How to calculate wagering requirements

How to calculate wagering requirements: the basic formula

Every wagering requirement calculation starts with three numbers from the bonus terms: the amount the multiple applies to (the base), the multiple itself, and the weighting of the game you plan to play. The formula is:

Total bets needed = base × multiple ÷ game weighting (as a decimal).

With a £30 bonus, a 10x multiple and slots counting 100%, the result is £30 × 10 ÷ 1 = £300. If you played a game counting 20% instead, the same bonus would need £30 × 10 ÷ 0.2 = £1,500 of stakes. That second figure is why the weighting line in the terms matters as much as the headline multiple. If you want the concept before the arithmetic, start with how wagering requirements work.

Where to find each number in the terms

Casinos must set out bonus terms that are clear, transparent and fair and readily accessible, under the Gambling Commission’s licence code 5.1.1 (opens in a new tab). In practice, you will find the figures you need in the significant terms beside the offer and in the full terms linked from it. The ASA’s guidance on promotional terms and conditions (opens in a new tab) explains which conditions must appear in the advert itself.

Our guide to reading casino bonus terms shows where these lines usually sit.

How to calculate wagering requirements step by step

1. Find the base: the bonus alone, or the deposit plus bonus if the terms say so.
2. Multiply the base by the multiple (10 at most at a UK-licensed casino).
3. Divide by the weighting of the game you will play (1.0 for 100%, 0.1 for 10%).
4. Divide the result by your stake per spin or hand to get the number of bets.
5. Divide the total by the days allowed to get the daily pace.
6. Multiply the total by the game’s house edge to estimate the average cost.
7. Subtract that cost from the bonus to see the average value left, then apply any win cap.

Worked example: Casumo’s 50% match at different deposits

Casumo offers new customers a 50% bonus up to £100 on the first deposit, minimum £20, with 10x wagering on the bonus within 7 days and a £5 maximum bet while the bonus is active. 18+, opt-in required, and game, play and payment restrictions apply. Here is how the requirement scales, assuming slots count in full and a 96% RTP game:

Any deposit above £200 still gets the £100 maximum bonus, so the requirement stays at £1,000. The “average value left” column is a long-run mean, not a forecast. Individual results vary a lot, and many sessions finish with the bonus gone.

Calculating wagering with game weighting

Weighting turns a stake into a smaller contribution. A £1 bet on a game counting 10% adds 10p to your progress. The fastest way to see the effect is to run the same bonus through different weightings, as in the table below for a £25 bonus at 10x. Weighting rates differ between casinos, so treat these as illustrations and use the figures from your own terms. The game weighting guide explains why table games often count for less.

Calculating spins needed and daily pace

Knowing how to calculate wagering requirements in pounds is a start, but spins and days are easier to judge. Take 10bet’s 100% match up to £25, wagered 10x on slots within 3 days (18+, new UK customers, max bonus winnings £1,000, terms apply). The target is £250.

• At 20p a spin: £250 ÷ £0.20 = 1,250 spins, about 417 a day.
• At 50p a spin: 500 spins, about 167 a day.
• At £1 a spin: 250 spins, about 83 a day.
• At £2 a spin: 125 spins, about 42 a day.

UK slots must take at least 2.5 seconds per spin under the spin speed rule, so 1,250 spins is at least 52 minutes of continuous play, and in reality far longer. Raising the stake reduces the spin count but increases how much each swing can cost, and players aged 18–24 are limited to £2 a spin by the £2 slot stake limit. If the pace doesn’t fit the time or money you normally spend, the offer isn’t right for you.

Calculating the expected cost of wagering

The expected cost is the average amount the wagering will consume: total stakes × house edge. The house edge is 100% minus the RTP. A 96% slot has a 4% edge; a 94% slot has 6%. Using the 10bet example of £250 of slot bets:

Check the RTP in the game’s help screen, because some slots come in several versions; our guide on how to check slot RTP shows where it is. The calculation is an average across a very large number of bets. In a single session the result can be far better or far worse.

When the base includes your deposit

Some terms, mostly older or from outside the UK market, apply the multiple to the deposit and the bonus combined. The UK licence code describes wagering as playing through bonus funds, and our partners’ terms apply 10x to the bonus only. If you meet the wider wording elsewhere, recalculate: a £50 deposit with a £50 match at “10x deposit plus bonus” is £1,000 of bets, double the £500 needed on the bonus alone, and double the expected cost.

Calculating wagering on free spin winnings

Where free spin winnings are credited as bonus funds, the base is the amount the spins actually return, not their face value. Fifty spins at 10p are £5 of spins; if they return £6.40, a 10x requirement means £64 of bets. Many current UK offers skip this stage. Coral’s published terms say there is no wagering on free spin winnings (bet £10 on slots to get 100 spins at 10p, valid 7 days), and PlayOJO pays the winnings from its 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza in cash after a first deposit of £10 or more. 18+, terms apply. Read free spins winnings explained for the full picture.

Using the 10x cap to check a calculation

Since 19 January 2026, the Commission’s rule, announced in its news release on safer and simpler promotions (opens in a new tab), means the bets needed for 100%-weighted play can’t exceed ten times the bonus. That gives you a quick sense check: if your sum for a slots bonus comes out above 10 × bonus, either the base includes something extra or the site isn’t operating under a UK licence. Our 10x wagering cap page has the rule and timeline, and the latest bonus rules page tracks changes.

Common mistakes when working out wagering

• Counting winnings as progress. Only stakes count, never returns.
• Ignoring weighting. A 10% game makes a £250 target behave like £2,500.
• Forgetting the maximum bet. Casumo’s £5 cap limits how quickly you can progress, and breaking it can void winnings; see the max bet rule guide.
• Overlooking the deadline. A 3-day window turns £250 into roughly £83 a day.
• Treating the average value as a likely profit. It is a long-run mean, and losses are common.
• Missing the win cap. 10bet limits bonus winnings to £1,000.

Our wagering calculator does these sums for you, but knowing how to calculate wagering requirements by hand is worth it so you can spot an awkward term at a glance.

Offers to practise the calculation on, checked 5 October 2026

If you would rather not calculate anything, Coral and PlayOJO give spins whose winnings carry no wagering, which you can compare on our no wagering offers page. Casumo’s 50% match is the closest current example of a standard 10x requirement. All three are for new customers aged 18+ and licensed by the Gambling Commission; terms apply. More explainers are in our casino guides.

Decide your budget first and set a deposit limit. If you find yourself chasing a wagering target, stop: the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) is free and open 24/7.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set deposit limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.