Casino Bonus Guide: Best US Offers & Promo Codes

Bonus1 is the number one guide to online casino bonuses in the USA.

Our experts share guidance and insights to help you find the best casino bonus sites, claim their offers, and turn the free money into real cash.

Check out this page to learn everything about US online casino bonus codes and promotions.

List of the best online casino bonuses in the USA

BetMGM – $20 no deposit bonus
Caesars Palace – 100% match up to $2,500
FanDuel – up to $1,000 cashback
DraftKings – play $5 and get $50 in casino credits
Borgata – $20 on the house

Bonus1 shortlists the best casino bonuses in your location. We are trying to pick gambling sites with different incentives so players of different play styles can find a suitable bonus.

Our reviews provide an in-depth analysis of online casinos and their promo codes, including their deals for existing customers, wagering requirements, and VIP schemes.

Watch this space for an up-to-date list of US casino bonuses from legal and licensed gambling sites.

Online casino bonus 101

Bonuses are integral to online casino sites. Operators advertise special deals for new customers and extend freebies to current members. Welcome offers incentivize registration, and recurring promotions turn casual players into loyal members.

Online casino bonuses have evolved over the years and are now reasonable in their offerings and fair when it comes to restrictions. You see, casino bonuses aren’t exactly free money you can instantly claim and withdraw. Casinos set special terms to their bonuses, like wagering requirements, to ensure that players engage with their services.

No deposit bonuses, welcome offers, referral programs, VIP schemes, tournaments, free spins, cashback, and more types of casino bonuses ensure active players always have something to look forward to. Legal online casinos we recommend clearly define the parameters of their bonuses so that you know how much you can win and the boxes you must tick to cash out.

Bonus1 reviews US casinos with an emphasis on their bonus deals, and this page offers a general guide to how all types of casino promo codes work.

Types of casino bonuses

Players place a lot of emphasis on the welcome bonus provided by online casinos. However, the true value lies in the deals reserved for existing members since these are provided daily or weekly. In any case, understanding how each bonus type works is crucial for a pleasant online gambling experience without surprises.

Welcome bonus – all online casinos we promote at Bonus1 have a welcome bonus. Casino welcome bonuses are typically a match bonus that doubles your initial investment up to a certain amount; i.e., a 100% bonus match up to $200 means that you will end up with $400 if you deposit $200. Higher match rates or bonus caps are not hard to find.
No deposit bonus – these offers are highly sought after and much harder to find since they don’t require any financial investment. You register with the casino and instantly receive free cash or spins to try out the services. Limits on the games you can play and the money you can withdraw are often placed on no deposit casino bonuses.
Referral bonus – casinos will reward you for referring your friends to their sites. In some cases, your friend receives a bonus too, though a first-time deposit is usually required on their part.
VIP scheme – online casino VIP schemes are typically available to players who spend significant time and money on the same site. They include loyalty points that can be exchanged for cash or real-world experiences, free spins, personalized deposit bonuses, rakeback, cashback, and milestone/level-up presents.
Cashback – how this bonus works is you receive a percentage of your net losses back from the casino. Casinos typically give cashback based on your gaming performance during a selected period (daily, weekly, or monthly).
Free spins – online casinos used to give free spins as welcome bonuses in the past, but now this deal is mostly available as a side bonus, reload promotion, or a no deposit bonus. Free spins come with fixed limits per round and apply to selected games.
Reload bonuses – deposit match bonuses aren’t only available as welcome bonuses. The best casinos reload your deposits on selected days every week or during special seasons, though at 50% or lower rate.

The above bonuses might be branded uniquely by a casino or combined as a package. Other bonus types we’ve seen at online casinos include game-related tournaments, monthly giveaways, seasonal promotions, birthday bonuses, and more. All bonus types are great, as long as the associated T&Cs are reasonable. I’ll explain this aspect in-depth later on in this guide.

