How do free spins actually work in gambling?

[Crypto Library]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses. I have a good idea about deposit bonuses, including minimum wagering requirements and how much the maximum bonus can be.

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

[Mia Chloe]

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 
Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

Most of the time I see wagers as traps. a 35X wagering requirement is just too outrageous and it's giving the vibe of they not actually wanting you to win at all. A 35X wager basically means you have to bet continuously until your gross bets sum up to 35 times your initial deposit.

For me most times I'll totally ignore the bonus immediately it exceeds 3-5x requirements. And if this requirement is tied to sports betting only for instance, it's a No No for me.

[_BlackStar]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses. I have a good idea about deposit bonuses, including minimum wagering requirements and how much the maximum bonus can be.

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

What I understand is that the free spins are legitimate - your winnings are also legitimate, only you need to deposit a certain amount of money in order to withdraw your winnings. If the casino has such terms and conditions - then it is appropriate that the customers understand and comply with them. Free spins seem like a lure to get new customers - it's a pretty useful marketing trick to get more customers. Terms and conditions are often the casino's last line of defense - so that new customers don't just take advantage of the bonus and abuse it.

[DanWalker]

You should read terms twice before making any deposit.

Some cunning casino even impose rule stating that, to withdraw winning from those free spin, you must first meet WR of 1x to 3x or sometimes even more on that $17 deposit you were required to make!

Also many casino has withdrawal cap on winning from free spin.

Suppose you manage to complete wagering requirement with great difficulty, only to find that the rules state maximum cashout of just $50! That's when things will get absolutely ridiculous!

[Livingleged]

What I understand is that the free spins are legitimate - your winnings are also legitimate, only you need to deposit a certain amount of money in order to withdraw your winnings. If the casino has such terms and conditions - then it is appropriate that the customers understand and comply with them. Free spins seem like a lure to get new customers - it's a pretty useful marketing trick to get more customers. Terms and conditions are often the casino's last line of defense - so that new customers don't just take advantage of the bonus and abuse it.

Yes that’s exactly why it’s not just about depositing alone, that amounts deposited need to be used to play the casino and if the total won amount is not up to the required weger then you simply will. It be able to withdraw it it’s alway a trap to lure you into depositing money that you end up losing not just about keeping new customers playing the casino only.
If not what explains 35x wagering required better in this context ?

[348Judah]

Most of the time I see wagers as traps. a 35X wagering requirement is just too outrageous and it's giving the vibe of they not actually wanting you to win at all. A 35X wager basically means you have to bet continuously until your gross bets sum up to 35 times your initial deposit.

Some gamblers methods of being as easy ask what they can easily achieved during within a short period of time, which is the common mentality of some gamblers because the free spin as an opportunity for them to make a way out for winning.

But as Time goes on, they will only realize that it is like a dream that may not come to pass, because this is a strategy only effective for the casino platform and not for gamblers. We introduce such wagering requirements to have a sustained duration for gamblers' experience in using their platform, which is a good selling point for them to have you Gamble for a longer period, with the hope and expectation that they will still meet the requirement and stand a chance of winning something tangible.

[Sticky Bomb]

For me most times I'll totally ignore the bonus immediately it exceeds 3-5x requirements. And if this requirement is tied to sports betting only for instance, it's a No No for me.

I've not actually seen 3X. 5X to 10X feels fine by me, I ignore anything above 10X, I view it as not ideal and slavery since the probability that you would not attain that requirement is high. This is why it is good to read the terms and conditions very well before you claim the deposit bonus. Some of these bonuses are actually a trap so you need to understand the requirement before rushing to claim the bonus.

[Nwada001]

If they require you to make a deposit, then it’s no longer a free spin to me.

The type of free spin I’m usually offered, which I enjoy, is the part where you are offered the spin and you use it on any of the suggested slots. What you win from the spin will be what will be used as a wager to qualify for the withdrawal.

With the $53 won, you might be asked to wager it 20x or above, and whatever you get from that, it’s yours, and if you lose it, all you also lost is nothing but time.

[lionheart78]

@OP In every free spin promotion, there are always terms and conditions, and anyone who claims these free spins must read it.  

