Wagering calculator
Use this wagering calculator to see what a UK casino bonus really asks of you: the total you must stake, how much a day to finish in time, and the average cost and value at your game's RTP. Since 19 January 2026 no UK bonus can need more than 10x, so the field stops there.
By the Latest Casinos team. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Total stakes = bonus × wagering multiple; at most 10x since 19 January 2026.
- Average cost of wagering = total stakes × (100% − RTP).
- Game weighting and max bet rules can multiply the stakes or the time needed.
- Free spins with no wagering are worth roughly face value × RTP.
- Averages are not predictions: most sessions end above or below them.
The calculator
The field stops at 10x because that is the legal maximum. A bonus can run out before wagering is complete.
Current offers, calculated
| Offer | Stakes | Days | Per day | Average value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10bet: £25 | £250 | 3 | £83.33 | £15 |
| Casumo: £10 | £100 | 7 | £14.29 | £6 |
| Casumo: £100 | £1,000 | 7 | £142.86 | £60 |
| Coral, Ladbrokes, PlayOJO spins | None | - | - | About 96% of face value |
Before and after the cap
| Wagering | Stakes | Average cost at 96% |
|---|---|---|
| 35x (common before 2026) | £875 | £35: more than the bonus |
| 10x (the maximum now) | £250 | £10 |
Elsewhere on the site: Latest free spins offers UK, New slot sites UK, 10bet Casino: the latest and Reading a casino's footer.
How to use the wagering calculator, field by field
The calculator needs four numbers, all of which are in a bonus's terms and conditions. Put them in as follows and the results update straight away.
- Bonus (£): enter the bonus amount you will actually receive, not the headline maximum. A 50% match on a £40 deposit is a £20 bonus, even if the offer says 'up to £100'.
- Wagering (x): enter the multiple from the terms, such as 10. If the terms say wagering applies to the deposit and the bonus, see the formula section below before entering anything.
- Game RTP: choose the return to player of the game you plan to use. Most slots publish a figure between 94% and 97% in their help screen; 96% is a reasonable default.
- Days allowed: enter the number of days the terms give you to complete wagering, such as 3 or 7.
- Read the four results: stakes needed, the amount to stake per day, the average cost of wagering and the average value of the bonus.
- If the per-day figure is more than your normal budget, the bonus is not a good fit, whatever its average value.
The calculator works for any bonus, not only the five we list. For a deeper walk through the maths, read how to calculate wagering, and for the rules behind the 10x ceiling see the 10x wagering cap.
Wagering requirement formulas the calculator uses
Every result on the wagering calculator comes from three simple formulas. Knowing them lets you check any bonus on paper, including ones with unusual terms.
| Result | Formula | Example: £20 bonus, 10x, 96% RTP, 5 days |
|---|---|---|
| Stakes needed | Bonus × wagering multiple | £20 × 10 = £200 |
| Per day | Stakes needed ÷ days allowed | £200 ÷ 5 = £40 a day |
| Average cost of wagering | Stakes needed × (100% − RTP) | £200 × 4% = £8 |
| Average value of the bonus | Bonus − average cost | £20 − £8 = £12 |
Bonus-only versus deposit-plus-bonus wagering
The Gambling Commission's code says bonus funds may not be required to be played through more than ten times; the text of licence condition 5.1.1 (opens in a new tab) speaks of bonus funds. Whether a casino can also attach wagering to your deposit is not something the cap spells out, so read the terms. If they say '10x deposit and bonus', a £20 deposit with a £20 bonus means £400 of stakes, not £200. Enter £40 as the bonus to get the right total, then remember that half of it is your own money.
Expected value in one line
The average value is the bonus's expected value: what you would keep on average if you could claim the same bonus thousands of times. It assumes you finish wagering. It ignores any cap on winnings and treats the casino's house edge as a steady cost per pound staked, which is what it is over the long run.
Wagering calculator examples for common UK bonus sizes
This table runs the calculator for typical bonus amounts at 96% RTP, the default setting. Use it to sense-check an offer quickly; for exact figures enter your own numbers above.
| Bonus | Wagering | Stakes needed | Average cost | Average value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £5 | 10x | £50 | £2 | £3 |
| £10 | 5x | £50 | £2 | £8 |
| £10 | 10x | £100 | £4 | £6 |
| £25 | 10x | £250 | £10 | £15 |
| £50 | 1x | £50 | £2 | £48 |
| £50 | 10x | £500 | £20 | £30 |
| £100 | 10x | £1,000 | £40 | £60 |
| £200 | 10x | £2,000 | £80 | £120 |
Two patterns stand out. At 96% RTP, a 10x requirement always costs 40% of the bonus on average, so the average value is 60% of the bonus. And halving the multiple roughly halves the cost: £10 at 5x keeps £8 on average, against £6 at 10x. That is why a low wagering bonus can be worth more than a larger one with the full 10x, and why no wagering versus low wagering is worth comparing before you choose.
