In this guide, you can find exactly that. Welcome bonuses are a potential minefield, but after reading this guide you will have all the info you need to choose the best SA welcome offers. You will learn what makes a good welcome offer, and what important terms and conditions to look for. Also, you will see the different types of welcome bonuses like free spins and matched deposit bonuses.
Before you register at any online casino – read this guide so you can benefit from your chosen welcome bonus.
How to Compare Welcome Bonuses
So how can South African customers select the best welcome bonuses? It is not as simple as picking an offer with the highest value. The following are five aspects of welcome bonuses you must compare, to see which is the best value:
Wagering requirements
Most importantly, you must look at wagering requirements. This is a set multiplier that you must spend the equivalent of before you can withdraw the bonus funds or profit from the bonus funds.
There are two offers. Bonus A provides a 100% matched deposit bonus up to R500, with a 10x wagering requirements. Bonus B provides a 150% matched deposit bonus up to R1000, with a 50x wagering requirement.
On the surface, Bonus B appears to be the better offer. However, consider the wagering requirements. You spend R100 on both offers. For Bonus A, you must spend R1000 (R100 x10) before making a withdrawal. However, for Bonus B, you must spend R7500 (R150 x50) to withdraw any bonus funds!
In this instance, you can see that Bonus A is preferable, as you don’t have to spend a fortune just to benefit from the bonus funds. This is why wagering requirements are incredibly important.
Time constraints and validity periods
Ideally, when using a welcome offer, you want freedom, and to use it at your own pace. Therefore, you must consider time constraints and validity periods. Oftentimes, casinos impose time constraints on different aspects of the promotion.
This can include an initial period to claim the offer, a period to use the bonus funds & free spins in, and a period to clear any wagering requirements. Look at the offer and see how restrictive the terms are – are you being forced to rush through your bonus funds and potentially make poor decisions?
The total value of bonuses
You must give some consideration to the total bonus value. This should not be the deciding factor, but it is important. What overall potential bonus value can you gain from the promotion? More is better, but you should consider the value together with the other factors mentioned.
Flexibility for game usage etc.
Game choice and flexibility are important more for your enjoyment and gaming experience. Some welcome bonuses can only be spent on specific games.
Others may allow you to spend the bonus funds on whatever you wish. This is mainly down to personal preference and what games you enjoy, but you should still look at game flexibility.
Minimum Deposit Values
Virtually all welcome offers have a minimum deposit value. This is so you cannot claim an offer by depositing only R5 for example. It is a safeguard measure that online casinos employ.
Welcome offers with lower minimum deposit values are usually better. This gives you greater flexibility and ensures you do not have to spend a fortune simply to claim some bonus funds.
A combination of factors – not one standalone feature
Choosing a welcome offer cannot be based on one factor alone. When finding the best SA welcome bonuses, look at the above factors as a whole. By doing so, you can gain a clear picture of the worth of a bonus, as opposed to being blinkered by one single standout aspect.
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Types of Welcome Bonus
Welcome bonuses can be categorized into four main areas. There are many more nuances and differences, but these are the four main types of welcome bonus SA players can typically claim:
Matched Deposit bonus
The most common type of welcome offer is the matched deposit bonus. This is virtually always based on your first deposit after registering a new account. Oftentimes, casinos offer successive deposit bonuses for your 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and even 4th deposits.
For example, a casino may offer a 100% matched deposit bonus up to R1000 for your first deposit. The welcome offer may also include a 50% matched deposit bonus up to R1000 for your second deposit.
These offers have a maximum limit bonus you can claim. In the above example, if you spent R1000, you would receive an R1000 bonus. If you spent R2000 on your first deposit, you would still only receive the maximum bonus of R1000.
Free Spins
Free spins are commonly offered either as a standalone welcome offer or as part of a matched deposit bonus.
Standalone free spins – Some casinos give free spins as the whole welcome offer. For example, a casino may provide 50 free spins on Book of Dead. To claim this type of offer, you would need to meet the minimum deposit value requirements.
Free spins as part of a larger bonus – Alternatively, casinos may give additional free spins on top of a welcome bonus. For example, a casino may give a 1st deposit bonus of 150% up to R1000, and 20 free spins on Gonzo’s Quest.
Lump-sum Cash Bonus
Aside from a matched deposit bonus, some casinos simply provide a set value lump-sum. For example, new customers may claim an R500 welcome bonus.
