Why is my Pointsbet bonus still locked after I wagered well past its value? The clause players misread is the playthrough requirement: the bonus stays in a separate balance and only turns into withdrawable cash once qualifying bets add up to a multiple of the bonus amount. Until that total is reached, any money sitting in the bonus balance cannot leave the account, no matter how well the qualifying bets have done.

Activating the Bonus

Claiming follows a fixed order, and each stage must finish before the next one counts.

1. Open a new account with correct personal details. Any slip in your name or address can block a later withdrawal.
2. Confirm the email address through the message sent at registration. The link in it activates the account and lets the bonus attach to it.
3. Complete the pointsbet login and land on the account dashboard. The bonus section shows the offer available to you.
4. Choose the welcome offer and add it to the account. This step links the reward to your profile before any deposit.
5. Make the first deposit that qualifies for the offer. A deposit made before the bonus is attached will not count.
6. Wait for the bonus to appear in the bonus balance. It should show separately from the cash balance once credited.
7. Start placing qualifying bets. Only those placed after activation count towards the requirement.

The bonus balance appears next to the cash balance and stays locked until the playthrough total is met. Bets placed before activation do not count, so timing matters more than stake size. The qualifying deposit must also be made after the offer is attached to your account. Games contribute different amounts, so choose them with care. The pointsbet casino section carries the full mix of games that count towards the requirement. A bet that lands while the bonus is active feeds the playthrough total first. Withdrawing before the total is met often cancels the remaining bonus. Keeping the bonus attached until completion gives players the cleanest path. Each of these steps leaves a trace in the account history, which helps when a dispute arises.

Conditions to Check

The table below sets out the conditions that decide whether the bonus ever becomes cash.

The term most often misread is playthrough, because players assume it applies to the deposit rather than the bonus. Under a bonus-only rule, the total needed is a multiple of the bonus figure, not the deposit figure. That difference can be large when the bonus is a small share of the deposit. The same clause also explains why winnings from bonus bets stay locked. Players who expect a stake of their own money to count twice are usually surprised. Treat the requirement as a target on the bonus figure unless your own account view states otherwise.

How the Maths Works

The worked example below uses invented figures to show the formula, and it does not describe the terms of Pointsbet. The https://www.pointsbet-au.org/ playthrough rule is measured the same way in the example. Suppose the bonus is tied to the deposit and a player puts in 25. With a multiplier of 45, the total needed is 1,125 in qualifying stakes: 25 multiplied by 45. That figure is the target, not a fee.

The formula is simple: multiplying the base amount by the multiplier gives the total in qualifying stakes. Here the base is the deposit of 25 and the multiplier is 45, so the target is 1,125. Stakes count towards that figure only while the bonus is active. Any winning bet that first adds to the total still leaves the counter where it was. The total is measured in stakes, so a player who stakes the whole target in one afternoon can finish sooner. Splitting stakes across sessions changes the pace, not the total.

Picture the first ten spins at 1 each. They add 10 to the counter, leaving 1,115 to go. A single 5 stake then takes the counter to 15, and the remaining figure falls to 1,110. Each bet moves the counter by its stake, not by its payout. That is why big wins during play do not shorten the requirement. The pace of play is set by the stakes, not by luck.

Game weighting changes the arithmetic when a game counts at half. A 2 stake on such a game adds 1 to the counter instead of 2. The target stays at 1,125, so the number of stakes needed doubles for that game alone. Players who mix full and part-weight games should expect the counter to move unevenly. The same stake can move the counter by different amounts in different games.

The arithmetic also frames the risk. If the counter stops before the target and the bonus expires, the remaining bonus is taken back. A player who has stakes at 800 of 1,125 has done most of the work but holds nothing extra yet. That gap is the reason the pace matters. Finishing the total within the window is the only way to convert the locked balance into cash.

Treat 1,125 as a planning figure for this example only. Real terms can set the base as deposit plus bonus, which changes the total. A base of 25 plus a bonus of 25 would put the target at 2,250 under the same multiplier. The point is to read which base the rule uses before staking. The formula stays the same; only the base and the multiplier move.

