Making The Most of The Best Online Bonuses

Everyone loves to get something extra and more for less, particularly these days when most of us who are not billionaires are feeling the strain on our pockets. If we are focused on the essentials, it can sometimes feel challenging to find a budget for the fun things in life. But as the old saying goes,

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.”

So, with that in mind, and not wanting to be a dull boy or girl, most of us still find a way to have some fun. One great way to do this is to find an entertainment outlet that incentivizes you to get involved.

The online casino business is one such entertainment sector, and the operators are metaphorically falling over each other to offer you the most attractive and compelling reason to visit their virtual casino instead of a competitor’s one. You can find the most incredible casino bonuses that allow you to try and win real money without making a deposit. While those no-deposit bonuses are increasingly rare, they do exist, as do free spins, extra spins, and deposit matches.

It is important to understand what the casino is offering because sometimes the bonuses are not all they are cracked up to be. You do need to read the terms and conditions and understand the playing requirements rather than just rush in blindly. The casinos want their bonuses to look incredibly attractive, but you need to realize that some of them are overhyped. It is usually worth checking out a review site, that can help you navigate to the best sites and avoid the bonuses which offer the world but do not deliver.

Canadians love to gamble – you could almost say it is a national pastime, with 64% of Canadians aged 15 or older reported as having gambled at least once in the previous year. While the most common form of gambling was lottery or raffle tickets, slots, casino table games, and sports betting were also very popular among both men and women, as were instant win lotteries and online games.

Even if you struggle to find a ‘no deposit bonus’ in Canada, there are plenty of $5 minimum deposit casinos in the country that offer a low-cost-of-entry option and usually have fantastic welcome and loyalty bonuses. You just need to know where to look. You also need to know which ones to ignore, as some are decidedly iffy. Reviews of Betmaster, Casinoin, and Balzac Casino advise players to give these operators a wide berth. Reasons cited included:

  •   Unprofessional customer support
  •   Site operator being linked to questionable practices
  •   Unpaid winnings
  •   Misleading licensing claims
  •   Unresponsive to customer complaints
  •   Withdrawals taking more than eighteen months
  •   Locked-out accounts
  •   Slow response times

On the other hand, the best sites like Lucky Nugget, Ruby Fortune, Rocket, and Captain Spins allow you to make minimum deposits while still unlocking free spin and 100% match bonuses. A combination of a low deposit and great bonuses means that players in Canada can explore the best sites and try out a wide range of games without risking much money. Bonuses can be used on all kinds of games, including slots, blackjack, and roulette, and it is possible to use a bonus on the progressive jackpots if you want to aim for a big win. What is even better is that most sites have demo versions of all the games meaning you can get to know how to play them and understand their features without risking any of your own money at all. There is no need to pay to play until you are totally confident that you know what you are doing.

To get the best out of these bonuses, you need to read and understand the fine print to understand how the offer works. This is particularly the case with wagering requirements, which can be a little bit confusing. However, they are not the only things to look out for. You also need to understand the following to make the most of the bonuses on offer.

  •   Eligibility – Check out where the bonus is available – some casino bonuses have restrictions that prevent Canadian players from claiming them. You need to review the specific terms for each bonus and make sure it is eligible for where you live
  •   Minimum deposit – Different bonuses have different minimum deposits, and some even have maximum deposits. To get a 100% match, you will need to deposit a set amount – deposits below this will not trigger the bonus.
  •   Game restrictions – Not all bonuses are available for all games. Game restrictions let you know which games you can or cannot play with the bonus funds. Essentially, some bonuses are in place to encourage you to try out games from a specific developer. It is important to understand this before claiming a bonus, or you might find yourself registering a bonus and then playing games that do not trigger it. Different games might also have different wagering requirements.
  •   Wagering requirements – A wagering requirement is what you need to wager before you can withdraw any winning associated with the bonus. For example, a low deposit bonus might have a high wagering requirement to keep you playing for longer and making additional deposits. This is fine if you are aware. For example, a 35x wagering requirement for a $5 bonus means you need to wager 35 x $5 (or $175) before you can withdraw any winnings. So suddenly, that low deposit is not looking so attractive after all.
  •   Time Limits – Some online casinos like Jackpot City and Lucky Nugget give you seven days to use your welcome bonus, while others like Casino Rocket only give you three days. If you do not activate the offer within the time frame (the time between opening the account and the bonus being claimed), the offer will expire, and you will not be able to use it.
  •   Payment Options – While most casinos do not tie bonuses to specific types of payments, some do. For example, at Casino Rocket, bonuses cannot be triggered using Skrill or Neteller, and some casinos place restrictions on other e-wallets and prepaid cards.

Forewarned is forearmed – get ahead of the game, know the rules, and then settle in for some serious fun.