if not you lose everything, but still was able to try out the real money games.

Play Only Bonus

Another common offer from casinos is the play only bonus, also known as a sticky bonus amongst the gambling community. Basically, you get free money to play with and will have to reach a play through requirement. You can then only withdraw winnings which are over and above the initial bonus. You will never be able to withdraw money from the bonus. When you see these online, they are often very big; we’re talking quadruple digits. You can play games with maximum coins and bets giving you larger cash wins.

Find Your Perfect Bonus

After choosing your favourite casino based on safety and security, bonuses and promotional prizes are worth checking out. All our listed casinos offer the best bonuses out there but some are better than others. There are various bonuses available. Below, we will compare two of the most popular types of welcome bonuses.

Topic Match Bonus Free Money Bonus
Time Received Usually collected with the first deposit. Offered with or without making a deposit.
Percentage & Playthrough There are play through requirements. Various sites offer different percentages of this bonus.
Amounts The casino matches your deposit with a percentage of your total. Amount is decided by the casino and unrelated to your deposits.

Make Sure You Enter the Right Bonus Code

Certain operators will ask for a special bonus code before you can collect the offer on the table. Make sure you enter in the right bonus code otherwise you could be nullified for claiming the offer.

Other Bonuses You May Find

Take Advantage of Casino Bonuses

You may also discover bonuses for being a loyal player, VIP earnings, reload bonuses, refer a friend offers, exclusive bonus offers and those that are given when you use a certain banking method. All of these carry their own terms and conditions, but most are similar to the ones discussed above.

Why Some Canucks Don’t Take Advantage of Casino Bonuses

There are players who choose not to take advantage of a casino bonus. This could be due to a number of factors, but for many it’s because they don’t have the money in the first place or they want to avoid any need to meet the casino’s requirements. Remember, bonuses with terms are offered so people don’t take advantage of the casino by playing for free and running with their money. If this were to happen, the casino could never exist.

Ready to find a bonus right for you? If so, check out our top recommended casino sites for Canadian players.

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