What is an Online Casino Bonus?
Let’s start with the basics here, as before getting into more details on the best casino offers, you need to know what they represent exactly. In a nutshell, casino bonuses are promotional offers by online casinos to attract new and retain already existing players.
These bonuses can be quite helpful in enhancing the overall gaming experience and provide additional value to registered users.
Players can be rewarded for everything – from opening an account to depositing money and being a regular player on the site. As long as players feel like they get a good deal, bonuses represent a win-win situation for all parties involved.
Types of Online Casino Bonuses
We can now dive into the details of casino bonuses. Casinos like to get innovative with their bonus offers, but we couldn’t help but notice that several casino offers tend to repeat themselves in various top-class online casinos. The most common ones we encountered during our research were:
- Welcome bonuses – specially designed for newly registered players, welcome casino bonuses can be a nice early boost to your bankroll. The type of bonus can vary here, but usually, don’t be surprised to see a deposit match offer coupled with a free spins package for certain games.
- Free spins – moving on, free spins are arguably the most common promotion at online casinos. You can use this no-deposit bonus on certain slot games, and you can receive free spins as part of the welcome bonus, as a standalone promotion, or as a reward for participating in a casino tournament.
- Reload bonuses – existing players can claim reload bonuses on certain days of the week, and they are usually a bit smaller to deposit welcome bonuses. You will be given a bit more to play with on top of your deposit amount, and even though the percentage might not be as good as the welcome offer, you wouldn’t want to turn your head away if it is a good deal!
- Cashback incentives – some casinos are wary that you may go through a rough online gambling patch, so they ensure to help you in that period. For that, some top gambling sites offer cashback incentives that let you retrieve some of your losses over a certain period.
- High-roller bonuses – there are players at casinos who prefer to wager big amounts. Casinos care about those customers too, and there will be some special high-roller bonuses waiting for them. As an example, a high-roller may not be interested in a 20% deposit bonus, but a ticket to a high-entry poker tournament will be appealing enough!
- Referral bonuses – if you have someone in mind who might be interested in joining your online casino, then feel free to send them the special referral link. If your friend registers through it, you will get a special referral bonus.
- VIP Programs – lastly, once you register to a top-class online casino, you can expect to be enrolled in its VIP program. Then, the more real money games you play, the more levels you will climb and the reward will get better – personal VIP manager, faster payouts, cashbacks, etc.
Keep an Eye on Wagering Requirements
Regardless of which online casino bonus you claim, it is essential that you pay close attention to the wagering requirements. Some refer to them as playthrough requirements and they specify the number of times you need to wager the bonus from the casino before you request a withdrawal.
Usually, the wagering requirements will apply to your deposit and bonus funds together, not just the latter.
As an example, if you have a bonus with 5x wagering requirements, you will need to wager your deposit and bonus amount 20 times before you can request a payout. If you deposit $100 in a 100% deposit match bonus up to $100, you will have $200 in your account and the 5x wagering requirements will mean you have to bet a total of $1,000 before you withdraw.
This doesn’t mean you have to lose $1,000 – it is just the amount that a player has to wager. If you have enough money left in your account after completing the wagering requirements, then you will be able to request that withdrawal.
Wagering requirements are a measure that casinos take to protect themselves against bonus abuse. It would be easy for fraudulent accounts to just claim a bonus and then withdraw the money – hence the wagering requirements!
- A large number of betting markets
- Betting with cryptocurrencies
- In-play betting and live-streaming
Most Common Casino Bonuses – Examples
If at first glance, the information above seems a bit complicated, worry not. We will provide you with a few examples so you have a better idea of how they work in practice.
Let’s start with a welcome offer, which can go: Register an account and deposit at least $10 into your account. After that claim the 100% bonus of up to $100 for your first deposit!
Now you know the structure of the bonus, but you would be wise to go a bit into more details. So, additional information can go as follows: The minimum deposit for the welcome bonus is $10 and the wagering requirements stand at 30x. Slots count 100% towards the wagering requirements and other games 10%. The welcome bonus expires after 30 days and the maximum bet you can make is $5.
