Overwhelmed by a sea of enticing casino bonus offers and not sure which to pick? Don’t worry, we’ve narrowed down an expert list of the best casino bonuses for Canadian players. Find your perfect online casino by checking out our comprehensive guide that can teach you how to accurately pinpoint the most advantageous offer.
Table of Contents
- What’s a Casino Bonus?
- Understanding Wagering Requirement & Contribution
- What’s a Wager-Free Bonus?
- Types of Bonuses
- How to Pick the Best Casino Bonus
- Minimum Casino Deposits
- Maximum & Minimum Bets
- Best Casino Bonus FAQs
What’s a Casino Bonus?
Those who are new to online casinos may wonder, what exactly is a casino bonus?
A casino bonus is a promotional incentive that the online casino offers its registered users, most often including monetary funds for you to use with the platform. Redeemed through bonus codes, the casino-provided funds are designed to match how much money you deposit. For example, if a bonus grants 200% up to $400, the casino is offering to match whatever amount you’ve deposited by 200%, up to a maximum bonus of $400. If you’re a moderate player and your first deposit is $50, then the casino will match your deposit with $100 of bonus funds.
Unfortunately, the bonus money awarded to your account can’t be immediately withdrawn and spent. Rather than real money, think of it as additional funds that the casino gives you to play their games with. But of course, this money can eventually be withdrawn if you meet the wagering requirement.
Understanding Wagering Requirement & Contribution
A wagering requirement is a potential headache for new players who want to withdraw their winnings. Simply put, a wagering requirement refers to the number of times you must wager your bonus amount before it can be withdrawn. If you have a bonus amount of $50 and the wagering requirement is set at 30x, then you must play through $1500 in order to withdraw. The industry average is between 30x to 40x.
You must also keep in mind the wagering contribution, which refers to how much your bonus funds can be contributed to a game. To the casino, not all games are equal due to the fact that some games can consistently offer small winnings, such as blackjack or roulette. Consequently, the wagering contribution system means some categories cannot contribute 100% to your wagering requirement. For example, if tabletop games have a contribution of 10%, then playing through $1000 of blackjack will only equate to $100 of the wagering requirement.
Games like slots will always have a 100% wagering contribution, but we recommend you to check if your favourite game is eligible. A casino will post a list of games that are exempt from the promotion on the terms and conditions page.
What’s a Wager-Free Bonus?
From time to time, you may find a casino that advertises wager-free bonuses. As the name suggests, these bonuses don’t have a wagering requirement. If this sounds too good to be true, then you might be right. While some online casinos offer authentic but rare small wager-free bonuses, you should review the casino’s policies to see if there are any strings attached. For a list of reputable wager-free bonus casinos, check out this page.
Alternatively, a popular accompaniment to wager-free bonuses is the term “sticky”. Sticky bonuses mean the bonus cannot be withdrawn from the casino at all. But hold on, this may not be a bad thing. By starting your game with a larger fund, you can increase your chances of a bigger win. Just be mindful of your balance when the casino sticks back the bonus!
If you’re unsure whether your bonus offer is sticky, make sure to review the terms & conditions page of your online casino.
Types of Bonuses
There are several categories for bonus offers. To find your best casino bonus, explore the benefits of each:
Welcome Bonus
To attract new players, a sign-up bonus is usually the biggest deposit match offer a casino will promote. This bonus can come as either a package or a single-time use.
With packages, the casino will split the maximum amount of bonus funds between multiple deposits. For example, the casino can advertise an offer of $1000 bonus funds between four deposits. In turn, your first deposit might be something like a “200% deposit match bonus for a maximum of $250”. Then, your second deposit might be a “150% deposit match bonus for a maximum of $250”, and so on until the final deposit.
Reload Bonus
Similar to welcome offers, reload bonuses are a deposit match offer that will match your deposit amount to a corresponding percentage.
Live Casino Bonus
As the name suggests, this bonus is specifically for the live casino category. If you’re a live-dealer games fan, then you’d want to look for an online casino that has this offer.
