The Beginner's Guide to Free Spins Bonuses
Free spins are a popular type of bonus offered by online casinos, both as a welcome incentive to encourage new sign ups and also as part of regular promotions to sustain player interest.
For new players in particular, it’s important to understand how they work and, most importantly, how to extract the most value from playing them. This article will look at everything you need to know.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our services are free. Our main mission is to give objective information to enable our visitors to make informed independent choices.
How we are compensated
All of our partners pay us a commission when we refer our visitors to them. Our recommendations, evaluations, and analysis are unaffected by this remuneration. We remain impartial notwithstanding such cooperation.
✖How We Rank Casino Bonuses using BonusRank
Not just any online casino makes the grade. We have a strict process for testing online casinos to determine whether we even list them.
Once we approve a casino, our team of experts starts the real work. And it's thorough. Our unique BonusRank algorithm considers all the important aspects of a bonus and calculates a score that allows meaningful and direct comparison between bonuses. You don't have to guess, our rating scale will clearly show you if a bonus is great, good enough, or should be avoided.
Read more about our BonusRank system and how we make bonus comparisons.
✖What Are Free Spins?
Free spins allow you to play a casino slot game without wagering your own funds.
They are credited in batches, usually ranging anywhere from 10 up to a mighty 500 (or sometimes even higher) depending on the type of offer.
In the majority of cases, they are allocated as a bonus by the casino in the following ways:
- By registering a new account with an online casino.
- Making a qualifying deposit.
- Wagering a designated amount.
Once you have completed the required steps, the spins will usually be credited to a single slot but sometimes made eligible on a slot collection.
Because free spins typically come as part of a bonus offer, whatever you win will be subject to additional wagering requirements. For more info on how these work, our complete Guide To Wagering Requirements is on hand to explain more.
Please note that the term ‘free’ spins is quite a loose definition. This is because you may actually need to either make a deposit or wager your existing balance to release them.
In some jurisdictions, free spin bonuses are instead referred to as ‘cash spins’, ‘bonus spins’ or even just ‘extra spins’ to negate the term ‘free’ potentially misleading players.
Types Of Free Spins Bonuses
Free spin bonuses can be implemented in different ways by the casino.
They could be given as a complete ‘freebie’ incentive if you register a new account or as part of a deposit match offer which includes bonus money as well.
Here’s a rundown of each type of free spin bonus you will encounter:
No Deposit Free Spins
For beginners especially, a no deposit bonus awarding free spins is the perfect way to begin your casino journey.
No personal deposit is required to claim the offer, allowing you to both test out a particular slot game along with the casino itself with no risk involved.
Pros
Free to Play – No deposit or wagering of your existing balance is required to claim the spins.
Gain Experience – You can test out the casino in relation to user experience, website speed and mobile adaptability with no financial risk.
Win Real Money – You can convert the bonus into real cash winnings provided that you fulfil the terms and conditions.
Cons
Low Value – You will only receive a small amount of free spins, usually somewhere in the region of 10 to 50, at the lowest spin denomination.
Strict Terms – No deposit offers will be attached to rigorous T&Cs that make it trickier to win real money.
Deposit Free Spins
Upon making a qualifying deposit, you will receive a batch of free spins in return – usually given out in far higher quantities.
It’s not unknown for welcome packages to provide up to 500+ free spins for new players!
Pros
Enhanced Value – It’s possible to claim multiple hundreds of free spins after making a deposit.
Better Terms – The T&Cs of deposit free spins are more player friendly, including lower wagering requirements and no win caps.
Popular Slots – The casino will frequently pick out one of their most popular slot games where the free spins will be allocated.
Cons
Deposit Required – You must risk your own money in order to unlock the free spins.
Bonus Terms – Despite more relaxed terms, there will still be wagering requirements to fulfil in order to win real money.
Deposit Match Bonus + Free Spins
Commonly offered as a welcome bonus, many casinos offer hybrid deals consisting of a deposit match boost AND free spins combined.
They are very popular with players who want to experience the best of both worlds after registering a new account.
