Pokies or video slots continue to be a major attraction at online casinos. While various themes, innovative formats, intuitive features, and wide betting limits are a few reasons video slots are popular, the rewarding bonus games make them an instant hit.
Unlike many other casino games, slots are fast-paced. Players can quickly place bets, spin the reels and win money. These are simple to understand, even for novice gamblers. This piece will help you understand the nuances of slot bonuses so you can make the most of your stakes.
What Is A Slot Bonus?
Top-rated software developers keep offering newer bonus games to make their slots stand apart from the rest. These can be mini-games, extra rounds, or multipliers to help the players increase their final payout.
Most slot bonuses are triggered by landing a specific combination of symbols. These could be the regular ones or special bonus symbols appearing during the base game.
Before betting real money on a slot, you can play the demo version to know how the bonus features are triggered. It will also help you understand the potential payout from the game. You can look up the casino bonus guide to find platforms offering the best pokie bonuses.
Types Of Bonus Games In Slots
Bonus games in slots are lucrative. But you shouldn’t forget that developers create bonuses to keep you engaged and prompt you to bet more in anticipation of higher returns. Understanding the different types of bonus games can help you know how they work and decide if they are worth your money. Here are the most common bonus games you may find in pokies.
Free Spins
Free Spins are a common bonus feature in almost all slot games. This bonus rewards players with a specific number of additional rounds for free. This feature is a win-win for you. If you hit a winning combination during free spins, you win the payout, but you have nothing to lose if you don’t land a winning combo on this round.
The scatter symbol triggers the free spins feature in most slots. In some slots, this bonus is a one-time thing. In others, these can be re-triggerable from within the initial free spins round. Read more about free spins bonuses and find the best deals.
Re-Spin Bonus
Similar to a free spin bonus, a re-spin feature allows players to enjoy additional spins for free at their existing bet. However, in a re-spin bonus, the triggering symbols stick to the reels during the bonus round. So, as more such symbols appear, they keep stacking up to get you extra wins.
Pick-Me Bonus
A pick-me bonus takes you to a different screen and allows you to choose one or more objects with a hidden prize. Picking those objects can win you an instant reward, depending on what the chosen object reveals. You can get multipliers or special symbols that boost your chances of landing a winning combination.
Jackpots
There can be different types of jackpots. In some games, special bonus symbols might trigger the game’s jackpot. Some other slots might have a local progressive jackpot, which keeps accumulating with a part of the bet each player makes on the slot.
In such games, there could be separate jackpot pools like a mini, minor, major, or mega jackpot. Sometimes, providers create a network progressive jackpot on a series of slots like Mega Moolah, and a player randomly cracks the jackpot prize.
Spin The Wheel Bonus
Some pokies offer a ‘Spin the wheel’ game to determine the prize. It is mainly an instant-win bonus that allows players to trigger the round, spin the wheel and instantly win the reward. However, some slots might offer the opportunity to spin the wheel multiple times to win more rewards.
Gamble Feature
Some slots allow you to gamble your entire win by picking a playing card. If the player makes the correct guess, they can multiply their wins further.
Different Slot Mechanics
Apart from the bonus features, slot mechanics play an important role in generating winning combinations for the player. These might operate in the base game or within the bonus features to enhance your wins. Let us understand the types of slot mechanics available in video slot games.
Reels Features
These features encompass various aspects such as symbols, paylines, bonus rounds, and special functionalities embedded within the spinning reels. Below we have described the base reel mechanics:
- Cascading Reels: The winning combinations disappear from the reels, and other symbols drop down to fill those reel locations. More winning combinations are thus created without adding more bets.
- Reel Modifiers: Some pokies have added graphical effects, where a game character sends modifiers to the reels to, say, explode the symbols, send a streak of lightning to add wild symbols, and so on, to create winning combinations.
Wild Symbols
These symbols possess the unique ability to substitute for other symbols on the reels, helping players form winning combinations more easily. Below we have listed the common wild features:
- Wild Multipliers: The regular wild symbols substitute for other symbols to complete winning combinations. In slots with wild multipliers, the wild symbols have a multiplier attached to them, which is applied to the final win in that spin.
- Sticky Wilds: Some wild symbols stick to the reels in successive spins to make more winning combinations.
- Stacked (Expanding) Wilds: When these wilds appear on the reels, they expand in the entire reel, leading to more wins.
- Exploding Wilds: Sometimes, the wild symbols can explode to reveal better winning opportunities.
- Moving Wilds: With each spin, the wild symbol keeps moving one reel at a time until it falls off at the last reel. The more time the symbol stays, the better the winning combinations they generate.
Tips On Making The Most Of Bonus Games In Slots
To maximize the fun and profitability of bonus games, it is important to understand strategic tips and approaches. Study the paytable well before playing a slot game to know how the features work, the special symbols, and the payout for each symbol.
If you are using a free spins bonus offered by the casino, read the detailed terms and conditions, including the wagering conditions of the online casino, before staking your money. Try a variety of slots with different bonus games to choose the best option for your needs.
Remember to practice slot games for free on the demo versions available before betting with real money. Don’t gamble funds beyond means, even if you find extensive jackpot offerings on bonus games. These tips will help you play responsibly and minimize risks.
Conclusion
Bonus games can undoubtedly be fascinating and rewarding. However, whether a bonus is good cannot be determined only by the amount it offers as a reward. Instead, it can be defined by the frequency of the trigger and the engagement it provides to players. While triggering a bonus can bring massive wins, it would be best to check out the demo game and study the paytable before betting on a slot game.
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