Everyone loves getting things for free. From a random new promotional item delivered with your online grocery order, to a free decadent dessert after not-so-great service in a restaurant. This same applies when playing online slots – free spins on your favorite game are great!
Free spins are spins of a slot game that the player does not have to pay for, as the name implies. This is unlike conventional, paid spins, where the player’s balance/funds are deducted with each spin used and the amount deducted per spin is determined by the stake value or bet amount set for that particular spin.
Like millions of players worldwide, Americans love a good deal. Unfortunately, finding free spins that carry no risk may be somewhat of a challenge due to jurisdictional restrictions. That’s why being pointed to the right resources helps. It’s also helpful to know what to keep in mind when using such bonuses, because you certainly don’t want to let a good deal go by simply because you might not understand how it works. In this article, we simplify how free spins work, the different types of free spin bonuses and what terms and conditions to look out for when claiming a free spins bonus.
Are Free Spins Worth Claiming?
There are many benefits of playing with free spins. The obvious benefit is – you can play a slot for free and still stand a chance of winning real money. Basically, there is zero risk of loss when you play with a free spin, even if you lose – you don’t actually lose any of your own money, you only lose a free spin which you got for free in the first place.
Another perk of playing with a free spin is that it encourages players to be bolder in their choices. When playing with real money, a lot of players tend to be more calculative and play conservatively. With free spins, players don’t mind taking extra risks and higher risks can sometimes result in higher rewards.
A third benefit of free spins is when the player receives free spins as part of a sign-up bonus without having to make a deposit. In this case, the player can literally use the free spins to test drive a new casino that he or she has just signed up with and see if they like it before depositing their own money.
Considering these benefits, it’s easy to say – Yes, free spins are worth claiming. However, you must take this with a pinch of salt because not all free spin bonuses are worth claiming. It all depends on the terms and conditions. In the next section of this article, we discuss how you can spot a good free spins bonus which is actually worth claiming and which free spin bonuses are better avoided.
How to Find the Most Profitable Free Spins Offers
It is common for players to be attracted to a free spin offer by the sheer number of free spins being issued. For instance, a bonus where you get 15 free spins certainly seems better than a bonus where you get 10 free spins. However, this may not always be true. The true value of a free spins bonus can be determined by reading the bonus terms and conditions, in particular, you need to pay attention to two bonus terms – wagering requirements and maximum cashout.
Wagering Requirements: When you play with free spins there’s the potential to win some money. These winnings are not added to your real money winnings (unless you’ve got your hands on wager-free free spins). Instead, they are added to your bonus winnings and bonus winnings cannot be withdrawn. In order to withdraw these funds, you will first have to wager a certain amount of your own money at the casino and this is referred to as the wagering requirements. The lower the wagering requirements, the better.
Maximum Cashout: Even after you’ve fulfilled the wagering requirements, there could be a limitation on how much of your free spins winnings you can withdraw. Due to this limitation, you may only be allowed to withdraw a fraction of your winnings. How much you can withdraw is determined by the maximum cashout. A free spin bonus with a high maximum cashout is better than one with a lower maximum cashout limit.
In summary, you want to select free spin offers where the wagering requirements are low and the maximum cashout limit is high. You want to avoid free bonuses where the wagering is too high and/or the max cashout is too low.
How to Calculate the Value of a Free Spins Bonus?
When you claim a bonus and you get, for instance, $10 for free then you know the value of the bonus right away – it is $10. However, what about when you get 10 free spins, what’s the dollar value in this case?
Well, the simple formula you can apply to calculate the dollar value is (number of free spins * stake value of each free spin). The stake value of each free spins is generally mentioned in the bonus terms and conditions. Therefore, if you get 10 free spins and each one has a stake value of $2, then the value of offer = 10*2 = $20. Using this, you can compare different free spin bonuses and choose the right ones for yourself.