A reader lands on lunarwin.com's Promotions page because an offer caught their eye, and the first thing they see is usually a large number. That number is not a payment. It is a headline attached to a set of conditions, and the conditions are the actual offer. The reader's real job on this page is not to find the biggest number but to find the five items that decide whether the number means anything: the wagering multiple, its basis, the eligible games, the time limit, and the maximum cashout.
The headline amount is a ceiling, not a balance
Every promotion page leads with a figure: a welcome package, a reload percentage, a number of free spins. Across operators, the practice is uniform: the headline is the most favourable version of the offer. It applies only when the reader meets every condition beneath it, and sometimes only to the first deposit or the first claim. The figure itself says nothing about what the reader can withdraw.
What the reader should do instead is read downward. The binding terms are almost never in the banner. They sit in a separate block, often labelled "Terms", "Key Terms", "Bonus Policy" or "Promotional Terms", and sometimes on a linked page. The headline tells the reader what is being offered; the terms block tells them what it costs to convert it into withdrawable money.
The five items that decide an offer's value
A promotion is a contract with five load-bearing parts. If any one of them is missing from the page, the reader cannot value the offer, and the absence is itself information. The five items are:
| Item to confirm | Why it can change | Where it is stated |
|---|---|---|
| Wagering multiple | Operators set different multiples for different offers; a welcome bonus commonly carries a higher multiple than a reload or cashback. | In the terms block under the offer, usually as "wagering requirement" or "playthrough". |
| Basis of the multiple | The multiple may apply to the bonus only, or to the deposit plus bonus. This single word changes the total playthrough enormously. | In the same terms block, phrased as "bonus amount" or "deposit plus bonus". |
| Eligible games | Slots commonly count fully toward wagering, while table games and live games count at a reduced rate or not at all. | In a "Game Contribution" or "Eligible Games" section, sometimes a table of percentages. |
| Time limit | The window to meet the wagering requirement is fixed, and it starts from claiming, not from first deposit. | In the terms block, as "within X days of claiming". |
| Maximum cashout | Many offers cap the amount that can be withdrawn from bonus winnings, regardless of how much the player wagered. | In the terms block, as "max cashout" or "maximum withdrawal from bonus". |
These five items interact. A low wagering multiple on a deposit-plus-bonus basis can be heavier than a higher multiple on a bonus-only basis. A generous maximum cashout is meaningless if the eligible games are so narrow that the reader would never play them. The reader must read all five together, not one at a time.
What the wagering multiple does
The wagering multiple is the number of times the bonus amount, or the deposit plus bonus, must be staked before any winnings from the bonus can be withdrawn. It is a condition on withdrawal, not a gift of extra play. A reader who claims a bonus and wins has not won anything until the multiple is met. If they fail to meet it within the time limit, the bonus and any winnings derived from it are typically removed.
The basis is the most overlooked part of this condition. When the multiple applies to the deposit plus bonus, the total playthrough is far higher than when it applies to the bonus alone. The page will state the basis in one short phrase, and that phrase is worth more attention than the headline percentage. If the page does not state the basis, the reader should assume the heavier interpretation, because that is the one the operator will apply.
Game contribution: where the multiple is met, or not
Not all games count equally toward the wagering requirement. Across operators, the usual pattern is that slots count fully, table games count at a reduced rate, and live dealer games count at a lower rate still or not at all. Some games are excluded entirely, and playing them while a bonus is active can void the bonus and any winnings.
The promotions page should contain a game contribution table. If it does not, the reader should look for a linked "Bonus Policy" or "General Promotional Terms" page. The contribution rate is a percentage, and it is one of the few numbers on a promotions page that the reader must read carefully, because a game that contributes at a low rate makes the effective wagering multiple much higher than the stated one.
Time limits and maximum cashout: the two silent conditions
The time limit is the window within which the wagering requirement must be met. It starts when the bonus is claimed, not when the reader first deposits, and it is usually measured in days. A reader who claims a bonus and then does not play for a week may find that the window has already closed. The time limit is stated in the terms block, and it is a hard deadline, not a suggestion.
The maximum cashout is the cap on how much of the bonus winnings can be withdrawn. A reader who wins more than the cap does not get the excess. This condition is common on free spin offers and no-deposit bonuses, and it is often the reason a large headline number is worth less than it appears. If the page does not state a maximum cashout, the reader should not assume there is none; they should assume the term is stated elsewhere, perhaps in a general bonus policy, and look for it before claiming.
Free spins and VIP cashback: the same five items in different clothes
Free spins are not a separate kind of promotion. They are a bonus denominated in spins rather than in a currency amount, and the same five items apply. The wagering multiple applies to winnings from the spins, not to the value of the spins themselves. The eligible games are usually fixed to one slot or a small set of slots. The time limit is often shorter than for deposit bonuses. The maximum cashout is frequently low. A reader who treats free spins as free money has misread the page.
VIP cashback and rebate offers invert the structure. Instead of a bonus with a wagering requirement, they return a percentage of losses or turnover as a credit. The reader should confirm whether the cashback is paid as withdrawable cash or as a bonus with its own wagering requirement, and whether it is calculated on losses, on turnover, or on some other basis. The promotions page may state this directly, or it may link to a VIP page that does.
What the page does not state is part of the answer
A promotions page that omits one of the five items is not incomplete in a neutral way; it is incomplete in a way that always favours the operator. If the wagering multiple is not stated, the reader cannot know what they must stake. If the basis is not stated, the heavier interpretation applies. If the eligible games are not stated, the reader may play the wrong game and void the bonus. If the time limit is not stated, the reader may lose the bonus by delay. If the maximum cashout is not stated, the reader may win an amount they can never withdraw.
The reader's response to a missing item is not to guess. It is to look for the operator's general promotional terms, usually linked from the footer or from the promotions page itself, and to read that document before claiming anything. The promotions page is an advertisement; the general terms are the contract. The two are not the same document, and the reader should not treat them as if they were.
Where each item sits on the page
The layout of a promotions page follows a pattern. The headline offer sits at the top, with a claim button. Beneath it, or behind a "Terms" link, sits the terms block. The terms block contains the wagering multiple, its basis, the time limit, and the maximum cashout. The game contribution table may sit in the terms block or on a linked page. The VIP cashback terms may sit on a separate VIP page. The reader who wants to value an offer should read the terms block first and the headline last, not the other way round.
This page is an independent summary of what a promotions page covers. It is not published by lunarwin.com, and it states no figure or status for that operator; the operator's own promotions page and general promotional terms are the only binding source for any offer.
FAQ
What is the single most important item on a promotions page?
The basis of the wagering multiple. The same multiple applied to deposit plus bonus is far heavier than applied to bonus only, and the difference is stated in one short phrase that many readers skip.
Do free spins have wagering requirements?
Yes. The wagering requirement applies to winnings from the spins, not to the spins themselves, and the eligible games, time limit and maximum cashout are usually stricter than for deposit bonuses.
What happens if I play a game that is not eligible while a bonus is active?
The operator typically voids the bonus and any winnings derived from it. The game contribution table states which games are eligible and at what rate, and the reader should read it before playing.
If the promotions page does not state a maximum cashout, does that mean there is no cap?
No. It means the cap is stated elsewhere, usually in the general promotional terms. The reader should find that document before claiming the offer.
Play responsibly
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This article is general information about how these mechanics work. It is not legal advice and not a recommendation to gamble or to use any particular operator. Availability and legality differ by jurisdiction — check the rules that apply where you are.
