Bonus wagering weighting: why the lowest house edge game gets penalised

[Binroll]

Something I keep running into while testing skin gambling sites, and it applies to crypto casinos generally.

Everyone quotes the wagering multiplier on a bonus. Almost nobody checks the game weighting table, which is usually one or two clicks further in and decides what the offer is actually worth.

Slots typically count 100% toward the requirement. Blackjack commonly counts 10%. On some sites it is excluded entirely.

The arithmetic

$100 bonus, 30x wagering.

On slots at 100% weighting: $3,000 wagered. At a ~5% house edge the expected cost of clearing it is about $150.

On blackjack at 10% weighting: $30,000 wagered. At a ~0.5% edge the expected cost is also about $150.

The weighting and the house edge cancel almost exactly. That is not sloppiness, it is design — the bonus is close to edge-neutral for the operator regardless of which game you clear it on. Which means picking the low-edge game gains you nothing while a bonus is active, it only gives you twenty times as many hands to play.

Where it actually costs people money

Weighting costs time. Exclusion costs the balance.

Where a game is listed as excluded, placing any bet on it during an active bonus breaches the terms, and the usual consequence is forfeiture of the bonus plus everything won with it. It gets applied at withdrawal, which is where people find out.

Four things worth reading before accepting any offer:

• The weighting table itself, not the headline multiplier
• Whether your game is weighted, excluded, or simply unmentioned — unmentioned is not the same as permitted
• Max bet while a bonus is active, commonly $5, enforced retroactively
• Whether the bonus is sticky, meaning it can never be withdrawn

The conclusion I did not expect

If you want to play a low-edge game, declining the bonus is often the stronger move. Deposit without claiming, play your own money at the lower edge, withdraw when you like. No requirement, no max bet clause, no weighting table, nothing to forfeit.

That inverts the usual advice, and it holds whenever the game you want is one the operator would rather you did not play.

Curious whether people here check weighting tables before accepting offers, or whether it is mostly the multiplier that gets compared. My own testing notes are at https://www.csgopromocodes.com/csgoBlackjack — affiliate site, I earn commission if someone signs up through it, saying so up front.

[suzanne5223]

I support what you said about checking the game weighting table instead of only focusing on the big multiplier number they put in the gambling platform headline.
The sad truth is that most gamblers are only blinded by the multiplier, which is why they believe that good multipliers are good offers. Meanwhile, I prefer low house edge games, and I don't see any reason to take the benefit.

[DPHOR]

If most people are checking the weight there wouldn't had been any time they would go claim bonus knowing too well that the wagering requirements is actually higher than expected.
Instead it would be better not to go for the bonuses and just play normal game with you initially deposit without having to get oneself entangled into trying to meet up with their requirements while you gradually lose everything and still you won't still have the access to have your money withdrawn. Best is, after checking the wagering weighting, you would know if is suitable or not.

[DanWalker]

Just considering weighting alone won't do it. In this case you also need to look at variance.

Expected cost of casino may be the same. But the risk in two games is not same.
A 30x slot will require relatively low betting volume.
And in blackjack with 10% weighting, the same requirement will effectively become 300x.
So your chance of completing wagering before your bankroll runs out will not be same in both cases.
And to catch 0.5% blackjack edge, you will need almost perfect basic strategy and good rules. In reality you will not always get that either.

So if you only look at multiplier and weighting, it will not work. To understand true value of your bonus, you will also have to calculate probability of completing the requirement and bankroll risk.

[Filicius]

It's surprising for a user as new as you that you've shared such a good review as this. You can tell that you have been in the world for a long time and that after a while it has given you something to think about, because as you say, the general or conventional opinion or advice is precisely the opposite and newbies usually don't think about this kind of thing.

In my case I don't pay too much attention to the bonuses in low-end games because, as you said, they are designed to cancel at the house edge, or worse. But it's not a conclusion I've come to without some experience.

By the way, while I personally consider a referral legitimate when you share such interesting information, it is probably against the rules of the forum. Just so you keep it in mind just in case.

[Smartprofit]

I read in an article that not all blackjack bonuses are disadvantageous to the player. 🙋

There are so-called non-sticky bonuses. They allow players to play with their own money and use the bonus only if they lose (if they don't hit a big win). These bonuses act like second lives in computer games! They can be used!

In general, in my opinion, it's not surprising that blackjack bonuses are rare. Casinos are wary of professional players who know how to play this card game. By using bonuses, such players significantly increase their chances of winning at gambling. And the casino doesn't want to lose... After all, it's a commercial organization. 💁

[Smack That Ace]

On slots at 100% weighting: $3,000 wagered. At a ~5% house edge the expected cost of clearing it is about $150.
On blackjack at 10% weighting: $30,000 wagered. At a ~0.5% edge the expected cost is also about $150.

very interesting,,

So, under these assumption, playing low edge blackjack will not be cheaper. The weighting cancels out much of its advantage

But I wouldn't call this any universal rule. Actual blackjack edge, game rule, variant and contribution rate vary from casino to casino. So, if these change, your entire calculation will change.

