2 May 2025

Increase Your Chances of Winning Back With Winshark Online Casino

Slots

What is a wager in an online casino? A lot of gambling platforms offer bonuses, yet most of them have special requirements for withdrawal of such winnings. A wager is a multiplier that shows how many times you have to bet the bonus amount before you can withdraw your reward winnings. This way online casinos protect themselves from bonus abuse.

For example, a 25x betting requirement means you must wager the required amount 25 times before you’re allowed to withdraw. Let’s say a casino offers a 100% bonus up to $100 with a 25x wagering requirement (on the bonus amount only). Here’s how it works:

You deposit $100, receive a $100 bonus
Your total balance becomes $200
You now need to wager the $100 bonus amount 25 times
That’s $100 × 25 = $2,500

This means you must place bets totaling $2,500 before any winnings can be withdrawn.

Casinos use rewards as incentives, but they still want users to engage with their games. Bonuses are marketing tools, not giveaways. Wagering ensures that casinos manage risk while offering attractive promotions.

Players should pay a lot of attention to betting requirements as they directly impact the real winnings. The higher wager the casino requires, the lower your chances to profit. Also, your initial winnings can be locked because of the wagering. That’s why you should always check the bonus terms. Sometimes a lower wager brings more value than a larger reward.

In this guide, we’ll cover all you need to know to increase your chances of winning. Let’s see in detail how wagering works, how to meet the requirements successfully, and which common mistakes you should avoid.

How Wagering Works: Behind the Bonus Mechanics

If you want to make the most of the reward system in an online casino, you need to understand how the wager is calculated.

To begin with, always check if the wager is applied to the bonus or bonus and deposit. The first option is better for gamblers. The second option requires more gambling in total. Look:

You deposit $100, get a $100 reward, and the requirement is 25x on the reward only.

So, you must bet $2,500 before withdrawing winnings. Same $100 deposit and $100 reward, but the 25x is on both. You must wager twice more: ($100 + $100) × 25 = $5,000.

Secondly, not all games count the same when it comes to playthrough requirements. Different types of games contribute differently toward the total amount. This is how casinos control risk and steer players toward specific products.

For example, the terms may state that:

Slots contribute 100% — every $1 bet counts fully.
Table Games contribute 10–20% (or may be excluded).
Live Casino games are excluded.
High RTP games or low-volatility slots are excluded due to low house edge.

This means, if a roulette game has a 10% contribution rate, you’d have to bet $10 to count $1 toward the wagering total. Casinos publish a full list of contribution rates in their bonus terms — always review it before choosing which games to play.

Strategies to Successfully Clear Playthrough Requirement

Now that you know how playthrough requirements work, let’s find a way to successfully gamble with rewards. Here’s a step-by-step strategy:

Set your bankroll. Before you even activate a reward, decide how much money you’re comfortable putting at risk. This total should be an amount you can afford to lose without affecting your personal finances. A set bankroll creates a boundary, allowing you to control your spending and manage your sessions more effectively. You can even divide the bankroll into smaller parts to pace your play and avoid emotional decisions under pressure.
Set win and loss limits during wagering. These self-imposed limits help you avoid the most common trap of chasing losses or pushing your luck after a few wins. Sticking to these boundaries keeps your decision-making rational and reduces the risk of draining your account.
Choose games carefully. Focus on games that offer high return-to-player (RTP) percentages (96% or above) to maximize the amount of your wagered bets that comes back over time. At the same time, prioritize low or medium volatility games, which are designed to pay out smaller but more frequent wins. These games help maintain a stable balance during the grind of clearing a playthrough requirement.
Avoid high-risk bets. Large, inconsistent bets or playing volatile games might seem exciting, but they can deplete your balance quickly — often before you’ve made any significant progress. Keeping your risk level moderate ensures your funds last longer, giving you more opportunities to meet the target.
Optimize your bet sizing for steady progress. Your goal isn’t to win huge jackpots — it’s to steadily turn over the required amount. Betting too little slows progress to a crawl, while betting too much can wipe you out. The ideal approach is to maintain moderate, consistent bets that allow you to balance progress and survival. This steady rhythm helps you avoid dramatic swings and maintain focus on your long-term goal: clearing the requirement and cashing out.

With this structured approach you can treat casino rewards as calculated opportunities rather than unpredictable risks.

Can You Opt Out of a Bonus Wager?

In most online casinos you can cancel the bonus in order not to worry about the playthrough requirements. Yet, before pressing the Cancel button you need to understand how the reward cancellation works.

How to cancel a bonus in your account:

Open your personal account on the gambling platform.
Find the Bonus section and open it. There you will see the activated rewards.
Find the Cancel button and click on it.

Some online casinos may require confirmation via chat or email to cancel your bonuses. Especially, if you’ve already used the reward in your games.

Remember: if you’ve started the wagering and won some money, they may be lost with the cancellation of the bonus. This means, your bonus may drop to zero if you used the reward money only.

Let’s have a closer look at the pros and cons of opting out.

