Wagering requirements are the single most important detail on any casino bonus, and also the most misunderstood. They decide how much you have to bet before bonus funds (or winnings from them) can be withdrawn as real cash.
This guide breaks down what wagering requirements actually mean, how to calculate the total amount you need to bet, how game contributions change the math, and what counts as a fair multiplier in 2026 based on what the wider market is currently offering.
What a wagering requirement (playthrough) is and why casinos use it
A wagering requirement, sometimes called playthrough or rollover, is a multiplier that tells you how many times you must bet a bonus before any associated winnings can be cashed out. If a bonus has a 30x wagering requirement, you must place bets totalling 30 times the qualifying amount before the bonus converts to withdrawable cash.
Casinos use wagering requirements for two main reasons:
- To stop people from claiming a bonus, withdrawing it immediately, and leaving. Without playthrough, bonuses would simply be free money for arbitrage players.
- To control the real cost of a promotion. The higher the multiplier, the more likely the bonus value is recycled through games before any payout.
Wagering requirements are not inherently bad. They are just the price of using bonus money. The question is whether the price is reasonable.
The formula: how to calculate total amount to wager from a bonus amount and multiplier
The base formula is simple:
Total wagering = Qualifying amount x Wagering multiplier
Worked examples (using a generic currency unit):
- 100 bonus at 30x wagering, bonus-only: 100 x 30 = 3,000 in total bets required.
- 100 bonus at 40x wagering, bonus-only: 100 x 40 = 4,000 in total bets required.
- 100 deposit plus 100 bonus at 30x wagering, deposit-plus-bonus: 200 x 30 = 6,000 in total bets required.
Notice how the qualifying amount changes the workload dramatically. A 30x requirement on deposit-plus-bonus can be twice as much betting as a 30x requirement on the bonus only.
Bonus-only vs. deposit-plus-bonus wagering: the important difference
This is the single most important distinction in any bonus terms, and many players miss it.
Bonus-only wagering
The multiplier applies only to the bonus amount. If you deposit 100 and get a 100 bonus at 30x, you need to bet 3,000 in total. This is the more player-friendly structure.
Deposit-plus-bonus wagering
The multiplier applies to the sum of your deposit and the bonus. Same example, 100 deposit plus 100 bonus at 30x, means 6,000 in bets. A 30x deposit-plus-bonus offer is, in practice, the same workload as a 60x bonus-only offer.
When comparing two offers, always normalise them to the same basis before judging which is better. Our bonus calculator does this automatically.
Game contribution table: why slots count 100 percent and table games count less
Not every bet contributes the full amount toward clearing wagering. Casinos weight games by how easy they are to win on (which is broadly linked to RTP and volatility). A typical contribution table looks like this:
- Online slots: usually 100 percent.
- Jackpot slots: sometimes reduced or excluded.
- Video poker: often 10 to 20 percent, sometimes excluded.
- Roulette: typically 10 to 20 percent, with some variants excluded.
- Blackjack: typically 5 to 10 percent, often excluded entirely.
- Baccarat: often 0 to 10 percent.
- Live dealer games: frequently reduced or excluded.
So if you bet 10 on blackjack at 10 percent contribution, only 1 counts toward wagering. Always check the contribution table before assuming a game qualifies.
What wagering requirements are considered fair in 2026 (industry benchmarks)
Based on our ongoing review of welcome bonus terms across the casinos we track, here is the distribution we are currently seeing for standard match welcome bonuses. Use this as a quick yardstick to judge any offer in front of you.
- Best 10 percent of offers: around 20x to 25x, bonus-only.
- Median (typical) offer: around 35x to 40x, bonus-only.
- Worst 10 percent of offers: 60x or higher, or 35x and above on deposit-plus-bonus.
- No-deposit and free-spin bonuses run higher, with medians around 40x to 50x on winnings.
Quick rules of thumb:
- Under 25x bonus-only: excellent.
- 25x to 35x bonus-only: fair, this is the modern average.
- 35x to 45x bonus-only: tolerable but not generous.
- Above 45x bonus-only, or 35x plus on deposit-plus-bonus: below market, look elsewhere unless other terms are exceptional.
Multiplier alone is not the whole picture. A 40x bonus with a 30-day window and 100 percent slot contribution is often easier than a 25x bonus with a 3-day window and capped bet sizes.
Wagering timelines: how many days to complete playthrough
Most casinos give you a fixed window to clear the requirement. Common timelines:
- Generous: 30 days or more.
- Standard: 14 to 21 days.
- Tight: 7 days.
- Aggressive: 24 to 72 hours, common with no-deposit and free-spin bonuses.
Short timelines are a hidden cost. If you can only play casually, a 7-day window on a large bonus may be impossible to clear without uncomfortable bet sizes. Match the timeline to your realistic play volume.
What happens to your balance if wagering expires
If the wagering window closes before you complete playthrough, the standard outcome is:
- Any remaining bonus funds are removed.
- Any winnings generated from the bonus are removed.
- Your original deposit, if still present and unspent, usually stays. Terms vary, so confirm before opting in.
Some casinos forfeit everything including the deposit if wagering fails. Others only remove the bonus portion. Read the terms before claiming. If a bonus is clearly going to expire unfinished, it can sometimes be smarter to forfeit it manually and keep your real-money balance, rather than chasing it with bigger bets.
Using a wagering calculator to compare two offers before deciding
Headline numbers are deceptive. A 200 percent match with 45x wagering can be worse value than a 100 percent match with 25x wagering, depending on the basis and game contribution. Plug both offers into a calculator and compare:
- The total amount you need to bet to clear the bonus.
- The expected loss on that volume given the game's RTP.
- The realistic net value of the bonus after that expected loss.
- The bet size you would need to clear it within the timeline.
Our bonus calculator does this side by side so you can rank two promotions on real value, not on advertised percentages.
A word on responsible play
Wagering requirements often push players toward higher bet sizes or longer sessions than they planned. Bonuses are entertainment, not income, and no playthrough strategy guarantees a profit. Set a budget, stick to it, and use deposit limits or time-outs if a bonus is changing how you play. You must be 18 or older (or the legal age in your jurisdiction), and bonus availability and terms vary by region.
Frequently asked questions
What does 30x wagering requirement mean?
It means you must place total bets equal to 30 times the qualifying amount before bonus funds (or related winnings) can be withdrawn. On a 100 bonus with bonus-only 30x wagering, that is 3,000 in total bets. If the terms say deposit plus bonus, the multiplier applies to both combined.
Is a 20x wagering requirement good?
Yes. A 20x bonus-only requirement sits in the top tier of current market offers. The typical welcome bonus in 2026 lands around 35x to 40x bonus-only, so anything at or below 25x is notably more player-friendly than average.
Do all games count toward clearing a wagering requirement?
No. Slots usually contribute 100 percent, but table games like blackjack, baccarat and roulette often count for only 5 to 20 percent, and some titles or live dealer games may be excluded entirely. Always check the game contribution table in the bonus terms.
Can you lose your own deposit money while trying to clear a bonus?
Yes. While clearing wagering you are placing real bets, and house edge applies to every spin or hand. You can absolutely lose the deposit balance before completing playthrough. Bonuses do not remove risk, they just adjust the value of the play you were going to do anyway.
What is the difference between "wager the bonus" and "wager the deposit plus bonus"?
Wager the bonus applies the multiplier only to the bonus amount. Wager the deposit plus bonus applies it to your deposit and the bonus combined, which roughly doubles the workload at the same multiplier. A 30x deposit-plus-bonus offer is equivalent to a 60x bonus-only offer in total betting required.