A casino match bonus is the most common promotion you will meet in the online gambling world. Usually, your first impression of a casino is shaped by its welcome offer, which 99 times out of 100 would be a matching amount of your first deposit. These bonuses most often range from 100% to 500% matching percentage. Occasionally, you may see lower (e.g. 50%) or higher (e.g. 700%) percentages, but we can pretty safely state that the majority of the casinos offer matching bonuses between 100% and 500%.
Best Online Casino Match Bonuses
The online casino scene is vast, so it’s kind of easy to be buried under the pile of the thousands of match bonuses out there and get confused over what suits you better. Selecting the best online casino match bonus is challenging, so we prepared a dedicated list with trusted brands to clear the air for you. We have added a percentage filter to help you find the bonus that suits you the most
What is a Casino Match Bonus?
The concept is simple. The casino will match the value of your real money deposit in bonus funds. For instance, if an online casino offers a 100% up to €100 bonus and you place a deposit of €40, your new balance will be €80. The ‘up to’ phrase is super important. It means that the casino will match your deposit only ‘up to’ a certain amount and not higher than that. For example, if for the same bonus (100% up to €100), you decide to deposit €120, you still don’t get more than €100 in bonus funds.
The casino match bonus has become the golden standard for casinos and has prevailed for many years. Not to overwhelm players with the same bonus all the time, a lot of casinos try to mix it up for their newcomers by creating multi-tier packages or adding more goodies to their welcome deal, such as free spins.
Let’s have a look at how the deposit match bonuses are offered:
One-Off Match Bonus
The good ol’ first deposit bonus. This promotion is older than dirt in the online casino market. After your registration, you place your first deposit and receive a one-off bonus amount (e.g. in a casino that offers a 100% match bonus casino up to €200, you deposit €50, and you end up with €100 in total).
Multi-Tiered Match Bonus
Better known as ‘welcome package’. There are no significant differences here; just that you will get more matching bonus money over multiple deposits. It is frequent that the percentage match bonus gets lower for each subsequent deposit, for instance, 100%, 75% and 50% throughout a three-tier package.
Match Bonuses with Free Spins
Casinos add free spins to their welcome offers to spice it up a little bit. For example, a casino might feature a 100% to €200 matching bonus plus 50 free spins on one or more slot games. The free spin winnings are usually added to your bonus balance and are subject to wagering requirements. The opportunity to play a slot for free with the chance of winning real money always excites players. This is what makes this promo combination one of the best online casino match bonuses in the market.
How to Claim a Deposit Match Bonus Casino
To claim a deposit match bonus casino, you need to follow certain terms and conditions before and after its activation. Let’s take a look at the main points:
Minimum Deposit
A minimum amount is required for unlocking an online casino match bonus. Search in the Bonus Terms, which is the least acceptable amount. Usually, it ranges between €10 to €25.
Deposit Payment Methods
Which payment method will you use to make your deposit? In some casinos, specific payments (usually e-wallets like Skrill, Neteller and ecoPayz) are excluded from the first deposit.
Bonus Code
Potentially, a casino might ask for a casino match bonus code to let you claim the matching bonus. You just need to insert it into the dedicated tab or contact the customer support team and provide it.
Wagering Requirements
You have claimed one of the best online casino match bonuses around; now what? To add any winnings to your real money balance, you will have to wager it. Each casino has its own requirements, so you cannot expect to get something out of it. Rollover requirements vary by casino, though most offer lower/higher requirements.
Time Limit
Wagering requirements are almost always tied with a time limit ( e.g. 7 days, 14 days, 30 days). If you fail to wager the bonus within the specific timeframe, your bonus balance will disappear, and you won’t be able to cash out.
Eligible Games and Contribution
You need to check which games are included in the offer and which doesn’t participate in the wagering. In addition, each game category contributes differently to the wagering requirements. In virtually all casino bonuses, slot bets return 100%, while bets on table games or other games might return less.
Maximum Bets
Having to meet wagering requirements means that you cannot bet as much money as you want per spin or hand. This is true even for the biggest match bonus casino, and casinos set a maximum limit, most often at €5.
What types of Deposit Match Bonus Casino exist?
So, how are the casino deposit match bonuses categorized? It’s really simple; you only have to check their matching percentage and amounts. They usually come in rounded numbers (100%, 200%, 300%, €200, €500, €1,000, €3,000, etc.) and have become the most popular options for the majority of the casinos. We shall explain what to expect from each bonus according to its percentage.