Before 19 January 2026, 35x and 40x were common. At 35x and 96% RTP the average cost is 140% of the bonus, so the average value was negative. Any calculator that accepts more than 10x is using pre-2026 terms.
How game weighting and RTP change your wagering
The wagering calculator assumes every pound you stake counts in full and that you play one game with a fixed RTP. Real terms often add game weighting: slots count 100%, but table games may count 10% or 20%, or nothing at all.
Weighting worked example
Take a £20 bonus at 10x, so £200 must count towards wagering. On slots at 100% weighting, you stake £200. On a table game weighted at 10%, each £1 staked counts as 10p, so you would need £2,000 of stakes. Even with blackjack's low house edge of around 0.5% under good rules, £2,000 × 0.5% = £10 of average cost, and the time needed at 5 seconds a hand is far longer. If the terms say table games count 0%, play on them doesn't move the requirement at all.
| Game weighting | Stakes needed | Average cost at the game's edge |
|---|---|---|
| Slots, 100%, 96% RTP | £200 | £8 |
| Slots, 100%, 94% RTP | £200 | £12 |
| Table game, 20%, 99% RTP | £1,000 | £10 |
| Table game, 10%, 99.5% RTP | £2,000 | £10 |
| Excluded game, 0% | Never completes | Not applicable |
Why the RTP setting matters
On £1,000 of stakes, a 97% RTP slot costs £30 on average and a 94% slot £60. The difference doubles the cost of the same bonus. Some slots are supplied in several RTP versions, so the figure in the game's own help screen is the one to use, not a figure from a review. See RTP explained, how to check RTP and the RTP range glossary entry.
Max bet, time limits and UK stake limits in the wagering maths
Three limits decide whether finishing wagering is realistic, not just affordable: the bonus's maximum bet, its deadline, and the legal slot stake limits. The wagering calculator shows the daily target; this section turns it into spins and minutes.
- Max bet with a bonus: Casumo's terms set a maximum of £5 per bet while a bonus is active. £1,000 of wagering at £5 a spin is at least 200 spins. Break the max bet rule and the bonus winnings can be removed; see the max bet rule.
- Legal stake limits: online slots are limited to £5 per game cycle for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds, under the Commission's stake limit guidance (opens in a new tab). At £2, the same £1,000 takes at least 500 spins.
- Spin speed: each slot spin takes at least 2.5 seconds, so 500 spins is at least about 21 minutes of continuous play, and 1,000 spins at £1 at least about 42 minutes.
- Deadline: 10bet's terms give 3 days to wager its bonus 10x on slots; Casumo's give 7. The calculator's per-day figure is the minimum pace, not a suggestion.
| Stake per spin | Minimum spins | Minimum time at 2.5 seconds per spin |
|---|---|---|
| £5 (25 and over maximum) | 200 | About 8 minutes |
| £2 (18 to 24 maximum) | 500 | About 21 minutes |
| £1 | 1,000 | About 42 minutes |
| 50p | 2,000 | About 83 minutes |
Higher stakes finish wagering sooner but do not change the average cost, which depends on the total staked and the RTP. They do make the swings larger, so a bonus balance is more likely to run out before you finish. Our bonus expiry guide explains what happens to an unfinished bonus.
Free spins value: the calculator for no-wagering spins
For spins with no wagering, the sum is simpler: value is roughly the number of spins × the spin value × the game's RTP. There is no wagering cost to subtract, which is why the calculator table above shows spins at about 96% of face value.
| Offer | Face value | Approximate average return | Main condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coral: 100 spins at 10p | £10 | About £9.60 at 96% RTP | Bet £10 on slots; selected games; 7 days |
| Ladbrokes: up to 500 spins at 10p | Up to £50 | About £48 at 96% RTP if all 10 days are claimed | Play £10 on slots; claim by 23:59 each day |
| PlayOJO: 80 spins at 10p | £8 | About £7.74 at Big Bass Bonanza's published 96.71% RTP | First deposit £10+; not Northern Ireland |
All three are for new customers aged 18 and over, with no wagering on spin winnings; excluded payment methods apply at Coral and Ladbrokes, and terms apply. The average return is an average across many players: one person's 80 spins may return nothing or several times the face value, especially on a high-volatility slot. The Ladbrokes figure also assumes you log in and claim every day for ten days; miss a day and those 50 spins are gone. See free spins winnings explained and the latest PlayOJO offer.
Using the wagering calculator for cashback, reloads and sticky bonuses
Welcome offers are not the only promotions with wagering. The same formulas work for most other bonus types, with small adjustments.
