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Interview with Christoffer Ødegården on How Casinos Can Optimize Their Bonuses to Attract FTDs
Bonuses are one of the biggest weapons in an online casino’s arsenal. A strong, well-structured bonus can drive a flood of first-time depositors (FTDs), build trust with players, and keep them coming back. But not all bonuses work. Some look great on paper but flop in reality. Others attract players but fail to retain them.
So, what works? How do you structure a bonus that players love, one that stands out in a crowded market, and one that drives revenue rather than just giving away free money?
To break it all down, we sat down with Christoffer Ødegården, who heads the marketing efforts at the popular Canadian affiliate Bojoko.ca. With years of experience analyzing what makes bonuses convert, what turns players away, and what simple tweaks can make a massive difference, he has real insights backed by real data.
What’s the biggest mistake operators make when it comes to bonuses?
Oh, that’s an easy one. Not standing out.
The market is flooded with casinos offering the same old bonuses. If your offer looks just like everyone else’s, why would a player pick your site over another? A 100% match bonus with standard wagering requirements isn’t exciting anymore.
More importantly, they don’t make players pause while scrolling through our lists. Players have seen it a thousand times. They are seeing them everywhere. So many offers look the same, and adding a few extra spins or adding a big bonus amount usually does not do too much.
If you want to drive FTDs, you need to give them something that makes them pause and think, “This is different. This is worth it.”
Playing it too safe is not playing it safe at all. Some operators hesitate to push beyond the usual offers because they’re worried about risk. But here’s the reality: blending in is the riskiest of all, especially if you are a small to medium-sized brand with a limited ad budget and few unique selling points.
What’s the best way to structure a welcome bonus to maximize FTDs?
It is not too difficult to stand out. Almost every brand offers a 100% match bonus. Our stats show that increasing your match percentage to 150% or 200% makes players stop and take notice.
That’s really all it takes. Sure, 300%, 400%, 500%, etc., make players jump, but you can get healthy FTD increases without getting excessive.
The goal should be to stand out in our list of the best deposit bonus offers and other highly competitive bonus lists. This will instantly benchmark you against other Canadian casinos. Scroll through the list and think: what would I stop and look at?
The best thing: From what our stats tell us, increasing the wagering requirement does not overly hurt when you raise your bonus percentage. It will somewhat decrease acquisition and potential, but generally, you can boost FTDs while still playing it relatively safe.
Do note, though, that players do check the wagering, and excessive amounts will scare people away. In fact, a standard 100% bonus usually gets a better conversion rate if the wagering requirement drops. This is also a strategy that can work, but it won’t be as big and eye-catching in affiliate toplists.
How important is lowering wagering requirements?
It is not essential, but there are demonstrated benefits. Players hate feeling trapped or that they are being screwed over. Though, in terms of lowering them and the potential, it depends on where you are at currently, and what you change them to.
If you have ridiculously high wagering requirements, say 100, and lower them to 80 or 60, you’ll still scare people away. If they are at 60 and you lower them to 30 or 40, there can be a decent surge, as you are suddenly average and not scary anymore.
Plenty of British players actively seek bonuses with low wagering requirements, say 20 or lower, and appealing to them has perks.
Think about it from a player’s perspective. If they see 50x wagering, they know it’s basically just play money they’ll never withdraw. But if it’s 20x or even lower, suddenly, that bonus feels valuable. It feels worth depositing for.
However, as I mentioned, increasing the bonus percentage is my preferred choice for best strategy.
What kind of bonuses do UK players respond to the most?
While higher bonus percentages and other deposit bonus tweaks bring in better value, there’s no denying the greatest bonus buzz in Britain is around no-deposit offers.
UK players love the idea of getting something for free—who doesn’t? A no-deposit bonus lets them test a casino before committing their own money, and that’s a huge psychological win. It removes the risk and gives them a reason to sign up immediately. They don’t have to think, “Do I really want to put £20 into this site?” Instead, they get instant access to free spins or bonus cash and can jump straight into playing.
But here’s the reality: while no-deposit bonuses bring in a ton of traffic, they also attract bonus hunters—players who grab the freebie and disappear without ever making a deposit.
You need to have a rock-solid retention strategy and a great product to be secure in a no-deposit offer. And you know what, even then, the success rate in terms of long-term deposits is fairly slim.
How do you make a bonus appealing without giving away too much?
Stand out, be fair, but safeguard yourself.
If you offer 150%, 200%, or more, you don’t need to give out up to £500 or up to £1,000; it can just be a few hundred pounds, and players still get excited.
Similarly, with a high percentage of bonuses, higher wagering requirements are generally accepted. This means it is fairly easy to safeguard yourself.
I don’t think casinos are forgetting about max bet and max win clauses, but those are no-brainers for limiting exposure as well—just don’t be too extreme, as that can once again scare players away or stop them from becoming regulars.
What role do affiliate sites like Bojoko play in helping casinos increase FTDs?
All casinos, even the biggest in the world, must use affiliates to drive FTDs. The very biggest, we’re talking William Hill, Betsson, Unibet, etc., have huge budgets and can also gain new players through TV ads, radio ads, sports sponsorships, and just general word of mouth. However, their conversions would still take a big hit without affiliates.
For medium-sized and smaller brands, most traffic will likely come from affiliates like ourselves. Most UK players don’t just sign up at an unfamiliar casino. They search for bonuses. They go to comparison sites. They look through the lists. Many stop and check the reviews.
This is all happening on affiliate platforms.
Being listed on a site like Bojoko isn’t just about visibility—it’s about credibility. Players trust affiliate rankings and use them to find the best deals. If your casino is missing from major affiliate lists, you’re invisible to hundreds of thousands of potential depositors.
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