Unlock the Best Online Casino Bonuses in Canada

The Ultimate Guide to Online Casino Bonuses

Online casinos have only grown more and more popular since they were first introduced a few decades ago. Today, they’re a household industry with millions of customers offering exciting games and professional content for our enjoyment. But where online casinos really triumph over their land-based brethren is in the casino bonuses available. 

Online casinos sometimes host dozens of bonuses at a time, all offering different types of bonus funds and with enough variety that anyone can find a bonus that works for them. Whether you’re claiming your very first welcome bonus or yet another reload bonus after playing at a site for years, it’s always a rewarding and tangible benefit.

Unfortunately, not all bonuses are created equal. Knowing all the different types of bonuses you can claim, as well as their various advantages and disadvantages, is an essential tool when deciding which you’ll stake your own money on. This guide serves to help you with all of this and more, equipping you with the knowledge you need to find the best bonus every time.

Types of Casino Bonuses

First up, let’s start with a breakdown of all the most popular bonuses you’ll see at online casinos. Bear in mind that some of these bonuses will overlap, so stay open-minded to the various possibilities presented by each. 

Welcome Bonuses

The welcome bonus is the first promotion you can collect at a casino site. It’s also the most generous bonus a casino will ever offer since it doubles up as an advertisement for the site. These bonuses come in many forms, like free spins, deposit match bonuses, cashback, and more. They can also vary in their requirements, such as no deposit or how you can claim them. 

Pros

✅ Very generous bonuses
✅ Huge variety of bonus types included
✅ Can be a cheap way of exploring a new site

Cons

⛔ Can be the most deceptive bonuses in terms of value

Deposit Match Bonuses

The classic deposit match bonus is the most basic casino bonus you’ll find. These grant you a specific value of bonus funds that are directly proportional to how much you deposited to claim them. For example, on a match bonus of 100%, if you deposit $50, you’ll receive a further $50 in bonus funds. Deposit match bonuses are commonly found as a part of welcome bonuses but can also be seen as generous seasonal deals. However, these bonuses often have annoying wagering requirements where you must wager the value of your bonus in addition to the value of your initial deposit. 

Pros

✅ Bonus adapts to your budget
✅ Can be very generous if offering more than 100%
✅ Popular and easy to understand

Cons

⛔ Can have tougher wagering requirements

No Deposit Bonuses

A no-deposit bonus is a promotion you don’t have to put down any money to claim. While most bonuses require you to make a deposit, these can be claimed immediately after signing up or logging in. Unfortunately, the trade-off is that no-deposit bonuses can have very strict terms and conditions, like higher wagering requirements, shorter expiry times and harsher withdrawal limits. 

Pros

✅ Can be claimed for nothing
✅ Entirely risk-free
✅ Can still win real money using them

Cons

⛔ Usually have harsher T&Cs

Free Spins Bonuses

Free spins are a popular type of bonus that grants you free goes at select slot machines. Each spin has a fixed value, and when you use it, your bet will be made at that value. Free spins can typically only be used at one or a handful of games initially, but after you’ve used them once, you can take the bonus winnings to any game you like. However, free spins are often gifted as no-deposit bonuses, so they usually come with steep wagering requirements.

Pros

✅ Risk-free slots gameplay
✅ Often distributed as no-deposit bonuses
✅ Popular and easy-to-find bonus

Cons

⛔ Usually have very high wagering requirements

Cash Back Bonuses

A cashback bonus is for those days when luck just isn’t on your side. Cashback bonuses are usually recurring bonuses (once a week or month) where you can reclaim a portion of your losses as bonus funds. These funds sometimes have to be wagered — although not always! — but also give you a second chance at winning something. Cashback usually returns around 10% of your losses, but some VIP schemes may increase that number. 

Pros

✅ Gives you a second chance with your lost funds
✅ Regularly recurring
✅ Rates improve with VIP schemes

Cons

⛔ You have to lose money to claim them

Reload Bonuses

If you’ll recall the deposit match bonus, a reload bonus is the same but on a much smaller scale. A reload bonus gifts you bonus funds directly proportional to however much you deposit into your account, although usually in smaller amounts. For example, a weekly reload bonus might reward you with 40% of your deposit back in bonus funds. While they’re not so flashy, reload bonuses are recurring deals and sometimes can even be claimed every day! This is one of those cases where many smaller bonuses add up over time.

