Not all online casino bonus terms tell you whether a bonus is sticky or non-sticky. However, when you see these two terms mentioned, do you know the difference between them?
If you don’t, then we’re here to help nail the differences between these two bonus types.
Table of Contents
Casino bonus offers are all part the parcel of playing at an online casino, and therefore, we make sure we break down each one of these terms to help you fully understand how bonus offers work. At the same time, we want you to avoid making casino bonus mistakes.
For each online casino review by the Casinoplusbonus EN team we add a casino bonus section, which has a table of bonus rules. This section will always mention whether the bonus is sticky or non-sticky.
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When you read a bonus review or before you claim an online casino’s bonus offer, always check the terms and conditions to see whether the bonus is sticky or non-sticky.
Non-Sticky Bonus Explained
When you claim a non-sticky bonus, the casino treats your real money balance as separate from your bonus money balance. This means that as long as you have a real money balance, you can withdraw your deposit or winnings anytime without playing through the wagering requirement.
- Important: You cannot withdraw your bonus balance until play through the wagering requirement. In fact, as soon as you make a real money withdrawal while a non-sticky bonus is active, the casino will cancel it, and your bonus balance will reset to zero.
| Here’s how the casino will display your balances for a $100 deposit with a 100% deposit match bonus | |
|---|---|
| Real Money Balance | $100 |
| Bonus Money Balance | $100 |
Non-sticky Bonus Order of Play
When your non-sticky bonus is active, you will not start using your bonus balance until your real money balance reaches zero. In some ways you could call this insurance on your real money balance.
That is because if you lose your deposit, you now have the chance to play through your bonus balance and convert it into real money. In the example above, as your bonus balance is 100% of your real money balance, the casino is giving you the chance to win back the real money balance you lost from your deposit.
To explain further, you could say that your non-sticky bonus effectively covers your real money balance. If you hit a cold streak and lose it, your bonus money balance will kick in as long as it has not expired.
| Here is the betting order of a non-sticky bonus | |
|---|---|
| 1. Real Money Bets First | After you claim your bonus, you use your real money balance to place bets. |
| 2. Bonus Money Bets Second | If you lose your real money balance and your bonus has not expired, the casino will begin placing bonus bets. |
Wagering Requirements Only Count for Bonus Bets
Once you claim your deposit match bonus, your real money bets do not count towards the wagering requirement. It is only when you bonus balance kicks in, then bonus bets will start to contribute towards your wagering requirement progress.
Why the Order You Bet Using Your Two Balances Important
If you hit a winning streak after you deposit, you may not need your bonus balance as insurance. If you bet using real money first and win big, then you can simply let your bonus expire and continue playing or cash out your winnings to cancel the bonus.
Here are three real-life examples of this bonus type in action:
- Joe Blogs Banks His Real Money Winnings: Joe claimed a non-sticky bonus and doubled his money from his real money balance without touching his bonus money balance. He decides to withdraw his winnings to bank profits and cover his deposit. Although the casino has now cancelled his bonus, he continues playing with the original amount deposited.
- Sarah Jones Withdraws a Portion of Her Real Money Deposit: Sarah decided she didn’t like the losing streak she was on and didn’t want to risk the wagering requirements of the bonus. She lost $50 of her real money balance and decides to withdraw the remaining $50 and allow the casino to cancel her bonus. She also wasn’t too keen on the casino platform, and she decides to find another casino to play at.
- Rich Wilde: That famous explorer we know from the Book of Dead decides to claim a casino bonus. He gets unlucky and loses his $100 real money deposit. However, he still has his $100 balance with a 30x wagering requirement. He plays his famous Book of Dead online slot collection and finally he ends up with a $130 balance after winning and losing, but overall his total bets accumulated to get to the $130 balance was $3,000 all from his $100 real money balance. He now has a real money balance of $130 as the casino agreed he’d fairly played through the wagering requirement.
In the two example real-life situations featuring Joe Blogs and Sarah Jones, there is a caveat that you need to look out for when reading casino reviews or terms and conditions. Some online casinos require you to play through your real balance 1x to 3x before you can withdraw, especially those under the Curacao licensing framework.
Understanding Real Money Playthrough Requirement? Also known as real money turn over, you will find whether a casino requires to play through your deposit with in the withdrawals or AML section of the casino’s T&Cs or in the Casinoplusbonus EN casino reviews pros and cons section.
Sticky Bonus Explained
A sticky bonus will join your real money casino balance (deposit) and bonus money balance. You then need to play through the wagering requirement of your deposit + bonus to convert the bonus money balance into real money.
For example…
- If you deposit $100 and receive a 200% deposit match, your starting balance is $300.
- If you play through the wagering requirement and end up with a $400 balance, the casino will subtract the $200 bonus money and leave you with $200 in real money. This means you are effectively $100 in profit.
Just to help the sticky bonus concept sink in further so you fully understand, there are two more examples in the accompanying table.
| Here some more examples | |
|---|---|
|
Deposit $200 + 200% Match $400 balance |
You have a $1,000 balance by the time you play through the wagering requirement, the casino will deduct the $200 deposit match bonus, and your profit is $800. |
|
Deposit $500 + 200% Match $1,000 balance |
You have a $1,000 balance by the time you play through the wagering requirement, the casino will deduct the $500 deposit match bonus, and your profit is $500. |
Cancelling a Sticky Bonus
If you have a $100 deposit with a 200% sticky bonus, you initially have a total balance of $300 ($100 of your own money + $200 sticky bonus). If you lose $50, your total balance will be $250.
