Sticky vs non-sticky (cashable) casino bonuses
Last updated: 2026-07-12 · Gamblerfy editorial team
Two casino bonuses can have the exact same headline — "100% up to $200" — and be worth completely different amounts, because of one line buried in the terms: whether the bonus is sticky or non-sticky. It's one of the most important distinctions in bonus terms, and one of the least advertised.
Non-sticky (cashable / "parachute") bonuses
With a non-sticky bonus, your deposit and the bonus are kept separate. You play with your own cash first — and at that stage the wagering requirement doesn't even apply. Any winnings you make are immediately withdrawable, as if you had no bonus at all.
The bonus only "activates" as a safety net if you lose your deposit. That's why it's sometimes called a parachute bonus, and why it's generally the better deal for the player: your upside is real cash you can withdraw, and the bonus terms only matter if your own money is already gone.
Sticky (non-cashable / "phantom") bonuses
With a sticky bonus, the deposit and bonus are locked together immediately, and the bonus amount itself is never withdrawable. It's there to give you a bigger balance to play with — but the moment you cash out, the bonus is removed. You keep only whatever you won on top of it, and only after clearing the wagering requirement.
This changes the maths completely. Because the bonus principal is clawed back, its real expected value is low even when the headline looks generous — on average you walk away with your net winnings, not the bonus. Our Bonus Value Calculator has a dedicated sticky/phantom mode that shows exactly this: enter the terms and it scores the bonus on what you can actually keep, not the advertised amount.
Side by side
- What's withdrawable: Non-sticky → deposit + winnings + bonus (after wagering). Sticky → deposit + winnings only; the bonus itself never.
- When the bonus matters: Non-sticky → only if you lose your deposit. Sticky → from the first spin, it's tied to everything.
- Real value: Non-sticky is usually better for the player; sticky gives more play money but a lower true value.
- Best use: Non-sticky rewards cautious play (bank early cash wins); sticky only has upside through higher-variance play, which a simple expected-value view can't reward — see the note in our methodology.
How to tell which one you're looking at
The offer page rarely says "sticky" outright. Look in the full terms for phrases like "the bonus is non-cashable / non-withdrawable", "the bonus amount will be deducted on withdrawal", or a note that the deposit and bonus are wagered together. If winnings are described as cashable while the bonus is not, it's sticky. When in doubt, run the terms through the calculator in sticky mode and compare the score to the same offer as a normal deposit match. Also worth a look: our bonus red flags checklist and how wagering really works.