What is Sticky Bonus?

A sticky bonus, also called a non-cashable or phantom bonus, is bonus credit that can never itself be withdrawn — only the net winnings it generates can be cashed out. The bonus sits in your balance to play with, but the moment you request a withdrawal the sticky amount is stripped back out. It exists to give you ammunition to play without ever handing you the bonus money as cash, which makes it markedly less generous than a cashable bonus of the same headline size. Worked example: you deposit £50 of your own money and receive a £100 sticky bonus, giving a £150 starting balance. You meet the wagering requirement and your balance stands at £200. Because the £100 sticky is deducted on withdrawal, you can take out £200 − £100 = £100. If instead your balance had only climbed back to £140 after wagering, the withdrawal would be £140 − £100 = £40 — less than your original £50 deposit, despite finishing 'in profit' on paper. The practical effect is that a sticky bonus only pays you when it has produced net winnings above the sticky figure. It cushions losses and extends play but caps the real value you can extract. The common mistake is treating the inflated balance as real money and assuming the full sum is withdrawable once wagering clears. Always read whether a bonus is cashable or sticky before claiming, and check the maximum-bet and game-eligibility rules that usually accompany it. Compare with cashable bonuses, wagering requirements and the welcome bonus, and weigh whether the playthrough is realistically clearable before depositing.