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When looking to unlock a casino bonus, an important distinction determines when you can withdraw any winnings: the terms of the bonus, and in particular, whether it is "sticky" or "non-sticky."
How to read the bonus type
The core difference is crucial for any player hoping to cash out winnings after only playing through a bonus part way.
With a non-sticky bonus, the player plays with their own balance first and can cash it out before the bonus comes into play. Their deposit is intact, and the bonus balance remains to use or dies on a cashout.
One published explanation describes non-sticky bonuses as "parachute bonuses".
A sticky bonus works differently: the bonus is added to the deposit as one balance, usually as a series of wagering steps (e.g. to "unlock" a bonus money worth €100, a player needs to play through €5000 in the next 30 days).
What happens when you cash out early
The rule is straightforward with a transparent non-sticky bonus. Their deposit balance is separate and directly withdrawable.
The sticky bonus however restricts this. As an illustration, with a €100 deposit and a €100 bonus the €200 balance stays locked until wagering is complete, and at cash-out the €100 bonus itself is removed from the withdrawable amount.
In a sticky bonus, the bonus is usually permanently lost on withdrawal before it’s played through. Terms typically describe this rule in terms of non-withdrawable bonus funds: in a sticky bonus, the deposit balance and bonus funds go together, as one balance and one pool of funds.
Sticky bonuses are also often called "phantom bonuses." To understand why, think about when you start withdrawing from your balance: the bonus funds are there with your deposit, but then they disappear as soon as you withdraw.
Where the rule appears in the terms
The separation or merging of deposit and bonus is woven into the key bonus rules.
The page covering a casino bonus rules or the types of bonuses explains what happens to that bonus when a player withdraws.
With sticky bonuses, the terms say the bonus amount is part of the deposit balance, or "combined into the balance," or worded to draw the link clearly.
Where a bonus is sticky, the bonus balance is in the account, but not withdrawable, and is removed upon withdrawal.
What the wording usually means
Be clear on what these bonus labels usually represent.
When a casino bonus is non-sticky, it is separate from the player deposit. It usually appears as a separate bonus balance. Another glaring giveaway is the use of "parachute" – the suggestion is that the bonus can come down to the player's account, but can automatically leave if the player chooses to give up on the bonus and withdraw, or simply cash out their deposit, leaving the bonus untouched in the balance.
What else to consider?
Remember, a bonus locked to the player's balance can protect against the bonus being used by a player and then leaving with the deposit. A non-sticky bonus can speed up withdrawals, and leave the bonus untouched in the account, so is particularly attractive for players.
Check your playthrough, withdrawal or terms to see how the mechanics work and whether bonus codes, casino games, or any other conditions are attached to them, as well as the nature of the bonus.
Which one suits early cash-outs
When it comes to deciding which casino bonuses deliver what you want from a bonus, it's the terms of the bonus that decide the answer. So, to quickly decide if a bonus makes this chance clear, you should look for the sticky/non-sticky rule of that bonus, or whatever the relevant terms may say.