Wagering requirements explained, with worked rupee examples
Three worked examples, with the arithmetic shown, of how much you must bet to clear a bonus and what that is expected to cost you at different house edges.
A wagering requirement (or rollover) is the amount you must bet before a bonus and its winnings can be withdrawn. The multiplier looks small, but the money involved grows fast. These examples use round numbers to show how it works. They are illustrations, not the terms of any operator.
The basic formula
Total wagering = multiplier x the amount it applies to.
Wagering is the sum of all your bets, not your balance. If you bet ₹100 and win, then bet ₹100 again, you have wagered ₹200.
Example 1: 20x on the bonus
You deposit ₹1,000 and get a 100% bonus of ₹1,000. The wagering is 20x the bonus.
- Wagering = 20 x ₹1,000 = ₹20,000.
Example 2: 20x on deposit plus bonus
The same deposit and the same bonus, but the multiplier applies to deposit plus bonus.
- Deposit plus bonus = ₹1,000 + ₹1,000 = ₹2,000.
- Wagering = 20 x ₹2,000 = ₹40,000.
Same headline "20x", but twice the betting required.
Example 3: a large percentage with a cap and 40x
You deposit ₹500 and the offer is 500% up to ₹3,000, with 40x on the bonus.
- 500% of ₹500 = ₹2,500, which is below the ₹3,000 cap, so the bonus is ₹2,500.
- Wagering = 40 x ₹2,500 = ₹1,00,000 (one lakh rupees).
You put in ₹500, and you must bet ₹1,00,000, which is 200 times the deposit.
What it is expected to cost
Every game has a house edge: the average share of each bet the casino keeps. This gives a rule of thumb:
Expected cost of wagering = amount wagered x house edge.
The house edge depends on the game. Our house edge and RTP guide explains it. Here are the three examples at two edges, 3% and 1%.
| Example | Bonus | Wagering | Expected cost at 3% edge | Expected cost at 1% edge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1: 20x on bonus | ₹1,000 | ₹20,000 | ₹600 | ₹200 |
| 2: 20x on deposit + bonus | ₹1,000 | ₹40,000 | ₹1,200 | ₹400 |
| 3: 500% up to ₹3,000, 40x on bonus | ₹2,500 | ₹1,00,000 | ₹3,000 | ₹1,000 |
The arithmetic for example 3: ₹1,00,000 x 3% = ₹3,000, and ₹1,00,000 x 1% = ₹1,000.
What the table tells you
- In example 3 at a 3% edge, the expected cost of clearing the bonus is ₹3,000, more than the ₹2,500 bonus itself. On average you would lose more than the bonus is worth.
- At a 1% edge the same wagering costs about ₹1,000, which is less than the bonus. But 1% edges are only found in a few games, and those games often count only a small percentage towards wagering, or none.
- Example 2 costs twice as much as example 1 for the same bonus. The base of the multiplier matters.
Why real results differ
These are averages over a very large number of bets. Real results swing widely around them. You may finish a ₹1,00,000 wagering requirement ahead, or you may lose your whole balance after a few bets and never finish. Neither outcome contradicts the average. Variation is larger in high-volatility games, and the more you wager the more the average shows itself.
Other terms can make a bonus worth less than the arithmetic suggests: game weighting (a game counting 10% means ten times the betting), maximum bet limits, expiry dates and withdrawal caps. See how to read a bonus offer.
A real-world example of the terms
For example, winzap.vip's public bonus table lists a welcome bonus of 500% up to ₹3,000 with a 40x rollover, which is the pattern in example 3. Check the current terms on winzap.vip before relying on those figures, as they can change. We do not control them.
Try your own numbers
Use the bonus calculator to enter a deposit, a percentage, a cap and a multiplier and see the total wagering and the expected cost at different house edges.
Takeaway
A bonus is not free money: you pay for it through the betting needed to release it, and the casino expects to collect on that betting. If a bonus tempts you to bet more than you planned, decline it. For information only. 18+. See responsible gambling.
18+ only. This article is for information, not advice to gamble. Responsible gambling.
