Bonus wagering calculator: what clearing a bonus costs
Set a deposit, a bonus match, a wagering requirement and a game RTP. The calculator shows how much must be staked before a bonus can be withdrawn and how much of that stake the house edge is expected to take.
How it works
The calculator chains three formulas. Bonus = deposit × match percentage. Turnover = wagering multiple × the amount the requirement applies to, either the bonus alone or the deposit plus the bonus. Expected loss = turnover × house edge, with house edge = 100% − game RTP, and bonus value = bonus − expected loss. At the defaults, a $100 deposit with a 100% match, 35 times wagering on the bonus and a 96% RTP, that means $3,500 of turnover, an expected loss of $140 and a bonus value of −$40. Applying the requirement to deposit plus bonus doubles the turnover to $7,000.
Five controls set the offer: deposit from $10 to $500, bonus match from 0% to 200%, wagering from 0 to 60 times, game RTP from 85% to 99%, and whether the requirement covers the bonus only or the bonus plus the deposit. The three readouts show the amount you must wager, the expected loss along the way and the bonus value, shown in red when it falls below zero. A break-even point follows from the formula: on a bonus-only requirement the value reaches zero when multiple × house edge = 1, which at a 96% RTP is 25 times.
A bonus is often described as free money, but releasing it means staking it many times over, and every stake meets the house edge. UK advertising guidance says an offer should not be called 'free' if the customer must risk their own money to qualify. Since 19 January 2026 the Gambling Commission has capped wagering requirements on bonus funds at 10 times in Great Britain, noting that some licensees had applied up to 60 times, the top of this tool's range. At 10 times, the default example needs $1,000 of turnover and carries an expected loss of $40.
What it leaves out: It leaves out game weighting (the Commission's consultation response gives an example in which roulette stakes count at 30%), maximum bet and cash-out caps, time limits and variance, and it never stops when a balance runs out, so at high multiples the expected loss can exceed the money available. It is an educational calculator for adults aged 18+, and it cannot change the house edge of the games used to clear a bonus.
Sources
Checked on 2026-11-05. Independent, not affiliated. 18+.
- UK Gambling Commission: Consultation response, socially responsible incentives, Proposal 1: ban or limit the use of wagering requirements (published 26 March 2025, last updated 27 January 2026)gamblingcommission.gov.uk
- ASA/CAP: Gambling, betting and gaming: Free bets and bonuses (AdviceOnline, 11 September 2025)asa.org.uk
Embed it
Free to embed on your own page, with no tracking or cookies in the frame. Keep the attribution link.