Free spins give you the chance to play an online slot without wagering your own money. You’ll normally trigger the free spins bonus round if you land scatter symbols during the base game. You can then play your free spins through, and any winnings will be added to your cash balance at the end of the bonus round.
We’ll explain how free spins work and how to earn them. You’ll discover the difference between free spins issued as a bonus feature when playing a game and the free spins a casino offers as part of your welcome bonus.
What Are Free Spins?
Free spins are issued as a bonus feature when playing online slots. You typically need to land three or more scatter symbols to trigger the free spins round, but some slots award free spins at random.
During the bonus round, you can spin the reels a set number of times. Your balance won’t go down, but you can win real money on every spin.
Each free spin will be worth your initial stake. For example, let’s say you’re playing a slot for $2 per spin. If you earn 10 free spins, you’ll get 10 x $2 spins.
The free spins often come with enhanced features too, such as win multipliers, sticky wilds, and expanding reels. You’ll normally find that the free spins round offers the largest potential payouts when playing an online slot.
At the end of the free spins round, your total winnings will be added up and credited to your account balance.
The term “free spins” also describes promotional spins issued via casino bonuses, but they work differently, as we’ll explain below.
How Free Spins Are Triggered in Slots
There are a few different ways to trigger free spins when playing slots:
- Scatter symbols. You normally need at least three scatter symbols to appear on the grid after you spin the reels. At that point, a message will pop up explaining that you’ve earned free spins. For example, you might get eight free spins for three scatters, 10 free spins for four scatters, and 15 free spins for five scatters. The scatter is different on each game, so check the paytable for details.
- Random. Some slots simply award you free spins at random. You might win 10 free spins after spinning the reels.
- Meter. Some slots have a meter, which fills gradually each time you collect certain symbols during the base game. When it’s full, you’ll earn the free spins.
- Bonus buy feature. Certain online slots let you dive straight into the free spins round by paying a fee. For example, you might need to pay 75x or 100x your bet. You might then get 10 free spins, along with the various enhanced features that appear during the free spins round.
Some slots give you the option to increase your stake in exchange for a better chance of naturally triggering the free spins round. This is known as an ante bet. For example, you might increase your stake to 1.25x, meaning a $1 bet per spin would increase to $1.25. This option is often available on slots from Pragmatic Play, which is one of the top studios featured at the best crypto casinos.
Retriggers
Some slots let you retrigger more free spins if you land scatters during the bonus round. For example, let’s say you win 10 free spins. On your third free spin, you land four more scatters and win an extra 10 free spins. At that point, your free spin count will increase to 17.
You can often keep retriggering free spins multiple times during the bonus round. Some games offer unlimited retriggers, but others place a cap on how many times you can retrigger.
How Free Spins Pay Out
Payouts during the free spins round are normally the same as the base game. However, you’ll often benefit from various features, which can ramp up your winnings.
For example, Gates of Olympus adds every multiplier you land during the free spins round to a running total. This can lead to much larger payouts. Other games offer sticky wilds, which stay on the reels during each spin, boosting your chances of forming winning combos. Some slots have expanding symbols, while others remove the low value symbols during the free spins round.
Each time you land a winning combo, the slot will display the amount you earned. You’ll often see gold coins exploding on the screen to celebrate your wins. When the round finishes, the game tallies your total winnings and credits them to your cash balance.
There are no wagering requirements. You triggered the feature with a real money spin, so the winnings are yours to keep. You can withdraw them right away or use the money to keep playing.
Free Spins Casino Bonuses
As mentioned earlier, the term “free spins” has a dual meaning:
- Free spins triggered as a bonus feature when playing an online slot.
- The free spins a casino gives you as a bonus.
Free spins earned via a bonus are different. The casino decides how much each free spin is worth. Some casinos will give you free spins on a specific slot, while others will let you choose a game from a small group of slots.
You often need to make a deposit to earn the free spins. They typically come with wagering requirements too. You’ll need to clear the wagering requirements before withdrawing your winnings.
Here’s an example of a welcome bonus at a crypto casino:
- The site offers a 100% deposit match bonus of up to $5,000, plus 100 free spins on Big Bass Splash.
- You need to create an account and deposit a minimum of $50 (or crypto equivalent) to qualify for this offer.
- The casino applies a 30x wagering requirement to your bonus money and any winnings you earn from the free spins.
- Each free spin is worth $0.20, and you can only use them on Big Bass Splash.
Let’s say you make a $50 deposit and get $50 in bonus money. You’ll then be invited to play Big Bass Splash for $0.20 per spin. Let’s say you win $18.50. That will be added to your $50 in bonus money. You then need to clear a 30x wagering requirement on the $68.50 before the funds convert to withdrawable cash. That means you must wager $2,055 before withdrawing.
What to Check Before Claiming Free Spins
Here are some key terms to look out for before claiming a free spins bonus:
- Wagering requirements. Check how many times you need to play your winnings through before withdrawing. Ideally, the wagering requirement should be 30x or less.
- Value. Look into how much each free spin is worth. They’re often worth $0.10 each, but some free spins are worth $1 each at certain crypto casinos.
- Eligible games. Confirm which slots you can play and the RTP rate of each game. This will determine the winnings you can expect from the spins.
- Qualifying deposit. Check how much of your own money you need to deposit to earn the free spins.
- Expiry date. Make sure you use the free spins before that date, or you’ll forfeit them.
- Winnings cap. Some casinos impose an upper limit on how much you can win from a free spins bonus.
Conclusion
Free spins give you the chance to rack up bigger payouts when playing an online slot. They don’t drain your balance, and any winnings will be paid in cash. Just check the game rules and the paytable before playing, as that will tell you how to trigger the free spins round. Remember that these free spins are different from promotional free spins bonuses, which often come with wagering requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
You normally trigger free spins by landing scatter symbols during the base game when playing online slots. For example, you might be awarded eight free spins if you land three or more scatters after spinning the reels. On some slots, you can retrigger extra free spins if more scatters appear during the bonus round.
No, you won’t pay any extra money when using your free spins on an online slot. Your account balance won’t go down with each free spin you play. For example, if you place a $1 bet, spin the reels, and win 10 free spins, you’ll essentially get 11 spins worth $1 apiece for a total stake of just $1.
Yes, you can win real money with free spins. Simply play your free spins through, and any winnings will be added to your account balance at the end of the bonus round. You can then withdraw the funds or continue playing.
No, not if you trigger free spins while playing an online slot with real money. Anything you win during the bonus round is paid out in cash. Wagering requirements only apply to promotional free spins earned via casino bonuses. In that case, your winnings are usually credited as bonus funds, and you then need to clear wagering requirements before withdrawing them.
Free spins are an in-game feature, which you typically trigger by landing three or more scatter symbols. Bonus spins are promotional spins awarded by a casino, often as part of a welcome bonus or a reload bonus.
Ilija is a CCN writer with 7 years of experience covering all things crypto. Ever since a fateful run-in with Litecoin in 2013, he's been an avid investor and writer in the space. When he's not maniacally hacking away at his keyboard, Ilija spends his time either hiking in nature or holed up in his apartment gaming.
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