How to claim a bonus
So far you have researched your casinos, chosen the one you want to play in and you have read the Terms and Conditions. What’s more, you are now ready to make your deposit and receive that all important bonus. The good news is that claiming a bonus is usually pretty straightforward, but as every casino is different, we have created this guide to help you along the way.
Some bonuses that you can claim are automatically credited when you make a deposit, while others will require you to enter some kind of bonus code. Before you even accept the bonus, you need to read the Terms and Conditions of the bonus and be clear as to whether or not your bonus needs a code or not. If it does require a code and you make a deposit without entering this code, you will not receive the bonus and the casino's support team may not be willing to add the bonus.
If the bonus you want to claim does require you to enter a bonus code, this is usually pretty straightforward. Bonus codes can be found on the casino’s website in their promotions section visibly close to the particular bonus that you wish to claim, but also on affiliate sites like AskGamblers. Sometimes a casino will not advertise a bonus code, but you will be able to pick up exclusive bonus code from the affiliate site in order to get yourselves a bigger or better bonus with more benefits. Whether you are a new player claiming a sign up bonus or an existing player grabbing a reload bonus, the process of actually claiming the bonus that requires the code is pretty much the same. Bonus codes are usually made up of a mixture of numbers and letters and it is vitally important that you have the exact bonus code as it reads. Entering the wrong bonus code when you deposit could result in you not receiving the bonus.
Once you have your bonus code ready, you can proceed to make your deposit. If the casino requires you to enter a code, there will be a visible field for you to enter your bonus code while making your deposit. It should say something like ‘Bonus Code’. The process could not be easier; you simply enter the code you have and make your deposit. If the code you have entered is not valid or if you have entered the code incorrectly, some casinos will not let you proceed with the deposit until you enter a valid bonus code. If the code you enter does not work, you should double check you have the right code or you can also contact the casino's support to check that the code is still valid. It is always worthwhile taking a minute to speak to live chat to confirm your code is valid for you before making your deposit to avoid any disappointment.
Alternatively, some casinos will not require you to enter a code, but will have a few bonuses that you can accept that you are entitled to with your deposit. Let’s say, for an example, that you are making a deposit at a casino that offers both a casino bonus and a sportsbook bonus. When you go to the cashier to make your deposit, you may be able to select which of these bonuses you would like to receive with your deposit.
Once you have entered a valid bonus code and made a successful deposit, most online casinos will credit your bonus code instantly to your account. However, this can vary to some casinos, so it is always advisable to check these timeframes before you make a deposit. Providing the bonus has been instantly credited to your account, you will see in your balance your original deposit plus your bonus and you will be free to start playing with it and working through your wagering requirements. Some casinos will just add both of the balances together to make one balance, while other casinos will have two separate bankrolls: your real money balance and your bonus balance. Either way you will know that your bonus code has worked as your balance will reflect this. You may also be able to see this information in your transaction history where it will show that a bonus was added to your account with a date and time stamp.
In the unfortunate event that the bonus code did not work and you do not receive the bonus, you will need to contact the casino's support team. Hopefully, the casino you have chosen will have a live chat facility and they will be able to resolve the issue for you straight away. If the casino does not have a live chat option, you will need to email them straight away, giving them as much information as possible and wait for them to respond. Do not play with your real money; the likelihood is you will need to have the full deposit amount in your account for them to manually award the bonus to you. If you do make any bets or wagers with your original deposit, they may refuse to add the bonus.
That being said, some casinos nowadays do not even require you to enter a bonus code, especially for sign up bonuses. If this is the case, claiming your bonus is even easier. All you need to do is make sure that you are eligible for the bonus before you make your deposit and then make your deposit. Once you have done this, the bonus is usually instantly credited to your account. All that is left to do is start playing your favourite games.
In some casinos you will be required to contact support with the bonus code after you have made a deposit. This can often be the case for reload bonuses. Once you have claimed a few bonuses, all this will just come second nature to you. Just to reiterate, always check beforehand whether or not the bonus you want requires a bonus code and you’ll be all set.