Buy Bonus Slots: Skip the Grind or Skip Your Bankroll?
The Buy Bonus feature lets you pay a fixed price — typically 100x your bet — to trigger free spins instantly. No more grinding 200+ base game spins waiting for 3 scatters. But that convenience comes at a price, and not just the obvious one. Here's what the math actually says.
We've reviewed 34 slots with Buy Bonus across 6 providers. Pragmatic Play dominates with 24 of 34 titles — they've made the feature a signature part of their design philosophy. Below: how the economics work, which slots offer the best value, and why regulators in some countries have banned it entirely.
How the Buy Bonus Actually Works
Every slot has a bonus trigger rate — the average number of base game spins needed to land enough scatters for free spins. In most high-volatility slots, this is between 150 and 300 spins. At €1 per spin, that's €150-300 spent on average before seeing a single bonus round.
The Buy Bonus bypasses this entirely. You pay a fixed multiple (usually 100x bet) and the game immediately starts free spins. The price is calibrated by the provider to approximate the average cost of reaching the bonus naturally, factoring in base game wins along the way.
Natural trigger: ~200 spins × €1 = €200 spent (with ~€60-80 in base game returns)
Buy Bonus: €100 flat (no base game returns)
The buy price looks cheaper, but you sacrifice all base game wins. The net cost difference is smaller than it appears. Providers set the price so the expected return per €1 spent is roughly equal either way — otherwise they'd be giving away value.
Buy Bonus Cost Tiers: Not All Are 100x
While 100x is the Pragmatic Play standard, costs vary significantly across providers and even within the same slot. Some games offer tiered options with different bonus conditions:
The cheapest option in our database. Extra Chilli by BTG lets you buy in at 50x, or gamble for more free spins within the bonus.
Some providers like Hacksaw Gaming and Nolimit City use 80x as their standard. Slightly cheaper entry, similar expected returns.
The most common price point. 19 of our 34 Buy Bonus slots use this exact cost. It's become the de facto industry standard.
Enhanced bonus with better starting conditions — higher multipliers, more spins, or guaranteed features. Extremely high-risk, high-reward.
Why the UK Banned Buy Bonus (And What It Means)
In 2019, the UK Gambling Commission banned the Buy Bonus feature across all licensed operators. The reasoning: instant-access bonus rounds bypass the natural pacing of base game spins, potentially accelerating spending patterns. A player can burn through €1,000 in 10 bonus buys in minutes, versus hours of base game play.
The ban is worth noting because it signals something about the feature's design: regulators specifically identified it as higher-risk than standard slot play. Whether you agree with the ban or not, it's a data point about how the feature changes player behaviour and spending velocity.
All 34 Buy Bonus Slots Compared
Sorted by RTP. Click any slot for the full review.
| Slot | Provider | RTP | Max Win | Buy Cost | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bass Splash | Pragmatic Play | 96.71% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Floating Dragon | Pragmatic Play | 96.71% | 5,000x | 80x bet | 2022 |
| Great Rhino Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.58% | 20,000x | 100x bet | 2020 |
| Hot Fiesta | Pragmatic Play | 96.56% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Madame Destiny Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.56% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Buffalo King Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.55% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| The Dog House Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.55% | 12,305x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Power of Thor Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.55% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| The Hand of Midas | Pragmatic Play | 96.54% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Gems Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.51% | 10,000x | 100x bet | 2020 |
| Cash Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.5% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Fruit Party | Pragmatic Play | 96.5% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2020 |
| Gates of Olympus | Pragmatic Play | 96.5% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Mysterious Egypt | Pragmatic Play | 96.5% | 5,533x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Starlight Princess | Pragmatic Play | 96.5% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Sugar Rush | Pragmatic Play | 96.5% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Sweet Bonanza | Pragmatic Play | 96.48% | 21,175x | 100x bet | 2019 |
| Barn Festival | Pragmatic Play | 96.45% | 20,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Lucky Lightning | Pragmatic Play | 96.45% | 10,100x | 100x bet | 2021 |
| Wanted Dead or a Wild | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.38% | 12,500x | 75x / 150x / 250x bet | 2021 |
| Chaos Crew | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.3% | 10,000x | 80x bet (Cranky) / 80x bet (Punky) | 2020 |
| Forgotten Island Megaways | Microgaming | 96.25% | 7,000x | 80x / 120x / 150x bet | 2021 |
| Le Bandit | Hacksaw Gaming | 96.25% | 20,000x | 100x or 500x bet | 2023 |
| Cleocatra | Pragmatic Play | 96.2% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Extra Chilli | Big Time Gaming | 96.15% | 20,000x | 50x bet | 2018 |
| Mental | NoLimit City | 96.09% | 66,666x | 80x / 500x bet | 2021 |
| Tombstone R.I.P. | NoLimit City | 96.08% | 300,000x | 77x / 500x / 3,000x bet | 2021 |
| Zeus vs Hades — Gods of War | Pragmatic Play | 96.07% | 15,225x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Big Bass Bonanza Megaways | Pragmatic Play | 96.07% | 4,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| Fire in the Hole | NoLimit City | 96.06% | 60,000x | 80x or 420x bet | 2021 |
| Excalibur Unleashed | Pragmatic Play | 96.05% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2023 |
| Kingdom of the Dead | Pragmatic Play | 96.05% | 5,000x | 100x bet | 2022 |
| San Quentin xWays | NoLimit City | 96.03% | 150,000x | 80x / 400x / 2,000x bet | 2021 |
| Gonzo's Quest Megaways | Red Tiger | 96% | 21,000x | 100x bet | 2020 |
What the Data Tells Us
- Pragmatic Play dominance: 24 of 34 slots (71%) are Pragmatic Play titles. They pioneered the 100x standard and have made it their signature feature.
