As a Senior Slot Reviewer at thezombiunicorn.com, I've spent countless hours testing games at US social and sweepstakes casinos. The ability to directly buy into a slot's bonus round is a game-changer, offering immediate access to the most exciting part of the gameplay. In this guide, I'll walk you through everything you need to know about casino games where you can buy the bonus, focusing on how this feature works at sweepstakes casinos like Wow Vegas, Stake.us, and others.
Casino Games Where You Can Buy Bonus: An Overview
The "buy bonus" feature, often called "Bonus Buy," "Feature Buy," or "Bonus Bet," allows players to skip the base game and directly trigger a slot's main bonus round. This is typically a free spins round, but it can also be a hold-and-win feature, a pick-em game, or a wheel spin. For players who enjoy high-volatility slots and crave the thrill of the bonus, this option is incredibly appealing.
At US social and sweepstakes casinos, you're interacting with a dual-currency system: Gold Coins (GC) for free-play fun, and Sweeps Coins (SC) which are obtained free and can be redeemed for cash prizes. When you buy a bonus, you'll be using either GC or SC, depending on your play mode. There are no "deposits" in the real-money sense; you acquire GC for free or as part of a package purchase, and SC are always free with no purchase necessary for entry into sweepstakes.
How Does the Buy-Bonus Button Work?
The "buy bonus" button is usually prominently displayed on the game screen, often to the side of the main spin button or within the game's menu. When you click it, a pop-up will typically appear, informing you of the cost to trigger the bonus round. You'll then confirm your purchase, and the game will immediately launch into the bonus feature.
The purchase is deducted from your current GC or SC balance. Once the bonus round concludes, you're returned to the base game, and any winnings from the bonus are added to your balance. It's a straightforward process designed for instant action.
What is the Typical Buy Cost?
In my experience, the typical cost to buy a bonus ranges from 50x to 100x your current stake. So, if your stake is 100 GC or 1 SC, a 100x bonus buy would cost 10,000 GC or 100 SC respectively. Some games, particularly highly volatile ones with massive potential, can have bonus buy costs as high as 200x, 300x, or even 500x your stake. It's crucial to check the specific cost before confirming your purchase, as it can vary significantly between titles and providers.
Remember, this cost is paid in either Gold Coins for fun play or Sweeps Coins if you're playing in SC mode. You're not making a "real money deposit" to buy the bonus; you're using the virtual currency you've accumulated.
Which Providers and Titles Offer Bonus Buy?
Many top-tier slot providers have embraced the bonus buy feature. Here are some of the most popular and prominent ones, along with iconic titles:
- Pragmatic Play: A leading provider known for its extensive range of bonus buy slots.
- Sweet Bonanza: A vibrant, cluster-pays slot famous for its Tumble feature and multipliers in the free spins. The bonus buy here typically costs 100x your stake.
- The Dog House Megaways: Offers two free spins options, both accessible via bonus buy.
- Gates of Olympus: Another popular choice with cascading reels and multipliers that can significantly boost wins in the free spins.
- Relax Gaming: Renowned for high-volatility, feature-rich slots.
- Wanted Dead or a Wild: A hugely popular title with three distinct bonus features, each available for purchase at varying costs (typically 80x, 200x, and 400x your stake for the respective features).
- Money Train 3: The latest in the iconic series, known for its incredible Hold & Win bonus round, which can be bought for 100x your stake.
- Nolimit City: Masters of extreme volatility and unique mechanics.
- Tombstone R.I.P.: Known for its incredibly high volatility and multiple bonus buy options, including "Enhanced Free Spins" (70x) and "Hang 'em High Free Spins" (3000x for a super bonus - buyer beware!).
- San Quentin xWays: Offers "Lockdown Spins" and "Maximum Security Free Spins" as bonus buy options, with costs reflecting their massive potential.
- Blueprint Gaming: Often features bonus buys, especially in their Megaways titles.
- Fishin' Frenzy: While the original didn't have a bonus buy, many Megaways and sequel versions do, allowing direct access to the free spins where the fisherman collects fish prizes.
