Pros and Cons of Free Spins Bonus
Pros
- allows you to try out certain slot games with no additional risk
- some casinos have free spins package deals that do not require any wagering on the winnings
Cons
- winnings from free spins often need to be wagered
- in most cases the free spins offers are of the minimum stake value ($0.10 per spin)
Free Spin Bonus Types
Free spins can come in two forms: as a free spins bonus, no deposit required and as a deposit-based free spin bonus. This is the basic division of free spins bonuses and with this guide we will try to bring you closer their variations. Free spins bonuses no deposit required are the closest to no deposit bonuses as they are given to new players upon the registration with the online casino. To get this offer you don’t have to make a deposit. All you have to do is to complete the registration procedure by creating a real money account and free spins will be automatically credited to you.
We have to say that the amount of free spins with no deposit required is quite limited. You can get 20 free spins or so to try out how the particular game works and feel the atmosphere of playing at the online casino of your choice. Your bet during the free spins will be set at the minimum value and they will be played at all the pay-lines activated. Sometimes online casinos impose restrictions and exclude players from certain countries and territories from these offers.
Deposit-based free spins bonuses are credited to players who make a deposit to the online casino of their choice. They can be a part of a welcome package and given in addition to a welcome bonus, a part of a recurring promotion or the promotion related to the latest slot release.
Eventually, free spins can come as a stand-alone offer. The number of free spins may vary, but typically you will be awarded dozens of spins, sometimes up to 200 or even more. Depending on the offer, free spins can be credited to you at once or consecutively whenever you make a deposit. Some gaming venues offer free spins which are exclusively designed for mobile users.
When accepting free spins bonuses, you have to read the terms and conditions carefully. In most cases, the casino will set the maximum amount you can clear from your account, especially when it comes to those bonuses which require no deposit. In addition, you will have to reach wagering or playthrough requirements in order to turn your winnings from free spins into real cash and clear them from your account. Stay with us to learn how to do it.
Who is Eligible for Free Spin Bonus
Depending on the types of free spins bonuses, they can be credited to new and existing players. As we have already mentioned, new players will qualify for free spins once they have registered with a real money account and made a deposit if it is required. When it comes to existing players, they can get free spins if they claim them by providing a coupon code given by the online casino and make a deposit. Sometimes they don’t have to make a deposit upon redeeming the bonus but it is required that they are recent depositors which means that they have already funded their account within a certain period, i.e. during the last 15 days or during the ongoing month.
How to Claim
The way you will claim your free spins depends on the type of the offer. If free spins are offered to you as a new player, all you have to do is to complete the registration. Once your real money account is created, free spins will be added to it and you can play them immediately. If free spins are a part of a welcome package along with a deposit-based bonus, you will have to make a deposit. Depending on the casino you have registered with, you may be required to provide a coupon code to redeem this offer.
As an existing player, you can choose a promotion you want to make advantage of and claim free spins by redeeming the coupon code and making a deposit. This applies to all kinds of promotions, whether they come with a match bonus or they are designed to promote the latest slot release.
Wagering Requirements
Though they may strike you as a perfect offer, free spins come with a set of requirements you need to fulfil in order to really benefit from them. Your winnings will be limited to a certain amount. In order to clear them from your account you will have to wager real money for a set number of times. Wagering or playthrough requirements are the thing which may change your mind about accepting these hard to resist offers.
First of all, you have to know that there is no way of cashing out winnings from free spins without making a valid deposit and wagering real money. No matter how successful you were while playing free spins, your payout will be limited and you will have to place real money bets if you want to clear your winnings.
When it comes to wagering requirements, they vary depending on the free spins bonus type. However, the basic principle is simple: the more irresistible the offer the higher the wagering requirements. So, if you have received free spins with no deposit required, the winnings from them will be typically subject to the wagering requirements set at 60x. That practically means that you will have to wager the amount which is 60x the payout won from them.
As for free spins bonuses which are a part of a larger deposit-based offer, wagering requirements may be set at 30x or 35x. Don’t think that this is a bargain, as in this case you have to wager the deposit, the bonus received and the amount won from free spins as many times as imposed by the casino. Some casinos do not set wagering requirements for free spins winnings at all, but they are quite rare. Such casinos compensate for such a compromise with higher wagering requirements on regular match bonuses. Keep in mind that you will have to wager real money on certain types of casino games such as slots or scratch cards if you want to meet the wagering requirements quickly, as wagers on them contribute 100% to the wagering requirements. That means that each your bet is counted 100% and reduced from the amount you have to achieve.
To understand the whole concept of free spins given away by online casinos, you have to know that there is no easy cash. Just as with welcome and other bonuses, you have to show your loyalty and commitment to the casino in order to benefit from their offers. The main idea of each online casino is to attract players with hard to resist offerings and make them start wagering real money. You should not be angry with your online gaming operator for doing this. They would go bankrupt if they didn’t protect themselves, after all.
To cut a long story short, when you claim a free spin bonus and you are lucky enough to win while playing using it, you need to meet all the terms and conditions of the casino to turn your winnings into real cash. Until then, your winnings will be treated as bonus cash and locked on your account. The main goal of each casino is to make their customers wager real money and once they start doing that, everything depends on the luck. You can always give up on your winnings from free spins if the wagering requirements are that harsh that you cannot meet them.
Advantages of Using Free Spin Bonuses
You really should not be negative about the terms and conditions related to free spins bonuses as this type of online casino incentives is a great way to entertain yourself while playing slot machines. New players will get familiar with the concepts of slot machines and online gaming. If you are given a free spins bonus with no deposit required and no strings attached, you can use them up and leave the casino without any obligations.
Existing players can use free spin bonuses to check out the latest slot titles, to feel how they function and to try out their bonus features. After all, you cannot deny that spinning the reels is a super entertaining activity, so why not use an opportunity to have fun for a while. Take advantage of free bets and try your luck on the new titles or those selected by the casino and if it turns out that you are lucky enough to win, you can keep your winnings.
The online casino of your choice will transparently offer free spins on a certain slot title and you can use free bets only on those particular games. Once you register with the gaming venue, you will have a few days to use the offer and play free spins. Keep in mind that players from certain countries can be excluded from these promotions and that if you want to cash out your winnings, you must meet the wagering requirements set by the casino or your winnings will be locked and finally null. No matter how much money you have won, you will be able to clear only the maximum amount determined by the casino.
