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What Is a Wagering Requirement? Bonus Terms Explained
A wagering requirement (or "playthrough") is the number of times you must bet a casino bonus before you can withdraw it or any winnings from it. A "30x" requirement on a $50 bonus means you must wager $1,500 before cashing out. It's the single most important term in any bonus — and, combined with game weighting, max-bet caps and max-cashout limits, it's what decides whether a "$500 bonus" is actually worth $500 or almost nothing. Here's exactly how it works.
Wagering requirements at a glance
- A wagering requirement is how many times you must bet a bonus before withdrawing it.
- Formula: bonus × multiplier — a 30x WR on $50 = $1,500 to wager.
- "Sticky" bonuses use (bonus + deposit) × multiplier, doubling the playthrough.
- Typical: deposit matches 20x–40x; free-spin winnings 25x–60x; no-deposit 40x–70x.
- Game weighting matters: slots usually count 100%, table games often just 10% (or 0%).
- A max-bet cap (often $5) and a max-cashout cap can quietly gut a bonus's real value.
What is a wagering requirement?
When you claim a casino bonus, that money isn't yours to withdraw straight away. The wagering requirement specifies how much you must bet first — expressed as a multiple of the bonus. It exists to stop players simply claiming a bonus and cashing out, and it's where casinos make bonuses profitable: the house edge on every one of those required bets means most bonus money is lost before it can ever be withdrawn (see our house edge by game guide).
How do you calculate a wagering requirement?
The basic maths is simple:
Standard bonus: Bonus × Wagering multiplier = Total to bet.
Example: a $50 bonus at 30x = 30 × $50 = $1,500 you must wager before withdrawing.
Sticky bonus (bonus + deposit): (Bonus + Deposit) × multiplier.
Example: $50 bonus + $50 deposit at 30x = ($100) × 30 = $3,000 — double the playthrough.
Always check which your bonus uses — "bonus only" is far easier to clear than "bonus + deposit." The multiplier alone doesn't tell you the difficulty; the base it multiplies matters just as much.
What's a typical wagering requirement?
Ranges vary by bonus type. Lower is better for the player:
| Bonus type | Typical wagering | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit match (e.g. 100%) | 20x–40x | The standard; check bonus vs bonus+deposit |
| Free spins winnings | 25x–60x | Applied to what the spins win, not the spins |
| No-deposit bonus | 40x–70x | Highest playthrough; usually a max-cashout cap |
| Cashback / reload | 1x–10x (or none) | Often the most player-friendly |
Anything at or below 20x is generous; 35x is roughly the industry norm; 50x+ is steep and hard to clear before the money is lost to the house edge.
How does game weighting work?
Not every game counts equally toward the requirement. Game weighting sets what percentage of each bet is credited. Slots almost always count 100%; table games like blackjack and roulette — which have a much lower house edge — often count just 10%, or nothing at all, precisely because they'd be too easy to clear.
How much of a $100 bet counts toward wagering, by game
Typical contribution rates; exact figures vary by casino. Source: Next.io, PlayUSA. Betting $100 on blackjack may credit only $10 toward the requirement.
Read the weighting first. A "35x on slots" bonus is very different from "35x, table games 10%." If you plan to play blackjack, that 35x is effectively 350x. The weighting table hidden in the terms often matters more than the headline multiplier.
What other terms cut a bonus's value?
Two more clauses quietly destroy bonus value:
- Max bet cap: while a bonus is active, your stake is usually capped — often at $5 per spin/hand. Exceeding it even once can void all your bonus winnings.
- Max cashout cap: especially on no-deposit offers, the amount of real cash you can withdraw is capped regardless of what you win on screen — a $100 or $200 limit is common. Win $2,000 on a $10 no-deposit bonus and you may still only withdraw $100.
Add a time limit (often 7–30 days to clear the whole requirement) and it's clear the headline "$500 bonus" is rarely worth its face value.
How to spot a good vs bad bonus
The real value of a bonus is the headline amount discounted by every restriction on it. A strong bonus has a low multiplier (≤35x), bonus-only wagering, high game weighting on games you'll actually play, a workable max bet, and no punishing max-cashout cap. A weak one hides a 50x+ requirement on bonus+deposit, 10% table weighting and a low cashout limit. This is exactly why we rank offers by effective value, not the headline number — the same logic behind how crypto casino bonuses should be judged.
Frequently asked questions
What does a 30x wagering requirement mean?
It means you must bet 30 times the bonus before you can withdraw it or its winnings. On a $50 bonus, that's 30 × $50 = $1,500 in total wagers. If it's a "bonus + deposit" requirement, the deposit is added first, doubling the amount.
How do you calculate wagering requirements?
Multiply the bonus by the requirement: bonus × multiplier. A $100 bonus at 35x = $3,500 to wager. For sticky bonuses, use (bonus + deposit) × multiplier instead.
What is a good wagering requirement?
Lower is better. 20x or below is generous, around 35x is the industry norm, and 50x or more is steep. Also check the game weighting — a low multiplier means little if your game only counts 10%.
Why do slots count more than table games?
Because table games like blackjack have a very low house edge, casinos would lose money if they counted fully toward wagering. Slots usually count 100%, while table games often count 10% or are excluded entirely.
Can I lose my bonus by betting too much?
Yes. Most bonuses cap your maximum bet while the bonus is active (often $5). Exceeding that cap, even once, can void your bonus and any winnings from it.
Sources
- Next.io — Wagering requirements: how to calculate & beat them
- PlayUSA — How Casino Playthrough Requirements Work
- Sportsline — What 20x, 30x and 40x actually mean in dollars
- PokerNews — Wagering Requirements Explained