Cashback Bonus
Some casinos offer cashback, whether it’s an automated program that returns you a percentage of your money every time you play, or a limited-time promotional event. This feature is also quite popular with loyalty programs.
Payment Method Bonus
When a casino wants to promote a particular payment method, it may design an appealing deposit match to attract eligible players. This offer is oftentimes associated with cryptocurrency payment methods.
Mobile Bonus
With an ever-increasing number of mobile users and on-the-go players, many online casinos have developed apps to make sure everyone can join in on the fun. Of course, you can also access mobile casinos through your mobile browser as most online casinos are optimized for various devices.
Free Spins
Bonus spins can be rewarded both in combination with other offers, or standalone. It’s important to note that free spins can’t be used for any game you’d like. In most cases, the casino will have a designated game that the spins are eligible for.
No-Deposit Bonus
Some casinos will offer players a no-deposit bonus to let players try games for free. This bonus can take the form of funds added to your account balance or free spins. On the downside, wagering requirements tend to be higher for no-deposit promotions. To find out which casinos have the newest no-deposit bonuses, check out our guide here.
| Bonus Categories & Types of Suited Players | |
| 💸 Welcome Bonuses | New Players |
| 🎰 Reload Bonus | Regular Players |
| 🎲 Cashback Bonus | Seasoned Players |
| 💰 Wager-free (Sticky) Bonus | Adventurous Players |
| 🎫 No-Deposit Bonus | Experimental Players |
How to Pick the Best Casino Bonus
With so many sites and so many potential bonuses to choose from, you have to evaluate which is the best bang for your buck. Here is a list of important factors to consider before you make your decision:
- Amount – How much bonus fund is this casino offering you in comparison to competing casinos?
- Bonus % vs. Max Amount Matched – If you’re a beginner or a moderate player, then what you want is a big bonus percentage, rather than a high maximum. If you’re a high roller, then you should consider a higher max amount to maximize what your substantial deposit brings you.
- Wagering Requirement – Ideally, you want a wagering requirement at 40x or lower. Conservative players should seek an even lower wagering requirement.
- Wagering Contribution – If you’re not a slots player, look for a site that has your desired category included with the wagering contribution.
- Game Eligibility – Make sure to check which games are eligible for the promotion, as bonuses aren’t usually offered for every game in a casino’s library.
- RTP (Return to Player) Rate – Check the RTP rate of eligible games to see if you like your chances.
- Time Limit – If you’re an infrequent player, make sure to pick a casino with an extended period for their bonuses.
- Safety – Please make sure that the online casino you select is properly licensed and authenticated.
Minimum Casino Deposits
All casinos have a set minimum for players to make a deposit. Depending on the casino and the payment method, minimum deposits typically range from $1 to $20. As you can probably guess, casinos with a lower minimum deposit requirement are more uncommon. Give these pages a read if you’re curious about $1 deposit casinos, $5 deposit casinos, or $10 deposit casinos!
Maximum & Minimum Bets
Frequently a casino will have a betting limit for their bonus offers, which is the maximum you can bet with the bonus funds. To find out whether your casino has one, make sure to read the terms & conditions page.
Best Casino Bonus FAQs
Do Bonus Offers Give Me Free Money?
You can see it as money that the casino gives you to play with, but you have to meet the wagering requirement to withdraw.
What If I Don’t Meet The Wagering Requirements?
Bonus money can not be withdrawan without meeting the stated wagering requirements.
Can I Combine Casino Bonus Offers?
Most casino bonuses can not be combined with one another. Check the terms and conditions to make sure.
Are Welcome Bonuses Automatically Given To Me?
No. To activate a welcome bonus, you will need to make a qualifying deposit and in some cases enter a bonus code.
Can I Play At A Casino Without Claiming A Welcome Bonus?
Of course! Not everyone needs to sign up for a welcome bonus when they register for an account.
