Bonuses are an integral part of online casino wagering. All online casinos offer bonuses and many Australian players claim these bonuses. We have sorted out the sites that offer the top casino bonuses and are listing them for you. In this section we also explain what bonuses are all about and what issues you need to consider when claiming bonuses.
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AU$1000 Bonus
AU$2000 Free Bonus
Bonuses are free money offered by online casinos for wagering. They are not free money to take home. When an online casino offers a bonus, it stipulates that you have to wager a certain amount before the benefits of the bonus accrue to you.
Usually, but not always, you have to claim the bonuses. The online casino releases a code corresponding to the bonus on its promotions page. When you want to avail the bonus you access the banking section of the online casino and enter the code. In the case of a deposit bonus you will have to make the required deposit as well. The bonus will then be credited to your bonus account. If the bonus has been won as a prize in a promotion, or on some other special occasions, the online casino will credit the bonus directly.
Once the bonus is in your bonus account, you can use the amount for wagering, but cannot withdraw it. When you complete the wagering requirements the stated benefits of the bonus will be transferred to your cash account. The amount thus transferred can be withdrawn by you if you so desire. Online casino bonuses come with some terms and conditions and it is imperative that you read and understand them.
Bonuses can be classified in many different ways and the more important types are explained here.
The most important classification is according to the benefit provided. In the case of redeemable bonuses you will get the bonus amount and the winnings from the bonus wagering up to a specified limit transferred to your cash account after the wagering requirements are complete. In the case of non-redeemable bonuses, you will only get the winnings up to a specified limit. Most of the bonuses offered by online casinos will be the non-redeemable type.
Another important classification is deposit bonus and no deposit bonus. As the name suggests, you have to make a deposit in order to claim a deposit bonus. The most common form of deposit bonus is the welcome bonus, that is offered against the first deposit/s made by a new player at an online casino. Welcome bonuses are the largest bonuses on offer, running from a few hundred Australian dollars to a few thousand Australian dollars. Deposit bonuses offered to regular players are known as reload bonuses.
No deposit bonuses do not require any corresponding deposits. These are usually smaller than deposit bonuses. Some of our recommended online casinos give a no deposit bonus as a part of the welcome package to allow players to test the games. No deposit bonuses are also given as free spins on online pokies.
Online casino bonuses extend your bankroll. If you lose the bonus amount while trying to meet the wagering requirements, then at least you have not lost your own funds. And you have had a good time wagering at the online casino with the casino’s money. But at the end of it all, if you end up winning some amount, then you can cash it out. Bonuses give you a chance of winning something without risking your own funds.
There are times when a bonus can be handy. A new game has launched at your online casino. You are not too sure that you will like it and do not feel like spending your money on it. Claim a bonus and play the new game with the bonus. You feel like trying out a different strategy in video poker. You are not sure that it will work. Claim and play with a bonus to test your theory.
The biggest disadvantage of bonuses is that they come with a host of terms and conditions from wagering requirements to games on which the bonuses can be used to the time in which the bonuses must be used to the limit on the winnings. Unfortunately, these are required so as to prevent the misuse of the bonuses. Some online casino players avoid bonuses because they do not want to spend the time and effort in understanding and following these conditions. If you have misunderstood a condition then you may feel that you deserve the benefit, while the online casino will rule otherwise.
Even if you have understood the conditions correctly, the wagering requirements usually are from 25 to 40 times the bonus. This means a lot of wagering. There is the possibility that you may not end up winning anything from the bonus in the end.
The wagering requirements for a deposit bonus are usually specified as follows: The deposit and the bonus must be wagered X times before a withdrawal may be requested. The calculation is illustrated with an example of a 100% deposit bonus on a deposit of AU$100 and wagering requirements of 30 times.
In the case of a no deposit bonus, the wagering requirements are specified as a multiple of the bonus alone.
Also involved in the wagering requirements are the games on which the bonus can be wagered. Different game categories contribute to different extents in meeting the wagering requirements. Online pokies usually contribute 100%. So if the wagering requirement is AU$6,000, then you have to wager AU$6,000 on online pokies to comply with it. But if you wager on a game that contributes only 50% then you will have to wager AU$12,000 to meet the wagering requirements.
