Enter a bonus amount and required wagering to find the theoretical cost to unlock it — and whether it's worth pursuing.
Find out how much you theoretically need to spend to unlock a bonus reward, and whether it's worth pursuing based on the wagering requirements.
Formula: Wagering Needed / Contribution% × (1 − RTP)
*The lower the required funds, the higher the volatility — you may need more or less due to variance.
Loyalty programs and casino missions often dangle a tempting prize — bonus cash, free spins, or a physical reward — in exchange for hitting a specific wagering target within a time window. What they rarely mention is how much it costs, in expected losses, to reach that target. This calculator gives you that answer before you decide to chase it.
Enter the value of the bonus or reward on offer, the total wagering required to unlock it, the game RTP you plan to use, and the wagering contribution percentage. The result is the theoretical cost — expected losses — to reach the milestone. The verdict tells you whether that cost is lower or higher than the reward value.
Example: A casino offers a $3,000 bonus when you wager $50,000 in a week. At 96% RTP with 100% contribution, the expected cost to reach $50,000 in wagering is $2,000 in losses. The reward is worth $3,000. Net gain: $1,000. Chase it.
Flip it: a $500 reward for the same $50,000 wagering requirement. Still costs $2,000 to unlock. You lose $1,500 chasing a $500 prize. Pass.
The practical break-even rule: a reward is worth chasing when the wagering-to-reward ratio is below 1 ÷ house edge. At 96% RTP (4% house edge), that means any ratio below 25:1 is potentially profitable. The $50,000/$3,000 example is a 16.7:1 ratio — well inside the profitable zone. Keep this ratio in mind whenever evaluating weekly missions and VIP challenges.