How we read bonus terms
We explain the conditions behind a promotion, cite the evidence and show the arithmetic. The US site currently has no eligible offers, commercial cards or scores.
Start with the source and its jurisdiction
Our guides cite regulator publications for rules in their own jurisdiction and US support organizations for gambling-help resources. UK references provide background, not US legal authority. A supplied catalogue field is not proof of a current licence or promotion. We retain publication dates and record when sources are checked.
Read the operator’s full current terms for the exact promotion and state. Record the wagering base, multiplier, game contribution, maximum stake, deadline and withdrawal restrictions. Missing terms stay unknown; we do not fill them with an industry average.
Show the calculator assumptions
Required turnover is the stated base multiplied by the wagering multiplier. A $25 bonus at 10× requires $250 of qualifying turnover; a $25 deposit plus $25 bonus at 10× requires $500. At 20% game contribution, $10 wagered contributes $2.
The wagering calculator makes that arithmetic explicit. The bonus-value calculator uses an assumed RTP and qualifying turnover to estimate theoretical cost. Neither predicts a session, a withdrawal or a win; the model cannot replace a budget or the complete terms.
The formula
Offer scoring in eligible markets
Offer scoring returns only when a market has eligible offers. No scores or commercial cards appear on the US root today. The retained formula blends four supplied fields; these weights are read from its calculation helper:
- 40% Editor rating A supplied 0–5 editor-rating field. BonusSherpa has not established a complete evidence trail for how historic values were produced, so this input must not be read as current hands-on testing.
- 35% Bonus value A calculation from supplied numeric wagering, maximum-bonus and free-spins fields. It does not read every significant condition or estimate the chance of conversion.
- 15% Payout speed A supplied withdrawal-speed band. It is not a timed BonusSherpa withdrawal and may not apply to every method, customer or lawful check.
- 10% Licensing & trust A calculation from supplied licence labels. The score does not independently confirm that a licence is current, covers the promoted product or authorises play in your location.
Those weights add up to 100%. Each factor is scored from 0 to 1 from the supplied fields, blended at the weights above, and shown on a 0–10 scale when eligible-market offer cards are available.
When data is missing
A missing factor is dropped, not guessed
If the feed is silent on one factor, the code does not invent a figure and we do not drop in a flattering neutral default. We drop that factor and renormalise the remaining weights so they still add up to 100% — the score only ever reflects what we can actually receive. A casino with nothing scorable at all gets no score and sorts last. This keeps the number honest rather than padded.
Evidence status
This score is not hands-on testing
BonusSherpa has not established source records proving that a reviewer opened each listed account, deposited, played and withdrew. Historic editor-rating, payout and licence fields must therefore be treated as supplied data, not first-hand verification.
A freshness or verification label without a dated evidence record does not establish that an offer has been checked. Always confirm current, market-specific terms and licence status with the operator and regulator.
What we decode
Read the conditions behind the headline
A “$200 bonus” headline leaves out conditions that can change the decision. Our guides explain the following fields and direct readers to the full terms:
- Wagering. A supplied multiplier, which still needs its exact base and current terms before it can be interpreted.
- Withdrawal restrictions. Offer-specific rules can affect restricted promotional funds; do not assume a short card label is the complete condition.
- Expiry window. A deadline can make an offer unsuitable if it pressures more or faster play. Confirm it in the operator’s current terms.
- Licence label. A feed field requiring independent confirmation with the regulator and for the customer’s exact location.
- Payout band. A supplied estimate, not a guarantee or the result of a BonusSherpa withdrawal test.
AI & human review
How we use AI
The site may use automated tools to draft and structure material. The accountable byline is the BonusSherpa desk, not a fabricated person. Source-backed guides show their references and access dates; catalogue claims are supplied data, not independent verification. The scoring formula is code, not an AI verdict.
Corrections
Spotted a mistake? Tell us
If a wagering figure, cashout cap, licence detail or payout band is out of date or wrong, email [email protected]. Include the page URL and a supporting source. Substantive corrections update the page date. More on our standards in the editorial policy.