What Is a Wager in Online Casinos and Why Is It Important?

Online slot machine gaming has become one of the dominant ways to while away free time nowadays.

Recreational and fun, this kind of entertainment attracts more and more adult players to South Africa. Internal law provides for clients of online casinos to enjoy a safe and honest game experience thanks to the legalisation and regulation of the industry. The most appealing promotion for new players is the opulent online casino welcome deals, typically consisting of free spins, no-deposit bonuses, and match deposit bonuses.

Because online gambling is now easily accessible, South African casinos are now competing with one another to provide the best services and many games. Players can now play not only slots, cards, and roulette but other popular games like crash games and live dealer casinos as well.

In addition to offering a huge selection of licensed casino software, online casinos introduce some additional frills. Promotions, tournaments, prize draws, and other events—both casino and software company arranged—spice up the gaming process. All these activities are aimed at one thing: to offer customers good entertainment in a highly competitive environment.

Another important aspect of any respectable online casino loyalty scheme is bonuses—no-deposit rewards, free spins, deposit matches, and the like. There are countless casino bonuses, and to fully enjoy them, each player needs to know what a wager is and how it works.

What Are Casino Bonuses?

Casino bonuses are essentially offers that allow gamblers to play games for free while remaining eligible to win actual cash. There are always strings attached to these bonuses. The most common types of bonuses are:

• No-deposit bonuses – offered as a sign-up gift when joining.
• Deposit bonuses – given when a gambler deposits money into their account.
• Loyalty or cashback bonuses – something for consistent play.

Each type of bonus has terms in place for activation, playthrough, and withdrawal. The key condition players need to watch out for is the wagering requirement. Most casino bonuses are not accessible in cash; rather, they must be "played through" beforehand.

Why Are Bonuses Wagered?

From the casino's point of view, bonuses are complimentary cash handed out to gamers. To avoid abuse and loss of money, casinos place conditions for wagering. It doesn't imply that you can't profit from a bonus—it simply means not everyone will be able to qualify.

While playing, the players stand to lose their bonus money and winnings accruing therefrom. However, some fortunate individuals will manage to win, meet the wagering requirement, and cash out real money. In essence, wagering provides a sieve that divides casual players from those lucky enough to succeed in the process.

The wagering requirement is typically given as a multiplier. If you're given a $100 bonus with a 40x wagering requirement, you'll have to make bets of $4,000 before cashing out.

What Is a Wager?

A wager (or wagering requirement) is the multiplier that's used to figure out how much betting you have to do before you can cash out.

For example, with a 40x wager requirement and a 100 ZAR bonus, you must wager 4,000 ZAR before you can withdraw the bonus.

Most deposit bonuses have wager requirements of about 40x. No-deposit or welcome bonuses usually have bigger requirements, while loyalty or reload bonuses may have lower ones.

How to Clear a Wager Successfully

There are a number of useful tips to improve your chances of clearing a casino bonus:

• Choose casinos that have sensible bonus conditions. The lower the wagering requirement, the better your chances.
• Don't be afraid of deposit bonuses. They usually have lower wagering than no-deposit offers.
• Check all bonus conditions meticulously. Notice what games count towards wagering and what are the maximum accepted bet per spin or round.
• Beware of the deadline. Bonuses usually expire if not cleared within the time limit.
• Play low-volatility slots. Slots like Starburst at NetEnt provide you with lots of small wins over time, so they are a good option to play.

Can You Avoid Wagering?

Sometimes the wagering is frustrating, especially when it's high. If you no longer enjoy playing, you can give up on your current bonus at any point in the bonus section of your account.

Canceling a bonus immediately removes both the bonus amount and any winnings that have been gained through their use, but it also releases you to redeem a new promotion or play with your own funds without restriction.