The Fine Print Behind Online Gambling Bonus Offers

If you have never opened an account with an online casino, poker room, or sports book you may be wondering if the bonus offers are legitimate. We are all aware of the wisdom in the sayings, "If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is" or "There is no such thing as a free lunch". So what's the catch? When a casino offers you $100-$1000 in free money should you dismiss it, assuming that there are all sorts of strict requirements, making it too difficult to achieve the pay-out? The quick answer is no. These offers are for real and in most cases the required terms and conditions to receive the pay-out are typically quite easy to achieve. Some are as simple as making small minimum deposit of $50 to $100. Some require, in addition to minimum deposit, a minimum, but achievable, level of play.

How are the online gambling sites able to give away free money and remain in business? The answer is simple. In most cases they get the entire bonus back and more. Casinos live by the odds that all casino games are in their favor and that eventually you'll lose your original deposit and the bonus. Online poker rooms, on the other hand, get the bonus back by taking a rake (usually 5%) of every pot.

Let's take a look at the various "free money" offers and the requirements for full cash-out access to the money. The requirements (the catch) are found in the terms and conditions of the bonus offer on the site.

No Deposit Required! Some casinos and poker rooms offer free money without any initial deposit requirements. These offers legitimate and you will be able to play at all the real money tables and slots. The typical catch is that you will need to make at least one deposit before the bonus plus any winnings are released. For example, if you receive a $10 bonus and have $50 in winnings from that bonus, you will have to make a small deposit to your account before the $60 is released for withdrawal.

First Deposit Bonus. To entice you to deposit real money into an online gambling site, a first deposit bonus is almost always offered. The interesting thing is not that they all do it, but the very wide range of bonuses offered. You'll find one online site offering a 10% bonus while one of its competitors offers 200%. All online gambling sites have a maximum bonus limit. So a site that offers a measly 20% bonus could have their maximum bonus set to $200 (deposit $1000) while the site that offers the whopping 200% bonus could have a maximum bonus set to $100 (deposit $50).

Poker Room First Deposit Bonus. The catch for a poker room is that you will have to play a minimum number of raked hands and there may be a time limit. For example, to receive a $50 bonus you may have to play 100 raked hands in 60 days. The raked hand requirement is typically easy to achieve; however some of the very large bonus offers are more difficult. Sometimes these large bonuses are paid in installments. For example, to receive a full $200 bonus the poker room might require 500 raked hands with $20 released every 50 raked hands. If you're new to online poker, don't be discouraged by the number of raked hands required; a typical online table will play 50 to 100 games per hour.

Casino First Deposit Bonus. The catch for an online casino is that you will have to wager a required amount before the bonus is released for cash-out. The typical online casino will deposit the bonus into your account soon after you make your initial deposit. Some deposit bonuses are instantly deposited at the same time as your deposit. Some casinos require that you claim your deposit bonus by filling in a simple form. In this case the bonus may not get credited to your account for 1 to 3 days. Even though the deposit bonus has been credited to your account and you can use it to wager, you will not be able to withdraw the bonus portion until you meet the wagering requirements. The wagering requirements typically state that you must wager 10 to 20 times your deposit plus bonus to release the bonus for cash-out. For example, you deposit $50 and receive a $10 bonus. The casino has a wagering requirement of 10 times your deposit plus bonus, which means that you will have to wager $600 (10 x $60) for the $10 bonus to be released for cash-out.

Sports Book First Deposit Bonus. The catch for an online sports book is that you will have to wager a required amount before the bonus is released for cash-out. The typical online book will deposit the bonus into your account soon after you make your initial deposit. Some deposit bonuses are instantly deposited at the same time as your deposit. Some books require that you claim your deposit bonus by filling in a simple form or sending an email. Even though the deposit bonus has been credited to your account and you can use it to wager, you will not be able to withdraw the bonus portion until you meet the wagering requirements. The wagering requirements typically state that you must wager 3 times your deposit plus bonus to release the bonus for cash-out. For example, you deposit $100 and receive a $20 bonus. The online sports book has a wagering requirement of 3 times your deposit plus bonus, which means that you will have to wager $360 (3 x $120) for the $20 bonus to be released for cash-out.

Reload Bonuses. Reload bonuses are very typical for online sports books, but occasionally you will see them offered in online casinos and poker rooms. The reload bonus simply offers a bonus on deposits made after your initial deposit. The requirements are generally the same as the first deposit bonus requirements.

Before making a deposit at an online gambling site, be sure that you understand the requirements for the bonus to be released for cash-out. You may have to drill down a page or two to get the information. If the bonus requirements seem difficult to achieve then consider another gambling site.

About The Author

Mike Hellmer is a poker enthusiast and the webmaster of Molly''s Poker and Gambling Portal (http://www.mollyspoker.com).

