Online Roulette Bonuses

Perks and Comps

Major casinos in the US and Canada offer complimentary meals and hotel accommodations based on a player’s action. This incentive is usually between 10 and 15% of a player’s average wager, so an average bet of $10 receives between $1 and $1.50 per hour in comps. Unlike European casinos, where tipping is not expected, US and Canadian dealers are paid a minimum wage and do anticipate receiving tips. Mobile and online players get the best of both worlds; there are no tipping and they get bonuses that are much higher than the comps offered by land-based casinos. What needs to be addressed are the structure and form of each offer, so you can maximize your wins and clear online roulette bonuses quickly.

What to Expect from an Online Casino

Depositing money into an online casino account is usually no harder than buying a book from an online supplier. Use your credit card and in two minutes you can be playing. That’s the easy part, but before we even talk about the bonuses, you need to know that to withdraw any cash there will be hurdles to overcome, and delays.

To start with you’ll probably have to scan and fax copies of the credit card you used (front and back), and a form of ID, such as National ID, Driving License, and Passport. You may also need to send a copy of a utility bill or bank statement. Expect the approval process to take at least 72 hours. In some instances you may be asked for a notarized or bank verified confirmation of deposit.

Once this is all verified by the casino operator your withdrawal will be “scheduled” and the time it takes to get to your bank is totally dependent on the casino’s terms and conditions. Expect this wait to also be at least 24 hours. After a successful deposit and withdrawal any subsequent withdrawals should be much quicker.

Your Sign-Up Bonus

Your sign-up bonus may be the best gaming deal you ever get. Many online casinos like Mansion, Casino and William Hill offer a 100 to 200% match of your first deposit as a bonus. However, remember to read the fine print.

Once you make your qualifying deposit you may need to accept or decline the bonus – look for a popup window. The bonus will probably be credited to your account immediately and can be redeemed, but not until you have met all the requirements.

The requirements will state that you have to wager X-times your deposit and bonus amount. If you deposit $100 and get a $100 bonus, you’ll have to wager $200 times-X. That multiple is likely to be between 15 and 30. A 15 times wager means you’ll have to wager $3,000 ($200 x 15) in total bets to “clear” the bonus for future withdrawal.

Some bets or games may not count towards the requirements or will have a reduced value. For instance, scratch cards and slots may count 100% towards your total, but blackjack may only count at a 10% rate. From the $3,000 example above you would need to wager $30,000 to clear the bonus. If you play roulette the rate may be 25%, so you’ll need to place four times as many wagers or $12,000 total at roulette to clear the bonus.

Roulette Strategy for Clearing Bonuses

Ideally, a player would like to win some money and cash out, but your real money casino bets will be funded by your deposit first and bonus funds will only be used once your deposit amount has reached zero. If you don’t meet the wagering requirements, your bonus and winnings may be void.

With this in mind, all players should have a strategy devised to clear the bonus (you usually get 30 days maximum) and be allowed to withdraw funds from your account. Obviously you will need to stay in action long enough to clear the bonus. To start with, find a European single-zero wheel to cut the house edge in half.

Examples

Starting with a bankroll (deposit and bonus) of $1,000 that needs $60,000 in wagers is a daunting task. If you bet $10 on even number wagers like red/black or odd/even, you’ll have to make 6,000 bets. Assuming a house edge of 2.7%, making 6,000 $10 bets will cost a player $1,620, which means, unless you have some good luck, you will lose your deposit and bonus before even clearing the bonus.

Another strategy is making large wagers of say $100 with the hope of catching some luck up-front. With the larger bet you would need only 600 bets (you can easily play 150 spins in an hour) to clear your bonus. But, will you have any fun playing in this manner?

Players who try a double-up on a loss system like the Martingale may be lucky enough to clear the bonus quickly (because they will constantly have large bets in action), but they are likely to go broke quickly as any long string of losers will result in ruin.

However, a roulette system like the D’Alembert is nearly ideal for clearing a bonus. This is because you’ll get a lot of play in and will constantly have bets above the minimum in action as you increase and decrease your starting wager. But, if you lose seven straight bets in the Martingale system, you’d lose 123 units while those same losses in the D’Alembert system will only be 28 units.

Another great system for clearing a bonus is the 6 Pence Roulette System. It works well because you constantly have at least 6 chips in action and only increase your wager when you are winning, so the bankroll to start any session can be as low as 60 units. This gives you plenty of chances to catch a winning session where your wagers will be double or triple for long periods of time and can help clear any bonus more quickly.

You should keep in mind that the whole idea of placing a deposit to play online is to enjoy yourself – and perhaps win some bets. Any added bonus gives you a much better chance of winning. Just keep in mind that the casino always has the edge and that there are plenty of rules regulating your bonus withdrawal – including a time frame that usually ends in 30 days.