Wagering requirements calculator
Enter the bonus, your deposit and the terms. The calculator shows how much you need to bet to clear the bonus, how much you can expect to lose doing it, and what the bonus is worth on average.
Written by BettingSeeker Editorial Team
How wagering requirements work
A casino bonus is not cash you can withdraw straight away. The wagering requirement sets how much you must bet first, as a multiple of the bonus or of the bonus plus your deposit. Game contribution then decides how much of each bet counts: if a game counts 50%, you need to bet twice as much on it.
All that betting has a cost. A game's RTP (return to player) is the share of stakes it pays back over the long run, so the expected loss is the amount you bet multiplied by the house edge (100% − RTP). The bonus is only worth something on average if that expected loss is smaller than the bonus. Casino play is entertainment with a built-in cost, not a way to make money, and a bonus does not change that.
Worked example
A 100 bonus on a 100 deposit, with 35x wagering on the bonus, played on slots that count 100% with an RTP of 96%:
- Wagering required: 100 × 35 = 3,500
- Expected loss while clearing: 3,500 × (1 − 0.96) = 140
- Expected value of the bonus: 100 − 140 = −40, so on average this bonus costs you money
- At 10x wagering instead, the expected loss is 40 and the expected value is +60
The formula
Wagering required = multiple × bonus (or × (bonus + deposit)). Total you need to bet = wagering required ÷ game contribution. Expected loss = total bet × (1 − RTP). Expected value of the bonus = bonus − expected loss. This is a simplified average that ignores variance, maximum bet and win limits, and the chance of running out of balance before you finish.
Frequently asked questions
What are wagering requirements?
They are the amount you must bet before bonus money (and sometimes your deposit) can be withdrawn. A 100 bonus with 35x wagering on the bonus means 3,500 of bets first. The UK Gambling Commission capped wagering on new bonuses at 10x from January 2026; other regions have no cap or different rules.
What does game contribution mean?
Not every game counts in full towards wagering. Slots usually count 100%, while table games such as blackjack or roulette often count 10–20% or nothing. At 10% contribution, every 10 you bet clears only 1 of the requirement.
Why is the expected value of my bonus negative?
Every bet you make while clearing the bonus carries the house edge. If the wagering is high enough, the expected loss on all that play is larger than the bonus itself. A lower multiple, higher RTP and 100% contribution all improve the figure.
Is the expected value what I will actually get?
No. It is a long-run average. Your real result can be much higher or lower, and many players lose the bonus and deposit before finishing the wagering. The figure also ignores maximum bet rules, win caps and time limits in the bonus terms.