Pros

✅ Frequently recurring bonus
✅ Small bonuses add up over time
✅Bonus is flexible to match your budget

Cons

⛔ Smaller value bonuses

Loyalty and VIP Bonuses

If you plan to play at a single casino for a long time, consider looking at the VIP scheme if your casino has one. VIP and reward programs can give out unique or enhanced bonuses compared to other recurring bonuses you can claim. Whether it’s additional free spins, upgraded cashback or special treatment, it’s all there to reward your brand loyalty. And the rewards increase with your VIP level — but this can be quite demanding for players on a budget. 

Pros

✅ Claim a variety of bonuses and gifts
✅ Bonuses increase as your VIP level increases
✅ Easy way to benefit from regular play

Cons

⛔ Requires long-term and often expensive commitment to a site

How to Claim a Casino Bonus

For new players, claiming your first casino bonus can be a little daunting. You want to make sure you get it right! So here’s a simple step-by-step you can follow if you need a helping hand:

1. Choose the Right Casino 

The first step is to find a worthy casino to sign up with. You can look through expert reviews for recommendations, so make sure to find one with a generous welcome bonus that suits you. Don’t forget to look through the T&Cs before you accept anything!

2. Sign Up or Log in

If you’re accepting a welcome bonus, you’ll want to follow a link or make sure you’re activating the correct bonus. Some bonuses will require a promo code to activate instead, or you’ll need to click a link inside the website after signing up. 

Ongoing bonuses will be claimed through the promotions tab or by entering a promo code in your account’s cashier. 

3. Make a Deposit

Most casino bonuses require a deposit to claim them. Once you’ve made this deposit, you can claim your bonus. Most online casinos require you to deposit over a specified minimum, usually around $10. You can find this in the T&Cs.

4. Claim the Bonus

Now that you’ve qualified for the bonus, you’re free to claim it. Some casinos will credit that bonus to your account automatically once your deposit is processed. Otherwise, you’ll need to manually claim the bonus from the promotions tab in your account. 

5. Meet the Wagering Requirements

An important part of claiming a bonus is meeting the wagering requirements. Depending on how steep the WR is and how big your bonus is, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to do this; that’s simply the nature of gambling. But we always recommend you know what the WRs are and do your best to meet them.

6. Withdraw Your Winnings 

If you do manage to meet the wagering requirements, it’s time to withdraw your bonus! You’ll usually be restricted to the payment method you used to make your initial deposit, and if it doesn’t support withdrawals, you’ll have to use a bank transfer.

Tips for Maximizing Casino Bonuses

A shiny new bonus can be exciting and tempting, but if you jump in head first without any forethought, you could end up wasting it or not getting everything you could from the deal. Our experts at Unlimitedfreespins.com are here to give you some tips for making the most out of a casino bonus.

☑️ Choose Low Wagering Bonuses

Making the most of your bonus starts before you even claim it! You should pick your bonus wisely, looking through the T&Cs to ensure you aren’t agreeing to outrageous stipulations. The most important of these is the wagering requirements. You can find more information on this later, but you want to find a bonus with the lowest wagering possible to give you the best shot at getting to cash out. 

☑️ Pick Your Games Wisely

When you’re using your bonus, it also helps to use them on the right games. You’ll hear a lot of palaver about RTP (return to player), but anyone who actually understands probability knows not to put a lot of stake in it — RTP is an average, not a guarantee! But it helps to make sure you’re playing games around the average of 96–97%. Additionally, always look through which games contribute to the wagering requirements and by how much. While slot games often contribute 100% of every wager to the WR, table games like blackjack or baccarat might only contribute 50% or 10% of every bet made to the WR — or sometimes none at all! Make sure you aren’t pouring your bonus down the drain. 

☑️ Stay Updated

As a regular casino player, we recommend staying abreast of the bonuses available at your preferred online casinos. Ongoing promotions change regularly, and you’ll find new ones popping up or old ones being phased out. Additionally, you also get generous seasonal bonuses that could net you even more than the regular weekly or VIP deals. These limited offers rarely hang around for long, so you need to make sure you pounce on them as they pop up.

Terms and Conditions 

If you want to make the most of your online casino bonus, it’s paramount that you understand the terms and conditions inside and out. Here’s a look at the most important conditions you should acquaint yourself with.

Wagering Requirements

The wagering requirement, sometimes called the playthrough, is the number of times you have to use the value of your bonus before you can cash out any of your winnings. For example, if your bonus is worth $10 and the WR is 30x, you have to wager $300 worth of bonus funds. Some playthrough thresholds are very high, reaching 60x or even into the hundreds, so always check these before signing up.

