Free spins, the two words that every gambler loves to hear. These bonuses are used in most online casinos and serve as the perfect way to attract new players or convince existing members to play new slots.
The size of these bonuses can differ greatly from one offer to the next, and there are also many differences with the terms and conditions. In the following guide, we’ll highlight the best free spin bonuses on the market and discuss the terms and conditions, as well as a few tips for getting the most out of them.
Free Spins No Wagering
No deposit free spin bonuses tend to attract more players than any other free spin offer, and we’ll get to them shortly. But there is one offer time that should get more attention, and that’s the wager-free bonus.
To better understand how these work, we need to address wagering requirements, the bane of every gambler’s life and the casino’s safety net.
What are Free Spin Wagering Requirements?
Typically, when a casino gives you free spins or bonus credits, they will come with wagering requirements. The casino isn’t in the business of giving away free money and they don’t want you to take the cash, withdraw, and then never return. Before the money can be withdrawn, you must meet this requirement.
If the wagering requirement is 50x, it means your total free spin winnings must be wagered 50 times. This means that you’re forced to risk that money over and over, and as the casino has an edge, there’s a good chance you will not have any funds left at the end.
Of course, we’re not talking in certainties here. Just because there is a house edge doesn’t mean you will always lose. It just means that enough players will lose to offset the ones who win. You can still walk away from those wagering requirements with a bunch of withdrawable cash.
How do Free Spins with No Wagering Work?
Wager-free spins don’t have any wagering requirements. It means that the money you win is yours to do with as you please.
There are a few caveats, though.
These spins are commonly used as part of loyalty programs. If you’re gambling a lot at an online casino and spending large sums of money, you may find occasional batches of free spins in your account. The casino doesn’t mind giving these to active players. They know those players will spend money and just want to reward them for their loyalty.
They are less commonly offered as welcome bonuses, though you will still find them. In such cases, the spins may have such a small value that it’s unlikely you’ll win enough to meet the withdrawal requirement. Alternatively, they might be offered as part of a larger welcome package, one that you can only claim by making a deposit.
Regardless of how they are offered, these bonuses are always worthwhile. But as with all free spin bonuses, it’s important to check the value of the spins and make sure there are no terms that disqualify you.
Free Spins on Card Registration
These bonuses literally give you free spins when you register your debit card. They are also known as no deposit free spin bonuses, as you don’t need to make a deposit and simply need to register your debit card.
This is a requirement imposed by the regulators and not the casino, so as frustrating as it might be, remember that it’s an essential part of the process. You’ll also need to be verified. If you have an extensive credit record, you should be verified when you sign up. If not, you may need to confirm your identity with a driver’s license or passport.
You then need to add your debit card. No funds will be taken and you are under no obligation to pay any money in the future, either. Adding a debit card to your account will make it easier to deposit money if you wish to do so, but it’s not necessary to collect this free spin bonus.
Why Must I Add A Debit Card?
A debit card is needed for verification purposes, which ensures that the casino meets the regulator’s terms and conditions. These terms help to prevent everything from underage gambling to money laundering and problem gambling.
It might seem like a hassle, but it’s worth taking this step if you have your eye on those free spins. You don’t stand to lose any money, your debit card details will be safe, and the process should take just a couple of minutes.
20 Free Spins
20 free spin offers are some of the most common. The offer is big enough to tempt new players and reward old ones, but small enough not to cause the casino too many problems.
As a new player, you may be offered batches of 20 free spins as part of a first deposit bonus or a no deposit bonus. More commonly, they are used to thank you for your loyalty or encourage you to try a new game.
Rarely will these free spins be worth more than £0.20 each, which means the entire value of the bonus is usually just £4 or less.
50 Free Spins
50 free spin bonuses are far from the biggest of these offers, but they’re not the smallest either. You’ll often get 50 spins worth around £0.10 to £0.20 each, giving you a total bonus value of £5 to £10. It provides a nice little extra boost to your gaming wallet, which is why these promotions are often bundled in with welcome package bonuses.
100 Free Spins
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100 free spins are when things really start to get interesting and when free spin offers start to match other casino bonuses. On average, these spins are worth between £10 and £20, which is on par with the average deposit amount for most casual players. It’s also large enough to interest higher spenders, albeit only briefly.
