What does it mean to buy a feature? Well, let’s begin with what it doesn’t mean. To avoid confusion, buying the bonus refers to betting a set amount to trigger a slot feature, which is usually free games. Casino bonuses, such as welcome offers and bonus spins, are a separate concept requiring a deposit. Buy the bonus slots allow us to fast forward to the good part, the game's feature!
No. Several game developers include the option in their games making those titles more attractive to players interested in another layer of risk - and yes, it is risky. While it satisfies instant gratification, buying the bonus does not mean you’re guaranteed a win. There is no win threshold in place. The typical bonus buy is 100x your bet. For example, if you wager $1 per spin and activate the free games feature by purchasing the bonus for $100, it’s possible that the payout could be less than $100 - even zero. Perhaps you’ll hit a big win that exceeds the cost of buying the bonus but perhaps you won’t. Keep that in mind.
Let's take the Queenie slot by Pragmatic Play and Wild Streak Gaming as an example.
Launched March 2022. In this example, we played Queenie at $1 per spin. We bought the feature for $100 in demo mode and triggered 50 free games. During the free spins, anytime one or more wild heart symbols appear on the reels, a spin of the jackpot wheel is awarded for each. Possible extras on the wheel include additional spins, multipliers, wilds, jackpots and instant cash prizes.
In this example a total of $271.16 was won. Considering the Queenie bonus buy was $100, the result was $171.16 profit from the free spins. A wager of 100x the bet is required for feature buys on this slot game.
Octobeer Fortunes - Pragmatic Play
Bonus Buy from 100x to 200x the bet
Happy Hooves - Pragmatic Play
Bonus Buy at 100x the bet
Coffee Wild - Pragmatic Play
Bonus Buy at 80x the bet
Dead or Alive 2 - NetEnt
Bonus Buy at 600x the bet
Funk Master - NetEnt
Buy Bonus Spins for 125x the bet
Knight Rider - NetEnt
Buy Bonus for 140x the bet
Can you play bonus buy slots in the UK? Online casinos licensed by the UKGC may not offer bonus buy slots. The Gambling Commission determined that buying a bonus for 100x your stake or more was a violation of its Remote gambling and software technical standards (RTS) in 2019. The debut of Big Time Gaming's White Rabbit slot put feature buys on the commission's radar and led to the subsequent ban. You may still access White Rabbit, for example, but the bonus buy button is missing or disabled.
As an alternative, UK players are accepted at various site offshore casinos such as Shazam, however, the feature buy slots are limited.
The key points of the UKGC regulation are:
RTS 3 – Rules, game descriptions and the likelihood of winning
"An explanation of the applicable rules must be easily available to the customer before they commit to gamble. The content including artwork and text must be accurate, and sufficient to explain all of the applicable rules and how to participate. All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that the content is understandable."
RTS 14 – Responsible product design
"Gambling products must not actively encourage customers to chase their losses, increase their stake or increase the amount they have decided to gamble, or continue to gamble after they have indicated that they wish to stop."
1x2gaming
4ThePlayer
All41 Studios
Amatic Industries
AvatarUX
Bang Bang Games
Belatra Games
BetSoft
BGaming
Big Time Gaming
Blue Guru Games
Blueprint Gaming
Booongo
Booming Games
Bulletproof Games
Dreamtech Gaming
ELK Studios
Endorphina
Fantasma Games
Fortune Factory Studios
Four Leaf Gaming
Foxium
Gacha Studios
GameArt
Gamebeat
Gamzix
Gold Coin Studios
Habanero
Hacksaw Gaming
Hot Rise Games
Hurricane Games
Iron Dog
iSoft Bet
Jade Rabbit Studios
Jelly
Just for the Win
Leander
Kalamba Games
Mancala Gaming
Mascot Gaming
Max Win Gaming
Microgaming
NetEnt
NetGaming
No Limit City
Northern Lights
Peter & Sons
Platipus
Playson
Print Studios
Push Gaming
Quickspin
Reel Kingdom
Reel Life Games
ReelPlay
Reflex Gaming
Relax Gaming
Ruby Play
Silverback Gaming
Slotmill
Snowborn Games
Spinomenal
SpinPlay Games
Stakelogic
Swintt
Tom Horn Gaming
TrueLab Games
ReelPlay
Wazdan
Wild Streak Gaming
Yggdrasil Gaming
What is a Bonus Buy slot?
A Bonus Buy slot, also known as a Feature Buy, is available on select online slot games. This option allows players to initiate the slot's bonus game instantly for a cost of 100x the bet or more depending on the game. Trigger the bonus, usually free spins, by selecting the 'Buy Bonus' or 'Buy Feature' button based on the bet amount of your choice.
Is it worth it to buy the bonus on a slot game?
Buying the feature is another means of wagering and win amounts are not guaranteed. For example, if you buy the bonus for $200, you may win $300, $20 or even zero. With this in mind, the odds of winning on slots are not improved by buying the bonus.
Can I play Bonus Buy slots with a casino deposit match bonus or no deposit?
If you've accepted an online casino bonuses, the bonus buy button is disabled from these types of slots. Players may still spin and trigger the bonus game naturally, but the feature buy is not an option. Why? Casino bonuses are subject to wagering requirements and restrictions including maximum bets. If you buy the bonus at 100x your bet or more, you've likely exceeded the maximum bet allowed with an active casino bonus.
Looking for U.S. online casinos that offer Bonus Buy slots? Click here.
