Best Bingo Bonuses - September 2018

Bingo bonuses allow you to play at a site for longer after making an initial deposit and can be withdrawn as real cash if you meet the wagering requirements.

Bingo sites use these promotions as a way to stand out from the competition and entice new players to join. But how can you tell the difference between a great deal and an offer that really is too good to be true?

Read on as we explore the pros and cons below.

The definition of a bingo bonus

For the purpose of this category, bingo bonuses are:

One-time offers for new players, triggered by a real money first deposit.

They are not:

• No deposit bonuses - No up-front payment, but may later require a deposit to withdraw winnings.
• Reload bonuses - Available to existing players only.
• Free bingo sites, games or rooms - Without pay-to-play options.

You may also see them referred to welcome, first-deposit or sign-up offers.

How much will I get?

It is common to see the same promotion listed in different ways. Sites usually use a mixture of percentages, pounds and ‘play with’ promises to promote what you’ll get when you deposit.

Here’s an example of how an offer of £50 bonus cash with a £10 first deposit could be displayed:

• 500% bonus - £10 deposit + £50 bonus (10 x 500%) = £60 total
• Deposit £10, Play with £60 - £10 deposit + £50 bonus = £60 total
• 5 x deposit bonus - £10 deposit + £50 bonus (10 x 5) = £60 total
• £50 free bonus - £10 deposit + £50 bonus = £60 total

In all cases, the player’s original £10 deposit results in £50 of additional bonus cash, leaving a total of £60 to play with.

Some sites impose maximum deposit limits on offers, designed to cap the amount you can receive and protect the site from bonus abuse.

When will I receive my bonus?

Most sites credit your account with bonus funds as soon as you successfully deposit the minimum amount to qualify.

In some circumstances, you may have to actually spend or wager your real cash to trigger the bonus. You could do this by buying bingo tickets or playing slot games.

We highly recommend that you read the promotion’s terms and conditions in full before you sign up to any of our new bingo sites.

The deal with wagering and winnings

A site gave you £50 free and you won £100 in your first bingo game, all for just a ten pound deposit - easy!

Not quite. Your winnings are probably tied to complex wagering and withdrawal rules, preventing you from claiming what you won straight away.

Wagering dictates that you must re-spend your winnings repeatedly until you reach the level required to withdraw them.

Wagering is present on promotions across the gambling industry, from bingo and slots to casino and sports books. Here’s how it works.

A guide to bingo wagering

Going back to the example from earlier, our 500% welcome offer resulted in £50 bonus cash from a £10 deposit.

Typically, this £50 bonus would be tied to between four to eight times wagering (slots can be as high as 99x), meaning that you would have to turn it into a minimum of £200 before you can withdraw it.

You will need to consider how likely you are to achieve this and whether it justifies your original deposit. Note that in most circumstances, you will spend your real money funds automatically before your bonus cash.

Example 1: 4x bingo wagering (excluding deposit)

• Offer: 500% Bonus with £10 deposit
• Bonus cash: £50
• Real money: £10
• Wagering (4X): £50 x 4 = £200

Here, your real money deposit is not factored into the wagering calculation, but this is not always the case.

Example 2: 4 x bingo wagering (including deposit)

• Total funds £50 bonus + £10 deposit = £60
• Wagering (4X): £60 x 4 = £240

In this situation, you have to stake an additional £40 of bets (in the form of bingo tickets) before you can withdraw, as your deposit is included in the multiple.

You can find details of a site’s wagering requirement, plus its exact bonus offer, in the listings above. You can also click through for a more detailed analysis of the promotion from one of our experts.

Remember, when comparing bingo sites, bigger bingo bonuses are not necessarily better.

When can I withdraw?

Depending on which site you visit, you may lose part or all of your bonus cash if you make a withdrawal before you meet the wagering requirements.

Even then, you might find the amount you can withdraw as real money capped based on the terms of the promotion. Dragonfish sites, for example, impose a limit on slot bonus withdrawals at £400 plus the value of the first deposit.

Smaller withdrawals must meet the minimum withdrawal limit, regardless of whether they consist of real money, successfully wagered bonus funds or a combination of the two. Again, check the terms and conditions or read our reviews if in any doubt.

Split bonuses and free spins

Bingo sites are increasingly offering split bonus offers which can be used across both bingo, slot and casino games.

This type of giveaway usually involves a percentage split in favour of one or the other, and can also include additional free spins on a particular slot title.

Each aspect of the split bonus is often subjected to its own wagering rules which are defined within the offer T&Cs. Here’s an example:

• Offer: 300% bonus, split 60/40 between bingo and slots
• Deposit / Total Bonus £10 / £30
• Bingo Bonus: £18 (60% of £30) - 4x wagering
• Slot Bonus: £12 (40% of £12) - 25x wagering

Split bonuses allow you to try a greater range of games than a bonus which rewards just bingo or slots.

When free spins are included in UK promotions, it is the winnings from the spins that wagering is applied to. For example:

• Offer: 200% bonus (bingo only) + 20 free spins (capped at £10 win)
• Deposit: £10
• Bingo Bonus: £20 (200% of £10) - 4x wagering
• Possible free spins win: Up to £10 - 25x wagering

Top-up deals and tiered welcome offers

Some sites prefer to stretch sign-up perks and benefits over a longer period of time, beyond your first deposit.

Promotions usually consist of an overall bonus amount which is then claimed in two or more stages. To guarantee that you receive the full value of the offer, you must meet the particular requirements of each stage.

Here’s an example of a tiered reward for new players, advertised collectively as 175% Bonus + 100 free spins.

• First deposit: 100% bingo bonus + 50 free spins
• Second deposit: 50% bingo bonus + 25 free spins
• Third deposit: 25% bingo bonus + 25 free spins

You would have to make three separate £10 deposits to become eligible for the full amount.

In contrast, a seemingly lesser offer of150% bonus + 50 free spins at a different site may actually be better value and require a just a single £10 deposit to claim.

All of the first deposit and minimum deposit values listed on OnlineBingo reflect the bonus attached to your first deposit only, whether it is a standalone deal or part of a wider tiered promotion.

Free games for extra cash

From popping Nuts at Circus Bingo to spinning wheels of fortune, side games give you the chance to earn additional bingo cash or tokens.

The amount you can win from these giveaways is sometimes capped and will almost always be subject to some degree of wagering.

These free-to-play games are commonly made available following a successful deposit.

Free bet tax and the future of bingo bonuses

In March 2016, the UK government announced a proposal to impose 15% general betting duty on free or discounted online bets.

This was approved which means bingo and casino sites will have to pay tax on the free money they give away to players.

We have seen a large reduction of bonus offers following the tax taking effect in August 2017. Keep up to date with the latest developments in our news section.