If there is anything the modern consumer is aware of it is the value of their money. Not that wanting more bank for your proverbial buck is a new thing, some of the oldest cultures on earth still have strong haggling and negotiation practices, but the desire to be the winner is. Haggling cultures are based on everyone walking away feeling like both parties got a good deal. In this day and age everyone wants to feel like they received far more value than what they invested – a good deal is not good enough, it needs to be a great deal!
The proof of this is the global phenomenon that is Black Friday. While it started in the United States as a way to clear shop shelves and get a good deal as a build up to the holiday shopping madness, it has since become a global shopping spree.
The online community and retailers, refusing to be overlooked by their retail brethren, declared the Monday after Black Friday to be ‘Cyber Monday’. While this was initially the day for online promotions most online stores start their promotional calendar on Black Friday and run deals the entire 4 days!
The online casino industry has not been untouched by this craze either. Whether you’re looking for an expansive Welcome Bonus Package or are an existing customer of an online casino you will receive a series of bonuses and promotions themed as Black Friday through Cyber Monday specials.
“Online Giant, No Not Amazon! Alibaba ran a tongue-in-cheek promotion in China celebrating single people, an anti-Valentine of sorts, on November 11th. The 2017 revenue figure for this one-day sale in China was a staggering $25.3 billion! Keep in mind that the total USA online Black Friday sales topped out a $5.03 billion, with Cyber Monday bringing in an additional $6.6 billion.”
Why Bonus Packages Exist
online casinos don’t have the one thing which land-based casinos use to their benefit when attracting new patrons, while encouraging return customers – the ability to get face to face with another human being.
While some of the crazy bad service videos on YouTube would make you believe a world where everything is done virtually is the ideal business growth and maintenance environment there is an old sale adage which rings true even more so now that more and more of our time is spent online: People buy people, not products!
And while top class gambling sites pride themselves on providing seamless game play and financial transactions, all support by polite, intelligent, customer focused support staff, none of that means a thing without first getting customers in the door in the first place. You cannot impress an empty room.
The online casino landscape has exploded over the past decade with hundreds of competitors taking advantage of the latest improvements in website launching, the various packages available to new casino start-ups and the growth in interest in online gambling (thanks to social media, TV advertising and the entertainment industry).
This swell of competitors all offering similar quality base products, which includes the standard welcome bonuses and promotions, has forced online brands to push the envelope in terms of what they offer players to sign up. The Welcome Bonus had no choice but to evolve into the Welcome Package!
“Go UK Go! The impact on legislation and the world’s love of gambling is clear as day when considering the market surge in the UK. The UK Gambling Commission estimates the current market to be worth over £4.5 billion. This is four times the 2014 valuation of £1.1 billion!”
What’s In a Bonus Package?
The reality of the current online casino business is that the available bonus types are limited to the 3 following formats:
1. Deposit Bonuses – you receive bonus credits based on a percentage of the deposit(s) you make as part of the promotion. This can be based on the number of deposits or the value of deposits, as the casino wishes.
2. Free Money Bonuses – your real money account will be credited with casino credits without you need to make a deposit to receive them. They usually have wagering and withdrawal requirements, so make sure to check the Terms and Conditions.
3. Free Play Bonuses – you will receive Free Spins on predetermined online and mobile slots. They don’t require you to make a deposit to claim them but they also have play through and cashout requirements in the bonus Terms.
Another sweetener often added to Bonus Packages is the inclusion of increased (double or triple) Comp Point generation. Since Comp Points are converted into credits which can be cashed out for real money. Looking to take home a big win? Use your comp point credits to play high value games like progressive jackpots, or low risk games like Blackjack – using either strategy comp points can be extremely valuable to the savvy player!
When making up a Bonus Package online casinos tend to offer players combinations of these three core offerings in a way that will extend your bankroll and offer you a low or even risk free way to experience many aspects of the casinos offering.
A theoretical example of a three day bonus package promotion would be:
- Day 1 – one 100% match bonus + 20 Free Spins
- Day 2 – 50% match bonus on all deposits for 24 hours + Triple Comp
- Day 3 – €10 Free No Deposit + 150% match bonus
As you can see from the above example the casino can play with the order of the bonuses, which ones come before or after the deposit bonuses to encourage return logins.
When it comes to deposit bonuses the two key areas of variety are:
- How many bonuses are on offer – this can range from a single bonus to unlimited bonuses for a period of time like 24 hours up to a week.
- The bonus percentage on offer – deposit match bonuses have been seen as low as 20% and climbing as high as 400%. Though to be honest the higher percentages usually have max value caps in place. The bonus would then read; “400% match bonus up to €400”
When it comes to creating a truly tantalizing bonus package to welcome new players casinos are known to be generous with free spins, with offers ranging from as low as five free games up to hundreds of free spins (especially when offered over several days).
“Progressive Jackpot Pro Tip! When you claim your comp points the smart money says to use these free cash balance credits to play the hottest Progressive Slots. Winning may be sweet, but winning a progressive jackpot with cash you were given just for playing is the sweetest win of all!”
Where Can I Find A Bonus Package?
With the sheer volume of competitor online casinos available for you to choose from just about every one of them will offer some form of attractive Welcome Bonus Package to allow you to test their offering.
In particular we would recommend paying attention to the casinos with the GamblersPick Select badge as our internal audits have shown them to be trustworthy which means any windfall you walk away with from your welcome bonus is far more secure.
We also have access to Exclusive Bonuses which you can receive by joining the GamblersPick Community – best of all we will send these welcome bonuses, not available to the public, to your inbox. This way the best bonus packages will find you, not the other way round.
“Another Hot Tip! When you want to know which online casino welcome packages offer the best chance to win big, are available on massively entertaining games and are supported by the best customer support teams no will be better informed than your fellow gamblers! Read the GamblersPick community reviews for hot tips on where, and where not, to gamble!”
When Can I Claim It?
Welcome Bonus Packages are pretty simple to claim as long as you meet the promotions qualifying criteria, which includes:
- You need to be of legal gambling age
- You need to be a first time customer at the casino
- You may need to be a resident of a specified, or allowed, country
- You may need to play for real money in a specific currency
- You may need to play on either mobile or desktop
Should you meet the promotions requirements claiming it will be as simple as accessing your real money account, or registering one if you’re a new customer, and access the casino promotions tab.
If the offer is game based you will need to access that game, and the free spins will be available for you to play.
Bonus Package Limitations!
The intention of any good Bonus Package is to introduce to the casino and its services, with the aim to make you a loyal supporter of the brand.
For this reason welcome bonuses usually have time frames within which you need to claim your bonuses and play any free spins you may have been given. In general this time frame is about 7 days from the date of sign up.
Note, this relates to claiming not paying through, so while you have 7 days to claim your fantastic deposit match bonus those credits can stay in your player balance for you to wager at your leisure.
On the flip side, if you think an online casino can be generous to get you to join up, they can be equally as generous with the ongoing customer loyalty bonus programme. However if you have an existing bonus where there is an outstanding play through requirement this could affect your ability to claim new bonuses, or participate in their many competitions and giveaways.
