Wagering Requirements Calculated

Knowing the turnover required to clear a casino bonus — and what you'll lose to house edge in the process — is key to deciding whether it is worth taking.

Wagering basics

Wagering requirements are the total amount a player must bet before any real money can be withdrawn from their account, and they are defined by the UK Gambling Commission as "any requirement that a consumer must make wagers totalling a particular value for funds to become withdrawable, whether the total is expressed as a fixed amount or as a multiple of a deposit or bonus". . last updated 2026-09-13. These requirements are commonly expressed as a multiplier, such as 35x or 40x, of the bonus amount.

The basic formula to calculate the qualifying wagers is:

Bonus amount × wagering multiplier = total qualifying wagers required.

. The Lines explains that the basic calculation for qualifying wagers is bonus amount × wagering multiplier = total qualifying wagers required. last updated 2026-09-17. This can be expressed as a deposit multiple, a bonus multiple, or a combination. . UK Gambling Commission guidance says “fair and transparent terms” include wagering totals expressed as a deposit multiple, a bonus multiple, or both. Last updated 2026-09-13. For example, a £100 deposit with a 100% match bonus that is bonus-only might require 40x wagering with 100% contribution from slots. The calculation would be:

£100 bonus × 40 = £4,000 in total real-money wagering. If that same bonus was on a £100 deposit + £100 bonus — in other words, applying 40x to the deposit and the bonus combined — the calculation would change to:

£200 total × 40 = £8,000 in real-money wagering. And that's before considering game contribution.

The math of turnover

Even if you understand the formula, the real challenge is moving the numbers around to understand the implications in terms of real money. Consider a 35x bonus at 100% contribution:

A $100 bonus at 35x wagering means $3,500 in total qualifying wagering. A $200 bonus at 40x wagering means $8,000 in total qualifying wagering. . TrustedCasino-UK states that a 35x bonus at 100% contribution in slots is equivalent to wagering the 35x amount. last updated 2026-09-13 BetJudge gives these specific figures for total wagering before withdrawal: a £100 bonus at 35x wagering means £3,500 in total wagering, and a £200 bonus at 40x wagering means £8,000. dated 2026-05-15.

The full stakes don't always become clear when bonuses are combined with a deposit as well as with each other. Say you win a £500 sign-up bonus that requires 40x wagering, and your first deposit bonus is 100% match to £1,000 at 25x deposit + bonus wagering — where each bonus stands at 100% contribution. The values quickly move:

First, take the non-matching £500 bonus at 40x: