Are Bonus Codes the Way to Beat the House in Online Casino Games?

Beating the house in online casinos is part of the thrill of the game. In the past, many people pushed their luck and casinos are always on the alert for cheats in the form of card counting and edge-sorting in land-based casinos which can leave punters being barred for life. With the launch of online casinos in the late 1990s, operators have been offering deposit bonuses to lure in new customers and loyalty bonuses to encourage them to stay.

Bonus hunters

All bonuses have wagering requirements that state the money must be played through a set number of times. In the early days of online casinos, it was simple enough for "bonus hunters" to double their money by claiming the online casino bonus codes with operators that had easy wagering requirements. Players would use the bonus to play Blackjack, a game with one of the lowest house edges in a casino.

Once profit was made and the wagering requirement met, the money was withdrawn, the player would close their profile and move to the next bonus offer with another operator. This is the reason why the terms and conditions for the use of bonus money today are more complex and why some games are not included in the offer and that low house edge games like Blackjack may only count for 10 percent of the wagering requirement.

Free no deposit spins

Free no deposit spins offer a chance to beat the house, but the terms and conditions usually state a cap on how much you can win from free spins. This means that even if you hit the jackpot, the maximum claim is set at a nominal amount.

Use bonus codes with casino promotions

The only way to stand a chance of beating the online casinos today without depending on luck is to only play with promotional offers at the top-rated reputable casinos. Used in combination with bonus money you can beat the house, which is almost impossible just using the bonus.

An example is when a casino promotion gives away a set sum of money during a month. These offers are calculated on the basis that players will play other games outside of the promotion and the casino will always make their money back. The smart player will find several casinos giving away a large cash sum or equivalent and spread their play across all the casinos.

Seven top tips

1. Only play during promotions with large cash giveaways or other big prizes

2. Avoid competitions against other players and only play raffle style promotions

3. Play using bonuses from reload or signing up bonuses

4. Play games with a low house edge / high percentage return to player rate

5. Stick with optimal betting strategies such as the basic blackjack strategy and 50/50 roulette bets and do not take side bets.

6. Maximise the number of promotions you can access by signing up to as many different top-rated online casinos as possible.

7. Each casino will be unaware that a player is using the same play with other operators to gain an advantage or swing the house in your favour and win far more than an average player, giving your bankroll a healthy boost.