Whether they’re part of a welcome bonus package, given as a regular promo, or a thank-you from the casino, free spins are a great opportunity to win – you can even win more free spins, increasing your chance of a cash prize! And many slots offer free spins as part of the prize when you get a winning combo on the reels.

There are usually some restrictions on how no wager free spins can be used, and we’ll take a look at these below. You’ll find a checklist at the end, to help you get the best deal possible from your bonus.

First, though, how do online casino free spins work?

Welcome package free spins

If the free spins come as part of a welcome bonus, you’ll usually find that they can only be used on certain games, and these may not include the big bonus slots like Mega Moolah. If you look at the Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) attached to the welcome package, they’ll list the games that you can play with the free spins.

If the welcome bonus is split over your first three deposits, it’s frequently the case that each deposit carries a certain number of free spins. No deposit free spins are available at many online sites but sites that pay cash from free spins generally require you to sign up and register, even if they don’t demand a deposit. And read on to find out about some of the other requirements.

Free spin bet amounts

Obviously, the amount you can win on no wager free spins, depends on the value that is assigned to the spins. You don’t have any control over this, and it varies a lot from one online casino to another. A typical site may be anything from 0.10 to 0.25 per spin.

Free spins casino bonus – do I keep the money?

We’ve looked at the way some sites restrict the games you can play with free spins. But perhaps the biggest restrictions are around what you can do with your winnings. For a start, most casinos insist you use any free or bonus spins within a certain time, otherwise you lose them. Offers are usually limited not just to one household but even to one computer or mobile device.

You can’t exchange the free spins, or any amount you win with them, for immediate cash because any free spins casino bonus will usually come with a wagering requirement.

Wagering requirements on free spins winnings

What this means is that you can’t withdraw any money that you win with your free spins, until you have wagered a certain amount more than the winnings. So for example, if you win £50 on free spins, you might have to wager 30X that amount before you can withdraw that £50.

Some casinos convert the winnings into a special kind of bonus. They award points on every win played with the free spins and then convert the points into a nominal cash amount. You then have to play through that cash amount multiplied by the wagering requirement, before you can withdraw any winnings.

These wagering requirements can also vary by game. Some games may contribute 100% to your wagering requirement, others may only contribute 10% or even zero, so again, it’s worth ploughing through those T&Cs to see what’s actually on offer.

How much can you win?

It’s widespread practice for online casinos to limit the amount you can win with no deposit free spins. This means that your chances of winning a life-changing amount this way are somewhat restricted! The limits vary from one site to another.

As we’ve seen, these free spins offers aren’t as generous as they sometimes appear at first sight – so it really pays to do your homework and grab yourself the best deal going.

Follow these tips to make the most of your bonus:

  1. Click on the T&Cs and look for the casino with the best range of games that can be played with the bonus.
  2. Check the wagering amount – how much is the amount wagered on each free spin worth?
  3. Look at the wagering requirement – 30x is average, 50x is high, over 50x don’t bother.
  4. Make sure you use your free spins within the time limit.
  5. Check the maximum amount you’re allowed to win with your no wager free spins.