Online casinos in Canada compete for your attention and one way to do this is by offering a variety of online betting bonuses that boost your chances of winning. Canada has access to the best betting signup bonuses in the world — including welcome bonuses, reload bonuses, cashbacks, and loyalty programs.
Our complete guide to the best Canadian betting bonuses features recommendations for the most trusted and popular casinos in the country. Nearly all online casinos give new users promos to entice newcomers and veterans, so there is a lot to say about betting bonuses. Our advice? Make use of all available promos to get the best value for each betting dollar.
How betting bonuses work
Different from casino to casino, betting bonuses are delivered in different shapes, sizes and values. Welcome bonus offers are clearly the most common, but gambling websites also offer player rewards for their poker rooms, racebooks, live casino, and sportsbook. Some casinos in Canada cater to high rollers, while others offer perfect platforms for recreational players. Whatever group you belong to, it’s always a good idea to fully prepare yourself before you claim your first betting bonus. We’ll tell you everything about the betting promos in order to maximise your winning chances and get the best out of your overall casino experience. Making it easy for Canadians players to begin their csino adventure, details on how to get the best betting bonuses are included in our complete online casino reviews.
Different types of online betting bonuses
Enough variety is key to an online casino’s success and this certainly holds for both the game portfolio and the bonuses they come with. Casino sites in Canada offer thousands of games such as slots, table games like roulette and blackjack, and live dealer titles. Some operators feature different platforms, including online casinos, live casinos, and sportsbooks. Casinos are therefore packed with a vast array of slots, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and game shows. Taking that into account, it stands to reason that online bonuses, VIP programs and promos should be just as plentiful. Online casinos understand the importance of rewards in terms of customer retention and satisfaction. Keeping up with their competitors, online operators will often try to out-do each other when it comes to betting bonuses leading to:
- Sign Up Bonus
- No Deposit Bonus
- Deposit Bonus
- Reload Bonus
- Free Spins
- Live Casino Bonus
- Cashbacks
- Referral Bonuses
- Loyalty Program
These offer quite some options for players who are looking for an incentive to either sign up or keep on playing at a casino. We’ll take a closer look at each of the betting bonuses:
Sign Up Bonus
Most of the top casinos in Canada offer a welcome package or a sign-up bonus for new users. A sign up bonus is one of the most important marketing methods that casinos use to seduce newcomers with reduced risks to check out the site’s game offer. For the most part, these types of bonus bets consist of a complete package including bonus cash that matches first deposits and free spins. You may find that casinos that aim on casual players include more attractive welcome bonuses compared to sites that focus on skilled, high-volume casino players. These types of casinos will put more effort into their loyalty programs.
No Deposit Bonus
A somewhat less common sign-up offer for online casinos is the no deposit bonus. This is an offer in which an online casino will give you typically around $5-$40 of bonus cash, which should give some options to enjoy the bonus. The good thing about this bonus is that you won’t have to make a deposit, which is obviously why it’s called a no deposit bonus. Although there are some bonus terms, this type of bonus is considered the most risk free promo for casino players. This also explains why no deposit bonuses are less common than deposit bonuses that require a deposit to be claimed. It’s the casino running the risk here.
Deposit Bonus
Offered in different amounts, depending on the book, initial deposit bonus rewards run from anywhere between 10% to 300%. The banking page informs players whether a bonus code is needed to claim the promo. Although casinos in Canada are more than happy to welcome you to their platforms, there are some restrictions to how generous they can be. For instance, some casino websites offer a 100% welcome bonus that is capped at a maximum of $250. That means players are advised to deposit no more than $250 in order to get the max player award of $250. Depositing more money would be useless in terms of the bonus.
Reload Bonus
Apart from a welcome bonus, which rewards new users that sign up, reload bonuses are meant for established players. This type of bonus adds extra money to the player’s account when he or she makes a deposit. Other than that, reload bonuses are the same as deposit bonuses. The casino in Canada is offering to match a percentage of the funds your deposit. Reload bonuses tend to be less significant than welcome bonuses, but the good thing of these promos is that you can claim them a lot more often than a one-time welcome deal.
Free Spins
Free spins to be linked as add-ons for games you’d normally bet on. One type of promo may offer some free spins as part of a game launch, others give away free spins to loyal users, and most casinos include them in their welcome packages. Free bets are either given away without the need to make a deposit or can be included as part of a deposit bonus. Some casino websites even offer free spins as a single welcome bonus without cash prizes.
Cashbacks
Some casinos and sportsbooks give their players cashback promos. These are often part of the recurring bonuses, but can be used as a welcome deal as well. Cashback deals usually feature cashbacks of 5%-20%, whereas 10% or 15% seem to be very popular percentages.
This type of betting promotion is getting more and more common and tends to be reserved for existing customers to make sure they keep on playing while facing less risks.
