Match Bonus
The match bonus is undoubtedly the most popular form of promotion you will come across. When you sign up to play at an online casino you will be offered a Welcome Bonus, but if you just stop and look at the details of the offer, you will see that what you are actually offered is a Match Bonus.
Like all bonuses, they are designed with one specific goal – to help you build a big enough bankroll so that you can stick around a little longer with the casino you’ve selected.
A Match Bonus is very easy to understand. It simply means that your deposit will be matched up to a certain percentage. The most common percentage match is 100%, so this means if you deposit $50 you will be given $50 by the casino, making your total balance $100 to play with.
Some of the best online casinos would happily go the extra mile and provide you with better promotions where the deposit can be matched by 200% or more. It’s all really done at the discretion of your casino and how important they deem you to be as a player.
However, there is a maximum amount you can claim using a match bonus. It’s usually between $100-$500. In other words, if you place $500 yourself, the casino will throw in extra $500, giving you $1000 in playing funds. But, that would be the maximum you would get, if you deposited $600, you would still only get the max $500 offered.
If you want to take full advantage of promotions being offered by online casinos then go for a 200% match bonus or higher! That $500 you deposit would give you an additional $1000, giving a total bankroll of $1500! Now that’s a nice start to allow you to play for a lot longer.
Here is typically what you can expect from all the reputable online casinos –
- Match Bonus Amount: 100% – 300%
- Maximum Amount: $100 – $7777
There are a few more things worth knowing about match bonuses, but let’s first draw your attention to the two most common types of match bonuses there are.
Match bonuses can come as individual offers. You deposit just once and the deposit amount is matched by a pre-determined percentage. The bonus money is then credited to your account and you are good to go. Here’re the steps, plain and simple:
- Deposit $50
- Trigger Match Bonus 100%
- Receive $50 as extra bonus money
- Start with $100
Once you are done with the wagering requirements, you will be able to cash out your winnings.
Some Match Bonuses aren’t a stand-alone offer. With a welcome casino package, you will get a few Match Bonuses all part of the same promotional bundle, usually on your first 3 deposits. And so, you will have offers similar to this one:
- 1st Deposit 100% – Up to $200
- 2nd Deposit 100% -Up to $200
- 3rd Deposit 100% – Up to $300
These numbers are arbitrary and the “matched amount” can again vary. The point is that for bigger bonuses, you will often have multiple deposits to make. So in this example you will see a $700 Welcome Bonus advertised, so that’s $200 + $200 + $300 altogether, not a single bonus of $700.
This is rather helpful as it allows players to play in a controlled manner. You can think of it like a reset feature or a cooling off period. Ok, so you didn’t win on your first deposit bonus amount, but now you get to make a second deposit, get yourself another 100% match bonus and try again after a good nights sleep!
Everyone wants a slice of what of the latest casino promotions, but just pouncing at the bonuses promising you the biggest amounts may end up with an unexpectedly sour experience.
You need to understand that there are a few criteria that need to be duly examined before you can choose a bonus for yourself. These include:
- Wagering Requirement
- Validity Date
- Wagering contributions
Let’s take a brief moment and discuss these.
Many people try to cash out before they have completed the wagering requirement (or playthrough requirement), and that often ends up with frustrated players who haven’t read the terms and conditions.
Let’s first make sure we understand the term. The wagering requirement is the number of times you need to wager (another word for bet) from your bonus amount before you can cash out any winnings.
So, if you have deposited $100, got $100 out as bonus money you now have $200 in total play money. The wagering requirement usually applies to:
- The bonus itself ($100)
- The bonus plus original deposit both ($200)
The latter scenario is admittedly a little more harsh, but it’s also very common. To clear the bonus condition, you will usually need to wager the amount around 30x times. Few casinos offer a rate below that.
As a result, you will have to wager $3,000 (30 x $100) before you can cash out, or possibly $6000 (30 x $200).
People often fail to acknowledge this condition, try to withdraw before it has been met and as a result, the bonus is voided. Now that you know this, you can save yourself a misunderstanding and focus on the game itself.
Each promotion comes with a validity date, i.e. the time frame you must fulfil the wagering requirements. Usually, most bonuses give you quite a healthy amount of time when it comes to fulfilling the bonus provisions, typically 30-90 days.
Some casinos, though, put a slightly stricter condition on the offer and as a result, you need to hurry up and complete the wagering requirement to be able to withdraw any winning from your match bonus. How quickly you can achieve this will depend on the amount you are playing with and a few other criteria.
The wagering contributions are how much of the money you bet are being calculated towards the total bonus amount you have to play through.
When you place a $10 wager, you will add $10 towards the total sum you need to clear (play through). However, different games grant different % of the original sum. In simple words, if you play games, such as:
- Online slots
- Keno
- Scratch cards
…you will almost certainly get 100% of the sum you’ve wagered. However, for slightly more skill-based games, such as Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, you can only get 20% or less. Some games can even give you no contributions at all (0%), so it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on this for yourself.
Despite the inherent challenges to playing with a match bonus, it’s very easy to make this offer work in your favor. There are a handful of practical tips that you can put to good use and ensure you are a little more successful. Here are some very basic recommendations:
- Always read the terms and conditions beforehand
- Avoid casinos with wagering requirements that also include your deposit money
- Check specifically for validity date, wagering requirements and wagering contributions
Stay on top of your game by cherry-picking the type of match bonus that will help you build your casino legacy. A great match bonus deposit is quite easy to come by, just exercise the due diligence we advise or play with one of our 5 best casinos!
