Wagering calculator
See how much you have to bet to clear a casino bonus, what that is expected to cost you, and whether the bonus is worth taking.
Your bonus
Amounts have no currency. Use any unit you like, as long as it is the same in every box.
Use 0 for a no-deposit bonus.
What the casino adds on top.
The x in the terms: 35 for 35x.
The share of each bet that counts.
100 minus RTP. Many slots are 3 to 6.
Result
- Expected value of the bonus
- −40.00
Costs you money on average
The wagering is expected to cost you more than the bonus is worth.
- Bonus
- 100.00
- Total to wager
- 3,500.00
- Expected loss while clearing
- 140.00
What this assumes
- Expected value is an average over many tries. Your own result will be higher or lower.
- Swings in luck (variance) are not modelled. You can run out of money before the wagering is done.
- Maximum bet and maximum cash-out rules are not modelled. Both can make a bonus worth less.
How the number is worked out
A bonus comes with a wagering requirement: you have to place a set amount in bets before you can cash out. Every bet costs a little on average, because the house has an edge. The calculator adds up that cost and takes it off the bonus.
- Wagering requirement = multiplier × bonus. If the terms apply the wagering to deposit plus bonus, it is multiplier × (deposit + bonus).
- Total to wager = wagering requirement ÷ game contribution. On a game that counts 50%, each 1 you bet clears only 0.50, so you have to bet twice as much.
- Expected loss = total to wager × house edge.
- Expected value = bonus − expected loss.
The verdict says roughly break-even when the expected value is within 5% of the bonus, above or below zero. More than that above zero is worth it on average. More than that below zero costs you money on average.
A worked example
You deposit 100.00 and get a bonus of 100.00. The terms ask for 35x wagering on the bonus only. You play a slot that counts 100% and has a house edge of 4%, which is an RTP of 96%.
- Total to wager: 35 × 100.00 = 3,500.00
- Expected loss: 3,500.00 × 4% = 140.00
- Expected value: 100.00 − 140.00 = −40.00
On average this bonus costs you money. If the same 35x applied to deposit plus bonus, you would wager 7,000.00, expect to lose 280.00, and the expected value would be −180.00.
What this leaves out
- It is an average. Expected value is what you would get per try if you took the same bonus a great many times. On one try, anything can happen.
- Swings in luck. Variance is not modelled. You can run out of money before the wagering is done, and then the bonus is gone too.
- Maximum bet and maximum cash-out. Many bonuses cap the size of each bet and the amount you can withdraw. Neither is modelled, and both can make a bonus worth less than the figure shown.
- Bonuses you cannot withdraw. The calculator treats the bonus as money you keep once the wagering is done. Some bonuses are taken back when you cash out. Those are worth less than the figure shown.
- Time limits and excluded games. A bonus can expire, and some games do not count at all. Read the terms of the bonus you are looking at.
- What it is compared with. The expected value is measured against not playing at all. It is not a reason to play more than you planned.
18+ only. These tools help you understand the odds. They do not beat them. Gambling carries real financial risk and is not a way to make money. Only bet what you can afford to lose, and get help from a local support service if it stops being fun.