Headlines do not compare

Put a 550% bonus next to a 100% bonus and the 550% looks like the obvious winner. It often is not. The headline percentage is one variable out of six, and comparing on it alone is how players end up claiming the worse offer. Here is a method that actually works.

Step 1: pull the six numbers for each offer

For every welcome package, find these. They are all in the terms:

1. Match percentage - the headline rate
2. Maximum bonus - the cap on bonus funds
3. Wagering requirement - and whether it is bonus-only or deposit-plus-bonus
4. Time limit - days to clear the wagering
5. Maximum bet during wagering - the per-spin cap
6. Free spins - count and per-spin value, if included

If you cannot find one of these, that is itself useful information about how transparent the casino is.

Step 2: fix the deposit amount

You cannot compare two offers at different deposit sizes. Pick one realistic figure - the amount you would actually deposit - and run both offers at that number. Say £150.

Step 3: calculate the real numbers

For each offer at your fixed deposit:

• Bonus received = deposit x match %, capped at the maximum bonus
• Total wagering = bonus (or deposit + bonus) x multiplier
• Daily wagering target = total wagering / time limit in days
• Expected wagering cost = total wagering x ~4% (the rough average house edge)

Step 4: put it in a table

Here is a worked comparison, both at a £150 deposit:

Now the picture is clear. Offer B gives you three times the bonus but more than three times the wagering, half the time, and a daily target eight times higher. Offer A is smaller but realistically clearable. Offer B is bigger upside but most casual players will not finish it.

Neither is automatically "better" - but you are now choosing with eyes open instead of being steered by the percentage.

Step 5: judge against your own play

The table gives you the facts. Your situation decides the winner:

• How much will you deposit? A high-cap bonus is wasted on a small deposit.
• How much do you actually play? Be honest. The daily target has to fit the time you genuinely have.
• What is your bet size? If you are comfortable at £1 spins, a £1,446 daily target means 1,446 spins a day. Unrealistic.
• What games do you want? If you want table games, check weighting before anything else.
• One-off or regular player? If you will keep playing, also weigh the ongoing reload and cashback offers, not just the welcome.

Common comparison mistakes

• Comparing percentages, ignoring caps. A 550% "up to £200" is smaller than a 150% "up to £1,000" for a decent deposit.
• Ignoring bonus-only vs deposit-plus-bonus wagering. This can double the real requirement.
• Forgetting the time limit. A huge bonus with a 7-day window is a hard bonus.
• Counting free spins as equal. 300 spins at £0.10 is £30; 100 spins at £0.20 is £20. Always convert to value.
• Not checking the max bet. A £2 cap on a large wagering target can make it unclearable.

Doing it for the brands we cover

The four casinos we focus on have deliberately different welcome structures - Cosmobet's £1,500 + 100 spins, Rolletto's four-deposit £500 x4 + 100 spins, Velobet's £2,000 + 300 spins at 330%, and Zizobet's £3,800 + 50 spins at 550%. They are built for different players and deposit sizes. Our bonuses comparison page runs all six numbers for each so you can see them side by side, and the methodology explains the scoring weights. The individual reviews for Velobet and Zizobet show the full terms.

The bottom line

Comparing welcome packages properly takes about ten minutes: pull six numbers for each, fix a deposit amount, calculate the real wagering and daily targets, lay it in a table, then judge it against how you actually play. Do that and the headline percentage stops fooling you - and you claim the offer that genuinely suits you.

Every welcome package carries wagering and real risk to your deposit. 18+, BeGambleAware.org.