by Bullajami

Casino gaming can be fun and interesting.  Just keep in mind that the house has an inherent advantage in every game that they offer.  It's how they make their money.  However, it is possible to offset this house advantage - at least temporarily - through the use of promotional bonus offers. 

For a quick example, let us assume we have a version of blackjack that gives the house exactly a 0.5% advantage over a player who uses perfect strategy for that game.  If that player plays 1,000 X $1 hands at black jack, his Expectation Value (EV) is $1,000 X (-0.5%) =   (-$5).  The player would expect to lose $5, on average, for playing 1,000 hands of $1 blackjack at this casino.

Now, let's assume that this online casino offers a bonus promotion.  For simplicity, we will say  the promotion is that every player who makes $1,000 worth of wagers at blackjack will be given a $20 cash bonus.  Given that the rules for this casino's version of blackjack have not changed, we would still expect our perfect strategy player to lose $5 after playing 1,000 hands of $1 blackjack.  However, as he has now earned a $20 bonus, his expectation is $1,000 X (-0.5%) + $20 (bonus) = +$15.  The bonus turned a -EV situation into a +EV situation.

There are many different bonus offerings available from the online casinos.  To judge whether or not an offer turns a -EV situation into a +EV situation, use this simple formula:  EV = (WR X HA) +Bonus.  Where WR = the wagering requirement in $ or £ and HA = house advantage (expressed as a negative - so it's really the Player's Disadvantage).  You should be able to get the WR from the bonus terms and conditions of the online casino, and you can get HA from www.wizardofodds.com.