What Are Free Spins at Online Casinos?

Free spins in online casinos are free slots spins as a reward or for fulfilling some terms and conditions. They allow the user to play spins on the slot reels without any cost but with an opportunity to win real money. After using up all free spins, wins get credited to a player's account although they may also be subjected to wagering requirements. There are also some cases where players can enjoy free spins without requirements, which is a rare but attractive bonus option.

Types of Free Spins

As we previously mentioned, free spins can be divided based on the conditions of obtaining them, but they are also in two general categories:

• No Wagering Spins (Free Spins with No Wagering Requirement): It is a rarer bonus which does not require players to bet the free spins winnings.
• Free Spins with Wagering Requirements (Wagered Spins): Free spins with wagering are far more common. The wagering is not on the free spins, but on the winnings from them.

How to Get Free Spins

The conditions and terms of getting free spins will differ in promotional terms, but there are a few general methods of getting them:

• Registration Free Spins: The most common method of obtaining free spins is through registering on an online casino. New members are typically rewarded with 50-60 free spins as a registration bonus, although not all casinos provide this incentive.
• Free Spins on Initial Deposit: Most casinos offer free spins as an initial-deposit welcome bonus (welcome bonus across multiple deposits). Free spins are always never awarded all at a time but split over days (most often 250 free spins max over 5-7 days). As an example, if the player is awarded 250 free spins, he or she will be awarded 50 free spins for 5 days.
• No Deposit Free Spins: Some casinos offer free spins to players for performing very little activities, e.g., filling out personal details, account registration, signing up for social networking sites, downloading mobile applications, etc. These are low-grade offers—usually 15-30 free spins per activity performed.
• Free Spins for Leveling Up the Loyalty Program: Most casinos have a level system that is part of the loyalty program (usually 10 or 11 levels). Every progressing level of loyalty, one receives more rewards and free spins. The higher the level, the higher the free spins.
• Free Spins during Promotions: Casinos also run one-time promotions when players receive free spins when they meet certain conditions.

How to Use Free Spins in a Casino

Bonus spins are most often awarded for a specific slot, and the choice of slot machines and bet per spin is also usually set beforehand.

Free spins (FS) are credited to the bonus account. To play them, a player must:

• Log in to the casino account or launch the mobile app.
• Go to the personal account.
• Click on the "Bonuses" tab.
• Select available free spins.
• Start playing.

In a few online casinos, the free spins are automatically triggered, and the player can do nothing but wait for the spins to end. In the majority of other casinos, the player needs to trigger each spin manually or activate auto-play.

Restrictions and Wagering Requirements

Free spins always include certain restrictions:

• Usage Duration: Free spins have an expiry time (1-3 days). If free spins are not used within that period of time, they would be forfeited in the bonus account.
• Fixed Bet: The free spins feature a fixed bet per spin and cannot be modified.
• Winnings Cap: The casino is able to place a limit on the maximum wins, which are obtainable from the free spins.

In most cases, free spins winnings have to be bet through, and the wagering requirements are the following:

• Wagering Multiplier: Free spins usually have a wagering requirement of x30 to x40. As an example, if the wagering requirement is x30, then the player will have to bet a cumulative amount 30 times the amount of free spins bonus.
• Wagering Period: There is a specific time provided to fulfill the wagering requirement. The countdown starts the moment the player wins with a result of the free spins.
• Winning Limit: Free spins usually come with a casino-imposed maximum win limit on the maximum amount winable.

Pros and Cons

Strengths and weaknesses of free spins are as follows:

Pros:

• Free Spins Trial: The free spins allow players to play a slot without investing even a penny. They can get familiar with the mechanics and components of the machine the free spins are assigned to.
• No Wagering Free Spins: Though they may not happen often, there are some online casinos that provide free spins without wagering. There are no downsides for the free spins here.
• Risk Reduction: Free spins allow the player to spin a slot without investing money in it.
• Chances of Winning a Bonus: Free spins are worth the most when the player is lucky enough to win a bonus round.

Disadvantages:

• The majority of Free Spins Carry Wagering Requirements: The need for wagering free spin winnings can be disappointing, especially to new players.
• Short Wagering Period: Short is the free spins wagering period, and the players can find it really hard to reach the requirements when they win large sums of money within the short time.

Overall, having free spins bonuses is always preferable to having no bonuses at all, and advantages of such bonuses are much larger than their flaws.