Here’s how it breaks down:
- Initial Balance: $100 (real money) + $200 (sticky bonus) = $300 total.
- After Losing $50: Your new balance is $250.
Now, if you decide to cancel the bonus:
- The $200 sticky bonus is forfeited and removed from your balance.
- The remaining balance is $50 as you lost $50, to you will have $50 in real money remaining.
At this point, a sticky bonus may not appear much different from a non-sticky bonus because you’ve used your real money balance first, withdrawn early, and you still have the same $50 you would have remaining had you cancelled a non-sticky bonus. Yet, there are still ways this bonus can help you win back your real money deposit if you decide you have already ridden your luck and it is time to cut your losses and retrieve your full deposit.
Check out the highlight box…
How to Retrieve Your Real Money Deposit by Cancelling the Bonus
- If your the balance lost equals the amount you deposited while the sticky bonus is active, and you cancel, you will have a zero balance. In this case you are better off continuing and trying to play through the wagering requirement or win your losses back.
- However, if you hit a losing streak and start eating into the deposit match bonus balance, but then your luck changes and you come back into a profit; you can cash out and keep your initial real money deposit. In the advantages and disadvantages section below, we’ll explain more about this in Turning a Losing Streak into a Winning Streak.
Pros & Cons of Sticky and Non-Sticky Bonuses
Although this not strictly a pros and cons section, it still explains the key differences between the two bonus types. By reading each point carefully, you’ll understand just how sticky bonus deals are more beneficial than non-sticky bonuses in the long run.
Complexity
- Non-Sticky Bonuses are Easy to Understand: Most online casino prefer non-sticky bonuses because players can easily understand how they work. It is simply a case of lose your real money balance, and you can win it back by playing through the wagering requirement of your bonus balance.
- Sticky Bonus: As you are about to learn below, the sticky bonus is a little more complex and some online casinos steer clear of this bonus type so they do not confuse their players.
Below we will explain the key points, which are that bets towards the wagering requirement begin from the moment you start betting, and you have the chance to win back your initial deposit after a losing streak.
Turning a Losing Streak into a Winning Streak
If you hit a bad losing streak and your balance goes sown to say $100, you are surviving of your sticky bonus. However, your luck could change and suddenly from $100, you reach up to $500.
- Can you withdraw the $300 and cancel the $200 bonus at this point? You cannot withdraw the $300 balance at this point unless you have played through the wagering requirement.
- What if you decide to withdraw anyway? You would cancel the bonus and your $100 initial deposit will still be intact and becomes a real money balance.
The key difference is that if you were using a non-sticky bonus, you would not have had the chance to claw back your real money balance after you lost it, and then cancel the bonus and still have your initial real money deposit available.
Wagering Requirements Count From The Moment You Start Betting
There are some noticeable differences between sticky bonuses and non-sticky bonus wagering requirements.
- Sticky Bonus: As soon as you start betting, every bet you place will count towards the wagering requirement.
- Non-Sticky Bonus: Only bonus bets count towards the wagering requirement. Therefore, only after you lose your real money balance can you start to try to convert the bonus money into real money.
In short, a non-sticky bonus takes longer to play through the wagering requirements, and you run the risk of it expiring. On the other hand, as bets count towards wagering requirements from the get-go, you can play through the wagering requirements faster.
Which Bonus Do You Prefer?
Now it’s time to decide which bonus suits your playing style better. For most of the team and players here at Casinoplusbonus, we prefer the sticky bonus type because it gives you a fighting chance of winning your real money balance back, while every bet from the start of the bonus counts towards the wagering requirement.
However, we have years of experience playing casino bonuses, so we understand the complexities behind the sticky bonus. If we were to make a suggestion, we’d also suggest learning how the sticky bonus works, and become a true online casino bonus master!
Master more bonus rules: Take a look at the topics in the accompanying table. Each one covers a different bonus rule helping you master online casino bonuses and get the best value for your money!
FAQ
Are free spins bonuses sticky or non-sticky?
Most free spins bonuses are non-sticky because the amount you could win is always random. It is extremely rare to find a sticky free spins bonus deal.
What happens if free spins are part of my sticky bonus?
The casino will pin the amount you win from the free spins onto the deposit match bonus. For this reason, some players prefer not to use the free spins, while others choose to use them to add more depth to their bonus balance.
How can I claim a sticky bonus?
We’ll add a sticky bonus deposit match casino to this page as we review different online casinos. Keep an eye out for the lists above.
What is the difference between a stick and a non-sticky bonus?
The main differences are (a) sticky bonuses start contributing to the wagering requirement as soon as you begin to place bets. In contrast, non-sticky bonuses will only contribute after you lose your real money balance. (b) A non-sticky bonus separates into two balances, bonus and real money, while a sticky bonus combines them.
Is there such a thing as a sticky no-deposit bonus?
No. This is because no-deposit bonus deals do not require a deposit to receive free spins or a bonus money balance. Therefore, it would make no sense to use the stick bonus concept.
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