NDB Hunters are the Grocery Switchers of the Casino Bonus Era

Online gambling is popular around the world and the competition between operators is fierce. To help them stay on top, online casinos offer bonuses and promotions as incentives to encourage customers to sign up with them and to keep their regular players coming back time and time again. It really is a great time for casino fans due to the range of bonuses available. The most popular of these is the no deposit bonus (especially free spins) and the editors at NoDepositWow began to recognize how similar casino bonus hunting is to grocery switching.

Grocery shopping like casino gaming is a visual experience and shoppers like casino players want to be able to see what they are getting. They also want to get the best value for their money and with no deposit bonuses, players can try before they buy. The casino gives them free cash or free spins they can then use on real money games. If they clear the wagering requirements, they get to keep what they win.

Grocery chains, like casino brands, release weekly flyers and newsletters with attractive coupons or discounts where they knowingly lose money or breakeven on certain products just to get the shopper in the door (with the goal of getting the shopper to purchase other higher-margin products). This is commonly referred to as door crasher deals and are eerily similar to no deposit bonuses. Grocery stores, also like online casino sites, offer their own unique experience and customers can try something new whenever they like. But what entices consumers to switch from one brand to another? For no deposit bonus hunters at NoDepositWow.com, it is about getting good value to play games that offer a great chance of winning, plus the ability to keep those winnings. For both shoppers and hunters, the cost is a factor and online gamblers want to find games within their playing budgets. Below are some of the elements that no deposit bonus hunters will look for and how they compare to grocery switchers.

No Deposit Hunters

  • Value: Grocery switchers look for value and if they can find the same product cheaper elsewhere, they can be persuaded to change stores. The same is true for NDB casino hunters. 50 free spins on Starburst at one site vs 20 free spins on the same slot at another. 50 spins will more than likely catch their attention.
  • Everything In One: Grocery switchers like the convenience and many will opt for a store that has everything they want rather than have to buy items in a number of stores. The same is true for online gambling. An operator with a no deposit sign-up bonus code that also offers poker, live dealer tables, and sports betting is twice as likely to gain new signups with a $10 free bonus code than a site with casino games only offering the same coupon.
  • Rewards: There are certain elements that keep both grocery shoppers and casino players coming back to the same store/gambling site. These are rewards. Loyalty points on your weekly grocery shop that can be converted into money-back coupons as well as money-off vouchers are prominent today. Loyalty and VIP clubs at online casinos are also popular and the bigger the rewards and special promotions the more likely players are to stick with the casino.

What You Need To Know About Casino Bonus Hunting

If you are on the hunt for the best online casinos the first thing to look at is the signup offer. Free cash and free spins bonuses are the most sought after and although they aren't quite as common as they once were - see our evolution of no deposit bonuses article - they are still the most valuable offer a casino can have if they are looking to increase their customer base. Finding bonus codes is an essential component of any hunting strategy but it's not as simple as it sounds.

No deposit bonus hunters are people that search for free casino deals and their goal is to use these coupon codes to get free cash without having to invest their own money. There are different types of casino bonus hunters out there and each of these has their own styles. No deposit bonus hunters look for promotions that don't require them to invest any money. They receive the bonus when they register for an account. This offer grants them a small sum of cash or spins on a specific slot machine. If players clear the wagering requirements, they can convert the bonus into real money and request a payout. Whether you choose to play at a specific casino or continuously switch, as long as you stick to the strategy of not investing you are considered a bonus hunter. For those that openly enjoy 'hunting' can jokingly refer to themselves as casino bonus whores and/or are casino bonus whoring.

The good news for casino sites is that most folks don't mind sticking around and claiming first deposit deals. They can use the additional funds to win real money.

No Deposit Bonus Codes are Like Grocery Store Coupons

Often casino bonuses will require you to use a coupon that can be likened to grocery store coupons. These are special coupons or codes distributed by stores or casinos and in order to redeem them, they must be used at the casino or store. For example, a $10 no deposit bonus for Jackpot City casino can only be used at this site. Most grocery stores offer weekly or monthly coupon codes but in the run-up to holiday weekends or special events more are produced. This is similar to how casinos run special holiday promotions and offer themed bonus codes.

The no deposit offer is a marketing incentive and is often viewed as a loss leader. This is similar to grocery store coupons that are used on products that stores will sell at drastically reduced prices to entice customers into the store. They do this because they believe once customers are in the store they will purchase additional items. This is similar to no deposit codes in Australia or Canada where casino operators offer potential players the chance to test out their offering with no risk in the hopes, they will enjoy the experience and make a deposit.

Finding bonus codes is as easy as finding store coupons once you know where to look. There are sites dedicated to listing all the latest bonus codes and these are updated all the time. Free casino newsletters are another way to get the latest offers.

