Free spins slots are my favoruite.
Do you like getting the free spins feature in slots games? I do, and so do many other players – whether they’re new slots spinners or long-time enthusiasts.
If you’re new to the world of online slots, you might not be familiar with the term “free spins” or you might not know that there is more than one type of slots free spins feature.
Since the free spins bonus is among my favourite slots feature, this week I thought it might be fun to provide a bit of info about them. I’ll talk about the different types (with some game examples), reveal my favourite kind, and provide a basic FAQ.
✨Note: Although I will briefly touch on free spins casino promotions for context purposes, this post is about the free spins features that can be triggered in a slot game.
Online Slots Free Spins Feature
The free spins slot feature – what it is and how it works
What is it?
A free spin is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a single play on a slot game that doesn’t cost you anything for that spin. If you’re playing for real money, free spins give you a chance to win money. Even if you don’t win, the loss won’t affect your bankroll because you never bet any money on the spin’s outcome.
How does it work?
In slots, free spins are a bonus feature. Here’s the overall gist of how they typically work:
- It’s most common to trigger the feature if you land the correct number of special symbols in a single spin.
- Usually, multiple free spins are awarded and played in a bonus round.
- During the bonus round, the free spins play out consecutively until they are complete.
- Once the round is finished, any winnings are totaled and added to your bankroll before you return to the base game.
- The bet value that applies to each free spin is equal to the amount you bet when you triggered the feature (e.g, if you were betting $2 a spin when you triggered the feature, each free spin will have a value of $2). As such, the size of any wins you might get from the spins are determined by this value.
The free spins feature is often different from the base game, with a different scene behind the reels and different (usually more up-tempo) music. It tends to offer the best chances of landing a large win. Depending on the game, it can also trigger other features like an interactive mini game or give you a shot at winning a jackpot.
How to get free spins
There are two main ways to trigger the free spins feature in a slot game.
1 – Trigger free spins organically in the game – This means you win them naturally (and by luck) from playing the game and fulfilling the requirements (landing the correct number of special symbols, filling a meter, clearing the reel grid of symbols, etc.) to trigger the feature.
🌟Tip: Slot volatility can play a role in how quickly you might trigger the free spins feature. Generally speaking, the higher a slot’s volatility, the longer it can take to trigger the free spins bonus. As such, it’s important to have good bankroll management skills to ensure you can play for as long as you like without betting beyond your means.
2 – Buy free spins (if it’s an option) – Sometimes, in addition to triggering the free spins bonus organically, a game will offer the option to buy the feature. This means that for a certain price (e.g. 100x your current bet – $2 bet = $200), you can purchase the feature. This will automatically activate the free spins, instead of having to spin the reels an unknown number of times before triggering it at random.
🌟Tip: Based on my own buying free spins experience, I wouldn’t recommend it. Though there’s a good chance you’ll win something, it’s highly unlikely that you will win back or win more than the amount you paid to access the feature. You’re likely to get more enjoyment (and potentially a bigger payout) if you have the patience to trigger the feature naturally. Remember, casinos don’t give money away for free.
✨Note: Free spins casinos promotions – You can claim free spins as part of a casino promotion – welcome offer, daily offers, slots tournaments, winning them as a prize, etc. However, these free spins are not the same as those that are a part of a slot game’s bonus features. The main difference is that free spins real money slots promotions offered at online casinos provide you with free spins of the base game, with each spin worth a pre-determined value (e.g., $0.10). Any wins you get from these spins are real money, but they may be subject to free spins wagering requirements depending on the casino’s bonus policy.
Different types of free spins features
A free spin always means a spin of the reels without you having to bet your money on the outcome. However, not all features are triggered identically, award the same number of spins, or play out the same way. For me, these minor differences are what make the feature interesting and a lot of fun from one slot game to the next.
The following are examples of the different types of free spins slots bonuses I’ve personally enjoyed in my Ontario online casino slots experience. 😁
The traditional free spins feature
Online slots with the traditional free spins model award the feature when you land a minimum of 3 Scatter symbols (a special symbol that cannot be substituted by the Wild symbol) anywhere on the reels. Regardless of the number of scatters you land in a single spin, you’re always awarded the same number of free spins.
For example, in Play’n GO’s Book of Dead online slot, you get 10 free spins, no matter how many scatters you score.
The free spins feature where more scatters mean more spins
Just like in the case of the traditional free spins feature, for these slots, free spins are awarded when you land at least 3 Scatter symbols anywhere on the reels. That said, there is an additional benefit of getting more spins if you land more scatters.
For example, in Pragmatic Play’s Big Bass Bonanza online slot, if you land 3 scatters you get 10 free spins, if you land 4 your get 15 free spins, and if you land 5 you get 20 free spins.