• Whether your game is weighted, excluded, or simply unmentioned — unmentioned is not the same as permitted

Whether a game is directly prohibited just because it is not listed will depend on wording of terms.
I would not make assumptions if any game is not explicitly allowed or excluded in terms. Instead you should get written clarification from casino.

Similarly, $5 max-bet rule is not universal. Some operator have such caps, but exact promotion terms are final word.

And what happens if cap is broken will also depend on operator's terms. In some cases, bonuses or bonus-derived winning may be void.

[Fortify]

Four things worth reading before accepting any offer:

• The weighting table itself, not the headline multiplier
• Whether your game is weighted, excluded, or simply unmentioned — unmentioned is not the same as permitted
• Max bet while a bonus is active, commonly $5, enforced retroactively
• Whether the bonus is sticky, meaning it can never be withdrawn

You make some very good points and it takes a keen eye with quite a bit of practice to figure out a lot of the wagering requirements on casinos these days. I too tend to avoid any but the simplest promo requirements, but you usually only find those on sportbooks these days. I'd much rather a $5 or $10 bonus with a wagering requirement of 1 or 2, than spend hours trying to churn through the high requirements. You'll also see correlation between the higher the headline figure they want to advertise, like $500 the way higher the wagering requirement will become. Maybe the greatest risk is also the habit that they are trying to instill in you of playing one particular slot and seeing all the various features of it, with the spikes of endorphins from the mini jackpots along the way. Nothing is more infuriating than missing a requirement because of some obscure rule you broke or didn't properly understand that is thrown back in your face to disqualify you from getting a bonus, it's happened to me a few times.

[fredericktaylor]

If most people are checking the weight there wouldn't had been any time they would go claim bonus knowing too well that the wagering requirements is actually higher than expected.
Instead it would be better not to go for the bonuses and just play normal game with you initially deposit without having to get oneself entangled into trying to meet up with their requirements while you gradually lose everything and still you won't still have the access to have your money withdrawn. Best is, after checking the wagering weighting, you would know if is suitable or not.

I agree, people get very greedy bonuses and start thinking about how to withdraw all the bonus quickly, if they were aware, they would not have become restless by getting a bonus and would have patiently observed the wagering requirement well and then decided whether it would be reasonable for them. I think it is better for gamblers not to make a quick decision as soon as they get a bonus because the casino has to fulfill the specific wagering requirement to withdraw the bonus and if the gambler is not able to fulfill the conditions properly, it will be a waste of a long time and the deposit balance may be lost, so it is reasonable to observe the requirement well and then decide without getting excited, which will help you avoid wasting extra time and money.

[Alphakilo]

If most people are checking the weight there wouldn't had been any time they would go claim bonus knowing too well that the wagering requirements is actually higher than expected.
Instead it would be better not to go for the bonuses and just play normal game with you initially deposit without having to get oneself entangled into trying to meet up with their requirements while you gradually lose everything and still you won't still have the access to have your money withdrawn. Best is, after checking the wagering weighting, you would know if is suitable or not.

I agree, people get very greedy bonuses and start thinking about how to withdraw all the bonus quickly, if they were aware, they would not have become restless by getting a bonus and would have patiently observed the wagering requirement well and then decided whether it would be reasonable for them. I think it is better for gamblers not to make a quick decision as soon as they get a bonus because the casino has to fulfill the specific wagering requirement to withdraw the bonus and if the gambler is not able to fulfill the conditions properly, it will be a waste of a long time and the deposit balance may be lost, so it is reasonable to observe the requirement well and then decide without getting excited, which will help you avoid wasting extra time and money.

What is it they say about the house edge. 'The house always wins,' and that's why operators of these casinos use weighing to equalize EV
losses across all games so it's more difficult for players to win.
Gamblers have to learn to avoid bonuses so they don't get mixed up in all this house rules because am sure not many gamblers even know what game weighing mechanics and max bet clauses even mean to begin with.

Greedy gamblers will be more focused on on big numbers while missing out on the game rules and this alone is why some have their capital cleaned and later claim the casino platform is a scam site without proper knowledge of wagering requirements and game weighing mechanics.

[Darker45]

Greedy gamblers will be more focused on on big numbers while missing out on the game rules and this alone is why some have their capital cleaned and later claim the casino platform is a scam site without proper knowledge of wagering requirements and game weighing mechanics.

If I'm not mistaken, most naïve gamblers are focused on how much the bonus is--for example, 150% on first deposit--and the wagering requirement--25x, 30x, 45x. Mostly, they're focused on the latter because that's basically their gauge whether or not there'd still be left with them by the time they fully comply with it.

Those who aren't serious gamblers won't probably read the specific terms and conditions for bonuses, which is carefully designed to protect the casino from the bonus giving away players free money. Many would cry in the end because after all the efforts and the excitement, whatever gains from the bonus were forfeited due to violations of bonus terms.

