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When used strategically, a casino welcome bonus is a gift that keeps on giving. Plus, come on, okes. It is free money added to your bankroll! The trick is to get the full benefit of the new player promo – and we will show you how.

The good news is it does not involve rocket science… Nor does it have any impact on the fun factor typically associated with gaming online. All you have to do is make smart and informed decisions about the key elements that are present in all casino welcome bonus offers.

Do that and you can extend your online casino betting sessions. If you are lucky, you may even gain a small profit thanks to the generosity of a gaming platform like our very own Thunderbolt Casino! Now let’s dig into those 3 steps you can take to get the best out of your casino welcome bonus:

Step 1: Play it Safe with a Match Deposit Casino Welcome Bonus

The most prevalent type of casino welcome bonus is the deposit match bonus. It is usually displayed as a percentage of your deposit up to a maximum amount. If for example the bonus is 100%, the casino matches your deposit rand for rand.

In this scenario, when you deposit R25, R50 or R100, you get an extra R25, R50 or R100 to play with. That is all good and well. The bonus cap however is a different proposition. It can be as much as thousands of rands!

As attractive as it may seem to have that amount of money at your disposal, it requires a matching deposit on your part. In other words, to unlock the maximum bonus amount you have to fund your account with thousands of rands too.

Unless you happen to be one of the rich Real Housewives of Durban, or you’re an experienced high roller, risking that amount of money is not advisable. That is especially true for gaming greenhorns who have never played casino games online before.

A more sensible option is to stick to the minimum deposit – which in the case of Thunderbolt Casino is R25. You can always fund your account again, as and when required. It is worth remembering that you still get a 100% fillip whether your initial deposit is high or low!

The Playthrough Component of a Match Deposit Bonus

Risk is not the only factor to consider when depositing money into your online casino account. There is a more significant component, and one that you should always consider! It is known as the casino welcome bonus wagering requirement (or playthrough).

The playthrough is essentially the number of times you have to wager the equivalent value of the bonus and deposit. Fail to satisfy the playthrough… and you are excluded from cashing out any winnings associated with that bonus.

At Thunderbolt Casino, the wagering requirement for all deposit bonuses – including the casino welcome bonus – is 30 x. Using the example above, that means you have to bet R25 + R25 or R50 + R50 x 30 at our online casino.

Do the sums and the wagering requirement for a 100% bonus on a R25 deposit is R1,500. Increase the deposit to R50 and the playthrough jumps to R3,000. Had you gone all-in and deposited the maximum R1,500, as an example, you would be in the proverbial dwang. The reason being a whopping wagering requirement of R90k!

If you’re playing the long game and your aim isn’t to cash out in record time, then sure, that is totally achievable. Yet, for most South Africans who resonate more with Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” (the song and film), gambling that kind of money is simply out of the question.

Step 2: Bet at Low Stakes

Right. You have deposited R50 and received a casino welcome bonus of R50 in return. That is a total bankroll of R100. That may not seem a lot… but, when you adopt the correct betting tactics it can fund plenty of gaming action!

What are the correct betting tactics? The best way to preserve your bankroll is to stake nominal amounts. The funds obviously last longer but there is another reason why betting at low stakes is recommended.

Why bet at low stakes? The structure of the online casino games and their payouts is the clue. All games – from slots to video poker – offer prizes quoted as multiples of your stake.

When you play at the maximum table limit or bet max in slots, the winnings are proportionate to the size of the wager. In other words, the more you bet, the more you’ll get out due to the multiplying factor. Your odds of winning don’t increase though, so it doesn’t matter whether your wager is high or low!

The only factor that is directly aligned with the stake is risk. When you bet large amounts of money, the risk is greater too – and for obvious reasons. The winnings may be higher in value but so are the losses. See? Playing it safe can pay off!

If you learn anything from this, is should be to remember that gaming online is essentially about having fun. If you win a few rand here and there, that is great – but you must plan for the cold streaks. By sticking with a lower bet you can stretch the casino welcome bonus out and play more games for longer!

Step 3: Play Games with the Best Payout Potential

Besides low stakes gaming, your online casino games selection is key. In a nutshell, you want to bet on the slots that have the highest payout potential. If you opt for these types of games, there is always a chance of growing the casino welcome bonus rather than depleting it.

What are the ideal online slots in terms of probability? We’d suggest heading straight for the games with multiple bonus features! In fact, we have ear-marked two games we think perfectly complement our casino welcome bonus...

Casino Welcome Bonus Slot #1: Sneaky Santa

Sneaky Santa is so ‘not another’ festive season slot! It is a great little game playable all year round. Besides regular payouts that max out at 2,000 x the bet per line, the morphing symbols feature is a potential money-spinner.

In this bonus feature, you pre-select a symbol. When the selected symbol forms one or more paying permutations, you are paid out. The symbol or symbols then expand to fill the respective reels. That can mean an entire gameboard packed with one identical symbol – and mega payouts to match!

The feature is active in free games, but you can trigger it during regular pay – for a small fee, that is... Hit the bonus bet tab, pay an extra 10 x the current wager, and every spin is fair game.

What is more, morphing symbols do not have to align on adjacent reels from left to right to deliver winnings. They pay anywhere!

You can also buy 12 free games with morphing symbols, although it will cost you a 100 x the bet. When you use buy bonus feature strategically – like when you your betting balance is in positive territory or right at the beginning of the game – it can pay off and big time!

Casino Welcome Bonus Slot #2: Robin Hood’s Riches

Another supersonic slot that can ramp up the balance of the casino welcome bonus is Robin Hood’s Riches. Besides a top base game prize of 500 x the line bet, a guaranteed win bonus game is the slot’s showpiece.

When a full stack of wilds drops on a reel, gold coins are added to the treasure chest. Fill the chest and you activate the spin n win feature! Your mission is to accumulate gold coins on a 3x3 gameboard – and the sum of all the coins is your instant win reward.

Here is the kicker, gamers. Each coin is assigned a value. It can be a cash value or the minor or major jackpot! That is not all folks. Robin Hood can randomly appear and shoot wild multipliers onto the gameboard. Plus, there are 10, 15 or 20 free games in-play where payline wins really are FREE.

Play one of our recommended feature-rich slots – or one of the hundreds you’ll find on the game menu at Thunderbolt Casino – and pair it with out casino welcome bonus. If you take our advice and use your bonus wisely, you literally have nothing to lose!