# Wagering Requirements: What a Bonus Is Really Worth

Source: https://cricketin.org/guides/wagering-requirements-explained

[By Nikhil Varma](/authors/betting-analyst), Betting and Odds Analyst. [Reviewed by Rajeev Sathe](/authors/editor-in-chief), Editor-in-Chief. Updated 26 Aug 2026. Editorial policy: https://cricketin.org/editorial-policy

18+ Betting money on cricket carries a direct risk of financial loss, and it can become an addiction. Real-money online gaming is banned across India under the PROG Act 2025, which came into force on 1 May 2026.

If betting is already costing you money you need, or sleep, or people close to you, the free Tele-MANAS helpline is **14416**, and it runs in 20 languages. Our [page on help for gambling harm](/guides/help-for-gambling-harm-india) lists what else exists.

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Wagering rules turn a bonus into a turnover bill. See the formula, four worked cases, a rollover table and the conditions that cut the value further.

A wagering requirement is a turnover rule. You must stake a set sum before bonus money or bonus wins can be taken out. That staking is not free. Each rupee staked pays a market fee. So the rule has a price in rupees. At a fee of 5.26%, a ₹1,000 bonus with a 5x rule is worth about ₹737. A 40x rule on a ₹2,000 base costs about ₹4,208.

This page gives the formula and four worked cases. It adds a rollover table. It gives the break-even point of about 19x. It also lists the hidden terms that cut the value more.

## What a wagering requirement is

The rule is simple in shape. Before bonus money or bonus wins can be taken out, a set sum must be staked. That sum is set as a multiple, like 5x or 40x.

Rule makers treat that money as a pot of its own. British rules define a bonus as funds the site adds for you to bet with. Restricted funds mean two things. They are bonus money you cannot yet take out. They are also wins still tied up in a wagering rule ([Gambling Commission glossary](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/authorities/codes-of-practice/guide/page/glossary-of-terms)).

So a bonus is not cash. It is a token with a staking bill on it. This page prices that bill.

We name no site, quote no deal and give no offer sums. That is our house rule. It also keeps us inside the law. Section 6 of the PROG Act 2025 bans ads for real-money online games. The ban covers direct and indirect ads ([PRS India](https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-promotion-and-regulation-of-online-gaming-bill-2025)). The Act has been in force since 1 May 2026 ([Nishith Desai](https://nishithdesai.com/research-and-articles/hotline/gaming-law-wrap/setting-the-rules-of-the-game-indias-online-gaming-law-comes-into-force-15586)).

## The only formula you need

Turnover costs money. Each rupee staked goes through a market that charges a fee. That fee is the overround. So your staking has a price of its own ([Whelan, Estimating Expected Loss Rates in Betting Markets](https://www.karlwhelan.com/Papers/Overround.pdf)).

Three lines do the whole job.

- Turnover you need = base sum × rollover multiple.
- Cost of it = that turnover × market fee.
- What the bonus is worth = face value − that cost.

Read the base sum with care. At times the multiple applies to the bonus alone. At times it applies to deposit plus bonus. That doubles the base before you even multiply.

Our worked sums use a market fee of 5.26%. It comes from a two-way pair at 1.90, as shown on our [overround page](/guides/what-is-overround). It is a made-up case, not a reading from any real site .

## Case one: a modest rollover on the bonus only

**Inputs.** Bonus face value ₹1,000. Rollover 5x on the bonus alone. Minimum price 2.00. Market fee 5.26%.

**Formula.** Turnover = 1,000 × 5, then cost = turnover × 0.0526, then worth = 1,000 − cost.

**Result.** Turnover ₹5,000, cost ₹263, worth about ₹737. That is 73.7% of the face value.

**Assumptions.** All the staking goes through markets at that same fee. No time limit bites. No market is left out. Each of those is a kind guess. Every real term pushes the figure down.

This is the kindest kind of rule. Even here, a quarter of the value goes before you have any bad luck.

