Deposit Bonus
To get a deposit bonus when you join or gamble at a casino site, you need to make a deposit and transfer money into your casino account. There is no way to obtain this type of bonus without completing a valid deposit that meets the minimum and/or maximum deposit requirements, and they can usually only be activated once per player.
There are deposit bonuses also for returning players, but a welcome deposit bonus refers to the bonus reward you get when you deposit money into your casino account for the very first time after joining. You cannot get a welcome deposit bonus if you are already an active player, and you would have to join another casino in order to obtain another one.
In Canada, these are among the absolute most popular and also most common bonus offers for new players, and they tend to make up at least a part of almost every welcome bonus out there. To casinos, it’s a way to make sure you won’t just abandon ship once receiving your bonus, and that you’ll hopefully get motivated enough to continue playing with your own money once the bonus money runs out.
No Deposit Bonus
While not as common in Canada, there are also welcome bonuses that don’t require you to make any deposits at all. These are often referred to as “no deposit bonuses,” effectively telling you that you can get a prize or reward without having to use your own money for anything at all. The catch may be challenging wagering requirements, but we will discuss that more in just a bit.
No deposit bonuses are great for those who aren’t feeling ready to invest just yet, and who would rather try out a casino before they make up their minds. Sometimes you may be required to create an account before you can activate a no deposit bonus, and other times it could potentially be enough to simply visit the site.
Finding no deposit bonuses used to be easier, but most online gambling sites have now added deposit requirements to their welcome packages. Don’t be discouraged though, as there are still quite a few out there waiting to be found.
Cash Match Bonus
When we talk about match bonuses, we are referring to a bonus where the casino matches the amount you deposit. These can, for understandable reasons, only be given out as deposit bonuses, since your deposited amount directly affects the size of your bonus. A 100% cash matching bonus like this essentially doubles your money and gives you the value of your deposit up to a certain amount.
Let’s say you deposit 100 CAD into your account, and the casino offers a 100% cash match on deposits up to 200 CAD. This means you’ll get an extra 100 CAD added to your account, and your total account balance will therefore be 200 CAD.
The more you deposit, the more “free” cash you get from the casino, but keep in mind that you’ll most likely need to wager any bonus money you choose to receive in accordance with the bonus terms and conditions.
Percentage Match Bonus
A percentage match bonus is similar to a 100% match bonus, only here you get a smaller percentage of your deposit. It is not unusual for a casino welcome package to contain both types, where you get 100% extra on your first deposit, and (for example) 50% extra on your second deposit and 25% on your third.
It is not too common for a percentage match bonus to be your only welcome bonus, as most casino sites either give you a 100% cash matching bonus on your first deposit or something completely different. Percentage matches of less than 100% are more common as part of the package on a future deposit than they are on your very first casino deposit.
In this example, you might deposit 100 CAD again and get a 50% cash match bonus, which would then boost your total to 150 CAD. These types of bonuses give you a lot more money to play with, but the only catch is that you tend to need to fulfil certain terms (wagering requirements) before the money becomes yours to withdraw.
Free Spins
Who doesn’t love slots? With free spins, you get to play more with less money, and you get to watch the cash (hopefully) rolling in without spending anything on your bets. Free spins are very common in welcome bonus packages, and a great way for casino sites to attract new players. If the site offers a free spin welcome bonus, you are likely to see it plastered all over the casino front page.
You might be familiar with free play via demo mode, where you get to gamble for free without having to register at a casino nor make a deposit, but the downside there is that you don’t win any real money. That’s not the case when you get free spins as part of a welcome bonus, as these give you the opportunity to win without paying anything extra.
Free Bets
Don’t forget that welcome bonuses aren’t only for slot players! Those who enjoy sports betting and odds can also get lucky and find welcome bonuses containing ideal perks for their gambling preferences, and free bets is one of the existing bonuses for sports enthusiasts! Finding these may require additional research, as you need to find a site with a sports book and a sports bonus.
Using the free bets in your welcome package is a great way to get started for someone who is new to sports betting, as it gives you the chance to place bets on new things without having to pay. Experienced sports betting fans can also make clever use of this bonus by raising their bets and playing with more money.
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