Discover the odds of winning with free spin bonuses at online casinos. Learn how free spins work and what your chances are of hitting a win on slot games.

Is It Possible to Win on Free Spins: The Experience of Players in Local Casinos

Free spins have often been offered in both land-based and online casinos to entice new players or encourage returns. The premise is simple: sign up to the casino and get free spins on registration with no deposit on one of the many slot machines on offer. However, the question of whether or not these spins ever result in a win is often raised.

We can examine whether the promise of free spins is just that or if taking home some winnings with these offers is also possible. Using a number of different examples, we can see just what the likelihood of actually winning anything is or if the free spins are just a way to entice players to start spending.

What Exactly Are Free Spins

Understanding free spins will help us understand their likelihood of winning and their purpose for the player and the casino. Usually, a casino, either online or brick-and-mortar, will entice players with the offer of a few free spins on several machines. This offer will commonly be given once the player has signed up to the casino, registered their details, and signed up for newsletters and promotions. It is often the case that a deposit will also have to be placed into the casino account, although this will not be spent on the free spins.

Players are sometimes required also to meet wagering requirements to be able to withdraw any winnings. This means that a certain amount of what has been won must be put back into the machine for further betting before money can be withdrawn from an account.

Factors in the Chances of Winning

When spinning any wheel in a casino, a number of key factors affect the chances of winning.

• Machine volatility: There are varying volatilities for each and every machine in a casino, be it online or land-based. High-volatility machines have much higher payouts, but they will hit those wins much less frequently. Low-volatility machines pay out often but with much smaller amounts. Recently, a lot of casinos and machines are advertising their volatilities online, so if you’re curious, look it up.
• Wagering requirements: When taking free spins, it is common that the player will have to wager a certain amount back into the machine before winnings can be withdrawn. When playing free spin slots, it is always best to check the wagering requirements and base expectations on this.

Max win limits: Although free spins can sometimes hit the jackpot, some casinos may impose a limit on how much can actually be withdrawn or won with a free spin win.

• RNG: Random Number Generators are used in many online casino slot machines, meaning there is never any guarantee of winning. However, according to this article, there are regulations around the security and legitimacy of these algorithms, which are safeguarded and kept secure.

The Experience of Players

Surveying a number of players who have used the free spins offered by casinos can give us a little insight into just what the chances of winning really are. Questions on wins, expectations of sign-up and wagers, time spent with the casino, and overall experience were asked to get a well-rounded and complete understanding of what playing with free spins bonuses are like.

Looking at the table, it is clear that a significant number of players came out with a small number of winnings. This is perhaps just as the game intends. Almost no large amounts were won by players, but large quantities don’t need to be won to entice players to continue playing the slots even after their free spins are up. With even a small amount in the bank, the likelihood of continued play is much higher, resulting in more spending and returning players.

However, this table shows that many players lost all their free spins. This is a cheap way to get people to visit the casino, but the chances of these players actually returning are significantly lower than those who won, even small amounts.

A fifth of players came up against challenges when trying to use their free spins. These challenges ranged in everything from high wager limits to complex payout maximum win limits and issues with customer support. The experience of this 20% will most likely steer these potential gamblers away from these casinos.

A Couple of Pointers for Winning With Free Spins

Depending on the casino and the parameters that must be adhered to, there are a few tips and tricks to improving the chances of winning with a free spin. Observing these simple pieces of advance could mean taking home a decent win, even using free spins.

High Volatility Over Low

Although the payout on a low-volatility machine occurs much more often, it is better to go with the high-volatility machines when using free slots. The payout will be significantly higher when it comes around, so take your chances on the high-payout, low-probability machines.

Wagering Requirements

Be aware of what the casino is really offering when they give out the free spins. At first glance, a handful of free spins may seem like a great deal, but when your winnings are locked behind a high wagering requirement, it is easy to start spending money you didn’t intend to in the first place. Make sure you read up on the wagering requirements before getting your hopes up about that pot you’ve amassed.

Set a Budget and Don’t Chase Losses

As with any kind of gambling, whether it is sports, cards, or slots, going in with a budget is essential to remaining safe and having fun. Never go outside of what you intended to spend initially. With free spins, this may be nothing at all. Remember to stick to this no matter how tempting the potential payout will be. It’s good to remember that the machines and casinos are designed to keep players playing.

Chasing losses is a quick way to end up on a slippery slope. If you have had a few losses, don’t get into the mindset of winning it back. Often, it is better to step away from the machine and accept the loss rather than spend more money trying to get it back.

Have Fun

As the campaign says, when the fun stops, stop. This is a key thing to remember when playing, especially with free spins. These free spin campaigns are intended to draw players in, whether they are new to casinos or returning players. Enjoy them if you have the budget and control, but as soon as it becomes taxing or stressful, step away.

So, Can You Win Big With Free Spins

On the whole, most people will not come away with pockets full of cash when playing the free slots. However, a very small selection of people do manage to meet the requirements, hit the maximum wagers, and come away with some cash. Like all gambling, it’s a game of chance.