If you typically deposit upwards of £100 and regularly spin for £1 per spin, these bonuses might not seem worthwhile. But don’t dismiss them just yet. Free is free, and any funds you accumulate can be used to bolster a real money balance and play a host of other casino games.
Furthermore, you can use these spins to try out a few games that you would have otherwise overlooked. That way, when the free spins are up, you have a good read on at least 1 new slot machine and will have a good idea of where your real money balance should be wagered.
If you’re being offered 100 free spins as part of a VIP program or the latter stages of a loyalty program, pay special attention. There’s a good chance that the spins are worth much more than £0.20, and you may find that they have a value more in line with your usual wager.
Summary: The Best Free Spin Bonuses
Free spin bonuses might not be the biggest or even the best, but they have a universal appeal. You can find them in most online casinos and they serve as the perfect risk-free way to experience a new casino or slot machine.
Check out the links above to find the best free spin bonuses on the market right now and be sure to check back regularly as these lists are changing all of the time.
FAQs About Free Spin Bonuses
It depends on whether the casino has any wagering requirements or not. If not, you can keep the money that you win. If so, you need to meet those requirements first.
Of course, you can only withdraw free spin winnings if you actually meet the minimum withdrawal threshold. This varies from site to site, but on UK online casinos, it’s usually £10.
Yes, they do, but they are not as common as they used to be here in the United Kingdom. Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations make these bonuses difficult, as players must verify their accounts and add a debit card, and many are not willing to do that.
Unfortunately, a large number of players don’t understand that this is a requirement and often blame the casino. Some go as far as to call it a scam, “You said you would give me free spins without a deposit, and now I need to confirm my passport and submit a debit card!?” Needless to say, it’s not the easy sell that it used to be.
20 free spin bonuses don’t always come from the casinos. They are often promoted by developers as a means of getting more players to try their new slots. They are also rolled out by major operators; in which case you’ll find the same bonuses being offered on a number of sites.
As noted previously, casinos also use them to encourage new members and reward existing ones. They are ubiquitous, and you can find them on pretty much all online casinos. For a list of the best casinos with free spin bonuses, check the links scattered throughout this guide.
Yes…and no. Most free spins have wagering requirements, which means your winnings won’t technically convert to real money until you meet those requirements. Other bonuses make that conversion straight away. In any case, you are winning something that can be used as real money.
Technically, you can spin a roulette wheel, but that’s not what casinos mean when they offer free spins. These promotions are limited to slot machines. There are also limits with regard to the slots that you can play. Oftentimes, spins are restricted to just one or two slots. Other times, you can use them on over 80% of the site’s slot machines.
Free spins are never universal; they can’t be used on all slots. Restrictions always apply, and they usually prevent you from playing games created by certain providers, as well as Megaways slots and progressive jackpot slots.
You can win a fixed jackpot, but not a progressive, as these are excluded from free spin bonuses. What’s more, if you’re lucky enough to win a fixed jackpot, it will likely be diminished by the wagering requirements or decimated by a winnings cap, so always check these terms before you get too excited.
If you think you can use a free spins bonus to take a few hundred shots at a life-changing jackpot, think again. Progressive jackpots only grow and trigger during real money wagers.
It varies, but most free spins have a value of between £0.10 and £0.20. Some bonuses give you a coin amount, which means the actual value will depend on the value of those coins in your chosen slot. Others just fix the spins to the lowest amount allowed (usually with all paylines active) on a slot machine.
Check the terms and conditions to learn the full value of the free spins.
Most free spin bonuses are targeted toward casual players, as the overall value of these promotions is usually very low. 500 free spins sounds like a lot, but if they have a value of £0.10 each, that’s just £50. It’s a lot of money for a small stake player, but a drop in the ocean for a higher spender.
Some loyalty bonuses offer high-value free spins upon reaching certain levels, but the majority use matched deposit promotions and cashback offers instead.
Free spins and fun play are two completely different things. Free spins give you a free turn on a real money slot and let you keep what you win. You might be tasked with meeting wagering requirements, but it’s still money that can make it to your account.
Fun play is basically a demo mode that lets you sample the slot without any risk or reward. Progressive jackpots are disabled for fun play games, but all other features are active.