#1. Choose Free Spins Valid On High RTP Slots
When discussing a slot’s profitability, you use the term RTP (Return to Player). It calculates the average theoretical percentage of a slot’s total bets returned to you as winnings. Slot RTPs range from 94% to 99%, averaging around 96%.
Return to Player percentages are calculated over a vast number of spins and represent a statistical average. For example, if you play your free spins on a game with a 96% RTP, you will eventually win back $96 for every $100 you’ve played. The remaining $4 represents the casino’s profit.
But, in reality, it’s not that simple. Since the RTP percentages are averages based on a vast number of spins, they don’t represent your expected return during a single playing session.
If you played a slot with a 96% RTP on auto-play with an unlimited bankroll, you would eventually recuperate 96% of your bets. However, you’d subsequently become bankrupt long before reaching that statistical advantage. Even then, you’d be down 4%.
The reality is that casino games are based on luck and always benefit the house. So, choose games with a high RTP to increase your chances of winning, but keep these figures in perspective and set realistic expectations.
#2. Volatility
While RTP percentages specify the percentages of all stakes paid out as winnings, a slot’s volatility determines how these winnings are distributed.
There’s no exact measurement for slot volatility, but slots are usually divided into three categories:
- High Volatility: In these slots, wins are few and far between – but when you do win, it’ll often be a substantial amount.
- Medium Volatility: With the most typical volatility level, these slots offer balanced playing with small and significant wins.
- Low Volatility: Low volatility slots raise payout more frequently but smaller amounts.
Why Low-Volatility Slots Are The Best Choice When Playing With Free Spins
When playing with free spins and wagering free spins winning, it’s wise to play slots with low volatility:
- You’re more likely to win: With a limited number of spins, you want the best chance of landing a win. It doesn’t matter if the win is big or small – the goal is to land a win, start wagering the winnings, and gradually increase your bonus balance.
- You’ve got a better chance of wagering your winnings – When wagering free spin winnings, the challenge is to keep your bonus balance afloat long enough to clear the wagering requirement and convert your bonus cash to real money you can withdraw. If wins are far and few in between, you’re likely to use all your bonus funds before even coming close to meeting the wagering requirement.
How To Find Out A Slot’s Volatility
The are several ways to find out if a slot is volatile or not.
Here are your options:
- Internet Search: Simply searching for the slot’s name followed by volatility can lead you to articles that detail its variance. However, some dodgy sites exist, so be sure only to trust sites that offer accurate information.
- Game Provider: Many slot game providers, like NetEnt, Yggdrasil, Microgaming, and Playtech, list volatility information on their official websites or in the game’s description. Going straight to the game developer is definitely the most accurate
- Slot Reviews: Websites dedicated to slot reviews often include detailed information about a game’s volatility.
- Casino Websites: Some online casinos display volatility figures directly on their game lobby, making it easier for you to decide which game to play.
#3. Make Sure The Wagering Requirements Are Reasonable
Now that you’ve understood how RTP and Volatility impact your winnings, you need to understand wagering requirements. In short, wagering requirements dictate how many times you must play through your free spin winnings to cash them out.
Online casinos display wagering requirements as a multiplier, typically ranging from 20x to 60x. The lower the wagering requirement, the better your odds of converting your winnings into actual money.
When playing with a free spin bonus, you’ll need to wager the winnings from your free spins.
Let’s take a look at a quick example:
Top Tip
- You claim 10 free spins with a 30x wagering requirement.
- You win $5 with the free spins.
- You must now play $150 to convert the winning to real money. And here’s the calculation: $5 in free spin winnings x a 30x wagering requirement = 150 to wager.
Examples Of Reasonable Wagering Requirements
By assessing data from hundreds of casinos, we’re able to determine the industry standards for free spin wagering requirements.
You can use the following benchmarks to gauge if an offer is average, great or substandard:
- Under 30x: Exceptional
- 30x to 40x: Acceptable
- 40x to 50x: You can find better
- Over 50x: Avoid; too challenging
Top Tip
Expert Advice
We recommend you stick to free spins with bonuses with wagering requirements below 40x when claiming deposit offers. If you’re going for no deposit free spins, you may have to accept slightly higher wagering requirements as freebies tend to have more restrictive bonus terms.
