Working out what a bonus actually costs you
- Multiply the bonus by the wagering figure to find your real staking obligation
- Check whether the multiplier applies to the bonus alone or to deposit plus bonus
- Game weighting means slots and table games do not count equally toward it
The largest number in a welcome offer is the least useful one in it. What decides whether an offer is worth accepting is the wagering multiplier, how game weighting is applied, and the ceiling on what you can withdraw.
The arithmetic
Take a 100% match up to £200 with a 35x requirement. You must stake £7,000 before the bonus becomes real money. At a typical 96% return, getting there costs you around £280 on average — more than the bonus was worth.
Bonus only, or deposit plus bonus
Some operators apply the multiplier to the bonus by itself. Others apply it to your deposit and the bonus together, which doubles the obligation without changing the headline. This distinction is always in the terms and almost never in the advertisement.
Weighting
Slots usually count 100% toward the requirement. Table games often count 10% or less, and some are excluded entirely. Playing the wrong game can mean staking ten times more than you expected.
Common questions
How often is this page checked?
The fact-checked date in the byline is the last time every figure on this page was verified against a primary source.
Who wrote this?
A named member of our editorial team, listed in the byline. We do not publish anonymous guidance.