Referral Bonuses
Less common are referral bonuses, but some casino websites work with refer-a-friend deals. These types of programs tend to be very casino-specific, but have the same objective: the site gives you a bonus for every friend you bring in. Typically, this will require your friend to make a deposit after which the referral deal is confirmed. Referral bonuses can be used for all sorts of platforms including popular poker platforms, slots, and even sportsbooks. Depending on the platform, referral bonuses can give you either a match bonus, free spins, or free bets for sportsbooks, but you’ll need to check out with your preferred casino to see whether they work with this type of program.
Loyalty Programs
A lot of online betting websites in Canada have moved to VIP programs or loyalty programs as they know that existing customers need to be valued just as much as new users. Loyalty programs give you additional rewards based on the amount of money you deposit. The more active you are, the more likely it is that you stake real money on a frequent basis. Players that make a lot of deposits are very welcome at online casinos which is exactly why they get rewarded. These incentives are not necessarily limited to cash or free spins, but include real gifts as well like tangible rewards, holiday packages, and birthday presents.
10 ways to check if betting bonuses are any good
As betting bonuses come in different ways, it is quite a challenge to recognise a good deal. This is caused by the bonus terms that are installed by the casino to avoid people grabbing their deal and running away too easily with money or other benefits they have just earned. Bonus terms make a big difference as they decide whether a betting bonus is worth it or not. In order to make the challenge a little less overwhelming we recommend you to either read our Canadian online casino reviews or pay some extra attention to the following features:
- Wagering requirements: can be a bit tricky to understand, but the most important thing to get to know here is that casinos want to avoid that new players win and cash out their money immediately. Wagering requirements are set to sort of force a player to wager a deposit a certain amount of typically, typically somewhere between 30x and 50x. The lower this amount, the sooner you can cashout any wins. As there can be separate wagering for each deposit and free spins, this can be very tricky and you’ll need to pay some extra attention to each of these when you sign up.
- Period of validity: any betting bonus needs to be used within a certain number of weeks or even days. The exact period of validity can change per bonus type, which means there can be differences between a deposit bonus and a free spins bonus, in spite of the fact that both can be part of the same welcome deal.
- Maximum stake: bets come with minimum and maximum stakes, but the latter will usually affect your bonus. Maximum bets are set by the casino to avoid you making large wins and earning large sums of money. Minimum stakes are often set in the rules of the game, but don’t affect the bonus as it won’t lead to bigger wins.
- Country-specific: casinos work with target countries and although some operators are internationally oriented, others only focus on one or a few markets. This means that some bonuses have specific bonuses for specific countries. As our own website is predominantly Canada-oriented, we have only included bonuses on our website that are valid for Canada. This is why we recommend you to stick to our top casinos, but in case you want to sign up at another casino we haven’t listed on our site, make sure to check the validity of the bonus for players located in Canada.
- Minimum deposits: a minimum deposit, however, is always required to claim a bonus and this is one of the most easy to understand terms and conditions. One of the main reasons we don’t see any problems in terms of this requirement is that most minimum deposits are very fair. The exact minimum deposit will depend on the casino you’re signing up to, but $20 and often even $10 should get you going.
- Game-specific: some betting bonuses are offered as part of a marketing deal meaning that a certain game or software provider is highlighted. If this turns out to be a provider of games you highly enjoy, then you’re lucky, but in case you’re not a fan of a specific game your best move might be to avoid playing games you don’t enjoy or understand. The deal might sound interesting, but it might just not be for you.
- Game type: this is different from game-specific bonuses as we’re talking about a category here instead of a title. A lot of betting bonuses are designed to please the lovers of slot games. Some are meant for live casino games and the same holds for sportsbooks bonuses. Sometimes, we come across bonuses that are valid for both online casino games and live dealer games, but you’ll always need to check out the wagering contributions as well to get a full understanding of the promo’s feasibility.
- Platforms: some online casinos include a sportsbook as well which is why their bonuses have become a lot more plentiful in recent years. This has led to separate bonuses for separate platforms, usually divided into promos for casinos, live casinos, and sportsbooks. Although there is a clear difference between the sportsbook and the rest of the website, things can become a bit more difficult to comprehend when you’re wanting to play a table game in the live casino. Make sure to check the bonus terms and ask for assistance by contacting customer support in case you’re not sure.
- Contact customer support: contact customer support anyway would be our advice. This isn’t necessarily bonus related, but in case you’re thinking about signing up at a casino because their betting bonus brought you to their website, you obviously want to count on a good service. One way to check this is by contacting the customer service desk and checking their responsiveness and professionality. In case their customer service desk pleases you, then you’re good to go.
- Payment method: some banking methods offer a lot of benefits, but one of the main disadvantages of some e-wallets is that bonuses can become invalid in case you decide to make a deposit with them. Some of the banking methods that are often excluded from casino bonuses are Neteller and Skrill, so make sure you double check.
