A promotional credit with a 20x wagering requirement means the total value has to be bet twenty times over before anything can be withdrawn, and which games count toward that total is set by game weighting, slots often near 100%, table games often far lower. This calculator turns a turnover multiple and a chosen game into an expected cost figure, using the house edge of the game actually being played.
Move the sliders to the terms of the promotion. The tool shows the real turnover required and the expected cost of reaching it at that RTP.
What a wagering requirement is
A wagering requirement, sometimes called a turnover requirement, is a condition attached to a promotional credit specifying how many times its value must be wagered before the credit, or winnings derived from it, becomes withdrawable. It exists because a promotional credit handed out with no strings attached could otherwise be claimed and withdrawn immediately for close to its full value, which is not the economics any operator offering it intends.
Turnover is usually calculated as the total amount bet, not the amount lost. A player who bets a promotional credit repeatedly and keeps winning back roughly what they staked is still generating turnover toward the requirement with every bet, even though their balance barely moves, this is one of the more counterintuitive parts of how these requirements are actually measured.
Game weighting
Not every wager clears a requirement at the same rate. Operators commonly weight slot contributions at or close to 100% of the amount staked, since slot house edges tend to sit in a range that keeps the arrangement viable for the operator. Table games such as blackjack or baccarat are typically weighted much lower, often somewhere between 5% and 20%, precisely because their thin house edge would otherwise let a player clear a large requirement too cheaply relative to the credit’s stated value. This is why a wagering requirement quoted as “20x” behaves very differently depending on which games are used to clear it.
A small number of games are often excluded from counting toward a requirement at all, typically ones an operator considers too easy to exploit for this purpose, certain low-house-edge table games or specific side bets sometimes fall into this category depending on the operator. Where a game contributes 0%, wagering on it simply does nothing toward clearing the requirement, regardless of how much is staked.
How to read the result
The calculator’s expected-cost figure is the turnover multiple applied to the promotional amount, multiplied by the house edge of the game selected, the same underlying math covered on the House Edge Explorer. A lower house-edge game like blackjack produces a lower expected cost to clear the same turnover, but its low weighting usually means far more total wagering is needed to get there; a higher house-edge game clears faster in wagering terms but at a higher expected cost per dollar wagered.
These two effects, weighting and house edge, often push in opposite directions, which is exactly why they need to be looked at together rather than separately. A game with a low house edge but full 100% weighting, where an operator allows it, can be the most efficient combination available: low expected cost and no penalty in how much of each wager counts. A game with a low house edge but heavily discounted weighting, more commonly the case for table games, ends up requiring far more total wagering to reach the same finish line, even though the cost per dollar wagered stays low throughout.
Limits and assumptions
This calculator illustrates the general math behind turnover requirements; it is not a substitute for reading a specific offer’s own terms. Actual multiples, weightings, minimum stakes, maximum bet caps while clearing a requirement and expiry windows all vary by operator and by offer, and the operator’s own posted terms and conditions are the only authoritative source for a specific promotion. This page describes the mechanism generally, as covered further in How Online Casinos Work and on the UK hub, where full T&Cs apply to any offer discussed. Anyone finding it hard to stop before a requirement clears may find the tools in Responsible Play more useful than this calculator. A deposit limit set before starting to clear a requirement costs nothing to put in place and caps the downside if the process takes longer than expected.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a wagering requirement?
It is a turnover multiple attached to a promotional credit or to winnings from one, specifying how many times that amount must be wagered before it, or any winnings from it, can be withdrawn. A 20x requirement on a promotional credit means that amount has to be bet a total of twenty times over before withdrawal is possible.
What does 'game weighting' mean?
Not every bet counts equally toward a wagering requirement. Operators commonly weight slots at or near 100% of the amount wagered, while table games like blackjack or roulette are weighted much lower, sometimes 5% to 20%, since their lower house edge would otherwise let a requirement be cleared too cheaply.
How does the calculator turn a wagering requirement into an expected cost?
It multiplies the total amount that must be wagered by the house edge of the game being used to clear it. A lower house-edge game clears the same turnover requirement with a lower expected cost, but often takes longer to satisfy because of its weighting; a higher house-edge game clears the wagering faster but at a higher expected cost.
Where can I find the actual terms for a specific promotional offer?
Always on the operator's own site, in the promotional terms and conditions for that specific offer, turnover multiples, game weighting, minimum stakes and expiry windows vary by operator and by offer, and only the operator's own posted terms are authoritative.