#4. Wager Free Spin Winnings On The Right Games
When you start playing your free spins, the casino will most likely impose restrictions on specific game categories.
Typically, this includes games with a higher likelihood of steady payouts, such as:
- Jackpot Slots: Casinos would have to worry about paying out big jackpots from a free bonus, essentially losing money in the long run.
- Highly Volatile Slots: These slots could provide considerable jackpots in a small number of spins. This would be dangerous to the casino’s profits and, therefore, not a viable option for bonus wagering.
Game weighting percentages specify how much of your stake counts towards the wagering requirement. Slots are usually fully weighted at 100%, while other games have low weighting percentages ranging from 5% to 30%.
When wagering free spin winnings, you should stick to fully weighted games to ensure you complete the wagering requirement as quickly and efficiently as possible.
#5. Make Sure You Can Cash Out A Reasonable Amount of Your Winnings
Casinos invariably apply to win limits ranging from $5 to $150 for no deposit free spins. They do so to mitigate risk and ensure they can’t lose too much by giving away a free bonus.
Here are some guidelines that help you determine if a casino’s win limit is reasonable:
- Below $10: Subpar. A low limit can feel rather restricting and may not give you enough motivation to continue playing at the casino.
- $10 to $50: Generally accepted. It offers a reasonable chance to enjoy some free play and even cash out a fair amount of winnings.
- Above $50: Excellent. Higher win limits are generous and provide more chances to convert your bonus winnings into withdrawable money.
When claiming deposit free spins you generally won’t be restricted by win limits – whatever you win and wager is yours to keep. However, always check the terms and conditions to ensure there’s no win limit. Never assume there isn’t one just because it’s the industry norm.
#6. Speed Up Withdrawals As Much As Possible
Once you’ve won real money with a free spins bonus, you want to receive your winnings as quickly as possible.
Here are two things you can do to ensure to speed up your withdrawals:
- Complete The Casino’s KYC Process As Soon As Possible: Casinos are legally required to verify their customers’ identities and ownership of payment methods used in their accounts. The Know Your Customer (KYC) is a mandatory requirement issued by all licensing bodies. To complete the KYC process, casinos will ask you to submit copies of your ID, a utility bill stating your address, copies of bank cards you’ve used, and screenshots of bank statements or e-wallets. By sending in all these documents early, you ensure the casino has everything it needs to process your withdrawal.
- Use Fast Payment Methods: When a casino has approved and sent a withdrawal, the additional handling times are determined by the payment method you’ve used. E-wallets are your best option, as they typically process transactions in 24 hours or less. If you use bank cards or make a bank transfer, you may have to wait up to five banking days to receive your money.
Top Tip
Expert Advice
See our guide to KYC for more information on customer verification procedures at online casinos.
Learn More About Free Spins
Now that you have tips for playing with free spins, it’s time to put what you’ve learnt into practice. To help you get the most out of your free spins, we have compiled some helpful guides covering many aspects of choosing, using, and fully benefiting from free spins.
Check them out:
- How To Compare And Evaluate No Deposit Free Spins: We’ll guide you through the process of evaluating no deposit free spins. Learn how to compare wagering requirements, win limits, and eligible games to ensure you choose the best offers.
- How To Sign Up At A Casino And Claim A Bonus: Step-by-step instructions on registering at an online casino and claiming a bonus. We cover everything from creating an account, verifying your identity and making your first deposit to ensure a seamless start.
- Bonus Terms and Conditions: This guide clarifies typical bonus terms and conditions and terminology, such as wagering requirements, game restrictions, and time limits, allowing you to understand the fine print easily.
- No Deposit Free Spins Vs. No Deposit Bonuses: We compare no deposit free spins and no deposit bonuses, highlighting their differences and benefits. Find out which type of bonus best matches your preferences and playing style, and learn how to make the most of each offer.
- Introduction To Casino Bonuses – Basics And Different Types: Learn the basics of casino bonuses and the different types. You’ll also get a rundown of how each bonus works and what to look for.