Online casinos have perfected the practice of enticing new and existing gamblers with all kinds of offers, from free spins to deposit matching bonuses and much more. Even as these offers become more popular, however, the fine print and technical details of things like free spins often remain a mystery to even the most seasoned gambler. Most people don’t consider the requirements associated with free spins, which often require betting a significant portion of winnings to qualify for an initial withdrawal of funds, for instance.

Before getting started with any online casino offer of free spins, gamblers need to take a moment to understand how each offer works, how they can maximize their winning, and when it might be a good idea to even forego free spins for a different offer from their favourite online casino operator. With this fundamental understanding, gamblers can come out ahead and keep more of their winnings every time they log on and spin the reels.

The key phrase to bear in mind when accepting free spins is “wagering requirement.” Online casinos have adopted wagering requirements as a way to reduce the amount of money they lose when they offer free spins to new or existing gamblers. Simply put, wagering requirements ensure that players put a certain amount of their casino winnings back into slot machines and table games before cashing out, allowing the casino to lose a smaller amount of money on loyalty or welcome offers than would be possible otherwise.

Wagering requirements are often written as “50x” or “30x” betting requirements and can be found in the terms and conditions attached to a free spin offer at the time of registration, deposit, or loyalty redemption. This number means that customers must play 50x the amount of their free spins winnings before being able to cash out their balance. So, a customer who wins NZ$5 on free spins, and is subject to a 50x wagering requirement, must play NZ$250 to cash out that balance. This seems lopsided, but it’s important to keep in mind that most slot machines have a payout ratio of between 85 percent and 95 percent. This means that customers may be able to keep most of their winnings or win even more while working toward the casino’s wagering requirement.

Once the customer has reached their wagering requirement, the casino will allow a transfer of all funds to their bank account or electronic payment processor. Typically, the casino’s interface will also indicate progress toward a wagering requirement once a customer has redeemed a free spin bonus or a deposit matching bonus, making it easy to figure out how many more spins are required to deposit winnings.

Online gamblers are most likely to receive an offer of free spins when they join a casino website for the first time. To attract first-time online gamblers, as well as those who frequent other casino websites, gaming houses offer free spins simply for creating a new account. In many cases, there are a few strings attached, however. Most online casinos require new customers to complete the following account information and setup steps before their free spins become active:

• Provide full contact and billing information during the registration
• Link a bank account or another electronic payment method that can be used for withdrawals and deposits
• Accept all terms and conditions, and potentially play a game to determine how many free spins will be awarded
• Agree to meet all wagering requirements as a condition of accepting any offer of bonus free spins upon joining the online casino

In most cases, free spins are automatically awarded as soon as customers meet all of the necessary eligibility requirements. Most online casino operators allow their customers to use free spins on virtually any slot machine they offer. Some casinos, however, do restrict free spins to a select group of available slot machines. It’s important to determine how the offer works in advance since it can affect everything from game strategy to the potential for better winnings.

Another method of giving free spins to customers is to do so in exchange for an initial deposit into their player account upon signing up at an online casino. In most cases, casinos have a few key terms and conditions of this offer. Most notably, customers often have to deposit a significant amount of money and agree to be bound by the wagering requirement in place when they accept the offer of free spins. Customers may also be bound by a deadline, or expiration period, associated with any free spins awarded in exchange for an initial deposit into their player account.

In most cases, however, the free spins will be automatically triggered whenever a customer visits a slot machine on the casino’s website. The “spins first” method ensures that the clients use their spins, and are bound by the wagering requirement, even before tapping into their deposited funds. As with most terms and procedures at online casinos, this is done to both help the customer understands the bonus process and to maximize the odds that the player will continue playing after their free spins are exhausted.

