Besides being able to potentially win real money by placing sports bets or playing online slot machines and classic table & card games, one of the other main reasons why so many people sign up to online casinos is to claim the generous bonuses.
That’s right; almost every fully licensed and regulated iGaming site in the world typically offers a range of promotional offers, such as a guaranteed welcome bonus for new players, which is also often referred to as a sign-up bonus.
They also run attractive loyalty rewards programs and plenty of other prize-packed promotional offers throughout the year. 
However, failure to read simple things like the terms and conditions that are always attached to bonuses and promotions can sometimes lead to players, especially new players, missing out on their free spins for selected online slots, free sports bets, or cash back bonuses or not receiving their winnings.
With that said, let’s now dive straight in to discuss several important things to remember that will help ensure you get the most out of any bonuses you decide to claim.
What are online casino bonuses, and are they worth claiming?
An online casino bonus is essentially a free gift that today’s most trusted operators credit players’ accounts with for various reasons.
From a business point of view, the aim of these bonuses is to try and entice new players to join their website and then to try and keep players happy and stop them from playing elsewhere by offering frequent, ongoing bonuses.
When claiming any bonuses, always remember to gamble responsibly and don’t be angry if you don’t win.
Bonuses enable players/sports bettors to play games or place sports bets without having to stake their own money. Although there are thousands of different bonuses currently up for grabs online today worth varying amounts, they all derive from one of the following main promotional offers:
- Matching deposit bonuses
- No deposit bonuses
- Cashback bonuses
A matching deposit bonus is rather straightforward. When you deposit real money into your account, the operator will match your deposit up to a certain amount, and the most common match bonus is a 100% match.
For example, right now, on the 10cric online casino platform, each new player who deposits ₹250 or more on their first-ever deposit can instantly double up, thanks to the 100% match bonus this trusted operator is currently offering.
It’s worth up to ₹10,000, and the money is credited straight to your account as soon as the deposit has been successfully processed.
However, to ensure you don’t miss out on this one-time offer, you must also remember to enter the unique bonus code ‘WELCOME10’ into the required field just before depositing.
Therefore, if you only deposit the minimum amount required to unlock your generous welcome offer, ₹250, the 10Cric operator will match this and give you a further ₹250 extra money FOR FREE – no strings attached. If you deposit ₹800, you will receive ₹800 free on top of your deposit, and so on.
The maximum this bonus is worth is capped at ₹10,000, so if you can afford to deposit the full amount, you would be maxing out this bonus and would receive a whopping ₹10,000 extra, meaning your account balance would show ₹20,000, not ₹10,000 (including your initial ₹10,000 deposit + an extra free ₹10,000).
No deposit bonuses are much harder to find these days and usually don’t require a deposit, hence the name. However, you can claim no deposit bonuses via daily login bonuses or by spending money frequently on sites like 10cric. With these bonuses, you can often win free spins or small cash prizes, and you don’t need to deposit to unlock this bonus.
Cashback bonuses are also harder to find these days, and sites that offer this tend to give players perhaps 10% or 20% cashback on their net losses every week or month. Online casino bonuses are optional, but there’s no point turning them down because you have nothing to lose.
How to get the most out of your online casino bonus
Too many players forget to read the Ts and Cs that are attached to the bonuses they claim. The Ts and Cs will tell you exactly what you must do to ensure you get the most out of your bonus.
The most important thing to pay close attention to in the Ts and Cs is the part about the rollover requirements, which some iGaming operators and players refer to as playthrough requirements, turnover requirements, or wagering requirements.
These must be completed before you can cash out any winnings you might make from your bonus. Therefore, you couldn’t just withdraw the free money you just received without wagering a specific amount first.
On the 10Cric website, the rollover requirement for the welcome bonus if you decide to claim it from the Sports Betting section is just 15x times the deposit amount (+ the bonus amount), and in the 10Cric Casino, it’s 40x.
You have 15 days to complete your rollover requirements here. If you don’t clear them in time, any winnings you have made from your welcome bonus will be removed, so don’t leave it too late to complete the rollover requirements.
Other things to remember when claiming bonuses are the following:
- Online claim bonuses from fully licensed and regulated online casinos, such as 10Cric. NEVER sign up to unlicensed/unregulated sites to claim bonuses.
- The Tcs and Cs will tell you which games contribute the most per ₹10.00 wagered. Stick to games that contribute 100% (usually the slots and arcade games), and avoid games that don’t contribute the full amount (e.g., live dealer games or table & card games). Similarly, the Ts and Cs will also likely tell you that any welcome bonus sports bets you place must have odds of at least 2.00 (or similar value)
- Find out what the maximum stake is per bet/round/hand, and don’t bet any higher than this to ensure you clear your rollover requirements in as little time as possible
- Only claim one online casino bonus at a time because taking on too many can often get confusing and lead to disappointment
Another thing to remember is that certain online payment methods may be excluded from the bonus offer, or you may need to deposit a specific amount to unlock the bonus. Also, some bonuses might be available specifically on mobile devices, not on PCs, so always check.
Final thoughts
Always remember that the lower the rollover wagering requirements are, the better it is for you as a player. The average rollover requirement amount is considered 30x to 50x, which most players are happy with. Perhaps avoid claiming bonuses with a 60x, 70x, or higher rollover requirement attached. 
Finally, never borrow money from banks or anyone just to claim a generous online casino bonus because there’s no guarantee you will win. Some players get lucky and win; others don’t. Also, most online casino bonus winnings are usually capped at a certain amount.
All the information you need can always be found in the Ts and Cs, so remember to read them carefully so you know exactly what to expect.
