Bonus buy features sound perfect. Skip the boring base game spins, pay 100x your bet, jump straight to free spins. Get the action immediately.
I spent three months and about $800 testing this theory across 30+ different bonus buy slots. Tracked every purchase, every result, every conversion rate. The data surprised me—some bonus buys are genuinely worth it. Most aren’t. Mister Green became my primary testing platform since they launched in 2007 with over 2,800 games including extensive bonus buy options from NetEnt, Play’n GO, and Big Time Gaming, plus 25 free spins no deposit for new players to test features risk-free.
The Math Everyone Ignores
Here’s what most players miss: bonus buy features don’t change the RTP. A 96% RTP slot stays 96% whether you spin naturally or buy the bonus.
What changes is variance compression. You’re forcing 200-300 spins worth of variance into one purchase. Sometimes that works in your favor. Often it doesn’t.
I tested buying bonuses at $1 (100x = $100 buy-in) versus playing base game at $0.50 for the same $100. Over 50 sessions each method, the bonus buy approach gave me 12 profitable sessions. The base game approach gave me 19 profitable sessions.
Same total money wagered. Different distribution of variance. The base game actually performed better.
When Bonus Buys Actually Make Sense
After extensive testing, I found three scenarios where bonus buys justify the cost:
High trigger frequency games. If a slot’s bonus normally triggers every 250+ spins, buying can make sense. You’re paying 100x to skip potentially 250+ dead spins. The time savings alone can justify it.
Consistent bonus value games. Some slots have bonuses that rarely bust completely. When checking how often features trigger versus their payout consistency—like researching gates of olympus 1000 bonus buys to understand the actual trigger rate and typical bonus returns—you can calculate whether the 100x cost aligns with realistic win expectations rather than promotional max wins.
Limited session time. If I only have 20 minutes to play, bonus buys let me experience 4-5 bonus rounds instead of maybe triggering one naturally. The entertainment value per minute increases.
Quick calculation: If a bonus typically pays 80-150x and triggers every 200 spins, buying at 100x is roughly fair value. If it pays 30-60x? You’re getting robbed.
The Bonus Buys I Avoid Completely
Some slots have terrible bonus buy value:
Super high volatility with bust potential. Games where bonuses can pay 5x or 5,000x with nothing in between. You’re gambling on gambling. The bonus buy just gives you faster access to losing money.
Slots with multiple bonus types. If a game has 3-4 different bonus features and you’re buying random access to one, the value tanks. You might buy 5 times and never hit the good bonus.
Anything under 95% RTP. If the base game RTP is 94% or lower, the bonus buy is guaranteed bad value over time.
I tested a popular slot with 94.2% RTP and bonus buy option. Bought 20 bonuses at $100 each. Total spent: $2,000. Total returned: $1,640. Lost $360 testing what the math already predicted low RTP stays low RTP.
Platform Differences Matter
Established casinos versus newer platforms handle bonus buys differently. When comparing new online casinos to long-running operators, I noticed newer platforms often feature more aggressive bonus buy slots in their lobbies since these games generate faster turnover, while established casinos tend to balance their offerings with traditional trigger mechanics alongside buy options.
Some newer platforms even offer “reduced price” bonus buys as promotions buy bonuses at 80x instead of 100x. That’s one of the few times bonus buying becomes mathematically +EV if the reduction is genuine.
My Current Approach
I buy bonuses in maybe 10% of my sessions now. Only when:
- I’ve tested the slot extensively and know the bonus averages 120x+ returns
- The base game trigger rate is terrible (250+ spins average)
- I have limited time and want concentrated action
- The slot’s RTP is 96.5% or higher
Everything else? I play base game. The slower pace actually helps my bankroll last longer, and I enjoy the anticipation of natural triggers.
The bonus buy feature isn’t inherently bad it’s just overused by players who don’t understand the math. Used selectively on the right games, it’s fine. Used constantly because you’re impatient? That’s how you burn through money 3x faster than necessary.