Casino Bonus Types (signup bonus, sticky bonus...)
With so many online casino sites competing against each other over new players it is only natural that these sites will do all they can to win new players, before anybody else does, by offering them some sort of incentive. Of course, online casinos can not hand out complementary gifts (comps) in the form of free accommodation and meals as traditional casinos can, but they certainly can entice newcomers by rewarding them with free money into their accounts.
Some of us like casino bonuses for the sensation of free money, some use it to increase their gambling bankroll and others again are constantly hunting for the best bonus offers, cashing out as soon as they have cleared the wagering requirements.
The fact that the casino bonuses are still here and considering the tremendous rate at which the online gambling industry keeps growing signifies that both parties, the online casinos and the players, benefit from this deal. So what looks like an impossible offer at first glance, to get free money, is not too far fetched and certainly within the realms of possibility.
What kind of Bonuses are available?
There are basically two kinds of bonuses that should concern you as a new player, the welcome or sign up bonus and the sticky bonus. Apart from these bonuses casinos might reward you with extra priviliges when you refer someone to play at the casino and also might offer what is called a hard luck bonus and a preferred player bonus.
Welcome (Sign-up) Bonus
The most generous form of bonus available through online casinos is undoubtedly the welcome bonus. This bonus is particularly attractive and, if players know how to use it to their advantage, extremely profitable in the long run. To receive a sign up bonus you are usually required to deposit a minimum amount of money (around $50 - $100) into your newly opened account. These bonuses guarantee to match the deposited amount of money by a certain percentage. For example, a $100 minimum deposit requirement along with a 100% welcome bonus would give you a total initial bankroll of $200, that you can use to wager at the online casino.
All sign up bonuses come with certain restrictions and many of them require that players wager a multiple of the initial deposit amount plus the bonus, in most cases around ten times the amount, before they can withdraw the bonus. This is understandable, as otherwise the casino would basically invite everybody to sign up and then withdraw their money plus the bonus money immediately.
Some casinos exclude certain types of games or apply a different percentage when it comes to meeting the wager requirements. It's worth mentioning that all bets at the online casino, no matter if you lose or win, count towards the wager requirement. This is particularly important, as you can meet these requirements much quicker and hence withdraw your winnings much faster this way!
Sticky Bonus
A sticky bonus is a bonus that, as the name suggests, sticks in the casino while you can withdraw any other cash in your account, including your winnings, once you have cleared the wagering requirements.
The sticky bonus tends to be much bigger with usually much lighter wagering requirements and can be seen as a boost to your online bankroll that allows you to make larger bets while risking less money. Also, it's much easier to clear the wagering requirements, especially when you have made a big deposit.
Generally, there are two types of sticky bonuses:
- The bonus will disappear once you have made your first withdrawal.
- The bonus has an "expiry date" attached to it and requesting a withdrawal will not make the bonus disappear, it will stay in your account ready to be used for further bettings until exhausted. Make sure to read the casino's terms to clarify when this bonus expires.
Hard Luck Bonus
Some casinos offer this kind of bonus to people who are constantly unlucky to give them an incentive to keep playing. The people who accrue the greatest number of losses in a given month according to how much money they spend are given a special casino bonus at the end of the month in order to make sure they don't run out of credits. These bonuses are great if you happen to have a "bad" month, but if you find you are getting them repeatedly, all the time, then you should maybe rethink your strategy, take a few months off or change the casino.
Preferred player bonus
These bonuses are given to players who subscribe to the elevated services that many casinos offer. In addition to qualifying for tournament play and extended services, preferred players will also receive a certain number of credits each month in their account to be spent as they wish.
Referral Bonus
You, the player, are the casinos most valuable asset and therefore it's no wonder that they are continually trying to attract new customers. To this end, they encourage clients with existing accounts in good standing to invite their friends to play at the casino with them. Often the referral bonus will apply to both the existing client and the new client. In other words, online cash bonuses will be given to the client who referred the name or email of a friend, and the friend so referred will also receive a club player casino bonus. This is one of the best online casino gambling bonuses available if you wish to play at a site with family and friends.
Not all the money you play with at an online casino has to be your own! Many sites offer several types of online gambling casino bonuses, which can get you a lot of extra credits for free.
