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On this page, we explain everything you need to know about bonuses offered by US online casinos. Click on the links to jump ahead:
Online casino bonus guide USA
Bojoko helps you find the best casino bonus deals. US online casinos use bonuses to attract new players. If you accept an internet casino bonus, you have more funds to the site and make the games last longer. However, there are many forms of bonuses and they can have quite different terms and conditions.
On Bojoko, you can learn all the ABCs of casino bonuses for US citizens and also compare the offers, so that you can find the bonus that's most useful for you.
List of US online casino bonus offers
On this list, you can find bonuses offered by licensed US online casinos. Use the quick filters to narrow down your search results and play at a casino with a bonus.
Bojoko helps you find casino bonuses
Bojoko is the best way to find and compare online casino bonuses in the USA. Here's why:
- Accuracy: Our casino listings are created by our experts, in collaboration with the casinos. The bonus info is regularly updated and verified.
- Honest reviews: Each listing is reviewed by both our community and experienced casino experts. We ask these players to try out the site and the bonus with real money and give their educated, unfiltered opinions in the casino bonus reviews.
- Expertise: All our casino content is written by casino professionals with years of experience in the gambling industry. This is our career and we're proud of what we're doing here. Everything is published with our own names and faces.
As a registered member, you too can review and rate our casinos as well as their bonus offers. By reading the casino reviews you can easily see what lies ahead - without getting lost into technical mumbo jumbo.
Not a member yet? Join Bojoko for free!1-minute introduction: What is a casino bonus?
A casino bonus is something the casinos can attract new players with, or offer to existing players to keep them interested. As a new player, the most relevant bonuses for you are included in the casino's welcome package. When you sign up to a casino, you can often get:
- A no deposit bonus: a small amount of bonus money or free spins to popular slots
- A deposit match bonus: the casino matches your real money deposit in bonus funds
Most bonuses come with strings attached. Remember to check out the terms and conditions to avoid surprises.
There are also more bonus types aimed at different players. Casinos hand these out at different stages of your player journey.
US casino bonuses explained
There are many different types of bonuses. In this online casino bonus guide, we explain how they work and how to use them to your advantage.
How does a casino bonus work?
- Pick a bonus using our comparison tool and sign up at the casino
- Choose the bonus and make a qualifying deposit
- The bonus activates if your real money balance runs out
- Complete the wagering requirements
- Withdraw your winnings
Different types of casino bonuses
First, you need to understand the difference between deposit and no deposit casino bonuses:
- No deposit bonus lets you try the casino without making a deposit and risking any of your own money.
- Deposit bonus gives you bonus money and/or free spins, but you need to make a deposit to claim it.
These are the main types of bonuses available in US-licensed online casinos:
- Bonus funds - casino money that needs to be used in the games
- Cash - money that has no strings attached and can be withdrawn
- Free spins - free rounds in pre-selected slots
In addition, you need to consider these things while choosing a bonus:
- Minimum deposit
- Maximum bonus sum
- Wagering requirements
- Other terms and conditions
Below, we'll look at these factors in more detail.
Casino bonus terms and conditions
Practically all online casino gambling bonus deals come with some strings attached. The idea is to guide players to use the bonus on casino games and limit the risk to the casinos.
Every casino and every bonus type has its own specific terms. Here's a quick overview of the terms and conditions you may encounter:
- Wagering requirements - The amount of money you need to bet before the bonus funds can be withdrawn
- Minimum deposit - The smallest deposit sum that qualifies for a bonus
- Time limits - The time you have to claim the bonus and complete the wagering
- Max. bet - The largest bet per round allowed when wagering your bonus
- Restricted games - Not every game helps you complete the wagering
- Winning caps - If you win big, the casino confiscates the part going over the maximum win.
- Excluded banking methods - Deposits made with certain payment methods don't qualify for the bonus.
This may sound confusing and intimidating. However, we want you to be a well-informed player who's ready for everything. Do your homework and avoid any unpleasant surprises.
