Bonus Buy Slots

With Bonus Buy slots, you can buy your way into lucrative bonus rounds for an increased stake.

In this guide, our team of experts explains one of the newest features for online casino players in the United States — read on for all the details of Bonus Buy slots, including the best slots, where to find them and how to play!

What are Bonus Buy slots?

We know you love the bonus rounds on slot machines. We also know it can be time-consuming to spin your way into those rounds. Here, we’ll introduce Bonus Buy slots to you: A slot that lets you skip the base game and go directly to the bonus round!

For an increased betting stake, players can skip the hundreds of slots sometimes needed to enter the bonus rounds.

Remember: your best bet to hit big jackpots, multipliers and free spins come in the bonus rounds.

The basis of Bonus Buy slots are simple: You pay a price for the chance to win more money (and save time) due to the combination of features in these bonus rounds.

If you’re playing at a U.S. online casino to win big you don’t mind a higher betting stake and want to make the most of your time spinning the reels, then Bonus Buy slots are for you!

How does the Bonus Buy feature work?

On normal slot machines, you must land three or more scatter symbols to gain access to the bonus round. But on Bonus Buy slots, you’re in once you pay the additional wager–without needing those lucky spins.

Generally speaking, to identify a Bonus Buy slot, there is a button on the side of the game indicating it. Look for “Bonus Buy” or “Buy Pass” to continue. There, you’ll see the cost of the bonus round.

If you want to try your hand in the Bonus Buy round, simply place your bet and spin!

Latest games we played and recommend

Our team of experts, which has compiled a comprehensive review of all the best online casinos in the U.S., has looked at the best Bonus Buy slots for you to play:

• Medusa Megaways (NextGen)
• Pillars of Asgard (NextGen)
• 300 Shields Extreme (NextGen)
• Dead or Alive 2 (NetEnt)
• White Rabbit Megaways (Big Time Gaming)

Medusa Megaways

Medusa Megaways is one of multiple sequels to the classic Medusa slot, and this game has it all: Free spins, expanding reels, cascading wins, scatters, wilds and yes, a Bonus Buy.

This slot has over 100,000 ways to win and you can also raise the RTP by entering the bonus round. Also check out the Temptation feature, unique to Medusa Megaways, which allows you to replay the bonus round.

Pillars of Asgard

For the cost of 80x your wager, you’ll find yourself in the bonus round. While Pillars of Asgard is a high volatility game, when the scatters are all at work, you have up to a million win ways!

As you can see in the image to your right, you’ll see the option to buy a pass to the bonus round. If you’re placing $1 bets, it will cost you 80x, or $80.

300 Shields Extreme

Why protect yourself with one shield when you can have 300? This war-based slots favorite has a surprise that can let you bring home the bounty!

You can purchase a buy-in pass to the bonus round at 60x stake value. Compared to other bonus buy rates, this one is pretty low. 

You can play 300 Shields Extreme at these online casinos in the U.S.

Dead or Alive 2

After a decade, Dead or Alive 2 was the highly-anticipated sequel to the popular slot machine. Now, there is a Bonus Buy slot as another version.

In Dead or Alive 2, you can choose your level of volatility. There are three different free spins modes to choose from in this Wild West theme: Train Heist, Old Saloon and High Noon.

Choose the High Noon and your spins will come with a 15x multiplier, carrying the chance to win 100,000x your stake. But it’s also the most volatile round. Any way you spin, this new age, Bonus Buy version of an old classic has garnered strong reviews.

White Rabbit Megaways

As one of the original Megaways slots, White Rabbit is a fan favorite. It stands out for a number of reasons, including its high RTP and volatility, jackpot wins and the large multipliers it features.

Players will be entertained by the ‘Wonderland’ characters while they spin the reels looking for big wins.

In this slot, there are a whopping 248,832 ways to win.

Are Bonus Buy slots worth it?

There are obvious advantages to buying into a bonus. Bonuses are simply where you earn the most money.

If you don’t have much time and really want to get to the possibilities of a bonus round, you can buy your way in. Bear in mind that, with most games, you have no better odds by buying in than you do by landing on it naturally.

Popular games with a Bonus Buy option

• Rick and Morty Megaways (Blueprint Gaming)
• Money Train (Relax Gaming)
• White Rabbit Megaways (Big Time Gaming)
• Extra Chili Megaways (Big Time Gaming)
• 300 Shields Extreme (NextGen)
• Medusa Megaways (NextGen)
• Genie Jackpots Megaways (Blueprint Gaming)
• Money Train 2 (Relax Gaming)
• 1 Million Megaways BC (Iron Dog Studio)
• Dead or Alive 2 (NetEnt)
• Ramses’ Revenge (Relax Gaming)
• Rise of the Mountain King (NextGen Gaming)
• Pillars of Asgard (SG Digital)
• Buster Hammer Carnival (Reel Play)
• Ozzy Osbourne Video Slots (NetEnt)
• Cossacks: The Wild Hunt (Foxium)
• Riches of Midgard: Land and Expand (NetEnt)

How much does it cost to buy a slot bonus round?

Generally speaking, most Bonus Buy slots are different. The cost depends on the game, the RTP and how difficult it is to spin your way into the bonus round on the normal version.

• Did you know? NextGen is leading the industry in games with bonus buy options.

Buying a bonus round – Pros and Cons

There are obvious advantages to buying into a bonus. Bonuses are simply where you earn the most money.

