Comparing Pointsbet with the casino you used before often comes down to one line in the small print: the playthrough rule. That line decides how much you must stake before bonus money turns into cash you can take out, and it is the condition players misread most. Reading it the way the operator does changes how you plan your first deposit and what you expect to end up with.
Getting the Welcome Offer
The welcome offer is tied to your account, so the way you open it matters as much as the way you play it. Follow the steps in order and the offer attaches to your first qualifying deposit.
- Create one account only. Duplicate accounts break the offer rule, and the operator can void the bonus on every one of them.
- Enter your details exactly as they appear on your ID. A mismatch surfaces later when you want to withdraw, and it stalls the request.
- Move to the deposit page and pick the first-deposit option. A later deposit does not carry the welcome terms with it.
- Enter the bonus code in the field provided before you confirm the payment. A code added afterwards cannot be applied to a completed deposit.
- Make the deposit that meets the minimum stated with the offer. Anything below it leaves the bonus unclaimed and the money sits as plain cash.
- Wait for the bonus to appear in your balance before you place a bet. Staking first can use your own money where the bonus was meant to apply.
- Read the offer page on the Pointsbet casino login area while you are still signed in. It shows the current version of the conditions that apply to your account.
A welcome offer usually lasts a fixed window from the moment it lands in your balance. Miss that window, even through no fault of your own, and the unused bonus is removed without a payout. Keep the offer active by playing within it, and treat the clock as part of the deal rather than an afterthought.
Bonus Terms Explained
The table below sets out the conditions that most often decide the outcome of a bonus, in plain terms.
| Term | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Playthrough requirement | How much you must stake before bonus winnings become withdrawable cash | Whether the figure counts the bonus alone or the bonus plus your deposit |
| Eligible games | The games whose stakes count toward the playthrough | Which categories count in full, in part or not at all |
| Maximum bet | The largest stake allowed while a bonus is active | The exact cap, since one oversized bet can void the bonus |
| Expiry | How long the bonus and its winnings stay usable | Whether the clock starts at credit or at first bet |
| Maximum conversion | The ceiling on what the bonus can turn into | Whether the cap applies to winnings or to the bonus itself |
The term players misread most is the playthrough requirement, because it is easy to assume it refers to the bonus alone. In practice many offers count your deposit plus the bonus as the base, which raises the total you must stake. That difference is invisible until you sit down to withdraw and find the balance still locked. Work out the base figure before you play, not after. The same applies to eligible games: a stake on an excluded game still costs you money but moves you no closer to clearing the requirement. The playthrough figure and the game list work together, so treat them as one condition.
Example Calculation
This is a worked example only, using figures chosen to show the method. It is not the actual offer from the brand, and the real conditions on your account govern what happens.
Take a deposit of 30 and a bonus that doubles it, giving a bonus of 30. With a wagering requirement of x35 applied to the bonus alone, the total you must stake is 30 multiplied by 35.
That comes to 1,050 in stakes before any bonus winnings can be withdrawn. If instead the operator applies x35 to the deposit plus the bonus, the base becomes 60 and the required stakes double to 2,100.
The gap between those two figures is the whole reason the base of the calculation matters. The same x35 label produces very different totals once you know what it multiplies. Before you commit, establish which base the offer uses.
How Free Spins Work
Free spins usually arrive as a set number tied to named slot games rather than as a cash amount. Their value depends on the stake per spin the operator sets, which you do not choose. Winnings from those spins normally land in a separate bonus balance. That balance then carries its own playthrough rule, separate from the main offer.
Spin winnings are rarely cash on arrival. They sit as bonus money until the attached requirement is met, and only then can they be withdrawn. The spin value is fixed by the operator, so a low per-spin stake means modest winnings even on a good run. Plan for the requirement rather than the headline number of spins.
The games the spins are valid on are named with the offer, and other slots do not accept them. Some offers split the spins across several days, with each batch arriving on its own schedule. Miss a batch and those spins lapse; they do not roll over to the next day. Keep track of when each set lands so none go unused.
A cap often applies to what spin winnings can become. Anything above that ceiling is removed at conversion, however well the spins performed. The cap applies to the winnings, not to the spins themselves. Knowing it in advance keeps your expectations realistic.
Spin winnings and bonus cash may share one balance, which makes the playthrough harder to track. Keep a simple note of what you have staked since the bonus landed. That habit tells you how close you are without relying on memory. The Pointsbet casino app is not needed for this; the phone browser shows the same balance and the same conditions.
Withdrawing After a Bonus
A withdrawal request only succeeds once the playthrough is complete and the bonus has converted to cash. Withdrawing early usually cancels the bonus and any winnings tied to it. Treat the request as the last step, not a way to test the water. Finish the requirement first and the money is yours to move.
Identity checks are standard before a first payout, and they take time to clear. Have your documents ready when you sign up at https://pointsbetlogin.com/, because a missing document is the most common reason a request stalls. The check exists to confirm you are the account holder. Once it is done, later requests move more smoothly.
Payment methods used for a withdrawal usually have to match the one used for the deposit. Some operators also require you to wager your deposit at least once before any payout. Mixing methods between deposit and withdrawal can hold up the request. Keep the same route both ways.
Remaining bonus money is normally removed when you withdraw rather than carried forward. That is not a penalty; it reflects the rule that the bonus is not cash until it is earned. If you still have an active bonus, expect it to be cleared. Plan the withdrawal for a point when the bonus is finished.
A maximum conversion cap can limit what the bonus becomes, even after all the wagering is done. Any winnings above the cap are removed at the point of conversion. The rest becomes cash and can be withdrawn in the usual way. Check the cap before you start playing so the outcome holds no surprises.
Common Mistakes
Most voided bonuses come from a handful of avoidable errors rather than bad luck. Each one below can be designed around before you place a bet.
- Placing a bet above the maximum while a bonus is active. Set your stake below the cap before the bonus lands and keep it there.
- Playing games that do not count toward the playthrough. Confirm the eligible list first and stick to those games until the requirement is met.
- Assuming the requirement applies to the bonus alone. Work out the base figure from the offer terms before you deposit.
- Letting the bonus expire with the requirement unfinished. Track the deadline from the day it lands and play within it.
- Withdrawing before the playthrough is complete. Wait until the bonus has converted to cash and the balance is unlocked.
- Opening a second account to claim an offer twice. One account per person is the rule, and duplicates are spotted at withdrawal.
- Relying on memory for stakes already wagered. Keep a simple running note so you know how far the requirement has moved.
None of these mistakes requires skill to avoid, only attention at the right moment. A few minutes spent reading the offer page before the first deposit prevents nearly all of them. Keep your play inside the caps and the eligible games, and the requirement clears without friction. What remains at the end is cash you can withdraw rather than a balance that disappears.