What is a matching welcome bonus? Answers to questions like “what is something” often turn out to be more complicated than we really need. You can easily get confused with all this gambling bonus stuff like terms and conditions or wagering requirements.
Two things are always concrete, though, when we talk about matching bonuses of gambling sites, and they have to do with your money balance: the percentage about which we talked in another article and the bonus amount we will refer to here. There is good reason to read this because bonus amounts differ from casino to casino, as not all operators have the same policy, budget, or even reliability.
Gambling Sites Bonuses By Amount
How are amounts of bonuses presented on gambling sites?
Firstly, we have to clarify what is this number that you see coming after the percentage. This number refers to the matching amount you will receive if you deposit real money in the gambling site. The operators always present the highest amount they can grant you. Supposedly, a casino offers a 100% up to €500 welcome offer with a minimum deposit of €10. To claim the whole €500, you should deposit €500 (thank you, Captain Obvious). It needs to be clear, though, that depositing less will result in receiving less than €500.
Indeed, advertising of welcome bonuses most of the time highlights only the amount of the first deposit bonus. Still, there are also sign up offers that stretch over a series of deposits, commonly known as a welcome package. Therefore the advertised matching bonus can include the whole amount. Let’s check them out in more detail:
First deposit bonus amounts
The welcome bonus amount you see on the gambling sites promotional texts and banners is allocated after just a single deposit. Like we mentioned before, the gambling site presents you with the highest matching bonus, but it’s within your financial capacity to cover it all or a fraction of it. The obligations of the gambling site stop after you have received the money in your balance, and then your part starts as you have to wager it and make sure you don’t breach any bonus terms while doing it. First deposit bonus amounts rarely go more than €1,000.
Welcome Package deposit amounts
A welcome package bonus amount is usually divided into 2 to 5 installments. For example, let’s have a look at the welcome package of King Billy Casino. The offer is split into four deposits:
- 1st deposit: 100% up to €/$200 + 200 FS
- 2nd deposit: 50% up to €/$200 Bonus
- 3rd deposit: 25% up to €/$300 Bonus
- 4th deposit: 25% up to €/$300 Bonus
The bonus amounts in question sum up to a total of €/$1,000. However, like the first deposit bonus, it is easily understandable that you would have to make all four deposits to the maximum limit to reach that amount.
When it comes to welcome packages, you have to be careful about proclamation. For example, we have seen deals like King Billy’s that are falsely displayed as “100% up to €1,000”. For that statement to be accurate, you should receive up to €1,000 for a single deposit. You can realize that this isn’t the case as the bonus is separated into four deposits with different amounts and percentages. In the case of King Billy, you may deposit €/$1,000, but the maximum bonus funds you will receive are actually €/$450.
Welcome Bonuses of Gambling Sites
We have already explained the two forms that welcome matching bonuses can take. Now, let’s break down the numbers. Which welcome offer is considered disappointing? Which amount sets the standard for bonus funds? And finally, which amounts exceed our expectations and make us think if we will ever manage to wager such a bonus? Let’s check them out one by one.
No information availableTop 4 Gambling BonusesLow and standard gambling bonuses
To explain which bonuses can be characterized as low, we should first agree on the industry’s average bonus amount. After researching a great number of gambling sites welcome bonuses, it seems that the most typical offer is set at 100% up to €100 (or its equivalent currencies). In the last few years, though, we see just as often welcome deals of 100% up to €200 (or its equivalent currencies). It would be safe to say that a signup offer can be considered decent if it awards between €100 and €200 (or its equivalent currencies) bonus funds. Of course, the percentage matters the most. For instance, a first deposit bonus of 25% up to €100 would be perceived as a joke of a bonus, so we could agree that the percentage should be at least 100%. Any amount below €100 is considered an inadequate casino bonus, and in our opinion, it gets even worse if the brand offers just free spins because the winnings cannot be large.
Large gambling bonuses
Anything above €200 (or its equivalent currencies) is cited as a generous welcome offer. Depending on each operator’s policy, these funds can be awarded in a single deposit or as a welcome pack. For example, if you subscribe to Bettilt Casino via our link, you will get 125% up to €500 (plus 30 free spins) for your first deposit. Oshi Casino might give away a matching bonus of €500 as well, but to claim the full batch, you need to place four deposits.
Massive casino signup bonus amounts: High stakes, along with high hopes, are placed here. We are talking about 4-digit welcome offers or even 5-digit. These bonus amounts come only in the form of sign up packages, and the full amount is arranged into a sequence of deposits like the deal that JoyCasino features:
- 1st deposit: 100% up to €2,000 OR 150% up to €300 OR 200% up to €50
- 2nd deposit: 100% up to €300 Bonus
- 3rd deposit: 50% up to €400 Bonus
- 4th deposit: 50% up to €500 Bonus
- 5th deposit: 25% up to €750 Bonus
Sure thing, immense signup offers are delicious, and they promise big wins. However, is this the case? We advise you to be cautious when you spot an abnormally high welcome bonus and keep your expectations low. Why is that? Because online casinos usually make sure either by outrageous wagering requirements or other unreasonable terms, very few players would manage to keep their earnings. It can also be a sign of a rogue/scam casino. It would be better for you to stay away from these types of amounts and aim for the standard ones.