A wagering requirement is the number of times you must bet a bonus, and sometimes your deposit too, before you are allowed to withdraw anything won from it. It is the single most important line in any bonus’s terms, because it decides whether a “free” offer is actually worth claiming. This guide explains how to read one, with a worked example you can reuse for any bonus you are offered.
What the number actually means
Wagering requirements are written as a multiplier, such as 35x or 40x. That multiplier tells you the total amount you must stake, not the amount you must lose. Two things vary between casinos and change the maths considerably:
- What the multiplier applies to. Some sites apply it to the bonus only. Others apply it to the deposit plus the bonus, often written “D+B”, which roughly doubles the amount you have to wager.
- Whether the bonus is “sticky”. A non-sticky or cashable bonus lets you withdraw your own deposit at any time. A sticky bonus locks your deposit together with the bonus until wagering is complete.
A worked example
Suppose a casino offers a 100% deposit match with a 35x wagering requirement on the bonus only. To keep the numbers round, imagine you deposit an amount we will call 100 units and receive a 100-unit bonus.
- The requirement is 35x the bonus. 35 multiplied by 100 units is 3,500 units of total wagering.
- That is the amount you must stake in total, cycling the same money through many bets. It is not money you are expected to hand over in one go, and it is not a further deposit.
- If the same offer applied that 35x to deposit plus bonus, so 200 units, the requirement would jump to 35 multiplied by 200, or 7,000 units of wagering. Same headline, twice the work.
You can run these figures for any real offer with our wagering calculator, which does the multiplication and shows how game weighting changes the picture.
Game weighting: not every bet counts the same
Casinos rarely let every game contribute equally toward wagering. Slots usually count 100%, meaning a 1-unit slot bet reduces your requirement by 1 unit. Table games such as blackjack or roulette often count far less, sometimes 10% or even nothing, because they carry a lower house edge. If blackjack contributes 10%, a 1-unit blackjack bet only trims 0.1 units off the requirement, so clearing a bonus on table games can take vastly longer than on slots. Always check the weighting table in the terms before you assume a game qualifies.
The terms that quietly limit a bonus
- Maximum bet while wagering. Many bonuses cap the stake you may place until wagering is finished. Exceed it, even by accident, and the casino can void the bonus and any winnings from it.
- Time limit. Requirements usually expire after a set period. Miss it and the bonus, and anything tied to it, is removed.
- Maximum cashout. Especially on no-deposit and free-spin bonuses, the amount you can withdraw is often capped, so a large win can be trimmed down to that limit.
- Excluded games and countries. Some games do not count at all, and some offers are not valid in certain regions.
Why this decides a bonus’s real value
A big headline bonus with a high wagering requirement, a low maximum cashout and a short deadline can be worth less than a smaller, cleaner offer. That is exactly why Bonus Value in our Jackpot Score is judged after wagering terms, not on the advertised figure. Remember too that wagering means real risk: every bet you place to clear a requirement is exposed to the house edge, so completing wagering is never guaranteed, and it is common to lose a bonus before finishing it.
Before claiming any bonus, read its terms in full, or simply skip it, because there is no obligation to take one. For a short definition see our glossary entry on the wagering requirement, and browse current offers with their terms on the bonuses page. If gambling stops being fun, our responsible gambling resources can help. This guide is educational, not financial or gambling advice, and you must be 18 or over.