A wagering requirement is the amount you must bet before bonus money, and sometimes your own deposit, can be withdrawn as cash. A $100 bonus with a 25x requirement on the bonus alone means $2,500 in bets. The same $100 bonus with a 25x requirement on deposit plus bonus means $5,000. That one detail changes what the offer is worth.
By Maya Torres, Casino and Gambling Guides. Last updated: October 15, 2026.
The Quick Version
- Rollover, playthrough and wagering requirement all mean the same thing. It is the total you must bet before the bonus can turn into withdrawable cash.
- Read what the multiplier applies to. Bovada’s page says its 25x runs on the deposit plus the bonus. MyBookie’s bonus rules page lists casino rollover as 1x the deposit plus 40x the bonus.
- The average cost of clearing a bonus is your total bets times the house edge. At an assumed 4% slot edge, a $100 bonus with a $5,000 requirement costs about $200 to clear.
- Game weight can turn a cheap-looking requirement into an expensive one. Bovada and Wild Casino both list slots at 100% and blackjack and roulette at much less.
- Max bets, expiry dates and cash-out caps decide how much of the bonus you can really keep. BetUS lists 7 days and a $5,000 cap on its 100% casino match page.
- Our take: do the math before you claim. If the cost to clear is higher than the bonus, skip it or take the smaller offer.
What Is a Wagering Requirement?
It is a promise to the casino. In return for bonus money, you agree to bet a set amount before you withdraw. Bovada’s bonus terms page defines it as the total amount of bets you must stake before the bonus and any accrued winnings move to your cash balance and can be withdrawn. Other names for it are rollover and playthrough.
The multiplier is the number after the “x.” Here is the plain math for a $100 deposit with a 100% match, so a $100 bonus:
- 10x on the bonus: 10 x $100 = $1,000 in bets.
- 25x on the bonus: 25 x $100 = $2,500 in bets.
- 25x on deposit plus bonus: 25 x ($100 + $100) = 25 x $200 = $5,000 in bets.
Only bets placed after you claim the bonus count. Bovada’s casino welcome bonus page says that, in its terms for the casino welcome bonus.
Bets count at face value only on games that count 100%. Losing bets count too. A $10 slot spin that loses adds $10 to your progress, which is why the number can be reached quickly or slowly depending on your bet size. We cover that pacing in our casino bankroll management guide, which turns house edge into hours of play.
How Do You Work Out What a Bonus Really Costs?
Multiply the total you must bet by the house edge. That is the average amount you give back to the casino while clearing the requirement. Subtract it from the bonus and you have the average value of the offer.
We use a 4% house edge for slots as an assumption, which is the same as a 96% return to player (RTP). Real slots vary and the casino lists each game’s RTP, so swap in the number for the game you actually play. Here is the $100 deposit and $100 match at five different ways of writing the requirement:
| Requirement | Total bets needed | Average cost at 4% edge | Bonus minus cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10x the bonus | $1,000 | $40 | +$60 |
| 25x the bonus | $2,500 | $100 | $0 |
| 1x deposit + 40x bonus | $4,100 | $164 | -$64 |
| 25x deposit + bonus | $5,000 | $200 | -$100 |
| 30x the bonus, then 30x the released amount | $6,000 | $240 | -$140 |
Read the last column as an average over many players, not a prediction for you. Short sessions swing both ways, and some players bust out before they finish the requirement. The long-run average is what the math sets.
The first two rows set a useful marker. At a 4% edge, a bonus is worth exactly zero when your total bets equal the bonus divided by the edge: $100 / 0.04 = $2,500. That is 25x the bonus. So a requirement above 25x on the bonus alone costs more than the bonus pays at a 4% edge. When the multiplier applies to deposit plus bonus on a 100% match, the break-even multiplier is half that: 12.5x, because you are multiplying $200 instead of $100.
That break-even rule is our own shortcut, and it only works for a given edge. At a 1% edge it would be 100x. But game weights decide which edge you face, which is next.
For the house-edge math behind clearing a bonus, see our casino games hub on RTP, house edge and volatility.
Does the Multiplier Apply to the Bonus or to Deposit Plus Bonus?
This is where most beginners misread a bonus. Different casinos word it differently, and the difference is big:
- Bovada’s casino welcome bonus page says: “The deposit plus bonus amount is subject to a 25X playthrough requirement before the deposit, bonus amount and any winnings can be withdrawn.”
- MyBookie’s bonus rules page lists: “Casino rollover is calculated: deposit 1x + bonus 40x = rollover requirement.” That sits in its non-deposit bonus rules, so check the specific promotion’s terms too.
- BetUS’s 100% casino bonus page lists “30X Rollover on release and Cash-out.” BetUS’s casino rules page explains the two stages: 30 times the bonus value to redeem it into cash, then 30 times the redeemed amount in real-money wagering before withdrawal.