Our current list of recommended Match Bonuses displays the current double bonuses on offer, some of which provide incredible value for new players.
The following example explains how they work:
100% Match Bonus up to 100 + 200 Free Spins (min. dep required: 20)
This means the casino is willing to double your deposit up to a maximum bonus of 100.
Therefore, a 40 deposit would credit 40 in extra bonus money, giving you 80 to play with in total.
If you were to deposit something like 300, you would still only receive 100 as this is the max reward set by the casino.
In addition to this, as long as you make a qualifying single deposit (in this case, anything of 20 or above), you will also be granted 200 free spins. This amount will not change regardless of your deposit size.
Pros
Double Rewards – If you’re a slot lover or casino connoisseur, this type of hybrid bonus has you covered.
Massive Bonuses – Casinos can offer huge reward packages to new players who are willing to make a first deposit.
Better T&Cs – You can win real money by satisfying the terms and conditions, as well as being able to keep everything you win.
Cons
Deposit Required – Because these packages offer high bonus amounts, you will have to deposit a hefty amount of personal funds to claim the max offer.
Wagering Required – You will still need to fulfil the wagering requirements of the bonus money and free spins to convert them into real winnings.
No Wager Free Spins
The holy grail for slot lovers are free spins that aren’t attached to any wagering requirements.
In other words, anything you win after playing all the spins is yours to keep! Because of this generosity, it’s also the reason why there’s so few of these offers around.
Pros
Real Winnings – Anything you win after playing all of the free spins is credited as real cash. You can either play it on another game or withdraw instantly.
Unbeatable Value – With no wager free spins, the casino is essentially giving away money to the value of your winnings.
Cons
Deposit Required – In all likelihood, a deposit will be required to unlock the bonus. You will need to win more than this initial outlay to return a profit.
Small Amount – With no wagering required, you’re unlikely to be granted more than around 20 free spins.
Free Spins Terms & Conditions
As with all casino bonuses, any offer of free spins will be attached to a particular set of terms and conditions.
If you don’t abide by these terms carefully, the casino reserves to confiscate the free spins and/or any winnings associated with it.
Just imagine… you convert the bonus into real cash winnings and initiate a withdrawal, only for the casino to say you’ve broken one of the clauses. How frustrating!
We don’t want this to happen as much as you, and so we’ve listed the main terms that are vital in winning real money from your free spin bonus.
Wagering Requirements
Wagering requirements are expressed as a multiplier signifying the amount of times you must play through the bonus value. By doing so, this converts your bonus balance into real cash.
In relation to free spins, the wagering requirements aren’t linked to the value of your spins. Instead, they are dependent on how much has been won after they’ve all been played through.
The following example can help you visualise how this works:
- You claim 30 free spins worth 0.10 each. The wagering requirement is set at 30x.
- You win a total of 6 after spinning them all.
- Now, 6 becomes the value of your bonus and must be wagered 30x (i.e. a total of 180).
Please note that, in the case of claiming free spins on deposit, the wagering requirements may take your deposit value into consideration as well. We recommend avoiding these type of bonuses as they vastly increase the total wagering amount required.
Expiry Date
Once you have claimed the free spins, they won’t stay around forever. You will first have to play them all within an initial period, usually something within 24-48 hours.
There will also be a secondary period imposed when it comes to wagering your winnings. This can vary from casino to casino, but expect somewhere around 5 days. Make sure to play your bonus within this time or it will be removed.
Bet Size Limit
It’s very likely a maximum bet limit will be enforced when you begin bonus wagering. It’s common for this limit to be set somewhere around 5 per bet or spin (or the equivalent in your account currency).
Making bets in excess of this, even just an accidental spin worth 5.10 for example, can see the bonus invalidated completely. Make sure to check for this figure somewhere within the terms and conditions.
Eligible Games
Once your bonus becomes active, there’s likely to be a list of restricted games that you’re prohibited from playing on. These games will be made up of volatile slots with elevated payout potential, or table games with a high RTP rating. (More on these later).
