How to Make the Best Out of Match Deposit Bonuses
Nowadays almost every gambling site visited by Australian players is just bursting with tempting free money offers and promotions, including match deposit bonus codes. Match deposit bonuses are fast becoming the favoured method used by casinos to encourage you to sign up to their platform. All these different welcome packages can become a bit confusing but simply put, it means the casino will match your first deposit dollar for dollar thus boosting your bankroll by giving you twice as many chips to play with.
What Is a Match Deposit Bonus?
This bonus is the casino's way of rewarding you for registering at their site and is usually available to first-time players. Basically, whatever amount you deposit, the platform will match it. For instance, if the match bonus is set at 100% and you fund your account with $500, then you have $1000 to gamble with. The bonus cash will either appear automatically or by inserting a match deposit bonus code. There will often be an opt in button to confirm that you want to avail of the extra cash as some gamblers would rather not accept the offer because of wagering requirements and terms and conditions.
Playthrough Requirements
Before accepting any casino freebie, it's vital that you read the terms and conditions associated with the promotion and familiarise yourself with the gambling operator's general T&Cs. Prior to cashing out any winnings you're usually required to play your balance through a number of times - from x10 times up to x50 times, depending on the casino. For example, if you lodge $200 and this is boosted by 100% ($200) you then have $400 to bet with. If the wagering requirements are, say, x10 then you need to make $4,000 worth of bets before you make any profit. But there's more...
...You will notice that your account balance will have two sections - cash balance and bonus balance. It is the practice of many casinos to subtract the original bonus from your winnings before allowing you to withdraw so, as such these huge bonuses are only a means of giving you extra chips to wager and not an actual cash gift.
Wagering Contributions
Another factor to consider is which games contribute the most towards the wagering requirements, meaning not all games let you work through your bonus at the same rate. For instance, roulette and video poker may contribute a smaller percentage towards the playthrough than slots. If the rules state that slots contribute 100%, roulette 10% and video poker 5% and you wager $10 on each game then the contribution towards clearing your bonus would be: slots $10, roulette $1 and video poker just $.50.
Furthermore, some platforms exclude play on high RTP games such as Blackjack or Live Dealer table games while others place limits on the amount you can bet on each game.
Where to Find Match Deposit Bonuses
When it comes to match deposit bonus codes, Australian players are spoilt for choice and information on the hottest offers can be found in several places within the gambling community including:
- Online gambling forums
- Casino's webpage
- The "My Bonus" area of the casino
- Gambling review websites
