What is Casino Bonus Money?

Because the gambling industry is such a competitive field, casinos are always thinking of ways to attract customers to them. One of them is the Casino Bonus Money.

There are various kinds of casino bonus money, but the first you will encounter is the Sign-Up Bonus or Welcome Bonus. You deposit money and the casino gives you, say, a 25% or 100% bonus to add to your bankroll.

Now this sounds great, and it is meant to. But of course there is no such thing as a free lunch, and of all things casinos should not be relied on for generosity. After all, they are after your money. So the catch is, you cannot withdraw the bonus money until you have made a certain minimum amount of bets. This betting minimum is termed Wager Requirement. It is also known as the Play Through or Terms and Conditions.

Why is there a WR? Because casinos need to protect themselves. If every smart gambler were able to quit while they were ahead - say, getting a Four of a Kind early in Video Poker - then the houses would be losing money. So as a counter-measure against these smart players, WR was created.

Read these Terms and Conditions very carefully before you sign up. This will have a definite effect on your gambling strategy, which is why some expert gamblers don't like to use them.

Now how do you take advantage of the Casino Bonus Money? You can rely on luck, or you can play smart like the pros do. Here is how:

First, play only stable games that give you a real chance of winning; in other words, games that require skill and do not depend solely on chance. Now you know part of the reason why Video Poker and Blackjack are so popular.

Second, once you have chosen a game, learn the strategies that professional gamblers use for that game. Optimal strategy or play reduces the casino's mathematical advantage over you. You will still lose money, technically, but since part of your budget will be the casino's money, you in fact lose nothing. You lose a little of the bonus money, and keep the rest.

Third, make sure you meet the Wager Requirement. Learn to restrain your betting until you arrive at the minimum requirement. Then play some more (in order not to be suspect) and when you're happy with the profits you've made, you can withdraw and cash in.

We recommend Blackjack as the first game you should try. It is very easy to learn and strategies for it abound on the Net. To practice with a playing and betting system, just download a free Blackjack program or sign up for with an online casino and practice there. Most good casinos will let you do that for free. When you are ready to play, make sure you do so only in trusted houses that have been reviewed by equally trustworthy casinos directories. Good luck!