Bonus terms

Wagering on the Bonus or on Deposit Plus Bonus: What 35x Really Means

Last updated 23 October 2026 · by the Aussie Top Casinos editors

"35x" can mean A$7,000 or A$14,000 of bets on the same A$200 bonus. How to spot the base, apply game weighting and price the offer.

Scientific calculator with a calculation shown on its display — Photo: Multicherry / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Scored by our five weighted checks · casino links earn us a commission, never a place in the order · Online casinos are not licensed in Australia (Interactive Gambling Act 2001) · 18+

"35x wagering" sounds like one number, but it can mean two very different amounts of play. If the multiplier applies to the bonus alone, a A$200 bonus needs A$7,000 in bets. If it applies to the deposit plus the bonus, the same offer needs A$14,000. Add game weighting, and a blackjack player could face a six-figure turnover target. This guide shows how to tell the two bases apart in the terms, with worked A$ examples you can reuse on any offer.

The two bases: bonus only, or deposit plus bonus

A wagering requirement is the total value of bets you must place before bonus money, and anything won with it, can be withdrawn. The multiplier is applied to a base amount, and the terms decide what that base is.

Bonus only: required turnover = bonus x multiplier.
Deposit plus bonus: required turnover = (deposit + bonus) x multiplier.

On a 100% match, deposit and bonus are equal, so a deposit-plus-bonus requirement is exactly double the bonus-only version at the same multiplier. On a smaller match, the gap is even wider relative to the bonus you receive, because your deposit is a larger share of the base.

The wording to look for is usually short. As an illustration, these are the kinds of phrases that point to each base:

Bonus-only: "the bonus amount must be wagered 35 times", "35x the bonus", "bonus x 35".
Deposit plus bonus: "35x (deposit + bonus)", "the deposit and bonus must be wagered 35 times", "wager the qualifying deposit and bonus amount".

7BitCasino's published bonus terms are a real example of the general form: "All bonuses (unless otherwise specified) need to be wagered 35 times before the funds can be withdrawn." The wording ties the multiplier to the bonus, not to the deposit. When a page gives only "35x" with no base at all, ask support to confirm in writing before you deposit.

Worked examples in Australian dollars

The figures below are examples with round numbers, not any casino's current offer. Each assumes all play is on pokies that count 100%.

Offer (example)	Deposit	Bonus	35x bonus only	35x deposit + bonus
100% match	A$100	A$100	A$3,500	A$7,000
100% match	A$200	A$200	A$7,000	A$14,000
50% match	A$200	A$100	A$3,500	A$10,500
200% match	A$50	A$100	A$3,500	A$5,250

The 50% match row shows the trap clearly. The bonus is A$100 in both columns, but the deposit-plus-bonus version demands three times the turnover. Expressed as an equivalent bonus-only multiplier, it is 105x the bonus (A$10,500 divided by A$100).

What that turnover is likely to cost

Expected loss while wagering is turnover multiplied by the house edge. On a pokie with a 96% RTP the edge is 4%:

A$7,000 turnover x 4% = A$280 expected loss.
A$14,000 turnover x 4% = A$560 expected loss.

Set that against a A$200 bonus. On the bonus-only basis, the expected cost of clearing it (A$280) already exceeds the bonus. On the deposit-plus-bonus basis it is close to three times the bonus. These are averages: individual results swing widely, and many players bust the balance before reaching the target. But the averages explain why a high multiplier on a deposit-plus-bonus base rarely favours the player. The RTP figure itself can vary between casinos for the same pokie, which our guide to the best paying online pokies covers.

Game weighting: why table games count for less

Most casinos do not count every dollar equally. Each game category has a contribution percentage, and only that share of each bet comes off the requirement. 7BitCasino's terms say: "Wagers made on video slots contribute 100%, while all other games contribute 5%. Live casino games contribute 0%." When the UK Gambling Commission called for action on unfair terms in 2017, it listed "weighted wagering game requirements" among the promotion restrictions that were not being set out clearly to consumers, because they change the real size of the task so much.

