If you have spent anytime playing on online casinos with your real money, then you will have no doubt come across something referred to as a matched deposit bonus. There is often a lot of hype and excitement surrounding these bonuses, but there can also be equal amounts of disappointment and frustration.

Online Casinos That Offers Matched Deposit Bonus

  • 1
    100% Bonus Up To 250£ Welcome Package! T&Cs; Apply - 18+ Payout Ratio: 98.765%
    Microgaming
  • 2
    100% Bonus Up To 5BTC Or 500 Euros - Welcome Package! T&Cs;' Apply - 18+ Payout Ratio: 98.623%
    Microgaming, NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, BetSoft, Play'n GO & Man
  • 3
     
    100% Bonus Up To 100€ Welcome Bonus + 100 Free Spins!, T &C Apply, 18+ Payout Ratio: 97.89%
    Microgaming, NetEnt, NextGen, ELK
  • 4
    100% Bonus Up To 1,000€ Ts & Cs Apply. Payout Ratio: 97.12%
    NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Amaya
  • 5
    100% Bonus Up To 1,000€ T&Cs; Apply - 18+ Payout Ratio: 98.45%
    Microgaming, NetEnt, Betsoft, Aristocrat
  • 6
     
    125% Bonus Up To 0$ Welcome Bonus + 200 Free Spins! T & C Apply, 18+ Payout Ratio: 98.89%
    NetEnt, Evolution Gaming, Betsoft, ISoftBet, Yggdrasil Gaming
  • 7
     
    100% Bonus Up To 500€ Matched Deposit Bonus. Ts & Cs Apply. Payout Ratio: 96%
    Microgaming
  • 8
    150% Bonus Up To 200$ Up To $200. 1.5X Bonus. Ts & Cs Apply. Payout Ratio: 97.65%
    Microgaming
  • 9
    100% Bonus Up To 800$ Big Matched Deposit. Ts & Cs Apply. Payout Ratio: 97.61%
    Microgaming
  • 10
     
    100% Bonus Up To 350$ Get Two Deposit Bonuses. Ts & Cs Apply. Payout Ratio: 97%
    Microgaming

So just what are matched deposit bonuses, and why do they have the power to get the online casino gambling community so animated? 

What is a Matched Deposit Bonus?

In most cases, a matched deposit bonus is paid out when you first join a casino and when you make your first deposit. They are also occasionally available to loyal players, although these are big bonuses and casinos often take a substantial hit by offering them, so it’s rare for them to be offered to current members.

They are offered as a way of luring players into a casino, giving them free cash if they signup and deposit. They often come with high play-through rates, which helps the casino to profit, but if you choose the right bonus and spend it wisely, it’s easy to walk away with a profit.

In this guide we’ll tell you all that you ever wanted to know about these bonuses, including the casinos that offer the best ones, and the ways that you can get the most out of them.

Best Bonus Casinos

You will find that most casinos offer matched deposit bonuses these days, but that doesn’t apply to all of them. Also, of the casinos that do offer these bonuses, not all of them are worth your time.

There are a lot of poorly developed online casinos out there, which is why we have reviewed most of what’s available, sorted the wheat from the chaff and ensured that only the cream of the crop remain.

The Best Deposit Bonuses

There are some amazing matched deposit bonuses out there, ones that even surprised us, and we have been in this industry for a long time now. Conversely, there are also some very poor ones, ones that you will want to avoid at all costs.

There are also casinos that offer these bonuses alongside other bonuses, and providing that the matched deposit bonus is a good one, these are the best casinos to join.

To learn more about this bonus and the other bonuses that are available, read our bonus guide here. To see the casinos with the best matched deposit bonuses and other bonuses, follow this link.

How to Use a Matched Deposit Bonus

There is a lot of hype around matched deposit bonuses

These are a little bit more complicated than many other bonuses, but they are still easy to use. First you need to study the terms and conditions to make sure you understand the rules of the bonus. Is it a 100% or 200% bonus, or is it more like 50%? This is important, because whilst the former two are fantastic, the latter one is not.

You should also look to see if it is a multi-tiered bonus, which means that you will be paid for your second, third, fourth, fifth, etc., bonuses. It is common to offer bonuses for your first three deposits, but some casinos offer as many as 10.

In such cases, you shouldn’t expect to always get a 100% or more bonus, but providing the first deposit bonus is 100% or more, then this is not a problem.

You should also check the play-through rate. This may look high if you are not used to seeing play-through rates, but don’t worry, it’s common. This is because they expect you to play online slots for cash and high RTP table games (which is exactly what you should do) in which case the player usually gets a big return for their money.

Do All Casinos Offer These Bonuses?

Matched deposit bonuses are easily the most common form of online casino bonus, especially when they are used as welcome bonuses. However, they are not offered by all casinos. Some casinos like to limit the free cash they give away and prefer instead to offer free spins; some like to appeal to more casual, small-stake players and therefore offer no-deposit bonuses.

If you ask the average, serious casino gambler what they would prefer, they will most likely say a matched deposit bonus, but casinos are always looking to shake things up and offer something different, so they aren’t available everywhere.

Don’t dismiss an online casino just because it doesn’t seem to offer such a bonus though, as you might just not be looking hard enough. You have to remember that most casinos, and indeed most gambling sites, only offer bonuses as a promotional tool.

They are handed out to affiliates, they are used on banner ads and on TV adverts. They run all sorts of promotions, and which one you get might depend on which affiliate link you click on.

What’s more, if you try and join directly through the casino website, you will probably not see any bonuses at all. As far as they are concerned, if they got you there of your own accord, then they don’t need to entice you with any big promotions. Their job has already been completed.