On a $100 deposit and $100 bonus, those three work out to $5,000 (Bovada), $4,100 (MyBookie: $100 + 40 x $100) and up to $6,000 (BetUS: 30 x $100 + 30 x $100, if the full $100 is redeemed). The BetUS figure is an illustration. The second stage depends on how much you actually redeem. Notice that the headline multiplier alone would not tell you which one is cheapest.
How Does Game Weighting Work?
Game weighting, also called contribution, is the percentage of each bet that counts toward the requirement. A game that counts 100% adds your whole bet. A game that counts 10% adds one-tenth. In practice, games with a lower house edge tend to get lower weights.
Here are the weights as listed on the brands’ own pages:
| Game type | Bovada | Wild Casino |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 100% (slots and specialty games, unless stated otherwise) | 100% |
| Table games (general) | 20%, unless stated otherwise | 10%, unless stated otherwise |
| Video poker | 10% | 10% |
| Blackjack | 10%, unless stated otherwise; double deck 2%; single deck and classic 0% | 5% |
| Roulette and baccarat | 5% | 5% |
| Craps | 0% | 0% |
| Live casino | 0% | Excluded from active bonus play |
Sources: Bovada’s bonus terms page and Wild Casino’s bonus contribution page, both fetched Oct. 15, 2026. Weights are casino-specific and promotion-specific, so a welcome offer can override them.
Both casinos give their own worked examples. Bovada’s: bet $500 on slots and $500 counts. Bet $500 on blackjack and $50 counts. Bet $500 on roulette and $25 counts. Wild Casino’s: a $100 bet on roulette or blackjack counts as $5.
Now the math that most guides skip. Take the $5,000 Bovada-style requirement and clear it on roulette at 5%. You would need $5,000 / 0.05 = $100,000 in roulette bets. A double-zero wheel has a house edge of 2/38 = 5.26%, so $100,000 x 0.0526 = $5,263 average cost. Clearing it on slots at 100% costs 4% of $5,000 = $200. Clearing it on blackjack at 10% takes $50,000 in bets. At an assumed 1% edge, that is $500. Here is the cost per $1 of requirement for each:
| Game | House edge | Weight | Bets needed for $5,000 | Average cost to clear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slots | 4% (assumed) | 100% | $5,000 | $200 |
| Blackjack | 1% (assumed) | 10% | $50,000 | $500 |
| Double-zero roulette | 5.26% | 5% | $100,000 | $5,263 |
The formula is: cost per $1 of requirement = house edge / weight. Slots come out at 0.04 / 1.00 = 4 cents. Blackjack is 0.01 / 0.10 = 10 cents. Roulette is 0.0526 / 0.05 = 105 cents. Low-edge games look safer, but a low weight can wipe out the advantage. If the terms list a game at 5%, treat it as a game you do not use for clearing.
One more trap: some games count 0%, so betting them while a bonus is active does nothing for progress. BetUS lists its excluded games, and its own pages do not fully agree with each other on roulette: BetUS’s 100% casino bonus page lists roulette among excluded games, while BetUS’s casino rules page lists a 5% weight for roulette on one platform and also lists roulette among games that do not count. When a casino’s pages conflict, ask support in writing which one applies before you bet.
What Is a Max Bet Rule?
A max bet rule caps how much you can wager on a single spin or hand while a bonus is active. It limits how large a bet you can place while the bonus is active. Break it and the casino may void the bonus and your winnings.
Bovada’s bonus terms page says that, unless a specific bonus page says otherwise, the casino max bet per wager is 20% of the deposited amount. On a $100 deposit that is 0.20 x $100 = $20. The same page says breaking the rule can lead to account closure and loss of the bonus and any winnings.
It cuts the other way too. A small max bet means a big requirement takes many bets. A $5,000 requirement at the $20 cap is $5,000 / $20 = 250 bets. At $1 a spin it is 5,000 spins. At the pace of 600 spins an hour that we assumed in our bankroll guide, 5,000 spins / 600 an hour is about 8.3 hours of play. Bovada’s terms also list prohibited play, including betting on opposing outcomes to create action without risk, sharply changing your bet size or game type to clear the requirement, and all-in “do or die” wagering.
How Long Do You Have to Clear a Bonus?
Every bonus has a clock. If it runs out before you finish, the bonus and often the winnings disappear. The shorter the clock, the higher the pace you must keep.
- BetUS’s 100% casino bonus page lists a 7-day expiry. BetUS’s casino rules page says casino bonuses expire within 7 days of being credited unless stated otherwise.
- BetOnline’s welcome offer terms lists 30 days for free bet credit and 24 hours for each day’s free spins.
- Super Slots’ welcome bonus terms lists spins that are valid for 24 hours after they are issued.
