W88 welcome bonus and review

Astute observers have surely notices that the trend is for online operators to offer the entire package, instead of limiting themselves to one niche or the other. W88 have done that since opening shop and they can now brag about offering all sorts of gambling, ranging from sports betting and casino games to poker, bingo and keno. The meteoric rise can be explained by the fact that they are owned and operated by Marquee Holdings LTD, a large group that has a lot of experience in this line of work.

You should also check our W88 sports review to find out more about W88's sportsbook and promotions.

Welcome bonuses and free bets at W88

W88 offers a welcome bonus of $200 to all those who deposit for the first time, but their generosity is overshadowed by the nature of the bonus. Since they only offer a triple digit amount to new customers, it wouldn’t have hurt their profit margin to at least give players a cash prize.

Even by new bookmakers standards, $200 is a good amount. You can hardly find sports bonuses this big. Llamabet, Mybookie or Oddsmaker and some that compare in terms of bonus size. The minimum odds at which this bonus needs to be played through stand at 1.50, but just when players might celebrate at hearing the good news, their enthusiasm is curbed. The wagering requirements are unreasonably high and a bookie who expects players to wager the bonus through 15 times is clearly not thinking straight.

W88 makes it extremely difficult to cash out the bonus even if you are a professional gambler, because by the time the amount is late through 15 times, much of the profit will have vanished. It goes without saying that there are punters who succeed in the long run and in the great scheme of things, wagering this big amount is not an impossible mission. What needs to be highlighted is that those who succeed don’t owe anything to the bookmaker and the welcome bonus is simply a carrot on a stick.

Things don’t get better as you advance with your gambling patterns, quite the opposite because bonuses are not matched at any rate. Not even the puny free bets will be coming your way and it makes no difference to W88 what device you choose for wagering, because smartphones and tablets users don’t enjoy preferential treatment by getting a mobile bonus. Perhaps more surprising is that not even the most dedicated customers are going to receive something in return, because there is no loyalty ladder to climb towards a VIP status but fortunately there is a bookmaker refer a friend bonus promotion, if you invite friends to join W88.

Other gambling options at W88

W88 is very proud of its online casino and it has good reasons to brag about the impressive collection of games, which currently exceeds 500 titles. This is truly a high number, but unless you’re a big fan of slot machines you’ll probably be less enthusiastic when hearing that table games represent less than a fifth. Even so, with almost 80 types of blackjack, baccarat and roulette to choose from, new players shouldn’t have a problem in finding the game they enjoy.

The next decision they need to make is whether to play against the random number generator or make the transition to the live casino, where real dealers await. The bonus of $200 that applies to all new casino players can be cleared anywhere, so this won’t be an obstacle down the road. Only the first deposit is going to be matched by 100%, so to some extent this is a one-time opportunity that players shouldn’t miss

Sooner rather than later, even the most dedicated casino players will lose their interest and will seek a different type of entertainment. W88 can provide them with multiple alternatives, and the most obvious decision would be to stick to the same casino area, where lottery, bingo and keno games are offered. Those who are even remotely familiar with these genres, know that luck decides the outcome and skill plays no role whatsoever but this doesn’t have a deterring effect on the fans.

At the opposite end of the spectrum sit those who want to have their fate in their own hands and these guys will be more likely to shift to poker. A brand-new room awaits them and W88 shows great pleasure in offering a nice selection of cash games, ranging from insignificant stakes to nosebleed limits. The same diversity applies to tournaments and sit and go’s, but unfortunately for new poker players, there is no bonus to claim.

Pros and Cons for playing at W88

W88 is an all around gambling operator, offering its customers the option to shift between sports betting, casino games, lottery, bingo, keno and poker. A single wallet is used for the purpose of wagering and players have just one account, therefore it is not that difficult to make this transition.

Bonuses are available on virtually any type of gambling except for poker, but sadly these are more of a gimmick. Except for casino players who have a real chance at cashing out sooner or later, punters will need to be extremely lucky to convert the free bet into cashable funds.

The user-friendly interface and the fact that the odds are displayed in multiple formats, while the website is translated in several Asian languages makes W88 a competitive bookmaker in the Far East. The house edge is not spectacular, but can be further decreased if punters use Asian handicaps properly, or take advantage of the small bonuses awarded to those who rely upon accumulator bets.

W88 contact methods

The website is available primarily in English, but also translated in several Asian languages, while customer support specialists are fluent in English. They can be reached via telephone, email and also live chat, so whenever players run into problems, they are guaranteed to receive the assistance they require.

W88 also has a Facebook, Twitter and Google + account and the bookmaker is active over social network, so even these channels can be used for asking questions and making suggestions.

Withdrawal and deposit options

W88 is only offering three methods for depositing and withdrawing funds, which is restrictive to say the least. Bank transfer, neteller and help2pay are the three options and each of them have a minimum deposit of €10 or currency equivalent, while players won’t be able to cash out an amount below €30. These limits are in line with the industry standards and since no commission is charged, players enjoy unlimited freedom in choosing how much they transfer.