A pre-lander is the secret weapon of top-performing affiliates. It sits between your ad and the offer page, warming up the visitor and dramatically increasing conversion rates. Here are the five pre-lander formats that consistently deliver the best results in iGaming.
What Is a Pre-Lander and Why Does It Work?
A pre-lander (or pre-landing page) is an intermediate page that a user sees before reaching the main offer. Its purpose is to engage the visitor psychologically — create excitement, build anticipation, or qualify interest — so they arrive at the registration page already motivated to act.
Data from thousands of campaigns shows that adding a well-designed pre-lander increases Reg2Dep rates by 25–40% compared to sending traffic directly to the offer. The extra page may seem counterintuitive, but the engagement it creates more than compensates for any drop-off.
1. Wheel of Fortune
The Wheel of Fortune is the most popular pre-lander in iGaming for good reason. The user spins a wheel and "wins" a bonus — free spins, deposit match, or cashback. The mechanics tap into the same dopamine response that drives slot play itself.
Best practices for Wheel of Fortune pre-landers include making the spin feel realistic with smooth animation and sound effects, always letting the user win something valuable, and showing the prize prominently with a clear CTA to claim it. This format works exceptionally well for Tier-2 and Tier-3 GEOs where users respond strongly to gamification.
2. Scratch Card
The Scratch Card pre-lander simulates a physical lottery scratch card. The user drags their finger (or mouse) to reveal a hidden prize underneath. This tactile interaction creates a strong sense of ownership — the user feels they've already won something.
Scratch cards convert best on mobile traffic because the swiping gesture feels natural on touchscreens. They're particularly effective for Facebook and TikTok campaigns targeting LATAM and Southeast Asian markets.
3. Quiz Funnel
Quiz funnels ask the user 3–5 simple questions before revealing a "personalized" bonus. Questions might include "How often do you play?" or "What's your preferred game type?" The quiz creates investment — the user has already spent time answering questions, making them less likely to abandon the funnel.
This format is the best choice for Google Ads and SEO traffic, where users tend to be more analytical. It also performs well for Tier-1 GEOs like Germany, UK, and Canada where users expect a more sophisticated experience.
4. Countdown Bonus
The Countdown Bonus pre-lander is the simplest format: a large timer counting down alongside a premium bonus offer that expires when the timer hits zero. The urgency is the entire mechanic, and it works remarkably well.
Keep the timer short — 5 to 15 minutes maximum. Show the bonus amount prominently, include casino branding and trust badges, and make the CTA button large and impossible to miss. This format is ideal for retargeting campaigns where users already know the brand.
5. Story / Testimonial
The Story pre-lander presents a first-person narrative from a "player" who discovered the casino and had a life-changing win. It reads like a blog post or social media story, complete with screenshots of winnings and emotional language.
This format works best for push notification traffic and native ad networks. The editorial style bypasses the user's "ad blindness" and creates a peer-recommendation effect. Use localized names, currency, and cultural references for maximum impact in each GEO.
Choosing the Right Format for Your Campaign
The best pre-lander format depends on three factors: your traffic source, your target GEO, and your offer type. As a general rule, gamification formats (Wheel, Scratch Card) work best on social media traffic, while informational formats (Quiz, Story) perform better on search and native traffic.
Always A/B test multiple pre-lander formats with the same traffic. In our experience, the difference between the best and worst performing pre-lander can be a 3x difference in ROI — it's the single highest-leverage optimization you can make in your funnel.