Free spins come in different features, one is no wagering requirement, and the amount won is withdrawable anytime, but this kind of free spins often comes as a reward after depositing some amount.

Another kind of free spins comes with no deposit requirement and no wagering requirement but has a winning cap.  Anything exceeding that winning cap is void.  The one you got is the stingiest free spin and is often used by scam casinos to exploit their victim especially if it was given upon registration.  I am not saying that the casino that gave you the free spin is a scam casino, but I have experience that most casinos that use this tactic are fraudulent casinos.  So better weigh your options @OP, whether to go after the winnings or just let it go.  If you feel that the casino is reputable enough, then I think it is ok to meet their requirement.

[Mia Chloe]

I've not actually seen 3X. 5X to 10X feels fine by me, I ignore anything above 10X, I view it as not ideal and slavery since the probability that you would not attain that requirement is high. This is why it is good to read the terms and conditions very well before you claim the deposit bonus. Some of these bonuses are actually a trap so you need to understand the requirement before rushing to claim the bonus.

Anything above 5x for all casino games and 1.5X for sports only is diabolical because you are literally hoping on an unimaginable level of luck to place that number  of bets and still remain in profit. Sometimes the free spins are there to psychologically trap you after depositing that you'll most likely end up losing it all.

~snip

Most times the only cases you see small wagering requirements is for your personal deposits and most claim to do so because of money laundering.

[Moreno233]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses. I have a good idea about deposit bonuses, including minimum wagering requirements and how much the maximum bonus can be.

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

This type of bonus is not encouraging to me, it looked like they use the free spin to lure you into the casino before releasing the harsh condition of first deposit that comes with 35x wagering condion to unlock the winning from the free spin. If we combine everything everything here, it will become clear that they casino did not design these conditions for the player to be able to make a withdrawal. You can go ahead to make deposit and try to meet the wagering condition to unlock your winnings but if I'm in your shoes, I may not accept such condition. I will also ensure I don't use any if their bonuses especially those I have to meet wagering condition to unlock winnings from them.

[rachael9385]

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

The truth of the matter is that free spins and other bonuses sounds good until you see the terms and conditions attached to it. I think the reason for the terms on this is because most gamblers become extremely lucky during their first try (like you), so so with the terms attached to it some gamblers will not consider to continue with the platform or consider chasing the free spins and other bonuses.

From my perspective, chasing bonuses doesn't worth it because you might actually lose more than you were given, so what even the whole point of you can't withdraw the winning from so called free spin?

It's your choice if to make the deposit and wager to complete the requirements so you will be eligible to withdraw winning from the free spin.

However, this is one of the reasons why I advice gamblers to read terms before making deposits or claiming bonuses.

[Swordsoffreedom]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses.

Your confusion is understandable. Rules for sport betting and casino bonus are not same.

If that casino imposes 35x wagering requirement on that $53 then you will need to place total of ~$1800 in bets before you can make any withdrawal. But one thing to note here is whether that 35x requirement applies only to free spin winning or if it is calculated based on the sum of both deposit and bonus.

Also ask them whether any winnings will expire if wagering requirement are not met within any specified timeframe. If there's any time limit then trying to meet such requirement in rush mode will almost certainly leave your balance at zero.

[Leahized]

I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53.

Free spins are never given for free. And the bonus spins have no real value. From your explanation, it is clear that wagering 35+ for $53, which is very expensive to meet the terms. This can lead to losing more money than you won. What do you think? Is betting an equivalent of 53*35=1855 easy for you? In this case i would say, bet on sports, which is quite helpful for you. It is reasonable to completely avoid such bonus offers.

Personally, I prefer 1x, 3x, 5x wagering bonuses that are profitable. These bonuses are used in casino marketing. So, it is better not to set your mind on fulfilling high terms in the desire for profit.

[arallmuus]

not a pro casino player

There is no such thing as pro casino player. All casino games especially slots are 100% luck based and it requires a single click to play

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53

You have to understand one thing. All casino bonuses are designed so that most people will end up losing their deposit before they actually complete the wager requirement. This is why they will impose high amount of wagered amount. Normally it should be around 20-25x but some sites would drag this up to 35x just like yours.