How to claim betting bonuses
Each of the betting bonuses we have explained in our guide are meant to give you a better idea of how to claim your own bonus. In addition, we advise you to check the individual betting sites we have reviewed for the array of bonus promos they are currently offering. Their website should give you all the info you need to find yourself a new betting bonus, but every now and then, players can also find unique deals in their email inbox. A lot of promos are communicated by the casino if you sign up to their newsletter. For most bonuses you will need to claim it yourself though by following the steps below.
1. Learn everything you need to know about betting bonuses
Betting bonuses come in different forms and sizes which is why things can get a bit overwhelming at first. Don’t worry too much as it’s a rather fun process to find out what kind of bonuses are available online. Casinos are very creative when it comes to online casino deals and even welcome bonuses are often a combination of free spins and match bonuses. We have gone through pretty much all betting bonuses for online casinos in this guide, but we highly recommend you to check out our other guides to get a full understanding. This way you’ll know exactly what to check out when trying to see whether a bonus is any good.
2. Pick a casino from our top list
To get the most out of casino bonus deals you will need a good casino as this will affect your overall experience as from the very first moment you sign up to claim your promo. There are more and more casinos entering the Canadian market which is a good thing in terms of options, but it may become a challenge to pick the right casino website. Our advice would be to only play at licenced casinos and preferably stick to the websites we have reviewed. In each of our reviews we will both address the pros and cons so you can decide for yourself whether the casino suits your needs or not. Licenced casinos stand for consumer protection.
3. Create your account
You have found yourself a casino that you like, so it’s time to create an account. This is actually quite easy as registration forms are set up such a way that you can start playing within a few minutes after signing up. Some casinos let you select the casino promo when you sign up, and apart from this you will need to fill in your personal details like your name, username, email address, and telephone number. Once your account is confirmed by either text message or email, it is time to enjoy all that is on offer at the casino.
4. Double check all the bonus terms
This includes the bonus, which requires some extra attention at the moment of signing up at the casino. Wagering requirements are obviously one of the most important terms, but all the other conditions are very relevant as well. Make sure to go through all the terms and it depends on the casino whether this is an easy or complicated process. Some casinos list them on the same page as the promo page while at other casinos you’ll have to click on the separate bonus terms and select the bonus you are wanting to claim. Please note that most promos have their own set of rules, so you need to be very specific here.
4. Make your deposit
A lot of betting bonuses (other than the no deposit bonus or loyalty bonuses) will require a deposit which is why you need to make a payment. We advise you to stick to the maximum amount of money you can claim with the bonus and avoid banking methods that are excluded from the promo. In order to deposit your funds, pick the payment method, make the transaction and if you’ve chosen an e-wallet you should be able to use your credits straight away and see all the bonus money and/or other benefits that are part of the casino deal. In case you prefer a credit card or a traditional bank transfer, things can be a bit slower.
5. Don’t forget the bonus codes (if applicable)
Although not always applicable, a lot of casinos work with bonus codes. In case your favourite Canadian casino does, all you’ll have to do is go to the promotions page and copy-paste the bonus codes listed here. Alternatively, you can use the bonus codes you have received from the casino if it concerns a tailor made bonus. Bonus codes are very easy to use, and the only thing they require is your attention. In case you misspell the code or use the wrong one, you might miss your bonus deal, so do pay some attention here.
How to make a profit from betting bonuses?
Almost every online casino in Canada will come up with a betting bonus as an incentive to move new users to their site or retain existing customers. This gives players a lot of extra tools to make their casino experience a very pleasant one, and ideally this would lead to a nice win. At the same time, casinos aren’t very keen on losing money to their customers (especially new users), which is why they have thought of different conditions. Your goal? To meet these conditions as fast as possible. This way you will make yourself a nice profit.
This is why you shouldn’t forget to check out the tips below?
1. Stop as soon you meet the wagering requirements
Rollover requirements are undoubtedly the most difficult term to overcome, which is exactly why you should stop playing and cash out your money as soon as you reach it. This clearly depends if you’re in the winning mood, but as soon as you can you should request a withdrawal. The playthrough requirements aren’t very easy to meet, which is why you might consider skipping a bonus if the wagering requirements are too high.
2. Stick to the max bet
All bonuses come with a maximum bet which is a condition you will need to meet at all times. Interestingly, some players tend to forget this condition and think that one spin with a higher bet doesn’t make a difference in the end. It does. This is why you should always stick to the maximum bet in order to avoid getting excluded from paying out your profit. Luckily, this isn’t very difficult to overcome if you don’t raise your stakes too often.
3. Practice
A betting bonus is a good way to get to know a casino, the games they offer, and the look and feel of a website. It’s also a good way to get the most out of your bets as you’re getting some extra value from the casino at a lower risk. By practising the games you want to play before you sign up at a casino you can even lower your risk. You should always know what you’re doing and in case you’re playing an online casino game you could always check out the free demo modus a lot of games offer. Only if you’re fully aware of all the rules and risk can you go ahead and claim your bonus. This way you’re better prepared for your betting bonus.
