Free spins

Free spins are a bonus round in which a slot plays a set number of spins without taking a further stake. They are usually triggered by landing three or more scatter symbols, and they often add features such as multipliers, sticky wilds or extra symbols that the base game does not have.

What free spins are

Free spins are the most common bonus feature in online slots. The spins are "free" only in the sense that the stake for them is already covered by the spin that triggered them; their value is built into the game's maths. During the round, wins are usually paid at the stake of the triggering spin.

The term is also used for casino promotions, where an operator gives you spins on a game. Those are a separate thing with their own terms, covered under bonus rules.

How it works, step by step

1. In the base game, you land the trigger, typically three or more scatters anywhere on the reels.
2. The game awards a number of free spins. Some games give more for more scatters.
3. The round may begin with a choice or a random pick of a special feature, such as a symbol that will expand.
4. The free spins play one after another at the triggering stake. No further stake is taken.
5. Landing more scatters during the round may award extra spins, a retrigger.
6. When the spins run out, the round's total win is shown and added to your balance.

Common variations

• Free spins with multipliers: a fixed multiplier on all wins, or one that rises during the round.
• Sticky or expanding features: wilds that stay, or expanding symbols.
• Symbol upgrades: low symbols removed or upgraded as the round goes on, see symbol upgrades.
• Choose your free spins: a menu trading the number of spins against the size of the multiplier. Fewer spins with a bigger multiplier is more volatile; the expected value is usually similar.
• Tiered bonuses: collecting during free spins unlocks a better round.

What it does to the maths and the feel

In many slots, a large share of the total return comes from free spins. That means the base game pays back noticeably less than the headline RTP while you wait, and the bonus makes up the difference when it arrives. The longer the average wait and the bigger the average bonus, the higher the volatility.

Two points follow. First, a bonus is never "due"; each spin has the same chance of triggering it regardless of how long it has been. Second, an individual round can pay less than the stakes spent waiting for it, or much more. The volatility simulator shows how wide that range can be.

Rules in Great Britain

Free spins features are available on GB-licensed sites, but bonus buys, which let players pay to skip straight to them in other markets, are not offered on GB-licensed sites. Autoplay is banned on GB-licensed online slots under the game design rules; the spins inside a triggered free spins round are part of the feature, not autoplay. Casino free spins promotions in Great Britain have had wagering requirements capped at 10x since 19 January 2026, and mixed-product offers, such as betting on sport to get casino spins, have been banned from the same date.