Casino Match Play Meaning

Who doesn’t like a good old match play bet? After all, it’s not every that you can bet against the house and have the upper hand, even if it only is for one hand/round/spin.

While online casinos are giving away blackjack bonuses left and right, the Vegas casinos have a trick of their own up their sleeves. Matchplay coupons serve as a powerful incentive to visit a casino while in Vegas. They essentially work the same way as a deposit bonus. I’ll explain more about that momentarily.

Casino operators know the math — better than most of their customers — so they won't let you play coupon after coupon after coupon. But for the moment your match play is on the table, it sure is nice to have the math on your side. Speaking of casino. These coins usually have no cash value. Or you will be given a Coupon or chips that if you win you will be given a $25 chip that can then be returned to the cage for $25 in cash. Match Play means you put up $25 of your money, if you win, you will be paid $50.

I’ve only been to Sin City a couple of times, but when I was there, I noticed lots of match play bet coupons in circulation. Some hotels were giving them away, they were attached to show tickets, and a ‘Fun Book’ I found in the hotel I was staying at has a whole bunch of them.

If you’re looking for the best match play bets on blackjack in Vegas, I’m going to show you what they are, how they work, where you can find them, and what the best bets are to make using them.

If you’re already well versed in match play coupons and how they work, feel free to skip ahead to the ‘Match Play Bets – How to Use Them for Maximum Advantage’ section below.

What are Match Play Bet Coupons?

Match play bets are coupons which give you a free bet at the casino, but as the name suggests, you’ll have to make a bet, and the casino will match it.

For example, let’s say you have a match play coupon for blackjack worth $20. That means you can make a bet on a hand of blackjack worth up to $20 and you can use the match play coupon to double it, giving you a total bet of $40 for risking only $20 of your own cash.

Some things to keep in mind about match play coupons are:

  • They come in different denominations, but normally the maximum is $20.
  • You’ll only be able to use them once. If you chose not to maximize them, say by only betting $10 on a hand, the coupon will only be worth the size of your bet. The denomination of the coupon is the maximum you can claim a match for.
  • Match play bet coupons aren’t always a 100% match. For example, you could get a $7/$5 coupon. This would mean if you bet $5 you could potentially win $7 from that hand.
  • You can use match play coupons for other games, too. You could use them on craps or roulette, for example. It all depends on the casino giving them out.
  • At most casinos, the coupons can only be used on even money bets. Most players do not feel blackjack is the best game to use match coupons on, especially if you lose the coupon on pushes. More on that later.

How to Claim Match Play Coupons in Vegas

Claiming match play coupons is a fairly easy process. It can be done in three steps:

Find a Coupon Source

As mentioned above, there are numerous sources for match play coupons. You can find them in ‘Fun Books’, some hotels and tour companies will give you them, and you can find them in magazines like the American Casino Guide alongside two-for-one drinks vouchers and the like.

Join the Player’s Club

At most casinos, if you want to claim match play bets, you’ll have to join the player’s club associated with that casino. You should do this anyway as it comes with multiple benefits such as accumulating comp points. You should definitely do this if you gamble in Vegas regularly.

You’ll then take your coupons to the player’s club desk or kiosk in the casino and will redeem them for an exclusive chip or coupon. Again, you can only use this once, so think about how you want to do it.

Place Your Match Play Bet

While you can use the chip on even money bets in most games, such as colors in roulette or the Pass Line bet in a game of craps.

If you win, you’ll be paid the value of your bet + the coupon. For example, if you bet $10 of your own cash + a $10 match play coupon on blackjack and win the hand, you’ll be paid $40. That’s a tidy sum, considering your risk was only half what it normally would have been to win that amount thanks to the match play coupon.

Match Play Blackjack Bets – How to Bet for Maximum Advantage

There are a few different things to consider when using match play coupons at the blackjack tables.

  • Check whether the casino lets you keep the coupon if you win using it. Normally they do, but some casinos have been known to pay out on the coupon then take the chip away.
  • Do not use them on blackjack if you lose the coupon on a push. Statistically, 9% of your bets will be pushes, and 48% of your hands will lose. That’s too much of an advantage for the house. If that the case, consider using them on another game like roulette.
  • Lots of expert blackjack players choose to stand on 16 when using match play coupons, whereas they would normally hit. Since 16 is a fair hand, the extra advantage the match play coupon gives you makes it worth standing on 16 versus the risk of going bust.
  • If the casino allows you to keep the coupon when you surrender, it makes sense to do so more often. In a case like this where you make a $10 bet and surrender, you’ll lose $5 of your own cash and still get to keep your $10 coupon. If in doubt, surrender.
  • Concerning whether or not to double up, the match play coupon is irrelevant in this situation. You should make your decision according to basic strategy regardless of whether or not you’re playing with a match play coupon.
  • You should also consider splitting when possible if playing blackjack with a match play coupon. Splits are generally considered advantageous to the player, but if you only had to risk $10 for your initial $20 hand (thanks to the $10 value of the coupon) and you get to bet $20 on every split, that could mean you walk away with much more money than you would if you were only able to bet another $10 on each split (absent the match play coupon).

Closing Thoughts

Before using match play coupons to bet on blackjack, make sure you understand the conditions of the coupon fully. For example, make sure you get to keep your coupon in the event of a push. If not, it’s probably best to use your coupon on another game such as craps or roulette.

Ultimately, the casino always has an edge, but match play coupons do lessen your risk on the whole. Keep in mind the above tips about maximizing the advantages of splits, doubling up, and surrendering when using making match play bets on blackjack.

I wish you the best of luck!

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The match bonus is undoubtedly the most popular form of promotion you will come across. When you sign up to play at an online casino you will be offered a casino bonus, but if you just stop and look at the details of the offer, you will see that what you are actually offered is a Match Bonus.

