Wagering requirements: the sum to do before any bonus
By Kristaps Birznieks · updated October 2026
A wagering requirement — also called playthrough or rollover — sets how much you must stake before a bonus and the winnings attached to it can be withdrawn. It is the most important number in any offer, and it decides whether the bonus is worth anything. Three formulas cover almost every case.
1. The required turnover
Required turnover = bonus amount × wagering multiplier. Sometimes the multiplier applies to deposit plus bonus — then required turnover = (deposit + bonus) × multiplier. Example: an €80 bonus with 25x wagering means €2,000 in stakes.
2. Game contribution
If your game counts only partly, the stakes you actually need are higher: real stakes = required turnover ÷ contribution percentage.
| Game and contribution (example) | Real stakes for €2,000 | House edge | Expected loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slot at 96% RTP, 100% | €2,000 | 4% | ~€80 |
| European roulette, 10% | €20,000 | 2.70% | ~€540 |
| Blackjack, good rules, 10% | €20,000 | ~0.5% | ~€100 |
| Baccarat Banker, 10% | €20,000 | ~1.06% | ~€212 |
The contribution percentages in the table are examples. The real ones are in the operator's terms, and some live tables may be excluded altogether.
3. Expected loss against the bonus
Expected loss = real stakes × house edge. If it is larger than the bonus, the bonus costs you more than it gives on average. In the example, the €80 bonus roughly breaks even on a slot and costs around €540 on average at live roulette.
Sports bets: odds and turnover
Sports bonuses usually add a minimum odds rule. Expected loss can be estimated from the bookmaker's margin: in a market with a 5% margin, each euro staked costs about five cents in the long run. A €40 bonus with 8x wagering means €320 of bets and an expected loss of around €16. With accumulators the margin compounds across legs, so the expected loss grows quickly. How to calculate a margin is shown in sports betting; accumulators are covered on bet types.
Why results differ from the calculation
Expected loss is an average over many sessions. A single session can end far better or far worse, especially on volatile games. The calculation does not tell you whether you will win this time; it tells you what the bonus costs on average. That is exactly why it is worth doing before activation: if a bonus costs more than it gives on average, a lucky session is the exception you should not plan around.
Other things to check
- Deadline. Clearing large wagering in seven days may require long sessions.
- Maximum stake. Exceeding it can void winnings.
- Cash-out cap. Some bonuses limit what can be withdrawn.
- Balance order. Whether real money or bonus money is used first changes when you can withdraw.
These conditions are covered in detail on bonus terms. For specific offers see the welcome bonus and cashback.
Every figure on this page is an example for the arithmetic. Percentages, multipliers, deadlines and limits are set by the operator and can change at any time — the cashier and the bonus terms on the operator's site are what count.