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Wagering Requirements Explained: What a Bonus Really Costs

Published 23 March 2026 · Updated 18 September 2026

What is a wagering requirement?

A wagering requirement is the number of times you must bet your bonus amount before you can withdraw any winnings. It's the single most important number in any casino bonus — and the one most players overlook.

How to calculate the real cost

If a casino offers a $100 bonus with 35x wagering, you need to place $3,500 in total bets before withdrawing. That's $100 × 35 = $3,500.

At a typical slot RTP of 96%, you'd expect to lose about 4% of every dollar wagered. On $3,500 in wagers, that's roughly $140 in expected losses — more than the bonus itself.

The formula

  • Expected cost = Bonus amount × Wagering requirement × (1 - RTP)
  • $100 × 35 × 0.04 = $140

What's good, average, and bad?

WageringAssessment
No wageringExcellent — rare but exists
10x–25xGood — genuine value
25x–35xAverage — industry standard
35x–45xHigh — erodes most of the bonus value
50x+Poor — the bonus costs more than it's worth

The industry average is 35x. Frankly scores T&C fairness based on where a casino sits on this scale.

What else to watch for

  • Game weighting: Slots usually count 100%, but table games might count only 10%. If you prefer blackjack, a 35x requirement effectively becomes 350x.
  • Max bet limits: Most bonuses cap your bet size while wagering (often $5). Betting higher can void the bonus entirely.
  • Time limits: Some bonuses expire in 7 days. If you can't complete the wagering in time, you lose both the bonus and any winnings.
  • Max win caps: Some bonuses limit how much you can withdraw even after meeting wagering. A $100 bonus with a $500 max win cap means anything above $500 is forfeited.

The Frankly approach

Frankly rates every bonus on its actual terms, not its headline number. A "$1,000 bonus" with 60x wagering is objectively worse than a "$100 bonus" with 20x wagering. Our T&C Fairness score reflects this.