Claiming a bonus at US casinos

To unlock a casino bonus, you must register on the platform. Most operators will also ask for certain verification documents in advance. Eligibility criteria include your location, age, and not being already a member of the casino. Welcome bonuses are available once per IP only, meaning you cannot create multiple casino accounts and claim the same offer more than once.

To register at a casino, you should follow our bonus links and click on the casino’s sign up area. In the forms, you must accurately fill in some personal information, like your full name, email address, username, password, home address, etc. Some casinos require you to enter a promo code during registration.

In most cases, though, after registration, you can simply visit the cashier, select a payment method, opt-in for the welcome bonus, and deposit more than the minimum qualifying amount. Casino bonuses are almost always credited instantly. Free spins might be distributed in batches over a few days.

Existing members qualify for bonuses in a similar manner. However, eligibility varies so you must keep an eye on the casino’s bonus calendar to not miss out. For example, a reload bonus might be up for grabs only on Fridays.

Understanding promo codes

Online casinos often set up special promo codes for affiliate sites like Bonus1. Some of their promotions might also require a promo code during the deposit stage. To be on the safe side, you should check our banners to see if we highlight a special coupon and read the promos’ fine print for similar requirements.

Spotting promo codes isn’t hard. They are a combination of capitalized letters and numbers, like 100FREESPINS, FRIDAY, HAPPYHOUR, etc. You can copy and paste them to avoid small errors that could cost you a much-needed boost.

Casino bonus rules and wagering requirements

T&Cs break or make any offer, and the same applies to online casino bonuses. Casino sites provide a section that clearly outlines their sitewide bonus rules. However, every promotion will have separate terms associated with it as part of its promotional banner. Our casino reviews explain the restrictions of every casino bonus offered. Here, I touch upon what every clause means so that you know what matters the most and how to stick to the bonus rules.

Wagering requirements (playthrough, rollover) – this rule highlights how many times the bonus amount, or the combined deposit and bonus, must be turned over for the money to become cashable. It typically ranges from 1 – 40x, anything higher than that should be avoided.
Qualifying deposit – the amount you must deposit to claim a bonus might differ from the casino’s minimum deposit. High roller bonuses often require $100 or larger minimum deposits.
Promo code – the casino might ask you to enter a promo code before, during, or after your deposit to indicate that you want to claim a specific bonus. Opting in through our links, a slider, or a button is how you qualify when a promo code isn’t required.
Game restrictions – some promos highlight specific games you can use your bonus on. In most cases, though, the casino’s bonus rules page will indicate the excluded games from the playthrough, and how much every other game category contributes to the wagering requirements. Live dealer, jackpots, and high RTP games are usually excluded from the playthrough; table games count anywhere between 5 – 25%, and slots 100%.
Qualifying period – the welcome bonus is exclusive to new players, while reload and VIP promotions apply on selected days or types of players. Knowing when to claim a bonus, and the time you have to wager it is paramount.
Maximum win – certain casino bonuses, and in most cases free spins and no deposit bonuses, cap the winnings you can cash out from a bonus at a certain rate. Anything that you win over this amount is voided.

Other promotional restrictions might indicate that certain payment methods are excluded or provide higher bonuses, a bonus might be sticky or non-cashable, or similar. Casinos have absolute control over their bonus rules, so familiarizing yourself with the fine print beforehand is crucial to turning free cash or spins into real winnings.

How Bonus1 reviews US online casino bonuses

Our team doesn’t just review online casinos. Bonus1 has dedicated guides for all types of bonuses and special offers reserved for US casino players. When we review a casino, we place extra emphasis on the deals they provide to new and existing players. Our bonus ratings comprise the following aspects:

Size, match rate, and repeat value of the welcome bonus
Inclusion of welcome bonus free spins or no deposit bonuses
Frequency and actual value of promotions for existing members
Variety of deals for returning users
Implementation of seasonal promos
Exclusive bonuses for current members and high rollers

The above are reported and explained during our casino reviews, and we never fail to highlight the associated terms and conditions. If a casino has high wagering requirements, wide game restrictions, max win limits, or other restrictive terms – we will be the first to tell you. When most other gambling experts try to grab your attention by the size of a bonus, Bonus1 will inform you about what lies beneath the curtain.