Wagering requirements
Wagering requirements tell you how much you need to bet before the bonus funds become real money and can be withdrawn. They're also known as playthrough or bonus rollover.
The wagering requirement is expressed as a multiplier of the bonus sum, e.g. 35x (B). However, it may also apply to your deposit (D) or both (D+B).
In most cases, wagering only begins when your real money deposit and winnings run out and you start to play with bonus funds. Even though you have only the bonus funds to complete the wagering, you may need to bet the total sum of your deposit and bonus multiplied by 30 or more.
Rule of thumb: Any wagering requirement over 35x (B) is hard to complete.
A high bonus percentage usually goes hand-in-hand with high wagering requirements.
Minimum deposits
All casinos have a minimum deposit limit. Because handling money transfers and onboarding new players aren't free, casinos try to incentivize players to deposit more on one go.
However, the casino's minimum deposit may not qualify you for the bonus.
EXAMPLE: The casino's minimum deposit is $10 but the minimum qualifying deposit for the bonus is $20. If you only deposit $10, you can play the games with real money but you won't get the bonus.
Excluded banking methods
Most casinos have a long list of supported deposit and withdrawal methods. However, your options for the first deposit are more limited.
Many casinos routinely exclude e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller from bonuses. Also, PaysafeCard is occasionally on the exclusion list.
This may be down to KYC procedures but mostly for safety concerns. Since e-wallets provide a degree of anonymity, some casinos would rather play it safe and exclude them.
Online gambling regulators work to ensure that casino operators aren't used for fraud or money laundering. They're not the biggest fans of the methods listed above: the chances of fraud and money laundering increase twofold with e-wallets.
Neteller and Skrill are often connected to bonus abuse. Players try to exploit loopholes in the terms and conditions to increase their chance of making a profit.
Additionally, e-wallets have some of the highest fees amongst deposit methods. This makes them both costly and risky for operators when they are offering a bonus.
Maximum bets
The maximum bet is the biggest bet allowed on a single spin while you're wagering your bonus.
For most deposit bonuses, the maximum bet is $5. Some casinos also have limitations for bet per payline and the max bet compared to the deposit.
Check the T&Cs to be sure.
Time limits
Deposit bonuses are only valid for a certain time. Once you make a deposit and claim your bonus, you only have a limited time to complete the wagering.
The wagering only starts after your real money balance is depleted, but the clock starts when you accept the bonus. However, you usually have a week or even a month or two to complete the playthroughs.
Check the expiration time so you don't accidentally miss your bonus.
Restricted games
While wagering your bonus money, your game options at a casino are somewhat limited. Although you can play most slots, some high-RTP game types don't get you closer to completing the playthroughs.
Casinos have three mechanisms to restrict the games:
- Banned - Playing these games breaches the T&Cs and voids the bonus
- Non-contributing - You can play these games, but it doesn't count as wagering
- Partially contributing - The bets placed in these games only count as part of their value
EXAMPLE: Playing live dealer blackjack contributes 10% towards wagering. Every $10 bet counts as $1 in wagering.
Bonus caps
Many bonuses have so-called "maximum conversion", also known as the bonus cap. This is the maximum sum you can win and withdraw from a certain bonus. Everything above that is confiscated.
EXAMPLE: You get a $50 bonus and the maximum win is capped at $250. After completing the wagering, you have $350. You can only withdraw the $250, the casino keeps the rest.
Minimum withdrawals
As with deposits, also handling withdrawals costs the casinos money. Besides, they'd rather see you playing that money instead of taking it home just yet. That's why casinos have a minimum withdrawal limit.
You have the right to withdraw your real money balance at any time. However, if your withdrawal is below the minimum threshold, the casino can charge additional handling fees. These can be several dollars, which makes the fees swallow up a large portion of your withdrawal.
Deposit to confirm a banking method
This rule is relevant to no-deposit bonuses.
You can win real money without risking your own. Unfortunately, you can't get it out of the casino without making a deposit.
Casinos need to satisfy anti-money laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) rules. That's why they need you to verify a banking method for withdrawals. This happens by making a deposit and playing through it one more time.