If you don’t have much time and really want to get to the possibilities of a bonus round, you can buy your way in. Bear in mind that, with most games, you have no better odds by buying in than you do by landing on it naturally.

As far as the cons: Of course buying-in can be expensive, so you have to weigh that against the potential for a larger win. If you’re used to making $100 bets, a 100x buy-in will cost you $10,000. 

Buying a bonus round is also a bad practice for people struggling with gambling addiction. The bets are large, no matter how big your bankroll is. And if you start chasing losses, you’re probably going to end up in a bad situation. 

Tips on how to use the Bonus Buy round

1. You should manage buying into the bonus round just like any other bet from your bankroll

If you have $100 to spend per week on gambling, you might possibly spend that quicker with bonus buy. 

Of course, this is also the place where you could get a bigger win.

Be sure to take into account the fact that a bonus buy can burn through your bankroll faster. So if you’re looking to play for a longer period of time, it might not be a good move.

But if you only have a few minutes to play and you want to be sure you get a shot at a bonus round, it’s a good quick way to get a shot.

2. Calculate the likelihood of getting a bonus round naturally versus buying in

For games like Medusa, with a high 100x buy-in rate, you’re betting that you’d not get a bonus round within 100 rounds of play. 

So if you’re making $1 bets, you can either play 100 spins, calculate some wins along the way, and the likelihood of a bonus round. You have $100 of play and might bet a bonus round along the way.

Or you can pay $100 for that bonus round opportunity, but have no other wins along the way. 

Obviously, if there is a high likelihood of organic bonus rounds and a high buy-in cost, it’s best to avoid the bonus buy. 

3. Can you control your spending habits while playing at an online casino?

You want to enter a bonus round feeling confident and with the mindset that you’re there playing for fun.

This means not wagering more than you can afford, especially when you aren’t guaranteed a win just because you bought yourself into the bonus game. 

We encourage all our U.S. online casino players to play responsibly while having fun.

What are Feature Buy slots?

In Feature Buy slots, instead of paying more to play the bonus round, players can pay more for extra features or a better chance at earning a feature.

Feature Buy slots are designed two ways, with Ante-Bet features or Big Bet Features.

These features come in different ways: Some can provide a better chance at entering the bonus round; others provide an option where you can bet your bonus round for a chance to get free spins or a jackpot upgrade.

Keep in mind: By paying extra for a Feature Buy slot, it doesn’t guarantee that players will enter the bonus round. But, it potentially could, if players hit an extra feature or use an additional scatter category on the reels.

Which one is better: Bonus Buy or Feature Buy?

It mostly depends on player preference. If you like to play in bonus rounds and are more willing to risk a higher wager for a bigger payout, then Bonus Buys are likely up your alley.

However, Feature Buys tend to be cheaper to buy-in at.

Regardless, there are very limited Feature Buy slots available in the United States at the moment but with the increase in technology and audience, it would not be a surprise to see more added in the near future.

Are Bonus Buy slots legal in the U.S.?

Yes, it is safe and legal to play Bonus Buy slots in the U.S.

Many U.S. online casinos offer Bonus Buy slots and many of them offer multiple games. 

In the U.S., Golden Nugget, BetMGM and Borgata Online are a few sites that have a diverse variety of Bonus Buy games.

If you are a serious slots player, it might be worth it to look around at the online casinos we’ve reviewed to compare the variety and see which Bonus Buy games interest you the most. 

Here at AmericanCasinoGuide.com, we’ve only reviewed casinos that have been authorized by and licensed by their respective states. Currently, only five U.S. states allow online casino gambling: New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and Michigan. All of the casinos on our site are licensed by their respective states:

• New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
• Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
• West Virginia Lottery
• Delaware Gaming Enforcement
• Michigan Gaming Control Board

Online gambling has been legal in the U.S. since it was legalized in New Jersey in 2013. For more information on the legality of online gaming, check out each state’s page on regulations and legislation, listed above.

The Providers behind the best Bonus Buy Slots

There are multiple providers with Bonus Buy slots available to New Jersey online casinos. Here are a few of the biggest:

NextGen

NextGen is leading the pack when it comes to Bonus Buy slots. Their slots include:

• Medusa Megaways
• 300 Shields Extreme
• Rise of the Mountain King

Big Time Gaming

Big Time Gaming is another large-scale provider that has made waves in the Bonus Buy market. Among their slots:

• White Rabbit Megaways
• Extra Chilli Megaways

Relax Gaming

Relax Gaming has developed multiple Bonus Buy slots that are popular with players. Here are a few:

• Money Train 
• Money Train 2
• Ramses’ Revenge

As you’ll see, some of these bonus buy games are also Megaways. That means they give you over 117,000 ways to win. For a comprehensive guide on Megaways slots, click here.

Bonus Buy slots: Paying the price to play for bigger jackpots!

Bonus buy options can be a good way to jump into the action. If your bankroll allows, or if you just want to try your luck and get out, they can pay off. 

Your best bet in bonus buys is to find a game where the RTP increases, or you get other special options if you buy in. Otherwise, you run a risk of spending more on the buy-in than you would if you’d played the equivalent amount. 

You might also check and see how likely you are to get a natural buy-in by simply playing the game. At 100x the normal rate, buy-ins can eat up your bankroll fast!

So why do bonus buy-ins appeal to some kinds of slots players, there’s a good chance you’d do better by simply playing and taking the bonus rounds as they come.