Do you know how many different types of slot bonuses there are?

Maybe you’ve heard of free spins or progressive jackpot slots, but do you have a full understanding of the available slot bonuses for land-based or online casinos? If not, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will walk you through some of the types of slot bonuses available to gamblers online and in casinos.

The topics we’ll discuss in this slot bonus guide will include:

• No Deposit Slot Bonuses
• First Deposit Slot Bonuses
• Progressive Jackpot Slot Bonuses
• Bonus Slot Features (Bonus Rounds)
• Contests/Promotions
• Loyalty Programs
• Terms To Watch Out For

No deposit slot bonuses have become popular in online slots because they end up benefiting both the player and the casino. A no deposit slot bonus offers players the chance to start gambling at an online casino without having to wager any of their own money. Not only do these slot bonuses benefit the players, but it also benefits the casino because they are able to acquire new prospective players.

Many no deposit bonuses usually afford players specific credits or free spins. To satisfy the requirements to withdraw any of these winnings, you will often need to complete something known as the playthrough requirements which may be upwards of 30x the bonus amount. Typically, the best way to satisfy a no deposit bonus playthrough requirement is to play a high-RTP slot game.

Therefore, no deposit bonuses can be considered one of the most popular slot bonuses.

Types of No-Deposit Bonuses

Some casinos might offer a particular monetary amount of credits, while others might offer free spins. They can be broad or more specific in what they apply to, and some bonuses are exclusive to different review sites. Here are some examples:

• 30 free spins
• $15 free
• 20 free spins on Sweet 16 Slot
• 11K in bonus chips
• Up to 110% daily reload bonuses

How To Claim a No-Deposit Bonus

1. Find the sign-up bonus that appeals to you the most.
2. Sign up with the casino. When creating your account, you might still need to enter your banking information.
3. Claim the offer. Usually you enter the bonus code at the casino’s cashier section (where you’d normally go to check your account balance).

Slightly different from the no deposit bonus, this type of slot bonus actually requires the player to make a deposit into an account at the online casino. Once a player signs up on the casino’s website and makes a first deposit, the casino automatically adds a special bonus to their account — usually in the form of free play credits or free spins.

Many first deposit bonuses are structured as match bonuses which will match whatever deposit amount you make up to a maximum number. For example, a 100% match bonus up to $1,000. If you make a first deposit of $1,000, you will get $1,000 additional free play credits form the casino automatically.

While not specifically a slot bonus, many first deposit bonuses lend themselves to playing slots because they set rules with playthrough requirements that favor slot play over other casino games like roulette or blackjack.

For example, if we made the $1,000 deposit in the online casino above, it may have a 5x wager requirement which means you must wager $5,000 in bets before you can withdraw any of your winnings. Almost all online casinos will count slots 100% towards the playthrough requirement, but many casinos set lower percentages for other casino games like blackjack which may only count 50% toward the playthrough requirement — meaning you would need to wager $10,000 if you chose to play blackjack instead of $5,000 for slots.

Other times, first deposit bonuses will be paired with free spins for a specific slot. This is a definitive first deposit slot bonus which will typically come with a short window of availability (i.e. 7 day expiry) and will have wagering requirements for any winnings. In this case, it would 100% be in your best interest to play the free spins as quickly as possible and then execute the wagering requirements as safely as possible (playing a high-RTP slot).

To claim a first deposit slot bonus, you might need to opt in for it from a promotional section of the casino’s website, but oftentimes it’ll be automatically applied to your account once you make that first deposit.

Progressive slot jackpot bonuses are a unique type of slot bonus because it’s strictly focused on the payout for winning the jackpot (bonus). If several people play a progressive slot without hitting the jackpot for an extended period, a percent of all the losing wagers will go towards the jackpot pool creating an accumulated jackpot.

If the timeframe without a jackpot is large enough, the eventual winner could earn $1M or more depending on the slot and the length of time. A progressive slot jackpot is still considered a type of slot bonus because — while rare — the reward is a bonus on top of the typical gameplay for that slot.

Bonus rounds are a common feature in online slots. If the reels hit a certain combination or show a predetermined number of scatter symbols, then the game unlocks an extra round. This can bring in a ton of extra winnings to your final payout.

These extra rounds can take a variety of forms, like free spins or mini-games.

Free Spins

Free spins mean just that: extra spins on the slot that you’re not actively paying for. You can still hit winning combinations on these free spins, so you have the chance to get extra credits without paying anything yourself.

During a free spins round, you might also be able to get some free spin multipliers, too. If you get a 6x multiplier during one of these rounds, any winning amounts would get multiplied by six, irrespective of your original bet size.

Mini-Games

These bonus games that appear as part of free bonus rounds can vary in type. They can include:

• Matching games: You have to match specific objects on the slot screen. The more objects you can match, the more you can win.
• Pick-me games: These are where you pick objects off the screen to find hidden coin prizes beneath. The coin amounts can differ, but the more prizes you can find, the larger your reward.
• Pathway games: Similar to a board game, you have to advance forward on a map and play special bonus games to earn more coins.
• Puzzle games: You’ll have to solve a puzzle, possibly by collecting enough pieces in the allotted time.

When you’re playing on any paid online slot, you should first dig deep into the casino’s terms and conditions. This is where you can find their rules regarding how they handle their financial aspects overall but also how and when you can use bonuses. Come into any paid game prepared with these details in mind to make sure you’re getting the most out of the experience. Keep a special eye out for terms like:

Expiration Date

Free play bonuses won’t last forever, so you can’t just sit on them to use on a rainy day. Some might last for seven days, while others might be available for up to 30 days. Again, you can’t really bank these bonuses for later, so read carefully.

Wagering/Playthrough Requirements

Maybe you’ve received a sign-up bonus, which sounds great! Free money, right? Well, it’s going to be a bit more complicated than that.

Before you can withdraw these extra funds, the casino will require you to wager a certain amount within their system first. It might equal 1x or even up to 5x the amount of your stated bonus.

Another stipulation could be that you have to play the game a certain number of times before you can get your payout. If the wagering requirement is 20 spins, then it doesn’t matter if you lucked out and won $1,000 on your first spin — you still have to keep going and spin the reels 19 more times before you can cash out.

Capped Winnings

This is a tactic that online casinos use to try to keep players from abusing their free bonuses. You’ll commonly see a caveat that winnings you withdraw from a no-deposit bonus get capped by the casino (for example, at $100).

Designated Games

Some bonuses are good for any game at an online casino’s site, while others have to be used on specific games (usually ones that are exclusive to that casino). Be extra-careful about this, too, because some casinos might even void your bonus if you try to use it on the wrong game.

Deposit To Withdraw

To make sure that players aren’t taking advantage, some casinos will state that players must deposit funds into their account before they can withdraw any winnings.

Jackpot Wins

Not all casinos offer this option, but some will allow players to win on progressive jackpots with their free slot bonuses. This is why it always pays to read the fine print — you might find something to your advantage.

Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been playing for a while and are looking for a new slot to try, it pays (sometimes literally) to know how you can get the most out of a particular casino.

You should always shop around, of course. Do your research on casino review sites, and take a close look at any online casino’s terms and conditions to see what limitations you might face with bonus offers.

If you look for online slots at casinos that offer these types of bonuses and know how you can best use them, you’ll be well on your way to boosting your winnings.

Learning how to play slots requires also learning how to manage your gambling budget. Slots are the world’s most popular casino game because they are the easiest to play, but that also makes them one of the more dangerous games for habitual gamblers. If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, please take the time to seek out help. Many casinos will get you in touch with self-exclusion programs which can help you avoid the temptation of gambling.