Quick answers to the questions readers ask most often. If you want the full derivation with assumptions and worked examples, the methodology page has it.
what's here
Short answers to the recurring questions about EV, bonuses, trust, and how bonuswise.eu runs the math.
when to use it
Use this page when you want to check a concept quickly without reading a full analysis.
next step
If you want the full answer with assumptions and examples, continue to the methodology or knowledge base.
jump to
FAQ 01
Expected value is the average return you would get from a bonus offer if you could run it thousands of times. A positive EV means the math is on your side long-term. A negative EV means it is not. Single sessions still vary wildly. EV is what holds up across many plays, not what happens on any one night.
FAQ 02
We take the bonus amount, the wagering requirement, the RTP of the games you are required to play, and any cap on cashout. The formula compares the cash value of the bonus to the expected house-edge cost of clearing it. The methodology page has the full equation and the assumptions we use.
FAQ 03
Any bonus where the expected value, after wagering and cap, comes out greater than zero. They exist, but they are rarer than casino marketing implies. Most welcome bonuses sit somewhere between slightly negative and moderately negative. The cap on cashout is usually what pulls a headline-attractive offer back into negative territory.
FAQ 04
RTP (Return To Player) is the average percentage a game pays back over a long sample of plays. A 96% slot keeps 4% of every euro wagered. Because wagering requirements force you to put money through games before withdrawing, lower RTP makes clearing the bonus more expensive. RTP is what decides whether a bonus has any chance of clearing positive.
FAQ 05
If wagering is on the bonus only (e.g. 35x bonus), you wager 35 times the bonus amount before withdrawing. If it is on deposit + bonus (e.g. 35x (deposit + bonus)), you wager 35 times the combined sum, which is roughly double the play-through and roughly double the expected cost. We always note which one applies in each offer.
FAQ 06
A max cashout caps how much you can withdraw from bonus winnings, regardless of how high your balance climbs. If you turn €50 of bonus money into €800 but the cap is €200, you walk away with €200. That cap pulls down expected value because the upside scenarios are truncated. We always include it in the EV calculation.
FAQ 07
Because bonuses are designed to be marketing-attractive, not player-profitable. Wagering requirements, cashout caps, eligible-games lists, and maximum-bet rules each shave value off the headline offer. Stack them together and the average outcome usually lands negative. A negative-EV bonus is not a scam. It is the operator paying for your attention, partially.
FAQ 08
Effective return is the share of your initial deposit you can reasonably expect to keep after running the bonus and the required wagering. A 100% effective return means you break even on average. Anything below 100% means the bonus costs you money long-term. Anything above means the offer is genuinely worth claiming. Most fall between 70% and 100%.
FAQ 09
A wagering requirement is the total amount you must bet through eligible games before bonus winnings (or sometimes the bonus itself) become withdrawable cash. A 35x wagering requirement on a €100 bonus means €3,500 of total bets. It is the single biggest determinant of whether a bonus is worth taking.
FAQ 10
A sticky bonus is locked into your balance until wagering is cleared. You can play with it but not withdraw it. A non-sticky bonus sits alongside your real money and can be cashed out at any time without finishing the wagering, though you forfeit any unwithdrawn bonus amount. Non-sticky gives you more control, which is why those offers tend to come with stricter wagering or smaller match percentages.
FAQ 11
Operators weight games by how much house edge they can extract. Slots almost always contribute 100% (high house edge, fast wagering). Table games like blackjack and roulette often contribute 10% or 20%, sometimes 0%. The reason is simple: a low-edge game lets you clear wagering with a small expected loss. The operator does not want that, so the contribution rate is throttled.
FAQ 12
Most bonuses cap the bet size you can place while wagering is active, often at €5 or €10 per spin or hand. Break the rule and the operator can void winnings or confiscate the bonus. Read the cap before you start, not after. It is the most common reason players lose bonus winnings on a technicality.
FAQ 13
Most bonuses have an expiry window, often 7 to 30 days from claim. If the deadline passes before you finish wagering, both the bonus and any winnings from it are usually voided. Your original deposit stays untouched, unless it was already gambled. Check the expiry against how much time you actually have to play before claiming.
FAQ 14
Only after the wagering requirement is fully cleared, the bonus has not expired, and you have not broken the max-bet or eligible-games rules. Some operators also require identity verification (KYC) before a first withdrawal, which can take a day or two. The total amount you can withdraw is also subject to the bonus's max-cashout cap, if one applies.
FAQ 15
A no-deposit bonus is a small amount of credit or spins given without requiring a deposit, usually €5 to €25. Because you risk nothing on it, any positive expected outcome is pure upside. In practice, these come with very strict wagering and low max-cashout caps (often €50 to €100). The math is often slightly positive, but the cap keeps the absolute size of any win small.
