Anyone asking "Is video poker worth playing?" is usually weighing a bonus offer. A casino bonus arrives with a wagering requirement, and that single number decides whether the bonus is worth taking. It states how many times a sum must be staked before the bonus, and anything won with it, can be withdrawn. Two offers of the same size can ask for very different amounts of play once the multiplier, the base it applies to and the games that count are read together.
Games do not count equally toward a requirement. Slots usually contribute their full stake, while table games, live games and video poker often count for a small share or nothing at all, because their low edge would make the requirement easy to clear. A contribution table in the terms lists the percentage for each game type. A stake on a game counting at ten percent clears only a tenth of its value, so the same requirement takes ten times the play.
Some titles are excluded from bonus play altogether, often slots with a high return or with features that could be used to clear a requirement cheaply. Playing an excluded game with bonus funds can void the bonus and every win attached to it, even when the game loads without any warning. The list usually sits at the end of the bonus terms or on a separate page. Checking it before the first spin avoids losing a balance to a rule nobody mentioned in the lobby.
Asked about this
Is there a maximum bet while wagering a bonus?
Most terms cap each spin or hand during wagering, and a single stake above that limit, even by accident, can cost the bonus and its winnings.
Do all casino games count equally toward wagering?
No. Slots usually count in full, while table games, live games and video poker may count for a small share or nothing, as listed in a contribution table.
What happens if an excluded game is played with bonus funds?
The casino can void the bonus and every win attached to it, even when the game loaded without any warning.
Why do table games clear wagering so slowly?
Table games have a low house edge, so casinos weight them at a fraction, so a stake counting at ten percent clears only a tenth of its value.