## Case two: a high rollover on deposit plus bonus

**Inputs.** Deposit ₹1,000. Bonus face value ₹1,000. Rollover 40x on deposit plus bonus. Market fee 5.26%.

**Formula.** Base = 1,000 + 1,000 = ₹2,000, then turnover = 2,000 × 40, then cost = turnover × 0.0526.

**Result.** Turnover ₹80,000, cost about ₹4,208. That cost is more than four times the face value of the bonus.

**Assumptions.** The same fee on each bet, which is a kind guess. The figure leaves out tax. It leaves out any stake cap too. The bonus does not just lose value here. Meeting the rule costs far more than the bonus was ever worth.

That is the shape of the trap. The multiple sounds like a hurdle. It is really a bill.

## Case three: a small bonus turned over in-play

**Inputs.** Bonus face value ₹500. Rollover 10x on the bonus. Staking done on in-match markets with a fee of 8.11%. That fee comes from a two-way pair at 1.85.

**Formula.** Turnover = 500 × 10, then cost = turnover × 0.0811, then worth = 500 − cost.

**Result.** Turnover ₹5,000, cost ₹405.50, worth about ₹94.50. That is 18.9% of face value.

**Assumptions.** The 8.11% comes from our own example pair, not a live reading. In-play markets often cost more than that, as our [fancy bets page](/guides/fancy-bets-explained) shows. Where you stake the money counts as much as the multiple.

Two bonuses that look the same can be worth very different sums. The market you use makes the gap, not the offer.

## Rollover, turnover, cost and what is left

The table holds the base at ₹1,000 and the fee at 5.26%. Only the multiple changes. We built each row with the three formulas above.

**Table 1. What a ₹1,000 bonus is worth after turnover, at a market fee of 5.26%**

| Rollover | Required turnover | Cost of turnover | What is left of ₹1,000 | Share of face value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1x | ₹1,000 | ₹52.60 | ₹947.40 | 94.7% |
| 5x | ₹5,000 | ₹263.00 | ₹737.00 | 73.7% |
| 10x | ₹10,000 | ₹526.00 | ₹474.00 | 47.4% |
| 15x | ₹15,000 | ₹789.00 | ₹211.00 | 21.1% |
| 20x | ₹20,000 | ₹1,052.00 | −₹52.00 | −5.2% |
| 40x on a ₹2,000 base | ₹80,000 | ₹4,208.00 | −₹3,208.00 | −320.8% |

Note where the sign flips. There is a break-even point, and it is easy to find.

**Inputs.** Bonus ₹1,000, base equal to the bonus. Market fee 5.26%.

**Formula.** Break-even rollover = 1 ÷ fee.

**Result.** 1 ÷ 0.0526 = 19.01, so a rollover above about 19x costs more than the bonus is worth.

**Assumptions.** At a fee of 8.11% the break-even point falls to about 12.33x. A higher fee pulls the line lower. So in-play staking breaks even far sooner than match-winner staking.

Keep that one number in mind. Above about 19x at a normal fee, the sums are against you. It makes no odds how the offer is worded.

One rule maker has now capped the multiple. A site with a British licence may not ask for more than 10 times the bonus funds ([LCCP social responsibility code 5.1.1](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/authorities/codes-of-practice/5)). That cap came into force on 19 January 2026, and the aim was less harm and clearer offers ([Gambling Commission](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/news/article/gambling-promotions-to-be-safer-and-simpler)). India has no cap of that kind. Its law bans the games instead, so the sums above still matter here.

## The conditions that shrink the number further

The maths above is the friendly version. Real rules add more.

**Table 2. Common bonus conditions and what each one does to the value**

| Condition | What it says | Effect on value |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum price | Only bets above a stated price count | Forces turnover into riskier markets, so more of it is lost |
| Time limit | Turnover must be finished within a set period | Forces a faster pace, and unfinished turnover forfeits the lot |
| Maximum stake | Caps the stake on bonus bets | Makes a large turnover slow, which interacts with the time limit |
| Excluded markets | Some markets do not count towards turnover | Removes the cheapest markets, raising the fee you pay |
| Partial contribution | Some bets count only part of their stake | Multiplies the real turnover needed above the stated multiple |
| Maximum withdrawal | Caps what can leave the account from bonus play | Puts a lid on the upside while the fee stays uncapped |
| Mixed wagers | Stakes drawn partly from bonus and partly from cash | Splits winnings by proportion, and part stays restricted ([Gambling Commission glossary](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/authorities/codes-of-practice/guide/page/glossary-of-terms)) |

Look at part contribution once more. Say bets count only half their stake. A 10x rule then works like a 20x rule. That one line can push a fair offer past the break-even point.