- Reload bonuses: enter the bonus you actually receive on that deposit. A 25% reload on £40 is a £10 bonus; at 10x that is £100 of stakes.
- Cashback paid as bonus money: enter the cashback amount as the bonus. £8 of cashback at 5x needs £40 of stakes. Cashback paid as cash has no wagering, so its value is simply the amount paid.
- Sticky bonuses: the bonus itself can never be withdrawn, only winnings above it. The calculator's average value overstates a sticky bonus, because the bonus amount itself is removed when you cash out. Treat a £20 sticky bonus mainly as extra playing time, not as £12 of value.
- Free spins with wagering: first estimate the spin winnings (spins × spin value × RTP), then treat that figure as the bonus. 50 spins at 10p might win about £4.80 on average; at 10x that needs about £48 of stakes.
Whatever the type, the Commission's announcement of the new promotion rules (opens in a new tab) applies the 10x ceiling to all of them. For more on how each type is structured, see sticky versus non-sticky bonuses and the cashback casino bonus guide.
Why the wagering calculator gives averages, not predictions
The average cost and average value are long-run figures. In a single attempt at a bonus, the result spreads widely around them, and the spread grows with the game's volatility and your stake size.
Consider a £25 bonus with £250 to wager on a high-volatility slot. Many attempts end with the bonus balance spent before wagering is complete, and nothing to withdraw. A smaller number end with a balance well above £25. The average of all those outcomes is the £15 the calculator shows, but almost no individual attempt lands on £15. A low-volatility slot narrows the spread: more attempts finish wagering with something left, and fewer end with a large balance.
| Myth | Fact |
|---|---|
| A positive average value means I will profit | It means the average across many attempts; most single attempts end above or below it |
| Playing faster clears wagering more cheaply | Cost depends on total stakes and RTP, not speed; UK rules also set minimum spin times |
| Switching games after a loss improves my odds | Each spin is independent; see the gambler's fallacy |
| Bigger stakes reduce the cost of wagering | Total stakes are fixed; bigger stakes only add risk and must stay within the max bet |
| Any bonus is worth claiming | Not if the per-day target is above your budget or the payment method is excluded |
Treat bonus play as part of your entertainment budget, never as a way to make money. If you want to read more on the thinking errors involved, see the gambler's fallacy. If wagering targets are pushing you to play more than you meant to, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is free and open 24 hours, and GamCare's support page (opens in a new tab) lists chat and WhatsApp options.
Go further: Coral vs Ladbrokes, The £2 slot stake limit for 18 to 24s and New casino sites 2026.
Keep reading: New casinos with a no deposit bonus, How long do casino withdrawals take?, Risks of new and unlicensed casinos and Compare casinos.
Everything here is dated. Offers and facts were last checked on 5 October 2026; this is not a live feed. Casino details come from each casino's published terms and help pages and the Gambling Commission's public register. How we check. 18+. Free help: 0808 8020 133 or safer gambling.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum wagering?
The maximum wagering on a UK casino bonus is 10x the bonus funds, under Gambling Commission licence condition 5.1.1, in force since 19 January 2026. A £15 bonus can therefore require no more than £150 of bets before you can withdraw winnings from it. The cap is a ceiling: many offers ask for less, and free spins at Coral, Ladbrokes and PlayOJO carry no wagering on the winnings at all. Check whether the terms apply wagering to the bonus only or to the deposit too. The 10x wagering cap page has the full rule and its history.
How do I work it out?
Multiply the bonus by the wagering requirement to get the total you must stake. A £30 bonus at 10x needs £300 of bets. Divide that by the days allowed to get a daily target: £300 over 7 days is about £43 a day. For the average cost, multiply total stakes by the house edge, which is 100% minus the RTP: £300 at 96% RTP costs £12 on average. Subtract that from the bonus for the average value, here £18. Adjust for game weighting if you play table games. Our guide to calculating wagering shows more examples.
What did the cap change?
The 10x cap cut the amount you must stake to clear a bonus, and with it the average cost of clearing it. Before 19 January 2026, 35x was common: a £25 bonus needed £875 of bets, costing around £35 on average at 96% RTP, which is more than the bonus. Under the cap the most is £250, costing around £10, so the bonus keeps about £15 of average value. The cap also arrived with a ban on promotions that mix products. Our guide to bonuses before and after the 10x cap compares typical offers.
Is it a prediction?
No, the calculator gives long-run averages, not a prediction of what will happen to you. The average value is what a bonus would return per attempt if the same offer were claimed many thousands of times at the RTP you select. In any single attempt the result can be much better or much worse, and on high-volatility slots it is common to use up the bonus before wagering is complete. The calculator also can't account for maximum win caps or excluded games. Use it to compare offers and spot unrealistic deadlines. See expected value.
