Wagering requirements explained

The basic rule

The formula is simple: total bets required = wagering multiple x base amount. The base is either the bonus alone, or the bonus plus your deposit. The terms must say which, and the difference is large.

Only stakes count. A bet of 2 EUR adds 2 EUR to your progress whether it wins or loses. The requirement measures how much you have put through the games, not how much you have won.

Example one: wagering on the bonus only

An example offer: you deposit 100 EUR and receive a 100 EUR bonus, with 35x wagering on the bonus only.

• Base amount: 100 EUR (the bonus)
• Total bets required: 35 x 100 = 3,500 EUR
• Balance when you start: 200 EUR

You would need to place 3,500 EUR in bets. At a 1 EUR stake, that equals 3,500 spins.

Example two: wagering on deposit plus bonus

Now take the same deposit and bonus, but with 35x applied to deposit plus bonus.

• Base amount: 100 + 100 = 200 EUR
• Total bets required: 35 x 200 = 7,000 EUR

The headline multiple is identical, yet the workload doubles. This is why you should never compare offers by the multiple alone. Compare the total bets in euros, dollars or whichever currency you play in.

The wagering calculator lets you enter the deposit, bonus and multiple, and shows the total turnover for both base types.

Game weighting

Not every bet counts in full. Terms often list a contribution percentage per game type. Slots frequently count 100%, while table games, live dealer games or low-risk bets may count 10%, 5% or nothing.

Using the 3,500 EUR example, a game with 10% weighting would add only 10 cents of progress for each 1 EUR staked. To clear the requirement on that game you would need to stake 3,500 / 0.10 = 35,000 EUR. In practice that makes the bonus close to unusable for those games.

Excluded games count for nothing, and betting on them with bonus funds can breach the terms. Check the list before choosing what to play.

Why high wagering lowers the value

Every game has a house edge, which is 100 minus its RTP. On a slot with a 96% RTP the edge is 4%. Over a very large number of bets, the average cost of wagering is the edge times the amount staked.

For the 3,500 EUR example at a 4% edge, the average cost is 3,500 x 0.04 = 140 EUR. The bonus was 100 EUR. On average, that means completing the requirement costs more than the bonus is worth. This is an average over a long run. Any single session can end better or worse, and nothing here predicts an outcome.

That is the core point: a high multiple does not make an offer wrong or dishonest, but it reduces what the bonus is worth to you. Lower multiples, smaller bases and longer expiry all make an offer easier to complete. See our RTP guide for the house edge idea.

Limits that interact with wagering

• Maximum bet: a stake cap while wagering, often a small fixed sum. Larger bets can void winnings.
• Expiry: if you do not finish within the allowed days, the bonus and related winnings are removed.
• Maximum cashout: some terms cap what you may withdraw once the requirement is done.
• Sticky bonuses: the bonus itself may never be withdrawable. See sticky vs non-sticky bonuses.

For a full list of items to check, use the bonus terms checklist. For wagering on free spin winnings, see the free spins guide.

Wagering is a cost of playing, not a route to profit. If chasing a requirement makes you bet more than you planned, stop and review your limits. Help and tools are on our responsible gambling page. 18+ only.