This list of games is often tucked away somewhere within the bonus terms and conditions without players realising. Conduct your research before you start wagering the free spin winnings or, once again, your bonus may be removed.
Win Cap
In relation to no deposit free spins, the casino will almost certainly apply a win cap. This states the maximum you’re allowed to withdraw after you’ve converted the bonus winnings into real money.
These withdrawal limits will vary, although you can expect something in the range of 50 and 200 to be applied. Deposit free spins very rarely have win caps attached to them so anything you convert is yours to keep!
Finding The Best Free Spins Bonuses
With so many online casinos giving out attractive free spin bonuses as part of their welcome package, we understand it’s tricky for beginners to sift between the abundance of offers available.
To help with this, here's three important questions to consider before claiming a free spin bonus.
#1. How High Are The Wagering Requirements?
Perhaps the first port of call should be a check of the wagering requirements applied to the free spins. Simply put, the lower they are, the better chance you have of winning real money.
An incredible offer of 500 free spins may be instantly appealing at first glance, but if they’re attached to a wagering requirement of 75x, it’s extremely difficult to convert your winnings.
On the other hand, 25 free spins with a 25x wagering requirement makes your bid to win real money a lot more attainable. Consider this before being drawn into a seemingly incredible free spin bonus.
#2. How Much Can You Withdraw In Real Money?
As we’ve touched upon, it’s best to check how generous the casino has been with the withdrawal limit applied to your No Deposit Free Spins.
Of course, you’d want this to be as high as possible just in case you hit some mega wins from your free spins and/or bonus wagering.
You should also consider if the bonus is ‘cashable’ or ‘non-cashable’ by either scouring the T&Cs or confirming with customer support.
They can be defined as:
- Cashable – This allows you to withdraw both your initial deposit and the bonus itself, as long as the wagering requirements have been met.
- Non-Cashable – If you satisfy the terms and come to cash out your winnings, the original bonus amount will not be included in the withdrawal amount.
#3. Which Games Should I Wager The Bonus On?
Your initial batch of free spins will typically be credited on a slot selected by the casino. However, when it comes to wagering your winnings, you don’t have to continue playing this same game.
Instead, you have the freedom to play any game from the casino lobby – except for those that are excluded from bonus wagering. With this in mind, it’s best to pick games that come with high RTP and low volatility. Let’s touch on these now.
High RTP
High RTPEach casino game is equipped with a return-to-player (RTP) percentage which determines its odds of paying out.
Although calculated over long-term play (taking into account potentially millions of spins), picking games with a high RTP can increase the chances of hitting a positive return.
Anything above 96% is considered a favourable RTP rating whilst you may want to avoid games which are rated at 94% or below. However, these games may come with a high payout potential over short-term play – such as the case with jackpot slots.
Volatility Rating
Volatility RatingVolatility is a rating you’ll only find applied to slots. It measures the likelihood of the game paying out combined with the payout potential.
Low volatility slots are more likely to provide a steady stream of wins, albeit at a moderate level, whilst high volatility slots perform the opposite way. Although you certainly won’t be paid out on every spin, you can expect bigger wins as and when they do come.
Because wagering a bonus is all about how much you bet in total, it’s perhaps best to play low volatility slots that can sustain your balance for as long as possible.
When wagering bonus funds, you’ll need to win a high ratio of bets to maintain a positive bonus balance and hit the turnover requirement. This is where slots with both high RTP and low volatility ratings can help.
However, there’s no harm in changing tactics from time-to-time.
For example, you could switch to a highly volatile slot in the hope of hitting a big win – thus increasing your bonus balance to a hefty amount – before returning to a low volatile game to fulfil the wagering requirements.
There’s no right or wrong way however, and that’s the joy of playing with a bonus. You have more freedom to try out different betting patterns to increase your chances!
How To Get More Free Spins
Even if you have claimed hundreds of free spins with your casino welcome offer, it’s all too easy to play them through quite quickly. As they say, time flies when you’re having fun!