What is GAMSTOP?
GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion scheme that blocks you from every gambling website and app licensed in Great Britain for a period you choose, from six months to five years. All online operators have had to take part since 31 March 2020. Once registered, you can't cancel early, and the exclusion stays in place after the period ends until you ask for it to be removed. Casinos must close your account, return any balance and stop marketing to you. It works best alongside bank gambling blocks and blocking software. Read how to use GAMSTOP.
Where can I get help with gambling?
You can get free help at any hour from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, run by GamCare, which also offers live chat and WhatsApp. In Wales, the NHS Wales Helpline is on 0808 2819 265. NHS gambling clinics in England accept self-referrals, and Gamblers Anonymous holds peer-support meetings. If chasing a wagering target is making you play longer than planned, stop and set a deposit limit or take a time-out. Our free gambling support guide lists each service and how to contact it.
Have you tested these casinos with real money?
No, we haven't tested these casinos with real money, and the calculator's figures don't come from playing. Latest Casinos is a desk-based guide. The offer terms in the tables were read from each casino's published terms, last on 5 October 2026, and the averages are calculated from those terms and the RTP you choose. We don't deposit, claim offers, play or time withdrawals, and we don't present anything as first-hand experience. Where a figure can't be confirmed from a published source, we leave it out. Our editorial policy explains how pages are checked.
Does commission change what you report?
No, commission does not change what we report or how the calculator works. We may earn money when a reader joins a partner casino, and those links are labelled as adverts, but the formulas apply the same way to every bonus, and the partner offers in the tables are shown with their restrictions, including excluded payment methods, deadlines and maximum bets. The calculator is just as useful for checking an offer from a casino we don't work with. The advertiser disclosure explains how the site is funded and which partners we work with.
How do I know an offer page is out of date?
An offer page is out of date if it shows wagering above 10x or a promotion that links products, such as a sports bet unlocking casino spins; both have been banned since 19 January 2026. Other warning signs are a missing 'checked' date, an end date that has passed, slot stakes above £5, or a credit card listed as a payment option. If a page's wagering figure is above the calculator's 10x maximum, it describes old terms. Always read the current terms on the casino's own site before depositing. See how to spot an outdated offer.
How much do I need to wager on a £100 casino bonus?
On a £100 casino bonus with the maximum 10x wagering, you need to stake £1,000 before you can withdraw winnings from it. If the terms give 7 days, that is about £143 a day. At 96% RTP the average cost of that play is £40, leaving an average value of about £60. If wagering also applies to your deposit, the total can be higher, so check the terms. Casumo's 50% up to £100 needs a £200 deposit for the full bonus, with 10x wagering in 7 days and a £5 max bet; 18+, terms apply. See the Casumo bonus terms.
Does wagering apply to the deposit or just the bonus?
It depends on the casino's terms, so always read them. The Gambling Commission's 10x cap is written in terms of bonus funds, and both partner bonuses we list, at Casumo and 10bet, state the 10x against the bonus only. If an offer applies it to the deposit and bonus together, a £20 deposit plus a £20 bonus at 10x means £400 of stakes rather than £200, and the average cost doubles. Enter the combined figure in the calculator to see the real total. Our guide to how wagering requirements work explains the different wordings you may see.
Is a 10x wagering requirement good?
A 10x wagering requirement is the most a UK casino can ask, so it is the legal ceiling rather than a generous figure. At 96% RTP it costs about 40% of the bonus on average, leaving roughly 60% as average value, which is far better than the 35x common before 2026. Whether it suits you depends on the deadline and your budget: £250 of wagering in 3 days is a heavy pace for a casual player. Lower multiples or no-wagering spins are worth more per pound. See what is a fair wagering requirement?.
Can I withdraw my deposit before finishing wagering?
Usually yes, your own deposited money can be withdrawn, but doing so normally cancels the bonus and any winnings from it. Under undertakings given to the Competition and Markets Authority in 2018, several large operators agreed that players must be able to withdraw their own money during bonus play, and clear, fair terms are now a licence requirement. Check how your casino orders cash and bonus funds, because terms differ on which balance is used first. Our page on whether you can withdraw a casino bonus covers the detail.
How long does it take to clear wagering?
It depends on the total stakes and your stake per spin, but UK spin speed rules set a minimum. Each slot spin takes at least 2.5 seconds, so £250 of wagering at £1 a spin is at least 250 spins, about 10 minutes of continuous play, and £1,000 at £1 is at least about 42 minutes. Most people play more slowly. Deadlines matter more than speed: 10bet allows 3 days and Casumo 7 days for their bonuses. If the daily pace is more than you normally spend, skip the offer. See setting a gambling budget.