Free Time Bonuses

With so many online casinos to choose from, operators have had to develop marketing campaigns to attract new registrations. The most common campaign utilizes the ever effective "buy into this, and we'll reward you" approach. The reward insofar as online casinos are concerned, is the sign-up bonus. There are a variety of bonuses on offer, and one of the more exciting and enticing, is the free time bonus.

Free time bonuses give gamers the opportunity to play selected slots, video slots and table games with casino credits for a pre-allotted period of time. During that time, players try to win enough credits which are then transferred to their real player accounts once the bonus feature is concluded. In most instances, this is exactly how the new member sees the free time bonus operating. However, there are various factors that need to be understood when it comes to free time bonuses. Firstly, in order to participate in free time incentives, players need to download the gaming software and register a real player account. They are then issued with a free time player code that activates the free time bonus. From the casinos perspective, they now have a new member who is unlikely to deregister and switch to a new casino because the download process is cumbersome. They also have player details such as postal and e-mail addresses, which affords them the opportunity to continue with alluring marketing campaigns.

The second consideration is that not all wins made during free time bonuses are transferred to the real player account. One is usually given a target win amount, and if obtained, a set free credit amount is issued. So, even if a player wins £1 000 over the predetermined win amount, he/she will only be issued with the maximum withdrawal amount, usually in the region of between £20 to £100 depending on the casino selected. These conditions of free bonus play are usually only disclosed once the free time bonus commences, and as such, users have already downloaded the software before they realize the limitations on the extent of their potential wins.

The final consideration, is that even though free time play could result in a win total being credited to the player account, the money is unable to be withdrawn until a playthrough requirement is met. What this means, is that players are required to wager anything between 10X and 30X the free chip allocation before they are able to claim the money. The playthrough requirement is necessary for online operators to guard against player abuse, but it means that ultimately, anything won during free time bonuses is not exactly a win unless players are able to continue winning and capitalize on the free chip allocation.

So, why do we opt to take part in free time bonuses then, knowing that we are being manipulated by marketing geniuses and that the odds are not in our favor? Well, simply put, there is still the chance that we can turn a profit without making an investment. And because it doesn't cost anything, its worth a try.