Types of Free Bonus Codes

There are different types of bonus codes that online casino operators use. Some require that players use an actual code. This must be added to the registration form or into the cashier section to claim the promotion. If the code is not added, you cannot redeem the offer. Not all software providers have this facility though and there are automatic bonus codes. This is where players sign up through a specific link. This is a tracking link and when used the casino knows that the person is eligible for a specific bonus and it is automatically added to their account when they complete the signup form. There are some online gambling sites that don't use tracking links and their software doesn't include coupon code features. In this case, players will be required to contact the customer support team when they create an account and request that the bonus be added to their bankroll.

With bonus codes and automatic tracking links the bonus is instantly added to your account. If you have to contact the customer support team it can take a little longer and you may have to wait an hour to have it activated. No deposit bonus hunters will be aware of the different types of codes. For newbie hunters, it is important to read the details as all sites advertising NDB codes will state whether a coupon code is required or not.

How Easy is it to be a Casino Bonus Hunter?

You can claim every no deposit you find that you are eligible for, but you need to play by the rules. Making a profit from no deposit bonus hunting isn't as easy as it once was. Online casinos used to offer generous promotions with low wagering requirements, often as low as 3x, and these conditions were so easy to meet. All games could be played too which meant players could easily clear their bonus on the blackjack table and win big. Things have changed though and wagering requirements have increased. It is not unusual to find no deposit bonuses that must be wagered up to 70x. Another change is that not all games are allowed, and they all contribute differently towards meeting the wagering requirements. For bonus hunters, this means they have to read the terms carefully to find the right offers. It is important to only use bonuses from reputable casinos, check for low wagering requirements, and see what games you can play.

Tips For Winning With No Deposit Bonuses

Win Real Cash

While claiming a casino bonus is easy, the hard part is meeting the wagering requirements. If you are new to online gambling, there are a number of tips you can use to help you increase your chances of winning when playing with bonus funds.

  1. Read all the terms: this includes checking the wagering requirements, the expiration date, and the games that you can play.
  2. You can claim multiple deals: If you don't have an account you can sign up for a free promotion and there is nothing stopping you from registering at multiple sites to claim multiple bonuses.
  3. Stick to the games you like: If you are a fan of slots stick with these. If you prefer table games stick with these. Playing games you're not familiar with might not yield rewards.

No Deposit Bonus Terms and Conditions

No deposit bonuses often sound like the best thing ever and generally they can be. Unfortunately, though, they come with rules and it is essential that you understand how the terms and conditions attached to no deposit bonuses work before you claim them especially if you want to win real money. The terms and conditions are there to help prevent online casinos avoid bankruptcy and to deter bonus hunter abuse. The most important terms are listed below.

  • Wagering requirement: Often call playthrough, this indicates how much money you must wager before you are allowed to withdraw your bonus or the winnings you've earned. These are expressed in terms of a number followed by an X. For example, a $10 no deposit bonus might have wagering of 60x. This means you need to bet your bonus 60 times to clear the playthrough. If you meet this, you can cash out your winning or use them to play more games.
  • Time Limit: There is a limit to how long you have to play with your bonus and the expiry period is important. Free spins can expire after 24 hours or up to 7 days. Free cash offers can be 7 or 30 days. This is the amount of time you have to meet the playthrough and if you fail to do so the bonus funds and winnings can be removed from your account.
  • Game Contribution Percentages: Different games will contribute differently towards meeting the wagering requirements attached to the bonus you claim. Slots, keno, and scratch cards generally contribute 100% of your bets towards the playthrough. Other games like baccarat, blackjack, roulette, video poker, and craps have a low house edge and therefore contribute at a much lower percentage rate if they are allowed. Many table games and video poker games only contribute between 10% and 20% and this means when you play them it will take longer to clear the wagering requirements.
  • Excluded Games: Not all games are allowed with no deposit bonuses and the terms usually have a list of excluded games. If you play these, you can void your bonus and any winnings you have accrued.
  • Withdrawal Limits: These promos give you free cash and let you win real money, but there are limitations on the amount you can win. Winnings tend to be capped at $100 and anything over this is forfeited once you request a payout.

Wagering on Free Spins No Deposit Bonuses

When you claim free spins from any online gambling site, they will have a fixed bet amount which is usually the minimum bet. The wagering requirements attached to 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 or 50 free spins are a little different from free chip/cash offers. With free spins, the money you win from your free spins is awarded as bonus cash and then subject to the wagering requirements. For example, if you win $40 from your free spins you will need to wager that $40 by whatever the wagering requirements are to convert it to real money that you can withdraw.

Speculating on the Future

With so much choice available for bonus hunters you might be forgiven for thinking that things will continue this way. Unfortunately, this may not be the case as more and more regulatory authorities are implying even stricter rules and regulations on casino operators. In the UK, the UK Gambling Commission has banned the advertising of free bets and free bonuses. The rise in problem gambling has forced authorities to place more focus on responsible gaming and because of this, we are beginning to see a decline in the number of no deposit bonuses being offered. The trend is veering towards wager free spins that accompany first deposit signup bonuses. There are still NBD codes out there so no deposit casino bonus hunters won't be disappearing anytime soon.