If the online casinos are famous for one thing, it has to be the bonuses they offer. No land-based offline casino would even consider going the great lengths their online counterparts do in order to stretch their customers’ dollar as much as possible. One can even say that the bonus is a quintessential part of what an online casino ought to be.
There are many types of casino bonuses, which can be subdivided even further, depending on the criteria used. But today we will focus on two of the main ones – the no deposit bonus and the deposit bonus. With both options available at nearly every online casino today, understanding the differences between the two and what one should consider when choosing which one to claim, is very important.
Pros and Cons of the no deposit bonuses
Pros:
- Absolutely free money
- No Risk
- Withdraw real money
Cons:
- Smaller size
- Max Cashout
- Higher playthrough
Let’s begin with the no-deposit bonus, since our website is dedicated to finding the best ones for the top casinos.
The pros of the no deposit bonuses are very easy to spot. Essentially you will get a bunch of free casino money to play the games, without having to make any deposits in order to claim the bonus. On top of that, you can withdraw real money if your game-play is lucky. These are the main selling points of the no-deposit bonus. The ability to win and cash out real money without having to risk anything in return.
Of course, the online casinos are hardly in the business to simply hand out free money to their players. The no deposit bonuses do have a few cons, and no guide would be complete without mentioning those.
The main shortcoming of the no-deposit bonus has to be the max cashout amount. Unlike most deposit bonuses, all of the no deposit bonuses come with a maximum amount of real money you can withdraw out of your winnings. This is, in our book, the biggest con of the no deposit bonus – that there is a limit to how much money you can win when claiming the bonus.
The size of the actual no deposit bonus also tends to be on the small side. Regardless of whether it comes as free spins on a video slot machine or as free chips you can spend on any of the games, the no-deposit bonus could rarely be called “large”. But when you consider that it is essentially free money, it’s often more than enough to make a few bills from the casino.
Another major “con” is certainly the higher wagering requirements the no-deposit bonuses have in their terms and conditions. It’s nothing extraordinarily large, but there are certainly higher than a standard bonus. Having to cover higher playthrough numbers, especially if the no-deposit bonus is of the free spins type, could take quite a while, although on the plus side, you get to play longer and have more fun, for free.
Deposit bonuses: The differences from the no-deposit
Pros:
- Large Amounts
- No limit on how much you can win
- Lower wagering requirements
- Higher availability
Cons:
- Must make a deposit
- Risk your own money
The deposit bonuses, on the other hand, as you may have already guessed it, require that the player makes a deposit first, before they can receive free ships from the casino. But this is not where all the differences end.
For starters, the regular deposit bonuses rarely have a maximum cashout amount. This means that unlike with the no-deposit bonus, here there is no limit on how much money you can not only win, but withdraw, as well. For some people, this difference alone is enough to opt out for the deposit bonus.
Another reason many people prefer to redeem a deposit-based bonus is the sheer size of the free money you can get. Even if we set aside the welcome bonus, which is the largest deposit bonus you can get at the online casino, there are plenty of match bonuses you can redeem that would easily double and sometimes even triple your bankroll right away. The sizable free addition to your casino purse not only gives you more free money to play with but also improves your chances to come out a winner at the end. Sure, you do have to stake some of your own money in the process, but what you get in return is totally worth it.
The standard deposit bonuses are also enjoying much higher availability than the no-deposit offers. Every online casino today will have multiple match bonuses available at any given time and some of the top casinos have even gone on to offer reload bonuses on every deposit you make at the casino. Meanwhile, the no deposit bonuses do require some hunting in order to find and claim them.
[TABLE OF PROS CONS FOR EACH or maybe before each one of them]
What to consider when choosing between the two
If you have to choose between the these two types of bonuses, certain considerations must be taken into account. The first and most important one is what you value most. Do you want to completely remove risk out of the gambling equation by going with a no deposit bonus, while sacrificing the possibility of winning a lot at the casino? The opportunity to win actual money without having to risk anything on your side is a huge plus for many people, which is why the no deposit bonus codes are so popular.
Or do you prefer to get the largest amount of free casino money possible? For many people the limitations of the no deposit bonuses are just too much to bear, while the allure of doubling (or more) your starting casino bankroll is too strong to ignore. With a match bonus you will get more money, have smaller wagering requirements to cover before you cash out, and with most of them – you will have no limit on the real money you can withdraw from the casino.
But in the end, the best part is that at some of the best casinos you don’t really have to choose either or. If you visit our home page, you can find plenty of no deposit bonus codes at the same casinos which also offer a lot of regular deposit-based bonuses and promotions. You can try your luck by claiming the no-deposit bonuses first, then go with the deposit bonus options once you have exhausted the former codes. It’s literally a win-win situation for any casino player.