Game Contribution

Not every game counts towards the requirement, and some count only in part. Slots usually count in full, while table and live games tend to count at a lower rate. A few games may be excluded, meaning their stakes add nothing to the counter. Choosing games by contribution, not by preference, decides how quickly the target is reached.

Weighting is applied at the moment of the bet. If a game counts at half, only half the stake is added. With a target of 1,125, a player staking only on such a game must bet 2,250 in total. That is a far longer path than the same stakes on a full-weight slot. The counter on the account view shows the reduced figure.

Stakes made before the bonus is active do not count at all. The same applies to bets made after the bonus is removed through expiry or cancellation. Players who want a clean count keep every stake inside the active period. The account history shows which bets counted and which did not.

A common error is changing games without checking the weighting list. Players often assume that any spin on any slot counts in full. When part of the play goes to part-weight games, the target moves more slowly than expected. Keeping most of the play on full-weight options keeps the counter honest.

Free spins and other promotions can carry their own rules. Some winnings from them feed the same counter, and others sit in a separate balance. Mixing the two without noting the difference leads to confusion about progress. Stakes from separate balances should be tracked separately.

The pointsbet login takes players to an account view that lists game categories and their weighting. That view is the practical tool for planning play. A short look before each session shows which games to favour. The mix chosen early decides whether the target is reached with room to spare.

Withdrawing After a Bonus

Cash in the main balance can normally be taken out, but the bonus balance cannot. A withdrawal request made while the bonus is active may cancel the locked amount. Players who want to keep the bonus finish the requirement before asking for a payout. The order of those two actions matters.

Once the playthrough total is met, the bonus converts and joins the cash balance. The account then behaves like any other. A payout request after conversion is treated without the bonus conditions attached. Players should confirm the conversion has posted before requesting a withdrawal.

Identity checks are standard before a first payout. A clear photo of the document used at sign-up is usually enough. Details on the account should match that document exactly. Small mismatches are the most common reason a payout stalls.

Payment details must belong to the named account holder. Shared cards or another person’s account are a frequent source of failed payouts. The name on the payment method should match the name on the profile. Using another person’s details breaks the standard terms in most cases.

An early withdrawal can also forfeit winnings tied to the bonus. Some players cash out a win and lose the remaining bonus in the same step. The account view shows the bonus balance before the request is sent. Checking it first avoids an accidental loss of the locked amount.

Document checks, conversion and a payout request are separate stages. Rushing the last one delays the whole chain. Players who wait for the bonus to convert before asking for a payout see fewer reversals. A calm sequence of small steps is the quickest route to the money.

Where Players Lose the Bonus

Most forfeited bonuses come from a handful of habits, and each one has a simple fix.

• Staking above the maximum bet per spin: a single oversized stake can void the bonus. Keep every stake under the cap, even for one round.
• Playing only on part-weight games: the counter moves at a fraction of the stake. Shift most of the play to full-weight options.
• Requesting a payout before the target is met: the locked balance can vanish with the request. Finish the total first, then ask for the money.
• Ignoring the expiry window: a long break can end the bonus mid-run. Track the remaining time alongside the remaining total.
• Depositing before the offer is attached: those stakes never count. Attach the bonus first, then deposit.
• Using another person’s payment method: the payout can fail on a name mismatch. Keep every payment detail in the player’s own name.
• Losing track of which balance is in play: bonus bets and cash bets behave differently. Check the balance split before staking.

Each mistake is easy to make once, and the fix is a habit rather than a trick. Checking the stake against the cap takes a moment per round. Keeping the account view open shows the counter and the time left side by side. A short note of the target and the current total keeps the picture clear. Choosing full-weight games from the start removes the most common drag on progress. Attaching the offer before any deposit keeps the whole sum eligible. Using one’s own payment details prevents a payout failure at the last stage. Waiting for conversion before a payout request protects the locked balance. None of these habits slows play, and together they decide whether the bonus ever becomes cash.