How to Choose the Best Casino Bonus
Today, I’ll let you in on a secret about online casinos. Because of the fierce competition – there are hundreds of casinos in the UK – operators fight over customers by offering them bigger and better welcome bonuses.
I remember the first time I saw a £100 welcome bonus at a casino site. I thought it couldn’t possibly get any better than getting money for free. I didn’t read the fine print. Nor did I think twice or check out the competition before claiming that bonus. Well, I know better now…
Since not all bonuses are created equal, there are a few things to pay attention to before picking one. Have a look at the most important points.
Amount
The amount of the bonus is important. Duh! You don’t need me to tell you that it’s better to get £200 instead of £100. Yet, there’s more…
Validity Period
So, you got a £1000 bonus but you only have 24 hours to turn it over 50 times? Well, that’s hardly possible, isn’t it. Look for a nice, reasonable period in which you’ll actually be able to play through your bonus.
Playthrough
Yes, casinos give you free money but in order to be able to withdraw the winnings you’ve accumulated from that bonus, you’ll need to play through the bonus a few times. Beware for sometimes casinos use different wording. At Ladbrokes, for example, they say “you must wager at least twenty times (x20) your allocated funds plus your bonus amount”. If you aren’t paying close attention, you’ll conclude that the playthrough requirement is 20 times when, in fact, it’s 40 times.
Percentage
Casinos invite you to join their sites and give you a match of your first deposit, which is called a welcome bonus. They usually give you a 100% match but that’s not always the case. If you think getting £200 for your £200 is good, how about getting £200 for your £100 with a 200% match?
Games
Before you register at a casino, make sure the games you will be playing are included in the bonus and they have a good wagering contribution. For example, if you like slots, you’ll hardly have any problems because those are abundant and usually have a 100% contribution. However, this is not the case with other games, such as roulette, blackjack, and baccarat.
Other
You see, all those characteristics are vital when picking a bonus. Yet, there could be more. That’s why I suggest you have a good read of the terms and conditions of the bonus. Yeah, I know legalese is boring but it would be good for your wallet. It goes without saying that you should play at regulated casinos only. How do you know if a casino is legal in the UK? Look for the seal of the UK Gambling Commission. Oh, yes, also keep coming back to my blog for more info on how to beat the system.
Finally, the proverb ‘A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’ is true when it comes to casino bonuses. If there’s just one thing you remember after reading this post, let it be that it’s better to get £100 and be able to cash it out than be promised £1000 and never see any of it.
Anyway, land-based casinos do have their advantages. I, personally, like takling a date to a posh casino and wowing her with my blackjack skills. It wouldn’t be the same if I just played on my iPad and was like “See? See, how I doubled down on that hand?” on our date, right? It would be rather rude. So, I put on a tux, pretend I’m James Bond and show off my girl all night. It doesn’t all come natural; sometimes I need to prepare. For example, I learnt how to shuffle my chips with 
There are other advantages to online casinos and, try as I might, I wouldn’t be able to list them all in a single post. Comfort surely comes first but then, there’re re the lower betting limits. At an online casino, you don’t need to have a fat sum of money at hand in order to play. You surely can bet big but the good thing is that you don’t have to. And then, there are the bonuses! You’ll get a bonus just for signing up for a site and oftentimes there are no deposit bonuses as well. Wait, did you get that? You’ll get money just for registering at a site and that money would not only give you a chance to play but you could actually make a profit that you’d be able to cash out. There are a bunch of wagering requirements to consider, of course, but I’ll tell you all about what you need to pay attention to in another post.