Wagering requirements: the number that decides if a bonus is worth taking

The headline percentage on a casino bonus is marketing. The wagering requirement is the product.

The basic calculation

If you take a 100 USDT bonus with 40x wagering, you must stake 4,000 USDT before the bonus and anything won from it can be withdrawn. At a typical 96% RTP that expected turnover costs you roughly 160 USDT in house edge — more than the bonus is worth.

What to check every time

• Is wagering on the bonus only, or deposit plus bonus? Deposit plus bonus doubles the work.
• Max bet while wagering. Breaching it usually voids the whole bonus.
• Game weighting. Slots often count 100%, live tables 10% or nothing.
• Time limit. A 7-day window on a large requirement is effectively unplayable.

Wager-free is the exception worth taking

A handful of operators offer wager-free spins or cashback. Those are worth real money because the winnings are yours immediately. When comparing offers on this site, sort by the terms, not the headline.