Like all bonuses, they are designed with one specific goal – to help you build a big enough bankroll so that you can stick around a little longer with the casino you’ve selected.

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Match Bonus: A Definition

A Match Bonus is very easy to understand. It simply means that your deposit will be matched up to a certain percentage. The most common percentage match is 100%, so this means if you deposit $50 you will be given $50 by the casino, making your total balance $100 to play with.

Some of the best online casinos would happily go the extra mile and provide you with better promotions where the deposit can be matched by 200% or more. It’s all really done at the discretion of your casino and how important they deem you to be as a player.

However, there is a maximum amount you can claim using a match bonus. It’s usually between $100-$500. In other words, if you place $500 yourself, the casino will throw in extra $500, giving you $1000 in playing funds. But, that would be the maximum you would get, if you deposited $600, you would still only get the max $500 offered.If you want to take full advantage of promotions being offered by online casinos then go for a 200% match bonus or higher! That $500 you deposit would give you an additional $1000, giving a total bankroll of $1500! Now that’s a nice start to allow you to play for a lot longer.Here is typically what you can expect from all the reputable online casinos –
  • Match Bonus Amount: 100% – 300%
  • Maximum Amount: $100 – $7777
There are a few more things worth knowing about match bonuses, but let’s first draw your attention to the two most common types of match bonuses there are.

A Single Deposit Bonus

Vegas Match bonuses can come as individual offers. You deposit just once and the deposit amount is matched by a pre-determined percentage. The bonus money is then credited to your account and you are good to go. Here’re the steps, plain and simple:
  1. Deposit $50
  2. Trigger Match Bonus 100%
  3. Receive $50 as extra bonus money
  4. Start with $100
Once you are done with the wagering requirements, you will be able to cash out your winnings.

The Welcome Offer

Some Match Bonuses aren’t a stand-alone offer. With a welcome casino package, you will get a few Match Bonuses all part of the same promotional bundle, usually on your first 3 deposits. And so, you will have offers similar to this one:
  • 1st Deposit 100% – Up to $200
  • 2nd Deposit 100% -Up to $200
  • 3rd Deposit 100% – Up to $300
These numbers are arbitrary and the “matched amount” can again vary. The point is that for bigger bonuses, you will often have multiple deposits to make. Many players expect the huge bonus on their first deposit but this isn’t the case.So in this example you will see a $700 Welcome Bonus advertised, so that’s $200 + $200 + $300 altogether, not a single bonus of $700.This is rather helpful as it allows players to play in a controlled manner. You can think of it like a reset feature or a cooling off period. Ok, so you didn’t win on your first deposit bonus amount, but now you get to make a second deposit, get yourself another 100% match bonus and try again after a good nights sleep!

Critical Match Bonus Facts

Everyone wants a slice of what of the latest casino promotions, but just pouncing at the bonuses promising you the biggest amounts may end up with an unexpectedly sour experience.You need to understand that there are a few criteria that need to be duly examined before you can choose a bonus for yourself. These include:
  • Wagering Requirement
  • Validity Date
  • Wagering contributions

Let’s take a brief moment and discuss these.

Playthrough Requirement

Many people try to cash out before they have completed the wagering requirement (or playthrough requirement), and that often ends up with frustrated players who haven’t read the terms and conditions.

Let’s first make sure we understand the term. The wagering requirement is the number of times you need to wager (another word for bet) from your bonus amount before you can cash out any winnings.

So, if you have deposited $100, got $100 out as bonus money you now have $200 in total play money. The wagering requirement usually applies to:
  • The bonus itself ($100)
  • The bonus plus original deposit both ($200)

The latter scenario is admittedly a little more harsh, but it’s also very common. To clear the bonus condition, you will usually need to wager the amount around 30x times. Few casinos offer a rate below that.

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As a result, you will have to wager $3,000 (30 x $100) before you can cash out, or possibly $6000 (30 x $200).

People often fail to acknowledge this condition, try to withdraw before it has been met and as a result, the bonus is voided. Now that you know this, you can save yourself a misunderstanding and focus on the game itself.

Validity Date

Each promotion comes with a validity date, i.e. the time frame you must fulfil the wagering requirements. Usually, most bonuses give you quite a healthy amount of time when it comes to fulfilling the bonus provisions, typically 30-90 days.

Some casinos, though, put a slightly stricter condition on the offer and as a result, you need to hurry up and complete the wagering requirement to be able to withdraw any winning from your match bonus. How quickly you can achieve this will depend on the amount you are playing with and a few other criteria.

Wagering Contributions

The wagering contributions are how much of the money you bet are being calculated towards the total bonus amount you have to play through.

When you place a $10 wager, you will add $10 towards the total sum you need to clear (play through). However, different games grant different % of the original sum. In simple words, if you play games, such as:

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  • Keno
  • Scratch cards
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You will almost certainly get 100% of the sum you’ve wagered. However, for slightly more skill-based games, such as Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, you can only get 20% or less. Some games can even give you no contributions at all (0%), so it’s always a good idea to keep an eye on this for yourself.

Match Bonus – An Offer to Consider

Despite the inherent challenges to playing with a match bonus, it’s very easy to make this offer work in your favor. There are a handful of practical tips that you can put to good use and ensure you are a little more successful. Here are some very basic recommendations:

  • Always read the terms and conditions beforehand
  • Avoid casinos with wagering requirements that also include your deposit money
  • Check specifically for validity date, wagering requirements and wagering contributions
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Stay on top of your game by cherry-picking the type of match bonus that will help you build your casino legacy. A great match bonus deposit is quite easy to come by, just exercise the due diligence we advise or play with one of our 5 best casinos!