- Evoplay: Offers a range of innovative slots, many with bonus buy options.
- BGaming: Known for engaging slots with bonus buy features.
- NetEnt: While historically less focused on bonus buys, some newer titles or collaborations may feature them.
- Play'n GO: Another major provider, though their bonus buy offerings can be more sporadic. For instance, their "Book of" series, like Book of Dead, typically does not have a direct bonus buy option in its standard form, but some regional variants or newer titles might. It's always best to check the specific game's features. The original Book of Ra by Novomatic does not typically feature a bonus buy, but there are many "Book of" clones by other providers that do.
Does Buying the Bonus Impact RTP?
This is a common and important question. In most cases, buying the bonus feature slightly increases the game's Return to Player (RTP) percentage. Slot providers often design their games so that the bonus buy option offers a marginally better theoretical return compared to playing the base game and waiting for the bonus to trigger naturally.
For example, a game might have a base game RTP of 96.00%, but when you buy the bonus, the RTP for that specific session might be 96.50% or even 97.00%. This small increase is a way to incentivize players to use the feature. However, it's crucial to remember that RTP is a long-term theoretical average, and individual sessions can (and often will) vary wildly. A higher RTP doesn't guarantee a win, especially in highly volatile games.
Which US Sweeps Casinos Can You Play Them At?
The bonus buy feature is widely available at many top US social and sweepstakes casinos. These platforms offer a vast selection of games from the providers mentioned above, allowing you to use Gold Coins for fun or Sweeps Coins redeemable for cash prizes. Here's where you can find them:
- Wow Vegas: Known for a massive library of slots from providers like Pragmatic Play and Relax Gaming, offering numerous bonus buy options. You can play with GC for fun or SC for a chance at prizes.
- Stake.us: Features an extensive collection, including many Nolimit City and Pragmatic Play titles with bonus buy functionality. Play with GC or SC.
- Spree: A newer platform quickly gaining popularity, offering games that include bonus buy features from various providers. Available with GC and SC.
- Funrize: Provides a good selection of slots, some of which include the bonus buy option. Play in GC or SC mode.
- Rolla: Offers a growing selection of games, including those with bonus buy features.
- NoLimitCoins: Features a range of slots, and you'll find bonus buy options among them.
- TaoFortune: Another sweepstakes casino where you can enjoy bonus buy slots.
- Fortune Coins: Offers a mix of in-house games and third-party slots, some with bonus buy.
- Pulsz: A popular choice with a large game library that includes many bonus buy slots from top providers.
- McLuck: Features a strong selection of games, including many with bonus buy options.
Remember, at all these sweepstakes casinos, you're playing with virtual currencies. You can get Gold Coins for free or purchase them in packages (which often come with free Sweeps Coins). Sweeps Coins are always obtained for free, either as a bonus with GC package purchases, through daily login bonuses, mail-in requests, or social media contests. There are no "real money deposits" or "wagering requirements" in the traditional sense; SC typically only requires a 1x playthrough before they can be redeemed for cash prizes.
FAQ-Style Recap
- What is a bonus buy feature? It allows you to instantly trigger a slot's main bonus round (e.g., free spins) by paying a set cost, typically in Gold Coins (GC) or Sweeps Coins (SC) at sweepstakes casinos.
- How much does it cost? Usually 50x to 100x your stake, but can be higher for very volatile games. Always check the specific game's cost.
- Which games offer it? Many popular titles from Pragmatic Play (Sweet Bonanza), Relax Gaming (Wanted Dead or a Wild), Nolimit City (Tombstone R.I.P.), and others.
- Does it affect RTP? Yes, often slightly increases the theoretical Return to Player (RTP) compared to waiting for the bonus organically.
- Where can I play bonus buy slots in the US? At sweepstakes casinos like Wow Vegas, Stake.us, Spree, Funrize, Pulsz, McLuck, and many others, using GC for fun or SC for prize redemption.
- Do I use real money? No, you use virtual currencies: Gold Coins for free play or Sweeps Coins, which are obtained free and can be redeemed for cash prizes. There are no "deposits" or "wagering requirements" in the traditional sense.
