This research to practice full paper focuses on gamification in a theoretical university course. Gamification has been applied in many different educational contexts as a means to motivate students to engage with course material. One commonly used gamification element is bonus points. This study aimed to investigate the use of bonus points as a motivator for increased engagement in course activities in a theoretical system development course in higher education. A mixed method approach, based on statistical analysis of course achievement, survey data and student group interviews has been applied to address this aim. According to the results, we found that awarding bonus points in the course seminars had positive effects on students’ learning motivation and engagement, as well as students’ achievements on the final course examination. This study contributes to the current literature of gamification in education by studying the implementation of bonus points in a theoretical course in higher education – two areas where there is currently a lack of studies. Furthermore, practical insights in how to implement a bonus points system in higher education have been highlighted.