A Comprehensive Guide to Bonus Games in Slots
24 July 2024
Kaleb Vanderhorst Author Understanding Slots Bonus Games
Online slots with bonus games, also known simply as bonus rounds or features, are fun and potentially lucrative bonuses thrown in by developers all across the online slots world. These exciting mini-games can take a number of different forms, but they all serve pretty much the same function; bonus rounds help you rack up huge rewards. Not only that, bonus games online also add a layer of interactivity that can be a ton of fun.
Imagine you’re just sitting there playing your favorite online slot mindlessly spinning $1.00 over and over before your screen lights up with neon signs and free spins. Your adrenaline will immediately start pumping. As we both know, slot games with bonus rounds are where you make the real money.
Different Types of Slots Bonus Games and Features
The world of bonus slot games is about as diverse as it is exciting. From classic free spins to newer multipliers, slot games with bonus rounds tend to make or break themselves based on payouts.
In the next section, we’ll explore some of the most popular types of online slot bonus games and how they work.
Free Spin Bonus
Sweet Bonanza free spin bonus: Hitting 80K in 10 spins
Ah, the free spin bonus – the go-to free bonus for online slots. This classic bonus round is as simple as it looks, when you trigger the bonus, you get to spin the wheel a number of times, completely free of charge.
So, how do you actually unlock free spins? Well, it all depends on the specific slot you’re playing, some bonus slot machines require you to hit a certain combination of symbols, like scatters, while others might have a dedicated bonus wheel that triggers free spins. Regardless of the method, when those free spins land, it’s time to hold on tight!
- Extended Gameplay: Free spins give you extra lives in the game, extending your playtime and increasing your chances of landing a winning combination. If you can choose between dropping several dollars per spin versus free; free wins every time.
- Potential for Big Wins: Most free spin rounds come with additional perks outside of just the spins, this includes things like multipliers that increase your winnings on each spin.
Re-Spin Bonus
Re-spin bonus feature in Starburst slot
While free spins may be the more popular option, found across 99% of slots, re-spins offer a different kind of excitement. Unlike free spins, re-spins usually focus on a specific part of the reels, rather than the entire board, so if you’ve already got a sick couple of reels, re-spins can push you over the edge.
- A Chance to Realign: With re-spins, all or some of the reels are held in place, giving you the opportunity to re-spin the remaining reels instead of starting from scratch with a brand-new spin.
- Building Momentum: Re-spins can also be chained together quite easily, creating a sense of momentum instead of the usual stop-and-start. Re-spins also tend to have a sort of cascading effect. If you manage to land a winning combination that triggers a re-spin, and then another winning combination appears during the same re-spin, it triggers yet another round.
Picking Bonus
Picking bonuses kind of ditch the passive spinning and instead lets you pick the bonus yourself! This interactive feature really puts you in the driver’s seat, where you can choose your own playstyle. The only downside is that the payouts may be a little bit less than with more RNG-based bonus games.
Triggering the Dancing Drums “Mystery Pick” bonus where you have to choose one of the five options available
- Hands-On Fun: Picking bonuses makes your game a lot more interactive, hopefully waking you up a little bit after hours of spinning slots.
- Every Pick Counts: The beauty of picking bonuses lies in having slightly more control while still maintaining the adrenaline that slots bring. Each free online bonus game slot pick holds the potential to reveal a hidden prize, a free spin multiplier, or even the key to unlocking a bigger bonus stage.
Instant-Win Bonus
Screenshot of the Slotfather, offering the “Pick me” bonus feature where you can reveal instant cash prizes after specific symbol combinations.
Sometimes, you may not want to have to wait around for free spins or have the proper headspace to pick your own bonuses. You just want instant gratification, the thrill of a win without any hassle on your side of things. That’s where the instant-win bonus comes in – a slot feature that delivers almost everything you want in a slot without any stress.
- Matching Symbols: Landing a specific combination of symbols on the reels could win you an instant cash prize in seconds, however, the amount depends on the symbols matched and your bet size.
