Free Money or Free Spins? Differences Explained

Bonuses for patrons of online casinos can come in a number of varieties. In this article, we are going to take a look at two common bonuses offered by online casinos - free money, and free spins.

Free Money

When new players take advantage of a first deposit bonus (or existing players avail themselves of a reload bonus) the online casino matches your deposit at a certain percentage. The most common match is 100%. So this means, you deposit $100 and immediately have $200 in your account. Sounds too good to be true? Well, it's not, but there are stipulations. The online casino requires a specific amount of "roll over" (or "wagering requirements") before you are allowed to cash out the money. So, for example, a casino might have a 30x roll over attached to both the deposit and the bonus. This means that in order to cash out, you need to wager 30 x $200 or $6000.

Why Have Wagering Requirements At All?
We all know free money is never free - and casino bonuses are no different. The casino needs to cover itself, and whilst offering this free money, is also gambling - that over a long period of time, the house edge will catch up to the player. On the other hand, if you are going to be gambling anyway, then a deposit bonus is a great way to not only stretch out your playing time and give you more chances to win, but also position yourself for a big cash out. Doubling your bankroll right away, can allow you to make larger bets than you would otherwise be able to make. If you happen to hit a big jackpot spin when making these larger bets, then your boosted winnings will make it easy to bet enough to clear your deposit bonus.

It is also important to understand that sometimes certain games are not counted towards clearing the free money of your match deposit, or counted at a discounted rate. Often times, table games, which have a lower house edge than slots, count for only a fraction of your play. Usually slots count at 100%, so if you are trying to clear a bonus, that is the quickest way to do so.

Why Play with a Match Bonus Instead of Free Spins?

This is easy - because you have more options! Generally speaking, you will get to choose from a library of games to play, whereas Free Spins are only playable for one single game.

Additionally, you get to choose your bet size, whereas on Free Spins this is often pre-configured for you.

Lastly, you get longer play time; to play out your requirements, you get to select different games and find one that you really love - with Free Spins, your play time doesn't last quite as long, and if you're not a huge fan of the game, you're not having as much fun - and let's face it - fun is why we all gamble!

Free Spins

Free Spins are offered by many online casinos (including SlotsandCasino), sometimes to reward loyal customers, or alternatively as part of a deposit bonus.

As the name indicates, a free spin promotion allows you to play a slot machine a certain number of times. Each spin is free, it costs you nothing, but you have the possibility of winning. Sometimes the winnings are treated as straight cash, and other times you need to clear them like you would a bonus, by wagering a certain amount of your winnings from the free spins.

So, Why Play with Free Spins Instead of a Match Bonus?

The great thing about free spins, is not only are they free money from the casino, they also afford you an opportunity to test out a new slot - one you may not be so sure you want to spend your hard earned money on. Think of it as a free trial, for slots! But with this free trial, not only do you get to play - you get to win, without risking any of your own cash!



Match Bonuses and Free Spins both have their pros and cons - it all depends on how you want to play, and how you enjoy spending your time logged into the casino. Perhaps you're a recreational player, looking for those match bonuses to offer you longer playthrough and more "chances" to win. Or, perhaps you're someone who wants to get in, and get out, without risking any of your own cash. Either way, there's always something for you here, at SlotsandCasino!