Readers of this site will be well aware that there are many types of casino bonuses. Free Spins, Cash, Golden Chips, No Deposit Bonuses, and much more. However, in most cases, those bonuses will have a wagering requirement attached to them. That is to say that the bonus must be wagered a certain amount of times before it becomes real, withdrawable cash.

Sure, sometimes you might see a “wager-free bonus” award, which is what we all want. However, if we are to be logical about it, casinos must add wagering requirements, particularly to welcome bonuses, otherwise, they would be out of business. Think about it: If you receive a 100% matched bonus on a $100 deposit, what would stop you from simply withdrawing the $200? We might not like it, but it does make a lot of sense.

Regardless, if you have to make wagering requirements, the question becomes less about “why” and more about “how”. How best to make those requirements? The first rule of thumb is to always check the rules before you begin. That way, you will at least know the parameters you are working with.

Your choice is important

Next, it’s up to you to choose which games to play. Slots, of course, are the most popular choice (we will explain why shortly), but you will also have the option of classic table games like roulette and card games like blackjack. A typical casino might have 500, 1000, or even more than 2000 games, so it is a bit of a conundrum on which to choose. Although, we should point out that some games can be excluded from the list, and this does vary from casino to casino, so make sure you know where you stand.

Now, here’s the kicker. When you read the terms and conditions carefully, you will usually see that slots have a 100% contribution toward wagering requirements, whereas roulette might be something like 20% or 10%. If the wagering requirement was 20X on a $10 bonus, it means you would have to play through $200 on slots. If roulette – at 20% - that would mean playing your way up to $1000. It’s for that reason, as mentioned, that most of us opt for slots.

A good strategy can help

But “most of us”, is not all of us. And many players believe that their roulette or blackjack strategy will offer them enough advantage to get that bonus turned into real cash. Indeed, it’s worth remembering that classic table and card games tend to have a lower house edge than slots, so they might calculate that the probability works better for them on table games. You should also learn about the game developers, some of whom have merged in recent years. However, game studios – NetEnt, Pragmatic, etc. – will have different characteristics; some volatile, some not so much.

For balance, we should point out that many casinos will offer players bonuses specifically designed for table and card games. This became all the more prevalent with the roll-out of live casino games at online casinos in the 2010s. The live casino genre has a particular market to cater to, including those types of players, many of whom are high rollers, that would never usually play slots.

Perhaps the best advice is to choose a casino based on your specific tastes. If you enjoy slots, pick a casino that offers bonuses tailored to slots players. On the other hand, if table games are your thing, choose those casinos that offer good bonuses for roulette, blackjack, etc.