These differ from matched bonuses, as the value of your deposit doesn’t matter. Providing that you have met the minimum deposit requirements, you will gain the same cash bonus. In the above example, if the minimum deposit was R250, you would gain an R500 bonus if you spent R250, or R1000.
Live Casino Bonus
In many instances, casinos with a large live dealer game section may offer a live casino welcome bonus. Usually, this is a matched deposit bonus such as a 100% matched deposit bonus up to R2000.
The difference is that you can only use the bonus funds on live dealer games. In most instances, if a casino offers both a standard welcome offer and a live casino bonus, choose the standard promotion. Unless the live dealer offer is vastly superior, there is no point limiting yourself to live dealer games only.
Cashable vs. Non-Cashable Welcome Bonuses
Welcome bonuses for SA players can be broadly defined into two categories – cashable and non-cashable. It is important to understand both variations.
Cashable – these promotions provide bonus funds and/or free spins that you can eventually withdraw once you have cleared any wagering requirements. For example, there is a 100% matched deposit bonus up to R500, with 19x wagering requirements.
You deposit R100 and gain R100 bonus funds. Once you have spent R1000 (R100 x10), you could then withdraw whatever is left of the R100 bonus funds as real money.
Non-Cashable – In contrast, these promotions have bonus funds that you can only ever use as bonus funds. In the same example as above, once you had cleared your wagering requirements, you would still not be able to withdraw the R100 bonus funds.
They would be kept indefinitely as bonus funds until they eventually ran out. You could only ever withdraw additional winnings you made from the bonus funds.
Terms and Conditions for 1st Deposit Welcome Bonuses
To choose the best welcome bonus, you must be aware of the terms and conditions. To find the full terms and conditions you must delve deeper than the initial bonus page, or homepage. Casinos usually list basic T&C’s on these pages. Full terms and conditions are usually displayed on a separate page or pop-up. The following are common terms and conditions you should look for:
- Percentage match for the deposit bonus
- The maximum value of the potential bonus
- The minimum deposit requirement for each deposit
- Wagering requirements for bonus funds
- Time constraints for activation and bonus fund usage
- Allowed payment methods
- Allowed games to use bonus funds on
- Contribution for wagering requirements
As you can see there is a lot to consider. Most of these are self-explanatory. For example, casinos always set a minimum deposit value you must meet to claim the welcome offers.
Time constraints can vary greatly. It is common for casinos to impose time constraints on claiming the initial welcome offer, using the bonus funds, and clearing any wagering requirements.
Some casinos only allow SA customers to use a limited choice of payment methods too. For example, it is common practice for casinos to disallow the use of Skrill and Neteller for promotions.
Game availability and wagering contributions are also important. Many casinos exclude certain games from promotions – these are typically games with higher RTP percentages.
Additionally, many casinos have different wagering contribution factors for different games. This again reflects the RTP percentages and ensures the casino loses less. For example, video slots may have a contributing factor of 1, whereas Blackjack may only have 0.5. This would mean you have to spend double the amount to clear your wagering requirements with Blackjack than you would video slots.
FAQ
Q – Does a higher bonus value mean a better-quality promotion?
A – Not necessarily. Other factors play a huge role – especially wagering requirements. Larger bonus value is beneficial, but you must also weigh up the other factors described in the section “How to Compare Welcome Bonuses”.
Q – What happens if I don’t meet the wagering requirements for a welcome offer?
A – This depends on the T&C’s. For promotions with no time constraints, you would simply not be able to withdraw the bonus funds. However, for promotions with a period in which you must clear wagering requirements, your bonus funds may become void.
Q – Can I claim multiple welcome offers from the same account?
A – No. Usually, welcome offers are available once per unique account. Also, if a casino has multiple welcome offers, you can usually only choose one.
Q – Can I win jackpot prizes from free spins earned via welcome offers?
A – Sometimes yes. Some casinos limit the number of winnings you can claim from welcome bonus free spins. In this case, you may not be able to claim the full value of a jackpot win. Otherwise, if there is no such limitation, you can claim the full jackpot amount.
Q – Can I use ZAR for welcome bonuses?
A – The promotions and casinos listed in the above article accept ZAR. Not all online casinos do accept ZAR deposits, however. Always check the banking or cashier page, or the support section of a casino to see what currencies they accept. Also, the bonus T&C’s often list available currencies.
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