Wagering Requirements Explained: What 30x and 60x Really Mean

What a wagering requirement actually is

A wagering requirement, sometimes called playthrough or rollover, is a multiplier applied to a base amount. Multiply the two and you get the total value of bets you must place before the bonus-related funds unlock for withdrawal. Three things change the answer enormously:

• The multiplier. 30x versus 60x is obvious: one is double the other.
• The base. Is it the bonus only, the deposit plus the bonus, or the winnings from a free offer? Fair Go uses deposit plus bonus for WELCOME and winnings for no-deposit offers.
• Any cap on cash-out. The welcome bonus has no maximum cash-out; many free chips and Koala's Diary codes cap withdrawals, typically at $180.

Bets count towards the total as you place them, win or lose. A $1 spin adds $1 of wagering whether it pays $0 or $50. That is why the requirement is about turnover, not loss.

Worked example 1: the welcome bonus at 30x

Say you deposit $100 with code WELCOME. Fair Go matches 100% up to $200, so you receive $100 in bonus funds. The base is deposit plus bonus:

($100 + $100) x 30 = $6,000 in total bets before you can withdraw.

That sounds enormous next to a $200 balance, but turnover is not loss. At the roughly 97% average pokie RTP that Fair Go states, the expected cost of $6,000 of turnover is around $180 in theory, with wide variation in practice. Some sessions will clear the requirement with cash to spare, others will bust long before $6,000. What the number tells you is that you will spend a lot of time on the pokies before the money is yours.

Now take the maximum: deposit $200, receive $200. ($200 + $200) x 30 = $12,000. Redeem all five WELCOME codes at the maximum and you have wagered $60,000 across the package. Because there is no max cash-out, anything left at the end is withdrawable in full.

Worked example 2: no-deposit free spins at 60x

Now the other end. You redeem BUBBLE15 and receive 15 free spins on Bubble Bubble 2. Suppose the spins return $12 in winnings. The base here is winnings, not the spins' notional value:

$12 x 60 = $720 in bets before the $12 can be withdrawn.

At a 97% RTP the expected cost of $720 of turnover is roughly $22, which is more than the $12 you are trying to unlock. In plain terms, a no-deposit offer is statistically unlikely to produce a withdrawable balance, and the operator knows it. That does not make it worthless: it is a free way to test the lobby, the cashier and the speed of the site before you commit real money. It just should not be treated as income.

A free chip with a $180 max cash-out works the same way. Even if a lucky run clears the 60x, anything above $180 is removed at withdrawal.

Comparing the two in one table

The last row is there for a reason. Playing without a code means no wagering at all, and a 25% instant cashback (30% on weekends) on a busted deposit, claimed through 24/7 support.

Tracking your progress and the rules that apply while wagering

Fair Go shows remaining wagering in the cashier, so you do not have to keep a spreadsheet. While a bonus is active a few extra rules usually apply, and our terms walkthrough covers them in detail:

• A maximum bet per spin while wagering is outstanding. Exceeding it can void the bonus. Check the figure in the bonus terms before you play.
• Only one bonus active at a time, so you cannot stack WELCOME with CASTLE.
• Some games may contribute less than 100% to wagering, or be excluded. Pokies usually contribute fully; table games and video poker are the ones to check.
• Withdrawing before wagering is complete forfeits the bonus and the winnings tied to it.

If you are unsure how much is left, ask live chat. They can see the exact figure.

Is a bonus worth it for you?

Three questions settle it.

1. Were you going to deposit anyway? If yes, a match bonus is extra playing time at the cost of locking the funds behind turnover. If you only deposit to chase the bonus, the bonus is costing you money.
2. Do you want to withdraw quickly? If you like to cash out a $150 win on a Tuesday, a 30x requirement will frustrate you. Bonus-free play with cashback suits you better.
3. What volatility do you play? High-volatility pokies swing hard, which is dangerous with a wagering requirement because a bad run busts you before you clear it. Lower-volatility games grind through turnover more predictably. See our RTP and volatility guide.

Our bonus code guide explains the claiming mechanics, and the welcome bonus page has the current terms.

A note on bonus-hunting myths

You will read elsewhere that there are systems for clearing wagering at a profit. There are not. Every bet carries the house edge, and a wagering requirement simply forces you to place a known number of bets. The expected cost of those bets is the house edge multiplied by the turnover, and no betting pattern changes that figure. What you can control is how long the money lasts, which is a bankroll question, not a strategy question. Our bankroll management guide covers that side.

Responsible gambling

Wagering requirements are a mechanism for keeping you playing. That is their entire purpose, and it works. If you notice you are chasing a requirement with money you had not planned to spend, stop and withdraw what is withdrawable, or forfeit the bonus and walk away. Gambling Help Online is available 24/7 on 1800 858 858 for a confidential chat.