casino welcome sign up deposit bonuses

Online Casino Bonuses

Various types of online casino bonuses

The bonus(es) offered by an online casino are usually the first thing people look at. Free money (or apparently free money) has always been one of the most efficient ways to attract people to participate in something. Online casino and poker bonuses are meant to achieve the same thing. Unfortunately though, besides being the first thing they consider when they look at an online casino’s website, for most players it is the last too. They fail to consider the intricacies of the offer, and the fact that no business entity will ever offer something completely free. There are countless little details working behind the scenes that ultimately end up determining the true value of an online casino bonus. The type of bonus that you sign up for, the redemption requirements and the games allowed to redeem your bonus on, are several such factors.

When you manage to cover all the factors that determine the real value of your bonus, you can say that you’ve successfully determined the type of bonus that suits your needs best.

Here's rundown of the various bonus types currently offered in the online gambling industry, including those offered by the best australia online casinos and those casinos based elsewhere in the world.

The most common of them all is the sign-up bonus. The sign-up bonus exists both in online casino gambling and in poker. It is a one time bonus that players receive as an immediate reward for signing up. Because it’s a “store-front” thing, the sign-up bonus is usually a very good deal.

The parameters which pretty much describe its quality are the maximum bonus amount that you receive and the redemption requirements. Always read the wagering requirements carefully, because the maximum bonus alone doesn’t mean you got yourself a good deal.

Sometimes, sign-up bonuses come in the form of match bonuses. Match bonuses represent a correlation between the amount of money you deposit and the sign up bonus that you get. A 100% match bonus, up to a maximum of $500 for instance means that if you deposit exactly $500, you’ll get a $500 bonus (for a $100 deposit, you’ll get $100 and so forth). Obviously, in this case, a high maximum on the bonus means that you have to deposit a lot of money to reach that threshold, though you’re not compelled to go for the max.

Most casinos usually also offer a high roller welcome or sign-up bonus. These types of bonuses are usually either a higher percentage match, have a higher value or a combination of both. However, they do have certain requirements on the types of bonuses, most often being the minimum deposit amount being higher than for the "regular" sign up or welcome bonuses. High roller players are also usually enrolled at a higher rewards or VIP level, as can be seen at the best high roller casino that are on the net.

That pretty much explains what match bonuses are about. In this case, the maximum amount offered is not as important as the match percentage and the wagering requirements.

The no deposit bonus is one of the better types of bonuses. In order to receive this bonus, a player doesn’t actually need to make a deposit. This is kind of like rakeback in poker: it is often given to players as a reward for their loyalty and it is indeed as good as it sounds. Unlike poker rakeback though, such bonuses still need to be redeemed.

The referral bonus is a bonus a player gets for referring a friend of his/hers. This bonus carries the usual wagering requirements and it cannot be cashed out until they’re fulfilled.

The Sticky bonus is among the less advantageous ones. This bonus is literally stuck to your account: it can never be cashed out. When the player decides to cash out, he’ll only be able to fetch his initial deposit plus his winnings, never the bonus. Comp points setups are excellent ways to collect extra money in casinos. This money is not a bonus though. It is exactly like the poker rakeback: it doesn’t have to be redeemed.