Free spins are a form of bonus where the player gets free rounds on a specified game or selection of games. The spins themselves cost nothing, but their winnings may carry their own wagering requirements and maximum withdrawal caps. That is why the number of spins alone says nothing about what an offer is worth.
Three different types
- Welcome-bonus spins — granted for a deposit, often alongside a cash bonus and split across several days.
- No-deposit spins — granted for registering or verifying an account, with no money paid in. There are usually fewer of them and their winnings carry the tightest payout limits.
- In-game free spins — not a promotion at all, but a feature of the slot itself, normally triggered by scatter symbols. These winnings are real money and no bonus term applies to them.
The first two are casino offers and come with bonus rules attached; the third is pure game mechanics. The same name therefore covers two quite different things.
Spin value matters more than spin count
The most important number in an offer is not how many spins there are, but the stake per spin. The casino fixes it in advance and the player cannot raise it. An illustrative comparison: 50 spins at €0.10 gives €5 of play value in total, while 20 spins at €0.50 gives €10 — half as many spins, twice the value. This is exactly why “100 free spins” without a stated spin stake is an empty number. The free spins value calculator puts two offers side by side in seconds.
Wagering on spin winnings
Winnings from promotional spins usually land in the bonus balance and a wagering requirement applies to them. An illustrative calculation: if the spins produce €8 in winnings and the terms set wagering at 40× the winnings, €8 × 40 = €320 must be staked before a withdrawal. The same multiplier calculated on bonus plus deposit would produce a far bigger figure, so always find what the multiplier is calculated on. Game weighting matters too: not every game clears the requirement at the same rate, and some do not count at all.
The max-cashout trap
The second common trap is the maximum cashout. Even once wagering is cleared, the bonus rule may allow a withdrawal only up to a fixed amount, with anything above it removed. That cap is often lowest on no-deposit spins, because the casino has taken no money from the player. Before starting, check which game the spins apply to, how long they stay active, and when the bonus expires — unused spins are lost once the deadline passes. In Estonia play is limited to those aged 21 and over, and the terms should be read on the MTA-licensed site before the spins are activated.
Find the best free-spin offers on our free spins page.
Related terms
See also: free spins, scatter symbol, wagering.
The expected value of spins: a calculation
Take 50 spins at €0.10 on a slot with a 96% RTP. The face value of the spins is 50 × €0.10 = €5, but the expected return is €5 × 0.96 = €4.80. You pay nothing for the spins, so €4.80 is the offer's value before any conditions. It is an average: the real result can be zero or several times higher.
Now add a requirement. If the spin winnings must be wagered 40× on the €4.80, the turnover is 40 × €4.80 = €192. The theoretical loss on that turnover is €192 × 4% = €7.68, which is more than the starting balance of €4.80. That is why many players do not manage to complete the requirement and less than €4.80 reaches a withdrawal. Do the same calculation for your own offer: €4.80 is a ceiling, not a promise.
Same game, different RTP
Some slots come in several RTP versions and the casino chooses one. A spins offer does not tell you which version your casino uses, so check the game's info or help page. Example: on a 94% version the same 50 × €0.10 spins have an expected value of €5 × 0.94 = €4.70, ten cents less than on the 96% version. Small on its own, but the same gap applies to the whole wagering turnover.
What to check before activating
- whether the spins are given at once or day by day and when they expire;
- whether the offer needs a code and which minimum deposit is required;
- in what order spins and cash bonus are used, and what happens if you request a withdrawal before wagering is complete;
- whether winnings are capped: you can estimate the effect of a withdrawal cap with the max cashout calculator.
Before playing with real stakes, you can watch the game's behaviour in a demo version: there is no demo with the promotional spins, but in the same game's demo you can see how often and how large the payouts are.
Spins without wagering, and responsible use
Some offers have no wagering at all, see the no-wagering bonus; even then check the maximum cash-out. The purpose of free spins is to bring in a deposit: do not deposit only for the spins and do not play just so they do not expire. The link between bonuses and withdrawals is set out on bonuses and withdrawals. If spins start to push you into playing, ask for help at the Gambling Addiction Counselling Centre. The general mechanics of slot games are explained by Wikipedia: Slot machine.
