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View All ReviewsYou accepted a bonus. Now you're locked in until you clear the wagering. The casino says "35x wagering" — but what does that actually mean? How many spins? How many hours? Which games count? And most importantly: how much have you already cleared?
This calculator answers all of that. Input your bonus terms, your playing style, and your progress so far. I'll tell you exactly how much total wagering is required, how long it'll take at your bet size, which games to play, and how close you are to cashing out. The same calculations I use personally when clearing bonuses. Want to know if the bonus is even worth accepting before you start? Check the bonus value calculator first.
Wagering Requirement Calculator
Your Wagering Breakdown
Detailed Breakdown
Time at Different Bet Sizes
Quick Presets — Real Casino Bonuses
Click any preset to see exactly how long it takes to clear actual bonus terms from casinos I've reviewed. Not sure which bonus to accept? Our welcome bonus comparison breaks down every offer side by side.
Game Contribution Percentages — What Actually Counts?
Not all games count equally toward wagering. A $1 bet on slots clears $1 of wagering. A $1 bet on blackjack might only clear $0.10. This is how casinos prevent bonus abuse on low-house-edge games.
High Contribution (Fast Clearing)
- • Slots100%
- • Scratch Cards100%
- • Keno100%
- • Video Poker (some casinos)50-100%
Low Contribution (Slow Clearing)
- • Roulette20-50%
- • Blackjack10-20%
- • Baccarat10-20%
- • Live Dealer Games5-10%
- • Progressive Jackpot Slots0% (prohibited)
Critical Rule
Always play 100% contribution games when clearing wagering. A 35x requirement at 10% contribution becomes effectively 350x. You'll burn through your balance long before clearing. Stick to slots unless you have a compelling reason not to. Better yet, start with a bonus that has fair terms — see our low wagering casinos guide for options under 25x.
Optimal Strategy to Clear Wagering Fastest
After 14 years of clearing bonuses, here's what actually works.
Play High-RTP Slots Only
Stick to slots with 96-98% RTP. Every percentage point of RTP saves you money during the grind. Blood Suckers (98% RTP), Mega Joker (99% RTP), and Starmania (97.87% RTP) are optimal. Avoid branded slots with 92-94% RTP — they'll eat your balance faster.
Use Consistent Bet Sizing
Most bonuses have max bet limits ($5/spin typical). Stay well under this limit. If max bet is $5, play $1-2 spins. One "accidental" $6 bet can void your entire bonus and all winnings. Set autoplay to prevent mistakes.
Bet Size Strategy: Divide your bonus balance by 200 to find safe bet size. $500 balance = $2.50 max bets gives you 200 spins of runway.
Track Your Progress
Most casinos show wagering progress in your account. Check it every 30 minutes. If progress seems slow, verify you're playing a qualifying game at proper contribution percentage. I've seen players waste hours on 0% contribution games.
Never Chase Losses
If your balance drops below 50% of starting, do not increase bet size trying to "recover." This violates max bet rules and accelerates bankroll destruction. Clearing wagering is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and steady wins.
Take Breaks
Clearing $3,500 wagering takes 6+ hours at $1 spins. Break this into 2-3 sessions. Fatigue leads to mistakes — wrong bet sizes, wrong games, tilting after losses. Set a timer for 2-hour sessions with 30-minute breaks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply the wagering multiplier by the base amount (bonus or bonus+deposit), then divide by the game contribution percentage. Example: 35x on $100 bonus with 100% contribution = $3,500 total. If playing blackjack at 10% contribution, you'd need to wager $35,000 to clear the same requirement ($3,500 / 0.10). This is why you should always clear wagering on slots. The calculator above does all this math automatically.
At $1 per spin playing 600 spins per hour (typical), clearing $3,500 wagering takes approximately 6 hours. At $0.20 per spin, it takes 29 hours. At $2 per spin, it takes 3 hours. Faster playing (800 spins/hr with autoplay) reduces time proportionally. Lower contribution games multiply the time requirement: 10% contribution means 10x longer. The calculator provides exact estimates based on your playing style.
Slots with 100% contribution clear wagering fastest. Within slots, higher RTP = less balance lost during clearing. Blood Suckers (98% RTP) and Mega Joker (99% RTP) are optimal. Table games contribute only 10-20%, making them 5-10x slower. Live dealer games contribute 5-10%, making them 10-20x slower. Progressive jackpot slots are typically prohibited (0% contribution). Always check bonus terms for game contribution percentages before playing. One hour on blackjack equals 6-10 minutes on slots for wagering progress.
Breaking bonus terms voids the bonus and all winnings derived from it. Common violations: exceeding max bet limits (one $6 spin when limit is $5), playing prohibited games (jackpot slots, live dealer when excluded), attempting to withdraw before wagering complete, suspicious betting patterns (massive bet size swings). Casinos track this automatically. I've seen players lose $10,000+ in winnings over a single $7 bet when max was $5. Set autoplay at safe bet sizes to avoid accidents. When in doubt, check casino's active promotions page for real-time wagering status.
No, withdrawing before completing wagering voids the bonus and all winnings. Your deposit amount may be withdrawable (minus the bonus), but anything won with bonus funds is forfeited. Some casinos let you cancel the bonus manually, which frees your deposit but removes bonus funds and winnings. This is useful if you're not making progress and want to cut losses. Once you accept a bonus, your funds are locked until wagering completes or you forfeit. This is why I recommend using the bonus calculator first to check if the wagering is realistic before accepting.
Most casinos show wagering progress in your account dashboard under "Active Bonuses" or "Promotions." Look for a progress bar or "X remaining of Y total wagering." Check this every 30 minutes to verify you're making expected progress. If progress seems slower than expected, you may be playing a low-contribution game. You can also use this calculator's "Already Wagered" field to input your current progress and see how much remains. Some casinos hide wagering progress — contact support to request your current status if not displayed.
Industry estimates suggest only 10-20% of players who accept bonuses successfully complete wagering requirements and withdraw. The rest either: run out of bankroll during clearing, violate terms accidentally, give up due to time commitment, or hit max cashout caps. Wagering under 30x has ~30-40% completion rate. Wagering above 50x has ~5% completion rate. This is why casinos can afford to offer large bonuses — most players never extract value. Use this calculator to understand the time and bankroll commitment before accepting. If you can't realistically commit 6-10 hours of play, skip the bonus.
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Responsible Gambling
This calculator shows you can clear wagering, not that you should. If clearing requires 10+ hours of play or risks your entire bankroll, skip the bonus. Free money isn't free if it costs you time, stress, or more money than the bonus is worth.