Bonus Rounds in Online Slots: What Are They?
Bonus rounds in online slots are separate features within the game that offer players extra chances to win prizes. Besides the additional opportunity to win money, bonus rounds also add a new layer of excitement, which is especially true for bonus games that appear at random.
Usually, bonus rounds align with the game's underlying theme and visual style. However, thanks to the ever-growing offer of slots at online casinos, game providers are always looking for new ways to spice up the base game, bringing more exciting and visually striking bonus feature designs. Sometimes, the well-thought-out design means heftier rewards; other times, a pompous bonus feature is designed as an entertaining break from the main game. Either way, extra rounds in slots remain one of the most thrilling aspects of slot machine games and why some titles are more popular than others.
How Do Slot Bonus Rounds Work?
Slot bonus rounds are typically triggered by landing specific combinations or symbols, like scatters or bonus symbols. Once you hit that symbol combo or a number of specific symbols on the slot reels, the game usually transitions to a unique mode with distinctive features, including but not limited to free spins, mini-games, or pick-and-win options.
While in the bonus feature mode, players are instructed to collect additional prizes or multipliers. The length of the bonus round depends on the slot and can run anywhere from seconds to several minutes. Once completed, players return to the base game and start spinning anew.
How to Activate the Bonus Round Feature on Slot Machines
When it comes to bonus rounds, slot machines developers stick to tried and tested formulas. Here are the common methods to trigger bonus rounds:
- Scatter symbols. The king of bonus rounds, the scatter symbol, is the most common culprit for triggering bonus features. Most slot machine games require you to hit at least three scatters to launch a bonus round.
- Bonus symbols. Some providers spice things up by introducing separate bonus symbols that must land in a particular combination or sequence on the reels.
- Wild symbols. In some slot games, wild symbols can help trigger the bonus round by substituting for other symbols. Note, however, that wilds usually do not substitute for scatters.
- Achieving milestones. In some slot games, you may need to achieve specific milestones, such as filling up a meter or collecting certain items, to activate a bonus round.
- Random triggers. These are reserved for the most adventurous players; bonus games triggered at random don't follow any rules or require specific symbol combinations.
- Buy-a-Bonus feature. Also known as the Bonus Buy feature, these slots games give you the option to pay an additional fee to access the bonus round, in turn skipping regular triggering mechanisms.
If you need clarification on how the bonus game is triggered in a game, you can always consult a slot review or a slot's info sheet for more details.
How Many Scatter or Bonus Symbols Are Required?
There are thousands of slots out there, which makes it harder to give a definitive answer to how many scatter symbols you must land to enter a bonus round. Most slots with a scatter mechanic will ask you to land three scatter symbols to be granted a bonus game. However, this number may be higher in some slot titles.
Bonus Rounds That Appear at Random
If you're an adventurous player and don't mind a bit of mystery in your gameplay, random bonus features are meant for you. These mechanics don't rely on symbols or game progress; they appear randomly and may strike at any moment.
Although they might not be up everyone's alley, bonus games triggered at random are the ultimate thrill booster in slots.
Bonus Rounds That Recur
Bonus rounds that recur within a slot machine game are features that can be triggered anew while playing the bonus game. In other words, some slots will allow you to extend the bonus round by repeatedly meeting the initial requirement for a bonus game.
Here are a few types of recurring bonus rounds you might encounter:
- Free Spins
- Retriggering scatters
- Stacked Wilds or Expanding Wilds
- Cascading Reels™
- Various accumulation features
- Increasing multipliers
- Progression-based bonus rounds
If you're not clear about which bonus round mechanic is right for you, we advise you to try any slot in our database in demo mode first. Playing free slots with bonus rounds will give an overview of the slot's features before you start playing for real money.
Different Types of Bonus Round Slot Machines
We told you how you can trigger a bonus feature in slot machines; now let's some common types of bonus rounds:
- Free Spins. Undoubtedly the most common bonus feature, Free Spins award players a certain number of spins "on the house", during which they can win rewards without putting down their money.
- Pick and Win. This type of bonus round presents players with a selection of items or options to choose from. Each selection reveals a prize or multiplier, and players continue picking until they uncover a specific symbol that ends the round.
- Wheel of Fortune. Here, you get to spin a wheel or a similar device, which can yield cash prizes, multipliers, or other bonuses.
- Click and Win. In these games, you click on various, usually hidden objects or symbols on the screen to reveal prizes or multipliers.
- Multi-level bonus games. Some slots employ more elaborate bonus rounds with multiple levels or stages. You progress through these stages by completing particular objectives, like reaching milestones or achieving wins.
- Cascading Reels. With Cascading Reels, a feature invented by NetEnt in 2010, winning symbols disappear and are replaced by new ones, potentially leading to consecutive wins and increasing multipliers.
- Progressive Jackpots. Finally, the most sought-after bonus features are jackpots that may have random or specific conditions for triggering progressive jackpot bonus rounds.
Free Spins
The popularity of Free Spins bonus rounds never declines and for a good reason. Free Spins games are the most straightforward bonus feature, giving you a specific number of additional spins without asking you to bet your money.
No investment and a chance to win a chunk of cash; who would say no to some bonus spins on the house?
Note: Free Spins in online slots are not to be confused with Free Spins promotions; the latter is a casino bonus where you get a specific number of spins for eligible slot games. Free Spins bonuses often require a deposit, so strictly speaking, they are not free.
Jackpot Bonus
Naturally, jackpot bonuses are what most slot players are looking for. Jackpot bonuses work similarly to other bonus round features: you land a combo of symbols and are taken to the jackpot feature, where you are usually asked to hit a certain number of specific symbols.
The prizes in jackpot bonus features can rise to dizzying heights, often resulting in colossal, life-changing sums.
Best Slots with Bonus Rounds
Here are some of the best slots with bonus rounds, according to our experts:
Where to Play Real Money Slots with Bonus Games?
Finding a casino site to play slots with bonus rounds is easy with AskGamblers. Every online casino in our database offers slot games, so finding one should be easy.
Also, free slots with bonus games can be played directly on our website: you can take any game in our directory for a test drive in its corresponding slot review and see if it suits you.
Happy spinning!