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Casino/Gambling Information:

Related Articles

Baccarat Basics
Apart from being originated from Middle Ages and being one of the most popular casino games in the United States and anywhere else in the world amongst the upper class, it is also one or the most unique and sophisticated games that anyone across the world can have a shot at and enjoy it as well. And to interest a gambler's spirit within, the stakes of the game can go high - as high as a $1000 sometimes - though this can also send some people thinking twice before even entering the game and for those at many places stakes are as low as $5.
Your POSITION Of Power In Holdem
In Hold'em poker, the importance of your position in relation to the dealer can not be stressed enough. The reason for learning position is that the later your position is the more information you will have about the other players.
Betting Options For Football
It is in one's best interest to know all your options before making a bet. The straight bet is more of a long haul type of bet.
States Lottery Basics
For those who dream of quitting their jobs and being independently wealthy, the lottery is an affordable way to take some chances and move toward a goal. Lotteries have been a great support to those aspiring to be great through the stroke of luck.
Online Gambling
Online gambling is hot. In fact there are websites popping up everywhere with new gambling options.
Las Vegas - World Series of Poker (WSOP)
Who Will Be The Top Dog at WSOP?That is the question on everyone's mind as the 2005 World Series of Poker enters its third round with only 272 top poker players remaining.Of the over 5600 entrants who entered the esteemed Las Vegas held tournament at a buy-in of $10 000 each, most walked away with nothing as only the last 560 players qualify for cash prizes.
Roulette: The Game of Remarkable Comebacks
In casino gambling, sometimes even the most knowledgable players turn to blind luck to make it through their day. Of course, luck can never be relied on; either things will go the right way for you or they won't.
Fantasy Football Offers Gamblers a Unique Kind of Fun
If you are a gambler, and you enjoy sports, chances are you've bet on football at some time in your life. If you love football, and you have never played fantasy football, you'll want to check into this fun and unique way to gamble on your favorite sport that doesn't involve a bookie.
Online Poker Gambling Sees Tremendous Growth
Online poker gambling at casinos and poker rooms is one of the fastest growing forms of wagering on the Internet. Fueled by the televised tournaments seen on Travel Channel's World Poker Tour, ESPN with the 2004 World Series of Poker (WSOP), and Bravo's Celebrity Poker, the popularity of the game is seen everywhere.
Horse Racing Betting, A Beginners Guide (Part 2)
In part one we went over how to pick contending horses by looking at the jockey, trainer and then finished off by looking at the form of the horse. By looking at the factors we went over last time you should now have been able to select some winners.
4 Poker Tips the Pros Wont Tell You
In the past few years, professional poker playing has exploded in popularity. The biggest players are winning substantial amounts of money.
2005 NFC West Football preview
OVERVIEW: NFC WestThe Arizona Cardinals have posted a mark of 22-42 straight up over the past four seasons which is by far the worst win/loss record of any team in the NFC West, however, that's all about to change in 2005 as I fully expect these Cardinals to win this division and make the playoffs, remember that you heard it here first!Cardinal HC Denny Green had another fantastic draft highlighted by picking CB Antrel Rolle and RB J.J.
Greyhound Racing Basics
In Egypt the greyhounds were mummified and buried with their masters. The Egyptians viewed them as supreme among all animals.
5 Characteristics That Make A Profitable Lottery - For The Player
Over $120,000,000,000 are spent on lotteries each year in the US, Canada, UK and around the world. It's obviously a very profitable venture.
Casino Entertainment Basics
Casinos have recently been popular as locations for movies like "Oceans 11", however slot machines and roulette tables have been identified with them since long. Besides all other things casinos are excellent one-stop locations for a variety of entertainment options.
Blackjack - Increase Your Odds With Basic Strategy Plus
Blackjack Basic Strategy, played perfectly in a game with favorable rules, will reduce the edge against you to about one half of one percent, the best odds of any game in the casino.But still - it's a negative edge.
Online Craps
Are you interested in playing craps online? Are you tired of all the crowds and pressure of real casinos? Then I think the time as come for you to move on to cyber casinos. Your hour of transition has come - and it is now!The biggest advantage to playing online craps is the convenience.
Party Poker Sign up Bonus Code Tutorial
I have had a lot of emails from people who are looking for a partypoker sign up bonus code. To save some time I have written a simple tutorial on how to get and use a partypoker sign up bonus code.
Martingale Betting System - Are You SURE?
Very common and popular system among newbies who like roulette, but not a very useful one. Sure, it seems simple and logical - you start with, let's say, 10 bucks and you double it every time you lose in order to win it back.
Becoming a Consistent Winner at Online Low-Limit Texas Hold Em
Start with LIMIT Texas Hold 'EmBoth limit and no-limit Texas Hold 'Em are wonderful games. Each game provides unique opportunities in nearly every single hand and subtle complexities that can take more than a lifetime to master.