Online casinos and free spins, or extra spins, as some prefer to call them these days, go hand in hand. There are hundreds of casinos right now offering thousands of free spins combined. Some of them come with no strings attached, others will require you to make a deposit or do something else, but the end result is still the same. You’ll get to spin some slots for free.
One thing that isn’t advertised and can usually only be found in the small print is the actual value of these spins. A casino may offer 10, 50, or 500 free spins, but what does that actually mean for you as a player when translated into dollars, pounds, euros, or whatever other currency you might be using?
This article will try to answer some of these questions and dispel some of the myths connected to these free promos, giving you a better idea of what you’ll be usually getting.
Let’s Talk Numbers
When you see an online casino advertising something along the lines deposit $10 and get 100 free spins, it sure looks appealing and enticing. The number 100 is a nice, round number that we perceive as a big one; after all, it is the first three-digit number. But, what does it actually mean to get a hundred free spins.
In most regular casino promotions, the value of a single spin is $0.10 or $0.20, which means that the full raw value of 100 free spins is somewhere between $10 and $20, depending on the type of slot they are awarded for. Usually, spins are given out on the minimum bet, so if the machine has 20 paylines, the theoretical value of free spins is higher.
So, if a casino offers you 10 free spins on a signup, they’ll be giving you only a couple of bucks’ worth of play. Of course, when it is free money, we don’t complain – but it is good to know what the actual offer is. That way, you can make a better decision about whether it is worth your time or not.
Free Spins Expectations
When we talk about the value of free spins, it is only theoretical. $10 worth of free spins can translate into nothing or into a couple of hundred, depending on your luck. That’s the beauty of slots and the appeal of free spins.
Anything can happen across 100 free spins, even if they are played on the lowest wager possible. You could end up triggering the bonus feature a few times or have the full screen of the highest paying symbol land. The fact that you’re playing free spins doesn’t influence the way the machine plays. You have the same chance as anyone playing on their own money.
Of course, whatever you end up winning from free spins will have some sort of wagering requirements attached to it, so you could still lose it all. Conversely, you could go on a heater and that initial 10 or 20 spins could result in a big cashout.
Conclusion
Hopefully, now you have a slightly better idea of what free spins are all about and what you can expect from them. If you’re after big value bonuses, you’ll rarely find them offered in this particular form (unless you are awarded super spins with a value of $1+). That said, even if they have a small raw value, free spins have been known to result in surprisingly big cashouts every now and again.
