Max Bet Rule at Online Casinos
Vienne Garcia
Understandably, in the excitement of picking up a freebie, many players may miss the terms and conditions to a casino promotion. It can get a bit technical sometimes, so it's no surprise.
However, if you accidentally violate some of these rules, the winnings from your bonus cash risk being cancelled, along with the bonus funds you might still have.
This would obviously be a downer. To avoid disappointment and frustration, we highly suggest that you take at least a glance through an offer's T&Cs so you know what to watch out for.
In addition to things like wagering requirements and gaming contributions, more and more online casinos have been introducing a max bet rule to their bonus promotions in the last couple of years. As with many items in fine print, not many players truly understand what the max bet rule is. That's exactly why we've set up this page to explain max bet and what it means for players.
To avoid any confusion, the max bet rule we're talking about is not the max bet within a game. You are probably already aware that a game such as blackjack will have a minimum and maximum stake, and a high roller table can easily have a max bet of up to $500 or even $1,000 for a round. Likewise, while most of us are happy with spending $0.25 or even a loonie on a spin, slots also have minimum and maximum bets that can sometimes go well above $100 per spin.
All You Need to Know about the Max Bet Rule
- What is Max Bet in a Casino Bonus?
- Are there Casinos with no Max Bet rules?
- Top Casinos without a Max Bet Rule
- What Does Max Bet Mean for Players?
- Max Bet and High Rollers
- Why do Casinos have a Max Bet Rule?
- How do I Find out What the Max Bet is?
What is Max Bet in a Casino Bonus?
The max bet rule in bonuses overrides the max bet in games, and it is typically set between $5 and $6.50 at most online casinos. Some high roller bonuses will have higher max bets, but the principle is still the same: You cannot bet higher than the specified max bet when you are playing with bonus money. If you do bet higher than the limit, you will probably lose whatever winnings you have from bonus play and your remaining bonus funds.
We say "probably" because different casinos do have different policies, but this does seem to be the general standard in the industry right now. Most casino promotions that have such a rule also extend it to completing the offer's wagering requirements.
Back to TOCAre there Casinos with no Max Bet rules?
Yes, although this is becoming increasingly rare. We've compiled a list of online casinos with no max bet rules for you here, but do realise that this is only the most current information at the time of writing. Casinos can change their terms at any time.
It's also important to remember that even if there is no max bet to a bonus, there are other terms and conditions to the offer that will need to be followed.
Top Casinos without a Max Bet Rule
  
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 | 95% Excellent | $200+ 10 Free Spins | visit NetBetRead Review | |
 | 94% Outstanding | Virtually unlimited | visit BC.Game CasinoRead Review | |
 | 94% Outstanding | up to $450 000+ 140 Free Spins | visit FairspinRead Review | |
 | 93% Outstanding | 5 BTC / $1,000 + 200 Free Spins | visit Cloudbet CasinoRead Review | |
 | 93% Outstanding | $500 | visit StakeRead Review | |
 | 92% Outstanding | 1,500 CAD+ 120 Free Spins | visit BetchanRead Review | |
 | 92% Outstanding | 350 mBTC | visit RocketpotRead Review | |
 | 91% Outstanding | Challenges & Bonus Battles | visit RollbitRead Review | |
 | 91% Outstanding | $80 in free spins | visit RoobetRead Review |
What Does Max Bet Mean for Players?
It's simple. If you're playing with bonus cash, don't play higher than the max bet defined in the offer's terms. If it's set at $6.50, don't play a $7 spin. We know that sometimes it's easy to get carried away when you suddenly have so much extra money to play with. It would however be a major bummer if you hit the jackpot, but then have your winnings confiscated because you missed the rule.
For most players, this isn't a big deal. That's because most casual players tend to play pretty low stakes, at $0.50 or $1 a spin to stretch out their budgets. So putting $5 on a spin is already pretty high stakes, relatively speaking. That means the max bet rule doesn't affect most players, as long as you don't get too carried away.
If you are the kind of player who treats casino promotions as a way to enjoy games and don't have retirement plans based on your bonus winnings, then the rule is probably not going to affect you.
Back to TOCMax Bet and High Rollers
For high rollers, things get a bit trickier. It's not uncommon to put down $10 for a single spin, which is obviously higher than the average max bet. In this case, you might want to consider using the bonus as a warm up before you get down for some real money gambling. If you want to make higher bets, then do that with real money, but not with the bonus.
Alternatively, we recommend picking up a high roller bonus. These tend to have a higher max bet and we've seen a few offers that have it set at $15. This would be more suitable for high rolling play.
At LeoVegas Casino you can use the bonus without Max Bet Rule.MoreLess
Why do Casinos have a Max Bet Rule?
There are two main reasons why there is a max bet rule.
- The first is related to actual bonus play. When you make big bets, your wins will also be higher. This is all fair and square. In fact, if casino games are fair then this is actually what should happen. The issue is that bonuses give you more money to play with than you actually have.This means you can easily bet higher than you normally do. If everyone starts making bigger bets with what is basically money on the house, then the casino needs to pay out these bigger wins as well. At some point, a limit will be reached as to how much a casino has in its coffers to pay all its winners. The max bet rule therefore helps to ensure that the casino will have enough money to pay everyone in the end.
- The second reason is the max bet when it comes to completing the wagering requirement to withdraw their winnings. This is mostly to ensure that players don't get too caught up with the meeting the requirement that they end up playing more than their budget allows. It's basically a form of responsible gambling.
How do I Find out What the Max Bet is?
Not all casinos have a max bet rule in its bonuses, but if it does, then you should see right away in the promotion's details what the max bet is. Usually, it's listed with the key terms such as what the minimum qualifying deposit, the wagering requirement, and when you will get the free spins if it's part of a package.
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I've been working in the online casino landscape in Malta for more than 10 years and have seen how the industry works from customer service roles to the backend of the business. While I am lucky enough to call myself a native on the sunny island called Malta, I also enjoy travelling and have travelled across Canada! After wandering through the great white north, I have decided to share my knowledge and now work with Canadian players to compile accurate casino reviews to help players navigate through the hundreds of gaming sites online.