[OgNasty]

It shouldn’t be any mystery why they do this… They don’t want people using tricks to get around their requirements or else they wouldn’t have requirements at all. I don’t really think this is something to be upset about. It makes perfect sense to me why they do it and I don’t blame them. 

[danherbias07]

Yeah, but the bonus is appealing. I bet every gambler will always take that bonus because it is free money. It was made for that purpose. For us to bite the trap and give us trouble to win. Well, gambling is a business, so they must profit.

It hurts to see a x30 wager, but I think that's the norm on most gambling sites. For a person who just wants to enjoy the games, it's better if he or she does not have any idea about this because it takes away the fun of all the gambling games. If in your head you knew that the house edge was that big, it would make you feel like backing out and would rather save the money. The welcome bonus, on the other hand, takes that feeling away.

[lodocus]

You should always approach casino promotions and offers with caution and ask yourself if they really make sense. The RTPs for all slot games and other games can be easily found online, and I don’t think casinos would let people make money that easily. That’s why I generally don’t participate in promotions with wagering requirements.

After all, casinos know everything you know, but they know it better than you do. So it’s very hard to find a real opportunity in this regard.

[Somegory]

Why you mad about this though? It's their platform, their business, if you don't like how they do things why not avoid them completely? Find somewhere else to do what you want to do.

You don't seem like a newbie to gambling, it's too obviously, casinos have every rights to change rules, games or bonuses at any time, we the gamblers are always at a disadvantage, it's ok to accept it without fighting back.

[iv4n]

The conclusion I did not expect

If you want to play a low-edge game, declining the bonus is often the stronger move. Deposit without claiming, play your own money at the lower edge, withdraw when you like. No requirement, no max bet clause, no weighting table, nothing to forfeit.

That inverts the usual advice, and it holds whenever the game you want is one the operator would rather you did not play.

I know a few people who never used any deposit bonuses. Doesn't matter which games they go for... in-house games, slots, or sports betting. There's something good about it... You are never tied to wagering requirements or choice of games. You simply play games you like, and you can withdraw at any time you want.

To answer your question from the headline: the lowest house edge game gets penalised because it's a lot easier to wager a lot with in-house games than with slots. I like to play all games, and sometimes I go for deposit bonuses... To me, it's simple, I get a bit more money and I know I will have to play a lot to finish it. I will play slots & other games... It's all part of the experience. People shouldn't have high expectations, bonuses can be tricky as hell, and without luck & good wins, we will just bust the balance.

[EluguHcman]

I support what you said about checking the game weighting table instead of only focusing on the big multiplier number they put in the gambling platform headline.
The sad truth is that most gamblers are only blinded by the multiplier, which is why they believe that good multipliers are good offers. Meanwhile, I prefer low house edge games, and I don't see any reason to take the benefit.

The earlier we realizes that the more weight the multipler is the more difficult the game would play to bring us success, then it is the better we consider picking the lower odds but then, let us also bear it in mind that the bookies being aware that gamblers some gamblers have this technical analogy, they (bookies) tends to manipulate the odds so that bettors don't easily justify which team has the advantage to win.

Betting on the lower house edge games gives bettors probable advantage to be profitable even while the payouts maybe smaller due to the risk as the odds weights is smaller.

[Cointxz]

Your question on the title already answered by itself. They have low house edge therefore casino will obviously count less for that specific game and on many occasion low house edge games are excluded on bonus wagering.

So far, this bonus wagering weighting is almost obsolete since casino now let player choose between slot, live games(excluding table games) and sportsbook as counted on bonus wagering.

Original games/low house edge games was already being removed compared before that it still has some percentage counted.

[savetheFORUM]

Yeah, but the bonus is appealing. I bet every gambler will always take that bonus because it is free money. It was made for that purpose. For us to bite the trap and give us trouble to win. Well, gambling is a business, so they must profit.

It hurts to see a x30 wager, but I think that's the norm on most gambling sites. For a person who just wants to enjoy the games, it's better if he or she does not have any idea about this because it takes away the fun of all the gambling games. If in your head you knew that the house edge was that big, it would make you feel like backing out and would rather save the money. The welcome bonus, on the other hand, takes that feeling away.

I think bonus is not really a free money but more like an addition. Say if we made a deposit, the casino will then add some percent of money onto it and it usually came up with a term. If it is hard, this is where some won't find it appealing.

There's plenty of x30 wager bonus casinos I see but there is also plenty of casinos which bonus wagering is much lower than it. They are mostly fiat-based casinos. I am lucky to be on these casinos, which is why it is possible for me to cash out some amounts if luck is on my side. For those that wants to have fun, they can still be aware of the bonus, wagering requirement of it and the house edge but in fact, they will still avail it because it makes their balance to look big. After all, luck is still the main driver of gambling and then relying on luck makes the game more enjoyable.