How to read the bonus vs cashback comparison
The two routes trade different things. The bonus gives you more to play with now, in exchange for a betting commitment. Cashback gives you nothing extra now, in exchange for a softer landing if the deposit busts. So the calculator shows four numbers for each:
- Starting balance: what you have to play with.
- Bets before withdrawing: the playthrough. With a bonus it's (deposit + bonus) × the multiple. Without one, no bonus playthrough applies.
- Average cost: the house's share of the required bets at your chosen RTP. It's an average over many sessions, not a forecast.
- If it busts: what you lose if the balance runs out. With a bonus, the whole deposit. Without one, the deposit minus the cashback.
The verdict line compares the bonus with the average cost of clearing it. When the cost is bigger, the bonus only makes sense if you'd have placed that much betting anyway.
Worked examples: WELCOME against cashback
| Deposit | Bonus | Bets needed | Average cost | Bust with bonus | Bust with 25% back | Bust with 30% back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $50 | $50 | $3,000 | $120 | −$50 | −$37.50 | −$35 |
| $100 | $100 | $6,000 | $240 | −$100 | −$75 | −$70 |
| $200 | $200 | $12,000 | $480 | −$200 | −$150 | −$140 |
| $300 | $200 | $15,000 | $600 | −$300 | −$225 | −$210 |
Two patterns stand out. First, at Fair Go's 30x on deposit plus bonus, the average cost of clearing WELCOME is larger than the bonus at every size: on a $100 deposit, $240 of average cost against a $100 bonus. Second, past the $200 cap the bonus stops growing while the wagering keeps climbing, which makes oversized deposits the worst deal of all.
When the bonus route makes sense
The bonus is the better fit when you'd play a long session anyway. If you were always going to put $6,000 through the pokies, WELCOME adds $100 to it for free; the wagering is a cost of play you'd have had regardless. It also suits players who enjoy the longer session for its own sake and aren't fussed about withdrawing early. Results swing, and some sessions end with a balance after the wagering is done. Read our WELCOME bonus guide for the full terms.
When the cashback route makes sense
Cashback is the better fit for short sessions, smaller budgets and anyone who might want to cash out a win early. Your money is never locked behind a playthrough, so a lucky first hour can be withdrawn on the spot. And a bad session costs 25% less, or 30% less at the weekend. The Fair Go cashback page explains how to claim it, and the cashback calculator prices a whole week.
Comparing other Fair Go codes
The same comparison works for any deposit code. Change the match, the cap and the multiple:
- BUSHMAGIC: 200% match from $60. No cap is listed, so set the cap well above your deposit.
- CASTLE: 150% from $40, redeemable 3 times.
- 100-NEOS: 100% for Neosurf deposits from $20.
None of these lists its own wagering, so Fair Go's 30x default on deposit plus bonus applies until a listing says otherwise. Bigger matches mean bigger bonuses and bigger bills, and our wagering requirements guide works through each code.
What the comparison leaves out
The calculator can't see game weightings, time limits, the $10 max bet (which our max bet guide covers) or whether cashback itself carries a playthrough, which Fair Go doesn't state. It also can't know how long you'd have played without a bonus, which is the real hinge of the decision. Use it to see the shape of the trade-off, then decide with your own habits in mind.
