A slot bonus is a special function in slot-machines that can show up in many different versions. Some of them are extremely creative and others very simple. A slot bonus is not the same as a casino bonus since this is something you win in the game and not something that the casino offers with terms and wagering requirements. Bonus slot machines or bonuses in general are features in slot games that can range from free spins, free games, spin and bonus multipliers, or double or nothing features, just to name a.
If you’ve never heard of Bonus Buy Slots, this is a new gaming feature that might really interest you! The bonus buy, or feature buy as it’s sometimes known, is a relatively new addition to the world of online gambling. If you’ve ever been playing an online slot and wished you could jump ahead to the bonus round, then check this out.
The bonus buy feature gives the player the option to activate a bonus round via a purchase rather than achieve it through accumulating spins. It’s designed as a shortcut for players who want to skip ahead to the action.
A megaways slot called White Rabbit was the first to feature a bonus buy and was released in 2017 by Big Time Gaming. The game quickly became popular, leading to several other game developers like Yggdrasil, Relax Gaming, and NextGen choosing to add a bonus buy feature to their slots.
Nowadays you can find a wide range of bonus buy slots online, including Vikings Unleashed Megaways, Book of Gods, Dark Vortex, and Extra Chilli. However, not all bonus buy features are the same and some don’t good value for money. If the cost to purchase the feature is too high you might be tricked into paying too much for only a small chance of winning.
Our Top 5 Highest Rated Bonus Buy Slots
1. Rick and Morty Megaways
- Bonus Feature Buy Costs 100x Stake
- Play at PlayOJOand Lucky Niki.
2. Genie Jackpots Megaways
- Feature Bonus Buy Costs 100x Stake
- Play at King Billy Casino, PlayOJO and Lucky Niki.
3. White Rabbit Slot
- Buy Bonus For 100x Stake or Less
- Play at King Billy Casino, PlayOJO and Lucky Niki.
4. Return of Kong Megaways
- Buy The Bonus Feature For 100x Stake or the Mystery Bonus for 150x Stake
- Play at King Billy Casino.
5.Viking Unleashed Megaways
- Bonus Buy Options From 50x to 200x Stake Value.
- Play at King Billy Casino, PlayOJO and Lucky Niki.
Where can I find a bonus buy slot?
Almost anywhere in the world that online gambling is available, you’ll find a site to play bonus buy slots. Many have been optimized to work on laptops, tablets and even mobile phones, meaning you can play from anywhere at any time. Rather than just go with the first game you find, it’s a good idea to do your research. There are loads of independent review sites online where you will find reviews from other players who give an honest account of their experience.
Checking the RTP of a game is always a good indication of your chances of winning. You don’t necessarily have to choose the highest RTP but find a balance between a game you enjoy and one with a high RTP. There are loads of great bonus buy slots from the likes of NetEnt, Scientific Gaming Interactive (SGI), Blueprint Gaming Inc, and many others.
How to know if it is cost-effective?
For the most part, a bonus buy will give you an improved chance of winning – which is why the feature is so popular! However, some developers have tried to use that popularity to their advantage, offering expensive buy-ins that don’t give many advantages.
Before just jumping in, you should try to estimate the cost of purchasing a bonus buy vs the cost of spins to activate it. Sometimes it really doesn’t make sense to pay such a large amount upfront. Most slots will advertise the maximum possible payout so using that you can get a good idea of your chances.
Another factor to consider is the ‘return-to-player’ (RTP) value. In some games, the max payout might be less than others but the RTP is higher because you have more possibilities of winning. Some slots might try and impress players by offering big jackpots but if the RTP is low then it’s not a good option.
In the Vikings Unleashed Megaways slot, for example, there is a potential 20,000x max win and an RTP of 96.75%. It has four bonus buy options, from 5 free spins for 25x your bet to 12 free spins for 100x your bet. The more free spins you get in one go, the more chance you have of winning.
The original White Rabbit slot from Big Time Gaming remains one of the best in the business, with an RTP of 97.39%. For 100x your bet you get 15 free spins and a potential 13,000x max win. Although the max win is lower than Vikings Unleashed, the RTP is higher, meaning you might have a better chance on this slot.
What are the benefits of bonus buy slots?
The feature is designed to appeal to players who often spend a long time building up spins in the base game to activate a bonus. They are aware of how much it will cost to get the desired number of spins and would rather simply pay to skip ahead and save time. Big Time Gaming clearly recognized this desire in its players and responded to the demand with great success.
However, the rise in the popularity of bonus buy slots has drawn the attention of gambling regulators. Some feel the feature might pressure vulnerable gamblers into spending more money than they can afford. Since a bonus buy requires a large upfront commitment without any guarantee of return, it could be considered in contravention of certain gambling rules and is perhaps only really suited to high roller slots players with more leeway in their bankrolls.
United Kingdom Ban
The controversy around bonus buy slots led the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) to ban the feature in October 2019. The body felt that feature went against a specific clause in its remote gambling and software technical standards. Requirement 14A of the standards states that no feature should encourage gamblers to “chase their losses, increase their stake or increase the amount they have decided to gamble.”
As a result of the ban, online casinos in the country were forced to remove any products that featured bonus buy slots. Fortunately for some developers, the slots were designed with a simple switch in the base game to disable the feature. For others, however, they would need to completely reprogram the slot and re-release it without the bonus buy option included.
Conclusion
Bonus Buy slots are a great way to take a chance and win big on an online slot. It’s also a convenient method of saving time if your only intention is to play through spins until you hit the bonus round. However, you must remember that you are spending a large chunk of money in one go and there is no guarantee of winning, so never gamble more than you can afford to lose!
FAQ
📌 What is the Average Cost of a Bonus Buy Slot?
Bonus Buy Slots Banned
The average cost is 100x your stake but this can vary from as low as 50x up to 200x+ depending on the slot.
📌 What is the Original Bonus Buy Slot?
White Rabbit was the first slot to have this option, it was trademarked with the term Feature Drop.
📌 What is a the Difference Between a Bonus Buy and a Feature Drop Slot?
The difference is that by playing a Feature Drop slot through it’s base game spins you can over time lower the cost of buying the feature.
📌 Which Slot Do You Recommend Trying This On?
We always tell our visitors to try out Rick and Morty Megaways. The Vindicator free spins bonus has seen us hit some big wins.
📌 How Often Should I Use The Feature Buy?
Only use it if you can afford to as putting up 100x of your stake is a lot to risk, especially if you do so multiple times and can eat your bank roll up rapidly.
Bonus Buy Slots Money
Andy has been playing online slots for over a decade and has a wealth of experience working in the online casino sector. Always keen to share his knowledge of slots games you can be sure he’s bringing you the best tips and updated stats about every game he reviews!