Blackjack is one of the casino classics and a top favorite among UK casino gamblers. The biggest reason for this is because it has the lowest house edge of all casino games when played correctly. If you know how to play the game and use an appropriate blackjack strategy, you can reduce the house advantage to around 0.4%. Now imagine the benefits you will get if you play blackjack with a casino bonus.
First of all, not all blackjack variants can be played with a bonus. There are situations where you cannot play Classic Blackjack or Progressive Blackjack with a bonus. If you do this, your bonus and any associated winnings will be forfeited. Secondly, only a small percentage of blackjack wagers count towards meeting the bonus wagering requirements. The games that often count 100% are slots and other casino games of pure luck. Therefore, before claiming a blackjack casino bonus, make sure you read the terms and conditions, especially the part about the eligibility of blackjack towards meeting the wagering.
Best UK Blackjack Casino Bonuses
- Bonus Types
- MMatch
- HHigh Roller
- FFree Play
- NNo Deposit
- CCash Back
- PPost Wager
Types of Blackjack Bonuses
The following are the types of blackjack bonuses available to UK players at UK blackjack casinos:
- Match bonuses. In this bonus type, blackjack usually contributes between 5% and 30% towards the wagering restrictions. Examples of this bonus are going to be explained in detail a bit further in this article.
- No deposit bonuses. Sometimes you may find a no deposit blackjack bonus at a casino, but have in mind that the wagering percentage contribution of the game is very low.
- Free play bonuses. With free play bonuses you can generally play all casino games, but if you win something, the money is counted as bonus and is subject to standard wagering requirements.
Blackjack Bonus Rules
To explain the blackjack bonus terms and conditions better, let's take a closer look at the match bonuses available at Gday Casino and GoWild Casino. The former casino gives a 50 free spins bonus right after registration to be used only on South Park: Reel Chaos including an unlimited 100% welcome bonus plus $500 each on the next two deposits. This is how the bonus is allocated:
- A 100% match bonus up to infinity on your initial deposit
- A 25% match bonus up to $500 on your second deposit
- And a 50% bonus up to $500 on your third deposit
The qualifying deposit is $20. Once you get the bonus, you must meet the wagering restrictions stated in bonus rules before you request a withdrawal. For example, if you deposit $100, the casino gives you $100 extra. If you decide to play slots with it, you must reach wagering requirements of 35 x $200, i.e. wager $7,000. However, if you want to play blackjack you should know the following:
- In the process of meeting the wagering requirements, firstly you play with bonus money and then you wager your deposited cash
- Unfortunately, at this casino you cannot play blackjack with bonus money. Only after you spend it, you can play the game with your cash
- Besides blackjack, other “cash only” games are all table games, pokers, virtual and several others such as Six Ball, Super Hi Lo, Winners Wheel and Hi Lo Money Spinner
Now let's consider the match bonus available at GoWild Casino. At this casino you get €500 in new player welcome bonuses plus 2,500 loyalty rewards points. There are two offers:
- A 100% first deposit bonus plus 2,000 loyalty points
- Or 200 free spins on Riviera Riches and 150 free spins on Avalon Mobile plus 2,000 loyalty rewards points
Furthermore, on your second and third deposit, the casino will give you a 50% match up to €150 free. This is how the bonus works:
- Register an account and deposit at least €20
- You will get 500 loyalty points just for creating a new account
- Go to the Special Offers tab and pick the offer you like to claim
- The bonus will be automatically credited into your account
Afterwards, all bonuses must be played through or wagered 40 times before any withdrawal request is made. Naturally, slots, Keno and scratch cards count 100% towards the wagering. Blackjack, on the other hand, counts only 5%. This means for every $1 you wager on the game, it's like you bet $0.05 towards that wagering requirement. But several blackjack variants are ineligible and cannot be played with the bonus, namely Classic Blackjack, Vegas Downtown Blackjack, Vegas Single Deck Blackjack, Atlantic City Blackjack, Vegas Strip, Triple 7s and Hi Lo 13 European Blackjack Gold.
Summary
That said, you might be a bit discouraged to claim blackjack casino bonuses knowing that only a small percentage of blackjack bets counts toward the playthrough requirements. But you need to understand that blackjack is a game of both luck and skill and when played correctly you can win big cash. To protect themselves from losing money, it's natural for UK casinos to limit the ability of blackjack players to get bonus money. However, the upshot is that you can find casinos that offer good blackjack bonuses and still be able to play the game with bonus money.