The banking method needs to be one that supports withdrawals. That's why many pay by mobile phone methods are off the table.
There's really no way around this step. All you can do is pick a casino with a low minimum deposit.
Calculate the value of your bonus
When comparing bonuses, there are two main goals:
- Get the biggest bonus with the smallest deposit
- Complete the wagering and withdraw a big portion of the bonus
Often, these are mutually exclusive. As the bonus sum and the bonus percentage grow, so do the wagering requirements. These in turn hurt your chances of withdrawing.
This is what you need to know to calculate the expected value of a bonus:
- Bonus sum - If you make a big deposit, the casino may not match the whole sum in bonus funds
- Wagering requirements - Check if they apply only to the bonus or also to the deposit sum
- RTP - The highest paying game that contributes 100% towards completing the wagering
Here's how you calculate what you will have left after completing the wagering. It's a bit tricky, so let's break it down into five steps:
- Bonus sum = Your deposit x the bonus percentage
- Total sum to be wagered = Your bonus sum x wagering requirements
- Expected loss = Total sum to be wagered x (1 - RTP)
- Expected value = Expected reward - expected loss
- "Return on investment" = Expected value ÷ original deposit
EXAMPLE: You get a 100% bonus up to $100. The wagering requirement is 30x (B) and the highest RTP allowed is 97%:
- Bonus sum = 100% x $100 = $100
- Total sum to be wagered = $100 x 30 = $3,000
- Expected loss = $3,000 x (1 - 0.97) = $90
- Expected value = $100 - $90 = $10
- "Return on investment" = $10 ÷ $100 = 0.1 = 10%
Why is the "return on investment" in quotes? You can calculate how much value you get compared to the money you put down. However, you shouldn't consider the money spent on gambling an investment. Besides, the bonus money only becomes relevant after you've lost your original deposit. A consolation prize would be a more accurate term.
Remember, these calculations only give you averages. The RTP (return to player) of a casino game is based on the results of thousands of rounds. Your results within a single gaming session will vary.
Conclusion: Are bonuses worth taking?
Depends on the bonus.
A good bonus can make your games last longer and act as a second chance if your real money runs out.
However, a bad bonus may actually hurt your chances of coming out ahead.
Here are our casino bonus tips. Only accept a bonus if it's:
- Forfeitable: you can cancel the bonus if you win while playing with real money
- Low wagering: you have something left to withdraw after the playthrough is done
- Uncapped: there's no upper limit to your bonus winnings
Unfortunately, this stuff is usually in the fine print. Most players pay more attention to bonus sums, bonus percentages, and free spins. Although they make the bonus more appealing, they're just the icing on the cake.
Don't be a sucker. Choose your bonus carefully and have fun playing.
Casino bonuses and responsible gambling
As good as some bonus offers seem to be, it's worth reminding yourself exactly why casinos have them. Bonuses have two main goals:
- Lure new players in by promising more money to play with
- Keep existing customers coming back
Also, you should be realistic about what's the probability of winning and, more importantly, withdrawing your winnings.
If you've accepted an offer for a deposit bonus, you still have the playthrough requirements to think about even if you happen to win. The bigger the bonus and larger the wagering requirement, the slimmer the chances are for you to actually get the money out.
Only play with the funds you can afford to, and never gamble away the money you need for necessities or if it means cutting back from something else. Use the tools for responsible gambling the casinos provide and set limits for your deposits and/or losses.
Read our Responsible Gaming page for more information.
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Article by:
Lauri Ronkainen
Lauri is the Head of Content at Bojoko. He has worked in online gambling since 2016 reviewing hundreds of online casinos, bonuses and games. Lauri has a masters degree in history from the University of Tampere. He is a live casino aficionado who has also created his very own roulette strategy.
Article by:
Kati Saari
Kati Saari has worked with the gambling industry since 2013. She has tested hundreds of casinos and written thousands of articles while evolving into an iron-clad expert in her field. Having a true passion for her work she’s adamant not to let anything past her without thorough research.