The effect on a A$7,000 requirement:

Game type (example weighting)	Contribution	Actual bets needed for A$7,000
Pokies	100%	A$7,000
Table game at 10%	10%	A$70,000
Table game at 5%	5%	A$140,000
Live casino at 0%	0%	Cannot be cleared

The formula is required turnover divided by contribution. If you prefer blackjack or roulette, a match bonus with weighting like this is effectively a pokies-only offer. Some terms also exclude specific titles entirely, or list a separate category, such as a "Bonus Wagering" lobby, showing which games count.

Your deposit is often locked in too

The base is not the only way the deposit gets pulled in. Many terms tie your own money to the bonus until wagering is done. 7BitCasino's terms say that when you accept a deposit bonus "your deposit is locked together with it", and that if you withdraw the deposited amount before meeting the requirement, "the bonus amount and winnings will be forfeited". The same terms state that "real money gets exhausted first" when playing with a bonus.

So even on a bonus-only multiplier, your deposit is at risk while you chase the target. Whether you can walk away with deposit winnings depends on whether the bonus is sticky or non-sticky, which our guide to match bonuses and the separate explainer on sticky bonuses cover in detail.

Other limits that change the maths

Time limit. 7BitCasino's welcome terms say bonuses "expire after 14 days if the wager is not covered". At A$1 a spin, A$14,000 of turnover is 14,000 spins in two weeks, or 1,000 a day.
Maximum bet. A cap per spin while the bonus is active slows how fast you can turn the money over. Breaching it can void winnings.
Free-spin winnings. These often carry their own multiplier. 7BitCasino's terms say "Any winnings generated from free spins will be awarded wagering x35."
Maximum cashout. Some offers cap what you can withdraw from bonus play, which lowers the upside even if you clear the requirement.

These limits compound. Take the A$200 example on a deposit-plus-bonus basis: A$14,000 of turnover, a 14-day window and, as an example, a A$5 maximum bet. At A$5 a spin, that is 2,800 spins at the very least, all at the top stake allowed. At A$1 a spin, it is 14,000 spins. A player who prefers smaller stakes to stretch a budget may simply run out of time, at which point the bonus and its winnings expire. Before you accept, divide the turnover by the stake you actually play and by the days available, and decide whether the resulting number of spins a day is realistic. Our 7BitCasino review summarises that site's published limits in one place.

How 35x compares with regulated markets

For context, Great Britain now limits this. The UK Gambling Commission announced that from 19 January 2026 its licensees cannot set wagering requirements on bonuses above ten times, explaining that "capping the wagering requirement to ten decreases the likelihood of harm". Its own example is a £10 bonus with a 50x requirement, which means £500 of play.

That rule binds UK-licensed operators only. Online casinos are not licensed in Australia, so the offshore sites that accept Australians set their own multipliers under foreign licences. 7BitCasino's terms, for instance, set 35x on welcome bonuses and 45x on no-deposit free spins, which is why reading the base is worth the two minutes. If you would rather avoid the maths altogether, see our list of no-wagering casinos.

Key point: always find the base. "35x bonus" on a A$200 match is A$7,000 of bets; "35x deposit + bonus" is A$14,000. Then divide by the game's contribution: at 5%, A$7,000 becomes A$140,000. If the terms do not say which base applies, treat the offer as the more expensive one until support confirms otherwise.

A quick method for any offer

Write down deposit, bonus and multiplier.
Find the base in the terms: bonus only, or deposit plus bonus.
Calculate turnover: base x multiplier.
Divide by the contribution of the games you will actually play.
Multiply by the house edge (100% minus RTP) to estimate the expected cost.
Compare that cost with the bonus. If the cost is higher, the offer is entertainment, not value.

Smaller deposits keep the numbers manageable if you want to try an offer without a large commitment; our minimum deposit page lists lower entry points, and the sign-up bonus guide compares welcome packages by these terms.

FAQ

What is the difference between wagering on the bonus and on deposit plus bonus?

Bonus-only wagering multiplies just the bonus. Deposit-plus-bonus multiplies both, so on a 100% match the required turnover is twice as large at the same multiplier.

How does game weighting change the requirement?

Divide the required turnover by the game contribution. A$7,000 at 100% for pokies becomes A$140,000 on a game that contributes 5%, and games at 0% cannot clear it at all.

What if the terms just say 35x?

Ask support to confirm the base in writing before you deposit, and treat the offer as deposit plus bonus until they do.