The free spins feature with modifiers
Regardless of how a free spins feature is triggered, most of these free bonus rounds are equipped with one or more modifiers. Modifiers are enhancement features that may include (but are certainly not limited to):
- Special symbols – Only appear in the bonus round and usually are high paying
- Symbol upgrade – Lowering paying symbols get an increase in value
- Unique Wilds – For instance, stacked wilds (can potentially fill an entire reel), expanding wilds (fills an entire reel) sticky wilds (remain stuck in place for the entire bonus round), etc.
- Respins – You can get a free re-spin of the reels after a non-winning spin or for a chance to give a winning spin greater value. During the respin(s), certain symbols (e.g. wilds, cash collect symbols) remain locked in place to boost the win (and win size) potential.
- Win multipliers – A numbered multiplier is applied to wins or the final total win. This multiplier may be fixed, or the number may increase with each winning combination.
And so on. In my experience, the modifier I’ve seen the most is the win multiplier. Typically, it’s these win multipliers that make it possible to score the game’s highest payout (if there’s no progressive jackpot, of course).
Three examples of games I’ve played with different types of modifiers include:
Pragmatic Play’s Madame Destiny Megaways – This game has a wheel of fortune that pops up once the free spins feature is activated. It randomly determines the number of spins and the win multiplier that will apply to the bonus round.
Games Global’s Kingfisher – This one has four active enhancements: Multiplier, Adder, Symbol Upgrade, and Respin. One, multiple, or all of these enhancements can be applied to the free spins round. It all depends on the number of eggs the Kingfisher cracks.
Playtech Origin’s Queen of the Pyramids: Mega Cash Collect – There are several modifiers that can come into play during the free spins feature. These include Dropping Wilds, Win Multiplier, Cash Spreader, and Sticky Cash, with this last one giving you the chance to trigger a jackpot prize.
The free spins feature that lets you choose from multiple bonus round options.
Some slot games give you the option to pick from different free spins bonus rounds once the feature has been triggered. Usually, you have the choice of picking a bonus round with fewer spins and higher multipliers or more spins with lower multipliers. There are also games that offer spins with different modifier features active during the bonus round.
For example, Games Global’s (formerly Microgaming’s) Game of Thrones 243 Ways online slot gives you the option of four free spins bonus features. Perfectly complementing the game’s theme, you can choose which Great House of Westeros you serve and each one offers something different: Baratheon (8 Free Spins, 5x Multiplier, 3 Symbol Stack), Lannister (10 Free Spins, 4x Multiplier, 4 Symbol Stack), Stark (14 Free Spins, 3x Multiplier, 5 Symbol Stack), Targaryen (18 Free Spins, 2x Multiplier, 6 Symbol Stack). Of all the houses, Baratheon has the highest risk, which also means it’s the one that offers the chance to score the game’s highest payout.
The Free spins feature that results from clearing a reel grid
Not all online slots have the standard 5×3 reel setup. In fact, some don’t have spinning reels at all. There are games – my favourite games, in fact – with a reel grid that functions similarly to tile-matching video games like Candy Crush. Each time you play the game, all the symbols on the grid fall away/disappear and the board is entirely replaced with new symbols. Wins are created by matching 3 or more symbols. When a combination is created, those winning symbols are removed and ones from above fall down to take their place. This could result in more wins. If you manage to clear the board of symbols in a single game, you trigger the free spins feature.
For example, this is how Play’n GO’s Moon Princess free spins bonus round works. If you clear all 25 symbols from the board, you’ll trigger the feature and can choose from 1 of 3 free spins options. Up to a maximum of 20 free spins can be won. However, fewer free spins mean higher risk and greater winning potential.
The Free spins feature with mini games
Many online slots that have bonus mini games grant you access to these features via the Free Spins bonus round. In other words, you need to trigger the free spins slots feature for a chance to activate/win the bonus game. Bonus mini games are typically interactive, meaning you take part in the action, clicking on the screen to reveal what is hidden behind a door, inside a chest, etc. In some games you might win whatever you find. In others, you need to match three or more of the same objects to win it. These mini games are fun and are a super way to boost the size of your total free spins win.
For example, Play’n GO’s Sweet Alchemy online slot (another of my favourites!) has an “Elixir of Power Bonus Round”. This can be achieved via the “Mix the Elixir Free Round”, which is the free spins feature for this game. To get these spins, you need to fill the Sugar Rush Meter in the base game by landing several wining combinations in a single game. Like Moon Princess, Sweet Alchemy is a grid game with the same matching symbols/cascading reels concept to create wins. When the meter is full, you’ll be awarded up to 7 Candy Spells. Each spell is essentially a free spin with a modifier. Once the spells are complete, if you achieved the free round collection objective, you’ll gain access to the Elixir of Power Bonus Round mini game. Here, you click on chocolate squares to reveal the potion beneath. Once you’ve matched 3, that potion’s multiplier is added to your total win.
