The truth about no deposit casino bonuses
Many online gambling sites offer "No Deposit Bonuses". Are this really free cash? Is it possible to make money out of it? A deeper look at free casino promotions.
Online casinos, poker sites and bingo halls offer No Deposit Bonuses to new customers on joining their site. This kind of advertising is done by many gambling sites to lure in more players on their sites. The promise of free cash always endears to most people. Let us investigate whether they are really worth one's time.
Are no deposit bonuses real?
Yes they are real. Most of them that is. Although a few sites offer the bonus, but make it non-encashable. That is you can play casino games with it, but can never withdraw any winnings. They usually hide this fact even in the promotional pages of their websites. The details are found only in the specific terms & conditions associated with the bonus.
Types of free bonus promotions:
The types of bonus requiring no cash deposits are very similar for Casino, Poker and Bingo sites although some distinctions are there in the rules/restrictions for withdrawal of winnings made from the bonus. In respect of no deposit casino bonus, there are two main types. One is the type where a certain amount of cash credit eg. $5 is credited to the account of a new member. This bonus can be used to play the casino games. The second type if also given as free credit but is time limited. They are also called Free play bonus. Time limit to use the bonus is usually 1 hour.
In case of no deposit poker bonus there are two main types. One is the direct offers from the Poker rooms. This free offers are similar to no deposit casino. A certain amount of money is credited in the account which can be used to play poker with. The second type is offered by 'free bankroll providers'. This kind of promotions are usually more in the amount of credit. They are given a part of the promised value upfront. A player is then expected to play poker with this amount, and earn what is called poker points. The remaining bonus amount is released in increments depending on how much points could be accumulated.
No deposit bingo bonus are also of three main categories. One is again the same as the other casino bonuses where a certain amount of cash credit is put in the account which can be used to purchase bingo tickets. In another type, the bonus is given in the form of bingo tickets. Another slightly different promotion is given in the form of free bingo games. These free games are offered in specific bingo rooms at a particular time of day/night or days/set of days.
Rules/restrictions on the cash-out of winnings
There are rules which must be met before withdrawal of money won using the free bonuses can be made. The main rule is called Wagering/Cash-out requirements(WR). This restriction for casino and bingo is similar. A specific times betting of the bonus amount is necessary before the money won is permitted to be taken out of the account. Eg. 2xB meaning two times bonus. For a bonus of $10 a minimum of 2x10 = $20 must be spent playing the games before cash out.
In the case of poker, the WR is in the form of a minimum poker points, say for example, 80 points, that must be earned before cash withdrawal is allowed. Poker points can be earned by spending the bonus on entry fee for tournaments and Sit n' Gos and cash rake.
Another rule that may or may not be combined with WR is the minimum deposit. A player is required to deposit a minimum cash amount say $10, before any withdrawal is processed.
Is real cash winnings possible with these free bonuses
The chance is definitely there. Although it has to be said that most players will not win anything from it. The Wagering requirements set for most casino sites are around 25xB average. Bingo usually 2xB to 5xB. And for Poker usually around 80 poker points. Players have to bet whatever wins they first made over and over again. Therefore most players are bound to lose all the bonus and winnings before them become eligible to withdraw.
Due to the cash-out rules regarding no deposit casino bonuses, only a few very lucky player could come away with real cash winnings. Therefore these type of bonuses will be useful for those who love playing the games. Those that do not really expect to reap cash rewards but want to enjoy free casino games and those who want to practice play will generally find it useful. But then who knows, the lucky ones might even be winning tons of cash for free.
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