Online casinos are constantly striving to improve their operations by introducing new games, features, upgrades, and various promotions. Players have quickly jumped at the opportunity to take advantage of the many bonuses and offers, and these promotions are provided in order to reward and give back to loyal players, as well as entice new players to sign up with the casino. There are so many online casinos on the market, each competing to be bigger and better than the next, and this is good news for players, as each online casino is striving to offer the best bonuses in the industry. These campaigns however, do come with strings attached, and each individual promotion will have its’ own set of terms and conditions. Since the increase in these offers, many players have faced issues or disappointments resulting from not properly investigating the rules and instructions of a bonus before accepting it. There are a few common mistakes that players make when it comes to accepting promotions, and in this article we will take a look at some common promotion hazards to avoid, so that you don’t make the same mistakes.
Promotions may come in the form of free spins, exclusive prizes, or free money deposited into a player’s account. Some popular promotions include the Welcome Bonus, No Deposit Bonus, Free Spins Bonus and even Special Event Bonuses. As with most offers, there is always the fine-print to read, and many players run into problems by failing to do so. Promotions often a certain wager requirement that needs to be met before payouts are issued, and there are various other conditions depending on the structure of the casino campaign. Even though some promotions are free, players can quickly lose a lot of money simply by failing to read the terms and conditions before opting in to participate. Online gambling of any kind involves risk, and the promotions offered by online casinos are no different;they have their own risks involved. Before getting lured in by an enticing offer, be sure not to fall victim to these common online casino promotion hazards:
Hazard #1 – Getting Too Serious
Online gambling is centred on the entertainment factor it provides, and promotions are designed to add to the fun and excitement, creating even more avenues of adventure and potential earnings. Some players, however, become obsessed with finding the best promotions and bonuses by scouting through online casinos on a hungry bonus hunt. Online casino marketing professionals are aware of this behaviour and act accordingly to reel in potential play. By taking promotions too seriously; you take the enjoyment out of the experience, where’s the fun in that?
Hazard #2 –Overspending
Most promotions require players to place maximum wagers in order to qualify for or to redeem their winnings. Players can quickly end up spending far more than they can afford by attempting to cash out on their efforts. It is important to stay alert and not to alter your normal game play in order to meet the requirements of a particular promotion. Some players will continue to place bets after experiencing losses in hopes of being able to retrieve their bonus, when this is not something they would usually do. Never chase your losses, even when there is an attractive bonus amidst. You have nothing to lose by taking a short break, but have everything to lose by continuing to chase losses.
Hazard #3 –Running Out of Time
With some promotions, time is of the essence. This is because many promotions offered by online casinos have a certain time period in which they can be used. If a player fails to read the terms and conditions beforehand, they may be unaware that the bonus needs to be used within a designated time frame. Some promotions also implement a time frame in which wager requirements need to be met, and if you have been diligently wagering your money in order to meet these requirements, but happen to miss the cut off time, all your wagers go to waste and you are unable to cash out any winnings. A lot of time and money can go into meeting wager requirements, so it is vital to be informed of any time limits that may be involved, so be sure to read the T’s and C’s.
Hazard #4 –Where’s the Cash?
Another common hazard that occurs from not reading the terms and conditions of a promotion is expecting to be paid-out when the bonus actually does not amount to real cash. Not all bonuses amount in free money or prizes; some promotions are simply offered so that players can wager for free. They may even receive a certain amount of free money into their account in order to bet with, but at times, the winnings from these bets are not redeemable. It can be a great disappointment if you think you have won something, only to find out that the earnings are not going to be paid-out. Online casinos have certainly received their fair share of complaints from upset players demanding their winnings and may even take swift action in closing a player’s account. To avoid making this common mistake; always read the details of a promotion before you accept it.
Hazard #5 –When the Promotion Doesn’t Include Your Favourite Game
Promotions may also have restrictions on which games you are able to play in order to meet the wager requirements. For example, a player may sign up for a promotion under the impression that they will be able to meet the requirements by playing Roulette, only to find that the eligible games only include slots and bingo. This can be a major issue if you are not a big slots or bingo player, and if you weren’t expecting to meet the wager requirements by playing the slots. Many players have accepted promotions which they later discovered was a bad idea. All of this can be avoided by informing yourself beforehand of the rules and regulations involved.