Game Restrictions

Most bonuses will have some form of game restriction applied. Most obviously, free spins are only useable on one or a handful of games the first time you use them, but most bonuses will have other exclusions and wagering weightings. Most commonly, the exclusions include table games like blackjack, poker or craps, and progressive jackpots. Some casinos may even void your bonus if you use it on one of these excluded games.

Expiration Dates

Bonuses don’t hang around forever, so you must ensure you use the bonus within the allotted time. If you don’t, you’ll forfeit the bonus and any progress you’ve made toward the wagering requirements. Most bonuses have an expiration date of around 7–30 days from the bonus receipt. 

Maximum Bet Limits

Bonus betting limits cap the amount you can wager with bonus funds at any one time. Casinos do this to limit the maximum amount you can win from bonus funds, and if you try to bet over it, you could have your bonus taken from you. Check this out before you start playing; the max is usually somewhere around $5.

Withdrawal Limits

Many online casinos will limit the amount of money you can withdraw from an online bonus. This might be a fixed amount, or it could be directly proportional to how much you deposited to claim the bonus in the first place. Take a look at this early on to avoid disappointment down the line.

Bonus Abuse

In the T&Cs, this is usually listed as ‘atypical behaviour’ or ‘unfair gaming,’ and if a casino detects it, your bonus will be removed, and your account might also be suspended. This includes actions like opening multiple accounts or working with other people to manipulate game outcomes for the sake of cheating.

Best Casino Bonuses in Canada 

Our experts have picked out a few of the best online casino bonuses for Canadian Players:

⭐ Jackpot City: 100% Welcome Bonus up to CAD $1,600 – Enjoy a generous welcome bonus that doubles your deposit across your first four deposits, giving you up to CAD $1,600 in bonus funds.

⭐ LeoVegas: 20 Free Spins No Deposit Bonus – Sign up and receive 20 free spins to use on selected slots, with no deposit required.

⭐ PlayOJO: Up to 50 Free Spins on First Deposit – Make your first deposit and get up to 50 free spins on selected slot games, with no wagering requirements on your winnings.

Conclusion

Online casino bonuses are a fantastic way to spice up your gambling and fatten your bankroll. Whether you’re claiming free spins, cashback or VIP rewards, it all comes together to make your time that much more enjoyable. And if you win some free cash from your bonus while you’re at it? Even better! Using our guide to better understand the various bonuses you can claim and all the terms and conditions that come with them, you’ll be able to make the most of your bonuses. Always remember to only register with trustworthy casinos and to gamble responsibly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a welcome bonus, and how does it work?

A welcome bonus is the first promotional offer you can claim from a casino. It can only be claimed on a new account and usually only within the first week or so of signing up. Most bonuses are claimed by signing up with the appropriate link and making your first deposit over a specified minimum. 

Are no deposit bonuses available in Canada?

Yes, many online casino bonuses in Canada can be claimed without first making a deposit. These can be welcome bonuses but are more common as ongoing promos.

How do I claim a casino bonus?

The most common way to claim a casino bonus is by activating it on the promotions tab and following any instructions from there, like making a deposit. Welcome bonuses are usually activated by signing up with the correct link or a promo code.

What are wagering requirements, and why are they important?

Wagering requirements are the number of times you have to bet the total value of a bonus before you can withdraw any winnings made with it. If you don’t meet them, your bonus funds will be forfeited.

Can I withdraw my winnings from a bonus immediately?

All bonuses must be used at least once before withdrawal. Unless your bonus has no wagering, you will then have to meet wagering requirements before you can withdraw anything.

Are there restrictions on the games I can play with my bonus?

Most bonuses have at least some game restrictions. Most bonuses can’t be used on progressives and various table games like blackjack or craps. Free spins are also limited to one or a few games for the first time you use them.

Do casino bonuses expire?

Yes, and sometimes very quickly. Make sure you meet the wagering requirements before the time limit expires, and you forfeit your bonus. You can find the limit in the T&Cs.

What is the maximum bet limit when using bonus funds?

This will change between online casinos and depend on the game you use the bonus funds on. You can see this in the terms and conditions.

Are there loyalty or VIP programs available for Canadian players?

Most online casinos in Canada feature a VIP or rewards program of some sort to reward returning customers.

What should I look for when choosing a casino bonus?

The most important factors for a casino bonus are low wagering requirements, long time limits, and true overall value.