The advantages are:

You don’t need to wager your winnings.
You don’t need to meet strict requirements to withdraw the money.
You can just enjoy gambling and choose any games you want.

The disadvantages are:

You lose bonus money.
You lose money that you’ve won with bonus funds.
You play using only your real money.

Sometimes it’s better not to use the reward at all. For example, if it has a high wager or tough limits on bets and games.

Every online casino has its own rules regarding bonuses and their cancellation. Some platforms allow you to cancel the reward after using some part of it — while others don’t.

Always read terms and conditions carefully before gambling. While reading, pay special attention to these moments:

Can you cancel the bonus?
What are the conditions of cancellation?
What will happen to your winnings after cancellation of the reward?

So, usually you can cancel the bonus and playthrough requirements if you don’t want to limit yourself to certain games or bets.

No Wager Bonuses: Are They Worth It?

One more opportunity to enjoy the game without playthrough requirements is using or wager-free or no wager bonuses. Everything you win with such a reward can be withdrawn without any special requirements.

Example: you’ve received 20 free spins without playthrough requirements and won $10. Those money immediately add to your winnings and you can get it without wagering 10, 20, or 30 times. No limitations, just clear profit.

There are different types of such rewards:

No-wager spins. As we’ve already discussed, these are free spins where whatever you win is immediately added to your real money balance — no need to play it through multiple times.
No-wager cashback. This is a refund of a percentage of your net losses over a certain period, usually credited as real cash with no requirements attached. For example, if a casino offers 10% cashback and you lose $100, you get $10 back — and you’re free to withdraw or play with it instantly.
Fixed rewards. These are small cash amounts given as a reward — often for registration, loyalty, or special promotions — that are completely free from playthrough requirements. You might get $5 or $10 credited directly to your balance, and anything you do with it (and win from it) belongs to you right away.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Still, there are some pitfalls to be aware of:

Usually the amount of a no wager bonus is smaller compared to a bonus with playthrough requirements.
Wager-free bonuses aren’t that common. You’ll have to conduct a thorough research to find platforms that offer no-wagers.
There may be limitations of the maximum sum you can win with a no wager bonus (for example, $50 or less).

If you do not want to “bother” with playthrough requirements, no wager bonuses will definitely suit you. They may be less generous, but all the money won is yours from the very beginning.

5 Common Mistakes Players Make

While wagering the reward may seem simple, sometimes players lose their winnings because of avoidable mistakes. Let’s have a look at the common pitfalls, so that you could save your money:

Not reading the bonus terms. Many players skip the fine print and miss critical details like multipliers, time limits, max bets, or excluded games. This often leads to bonus cancellation or blocked withdrawals.
Using ineligible games. Some games — especially table games and live dealer titles — either don’t count at all or contribute a much lower percentage toward the playthrough requirement. Playing these can waste your time without making real progress.
Betting above the allowed limit. Most casino bonuses come with a max bet rule, often set at $5 per spin or round. If you place a higher bet while the reward is active, the casino can cancel your reward and any winnings from it.
Letting the reward expire. Bonuses usually have a time limit, such as 7, 14, or 30 days. If you don’t meet the playthrough requirement within that period, the reward and all related winnings are automatically forfeited.
Switching between excluded slots. Some slot games are excluded from bonus wagering or can void your progress if used. Players often switch between games without checking the bonus terms, risking their entire balance.

So, now you know what to avoid while wagering your bonus funds.

Real User Scenarios: Clearing a Wager Step-by-Step

Let’s have a walkthrough of a real user scenario: how to clear a wager without losing temper and money.

Meet Daniel — a casual player who decided to make the most of a welcome bonus. He deposited $100 at an online casino and received a $100 reward with a 35x wagering requirement on the reward amount. That meant he needed to bet $3,500 before he could withdraw any winnings.

Instead of jumping into any game, Daniel took a planned approach. He chose a slot with a 96.5% RTP and low volatility, aiming for frequent small wins that would help keep his balance stable. He started betting $1.20 per spin — a conservative amount that allowed him to play longer without risking big chunks of his bankroll.

He also set clear rules: stop playing for the day if his balance dropped below $120 or went above $250. That way, he avoided emotional decisions and kept a steady rhythm. After a few sessions, his balance climbed to $260, and he had completed nearly half of the betting requirement.

Daniel stuck to the same strategy — low-risk games, consistent bet sizing, and regular breaks. By day four, he had successfully gambled the full $3,500 and had $310 in his account. He withdrew $300 and kept $10 for casual spins.

The takeaway? With the right strategy, patience, and discipline, clearing a playthrough requirement is possible — even with a modest budget. Daniel didn’t rely on luck. He played smart, and it paid off.

Final Thoughts

Summing up, playthrough requirements can be a tricky thing if you don’t pay proper attention to terms and conditions of the platform you play on. Remember that rewards are designed to be marketing tools, not guaranteed profits for players. Stay responsible and follow your own limits for gambling to be a thrilling adventure rather than a challenge to overcome.

Take time to read the rules, choose offers wisely, and don’t rush the process. A smart, patient approach often leads to a better experience — and sometimes even a successful cashout.