A player opens the Carinfochecker promotions page, sees a welcome package, and the first number that catches the eye is the headline percentage. The mistake that costs money is treating that percentage as a payment the operator is about to make. It is not a payment. It is a condition attached to a payment, and the payment only becomes real if several other numbers on the same page are met. The headline is where the reading starts, not where it ends.
The headline is a multiplier, not a balance
Every offer on a promotions page is built from the same skeleton. A player deposits an amount, or opts into a campaign, and the operator promises to add something to the account. The headline figure expresses that something as a proportion of the deposit or of a fixed reference amount. But the figure is not credited as withdrawable cash. It is credited as a bonus balance, and a bonus balance is not money until a separate set of conditions has been satisfied.
What a reader needs to understand before claiming anything is that the percentage is the least important number on the page. Two offers can carry the same headline percentage and be worth very different amounts, because the value is determined by what happens after the bonus is credited. The wagering multiple, the basis on which it is calculated, the games that count toward it, the time allowed, and the ceiling on what can be withdrawn are the five items that convert a headline into either a usable bankroll or a trap.
The five items that decide whether an offer is worth claiming
Each of these five items is normally stated somewhere on the promotions page itself, or on a linked terms page that the promotions page points to. A reader who claims an offer without having read all five has not read the offer. The table below lays out what each item governs, why it changes the value of the offer, and where it is usually found on an operator's site.
| Item to confirm | Why it can change | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| Wagering multiple | The same headline bonus can require a low or a high multiple of turnover before withdrawal. A high multiple can make the bonus mathematically worthless even when the headline looks generous. | Usually in a dedicated terms section below the offer, or on a linked promotions terms page. |
| Basis of the wagering | The multiple may apply to the bonus amount only, or to the deposit plus the bonus. The difference doubles or triples the total turnover required for the same headline figure. | Stated in the same terms block, often in a single sentence beginning with "the wagering requirement applies to". |
| Eligible games | Not all games contribute equally to wagering. Slots commonly count fully, while table games and live dealer games may count at a reduced rate or not at all. A bonus that cannot be wagered on the games a player plays is worth less than it looks. | Usually in a list or table within the terms, sometimes on a separate game weighting page. |
| Time limit | Bonuses expire. The wagering must be completed within a stated window, commonly measured in days from crediting. If the window is short, the required turnover may be impossible without playing at a pace that increases expected loss. | Stated in the terms, often as a single line such as "the bonus and any winnings must be wagered within X days". |
| Maximum cashout | Many offers cap the amount that can be withdrawn from bonus winnings, regardless of how much is won. A cap that is low relative to the bonus can make the offer nearly worthless even if all other conditions are met. | Stated in the terms, sometimes in a section headed "maximum withdrawal" or "cashout limit". |
Why the basis matters more than the multiple
Most readers look at the wagering multiple and stop. That is a mistake, because the multiple is meaningless until the basis is known. A multiple applied to the bonus alone produces one turnover figure; the same multiple applied to the deposit plus the bonus produces a figure that is more than twice as large. Two offers with identical headlines and identical multiples can therefore differ by a factor of two or more in the actual amount that must be wagered before a withdrawal is possible.
The basis is normally stated in a single sentence, but it is easy to miss because it uses phrasing that varies across operators. Some write "the wagering requirement applies to the bonus amount only"; others write "the wagering requirement applies to the deposit and bonus combined". The reader's job is to find that sentence and read it before claiming. If the promotions page does not state the basis, the linked terms page is the place to look. If neither page states it, the offer cannot be evaluated, and a reader who claims it is accepting an unknown condition.
Game weightings turn a bonus into a different bonus
Even after the multiple and its basis are known, the offer is not yet fully specified. The wagering requirement is a turnover target, and turnover is only counted when bets are placed on games that the operator counts. Most operators weight games differently. Slots commonly count at their full value, meaning every unit wagered reduces the requirement by one unit. Table games, video poker, and live dealer games often count at a reduced rate, and some are excluded entirely.
The practical effect is that a bonus advertised without reference to game weightings is not one bonus but several, depending on what the player intends to play. A player who only plays blackjack may find that a bonus which looks attractive on the promotions page is effectively unavailable, because the game contributes nothing to the wagering requirement. The game weighting list is usually found on the promotions terms page or on a separate page linked from it. If the page does not state weightings, the reader should assume that not all games count equally and should not claim the offer without checking.
