Bonus game weighting explained

What bonus game weighting means

Every bonus with wagering requirements needs a rule for which bets count. Game weighting is that rule, expressed as a percentage per game or category. At 100%, the full stake counts. At 50%, half of it does. At 0%, or where a game is listed as excluded, nothing counts and the bet may even breach the terms.

You may see it called contribution, game contribution or wagering contribution. Our glossary entry on weighting gives the short definition. It is a key part of any offer’s casino bonus terms, because two bonuses with the same 10x multiple can need very different amounts of play depending on what you choose to play.

How game weighting changes the stakes you need

Divide the wagering requirement by the weighting to find the stakes needed on a game. Take a £25 bonus at 10x, a £250 requirement:

The last column is the uncomfortable one. A 10x bonus on a game weighted at 10% demands as much real play as a 100x bonus on a fully weighted game. Since 19 January 2026 the 10x wagering cap limits the headline multiple; weighting is set by each offer’s terms, so check it before you play.

Typical weighting patterns and why casinos use them

Weightings vary from offer to offer, so the only reliable source is the terms in front of you. The general pattern across the industry looks like this:

• Most slots count in full, because their house edge is relatively high and predictable.
• Some slots may be excluded, for example certain jackpot games or titles the casino lists by name.
• Table games such as blackjack, roulette and baccarat often count at a low percentage or are excluded.
• Live dealer games and game shows are often excluded or weighted low.
• Video poker is frequently weighted low because good pay tables carry small edges.

The logic is the house edge. Wagering is designed so the casino’s expected take during play-through offsets much of the bonus. On a game with a tiny edge, full weighting would let the bonus survive almost intact on average, so the casino either weights it down or leaves it out. Our house edge by casino game page lists the edges involved.

Game weighting in pounds: the cost of £1 of wagering credit

Here is a more useful way to compare games under a bonus. Divide the house edge by the weighting to get the expected cost of earning £1 of wagering credit. The weightings below are illustrations, not any partner’s terms; the edges are standard published figures, mainly from Wizard of Odds’ house edge table (opens in a new tab).

The pattern is striking. Blackjack played with basic strategy is one of the cheapest games in the casino on your own money, yet at 10% weighting each £1 of wagering credit costs more than on a typical slot. Roulette at 10% costs roughly seven times as much per pound of credit as a 96% slot. The blackjack figure is Wizard of Odds’ edge for a six-deck game with European no-hole-card rules, from its European blackjack strategy page (opens in a new tab); other rule sets differ.

Lowest cost per credit doesn’t mean profit. Every row is a cost, and the averages hide wide swings in either direction.

Worked example: one bonus, three game choices

Imagine a hypothetical £50 bonus with 10x wagering, so £500 of credit is needed. Using the illustrative weightings above:

• On a 96% RTP slot at 100%: £500 of stakes, expected cost £20, about £30 of the bonus left on average.
• On blackjack at 10%: £5,000 of stakes, expected cost £31 at a 0.62% edge, about £19 left, and ten times as many hands to play.
• On roulette at 10%: £5,000 of stakes, expected cost £135 at 2.70%, so on average the bonus is wiped out and £85 of your own money with it.

Bigger total stakes also mean more exposure to swings, so lower weightings make it more likely the balance runs out before the requirement is met. Our page on what a bonus is worth uses the same method for whole offers.

Excluded games and what happens if you play them

Excluded games come in two kinds. In some terms, bets on an excluded game simply don’t count towards wagering. In others, playing an excluded game with bonus funds is listed as prohibited play, and winnings can be removed. The difference matters, so read which one applies.

UK guidance protects you here. The Commission’s page on promotional play restrictions (opens in a new tab) says terms must clearly specify all prohibited types or patterns of play, and an operator must not ban play that wasn’t clearly set out in advance. Its transparency guidance (opens in a new tab) adds that significant conditions must be prominent and shown with the headline offer, not hidden in a separate tab. Excluded games and weighting tables are often found in full terms, so look for them before opting in.

Game weighting on live casino and table games

If you mainly play at the tables, weighting is the term that decides whether a bonus is any use to you. Many offers exclude live dealer games completely, and others count them at a small fraction. Our answers on using a bonus on live casino and on blackjack bonuses look at the usual restrictions in more depth.

For table players, the honest conclusion is often that a slot-focused bonus isn’t built for them. Playing table games with your own money, at low stakes and with no restrictions, is a perfectly reasonable alternative to taking a bonus at all.

How to find bonus game weighting in the terms

1. Open the full terms from the offer page; they should be no more than one click away.
2. Search for ‘contribution’, ‘weighting’, ‘eligible games’ and ‘excluded’.
3. Note the percentage for each game type you might play, plus any named exclusions.
4. Divide the wagering requirement by the weighting for your chosen game to get the real stakes needed.
5. Multiply those stakes by the game’s house edge to estimate the cost, and compare it with the bonus.

Bonus game weighting myths

For more on keeping bonus play sensible, see our casino bonuses hub and the guide on casino bonus mistakes.

Game weighting and our partner offers

All three partner offers are built around slots. Casumo’s bonus comes with game restrictions, 10bet’s must be wagered on slots and Coral’s spins are for selected slots. Table and live games are often excluded or count for less, so read the terms before you play. 18+ and terms apply.

• Casumo: 50% bonus up to £100 on the first deposit for new customers who opt in; minimum deposit £20; wager the bonus 10x within 7 days; maximum £5 per bet while active. Game, play and payment restrictions apply. See our Casumo welcome bonus page.
• 10bet: 100% match up to £25 for new UK customers who choose the casino welcome bonus at sign-up and deposit within 7 days; wager the bonus 10x on slots within 3 days; maximum bonus winnings £1,000; Skrill and Neteller deposits excluded.
• Coral: new players deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slots to get 100 free spins, 10p each on selected games; spins must be accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings. The offer runs from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027, and deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards or certain debit cards are excluded.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.