Fact or Cap: Free Slots and Free Spins

Free spins are enormously popular—and with great reason! They’re among the first bonus features to have made their debut in slot games and they remain one of the most popular incentives for new and experienced players.

But what are free spins, exactly?

Well, they’re exactly what they sound like! They’re spins that you don’t have to pay for: chances to play free rounds and win real cash without having to use your credits. The terms and conditions do change between bonuses, even on the same site. However, the general idea remains the same: that you can receive a payout of money or credits, depending on the bonus, without having to put forward any of your own.

Whether you’re playing for cash or credits, free spins work in pretty much the same way: if a machine offers free spins, the round is activated by three or more scatter symbols appearing on the screen. We’ve rounded up a couple of examples of games with free spins that we think you’ll love.

Most importantly, they’ll convince you that free spins really are all they’re cracked up to be.

Have You Tried Fruit Zen?

If you haven’t, what are you waiting for!

Fruit Zen is one of those rare examples of a perfect slot game: old and new modes of development combining beautifully to create a truly spectacular title. And we shouldn’t be surprised: the entire set is a product of the incredibly popular developer, Betsoft Gaming.

The game’s based on traditional brick and mortar slot games, the ones we all know and love, but there’s a twist: it’s created with entirely 3D technology. This adds unparalleled visual interest and more incentive to play.

As far as the free spins go, the game follows the patterns that most slots do, at least when considering modern releases. You play to win, and free spins are one of the bonus options that happen when you hit it just right. However, instead of the usual scatter-method of triggering the free spins, it’s a little different: free spins are triggered by the slot logo, considered the “wild.”

When the wild appears on the screen, it covers the whole real and triggers the free spin. Free spin rounds happen for as long as the wild stays on the grid—and whenever it appears.

7 Sins, No More, No Less

The 7 Sins Slot by Play’n Go revolves around, you guessed it: the seven deadly sins. The sins include greed, gluttony, lust, sloth, wrath, and vanity, and are depicted by seven beautiful women engaging in these venial transgressions. 

It’s a fun game with compelling graphics that make it all the more interesting to play! Even with all the different types of slot games on the market today, we found that it stood head and shoulders above the rest—especially in terms of the great bonuses it offers.

Earning free spins on a 7 Sins Slot is simple enough: each beautiful woman is an icon accompanied by a golden statue. The statue acts as the scatter and activates the free spins. When three or more characters end up anywhere on the screen, free spins are activated—and they pay twice as much as the normal value of a win.

During the bonus round, only one sin shows and the center column is taken up by a large version of this icon.

The Ever-Popular Dracula

Dracula’s one of those games that’s stood the test of time. Developed and released by NetEnt, it remains forever popular—and holds a spot as one of our very favorite slots.

It’s not like the others: it’s based on a story, that of the famous vampire Count Dracula. The graphics reflect this and make it a perfect, spooky addition for the fall (or any season you want to pretend is Halloween time).

The count sits on an ornate throne by a typical five by five grid. As you spin, you’re looking for a combination: a stacked Dracula and unnamed lady. If you’re lucky enough to hit this combo, you’re in for a free spin.

Your Next Favorite: Dead or Alive II

Dead or Alive II has similar vibes to several of the games on our five top video game slots of all time list: and only misses out because it’s not adapted from a video game.

It is, however one of the most compelling slot sequels we’ve seen on the market. Dead or Alive is a perennial favorite and it’s no wonder that they decided to expand the series to include a sequel.

Released by NetEnt, the game’s reviews and ratings are impressive.

The theme is a nice touch: Dead or Alive II carries the same wild west theme as Dead or Alive, but with improvements in all regards. The aesthetics and tone of the game address some of the issues of the original.

Especially of note: the bonuses are wildly better. Instead of a maximum win of 12,000x stake, as it was with Dead or Alive, the new maximum win is 111,111x stake.

Slot sequels are wonderful opportunities to improve on a theme, not just vary it. Dead or Alive II not only shows that you can absolutely win big with free spins but exists as an example to all developers that sequels really can become as big as the originals.

Final Notes

While it’s clear that you can, in fact, use free spins to earn real cash, it’s important to remind you to always read the terms and conditions. This allows you to maximize your bonuses and your playtime all in one go—and keeps you safe while playing, too.