To make it even worse, some sites would even cap max bet allowed to avoid people doubling their deposit by going all in thus increasing their chance to actually complete the rollover requirement

[Joy_learns_crypto]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses. I have a good idea about deposit bonuses, including minimum wagering requirements and how much the maximum bonus can be.

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

Did you find out about the wager after you have won, from my experience the conditions are well documented even before playing so you know before you take it.
Although I concur with others that the 35x wager is high but it should be a condition you have vetted before playing, if you aren't ok with it you skip the free spin.

[Crypto Library]

What I understand is that the free spins are legitimate - your winnings are also legitimate, only you need to deposit a certain amount of money in order to withdraw your winnings. If the casino has such terms and conditions - then it is appropriate that the customers understand and comply with them. Free spins seem like a lure to get new customers - it's a pretty useful marketing trick to get more customers. Terms and conditions are often the casino's last line of defense - so that new customers don't just take advantage of the bonus and abuse it.

I have a high doubt about these kinds of marketings, where players are essentially tricked in a seemingly tricky way, because where a player has to make a deposit it can never actually be free, in fact I probably saw it as a rule that one has to deposit one third of the bonus you get and on top of that, with a 3x wager, the amount ^(53$) obtained from the free spins has to be wagered 35x+.
Here I think they have negative marketing on the contrary although it's my personal opinion.

Did you find out about the wager after you have won, from my experience the conditions are well documented even before playing so you know before you take it.
Although I concur with others that the 35x wager is high but it should be a condition you have vetted before playing, if you aren't ok with it you skip the free spin.

TBH, here, I just went for the free spin and tested them, then I saw the winning amount from the free spin is locked and I need make a certain amount of deposit then wager them 3x and then wager the amount I win from the free spin.
And yes right now after seeing their term and conditions, I said them good bye.

[DrBeer]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses. I have a good idea about deposit bonuses, including minimum wagering requirements and how much the maximum bonus can be.

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

Let's start with a simple fact! The goal of any casino is to make money. Casinos make money solely from players' bets.
So, we need to attract more players! Given the competition, we need to attract players with enticing offers.
And that brings us to free spins It's the simplest and most foolproof option! Even if you win, the withdrawal conditions will be such that, in the end, you'll still bring the casino more money than you'll ultimately withdraw to your e-wallet. MARKETING with a well-thought-out financial model!

[Fortify]

It's looks like a stupid question, but I am a sports bettor, not a pro casino player, so I have very few ideas about these casino games and bonuses. I have a good idea about deposit bonuses, including minimum wagering requirements and how much the maximum bonus can be.

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

How does anything work in life? You read up on the instructions and see if the free spins are worth the hassle. Sometimes you get free spins in your account with no conditions, just hop in to whatever slot game it works on and you should see a "these are bonus spins" type message before you start playing. You should always read the terms however, because sometimes it might lock up funds, have rewagering requirements or the conditions are too onerous to bother. Most casinos are only going to lose a couple dollars max, but most players will walk away with nothing or a few cents, so it's not much of a reward. They expect gamblers to put the money straight back into the site and it lets them try something new (which they might get hooked on). It's an easy way to get players back on a site if the offer comes in via email and the player has been away for a while.

[Oasisman]

But I created an account at a casino yesterday, and there were free spins, and each spin was probably 20cents and I won like $53 there but from what I understand from their rules and regulations, I have to deposit $17 and wager 35x or maybe more than this to withdraw $53. I actually have very few  free spin type welcome bonuses so I can only give one example for now. 

Anyway, it would be good if you could tell me about your own free spin bonuses.

Is it a legit online casino, a established one? Or a new one?
I think those new ones are mostly offer free spins to attract users to their platform, but established ones also have this.
Though the 35x wagering requirements is kind of really high that it could drain all your deposit including the winning you made, but that's just how free spins normally worked, otherwise the players will abuse it.
As long as you are playing in a legit online casino, then that should not going to be a problem.