The free spins feature with the gamble option
Free spins that feature the gamble option give you the chance to risk the free spins you’ve already won from activating the feature to get more spins. For risk takers, this can be a fun and exciting way to increase the number of spins you get. However, if you gamble your spins and lose, you’ll lose them all and won’t be able to play the bonus round.
For example, Pragmatic’s Play’s Power of Thor Megaways has this option. If you get anywhere between 10 to 18 spins, you can gamble to win mor free spins. You can continue gambling to get more up to 22 spins. Naturally, if you gamble and don’t win, you’ll lose all the spins. This is my least favourite of the free spins features and I don’t use the option. I’m not a huge risk-taker. I’d far rather be satisfied with the number of free spins I’ve won than possibly lose them all for a shot at getting more.
✨Note: The difference between Free Spins and Respins – Both free spins and respins give you a free spin of the reels. However, free spins are a free games bonus round, separate from the base game. During a free spins feature, all the reels spin and usually you get multiple spins in a row. Respins, however, are a feature that can occur in the base game or during a free spins bonus round. A respin is awarded after a non-winning spin or after a winning spin to increase its value. Usually, during a respin, special symbols remain locked in place, while the rest of the reels spin, increasing the chances of bigger wins. Usually only 1 respin is given, but multiple respins can occur consecutively as well. It all depends on the game’s rules.
Also, not all slots that feature respins have a free spins bonus feature. For example, NetEnt’s Starburst doesn’t have a free spins feature, but it will give you 1 free respin if you land a Starburst Wild. This Starburst Wild expands to cover the entire reel and remains locked in place during the respin.
The benefits of free spins
Slots with free spins are often player favourites, with the free spins feature usually being the main perk of playing these games.
Common benefits associated with the free spins feature include:
✅You get several consecutive spins of the reels without having to bet.
✅You can win from free spins.
✅If free spins result in a loss, you don’t actually lose any of the money from your bankroll.
✅Most free spins bonus rounds include special symbols and win multipliers.
✅Special symbols and feature enhancements/modifiers in play boost the odds of wins and/or higher payouts.
✅There may be certain bonuses or other extras that can be unlocked through a free spins slots feature. These may include interactive mini games where wins can be multiplied.
As for a downside, if I had to pick one, I’d say the only “con” is that getting free spins doesn’t guarantee a win…but that’s gambling for ya.
Slots Free Spins FAQ
🎰What are free spins?
Free spins are a bonus feature in slot machines. When this feature is activated, the reels spin, but you don’t have to bet your money on the outcome.
🎰How do you trigger free spins on slots machines?
Free spins slots bonuses are usually triggered by landing 3 or more scatter/bonus symbols in the base game, or by filling up a meter by landing a certain number of consecutive wins, or by clearing all symbols for a reel grid, etc.
🎰Do you need to bet a certain amount to trigger free spins?
No. That said, do keep in mind that each free spin value is determined by whatever the size of your bet was when you triggered the feature, which applies to any wins you might get. Also, slot volatility may play a role in how quickly this bonus is triggered, with higher volatility slots typically taking more spins than lower volatility games as they payout higher amounts but payout less frequently.
🎰Do all slots have free spins?
No. While it is a feature commonly used in most modern-day video slots, not all providers incorporate this feature into their games. For instance, it is common for classic 3-reel slots/fruit machines not to have this feature.
🎰Do free spins guarantee a win?
No. While the odds are much higher that you will win during a free spins bonus round – and this win could be a sizeable amount – no win is ever guaranteed.
🎰Can I buy free spins?
You can if it is an available option. For instance, this feature is regularly offered in many online slots from Pragmatic Play. If the feature is available, usually you’ll find it on the left-hand side of the reels. Purchasing free spins is not cheap. Using Pragmatic Play games as an example, if you want to buy the free spins feature it will cost 100x your current bet. Additionally, some online casinos provide promotion offers where you can purchase free spins at a discounted price that can then be used on a designated game.
🎰Are free spins worth it?
I think they are. They make online slots more exciting and give you an excellent chance at scoring a big win. However, triggering a free spins feature can take time, which means you need to have both patience and a large enough bankroll to get you through a dry spell that could last 100+ spins.
🎰Are there wagering requirements on free spins?
The only time wagering requirements may come into play is if the free spins are part of a casino bonus (e.g., a welcome offer – free spins with sign up). Any money you win from the free spins promotion may be subject to wagering requirements. If that’s the case, usually the free spins wagering requirements apply to the total amount you’ve won from the spins. If you’d like to know more about that, you can see my example here. On the plus side, there are Ontario online casinos (like PlayOJO – where I play) that offer free spins no wagering offers. This means whatever you win is considered your cash with no strings attached.
Are you a free spins slots fan? Which game(s) are your favourite that offer this feature?
Also, I hope your July is off to a great start!
Until next time, good luck and have fun.
Mia 👩💻
*All links and images in this post are for informational purposes only. I am not affiliated with anyone.