Casinos in the USA may put a lighthearted face on their customer-facing operations, but the people behind the scenes are quite analytic. They know the average value of every new customer and happily throw money around in order to attract new players.

Some casino operators are willing to take a hit in the short term in order to establish a foothold in the market.

Finally, many casino bonuses come with terms and conditions that partially reduce the true value provided to customers. Bonuses that come with high wagering requirements, for example, require customers to place $X worth of wagers prior to withdrawing. Since the house usually wins over the long run, many customers will lose some (or all) of the bonus money back to the casino over the course of clearing their bonuses.

This is why it is critical to read through the terms and conditions of every promotional offer. Some bonuses may look good upfront but come with high wagering requirements. Other bonuses may not look as enticing but come with much lower wagering requirements that make them much better in terms of value.

Casino Bonus Clearing Requirements Explained

Clearing requirements, also known as “the rollover,” are important to understand. Most US casino bonuses come with clearing requirements that must be met in order to withdraw the bonus money and any winnings obtained by wagering the bonus.

It is not uncommon to read through the terms and conditions of a bonus and find that the bonus comes with a 10x, 20x or even higher rollover. This means the bonus must be “rolled over” ten times, twenty times or more before a withdrawal may be requested.

For example, a 10x rollover on a $200 bonus would require the player to place $2,000 worth of wagers in order to withdraw the original bonus and any winnings. Likewise, a 20x rollover on that same bonus would require the player to place $4,000 worth of wagers.

The amount of rollover attached to a bonus has a direct impact on how worthwhile that bonus actually is. If a customer is choosing between two bonuses that are identical other than one having a 10x rollover and the other having a 20x rollover, the bonus with the lower rollover is the obvious choice (for examples and more on this, scroll back up to the “best casino bonuses” basics section).

Terms and Conditions to Note

Even the best casino bonuses come with terms and conditions that players should understand prior to taking up any particular offer. Rollover requirements, withdrawal restrictions, eligibility clauses and more all play a role in defining which bonuses are worthwhile and which are best avoided.

• Rollover Requirements: See the previous section for an in-depth explanation, but rollover requirements require players to place a certain minimum amount of wagers in order to unlock a bonus and any winnings for withdrawal.
• Sticky vs. Cashable Bonuses: Sticky bonuses cannot be withdrawn and are instead issued as site credit. Money win with sticky bonuses may be cashed out, but the bonus itself “sticks” with the casino. Cashable bonuses tend to be smaller but are a welcome sight because the bonus money and winnings may be withdrawn.
• Time limits: Every bonus has an expiration date eventually. Some bonuses may be offered for years on end while others are only here for one day and gone the next. Players should also note any time limits regarding how long they have to clear a bonus for withdrawal.
• Eligibility: A combination of state and federal laws require casinos to restrict real money player to eligible customers only. This means customers must be physically located within state lines and at least 21 years old to claim bonuses (including no-deposit bonuses).