5 Tips for Using This Bonus

tips for using the matched deposit bonus correctlyRead the Fine Print

A bonus may look great on the surface, but if you dig a little deeper, you could uncover some ugly truths. For instance, some bonuses have astonishing play-through rates that are just not feasible when compared to the size of the bonus. Others offer as little as a 20% matched return on your deposit. Most of them are okay, but it pays to be vigilant.

Change Your Deposit

Many casinos now offer multi-staged matched deposit bonuses. This means that on your first deposit you might get a 100% matched deposit of up to $500, while your second might be a 50% one of up to $100.

The general rule of thumb is that the first and last bonuses always have the highest percentages, and that the smaller they are, the higher the maximum amount will be. The casinos want you to meet the limits with all deposits, but instead you should look to deposit as much as possible on your first and last, while only depositing token amounts in-between.

If done rightly, you can double the free cash that you get.

Play the Odds

Just because you have a lot of free money doesn’t mean you should blow it all on a long shot, perhaps with the hope of a lottery win. Be sensible and play games that offer a good chance of winning. Your goal, at least to begin with, is to convert that “fake money” into as much “real money” as you possibly can.

Play-Through Rate

It’s easy to get frustrated with a play-through rate and to throw your hard earned winnings away, but this is when you need to remain patient. Stick with the low odds, the games that offer you the best chance of winning, and slowly work your way through the bonus. The goal is not to quickly withdraw your money, but to have a lot of money to withdraw when the time comes.

Extras

Many casinos will offer additional bonuses, as well as the matched deposit bonus. It’s easy to ignore these when dealing with a bigger and better bonus, but try not to as they can come in handy. Use any free spins and any other bonuses they give you wisely, and always join loyalty schemes.

These come in handy at all times, and especially during a matched deposit bonus, as you might discover that during the time it took you to spend your bonus, you earned a small profit from the loyalty scheme.

The Upsides to This Bonus

Size

The sheer size and potential of matched deposit bonuses means they are brilliant for all serious and high-stake gamblers.

Goals

Casino gambling is even more fun when you have goals to hit, and one of the great joys of this industry is winning a small fortune with your bonus, and then doing your best to hold onto as much of it as you can whilst going through the play-through rate.

Compatibility

These bonuses are available to all players and everyone has some use for them, which can’t be said for all bonuses. How much you get out of them and how worthwhile they are for you will depend on several factors, but whether you bet small and infrequently, or big and frequently, these bonuses have something to offer you.

Uniqueness

You will find no-deposit bonuses, loyalty schemes and welcome bonuses on sports books, and other gambling sites, but sizable matched deposit bonuses are unique to online casinos. This is where they thrive, and where they work best.

The Downsides to This Bonus

Size

Although matched deposit bonuses are great for those looking to deposit money, they have their limits for players who like to deposit with small, incremental amounts

Less Than 100%

Most casinos offer 100% matched bonuses and to compete with this, some offer even more. However, others have started offering less, and 50% bonuses are more common than they should be.

FAQs About No-Deposit Bonuses

you can get no deposit bonuses on your mobileCan I Get it on my Mobile?

Yes, and it’s easily done as well. If this bonus is available for desktop users, then it will be available for online casino mobile users too. Just follow the same promotional link or enter the same promotional code. There are also deposit bonuses available solely for mobile users, so you should keep an eye out for these.

matched deposit bonuses are uncommon with US compatible online casinosCan I Get it in the US?

You can, but they are less common than they are elsewhere. Gambling is available in the US if the casino is based outside of the US and operates legally there. However, because the competition is much weaker with US casinos, bonuses tend to be thin on the ground.

Simply put, they think that their players should be privileged simply to be playing on the casino and that they won’t care about the omission of a bonus or two, and in many cases, they are right.

in addition to no deposit bonuses you can get other casino bonusesCan I Get Other Bonuses As Well?

Of course! Some of the best matched deposit bonuses we have seen have been attached to other bonuses, including free spin bonuses. The most common combination, and the one that you will get the most out of, is the loyalty scheme.

When used in combination with a deposit bonus this can be hugely beneficial to the player. Unfortunately, loyalty schemes are becoming less and less popular, and only a handful of the biggest sites still offer them.

to get a deposit matched bonus you will need to make a depositWill I Need to Give the Casino my Card Details?

You will need to make a deposit in order to qualify for this bonus, but this doesn’t have to come via your credit or debit card and you can just as easily use a web wallet or another method.

online casinos get a lot out of giving matched deposit bonusesHow do Casinos Profit from Matched Deposit Bonuses?

The house always wins, but that doesn’t mean that you will lose. What it means is that for every player that picks up a matched deposit bonus, wins a fortune and then successfully withdrawals, there will be 10+ players that pick it up, blow through it in no time at all, and then continue to deposit and lose more money. Simply put, for every $1 million that an online casino loses to a successful player, they’ll gain $10 million back from less successful players.

matched deposit bonuses are very common in online casinosHow Common are These Bonuses?

They are by far the most common online casino bonus out there, and one that you will find on all of the top online casinos. Not all casinos offer them, but if they play fast and loose with their bonuses (like so many of them do) and if they have been around for at least a few years, they will have offered one at some point or another.

Conclusion

This bonus is popular for a reason. It has a little something for everyone, which is why it is loved both by the casinos and by the players. It is a bonus that you will have seen a lot of, and one that you will continue to see a lot of. And if you appreciate big bonuses then you should be delighted with that fact.