Free spins are one of the most common and popular forms of gameplay features in slot machines. The most basic version grants players a number of free rounds or extra spins, which work as a chance to win additional prizes with no added risk.
The concept of free spins in slots has evolved quite a bit over the years. The majority of modern slot releases feature some form of bonus round, many of which are a variation of free spins. This has led to the development of more complex features to accompany those spins. Nowadays, these features often come packed with exciting, innovative rules and elements that help slots stand apart from the competition.
However, this additional complexity can be an obstacle for new players. In this guide, we’ll go through some tips and explanations of how to activate free spins. We’ll go through several common free spin triggers and highlight some examples of top-rated slots that include them.
How Free Spins Work in Slots
When you activate free spins in slots, the game will perform a set number of additional rounds that don’t deduct anything from your balance. This usually happens automatically – the game just goes through the extra spins one after the other.
Even though you don’t need to bet additional funds for free spins, you will still receive any winnings as usual. In fact, many forms of free spin rounds offer extra bonuses, multipliers, and other increases to payouts won via free spins.
Importantly, rewards from free spins are calculated based on the stake you used in the spin that triggered them.
For example, let’s say you spin a slot machine with a $1 stake and win 10 free spins. Any wins from this initial spin are awarded as normal. However, the game will also spin 10 more times. If you win anything during these 10 extra spins, any rewards will count as if you used a $1 stake even though you technically didn’t bet anything.
It is important to distinguish free spin features in slots from free spin casino bonuses. The former is an in-game gameplay feature, while the latter is granted by a casino and is a promotion that grants you “fake” money to bet with. You can find out more about free spin casino bonuses here.
The number and nature of the free spins you win in-game depends on the rules of the slot machine you’re playing. You can always find a detailed explanation of how they work in that specific game by checking out the in-game paytable or help screen.
Types of Free Spins
Here are some common variations of free spins in slots. Note that a free spin round can fall into one or more of these categories.
- Traditional – Straightforward extra spins that simply work as a few extra rounds with no risk.
- Scalable – In many cases, the number of free spins the player receives depends on the results of the initial round. For example, games that trigger free spins using Scatter symbols can grant more free spins as you hit more and more Scatters in a single spin.
- Re-triggerable – Some slots allow you to use free spins to trigger even more free spins. For example, if you hit 3+ Scatters using free spins in a game that awards them for 3+ Scatters, you’ll gain even more extra rounds.
- Modified – Many games add additional bonuses to free spins. Common examples include multipliers or special symbols and mechanics that only show up during free spins.
- Gambled – Some modern games offer you a chance to risk triggered free spins for a chance to win more of them. However, should you lose the gamble, you’ll forfeit the spins you already had.
Activating Free Spins
To activate free spin rounds in slots, players typically need to hit a certain goal. Here are some of the most common examples of free spin triggers in slots, complete with concrete examples in popular slots.
Method #1: Free Spin Symbols
The most common way to trigger free spins in slot machines is by hitting a certain number of designated symbols.
For instance, a game may award you free spins if you hit 3 special symbols. These special symbols can be marked as Free Spin symbols (often shortened to FS symbols), Scatters, or simply fancy bonus icons.
In 99% of cases, free spins symbols in slots are also Scatters. This means that they win regardless of their position on the reels. You don’t have to worry about paylines, alignment, or any of the usual concerns. As long as enough Scatters hit anywhere on the grid, you’re good to go.
The symbols used to trigger free spins may or may not award regular winnings in addition to the free spins themselves. Check the in-game paytable if you want to know for sure.
Free spin rounds activated this way are often scaled, re-triggerable, or both.
Example: Starburst XXXTreme
Starburst is one of those legendary releases that popularized in-game free spins as a concept. The original game is quite old at this point, but it has spawned a number of successful sequels and spin-offs.
The aptly-named Starburst XXXTreme takes the simple but effective design of the original and ups the excitement by making it more volatile. The heart and soul of the game are largely the same, though. This means the straightforward free spin round is the main attraction and a great starting point for many newbie gamers.
Method #2: Progressive Bonus Rounds
Not to be confused with progressive jackpot slots which offer increasing player-fed prize pools.
In this case, the word “progressive” refers to the fact that free spins are not triggered by a single event. Instead, it’s a matter of multiple events that all contribute towards activating them. This is usually handled through the use of a progress bar.
