Deposit Slot Bonuses

Just because you have been to a real, brick and mortar, land-based online casino, does not mean that you know what deposit bonuses are.

This is because those kinds of casinos don’t offer them. As a matter of fact, they are exclusively an online gaming feature, which can be found more in online casinos than other gambling domains. You’ve no doubt seen the commercials and adverts on television, so you should be familiar with their name by now? But for those of you not in the know, what is a deposit bonus?

A deposit bonus is an online casino’s way of offering the player more money than they can deposit themselves, to start playing casino games with.

It is the casino’s way of keeping you in the game, of making sure that you have enough money to keep playing, and also that you continue to play with them and not their competitors. There are several types of deposit bonuses, though, and in this article, we’ll look at the most commonly offered ones.

The welcome bonus

Welcome bonuses come in many forms and styles, but the most common is what I call the standard welcome bonus. This is what is also known as the match deposit welcome bonus. The way it works is rather simple.

When you make your maiden deposit at an online casino, the house will offer you a percentage of your bonus as free money. For example, if you were to deposit $100 and get a 200% match deposit bonus, you would start playing with $300. That occurs because you have deposited $100, and the casino has given you $200 (200%) free.

Match deposit bonuses come with wagering requirements, though. Wagering requirements are the casino’s way of ensuring that you don’t just take their money and swan off with it! Usually, players will have to wager their bonus (and/or deposit) money a number of times, before they can withdraw any winnings. Typically, a 25x turnover (wagering requirement) is seen as standard.

Match deposit bonuses don’t always just occur on your first deposit though. Some casinos offer you a welcome bonus package, that is, deposit bonuses on your first few deposits. These will generally be worth different percentages (matches) and be worth different amounts of money than the first deposit bonus.

It is also common for casinos to offer several types of welcome bonuses. Some are designed for players with limited funds, and these are known as low-roller bonuses. Some are designed for the average player and we have already discussed these, although they may also be called mid-roller bonuses. Of course, some of them are reserved for the big spenders.

The high roller welcome bonus

High roller welcome bonuses are the bonuses reserved for those players who like to spend big, and frequently. Generally these bonuses are not offered as match deposit bonuses. Instead they are offered as direct bonuses.

For instance, if you deposit $1,000, you’ll get a straight $500 free. Normally, you must meet the minimum deposit level to qualify for a high roller bonus. On the plus side, high roller deposit bonuses also allow you access to unique privileges, such as VIP membership.

Reload deposit bonuses

Some online casinos continually offer you deposit bonuses long after the welcome bonus has ended. These are known as reload deposit bonuses.

They basically work exactly the same way as the welcome bonus, in that you make a deposit and you get a percentage. They also come with wagering requirements. Reload deposit bonuses tend to be worth less than the welcome bonus.

Alternative deposit bonuses

Alternative deposit bonuses are also a popular form of deposit bonus. Here, the player deposits money using one of the casinos preferred payment methods.

They will then be entitled to a small match deposit bonus on that deposit, for using a given payment method. Generally, these deposit bonuses won’t exceed past the 10% to 15% mark.

Remember, remember – Friendly advice

It is absolutely critical that a player learns about wagering requirements. You should never accept a welcome bonus without knowing what the wagering requirement is for that bonus. You can find this information under the terms and conditions of the bonus. Why is this such a big deal, you ask? Well, think about this for a second.

If you accept bonus after bonus after bonus, there is a good chance that you will have acquired wagering requirements which total several thousand dollars. You’re not in debt by any means, but you cannot withdraw any winnings until those wagering requirements have been met.

As a good rule of thumb, players shouldn’t accept any further deposit bonuses, until they have cleared the wagering requirements of their previous bonus. Of course, if you aren’t interested in withdrawing unless you win a progressive jackpot, this is far less of a concern!