Wagering requirements explained, with real examples
That “100% bonus” comes with strings. Here’s how wagering requirements work, how to calculate them, and the terms to check before you accept any offer.
Bonuses look generous on the banner. The real value is in the small print — and the most important line is the wagering requirement.
What a wagering requirement is
It’s the number of times you must stake a bonus before you can withdraw any winnings from it. With a €20 bonus and 35× wagering, you need to place €700 of bets first. Some offers apply wagering to your deposit as well, which doubles the amount.
A worked example
You deposit €50 and get a €50 bonus with 35× wagering on the bonus. You must stake €1,750. On a slot with 96% RTP, the average cost of staking €1,750 is about €70 — more than the bonus itself. In other words, the typical player loses the bonus while trying to clear it.
Other terms to check
- Maximum win: a cap on what you can withdraw from bonus winnings.
- Game weighting: slots often count 100%, while table games may count 10% or nothing.
- Maximum bet: a limit on your stake while a bonus is active. Breaking it can void winnings.
- Time limit: how many days you have to complete wagering.
- Payment exclusions: some e-wallets don’t qualify for bonuses.
Is it ever worth it?
A bonus can give you more playing time for the same money — if the terms are fair and you’d have played anyway. But never deposit more, or play longer than planned, just to unlock a bonus. You can always say no: most sites let you decline an offer at deposit.
That’s also why bonus size doesn’t affect our Limits score.