Bonus terms
Deposit Match Bonuses: Calculate the Percentage and the Cap Separately
Work through fictional deposit matches to understand minimum qualifying amounts, percentage calculations and the ceiling on bonus credit.
A percentage does not tell you the final credit
A deposit match describes a calculation, while a cap limits its result. To read an offer, you need both numbers and the conditions that make a deposit eligible. A headline such as “100% up to 50” does not mean every payment receives 50, and it does not mean the credited bonus can immediately be withdrawn.
The examples here use fictional units and invented offers. They are not current Lucky Bear promotions. The purpose is to check arithmetic before accepting conditions, not to recommend an amount to deposit or a way to make gambling profitable.
Define the qualifying amount first
Start with the amount that the terms count as the qualifying deposit. This may need to satisfy a minimum, use an eligible payment method and arrive during the offer period. Do not assume that a payment initiated before a deadline was credited before it. Keep the transaction status and credited currency with your calculation.
Fees or currency conversion can make the credited amount different from the amount sent. If the offer measures eligibility using the credited amount, a payment receipt alone will not settle the calculation. When the relevant definition is unclear, ask for clarification before sending funds.
Apply the percentage, then the ceiling
For an eligible deposit in this simplified model, bonus credit equals the smaller of deposit × match rate and the bonus cap. Suppose a fictional offer matches 50%, up to 30 units, with a minimum qualifying deposit of 10.
| Deposit | Percentage result | Bonus credit |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | 4 before eligibility | 0: below the minimum |
| 20 | 10 | 10 |
| 60 | 30 | 30 |
| 100 | 50 | 30: capped |
The threshold that reaches the cap is 30 ÷ 0.5 = 60 units. Above that threshold the bonus stays at 30 under these invented terms. This threshold is a property of the calculation, not a spending target.
Why a bigger advertised rate may give less credit
Compare fictional offer A, a 100% match capped at 20, with offer B, a 50% match capped at 50. Assume a 60-unit payment qualifies for either. A credits 20 and B credits 30. The larger percentage has produced the smaller bonus because its ceiling is lower.
That does not establish which offer has better overall conditions. Wagering, eligible games, time limits and restrictions still need separate comparison. Bonus credit is not the same as expected profit, and a calculation of credit does not estimate the chance of completing an offer.
Keep wagering separate from the match calculation
If an invented 30-unit bonus has a requirement of five times the bonus alone, its qualifying turnover requirement is 150 units. The 30-unit cap was used to calculate the credit; the five-times multiplier calculates a different quantity. Check the stated base instead of multiplying the deposit automatically.
For more examples, read our wagering calculation guide. The guide to bonus caps and payment limits explains another distinction: a limit on a bonus-derived amount is different from a transfer limit.
Keep a short record before accepting
Record the offer name, match rate, cap, minimum qualifying amount, eligibility conditions and expiry. Save the full terms rather than only the headline. After any transaction, compare the actual credited deposit and bonus with those definitions, and ask about a specific mismatch instead of making another payment to test it.
Our promo-code page provides further questions to ask. Current eligibility must be checked with the operator. You can decline an offer when its conditions are unclear or do not fit the amount you had already decided you could afford to lose.
For adults aged 18 and over. Educational content, not a promise of profit. Read our responsible gambling guidance.
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