- Mystery Symbols: Some online bonus slots feature mystery symbols that transform into random symbols when they land. If all the reels fill with the same mystery symbol, you could be in for a decently lucrative insta win.
Spin the Wheel Bonus
The iconic Wheel of Fortune slot and its “Spin the Wheel” feature
The spin-the-wheel bonus brings the excitement of classic wheel-of-fortune mechanics right into your online slot experience.
Here are some of the goodies you might land on with your spin-the-wheel bonus:
- Free Spins: We literally covered free spins above, but if you need a refresher on one of the best slots bonuses – free spins offer the chance to extend your gameplay and rack up wins without spending a dime.
- Multipliers: Land on a multiplier segment and watch your winnings for the next spin or spins get boosted, potentially leading to a much larger payout.
- Instant Cash Prizes: Cash prizes come in all shapes and sizes, and the wheel’s spin could award you a random amount to your wallet, no questions asked.
- Jackpot: The ultimate wild jackpot bonus prize! Some spin-the-wheel bonuses offer a chance to land on the jackpot sector, awarding you the game’s top prize in a single, thrilling spin.
Pathway Bonus
The pathway bonus takes the concept of slot features to a whole new level, transforming your gameplay into a thrilling mini-adventure.
Pathway to Riches slot offering a pathway bonus where you can collect icons, win multipliers, and enter a room filled with treasures.
Here are a few variations of pathway bonuses you might encounter:
- Collect and Conquer: Each step you take on a bonus pathway might reveal a guaranteed reward, like free spins or multipliers. However, the main goal overall is to accumulate these rewards as you journey deeper, reaching the end for a final, mega bonus.
- Choose Your Own Destiny: If you’ve ever played a board game, pathway bonuses will be familiar to you. Think of something like snakes and ladders, depending on the path you choose, it could have a good or bad outcome.
Progress Bar Bonus
Don’t Hit PLZ slot by Max Win Gaming and its “Deadspins Progress Bar” leading to the underground free spins bonus
Some slot games try to keep you around with what’s called a progress bar bonus, and as the name suggests, you get progress toward a reward the more you play. It’s super simple in concept but can seriously add a ton of fun to your everyday gambling session.
For the most part, you’ll find these bonuses displayed as a visible loading bar at the top or bottom of the screen. Depending on the game, reaching the full bar could unlock a variety of free slot game bonuses, like:
- Free Spins: Surprise surprise, free spins are again a common reward you can win from progress bar bonuses.
- Instant Cash Prize: Instead of playing your luck with a couple of free spins, an instant cash prize can fatten your wallet in no time.
- Level Up Bonus: In some games, filling the progress bar can lead to leveling up within the slot, unlocking new features, higher bet limits, or even exclusive bonus rounds.
Wilds Bonus
The Extra Bonus Wilds slot series by Aristocrat supporting an interactive Wild feature
Wild symbols are found on most slots, but wild bonuses’ take everything to a whole new level.
- Expanding Wilds: Sometimes when you land on a wild symbol it will expand to the entire reel, giving you tons of different winning combinations. With these types of lucky brakes, you could 100x your money easily.
- Sticky Wilds: These wild symbols land on the reels and, as the name suggests, stick there for a predetermined number of spins. With sticky wilds holding their ground, you get multiple chances to land winning combinations on the remaining reels, significantly increasing your odds of a big payout.
- Stacked Wilds: Stacked wilds most often appear in groups, covering entire reels with flashing lights and other great graphics. If you’re lucky enough to hit a stacked wild, the whole reel will be filled with wild symbols.
Strategies for Choosing the Best Slots With Bonus Games
- Explore the Game Features: Before you start spinning any old free casino slots with a bonus, take some time to research the specific bonus features to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. We would look for games with a decent variety of bonuses, so you can find really whatever you’re looking for quickly.
- RTP Matters: Return to Player (RTP) is a super important metric to look at when choosing any slot game; if you couldn’t guess, it’s a number that generally dictates how much money you should expect to win from a slot once you’ve played it enough times.