Up next, we mentioned that free spins are also common in the online gambling world. Let’s say you play at a casino that has a daily free spins offer that can go: Log in to your account from 10-11 a.m. on Thursdays and get your hands on 20 free spins on Book of Dead!
You know that you need to log in daily, but what else is hidden in the details? Well, wagering requirements of course: Free spins winnings are subject to 5x wagering requirements that you need to complete within 5 days!
Cashback incentives are also very popular among Nigerians, so we have to include an example of them too. Cashbacks are usually offered on a weekly basis and they can go as follows: If you have lost over $100 over the past week playing all online casino games, then you can apply for a 10% cashback offer!
The good news about cashback incentives is that some don’t even come with wagering requirements, so you will instantly be able to withdraw the percentage of the losses you have retrieved.
How to Find the Best Bonus
₦145,600
On first Deposit
1xBet Bonus conditions
- 300% first deposit bonus of up to NGN145,600
- eSports Era: Place a risk-free bet
- 100% Cashback
₦770
Minimum Deposit
Visit
T&C apply, 18+
Our extensive research has shown that there are two types of bonuses that you can find at any reputable Nigerian online casino:
- Welcome deposit match bonus
- Free spins
They can come in conjunction with the same offer, as apart from having a deposit match bonus for your welcome package, you can also receive a certain number of free spins for a slot game/s. More often than not, casinos will match your first deposit 100%, and the maximum amount we found the most is $100.
As for the rest of the terms and conditions, there are a few important aspects to pay close attention to. First off, the wagering requirements – the standard in the iGaming industry is 30x-40x, and most casino players are comfortable with that.
However, if you find anything above that, then we would advise you to keep searching, as it is simply not worth it.
Furthermore, almost all welcome deposit match bonuses have game contributions. As games of chance and pure luck, it is standard practice to see slots contributing 100% towards the wagering requirements, with table and live dealer games going up to 10% maximum.
Lastly, standard welcome bonuses have a duration time of 30 days in which you can complete the playthrough requirements. We see it as a fair time frame, and if it is less than 30 days, then we would categorize the bonus into an unrealistic one and one that you should stay away from.
As for the free spins, they have a different way of functioning than deposit match bonuses. Sure, free spins represent a good way to secure yourself some wins without wagering a cent of your money, but always keep in mind that the casino must have some profit there!
That is where wagering requirements on your free spins winnings come into play. As an example, if you win $20 with your free spins, but you have wagering requirements of 10x, then it means you need to keep playing those $20 until you’ve spun $200.
5 Casino Bonus Tips for Players
Now that you know how overall good bonuses work exactly and which ones are the most common ones in the Nigerian online gambling sector, you might not know where to start when searching for the best offer, especially if you are a new player.
That is where we come in once again, and we can recommend 5 simple tricks and tips to have in mind when claiming a bonus:
- Bonuses can be a chance to experiment – this goes both for the online casino and the game selection it offers. Bonuses can be a nice way for you to check out what the casino has to offer regarding the games without risking too much of your own money.
- Always read the T&Cs – the terms and conditions are a vital part of every online casino bonus, so make sure to give them a good read before you claim anything. Not every bonus is ideal as it may seem on the surface and not every casino offer is tailor-made for all punters.
- Don’t settle for the apparently-highest bonus – always read the fine print of the bonus you claim. Even though a casino can give you a 200% deposit match bonus, the wagering requirements may be so strict that it will be near-impossible to withdraw your winnings.
- Don’t always “go for the gold” when using a bonus – just because a bonus can boost your bankroll doesn’t mean you should wager the maximum sum allowed. We advise you to start off small and build your way up – if your wallet allows you so.
- Respect the T&Cs – finally, we can just say that there is no place for bonus abusers in today’s developed online casino world. All measures casinos take to prevent bonus abuse are advanced, so we strongly urge you to keep gambling within the frames of the T&Cs.
