What is Welcome Bonus?

There are two ways you can define a welcome bonus:

Welcome bonuses are an online casino’s marketing technique to attract new players with juicy offers that are designed to convince you to make a deposit.

Or,

Welcome bonuses are an exciting feature of online casinos that let you try out new games and features while increasing your bankroll at the same time.

As a player, it’s up to you to decide which definition you want to believe. But the fact is that both are equally accurate since welcome bonuses are beneficial to both the player and the online casino. After all, a casino won’t hand out C$ 100 to you for absolutely no reason.

A welcome bonus is also the first type of bonus you’ll encounter on a new casino website. And since you’re required to sign up to receive a welcome bonus, it’s also called a sign-up bonus. A casino website can offer welcome bonuses in many ways and in many ways players can take advantage of them.

Types of welcome bonuses

• Per Cent Bonus Offer

This is the most common type of welcome bonus offer handed out by most casino websites. It’s given in the form of a percentage of the amount deposited by the player. Thus, for instance, a 30% bonus applied on a C$ 100 deposit will fetch C$ 130 in the account. Most online casinos offer bonuses below 100%, but you might come across websites offering 200% or even 300% welcome bonus.

• Match Bonus Offer

If you get this type of welcome bonus, the operator will match the amount you add on your first deposit. However, just like other casino bonuses, match bonuses also have caps and limitations attached to them.

• Staggered Bonus

Some welcome bonuses go beyond incentivising you to sign up to the website and make a deposit. A type of welcome bonus, staggered bonuses offer higher percentage bonuses or match bonuses on bigger deposits. In some cases, they may even offer a continually decreasing percentage or match bonuses on subsequent deposits. This way, you’ll find yourself making bigger and more deposits if you avail a staggered bonus.

For example, you may see a staggered bonus represented as follows:

• 100% bonus on the first deposit.
• 50% bonus on the second deposit.
• 20% bonus on third deposit

As you can see, the deposits get fewer and fewer benefits.

• Free cash and spins

Some casinos may just end up giving out free cash and spins to its new players. Casinos may separately offer free money or free spins on certain games, or they might even combine them into one extremely attractive offer. However, such an offer won’t come without the price of some hidden limitations in the fine print. So, watch out!

• Make Your Own Bonus

While the Match Bonuses and Staggered Bonuses are quite common, there’s a chance that you’ll be given the opportunity to make your own bonus amount. This fun and lucrative bonus type lets players play with a preset amount of credit for a given amount of time.

During the time you’re allotted, you can play with the money you’re credited with and try to make as much money as you can. In the end, whatever you win becomes your welcome bonus amount, thus giving this bonus type its name.

If it’s just not your day and, instead of making your own bonus, you end up losing all the allocated credit, many online casinos will still give you a consolation prize. So if you see a “Make Your Own Bonus” on a casino page, signing up is a no-brainer. However, note that a minimum deposit will be required in order to cash in on your bonus.

• Mobile Casino Welcome Bonus

Facts like “It’s difficult to play on mobile devices”, “Mobile players are at a disadvantage”, and “Mobile casinos have fewer features and bonuses” have become myths these days. As the number of people who use and play on mobile devices increases exponentially, online casinos are understanding the significance of bringing the same level of gaming experience for their mobile user base.

In fact, they’re even trying to attract mobile users who may not have a desktop at home by offering bonuses specific to mobile players. All you need to do to receive this bonus is to sign up with your device.

Cashable or Non Cashable Casino Bonuses

As mentioned above, there are six types of bonuses (and maybe even more depending on how a casino wants to welcome its new players), but all these bonuses can be placed into two main categories: cashable and non cashable bonuses. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, and to make the right decision while picking a good bonus or an online casino, you’ll need to know exactly what they are.

• Cashable Bonus

A bonus is called a cashable bonus when it allows you to withdraw the bonus amount along with the profit you’ve made from your games. So it’s only natural that it’s the more preferred category of bonuses among the two despite it having often stringent cash out limits.

For example, if you deposit C$ 100 in your casino account initially and apply the code for a cashable 100% match bonus deposit, you’ll have C$ 200 in your account to play with. If at the end of your session, you’ve managed to make a profit of C$ 100, then you can withdraw a total of C$ 300. In case there’s a maximum cash out limit of C$ 200 applied, then you’ll only be able to withdraw C$ 200 regardless of how much you’ve won. In our example, the rest of the C$ 100 will be removed from your account.

• Non Cashable Bonus

Non cashable bonus, also known as a sticky bonus, is a type of bonus that can’t be withdrawn by the player. This means that you’ll indeed be given a bonus amount to play with, you can use this amount to win (or lose) how much ever you want, but when you’ve used all the bonus amount and satisfied all the wagering requirements, you’ll only be able to withdraw your deposit amount and your winnings. Unlike a cashable bonus, it won’t convert into spendable money upon satisfying the wagering requirements.

For example, if, just like last time, you open a new account and make a deposit of C$ 100. However, this time you’re applying a sticky 100% match bonus deposit. This will give you C$ 200 to play with. Suppose you win C$ 100 from playing some casino games and meeting the wagering requirements. So while a cashable bonus welcome bonus would have let you withdraw C$ 300, a sticky one keeps the bonus amount for itself and only gives you C$ 200, that is, your deposit amount and win.

Juxtaposing the two categories of bonuses may make it look like picking a cashable bonus will always be a better option than going for a sticky one, but the latter has several advantages under its sleeve.

• Sticky bonuses usually have higher percentages than cashable bonuses, most of them being in the 300% range. They allow you to make bigger bets and play for longer, both of which could create a substantial profit.
• Sticky bonuses have fewer and laxer wagering requirements. Some non-cashable bonuses even let players play any game of their choice while cashable ones strictly dictate which casino games contribute towards meeting the wagering requirements. Sticky bonuses also commonly don’t have maximum cashout limits, allowing you to play comfortably and without affecting your play style.
• If your bonus balance expires due to losses, you can cash out the winnings immediately, without the need to exceed the initial balance.

Tips for making the most out of welcome bonuses

There are many factors you need to know while selecting a welcome bonus, but there are some tips that are exclusive to welcome bonuses. Keep them in mind and you’re casino experience will surely start off the right way.

• Sign up with as many casinos as possible. This way you can get access to many different types of welcome bonuses. You can explore casino websites for features, bonuses, and play casino games completely risk-free. Then, when you’ve found the ones that you really like, you can commit to an online casino that has proven itself worthy of your time and money.

• Always aim to get the maximum bonus amount. You only get a welcome once at a casino, so it’s best to go for the maximum bonus amount by depositing the amount needed to receive the said bonus.

• Casino bonuses always come with wagering requirements, and so do welcome bonuses. Always read the casino’s terms and conditions page and find out about the maximum cashout limits, expiry dates, and whether it’s a cashable or a sticky bonus type. Also, look at the betting limits allowed by the casino and how much each game contributes towards meeting the wagering requirements.

And that’s all there is to know about welcome bonuses. Now, you’re ready to find a welcome bonus of your choice and start playing.