- MyBookie’s bonus rules page lists 30 days for free play tied to deposit bonuses.
A 7-day clock on a 30x requirement for a $100 bonus, which is $3,000, means $3,000 / 7 = $428.57 a day. At a $1 bet and 600 spins an hour (our assumption), that is about 43 minutes a day, every day, for a week. Miss two days and the daily pace rises. Expiry is also why you should claim a bonus only on a day when you have time to play it, and not as a reaction to a promo email.
What Is a Cash-Out Cap?
A cash-out cap, also called a max cash-out or max win, limits how much of your winnings from a bonus you can withdraw. Anything above the cap is removed. It is the last gate, and it often decides whether a big win is real.
- BetUS’s 100% casino bonus page lists a $5,000 maximum cash-out. If a bonus run grows to $7,000, the bonus terms let you withdraw $5,000. The other $2,000 is not yours.
- MyBookie’s bonus rules page says the maximum withdrawal from winnings generated by non-deposit bonuses of $25 or less is $125, and the remaining funds are reduced to zero once you request a withdrawal.
- BetOnline’s welcome offer terms says free spin winnings are capped at a maximum of $100 in total. Super Slots’ welcome bonus terms says the maximum win from free spins is $100.
Caps change the math. A $100 bonus with a $5,000 cap can never be worth more than $5,000 even in the best case. A free-spin offer capped at $100 has a ceiling you can read in advance. Before you claim, compare the cap against the requirement: a 10x requirement with a $50 cap is a different offer than a 10x requirement with a $5,000 cap.
Why Are Offshore Rollovers So High Compared With Licensed Sites?
Some regulators cap them, and offshore sites are not under those caps. UK Gambling Commission licence condition 5.1.1, which applies to operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, says licensees must not apply wagering requirements over a maximum of 10 times. On our $100 bonus, a 10x requirement is $1,000. The 25x, 30x and 40x structures above are what these offshore casinos list.
The offshore casinos in this guide are not UK licensees, so that cap does not apply to their offers, and they are not licensed by U.S. state regulators. That is a reason to read the terms more closely, not less. Bovada’s own bonus page says it can cancel or withdraw the promotion or change its terms at any time and without notice. See our guide to the risks of offshore sportsbooks for what that means for payouts and complaints.
What Should You Check Before You Claim a Casino Bonus?
Read the page of the offer you are actually claiming, not a summary. Then run this list:
- Find the multiplier and what it applies to. Bonus only, or deposit plus bonus.
- Do the cost math. Total bets x house edge for the game you will really play. Compare it with the bonus.
- Check the weight of your game. If it counts 5% or 10%, price it with edge / weight.
- Find the max bet. Convert it to dollars from your deposit.
- Find the expiry and divide. Total bets / days = daily pace. Can you hit it?
- Find the cap. Compare it with what the bonus could realistically turn into.
- Screenshot the terms. Casinos can edit the page after you claim.
To see these casinos on DWZ, here are our brand pages: BetOnline Casino, MyBookie, BetUS, BetNow, Bovada Casino and Wild Casino. We checked bonus terms on the brands’ own sites for all but BetNow this session, so use its live page. Bonus money also belongs in your plan: our sports betting bankroll management guide explains why a deposit match should not count as bankroll until you have cleared it.
Bonuses are marketing, not income. Only play with money you can afford to lose. If gambling stops being fun, call or text 1-800-MY-RESET. The casinos named here are offshore operators and are not licensed by U.S. state regulators, so read their terms and payout rules before you deposit.
References
- Bovada. “$3,000 Casino Welcome Bonus” terms and conditions. Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.bovada.lv/promotions/casino-welcome-bonus
- Bovada. “Bonus Terms and Conditions” (wagering contribution chart and max bet rule). Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.bovada.lv/help/bonuses-faq/bonus-terms-and-conditions
- Wild Casino. “Bonus Contribution.” Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.wildcasino.ag/promotions/bonus-contribution
- BetUS. “BetUS Casino Bonus” (100% match terms). Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.betus.com.pa/promotions/betus-casino-bonus-100match/
- BetUS. “Casino Rules.” Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.betus.com.pa/rules/casino/
- MyBookie. “Sportsbook Bonus Rules.” Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.mybookie.ag/sportsbook-bonus-info/
- BetOnline Help Center. “BetOnline Promotion: No Strings Welcome Offer.” Checked October 15, 2026. https://help.betonline.ag/en/articles/214367-betonline-promotion-no-strings-welcome-offer
- Super Slots. “Welcome Bonus” terms. Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.superslots.ag/promotions/welcome-bonus
- UK Gambling Commission. “Licence conditions and codes of practice, 5.1.1 Rewards and bonuses.” Checked October 15, 2026. https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/lccp/condition/5-1-1-sr-code