We did not invent those terms for the sake of a table. The bonus and restricted funds wording comes from a rule maker's own glossary ([Gambling Commission](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/authorities/codes-of-practice/guide/page/glossary-of-terms)). We have not tested the numbers used by apps serving India . We also do not repeat what sites say about themselves.

## Tax and the Indian context

Any sum on bonus value in India has to end here.

Wins from online games are taxed at a flat 30% under Section 115BBJ ([Income Tax Department](https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/section-115bbj)). Tax is held back under Section 194BA ([Income Tax Department](https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/winnings-from-online-games)). There is no floor, so even a small win is caught ([TaxGuru](https://taxguru.in/chartered-accountant/tds-winnings-online-gaming-section-194ba.html)). You cannot claim costs, and you cannot set off a loss ([Income Tax Department](https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/winnings-from-online-games)).

Rule 133 sets a formula for net wins. Take what you took out, plus the closing balance. Then take off the opening balance and any deposits that are not taxed ([TaxGuru](https://taxguru.in/chartered-accountant/tds-winnings-online-gaming-section-194ba.html)). Our [page on TDS](/legal/tds-on-winnings-india) works through it in full.

Above all of that sits the ban itself. Section 5 bans offering these games. Section 6 bans ads for them. Section 7 bans payment support ([PRS India](https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-promotion-and-regulation-of-online-gaming-bill-2025)). Our [PROG Act explainer](/legal/prog-act-2025-explained) and our [page on advertising rules](/legal/advertising-rules-online-gaming) set that out.

So the honest read on any bonus offered in India in 2026 is short. It sits on top of a banned act. Its stated value shrinks once you price the staking. Any wins are then taxed, with no set-off.

## How to price any offer in two minutes

- Find the base the multiple applies to. Bonus only, or deposit plus bonus.
- Multiply to get the turnover you need.
- Work out the market fee. Add up the implied chances on the markets you would use.
- Multiply turnover by that fee. Subtract the answer from the face value.
- Then subtract the effect of the conditions in Table 2, one by one.

If the answer is below zero, the offer is a cost dressed as a gift. If it is above zero but small, ask if the hours are worth it.

For the maths behind step three, read [how cricket odds work](/guides/how-cricket-odds-work) and then [expected value](/guides/expected-value-explained). The wider library sits on the [guides hub](/guides). Terms are defined in the [glossary](/guides/cricket-betting-glossary).

## Questions people ask

### Does a bigger bonus mean better value?

Not on its own. Value hangs on three things. They are the multiple, the base it applies to, and the fee on the markets you use. In our table a 40x rule on a ₹2,000 base costs about ₹4,208 in turnover. That is far more than the bonus face value.

### What rollover level is break-even?

About 19x at a market fee of 5.26%, since 1 ÷ 0.0526 = 19.01. At a fee of 8.11% it drops to about 12.33x. Above that line the staking costs more than the bonus is worth.

### Why does the minimum price condition matter so much?

It decides where your stakes go. Short prices are often the cheapest markets. Longer prices and in-play markets raise the fee you pay on the way through.

### Are winnings from bonus money taxable in India?

Yes. Section 115BBJ sets a flat 30% tax on wins from online games ([Income Tax Department](https://www.incometaxindia.gov.in/w/section-115bbj)). Under Section 194BA the tax is held back at source, with no floor ([TaxGuru](https://taxguru.in/chartered-accountant/tds-winnings-online-gaming-section-194ba.html)). How one bonus balance is treated is a matter for an expert .

### Why does this page not list any actual offers?

Section 6 of the PROG Act 2025 bans ads for real-money online games. That covers both direct and indirect ads ([PRS India](https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-promotion-and-regulation-of-online-gaming-bill-2025)). We teach the maths and leave the offers out.

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