Definition
Game Weighting
Also known as Game Contribution, Wagering Contribution, Weighting Table
By Abhinav VasudevanReviewed Editorial policy
In short
Game weighting determines how much each game contributes toward a wagering requirement. Slots usually count 100% while table games count 10% or less, which multiplies the real requirement on low-edge games.
Not every bet counts equally toward clearing a bonus. Game weighting assigns each category a contribution rate, and the differences are large.
A typical table
| Game | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Slots | 100% |
| Scratch cards, keno | 100% |
| Roulette | 10–20% |
| Baccarat | 5–10% |
| Blackjack | 5–10% |
| Video poker | 5–10% |
| Craps | 0–10% |
| Live casino | 0–10% |
| Progressive jackpot slots | Often 0% |
What the numbers mean in practice
A £1,750 wagering requirement:
- On slots at 100% → £1,750 of actual betting
- On blackjack at 10% → £17,500 of actual betting
Ten times the turnover for the same requirement. On a game contributing 5%, it is twenty times.
Why it is structured this way
The weighting tracks house edge almost exactly, and inversely.
Slots carry a 3% to 6% edge and count fully. Blackjack carries 0.5% and counts at 10%. The operator’s expected return per pound of wagering is roughly equalised across categories.
This is not arbitrary or hidden. It is the mechanism that makes bonuses viable. Without weighting, a player could clear a requirement on near-zero-edge games at almost no cost, and every bonus would be positive expected value.
The effect is that the games with the best odds are precisely the ones you cannot use a bonus on.
The traps
Excluded games. Some titles contribute nothing at all, usually high-RTP slots and bonus buy games. Playing them while a bonus is active can void it entirely at some operators, not merely fail to contribute.
Weighting changes between offers. The same operator may weight differently for different promotions.
Live casino at 0%. Common, and frequently missed by players who assume live blackjack behaves like RNG blackjack.
What to do with it
Check the weighting table before accepting an offer. If you only want to play blackjack, a slots-weighted bonus is not an offer you can use, and declining it is better than clearing it at twenty times the cost.
Common questions
Why does blackjack only count 10% toward wagering?
Because weighting tracks house edge inversely. Slots carry 3% to 6% and count fully; blackjack carries 0.5% and counts at 10%, which roughly equalises the operator's expected return per pound of wagering.
Which games are excluded from bonus wagering?
Commonly high-RTP slots, bonus buy games and some live casino tables. Playing an excluded game can void the bonus entirely at some operators rather than simply failing to contribute.