Why Welcome Bonuses Attract Players
All virtual casinos use some kind of welcome offer to boost signups. Players love them. You can hardly find a website without bonuses as this model is simply uncompetitive. But are these incentives really useful?
The short answer is: it depends. When it comes to player motivation, casino operators have a wide range of options at their disposal. Discover the best welcome package for players in 2021 and the key comparison criteria.
Types of Welcome Bonuses
Visitors may be incentivized in different ways. Most commonly, they receive free spins or certain amounts of virtual money. These gifts may or may not require an initial deposit. If not, they are referred to as ‘no deposit bonuses’.
Both types of incentives may be used for specific games or all games of a particular type, such as slots. For example, one may get 50 spins in progressive games like Mega Moolah from Microgaming. Here is a closer look at the merits of each system from the player’s perspective.
1. No Deposit Bonuses: Free Spins
Users may be reluctant to make a deposit from the get-go. After all, scam sites are quite common. With a free welcome package, you can test the capabilities of the platform for free. Sometimes, the potential payouts are mind-blowing, which explains the appeal.
Suppose you get 100 spins in Mega Moolah just for creating an account. As video slots are based on RNGs, every player has equal chances of winning. In theory, one may get lucky even before running out of freebie spins. Getting the largest jackpot is perfectly plausible.
Usually, the monetary equivalent of spins is credited to the user’s account. They are allowed to use it for all or specific slots. Progressive jackpots are advertised because these are the biggest in the industry.
Every wager across the system makes them bigger. A fraction of any real bet contributes to the fund. For example, the Mega jackpot expands from $1 million until it is hit. Then, it rolls back to the original amount, and growth resumes. It is clear why players are so excited.
2. No Deposit Bonus: Free Cash
Sometimes, newbies get a specific amount of virtual money from the house. Essentially, the logic is similar — this is playtime provided free of charge. The bonus may be used in all or some of the games in the collection.
For casinos, this is another effective way of prompting people to sign up. Registered members may use the money for the highest-paying games. Unlike free spins, these bonuses are not usually tied to a particular gaming category.
3. Match Bonuses
To get one of these rewards, a player has to make the first deposit. The casino adds an equivalent of 50-200%, up to a certain limit. The more you transfer to your account — the larger the bonus. For example, one may get an extra $200 or $100 for depositing $200 (100% and 50% bonus, respectively).
On the one hand, the lowest minimum deposit may be very affordable — for instance, 5 or 10 dollars. At the same time, players understand that they need to pay more to get more. This is a smart trick exploited by casino operators.
Wagering Requirements
Note that every bonus comes with a specific requirement. It determines how many times the gift must be wagered to allow withdrawal. This multiplier is a crucial criterion. For example, you may be given $100 with a 60x multiplier, so you need $6,000 worth of bets. Fraudulent casinos have unrealistic thresholds, and their members never get to turn their bonuses into cash.