Wagering requirement
A wagering requirement is the total amount you must stake before bonus money, or winnings from bonus spins, can be withdrawn as cash. It is written as a multiplier, such as 35x, and the terms decide what that multiplier applies to. Until you have placed that turnover, the bonus balance and anything won with it stays locked in your account, and withdrawing early usually forfeits it.
How the wagering figure is calculated
The basic sum is the qualifying amount multiplied by the multiplier. A 35x requirement on a €100 bonus means €3,500 of bets before anything tied to that bonus can leave your account.
Then check what the qualifying amount is. Where the terms say wagering applies to deposit plus bonus, the same €100 deposit and €100 bonus at 35x means €7,000 of bets, double the headline figure for the same offer.
Free spins work the same way on whatever the spins win: €8 of spin winnings at 10x means €80 of wagering.
Game weighting and the real stake
Game weighting sets how much of each bet counts towards the total. Slots commonly count in full, while blackjack, roulette and live casino often count at 10 to 20 per cent, or not at all.
Divide the requirement by the weighting to get the real stake. A €50 bonus at 10x needs €500 of slot play at full weighting, but €5,000 of blackjack bets if blackjack counts at 10 per cent.
Weightings, excluded games and maximum bet rules vary between operators, and the only reliable source is the bonus terms of the offer in front of you.
What wagering is confused with
A wagering requirement is a turnover target, and it is often mistaken for the amount you can lose or the amount you will get back. Every euro staked passes through the house edge, so 35x on €100 played on a slot with 96% RTP carries an expected loss of about €140, which is more than the bonus itself.
It is also separate from a cap on bonus winnings, which limits what you can withdraw once wagering is complete.
The figure is a calculation, never a spending target.
