Bonus Rounds on Slot Machines - Everything You Need to Know

Software providers continue to make strides with emerging technology to produce more engaging and immersive games than ever before. The ‘Second Screen’ concept, which triggers hidden rounds different to the main reels, is why slot games with bonus rounds tend to be the hottest slot at any online casino.

In this slot bonus guide, I will explain all the different bonus games, what they are and how they work in a slot machine, how they can be triggered, and what they offer. This information will be useful no matter if you want to play real money or free slot machines with bonus rounds.

What Are the Bonus Rounds on Slot Machines?

An online slot usually comprises of two parts: the main game and the bonus round. These extra rounds have evolved to include multiple bonus features like free spins, Prize Picking bonuses, multipliers, Wilds, and re-spins offering players more entertaining gameplays.

Bonus features don’t always guarantee winning a prize, but they often offer a much higher chance of winning than the base game. Bonus games also tend to have much bigger prizes up for grabs, including the possibility of winning a jackpot.

How Do Slot Machine Bonus Rounds Work?

With most modern slots, the bonus rounds work by playing an animation to signify the start of a round that is separate to the main game. The slot machine’s bonus round will work in a similar way to the mechanics of the base game, meaning you’ll be required to spin the reels.

It’s good to keep in mind that there will be specific rules for the game you’ve chosen to play. I recommend thoroughly reading the information table before playing so you’re able to get a good understanding on how the bonus round is triggered, how you play, and what symbols to expect.   

How to Activate the Bonus Round Feature?

A slot machine’s bonus round is typically triggered from the main game through a particular combination of symbols. Other common ways involve completing a progress bar or having the bonus game randomly activate.

The points below go into more detail on the top ways to start a bonus round:

• Scatter symbols: Scatters are special symbols that often activate slot machine bonus rounds when three or more appear on the reels. They’re called scatters because, unlike regular symbols, they don’t need to land on a payline to activate the feature. However, depending on the game’s rules, they might need to land on specific reels to trigger it.
• Bonus symbols: Bonus symbols are similar to scatters but often trigger a different bonus. They also need to appear in a specific combination to award the bonus. In an online slot with multiple bonus rounds, there might be a bonus symbol for each one.
• Wild symbols: Depending on the game’s rules, wilds can also trigger a bonus feature when landing in a particular combination. Wild symbols also help you create more winning lines by substituting regular symbols whenever a winning combination can be made.
• Random bonus rounds: Bonus games can also be triggered randomly on any spin during the base game. In this case, no bonus symbols are required to activate it.

The Best Slots with Bonus Rounds You Can Play at Betiton

Are you looking for the best online slot machines with bonus rounds? Check out the top five slots with great slot bonus games, all of which can be played at Betiton Online Casino.

🎰 Slot Game	🖥️ Provider	💯 RTP
👉 Gonzo’s Quest Megaways	Red Tiger	96.00%
👉 Fluffy Favourites Remastered	Eyecon	95.00%
👉 Immortal Romance	Microgaming	96.86%
👉 Fire and Roses Joker	Triple Edge Studios (Microgaming)	96.01%
👉 Castle Fire	Pragmatic Play	96.01%

Types of Bonus Rounds

Besides differences in how a bonus round can be triggered or activated, it’s also good to be aware that there are many types of bonus features that you can find in slot games. The most common are the Free Spins and picking bonus games, but there are also the following types.

Arcade Game

Arcade games are some of the most fun bonus rounds on slot machines. These bonus games offer another game within the game, played on a different screen and often with entirely different visuals and sound effects.

These bonus games can also be called mini-games, and they’re sometimes small slot machines within the game. For example, the bonus might be a three-reel, one-payline slot. It can also come in the form of an arcade game, like a shooting game, with different prizes that can be won.

Like any other bonus features, arcade or mini-games don’t require any skills, but they’re always exciting to play because they’re detailed, themed, and usually offer multiple rounds.

Cascades Game

Online slots with cascading reels are always popular amongst players because they’re the only slots with a game mechanic that makes multiple wins on one spin possible. Whenever a winning combination is triggered on games with this bonus feature, the symbols disappear, and new ones replace them.

Another winning combination might be triggered when the new symbols land, although it doesn’t always happen that way. In some slots, this feature is activated automatically whenever a win occurs, while in others, it might only be available during a Free Spins bonus round, which uses a different reel set.

Free For All

As they’re often referred to, Free For All or Free Spins are the most common casino slot games bonus rounds. A Free Spin is a spin that gives you a chance to trigger a win without paying to spin the reels. Players love this bonus feature because it’s the only way to spin the reels without placing a bet. The best part is, of course, that any wins triggered are yours to keep.

The number of Free Spins you can get in casino slot games with bonus rounds differs for every slot game and usually depends on how many scatters activate the bonus. It might also be possible to win more Free Spins during the bonus if the right symbol combination appears.

Pick a Box

If you want to play slot games with bonus rounds that are even more fun than Free Spins, the Pick a Box bonus round is always entertaining for players. A new screen filled with many boxes will appear instead of the reels when triggered.

Most bonus games of this type give you three picks or require you to keep choosing boxes until you reveal three symbols of the same kind. The rules always vary from one online slot to another, but what’s certain is that you’ll always win a prize in this type of bonus, even if it’s a small one.

Pick’Em

The Pick’Em slot machines bonus rounds are similar to the Pick a Box type, but they offer even more variety. The concept is largely the same; you either get a fixed number of picks, or you’re supposed to reveal symbols until you match three. It might also be possible to win more picks when revealing certain symbols.

Instead of boxes, slot machines with bonus rounds of this type usually use symbols that match the theme. This could be anything from game characters to gems, gift boxes, envelopes, and much more.

Sliders Bonus

A sliders bonus is uncommon in slot machines games with bonus rounds. It combines Free Spins and cascading reels bonus features because the cascading feature is activated during a Free Spin.

This means that the main game uses regular reels with fixed paylines or a number of active winning ways. If the Free Spins bonus is activated in the game, the bonus is played on special reels with the cascade feature, creating a bigger chance to hit a winning combo.

Wild Bonus

Wilds are special symbols in nearly all casino slot machines with bonus rounds and come in many types. They’re often present in the base game, but their bonus features are activated when they form part of a winning combination by substituting a regular symbol.

Besides regular wilds, there are expanding wilds, which expand to cover an entire reel when participating in a win or stacked wilds, which appear on top of each other to increase the chances of forming a winning line. Some wilds also have attached multipliers, which means that if they’re part of a win, the total win will be multiplied by that number.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions About Slot Machine Bonus Rounds