Important Aspects of the Terms and Conditions
We seem to rave about the importance of the terms and conditions of casino bonuses, and rightly so. As they determine the rules of play, you must stay within the boundaries they set.
Plenty of players will say that the wagering requirements are the most important factor of the terms and conditions, but they are not the only ones. You will make a great mistake if you decide to only check the wagering requirements, so we would like to point out a few other important parts of a bonus T&Cs:
- Game eligibility – not all games may be eligible for a certain bonus, especially if you claim a free spins offer. The terms and conditions will specify which slots are eligible for the free spins, so pay close attention to the list.
- Game contribution – as mentioned above, different games contribute differently towards the wagering requirements. More often than not, slots will count 100% towards the wagering requirements, while the percentage of the other games may vary from one casino to another.
- Duration – bonuses you claim won’t be active forever, so you need to know how much time you have to claim the bonus and complete the playthrough requirements.
- Minimum deposit – if you claim deposit bonuses such as the welcome offer mentioned above, there will always be a minimum deposit amount attached.
- Restricted territories – some bonuses are specially designed to cater to the needs of a certain target group from a specific country. So, if you gamble at an offshore operator, take a look at whether the bonus is applicable to Nigerian players.
- Payment methods restrictions – lastly, it is not uncommon to see payment methods being excluded from a certain bonus. Usually, e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are not allowed for a deposit bonus.
Pros and Cons of Casino Bonuses
Pros
- Can be helpful in boosting your bankroll
- Allow you to experiment with trying new casino games
- Special loyalty rewards for experienced players
Cons
- Wagering requirements can be restrictive
Where Can You Find The Best Casino Bonuses?
Well, you are already here! Now that you know how much effort we put into finding the best casino bonuses, we would argue that we are the perfect place for you if you don’t know where to start!
We are proud to be thorough, independent and objective when reviewing online casino bonuses, and we plan on keeping it that way! In addition, we never rest on our laurels, so you can find updated lists of the best bonuses as they hit the market!
FAQ
A casino bonus is a reward that players get for registering or playing at a certain casino. These are promotional offers that both new and existing players can get.
All reliable online casinos we recommend offer various bonuses and promotions to all types of players. So, you are always best advised to check out our site for updates.
Since different players have different preferences, there is no universal answer on which is the best bonus. As long as you are happy with the terms and conditions, you have a good bonus on your hands!
One of the ways for casinos to prevent bonus abuse is to not allow players to use more than one bonus at a time.
This mainly depends on the online casino in question, but you can expect a bonus to accompany you at any stage of your gambling journey. Starting from the welcome bonus, all the way to reload bonuses, free spins and VIP programs – they are all there to be claimed!
Yes, casino bonuses will always have a maximum amount you can wager. As an example, a 100% bonus of up to $100 will mean that you can wager up to $100, not a cent more.
Yes, but don’t wait too long! All bonuses have an expiry date you need to respect. This is a piece of information you can find in the bonus T&Cs.
Final Words
Overall, we can say that casino bonuses can be more than a handful tool for players to boost their bankroll and hence their potential winnings.
Bonuses come in many different forms, and that is one of the perks of gambling at an established and reliable operator. Such sites always have something new and rewarding for their players, regardless of whether they are new or already existing users.
So, now that you are armed with this knowledge, feel free to unleash the potential of a casino bonus you have in mind! Just remember to carefully read the terms and conditions and gamble responsibly – that is how you will enjoy online gambling even more!
Read review
Bet9ja Strengthen
- Over 100 betting markets
- In-play betting and live-streaming
- Amazing mobile betting app
Read review
22bet Strengthen
- Live betting and live statistics
- Over 100 betting markets on big events
- eSports betting
Read review
1xBet Strengthen
- A large number of betting markets
- Betting with cryptocurrencies
- In-play betting and live-streaming
