Wagering requirements are the most overlooked factor in casino bonuses – get them wrong, and big bonuses turn into frustrating losses. In this guide, you’ll learn exactly what wagering requirements are, how they work, and smart tactics to beat them, so you can cash out your bonus winnings fast.

What Are Wagering Requirements?

A wagering requirement (also called a playthrough or rollover) is the number of times you must bet the bonus (and sometimes deposit) before you can withdraw your winnings.
Example: A 20 € bonus with a 20× requirement means you need to bet 400 € before you can cash out your funds.

Key Terms to Watch

• Multiplier (e.g., 20×): times bonus or bonus+deposit. There is a big difference, whether the wagering only applies to bonus or deposit + bonus, so make sure you clarify this before depositing. Sometimes operators leave this information unclear on purpose, so your best bet is to ask it directly from customer support team and save the conversation.

• Game weights: slots often count 100%, table games may count ≤10%. But quite often there are some slots that are completely excluded from wagering or they only count 50% towards wagering. Quality operators do not let you open the restricted games with bonus money, which is great. But some operators do let you play and then they do not count towards wagering or even worse, they might close your account for breaking their rules.

• Time limits: usually you will get 3 – 30 days to complete rollover.

• Max withdrawal caps: sometimes your cashout is capped even after wagering. For example, operators can write that you can only withdraw 5x your bonus amount. So if you got 100 € bonus and win 10 000 €, you will only be able to cash out 500 €. Rest of the winnings are taken by the operator and there is nothing you can do about it.

• Max bet: Almost all casinos have inserted a maximum bet rule, which you can not cross, otherwise you risk losing your whole bonus amount. This also means that you will not be able to buy bonuses in any games.

How Wagering Works — One Step at a Time

1. You deposit 100 €, get a 100% matched 100 € bonus.

2. In total you receive 200 € worth of play credits.

3. With a 35× requirement on bonus only, stake 100 € × 35 = 3500 €.

4. If the wagering requirement is on bonus + deposit, then you have to multiply 200 € × 35 = 7000 €. As you can see, it is already a huge difference!

5. Game contributions matter: table games, such as blackjack and baccarat might only add 10%, so with bonus money, it is best to avoid them.
   ⁂ It’s very important to check supported games before starting your session.

 3 Sharp Tactics to Beat Wagering

1. Always pick low rollover (≤ 20×) and make sure you know, if the rollover applies to bonus only or deposit + bonus.

2. Play high‑contribution games

   • Stick to slots (100% contribution). Avoid roulette, blackjack or other table games.

3. Use small bet strategy

   • Spread wagers to stay in time/limits buffer and reduce risk. Consider a wagering calculator to track progress—watch for feature comparison later.

Conclusion

Understanding wagering requirements gives you the edge to turn welcome bonuses into real cash. Casinos and sportsbooks can entice you with HUGE welcome bonus offers but if the wagering terms are ridiculously high, then the likelihood of you cashing out that bonus becomes very small.

Nobody enjoys reading the terms and conditions, but when it comes to welcome bonuses, it is absolutely necessary. If an offer seems too good to be true, it most likely has a catch.