
Do you love bonus hunting? You’re not alone – we love it too! So much so, we’ve put together a complete guide on advantage play at our favourite online bingo sites.
Where to find the best bingo bonuses
Tea Time
As many as 500 free spins are waiting for you at Tea Time Bingo, where slots line up with the bingo games on offer.
Big Tease
Big Tease has a section devoted to bonuses, with eight separate deals in there at the time of writing – including a tempting welcome offer.
Top Dog
There are ample promotions and bonuses available at Top Dog, starting with the chance to nab up to 500 free spins on the popular Starburst slot game.
WTG
Bonus offers stretch from free spins to a newbie cashback boost at WTG. Watch out for daily cashback and daily free bingo too.
What is bonus hunting?
Also known as bonus bagging, it is the process of finding and using bonuses at online bingo sites. There are two types, so let’s look at both here.
People looking to exploit the system and guarantee a profit
These individuals follow a pattern:
- Make a profit using the bonus
- Withdraw their winnings
- Move on to the next site and do the same again
Bingo sites create these bonuses to encourage player retention, yet these players buck that trend and try and cash out at the expense of the bingo site. You could say they are trying to beat the house edge, except it is that edge that keeps the site running and in business.
People looking for a new site to play at
Most players fall into this category. The idea is to follow these steps:
- Narrow the selection of the best bonus offers around
- Use the best one as an incentive to sign up to the relevant bingo site
- Start playing with fingers crossed for prizes
We encourage this behaviour – indeed, we practice it ourselves. The sites we recommend here fit into this category. If you want some appealing bonuses, check out our reviews of the best bingo sites to try.
Is it worth your time?
Good question. In the past, terms and conditions were less restrictive and easier to adhere to. Today, it is much more difficult to find a guaranteed profit as the Ts and Cs have become far stricter.
Our advice? Read through the Ts and Cs carefully – and repeatedly – to compare different bonuses, even those offered on the same bingo site. Be aware of what you are getting and what is expected of you in return.
Before you play
You need to know whether the bonus is cashable. There are two types of bonuses you are likely to see:
- Phantom bonuses – so called because they disappear from your account once you’ve withdrawn anything you won with the help of that bonus. The bonus amount is subtracted from your winnings to leave you the balance to withdraw.
- Sticky bonuses – akin to phantom bonuses, except that the bonus is sticky and cannot be taken out of your account. It is available to play bingo games with to give you an idea of what to expect (and a chance to claim prizes too, hopefully).
Top tip: Try and look for cashable no deposit bonuses if you can
These can be cashed out after use, rather than staying within the site. If you can find a deal with no wagering requirements, even better.
What are the wagering requirements?
All bonuses have wagering requirements. These are specific Ts and Cs relating only to the bonus you wish to use. The wagering requirement is expressed as a multiplier.
For example:
- You pick up a £5 bonus at a bingo site
- The bonus carries a 25x multiplier on it
- £5 x 25 = £125
- £125 is the amount you would need to wager before withdrawing your winnings from that bonus
Until such time as you meet the requirements, the winnings will remain inside your account. They are usually separated from your cash balance and won’t be withdrawable until the conditions are met.
What have bingo sites done to avoid bonus hunters exploiting their generosity?
There are several measures that have been brought in for this purpose:
- Limited game selection for bonus play – often only one game is permissible for the sake of using the bonus
- Ts and Cs include caveats for ‘suspicious play’ – this means the bingo site reserves the right to refuse winnings if they suspect the player has ‘gamed’ the site
- Higher wagering requirements – instead of a manageable 10x wagering requirement, you may now see 30x or above playthrough prior to cashout being possible
There’s no such thing as a risk-free profit!
Remember that bingo is a game of chance. This means it is more difficult to exploit any bingo bonuses you might find. Our advice is to appreciate and enjoy any bonuses for what they are, playing for fun and for profit along the way.
