It is common to see the big casino chains mention the number of free spins that they are offering as a part of their welcome bonus package, but that’s not all. As it happens, free spins can mean two different things and both of them are related to online casino slots. Next, we are going to explain both types of free spins, as well as how players can profit from them.
Free Spins as Part of an Online Casino’s Welcome Bonus Package
Although the actual welcome packages are not equal in terms of providing value to the player, all online casinos do offer one or more welcome bonus package(s) to new players who sign up with them. Depending on the casino and the offer they have going at that time, these bonuses will vary quite a bit. However, most casino sites include free spins as part of their welcome bonus package for new members.
For example, if the welcome bonus awards 75 free spins to new members, it can signify any one or more of the following:
- The new account holder will be able to spin the reels 75 times on any slot offered within the casino for free
- They will be allowed to spin the reels for free 75 times, but only on a select few slot games
- New players will be restricted to using their 75 free spins on any one specific slot game
- Their 75 free spins will be divided between a specific slot games and all other slot games offered at the casino; ex: 50 + 25
- Players will need to make a small deposit first in order to access their 75 free spins
- Players will need to make several deposits to get all their 75 free spins; ex: 1st deposit = 25 free sins, 2nd deposit = 35 free spins & 3rd deposit = 15 free spins
- Players will get access to all their 75 free spins without making a deposit, aka no deposit free spins
- The 75 free spins will be divided into two segments; ex: 50 no deposit free spins + 25 first deposit free spins
You should either receive all your no deposit free spins, or at least a percentage of them as soon as you open an account with the casino. No deposit free spins allow players to get a feel of the casino and its interface, along with the opportunity to get used to the mechanics of slot games which they find most interesting. This allows you to improve your chance of profiting from free spins because:
- It’s easier to avoid mistakes and improve your chances of winning when you have experience and familiarity to guide you
- Since you are betting with no deposit free spins, you are essentially not betting or losing a single penny of your own money at that point
- If you get lucky and manage to win anything at all from your bonus free spins, it’s essentially free money and not just casino credits either
- Even if you do not win from your free spins, your payout probability will have improved by the time you start betting real money on the slots
- The above is only true when you spend all or at least a majority of your free spins on a single casino slot
Free Spins as In-Game Bonuses
In-game free spins are slot bonuses which must be won while playing the online slot in question. For example, most new slots from Microgaming, NetEnt, and RTG have inbuilt free spin mechanics that may work out in a variety of different ways, depending on the title. For example:
- Players can activate the free spins bonus round by landing three or more scatter symbols
- The free spins bonus round may allow either a limited or a virtually unlimited number of bonus round reactivations through what is often described as “respins”
- All prizes, jackpots, and winnings are usually a lot bigger during the free spin bonus rounds, as compared to the regular game