So if you’re looking to claim even more after your first batch of spins have expired, here’s some possible ways of doing so:
- Promo Offers – By sticking around at the same online casino, you’ll likely receive marketing communication advertising free spin offers – sometimes with no deposit required.
- Loyalty Programs – Many casinos offer loyalty programs which give you various types of bonuses the higher you advance. Free spins is one such reward that is commonly handed out.
- Birthday Gift – On your birthday, some casinos will hand out a small number of free spins as a celebratory gift. No deposit is needed, although wagering requirements are likely to be attached to potential winnings.
- Casino Tournaments – By taking part in slot tournaments, you may win a chunk of free spins for featuring on the leaderboard. These tournaments usually involve wagering a large amount on a casino game or hitting a big multiplier win.
- Social Campaigns – Free spins are occasionally handed out as part of a casino’s social media strategy, awarding new players for signing up or taking part in a fun competition.
Conclusion
Free spins are perhaps the most common type of casino bonus you’ll come across.
For novice players, if you can get your hands on a set of no deposit free spins in particular, they provide a great way to both understand how slot games work and test the general feel of an online casino.
And best of all, you can do so completely risk-free as no personal deposit is needed! Check out our list of No Deposit Free Spin offers available right now.
At NoDepositRewards, our expert team only source reputable offers from fully licensed operators. Each free spin bonus comes with transparent terms, making them easy to claim and providing all players a fair chance to win real cash.
Our list of Exclusive Casino Bonuses go one step further, offering amazing welcome packages of free spins on some of the world’s best slot games, not available anywhere else.
FAQ
This depends on the casino promotion in question. With a no deposit offer, any set of advertised free spins are free to play because no payment is needed from your end.
However, in the true meaning of the word, the spins aren’t technically free if a deposit is required. Therefore, you may sometimes hear them referred to as ‘cash’ or ‘bonus’ spins.
As long as you adhere to the bonus terms and fulfil the wagering requirements, then yes absolutely, you can win real money with free spins!
This is the case with any free spin offer found on NoDepositRewards, even where no deposit is necessary. You can essentially win real money online for free!
The vast majority of free spin bonuses will be attached to wagering requirements. Unfortunately, no wager free spins (where you keep what you win as real cash) are few and far between.
To learn more about how wagering requirements work in relation to free spins, our complete Wagering Requirements Guide explains more.
Usually, the casino will decide which slot (or slots) your free spins are credited on. However, as you can see from our current list of Free Spin Bonuses, there’s some amazing games where you can start spinning for free!
Once your free spins have ended, you’ll be tasked with wagering your winnings to unlock the bonus. Note that you’re not constrained to the same slot where the spins were initially credited – you can play any eligible game in the casino!
If we do say so ourselves, the best online casinos with free spins are right here at NoDepositRewards! We display all these amazing offers side-by-side so you can quickly choose your favourite and start playing straight away!
We have also partnered EXCLUSIVELY with some of these brands to bring you amazing free spin offers you won’t find anywhere else! Credited on some of the best slots online, no deposit is required to claim these Free Spin Rewards!
Both are a great way to start your time at a new casino. Free spins allow you to play a fantastic slot game whilst bonus cash gives you a guaranteed amount to play in the casino.
But of course… why not try both? Many online casinos are willing to offer both bonus cash and free spins together as part of a double welcome package. You can see these offers on our Casino Match Bonuses page.
Although maybe a tad confusing for new players, the free spins credited by the casino itself for registering a new account are not the same as those awarded whilst playing a slot itself.
These ‘in-game’ free spins usually come when you trigger the slot’s bonus feature (i.e. by landing 3 or more bonus symbols on the reels), which award a number of additional spins with big payout potential.
Although there is the possibility of rogue online casinos occasionally appearing online, rest assured all of the brands and welcome offers listed across NoDepositRewards are legitimate.
Our team of experts vigorously test every casino before they appear on our site, ensuring each one is fully licensed and present their offers with clear, transparent terms to help new players claim their bonus.
