Online Slots with Free Spins

Free spins are a flagship bonus slot mechanic, enjoyed by players all over the globe, and Slotshake leans into this mechanic with over 800 titles, most of which carry a version of the bonus. In this guide, we want to walk you through the mechanics behind online slots free spins, the diversity of free spin trigger methods and how they’ll affect your gameplay, what’s the difference between in-game free spins and a free spins bonus, as well as list some of the titles worth checking out. By the end, we hope that you’ll have no trouble choosing slots with free spins bonuses that perfectly suit your needs.

What are online slots with free spins?

Free spins are a video slot mechanic that, when triggered, gifts the player several complimentary spin rounds, with no extra stake required. Slotshake has many titles that carry a version of this bonus, from classic 5-reelers to newer mega-ways slots. The popularity of the offer is a good reason to take your time to research how online slots free spins are triggered before jumping on the game, because you will very likely encounter it.

There are two definitions of the free spins term you’ll see: free spins as a bonus offer and free spins as a game mechanic. In-game free spins are a mechanic where certain symbols can activate several complimentary spins. Usually, the bonus is triggered by scatter symbols. Landing 3 or more scatters triggers the round, often with an attached multiplier. The free spins bonus offer, on the other hand, is a promotion offered by a casino that, when activated, gifts players free spins rounds on certain games.

Both offers pay you in real currency, but the way to trigger them is entirely different from each other. In this guide, we will mostly cover slots with free spins in-game, but we will still explain the mechanics behind the free spins bonus offer.

How free spins work in online slots

Activating the free spins feature usually requires landing 3+ instances of the same scatter symbol on the reel (activation patterns vary by game). Still, some online slots free spins will use coins or other special symbols to activate the bonus. When the bonus is triggered, the player receives a fixed number of spins. Common numbers are 8, 10,15 or 20, each free to play at your original stake. The money won through the free spins bonus round goes to your actual account balance, just like it would on any real money slots.

Free spins slot games most often include other in-game bonuses, and the rest of the game will play out differently for any slot. Some have multipliers stacking up each round, others might offer sticky or expanding wilds that replace regular symbols and either “stick” to their position or cover the entire reel, others use re-triggers, where fresh scatters can add another batch of spins mid-round. A lot of the time, bonuses combine, and you can get two or three active even during free spins rounds.

Popular free spins slots at Slotshake

Slotshake has a catalogue of 800+ games, with some of the high-rated slots with free spins from software providers like NetEnt, Play'n GO, Big Time Gaming and many others. If you want to start with some of the best free spins slots and be sure you’ll enjoy them, you can try out the free spins slot games listed in the table below – the games listed there are highly rated in the community and have been amongst the most-played titles across the globe for years.

All five games bring a different approach to the free spins mechanic, but all are equally entertaining, so choose whichever one suits you most. These games represent only a small part of the Slotshake catalogue, which means there are still plenty of games waiting for you if you ever feel like trying something new.

How to trigger free spins

Specific mechanics for triggering the feature, in most cases, will be tied to the scatter symbols, but will depend on the game you're playing. The activation is always random, but to get there, a few things will need to happen:

1. Choose a slot from Slotshake’s library and click on it.
2. Once in-game, find an information section, usually marked by an “i” symbol and look at its paytable.
3. Look at the symbols and their functions to see what triggers the bonus activation. Specifically look at what the icon for the symbol looks like and how many are needed.
4. Go back to the main game screen and set up your stake at a level comfortable for you.
5. Spin the reels manually or use the auto spin function and wait for the combination to activate the free spins bonus round.
6. Land the required number of scatter symbols anywhere on the grid. That will start the bonus round automatically, often with a short animation beforehand.

There is no way to influence the bonus activation. Only the random number generators decide the outcome of each spin. It is a game of luck, and while you may find patterns that allegedly help trigger the bonuses online, it is simply fiction, as the RNGs in the online slots free spins make it impossible for any pattern to form.

Free spins feature vs free spins no deposit offers

The free spins feature is the in-game bonus, activated by a special math mechanism inside the game’s random number generator, while the free spins no deposit offer is a marketing offer used by casinos to entice players to choose them to play slots online.

The in-slot version of free spins is only available in games that carry this specific bonus and follow strict activation mechanics. The bonus offer, on the other hand, can be used on certain games the casino allows, credited without a deposit, with a fixed number of spins. It doesn’t matter if the game itself has a free spins mechanic; the bonus from the casino will still be available for use at a limited stake rate.

Bonus offers like this most often carry wagering requirements, win caps, time limits and other limitations, stated in their terms and conditions. This means that your winnings will be limited to a certain amount, and to withdraw them, you will need to play through your winnings a certain number of times while the bonus offer is still active. Please make sure to read the fine print (T&Cs apply) on the bonus before using it.

RTP, volatility and what to expect

When choosing online slots free spins to play, the safest route is to choose the better RTP and Volatility levels. These terms are responsible for how often the round will pay and how big the payouts tend to be, but they are not indicators of how things will play out on a particular day. The figures indicated by RTP and Volatility come from an average, determined by millions of simulated spins on real money slots, so they describe the long-term potential of the slot, not one-session results.

RTP specifically determines a percentage of returns the player will get in the long run, so the 96% RTP means that for every dollar wagered, the player will win back 96 cents on average. The remaining 4% is what’s called the house edge. A single free spins round can win you way more than the estimated amount, or far less, depending on nothing but luck. The percentage only holds up on a bigger scale.

Volatility is also known as variance, and it describes the win frequency and size. Low volatility describes a play pattern with frequent small wins, while high volatility slots are the games that pay out rarely, but the wins are big. Volatility should be taken into consideration to gain better control of the bankroll.

Playing free spins slots on mobile

With Slotshake, you can play free spins slots on both mobile and desktop, with the entire catalogue of 800+ games available for play. In fact, many players prefer the mobile version, as it allows for freedom of movement and easy access from any place with a stable connection.

You do not need to download any app to play at Slotshake. Just log into the casino using the browser of your choice, and you will be able to start instant play in-browser just like you would on desktop. The website is available for both iOS and Android use. No mechanics get changed for the mobile version of the games, but some games have adaptable modes for vertical play, so games might look slightly different from what you’re used to.

Are free spins slots worth playing?

Free spins certainly can add value to your session by adding some value to your final win, at no additional cost. Paired with extra features, a free spins run might make your game more exciting and enjoyable. However, we can’t guarantee anything. After all, slots is a game of luck, and whether or not you win more with a certain feature is random. Free spins are worth playing for the pace they set for the game and the variety of exciting outcomes you can achieve.

However, it is important to remember that gambling can be addictive to some players. Our services are only for 19+ years old, and even then, this activity is not risk-free, so play responsibly. If you notice any problem gambling signs, we recommend reaching out to ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) and GameSense.