A pick bonus is a bonus round where the screen shows a set of hidden items, such as boxes, doors or cards, and you pick them one at a time to reveal prizes. The round ends after a set number of picks, or when you uncover an item that ends it.
What a pick bonus is
Pick bonuses, sometimes called pick-and-click or pick-me features, are one of the oldest video slot bonus types. They step away from the reels for a moment and give you something to choose. Prizes are usually cash amounts shown as multiples of the stake, but can also be multipliers, extra picks, a number of free spins, or a jackpot.
The choice is real in the sense that you click, but it is not a skill. In most games the result of each pick is determined at random, and every item carries the same average value.
How it works, step by step
- You trigger the bonus in the base game, often with three or more bonus symbols.
- A new screen shows a grid of hidden items.
- You pick one. It reveals a prize, which is added to a running total, or an instruction such as "pick again" or "collect".
- You keep picking until you hit the end condition or use up your picks.
- The total is paid at the stake of the triggering spin.
Common variations
- Pick until collect: keep going until you reveal a collect symbol.
- Match three: pick until you find three of a kind; that prize is awarded. Often used for fixed jackpots.
- Feature pick: choose which version of a free spins round you get, trading spins against multipliers.
- Trail or ladder picks: each pick moves you along a trail of prizes.
- Wheel combinations: the pick decides which wheel bonus you spin.
What it does to the maths and the feel
A pick bonus's average value is built into the game's RTP like any other feature. Because each item has the same expected value, the order you pick in, or which corner of the screen you favour, makes no difference over time. Some games pre-select the outcome when the bonus triggers and simply reveal it as you pick; either way, the average is the same.
Pick bonuses with a modest range of prizes tend to pay steadily and suit lower volatility games. Those that include a rare large prize or a jackpot widen the spread of results.
Rules in Great Britain
Pick bonuses are available on GB-licensed sites. They are part of the game cycle that triggered them, with no further stake. The game design rules apply, including the requirement to show net position and time played, and the usual stake limits apply to the triggering spin.
Questions people ask
Does it matter which item I pick?
For the expected result, no. In most games the prizes are decided by the random number generator, and every choice has the same average value.
Why do some games show what I missed?
It is presentation. Showing the unpicked prizes can make a choice feel significant, but it does not tell you anything useful about future rounds.
How long does a pick bonus last?
Until the rule says it ends: after a set number of picks, or when you reveal a 'collect' or 'end' item.