And as always, we only advertise casino bonuses available on legal and licensed platforms.

Our tips for successful casino bonus wagering

Online casino games are designed with a house edge to guarantee profit for operators in the long run. No matter how skilled you are in blackjack or whether you are playing the highest RTP online slots, the odds are set against you.

One of the few ways to game the system is to play with casino bonuses. However, unless you carefully manage your bonus funds and pick and choose the right offers, you will fail. Bonus1 has some recommendations to tip the scale and potentially win at the casino.

Claim all welcome bonuses at licensed online casinos
Test casinos and games with no deposit bonuses
Opt-in for reload offers by timing your deposits
Avoid free spins bonuses if a reload match is available to you instead
Primarily play at a single online casino with excellent VIP scheme
Contact all online casinos you are registered within the week before your birthday
Maximize referral programs
Avoid bonuses with high wagering requirements or restrictions on your preferred games
Ask for a bonus before making a deposit
Play games that qualify you for leaderboard or tournament prizes
Don’t forget to request cashback from the support team
Opt-in for exclusive emails by casinos and Bonus1

Too good to be true promo codes

We hinted at several parts of this guide that certain online casino bonuses might appear significantly better than the industry standard. In such cases, the situation is usually different from what it appears to be at face value.

Legit online casinos won’t give you bags of cash just for creating an account. They also won’t match your deposit at 300% or higher rates. If the promo lobby is packed with daily bonuses, coupon codes, and the like, exercise caution.

Illegal casinos or sites operating without a robust license are free to advertise their services as they see fit. This has resulted in gambling sites with tremendous bonuses, but over-the-top restrictions and hidden rules that deem their offers worthless.

To stay safe, you should rely on our casino bonus reviews and recommendations. Only play at properly licensed casinos since these sites are regularly audited by iGaming authorities who assess their services and T&Cs. Unfair or unclear bonus rules won’t make it to you at such gambling sites.

Conclusion

Although online casino bonuses aren’t free money, they are the closest to it that you will find on the internet. The stable decline of land-based casinos has been the outcome of solid welcome deals and frequent promotions at online casinos. By understanding our guidelines, utilizing our tips, and claiming our promo codes – you could steadily make some profit playing casino games.

Don’t fall for any casino bonus, though, and pay close attention to the bonus wagering requirements. Enter the game armed with the expert knowledge we share at Bonus1, and you are set for an exhilarating gambling journey!

Casino Bonus USA FAQs

Is it possible to win real money from a casino bonus?

It is possible to win real money from a casino bonus if you meet the wagering requirements. These typically ask you to bet the bonus amount 40x on selected casino games without betting over the limit. Time restrictions apply too.

What are the casino bonus wagering requirements?

The wagering requirement indicates how many times you must roll over a casino bonus or free spin winnings. It usually ranges from 1 – 60x. For example, if you claim a $40 casino bonus with 20x WR, it means that you must play $800 before you can cash out your winnings. Other rules apply, too.

Are free spins a good casino bonus?

Free spins are an excellent bonus if you like to play slots and the specific game they apply to. Having said that, match bonuses or cashback provide more freedom in your game selection and higher monetary value.

Do US online casinos give free money?

US online casinos don’t give free money, but they often gift bonus cash or free spins to new and existing members. If you satisfy the no deposit bonus wagering requirements, you can withdraw real money from the casino without spending anything.

Where can I find new casino bonuses in the USA?

Bonus1 reviews US online casinos and their bonuses daily. Our banners are updated regularly to reflect new casino bonus codes and promotions US players can benefit from.