For example, some slots fill a progression bar every time you hit winning symbols. If you hit enough symbols to fill up the bar, you get some free spins. This method is often combined with features such as tumbling reels that remove winning symbols from the grid.
In most cases, the progress bar is reset once you hit the ‘spin’ button again. However, some innovative titles allow you to carry your progress over to future rounds. In these cases, triggering free spins is a matter of building up your progress through multiple successive rounds of the game.
Example: Brawler’s Bar: Cash Collect
This Quickspin title from 2024 mostly focused on its Cash Collector features – at least as far as its promotions go.
However, our review revealed a more interesting aspect. Free spins in this game are tied to Collector symbols. The more you collect in a single round, the more you progress the bar, which can ultimately result in up to 25 free spins.
The game is jam-packed with all sorts of extra features, so it works as an excellent introduction to the complexities of modern online slot machines.
Method #3: Feature Buy
The option to buy in-game features is a relatively recent trend in online casinos. Essentially, it allows you to pay an upfront price in order to immediately trigger free spins. This has the added benefit of also activating any additional features tied into those free spins.
This method is arguably the simplest way to quickly get some extra respins. Slots with Feature Buy options typically have a dedicated button on the in-game interface. Just click the button, review your options, and buy the desired feature.
The price of buying free spins in slots varies from game to game. However, it’s always a multiplier of the stake used in those free spins. For example, Free Spins may cost 100x the stake. This means that you can pay $100 to immediately trigger free spins which will use $1 as a stake.
The best part about this trend is that it allows you to control how you play the game. For example, if you’re solely interested in a game’s bonus rounds and not the base game, you can play it by only ever buying free spins.
The Bonus Buy option is typically not the only way to get your hands on some free spins in a particular game. In most cases, it’s just an additional option on top of a regular in-game method such as through Scatter symbols.
Note that buying features in slots can affect the game’s average RTP. If it does, this information is always readily available on the in-game help screen.
Example: Jellycious DoubleMax
This colorful Yggdrasil game comes with several levels of Feature Buy, allowing you to risk more money upfront for additional free spins. You can get 7, 9, or 11 free spins for 100x, 200x, and 500x the bet, respectively.
This may not sound like much considering the asking price, but the game also throws in a lot of extra features that significantly boost profits during the bonus round. The results can be quite impressive, offering rewards of up to 25,000x.
Moreover, Jellycious DoubleMax offers an option called Golden Bet. While similar to Feature Buy in many ways, this option allows you to pay a fee to increase the chances of triggering free spins naturally.
Method #4: Special Mechanics
How various software providers implement free spins in slots is limited only by their imagination. As such, there are many other ways to trigger free spins that do not fall into any single, neat category.
In some cases, the exact method to activate free spins is wholly different from what you’ll find in other games. It all depends on what the game’s actual mechanics and rules are.
For instance, triggering extra spins can be tied to elements such as Tumbling Reels or Wild Symbols. Megaways are another common mixup, offering complex new mechanics that can mesh well with free respins.
Example: Cluster Kingdoms
Cluster Kingdoms by ELK Studios is a perfect example of what we’re talking about.
This inventive slot machine offers a lot of features tied to special symbols that look like playing cards. In certain circumstances, the positioning of these symbols can trigger bonus rounds, including free spins.
For example, if you hit a King symbol next to a Queen symbol, you get 6 free spins and a persistent multiplier.
That’s far from being the game’s only innovation, which is why we’re so eager to recommend it. It looks unique, plays well, and features some truly innovative elements that you won’t find in any other game.
Conclusion – Closing Thoughts
Modern online slots can be a gold mine for finding interesting, fun new additions to the concept of slot machines. It’s safe to say that the online gambling boom resulted in more innovation in the gaming industry in a few years than we’ve seen in decades beforehand.
Free spin features are not only extremely common and popular but also very versatile and adaptable. They can be made to fit any type of slot, enhancing the experience and offering a big, rewarding bonus to lucky players.
The methods for triggering free spins in slots can help define how the game plays as a whole. Hopefully, this guide helped you understand how and why.
To find out more about slot machines and everything they can offer, you can keep up with the latest releases, features, trends, and mechanics (and our reviews of them) on this page.
Make sure you also read:
How long should it take to trigger a Free Spins Bonus Round?
