Free spins
Slot rounds you can play without staking your own balance, with any winnings usually paid as bonus money.
Free spins let you play a set number of rounds on a specific slot at a fixed bet size. They come as part of welcome offers, reload promotions or loyalty rewards.
Why it matters
The value of free spins is the number of spins times the bet per spin times the game's RTP, minus whatever the terms take away. Winnings are often converted to bonus money with wagering, and may be capped.
Worked example
50 free spins at $0.20 on a slot with 96% RTP have an expected return of about $9.60. If winnings carry 35x wagering on a 4% house edge slot, you can expect to lose some of that while wagering, so the realistic value is lower.
What to check
- The bet value per spin; casinos sometimes set it at the minimum.
- Which game they apply to, and that game's RTP version.
- Whether winnings are cash or bonus, and any max cashout.
- Expiry, which can be as short as 24 hours.