Casino Bonus Wagering Calculator
A wagering requirement decides what a casino bonus is really worth. Enter an offer's terms below to see how much you'd need to bet before you can withdraw, how many bets that takes and what the house edge is likely to cost you on average.
The calculator is free, runs in your browser and doesn't save anything you enter. It starts with an example: a $100 deposit with a 100% bonus up to $500 and 35x wagering.
Your results
Wagering requirement
$3,500
35x the bonus of $100
- Bonus100% of your deposit
- $100
- Total stakes neededAt 100% game contribution
- $3,500
- Number of betsAt $1 per bet
- 3,500
- Expected lossStatistical average at 96% RTP
- $140
- Expected valueBonus minus expected loss: the wagering costs more than the bonus adds, on average
- -$40
A deposit of $100 with a 100% match gets you a bonus of $100, for a starting balance of $200.
You must bet $3,500 (35x the bonus of $100) before you can withdraw the bonus and any winnings from it.
At $1 per bet, that's about 3,500 bets.
At 96% RTP, the statistical average loss on $3,500 in total bets is $140.
That's more than the bonus of $100, so on average the wagering costs about $40 more than the bonus adds.
Expected loss and expected value are long-run statistical averages, not predictions. Real results vary widely: you could lose your balance before finishing the wagering, or end up ahead. Max cashout caps, excluded games and other terms aren't included.
What is a wagering requirement?
A wagering requirement, also called playthrough or rollover, is the total amount you must bet before bonus money, and anything you win with it, can be withdrawn. It's written as a multiplier: 35x means betting 35 times the amount it applies to.
It counts the total you stake, not what you lose. Bet $1 on 3,500 spins and you've wagered $3,500, whatever you won or lost along the way. Until you meet the requirement, you usually can't withdraw the bonus or any winnings from it.
Bonus only vs deposit + bonus wagering
Bonus terms usually apply the multiplier to one of two amounts, and the difference is big. Take a $100 deposit with a 100% bonus up to $500 and 35x wagering:
- Bonus only: 35 × $100 bonus = $3,500 in bets.
- Deposit + bonus: 35 × ($100 deposit + $100 bonus) = $7,000 in bets. That's $3,500 more for the same offer.
| Bonus only | Deposit + bonus | |
|---|---|---|
| Bonus | $100 | $100 |
| Multiplier applies to | $100 | $200 |
| Wagering requirement (35x) | $3,500 | $7,000 |
| Bets needed at $1 | 3,500 | 7,000 |
| Expected loss at 96% RTP | $140 | $280 |
| Expected value | -$40 | -$180 |
The max bonus matters too. Claim the same offer with a $1,000 deposit and the bonus stops at $500. With bonus-only wagering you'd need to bet $17,500; with deposit + bonus wagering, $52,500.
Look for wording such as "wager the bonus 35 times" or "wagering applies to the deposit and bonus" in the terms. If it isn't clear, ask the casino's support before you opt in.
How game contribution changes the maths
Not every bet counts in full. Under game weighting, each type of game counts for a set share of your bet: slots often count 100%, while table games, live dealer games or some slots may count partly or not at all.
The calculator divides the requirement by the contribution to find the stakes you'd actually need. If a game counts 10%, clearing the $3,500 example means staking $35,000 on it.
| Game contribution | Stakes needed | Bets at $1 |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | $3,500 | 3,500 |
| 50% | $7,000 | 7,000 |
| 10% | $35,000 | 35,000 |
| 0% | Can't be cleared | — |
These rates are examples. The real ones, and any games you can't play with a bonus, are in each casino's bonus terms. A game that counts less may also have a different RTP, so enter the RTP of the game you'll actually play.
Max bet rules and time limits
- Max bet: while a bonus is active, many casinos cap how much you can stake per bet or spin. Going over the cap, even once, can void the bonus and any winnings from it. Keep the average bet you enter at or below it.
- Time limit: there's usually a deadline to finish the wagering. If you don't finish in time, the bonus and any winnings from it are normally removed. Compare the number of bets with the time you have and how often you actually play.
A bigger bet doesn't make the wagering cheaper. It cuts the number of bets, but the total you have to stake, and the expected loss on it, stay the same, and your balance swings harder with every bet.
Why expected loss matters
RTP (return to player) is the share of all the money bet on a game that it's designed to pay back over a very large number of bets. The rest is the house edge. At 96% RTP, that's an average cost of $4 for every $100 you bet.
Multiply the house edge by the stakes the wagering needs and you get the expected loss. In the bonus-only example, $3,500 of bets at 96% RTP has an expected loss of $140. The expected value is the bonus minus that loss: $100 − $140 = -$40. On average, clearing this bonus costs more than it adds.
- Positive expected value: on average, the bonus is worth more than the wagering costs.
- Negative expected value: on average, the wagering costs more than the bonus adds. A high multiplier, deposit + bonus wagering, a low game contribution or a low RTP can each push it below zero.
With deposit + bonus wagering, the same example has an expected loss of $280 against a $200 starting balance. On average you'd run out of money before finishing the wagering, and you can't lose more than your balance unless you deposit again. So a large negative expected value, like the -$180 here, is a sign the bonus is unlikely to be cleared, not the amount you'll lose.
Expected loss is a statistical average, not a prediction. Over a single bonus, real results vary widely: you might lose your whole balance before finishing, or finish well ahead. The calculator also leaves out max cashout caps, excluded games and other conditions, so read the full terms before you opt in. If the numbers don't work for you, you can usually decline a bonus and play with your own balance.
Where to find each number
- Bonus match and max bonus: in the offer itself, for example "100% up to $500".
- Wagering requirement and what it applies to: in the bonus terms.
- Game contribution: in the bonus terms, often as a list of game types.
- RTP: usually in the game's info or help screen.
- Max bet and time limit: in the bonus terms.
Where to go next
- Crypto casino bonuses →Browse current offers, then run their terms through the calculator.
- Reading bonus terms →What to check before you opt in: wagering, max bet, expiry and max cashout.
- How we rate casinos →How we test casinos and what our star ratings share.
- Responsible gambling →Set limits, spot the warning signs and find free support if you need it.