Are Live Casino Bonuses Traps or Free Betting Opportunities?

These days, you'd be hard-pressed to find an online casino that doesn't pile on the bonuses and other sweeteners. But when it comes to these online casino bonuses, the jury is still very much out. While casinos are quick to promote these offers as giving players a free run at the games, sceptics argue they're more like cleverly disguised traps. So, after reading this post, you'll know whether those live casino bonuses are actually worth grabbing, or if they're just shiny bait.

What Exactly Are Online Casino Bonuses in Ireland?

Put simply, bonuses are free bet credits that Irish live dealer casinos hand out when you sign up or reach a certain milestone. For instance, a live casino might offer to match your first deposit up to a certain figure. If you're lucky, you might even snag a bonus with no deposit required.

Here are the most common bonuses you'll find available to Irish players:

• No deposit bonuses: Claimed by players just for successfully creating a casino account. A great way to start without risking your own cash.
• Deposit bonuses: This welcome offer is for new players making their first deposit. The casino often doubles or even triples your initial stake.
• Reload bonuses: These are bonuses for subsequent deposits after your first. The casino might match your second, third, fourth, or fifth deposit.
• Free spins: These bonus spins are often given to both new and existing players, usually on specific slot games.
• Cashback: This is a refund on a portion of your lost stakes over a specific period, which could be weekends, Fridays, or even an entire week.

From the casino's perspective, these bonuses are essentially marketing tools designed to draw in new players and keep loyal customers engaged. The vast majority of players wouldn't think twice about claiming free bet credits from an online casino. They reckon these bonuses give them a chance to explore the casino's game library risk-free. But is that really the case? Read on to find out!

Are Live Casino Bonuses Worthwhile?

Here is the thing: skipping free lunches at the casino is unwise. New players should start slowly with their bankrolls and increase their bets gradually after learning the ropes. As for loyal players, online casino bonuses offer an excellent opportunity to limit real money spending. VIP players can also get unique treatments like personal account managers, holiday trips, and unique tournament invitations.

But as enticing as they come, bonuses can be "plastic carrots" dangled by casinos to fool players. This is true, especially if you don't know how to handpick the best live casino bonuses. Most bonuses at the best live casino sites have wagering requirements. This is essentially the number of times to play using the reward before cashing out any winnings. 1

Take this: a live casino can give players a $1,000 match deposit bonus with a 30x wagering requirement. So, if a player deposits $1,000, the casino will reward them with an equal amount in a non-withdrawable amount. The best they can get from this bonus is to withdraw the winnings after meeting the play-through requirement. In this example, eligible players must wager $3,000 before requesting a payout, meaning they spend more on the casino.

The 'Evil' House Edge

Do you know why live casino games and table games rarely qualify for bonus use? The casinos know that your chances of winning a wager in these games are almost 50%. Take live blackjack, for instance. An expert card counter can reduce the house's mathematical advantage to less than 0.50%. In some poker variants, like Double Bonus and Double Double Bonus, skilled players can enjoy more than 100% RTP rates if they use an optimal strategy.

When claiming online casino bonuses, it's critical to consider the house edge. This is true with free spins, which are exclusive slot bonuses. If a casino offers spin rewards on games with higher return rates, your chance of withdrawing a decent win amount after fulfilling the playthrough requirements also increases. So, the casino can give you hundreds of free spins, knowing you won't win much on the unfriendly slot machine.

Other Live Casino Bonus Considerations

It's generally agreeable that the wagering requirements and the house edge are critical when choosing a bonus. A lower wagering requirement is easier to meet, meaning you'll withdraw your cash a lot sooner. On the other hand, a lower house edge is good for your overall gameplay.

But a player-friendly live casino bonus goes beyond these two critical pointers. Read the bonus terms and understand the bonus validity period and the bet limits. These two go hand in hand because they will help determine how soon you can fulfill the play-through requirements.

A casino bonus should have a reasonable timeframe to fulfill the requirements. There's no point claiming a $1,000 prize with a 7-day duration. Of course, that's unless you can make $10 or $20 bets per spin and have a considerable bankroll. But remember, the house edge becomes more ruthless with more bets you make.

It's also essential to compare the bonus offers on the market. Although the size should be the sticking point when choosing casino bonuses, a website can have a bigger package with tenable conditions. For example, a $1,000 bonus with a 30x play through requirement is always better than a $500 bonus at the same rates.

Do Live Casinos Offer Bonuses?

For a start, live casino games are part of the general online casino service, which includes slots, table games, and specialty games. Some gambling websites can even provide sports betting services. In short, all live casino sites offer bonuses and promotions to loyal and new players.

But unlike RNG table games, which often contribute to the wagering requirements, live casino games don't. That's because it costs a fortune to set up a live casino studio with professional employees, omnidirectional cameras, tables, and more. Players must often make a minimum real money bet to play live games. But thankfully, the bet limits can be as low as $0.10.

So, why should live casino players claim bonuses? First, use the rewards to sharpen your table game skills by playing the RNG versions for free. In addition, players can win a payout from the casino bonuses. If that happens, withdraw a portion of it and leave the rest for playing live casino games by Evolution, NetEnt, Microgaming, and so on. That's still playing for free!

Take it up Today!

This detailed guide should dispel all your fears and worries about live casino bonuses. While live games often don't qualify for bonus use, lucky players can win money from the rewards and use the winnings to play live titles. But remember to confirm the bonus wagering requirement, game's house edge, validity period, and bet limits. Give the bonus a clean bill of health if it ticks all these boxes discussed in this write-up.