100% casino bonus:
Example: 100% up to €100. If you deposit €50, you will have a mixed balance of €100.
If we had one penny for every time we bumped into a casino with a 100% match bonus, now we would be millionaires. But, it makes sense as it is the fairest bonus for both sides. Why? Because it implies equal commitment from both sides, the player and the casino, and usually comes with reasonable wagering requirements.
200% casino bonus:
Example: 200% up to €100. If you deposit €50, you will have a mixed balance of €150.
Another popular option for the casinos is the 200% deposit match bonus. This type of bonus will give you back twice the original amount you deposit and triple your initial balance. It’s a great bonus offer that will allow you to be a little more adventurous and not count every bet you made like you would do with the 100% casino deposit bonus.
300% casino bonus:
Example: 300% up to €1,000. If you deposit €100, you gain €300 and play with €400
Now we raise the stakes a bit higher. This bonus gives a big initial bankroll to start with. A 300% casino bonus may sound nice, but the terms become stricter for these types of bonuses, meaning larger wagering requirements. Please don’t get too excited before you check their terms and conditions. If you feel unsure about a 300% deposit bonus casino, go back to one of the previous options.
400% casino bonus:
Example: 400% up to €2,000. If you deposit €100, you gain €400 and play with €500
That’s a hefty one, isn’t it? Don’t expect to find such a bonus in European online casinos. These types of promotions thrive in online casinos that target US players, and the maximum amounts might reach up to $10,000. You understand that it is excruciatingly difficult to wager a 400 percent bonus casino. Let’s assume that you have deposited $100, the online casino has allowed a $400 bonus to your account and you start your adventure to meet the wagering requirements, let’s say 40x. To gather $16,000, you will need some big wins and don’t forget that you still have to beat the clock.
500% casino bonus or higher:
Example: 500% up to €5,000. If you deposit €100, you gain €500 and play with €600
We are talking about offers that climb up to 500% match casino bonuses or higher. These are like the ‘holy grail’ of the industry: the possibility to discover one is scarce. So, what is the catch of a 500 percent casino bonus? In our opinion, it is nothing more than a marketing tool to attract newcomers and inexperienced players. This bonus either comes with low amounts (e.g. 500% up to €100, which is less than 100% up to €500) or with impossible wagering requirements.
How To Choose the Best Online Casino Match Bonus
“The bigger the bonus, the better,” right? No, this isn’t the case at all. You may find the best online casino match bonus in percentage or amount, but this isn’t the sole factor you must consider.
How can you reach your decision?
1. Find the right casino
New Casino Match Bonuses
Define what a “right casino” means for you as a player. You may need a casino with a trustworthy license to ensure you won’t get scammed. You may like casinos with a wide game variety or casinos that offer only slots. Other elements such as the website’s language or customer support might be essential to you. You might belong in the category of bonus chasers and the only thing that matters to you is getting the casino match bonus. Whichever is your deal, you have to ask yourself first if the casino covers your needs as a whole and then proceed with claiming its welcome offer.
2. Define your deposit match bonus amount
The amount the player is willing to deposit is also important. For example, if you aren’t willing to go high, max allowance won’t mean much. Whether it is a 100% up to €100 or up to €500 deposit match bonus casino, It won’t make any difference if you wish to deposit just €50. So, it would be best if you focused more on what the bonus details mean for your budget and then get the best value out of it.
3. Always check the wagering requirements
Wagering requirements can ‘make or break’ an offer. They define which are the best casino match bonuses and which are just marketing tricks to lure players in. A massive bonus doesn’t mean anything if it comes with excessive wagering requirements (50 times or more). Don’t look at casino promotions superficially, but dig deeper and take a good look at the Terms & Conditions of each bonus before you decide that you want to try your luck with it.
When Shouldn’t You Claim A Casino Match Bonus?
It’s not always in your best interest to claim the casino match bonus that the gambling sites offer. You might have particular preferences as a player that don’t blend with getting a match offer. For example, you would like to withdraw money right away without wagering. Or you don’t like slots that are usually the main game you need to play to wager the bonus, but you’re a fan of table games, such as blackjack or baccarat. These games often contribute less towards the wagering requirements and make the chances of winning real money slimmer.
