New Player First Deposit Bonus
If you’re a new player to a bingo site then you’re pretty much guaranteed to be offered a first deposit bonus. This is a reward to get you to register and deposit or register, deposit and spend. The latter option has become more popular in recent times especially on Gamesys and Virtue Fusion sites. Like a no deposit offer, the first deposit bonus – or welcome offer – varies from site to site.
The traditional offer is fixed percentage bonus. For example you may be offered a 200% bonus on a first deposit of £10. This means that to receive a £20 bonus you need to deposit £10. You may also see that the bonus is available up to £100. What this means is that you can make an initial deposit of £10 to £50 and be rewarded with a bonus of between £20 and £100. Deposits of £50 or more would only result in a £100 bonus.
Welcome Offers
A fixed bonus is exactly that – a fixed bonus that has no variation based on the initial deposit. For example a Virtue Fusion site may offer a £30 bonus on a £10 deposit/spend. What this means is you’ll receive an extra £30 to play after £10 has been deposited and wagered. If you deposit £20 or £50 or more then you’ll still only get £30 after the initial tenner has been played.
An important factor to watch for when making your first deposit is the minimum and maximum amounts you need to deposit to qualify for any bonus. In general £10 will be sufficient to qualify you although some brands are happy if you go as low as £5. Some sites will allow your first deposit to be £5 but won’t honour a bonus. Additionally you need to take into account wagering terms and conditions. This is the amount you’ll need to wager through before a site will allow you to withdraw winnings.
Wager Free Welcome Offers
Wager free sites are now becoming a norm. This means you can collect a welcome bonus – such as bingo tickets, spins or a fixed amount to play – and any wins from these rewards are paid as cash. Sites on the Real Money Network, Gamesys brands and others such as Buzz, Tombola and MrQ are your destinations in these cases. Note that although some of these brands have attractive offers there are pitfalls. For example bingo tickets may only be used in selected rooms or wins from spins may be capped.
Another point to note is that you don’t always have to accept a welcome offer! When you go to make a deposit you should be offered the chance to opt-out. Finally be wary when depositing using services such as Paypal, Neteller, Skrill etc. Many sites are happy to accept them as methods of funding accounts, but will have terms in place so that you don’t get a bonus.