Wagering requirements: how much you must bet
A wagering requirement is the amount you must bet before bonus funds can be withdrawn. It is the single most important figure in any promotion. This guide explains how to calculate it, how sports-specific rules change it and how to estimate what clearing it costs on average.
The basic calculation
Multiply the amount the requirement applies to by the multiple. If a 30-unit bonus has a 5× requirement on the bonus only, you must bet 150 units. If it applies to bonus plus deposit (say 60 units together), the same multiple means 300 units. Read which base the terms use.
Minimum odds and bet types
For sports, only bets at or above the minimum odds count. In accumulators, the rule may apply to each leg — a three-leg ticket with one leg at 1.20 may not count even if the combined price is high — or only to the total. Some offers exclude system bets or count only settled bets, leaving out void, pushed and cashed-out bets.
Game contribution
Casino wagering often uses contribution rates: slots may count fully, table and live games partly or not at all. If a table game counts at 10 %, every 10 units staked there counts as 1 unit towards the requirement — ten times the work.
Estimating the cost
Multiply the turnover by the average margin or house edge. 150 units at a 5 % margin cost around 7.5 units on average. If that is a large share of the bonus, or if the deadline is short, the offer may not be worth taking.
Wagering and cash-out
Cash-out is the feature that most often surprises bettors with a bonus. Many offers do not count cashed-out bets towards wagering at all, and some prevent cash-out while bonus funds are in play. If you are used to closing bets early, check this before you accept. Likewise, a bet that ends void — a postponed match, for example — returns the stake but adds nothing to the requirement. Plan for a few such bets when estimating how long clearing will take.
The short version
Find the base and the multiple, check minimum odds and contribution, and estimate the average cost of the turnover before you accept. The current amount, percentage and conditions of any promotion are set by the operator and shown in the promotion terms — check them there before opting in.
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