Perhaps the most common use of free spins is in a no deposit bonus for new casino customers who don’t want to transfer bank funds to their casino account upon signing up. Though it might seem counter to the mission of online casinos, many new customers are testing the waters of online gambling for the very first time. As such, they’re reluctant to commit their money to an experience that they may not like or may not believe fully secure. Online casinos are prepared to make their case by putting their money where their mouth is, in a sense. No deposit free spins showcase the casino’s slots and secure operation without requiring a monetary commitment. Even so, there are some things to keep in mind about these offers:

• A wagering requirement almost always applies to no deposit free spins, which is a relatively recent development. Casino customers will need to make sure they’ve met this requirement before attempting to transfer winnings to a personal bank account.
• No deposit free spin offers are typically described as being worth the maximum bet in each slot machine where they are used. As such, it’s advantageous for the gambler to play the highest bet with each of their free spins as a way to maximize their winning potential.
• Free spins often expire quickly when they’re associated with a no-deposit scheme. This means that most new casino customers will need to use their free, no-deposit spins within 48 hours at most online casinos. Even the most generous online casino operators only allow their no-deposit spin bonuses to last for a week before they expire and can no longer be used.

The most important thing to understand about no deposit free spins is that they’re tied to a wagering requirement. Most new casino customers might believe that wagering requirements only ally to deposit matching bonuses, but this is wrong. As a result, it’s highly likely that gamblers will eventually need to link a bank account to their player account and make a deposit to continue playing, hit the wagering requirement, and become eligible for a withdrawal of their funds.

Loyalty is exceedingly important to online casino operators, who are often competing with hundreds of online gaming houses operated throughout the world. As almost anyone in business knows, it’s more economical to retain business than it is to fight for new customers. Regarding online gambling, this means rewarding devoted and loyal casino customers with special offers, from deposit matching bonuses and free hotel rooms to free bonus spins on the casino’s most popular slot machines.

Loyalty free spin offers are typically awarded to customers based on an algorithm’s analysis of their casino visits. Put simply, the algorithm’s job is to determine which customers visit most often, spend the most money, and are most likely to be enticed by a reward of free spins on their next visit. Depending on how loyal customers are, their offer may be altered. More loyal customers will receive offers that last longer, while a player show is considered less loyal may receive a free spin bonus that expires after only three days.

As with virtually all other free spin offers, loyalty free spins are bound by the casino’s wagering requirements. This typically means that gamblers must play between 25x and 100x of their overall winnings to qualify for a deposit of their remaining funds to a bank account or electronic payment service. Because loyalty offers may sometimes vary, however, casino customers should make sure to check the specific terms and conditions that apply to their loyalty offer before accepting the offer and accumulating winnings.

The great thing about online gambling is that new slot machines are always being made available. Unlike their offline counterparts, where space is limited, and machines are often “rotated out” to make way for newer and more exciting slots, online casinos suffer from no shortage of space or resources. In fact, most online casinos already offer more slot machines on their websites than offline casinos offer on their largest slots floors. This means that online casino operators are always looking to get their customers hooked on a new, exciting slot machine that will transform the way they gamble. Free spins are one way to accomplish this goal.

When casinos are looking to promote a new and exciting slot, they’ll often offer new slots free spins to customers as a way to pique their curiosity. In many cases, free spins on a new slow machine are more advantageous than other types of free spins. Because these spins can only be used on a single machine, they’re both easier to use and often not subject to the casino-wide wagering requirement. This means that customers can retain more of their winnings. Furthermore, new slots free spins are often paired with deposit matching offers and loyalty bonuses that help gamblers build a relationship with the casino.

Free spins aren’t the only way to get something for “nothing” at online casinos. In addition to free spins, many casinos offer free bets. Though this sounds similar to free spins, there is a fundamental difference: Free bets can be used on live and simulated table games, lottery and scratch card games, keno, and virtually any other type of game offered by the casino operator online.

This important distinction matters a great deal to poker players and roulette players, for instance, who are often shut out of free spins and can’t play their favourite games with such an offer. Other casinos offer deposit matching bonuses and other loyalty rewards, including free hotel rooms at offline casinos, to their best customers.

Though there are a few drawbacks to accepting an offer of free spins, the benefits outweigh these drawbacks at most online casinos. Most casino operators have adjusted their wagering requirements lower, making it easier to withdraw most of the winnings that result from an offer of free spins. Furthermore, loyalty bonuses and welcome bonuses make it simpler to get started with online betting and develop a profitable relationship with the “house.”

As with any particular offer, however, it’s important to take a few moments to fully understand the terms and conditions associated with free spins at any online gaming house. By doing so, gamblers will find it easier to maximize not only their winnings but also the amount of those winnings that they’ll be able to keep and deposit when they’re done playing.