Wagering Requirements Explained
Written by James Meadowcroft
Wagering requirements, sometimes called rollover requirements, are conditions attached to many casino-style bonuses and some sportsbook bonuses that specify how many times you must stake the bonus amount before any related winnings can be withdrawn. They exist to stop bonus funds being deposited and withdrawn immediately without any real play, and they directly affect how easy or difficult it is to actually benefit from a bonus. A bonus with a low headline value but a low wagering requirement can be more useful in practice than a larger bonus that requires a high multiple of turnover, so understanding how to calculate the total is an important part of comparing offers properly.
What a wagering requirement actually means
If a bonus carries a 35x wagering requirement, it means you must place bets totalling 35 times the bonus amount before you can withdraw any winnings connected to that bonus. This is a cumulative total across multiple bets, not a single wager.
How to calculate the total turnover required
The calculation is straightforward: multiply the bonus amount by the wagering requirement multiple. For example, a £20 bonus with a 35x wagering requirement means £20 × 35 = £700 of total stakes needed before withdrawal is possible.
Some operators apply the wagering requirement to the bonus plus the qualifying deposit combined, rather than the bonus alone, which significantly increases the total turnover needed. Always check exactly which amount the multiple is applied to.
Game weighting
Not all bets usually count equally toward a wagering requirement. Slots often count 100% of the stake, while table games such as roulette or blackjack may count a much smaller percentage — sometimes 10% or less — because of their lower house edge. This means playing a low-weighted game can take far longer to clear a wagering requirement than the headline multiple might suggest.
Time limits
Wagering requirements are almost always attached to a deadline, commonly somewhere between 7 and 30 days. If the requirement is not met within that window, any remaining bonus funds and related winnings are typically forfeited.
A worked example
A player receives a £50 casino bonus with a 40x wagering requirement on the bonus amount, weighted 100% on slots. They need to stake £50 × 40 = £2,000 in total on slots before any bonus-related winnings can be withdrawn. If the same player instead played a table game weighted at 10%, they would need to stake £20,000 in equivalent terms to clear the same requirement, since only a tenth of each stake counts.
Why lower requirements and shorter time windows matter
When comparing two offers, a smaller bonus with a 10x wagering requirement and a 30-day window is often more achievable than a larger bonus with a 50x requirement and a 7-day window. The headline bonus value alone does not tell you how realistic it is to clear the requirement, so always read the full terms, including game weighting and the expiry period, before deciding an offer is worthwhile. Gambling should be treated as entertainment, not a source of income, and if you need support, BeGambleAware.org provides free, confidential advice. You must be 18 or over to gamble.
FAQs
- What does a 35x wagering requirement mean?
- It means you must place total bets equal to 35 times the bonus amount before any winnings linked to that bonus can be withdrawn. For a £20 bonus, that's £700 of cumulative stakes.
- Do all games count the same towards wagering requirements?
- No. Operators apply different weightings — slots often count fully towards the requirement, while table games like roulette or blackjack can count as little as 10% of each stake, due to their lower house edge.
- Is the wagering requirement applied to the bonus or the deposit too?
- This varies by operator. Some apply the multiple only to the bonus amount, while others apply it to the bonus plus the qualifying deposit combined, which increases the total turnover needed. Always check the individual offer's terms.
- What happens if I don't clear the wagering requirement in time?
- Wagering requirements usually come with a time limit, often between 7 and 30 days. If you don't meet the requirement within that window, the bonus funds and any related winnings are typically forfeited.