The time limit is a risk multiplier
A wagering requirement is not just an amount; it is an amount that must be completed within a window. The window is normally stated in days from the moment the bonus is credited. A short window changes the nature of the offer, because it forces the player to wager at a pace that may not match their normal play. The faster a player must wager, the more bets they place per unit of time, and the more they expose themselves to the house edge that is built into every game.
The time limit is also where many bonuses are lost without the player noticing. A bonus that expires before the wagering is complete is simply removed, along with any winnings derived from it. The reader should treat the time limit as a hard condition, not a suggestion. It is stated on the promotions page or in the linked terms, and it is one of the items that most often changes between campaigns, so a figure read from a previous offer should not be assumed to apply to the current one.
The maximum cashout is the ceiling that makes everything else secondary
Some offers carry a ceiling on the amount that can be withdrawn from bonus winnings. The ceiling is separate from the wagering requirement: even if the player completes the full turnover, any winnings above the ceiling are removed. A high ceiling makes the offer more valuable; a low ceiling can make it nearly worthless even when the headline percentage and the wagering multiple both look reasonable.
The maximum cashout is normally stated in the terms, sometimes in a section of its own. It is the item most often overlooked by players who focus on the headline and the wagering multiple. A reader who evaluates an offer without knowing the cashout ceiling is evaluating only part of the offer. If the promotions page does not state a ceiling, the reader should not assume there is none; the linked terms page is the place to confirm.
How to read a Carinfochecker promotions page in order
The order in which a reader looks at the page changes what they see. Most readers start with the headline, then look at the bonus amount, then stop. A more useful order is the reverse of the page's visual hierarchy: start with the conditions, then look at the headline.
The recommended order is this. First, find the wagering multiple and its basis, because those two numbers together determine the total turnover required. Second, find the game weighting list, because it determines whether the turnover is achievable on the games the player plays. Third, find the time limit, because it determines the pace at which the turnover must be completed. Fourth, find the maximum cashout, because it determines the ceiling on the value of the offer. Only after all four are known does the headline percentage mean anything.
A reader who follows this order will sometimes find that an offer which looked attractive at first glance is not worth claiming, and sometimes that an offer with a modest headline is the better deal because its conditions are less onerous. The promotions page is designed to present the headline first and the conditions later; the reader's job is to reverse that presentation.
What it means when the page does not state an item
Every promotions page is incomplete in some way. Some pages state all five items directly; others state only the headline and point to a linked terms page for the rest; still others state some items and omit others entirely. The absence of an item is itself information.
If the wagering multiple is not stated, the offer cannot be evaluated at all, and a reader who claims it is accepting an unknown condition. If the basis is not stated, the multiple is ambiguous, and the offer should be treated as if the more onerous basis applies. If the game weighting list is not stated, the reader should assume that only slots count fully and that table games may count at a reduced rate or not at all. If the time limit is not stated, the reader should assume the bonus expires quickly and should not claim it unless they can complete the wagering promptly. If the maximum cashout is not stated, the reader should assume a ceiling exists and should look for it on the linked terms page before claiming.
In every case, the reader's recourse is the same: the operator's own promotions page and its linked terms page are the only binding sources for these items. A summary like this one can explain what to look for, but it cannot state the figures for Carinfochecker, because those figures change between campaigns and are published only on the operator's own pages.
FAQ
What is the most important number on a promotions page?
The wagering multiple and its basis together are the most important, because they determine the total turnover required before any withdrawal is possible. The headline percentage is secondary; two offers with the same headline can differ by a factor of two or more in the actual turnover required.
Do all games count toward the wagering requirement?
No. Most operators weight games differently, with slots commonly counting fully and table games or live dealer games counting at a reduced rate or not at all. The game weighting list is usually on the promotions terms page, and a reader should check it before claiming an offer.
What happens if I do not complete the wagering in time?
The bonus and any winnings derived from it are usually removed when the time limit expires. The time limit is a hard condition, not a suggestion, and it is one of the items that most often changes between campaigns.
Is there a limit on how much I can withdraw from a bonus?
Many offers carry a maximum cashout ceiling that caps the amount withdrawable from bonus winnings, separate from the wagering requirement. The ceiling is normally stated in the terms, and if it is not stated on the promotions page, the linked terms page is the place to confirm it.
This page is an independent summary of what a promotions page covers and how to read one; it is not published by Carinfochecker, and it states no figure or status for that operator, whose own promotions page and linked terms are the only binding source for any offer's conditions.
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