Wagering requirements explained: what 20×, 35× and 50× really cost
A wagering requirement says how many times you must stake the bonus before it becomes cash. Every stake carries the game's house edge, so the requirement has a price: at 35× on a 100 bonus, 94.59 at even-money roulette if you stake it all. That is why the multiple matters more than the size of the bonus.
The same bonus at every multiple
| Wagering (× bonus) | Total to stake | Average cost if fully staked | Chance to finish before going bust | Average result against keeping the deposit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10× | 1,000 | 27.03 | 98.7% | +73.03 |
| 20× | 2,000 | 54.05 | 87.9% | +47.61 |
| 30× | 3,000 | 81.08 | 73.9% | +25.72 |
| 35× | 3,500 | 94.59 | 67.4% | +16.17 |
| 40× | 4,000 | 108.11 | 61.4% | +7.47 |
| 50× | 5,000 | 135.14 | 51.1% | −7.70 |
| 60× | 6,000 | 162.16 | 42.7% | −20.35 |
Two things fall as the multiple rises: the chance of finishing before the balance runs out, and what is left on average. At 35× a player who takes this bonus finishes the wagering 67.4% of the time and goes bust, losing the deposit, the rest of the time; averaged over both, they end 16.17 ahead of simply keeping the deposit. In the table the average turns negative between 40× and 50×, later than the simple break-even multiple below, because players who go bust stop staking and lose only their balance.
Where a bonus stops paying
- If you stake the whole requirement, its average cost is the multiple × the bonus × the house edge. The bonus is used up when that cost equals the bonus: at 1 ÷ the edge, the simple break-even multiple.
- That break-even multiple is 25× on a slot paying back 96%, 37× at European roulette and 200× at blackjack played perfectly, if blackjack counts in full, which it rarely does.
- A requirement on deposit plus bonus doubles the stake for a matched bonus: 35× on 100 + 100 means 7,000 to stake, not 3,500.
Smaller stakes finish more often, and keep less
Staking 1 instead of 5 per bet makes five times as many bets for the same total. The balance swings less, so the wagering is finished 94.7% of the time instead of 67.4%; but because fewer players go bust, more of the requirement is actually staked, and the average result falls from 16.17 to 6.11. Bigger stakes work the other way, which is why bonus terms cap the stake per bet.
Questions
What does 35× wagering mean?
You must place bets worth 35 times the bonus (or the deposit plus bonus, if the terms say so) before you can withdraw. On a 100 bonus that is 3,500 of bets.
Is a bonus with wagering ever worth taking?
Only while the average cost of the wagering stays below the bonus: below 25× on a 96% slot. Even then most of the value comes from the few players who finish, and a bust loses your deposit.
A bonus does not change the house edge of any game. If gambling stops being fun, free help is available.
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