- Leverage Player Reviews: Don’t underestimate the power of player reviews, especially if you’re gonna wager your own cold-hard cash. Online communities can be a gold mine of information, so make sure you take full advantage of them, you might even get lucky and find some free slots with bonus rounds.
- Consider Volatility: Slot volatility, also known as variance, determines how often and how much you win. High volatility slots offer less frequent wins but potentially bigger payouts, while low volatility slots provide more frequent, smaller wins.
- Demo Play is Your Friend: It’s really not all too uncommon for online casinos to offer demo versions of their slots, giving you access to the game with made-up digital currency. Just like stock trading practice, it can be fun to get the hang of things with no risk.
Top Online Slots in New Jersey Featuring Bonus Games
New Jersey has many types of slots, and tons that offer more money than almost any other state in the US but that’s not all too surprising as it was one of the first states to legalize web gambling.
Here are some of the best slot games with bonus rounds:
Starburst
Starburst slot demoplay
A classic internet game if we’ve ever seen one, Starburst by NETENT offers a simple slot machine experience that still manages to get people hooked. In terms of unique bonus games, Starburst has its own Wild symbol where the bonus expands to fill entire reels, triggering re-spins for even more chances to win. Starburst also happens to have a win-both-ways mechanic, doubling your chances of landing a winning combination.
Cleopatra
Cleopatra slot demoplay
Cleopatra has quite a few great bonuses, but the best has to be the pyramid free spins round, where growing wilds and increasing multipliers can help you win some serious cash. If you’re really lucky, you might even hit a special bonus symbol that can award up to a 180x multiplier. Think about it 180 x 10 is a cool $1800.
Gonzo’s Quest
Gonzo’s Quest slot demoplay
Gonzo’s Quest features the Avalanche mechanic, where winning symbols disappear, and new symbols cascade down, offering the chance for consecutive wins and maybe even a free slots bonus. You may not always know how many spins before the bonus round, but when it does pop up it’s lit.
Make sure to check our top slot picks for July 2024, as well!
Tips for Maximizing Your Wins in Slots Bonus Games
While bonus games are exciting, remember that slots are always going to be games of chance at the end of the day. However, if you think there aren’t some killer strats that can help you not only win a little bit more but also negate a ton of your losses; you’re sadly mistaken.
- Manage Your Bankroll Wisely: This is the golden rule of all casino games, both online and in person. Set a budget for your slot session and stick to it. Don’t chase losses hoping to recoup them during a free slot bonus round.
- Know Your Bonus Triggers: Before you play even a free slot with bonuses, take some time to understand how each and every bonus is triggered.
- Play Responsibly and Walk Away Knowing When to Quit: Set a win limit for yourself, just like a budget limit. Now, this may seem counter-intuitive, but if you really think about it, if you play enough the house will usually win. Just fight to reach your win goal, and walk away happy!
Future Trends in Slots Bonus Games
The world of slots bonus games is constantly evolving, almost as fast as AI these days, but it’s understandable when you see how much money is spent on slots every year. While it’s true that some of the best slots around come without bonus rounds, the allure of innovative features continues to drive development in this area.
- Hyper-Personalization: In the not-so-distant future, free slot games with bonus features that may adapt to your playing style could become commonplace. Thanks to artificial intelligence (AI), slots will most likely start to analyze your gameplay patterns and preferences, tailoring bonus rounds to your liking. This could mean free spins with your favorite symbol combinations or picking bonuses that align with your risk tolerance.
- Augmented Reality (AR) Integration: AR technology has the potential to revolutionize the slot experience almost as much as the video gaming industry. Nothing would get your adrenaline running more than hitting a jackpot in AR and seeing fireworks and sick graphics blow up all around you – you would feel like a real VIP.
- Interactive Storytelling: Bonus features could very well evolve into mini-interactive stories, where your choices influence the outcome. If you’ve ever played the Last of Us light novel- image how cool an interactive slot game with the same premise would be. RNG-build your own story campaigns could be closer than any of us think.
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