ARCHIVE-AWARE NEWS · rewritten from the original topic
The short version
A promotional figure is the least informative part of a promotion. "Free" rarely means free, and the number in the headline is usually the smallest number on the page. The terms attached to an offer determine whether it is worth anything at all.
What a headline figure leaves out
A promotional figure typically comes with a minimum deposit, a minimum qualifying odds, a maximum stake, an expiry window and a rollover requirement. Each condition narrows the offer. A generous-looking credit with a high rollover on short odds can be worth less than a smaller, unrestricted one.
The four conditions that decide value
First, the qualifying deposit. Second, the rollover multiple and the odds at which it must be cleared. Third, the expiry window — an offer that expires in 48 hours pressures a decision. Fourth, whether the credit is withdrawable at all, or only usable as a stake.
How to evaluate an offer in two minutes
Read the terms before the headline. Find the rollover, the qualifying odds and the expiry, and write them down. If any of the three is missing or unclear, treat the offer as unverified. Then ask whether you would place those bets anyway — if not, the promotion is not a reason to start.