FAQ 16
We value free spins at their expected cash value: spin count multiplied by the bet size per spin multiplied by the slot's RTP. So 50 spins of €0.20 on a 96% RTP slot are worth €9.60 in expected value before any wagering requirement on the winnings. If the winnings then carry their own wagering (commonly 30x to 40x), most of that value is whittled back down.
FAQ 17
We track MGA-licensed operators that accept registrations from EU residents and publish their bonus terms clearly enough to be calculated. The list grows when an operator runs an offer worth analysing and shrinks when one disappears or changes structure beyond recognition. The methodology page lists the current set with the date each was last verified.
FAQ 18
Bonus terms move. Operators rewrite wagering requirements, swap eligible games, and adjust cashout caps without notice. Our pipeline checks every tracked offer daily, but a 24-hour-old snapshot can be wrong by the time you read it. Always confirm the current terms on the operator's own page before you deposit. If you spot a discrepancy, please tell us.
FAQ 19
No. bonuswise.eu does not earn a commission when you click through to a casino, register, or deposit. No operator pays us for placement, ranking, or a 'recommended' badge. If they did, the EV math would stop being credible and the site would stop being useful.
FAQ 20
Bonus terms and offer status are verified daily through an automated pipeline. Anything that fails verification is flagged for review before it goes live. The 'last verified' date is shown on each casino's detail page. If you find an out-of-date offer, email us and we will check it.
FAQ 21
Almost never. A €1,000 bonus with 50x wagering on the combined amount and a €200 cap on cashout is often a worse EV proposition than a €100 bonus with 20x wagering on the bonus only and no cap. The headline number is the part operators want you to look at. The terms are the part that decides whether it is worth claiming.
FAQ 22
Most bonuses have a maximum match (e.g. 100% up to €500). Deposit €200 and you get a €200 bonus; deposit €600 and you still only get €500. The fixed costs of clearing wagering scale differently across deposit sizes, which moves the EV. The calculator lets you set your own deposit amount and see how the ranking shifts.
FAQ 23
MGA-licensed operators are required to segregate player funds, run independently audited games, offer self-exclusion and deposit limits, and submit to a complaints process through the regulator. That makes them safer than unlicensed alternatives. It does not eliminate the house edge, and it does not guarantee a smooth dispute experience if something goes wrong. Treat licensing as a floor, not a ceiling.
FAQ 24
First, raise it with the operator's customer support and ask for a written response. If that fails, MGA-licensed operators are obliged to engage with an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider; the operator's terms page will list theirs. If the ADR step fails, you can escalate to the Malta Gaming Authority directly through their player support form.
FAQ 25
MGA licences are issued by Malta and recognised across most EU jurisdictions where MGA operators are lawfully permitted to accept play. Some EU countries (Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, and others) run local licensing regimes that restrict or replace MGA access. If your country requires a local licence, MGA-only operators may be unable to serve you. The operator's own geo-block usually enforces this at registration.
FAQ 26
No. No affiliate commissions, no placement fees, no advertising. The site is funded independently. If that changes, this answer changes first.
FAQ 27
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is generally considered the strictest licensing regime, with the heaviest player-protection requirements and the most restrictive rules on bonus promotions. The MGA is the most common EU-wide licence and sits a step below the UKGC on strictness, but well above unlicensed offshore alternatives. Both require segregated player funds, independent game audits, and a complaints procedure.
FAQ 28
The math is open. The methodology page lists every formula and assumption, and the calculator lets you change any input and watch the EV move. If you think an assumption is wrong, email us with a counter-argument and we will look at it. The numbers are locked to a daily-verified data pipeline, not to whatever an operator's marketing claimed this week.
FAQ 29
Every MGA-licensed operator is required to offer deposit, loss, and session-time limits inside your account settings, usually under 'Responsible Gaming' or 'Account Limits'. Set them before your first deposit, not after a bad night. Pick a number you can afford to lose entirely and treat it like a hobby budget. If you find yourself raising the limit, that is the signal to pause.
FAQ 30
Free confidential help is available through BeGambleAware (begambleaware.org), an international charity providing English-speaking support. For MGA-jurisdiction-specific help, the Responsible Gaming Foundation Malta (RGFM) runs a free advice line. Every MGA-licensed operator must also let you self-exclude on the spot through your account settings. Use it. The friction of having to undo it later is the point.
Casinos quietly change their bonuses. We track it all and only email you when it matters.
01
Updates when EV rankings shift
02
New bonus actions without marketing noise
03
Alerts when terms get worse