How To Compare And Evaluate No Deposit Bonuses

This guide helps you navigate the myriad of bonus offers and spot the best deals. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about casino bonuses and how to choose ones best tailored to your preferences.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

  • Learn About Important Bonus Terms: Learn which bonus terms matter and how they impact your chances of turning a bonus into real money you can withdraw.
  • Discover How To Compare Bonuses: We’ll teach you how to accurately compare bonuses to ensure you pick ones that offer good value. We’ll give you definite benchmarks that you can use to quickly gauge if a bonus is worth claiming.
  • Learn Which Bonuses You Should Away From: Learn how to instantly spot subpar bonuses so you don’t waste your time on offers that give you little to no chance of cashing out real money.

Table of Contents

Why Should You Evaluate And Compare Free Casino Bonuses?

Put simply, you should compare and evaluate casino bonuses to ensure you get the best possible chance of winning and turning bonus winning into real money.

Here are the four main reasons you shouldn’t just pick the first bonus you lay your eyes on:

  • To Make Fair Bonus Comparisons: You want to make fair comparisons to pick the best bonus for your preferences. By assessing a bonus value along with its terms and conditions, you’ll know exactly how valuable it is and how it compares to other offers.
  • To Win Real Money: By assessing wagering requirements and win limits specifically, you can pick bonuses that give you the best chance of turning bonus wins into real money and allow you to withdraw a reasonable amount.
  • To Enjoy The Experience: You want to find and claim bonuses that you can use on games you genuinely enjoy.
  • To Pick Quality Casinos: You want to play at quality casinos that offer quality games and quick payments. You also want to ensure they have adequate security standards and responsible gambling tools.

How To Properly Evaluate A No Deposit Bonus

There are a few key aspects to look at when evaluating no deposit bonuses. You want to ensure the bonus offers good value and that its bonus terms give you a reasonable chance to convert bonus winnings to real money.

Here are the four most important aspects to consider:

  • Value: The bonus amount is an important starting point. However, a high bonus value alone doesn’t guarantee it’s a good offer. You must consider how it aligns with other terms and conditions, such as wagering requirements and win limits. A decent bonus should be worth $5 or more.
  • Wagering Requirements: These requirements specify how many times you need to wager the bonus amount before you can withdraw any winnings. For instance, a 20x wagering requirement on a $10 bonus means you must bet $200 to turn the bonus into real money. See our article on wagering requirements for more information on bonus wagering.
  • Win Limits: These caps restrict the maximum amount you withdraw from your bonus winnings. These limits range from $10 to $200.
  • Eligible Games: You need to consider which games you can use the bonus on. No deposit bonuses are eligible on most slots, while free spins are limited to one or a few specific games. You want to ensure you can use the bonus on slots with high RTP and low-to-medium volatility to get the best possible chance of winning and wagering your bonus.

What Bonus Terms Can You Expect?

When evaluating a no deposit bonus, things that need to be considered are the bonus value, wagering requirements, and win limits. These three terms and conditions determine the bonus’s true value.

Use these simple benchmarks to determine if a bonus’ is subpar, average, or excellent:

TermStandard Values
Bonus Value$10-$20: Typical; >$20: Good; $50+: Great; >$100: Very rare
Wagering Requirement<30x: Great; 30x-40x: Average; 40x-50x: High; >50x: Poor
Win Limits<$10: Subpar; $10-$20: Acceptable; $20-$50: Good; $50-$150: Great

How To Compare Bonuses That You’ve Evaluated

Once you’ve determined an offer has acceptable terms and conditions, you can compare different bonuses to find the best deal. This will always be a balancing act, as no bonus will tick all the boxes. Therefore, it’s good to know what to prioritize when choosing the right casino bonus.

When To Prioritise What

Finding the right bonus is a give-and-take. You’ll always have to compromise to find the bonus best suited to your preferences.

Here are a few simple guidelines that help you make the right choices:

  • Low wagering requirements: Wagering requirements of 30x or less are ideal when your main focus is to convert your bonus to real money. The trade-off may be quite restrictive win limit and fairly small bonus value.
  • High win limits: When you’re willing to accept lower chances of converting the bonus if it means potentially cashing out a significant amount.  A high win limit would be $100 or more.
  • Few game restrictions: When you prioritize entertainment value. If you enjoy playing quality slots, this option allows you to play your favourite games, even if it means a reduced chance of converting the bonus to real money.

When You Shouldn’t Bother With A No Deposit Bonus

As no deposit bonuses are free there are few arguments for not claiming them. However, with so many offers to choose from, you can afford to be picky and avoid subpar offers.

Here are a few warning signs that suggest you should look for a better bonus:

  • Bonuses Worth Less Than $5 – These offer little play value and hardly any chance to win anything substantial.
  • Wagering Requirements Above 50X—The industry standard is between 30-40x, so there’s no reason to claim a bonus that gives you little chance of wagering your winnings.
  • Win Limits Below $10—These are way too low, particularly compared to the majority of casinos that offer far more generous limits.
  • More Than 50 Excluded Games—This restriction defeats the main purpose of gambling and reduces the pastime’s entertainment value. Limited game choice reduces most, if not all, of the enjoyment of using the bonus.

Learn More About No Deposit Bonuses

Our team of casino experts is always working tirelessly to research and provide you with insightful tips and tricks, and guides to make your overall gambling experience a smooth sailing one.

Here are some detailed articles covering a wide range of subjects related to choosing, using, and maximizing no deposit bonuses:

  • How To Win With No Deposit Bonuses: This article provides strategies and tips to increase your chances of winning with no deposit bonuses. It covers essential tactics for different casino games.
  • No Deposit Bonuses Vs. Deposit Bonuses: Discover the key differences between no deposit bonuses and deposit bonuses, including the pros and cons of each to help you make informed decisions and pick the deal that suits you best.
  • Beginner’s Guide To Free Spins: A comprehensive guide if you’re a beginner, where you learn how free spins work, how to claim them, and the best practices to maximize your winnings.
  • Beginner’s Guide To No Deposit Casinos: Learn about no deposit casinos, how they work, and the steps to get started, perfect if you’re new to the concept.
  • Bonus Terms And Conditions: Understand the critical terms and conditions associated with bonuses, why they should never be overlooked, and ensure you know what to look for to avoid common pitfalls and make the most of your bonuses.

About the Author

Hi, I'm Laura Simpson, the Chief Editor at climatesmart.citieschallenge.org - With hundreds of reviews and thousands of no deposit bonuses, climatesmart.citieschallenge.org is certainly your one-stop destination for free online gambling. Our bonuses are updated daily and we pride ourselves on providing the highest percentage of working bonus, worldwide.