- 100% high volatility. Every Buy Bonus slot is high-vol. The feature exists specifically because these slots concentrate most return value in the bonus round — buying in is the shortcut to where the money lives.
- Best value: Big Bass Splash at 96.71% RTP with 100x bet buy cost — the highest RTP in the Buy Bonus category.
- Highest ceiling: Tombstone R.I.P. at 300,000x max win. Mental by Nolimit City offers 66,666x — but its 500x premium buy costs 500 times your bet for a single round.
Bankroll Planning for Buy Bonus Sessions
Buy Bonus fundamentally changes session planning. Instead of budgeting for 200-300 spins, you're budgeting for a fixed number of bonus round purchases. Each one is an independent high-variance event.
With 3 purchases at high volatility, there's a meaningful probability that all 3 return below the buy cost. 5+ purchases gives you a more statistically representative sample of the bonus round's true return distribution.
Individual Reviews
Big Bass Splash
Big Bass Splash is a high-volatility fishing-themed slot by Pragmatic Play (Reel Kingdom) with a 96.71% RTP. It features 5 reels, 3 rows, 10 paylines, a Money Collect mechanic with fisherman collectors, and a maximum win of 5,000x your bet.
Floating Dragon
Floating Dragon is a high volatility Asian dragon-themed slot by Pragmatic Play with an RTP of 96.71%. It features a 5x3 grid with 10 paylines and a Hold and Win respin bonus with dragon-enhanced money symbols.
Great Rhino Megaways
Great Rhino Megaways is a high volatility African safari-themed Megaways slot by Pragmatic Play with an RTP of 96.58%. It features up to 200,704 ways to win with tumbling reels and an unlimited multiplier during free spins.
Hot Fiesta
Hot Fiesta is a high volatility Mexican fiesta-themed slot by Pragmatic Play with an RTP of 96.56%. It features a 5x3 grid with 25 paylines, a Hold and Win respin bonus, and fixed jackpots.
Madame Destiny Megaways
Madame Destiny Megaways is a high volatility fortune teller-themed Megaways slot by Pragmatic Play with an RTP of 96.56%. It features up to 200,704 ways to win with tumbling reels and multipliers during free spins.
Buffalo King Megaways
Buffalo King Megaways is a high volatility American prairie-themed Megaways slot by Pragmatic Play with an RTP of 96.55%. It features up to 200,704 ways to win with tumbling reels and an unlimited multiplier.
The Dog House Megaways
The Dog House Megaways is a high-volatility slot by Pragmatic Play with a 96.55% RTP. It features the Megaways engine with up to 117,649 ways to win, sticky multiplier Wilds in free spins, and a maximum win of 12,305x your bet.
Power of Thor Megaways
Power of Thor Megaways is a high volatility Norse mythology slot by Pragmatic Play with a 96.55% RTP and up to 117,649 Megaways. Released in 2022, it features tumbling reels, the Hammer Feature that transforms symbols, and Free Spins with an increasing multiplier for a maximum win of 5,000x.
The Hand of Midas
The Hand of Midas is a high volatility Greek mythology-themed slot by Pragmatic Play with an RTP of 96.54%. It features a 5x5 grid with scatter pays, tumbling reels, and random multipliers during free spins.
...and 25 more in the comparison table above.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Buy Bonus feature in slots?
The Buy Bonus (also called Feature Buy or Bonus Buy) lets you pay a fixed multiple of your bet — typically 100x — to skip the base game and trigger the free spins bonus round instantly. This eliminates the randomness of waiting 150-300+ spins for a natural bonus trigger. At €1 bet, a 100x buy costs €100.
Is buying the bonus worth it mathematically?
The buy price is calibrated to match or slightly exceed the average bonus round value, so mathematically it's roughly neutral. The RTP during bought bonuses is usually the same as the overall game RTP (around 96.36% across our reviewed slots). You save time but don't gain a mathematical edge. However, some jurisdictions like the UK have banned the feature, suggesting regulators consider it higher-risk for players.
Which slots have the cheapest Buy Bonus?
Among our reviewed slots, Extra Chilli offers the lowest buy-in at 50x bet (€50 at €1 stake). Hacksaw Gaming and Nolimit City typically use 80x. Most Pragmatic Play titles standardise at 100x. Some slots offer tiered options — Mental by Nolimit City has an 80x standard buy and a 500x premium buy for an enhanced bonus with better starting conditions.
Why is Buy Bonus banned in the UK?
The UK Gambling Commission banned Buy Bonus in 2019 as part of broader reforms. The concern: instant-access bonus rounds encourage faster spending and bypass the natural pacing that base game spins provide. A player can spend €1,000 across 10 bonus buys in minutes versus hours of normal play. The ban applies to all UKGC-licensed operators.
Do all Buy Bonus slots have high volatility?
Yes — all 34 Buy Bonus slots in our database are classified as high volatility. This is inherent to the design: Buy Bonus exists in slots where most value concentrates in the bonus round. A low-volatility slot distributes returns evenly across base game and bonus, making a buy feature unnecessary and economically unfeasible.
What is the highest max win among Buy Bonus slots?
Tombstone R.I.P. by NoLimit City holds the record at 300,000x max win. Sweet Bonanza follows at 21,175x and Great Rhino Megaways and Extra Chilli both offer 20,000x. The average max win across Buy Bonus slots is significantly higher than slots without the feature.