Understanding the difference between no deposit free spins and no deposit bonuses. Choose which no deposit bonus suits you best. Play slots with no deposit bonuses and boost your bankroll.
While welcome bonuses are common, some online casinos now go the extra mile by offering new members a no deposit bonus. The no deposit bonus is a great way to attract the attention of potential new members. No deposit bonuses are fairly simple – you sign up and get a bonus without having to make a deposit. However, there is one question that many new and experienced players cannot seem to wrap their heads around and that is – No Deposit Free Spins Vs. No Deposit Bonuses – which is better?
If you are confused and are not sure what to base your decision on, you’ve landed at the right place. We are going to address this question and the pros and cons of no deposit bonuses right here. But before we get into the nitty gritties, there is a lot of value in going back to the basics and reiterating what a no deposit bonus is and some of the terms and conditions that drive the real-world value of such offers.
There can be various different types of no deposit bonuses, but they are all classified under the ‘no deposit’ umbrella simply for one underlying reason – they don’t require a deposit to be claimed. Typically, such an offer is targeted at new members. As far as the casino is concerned, the no deposit bonus helps increase the conversion rate of guest visitors to registered members. It does this by offering a bonus that can be unlocked by the visitor for just opening / registering an account at the casino. The player needn’t spend even a single cent in order to receive the offer and therefore it is 100% free.
As far as the players are concerned, the no deposit bonus is a zero-risk proposition and there is simply no good reason to say no to it. As a player, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain when you claim a no deposit bonus. You simply create an account and you get an instant reward that can be used to get a first hand feel for the casino and certain games without investing in it. If you like the experience, you can go ahead and invest your time and money to continue playing with the casino.
The no deposit bonus is basically like a free trial subscription and it even offers you a chance to winning real money (subject to certain terms and conditions). The two main terms and conditions that come into play are the wagering requirements and the maximum cashout limit. These essentially stipulate when and how much of your winnings can cash out.
Effectively, these terms and conditions prevent the casinos from going under as a result of players going to town with the bonuses. When evaluating which type of no deposit bonus is better, it is essential to understand the terms and conditions we just mentioned.
There are two primary types of no deposit bonuses – no deposit free spins and no deposit (cash) or free chip bonus. Both types are offered to new members, they do not require a deposit and both can pay cashable dividends. While these are the similarities, there are some subtle differences too. Let’s take a closer look at each type.
Slots are undoubtedly any online casino’s biggest attraction, which is why casinos offer free spins bonuses. So, what are free spins and what can you do with them? In a word, the term 'free spin' explains the concept well.
When you play a slot machine, you're spinning the reels. The symbols line up in different configurations each time you spin the reel, and if the combination you land matches any winning arrangement, you win a set amount of money for that spin. You must also spend a set amount of money for each spin in order to win real money, which is referred to as the stake. Let’s consider an example, say you set the stake value of a spin to $10 and then spin the reels. The $10 is debited from your account balance, and the reels begin spinning. In other words, the spin cost you $10, and you placed $10 on the line in exchange for a chance to win a larger sum of money. You're willing to chance losing $10, but if you had a free spin, you wouldn't risk anything at all.
Now if you had free spins, you could use them to spin the reels of the slot game instead of paying to do so. If you had ten free spins, it means you can spin the reels ten times and none of your casino funds would be deducted, the free spins would be used up instead. The stake of each free spins is predefined in the bonus terms and the player is not able to increase it.
Therefore, when you claim a no deposit free spins offer, this is what you get. You get to play or spin a slot game for free. If you have ‘x’ number of free spins, you can play ‘x’ rounds of the game for free. Casinos tend to offer anywhere between 5-100 free spins as part of their no deposit bonus.
Any winnings that you gain from playing with free spins is simply treated as bonus cash. In order to withdraw bonus cash, you will have to fulfil the wagering requirements set by the casino.
Since free spins can only be used to play slot games, you are limited to slot games only when you claim a no deposit free spins offer. Casinos will usually list one or several slot games on which the free spins may be used. These are usually some of the most popular slot games in their collection.
Some casinos offer no deposit free cash or free chips bonuses instead of free spins. Once you sign up the free chips will be credited to your casino account. The amount of bonus credits issued does vary and is usually in the range of $5 - $100.
Players can use this free money, instead of their own money, in order to play games at the casino. Unlike free spins, the bonus money can be used to play slots as well as other eligible games as defined in the bonus terms and conditions.
The player may not withdraw the bonus cash or any winnings made from playing with the bonus cash until the wagering requirements defined in the bonus rules are fulfilled.
Editor’s Note: Wagering requirements dictate how much of your own money you must wager and playthrough before you can withdraw your bonus winnings. For example, if the wagering requirements for $100 worth of bonus winnings is 10x, it means you must wager and playthrough $1000 of your own money before the $100 bonus funds are unlocked for withdrawal.
Pros of No Deposit Free Spins | Cons of No Deposit Free Spins |
You don’t have to deposit even a penny to claim the offer | Free Spins can only be used to play slot machines |
You can play popular slot machines for free | At some casinos, you can only play slot games which are listed as eligible for the offer. Sometimes, this can just be a single nominated game. |
Any winnings made is yours to keep and can be cashed out | The stake value of the free spin is fixed and cannot be changed by the player |
These bonuses usually have lower wagering requirements when compared to other common casino bonuses | The slots which are nominated as eligible for free spin play are usually those with a higher house edge than average |
These bonuses usually have highermax cashoutlimits when compared to other common casino bonuses | The free spins come with a short validity period by when they must be used up |
The free spins are issued instantly when you sign up with the casino | The wagering requirements must be met within a specified period of time in order to cashout any winnings from the free spins |
You get first-hand experience for the casino and its slot games without spending any of your own money | There is a limit on how much of the bonus funds you can cash out |
Pros of No Deposit Cash | Cons of No Deposit Cash |
You don’t have to deposit even a penny to claim the offer | Free Cash offers are usually meagre, sometimes as little as $5 |
You can play different types of casino games, and it is not limited to just slot games | There could be additional restrictions as to how you can use your free cash. For example – not allowed on live dealer games or progressive jackpots, etc. |
Any winnings made is yours to keep and can be cashed out | The free cash is only valid for a specified number of days and will expire if not fully used up by then |
These bonuses usually have lower wagering requirements when compared to other common casino bonuses | The wagering requirements must be met within a specified period of time in order to cashout any winnings from the free cash |
These bonuses usually have highermax withdrawlimits when compared to other common casino bonuses | There is a limit on how much of the bonus funds you can cash out |
The free cash are issued instantly when you sign up with the casino | Not as commonly offered as no deposit free spins |
You get first-hand experience for the casino and its games | - |
We have given you all the details of both types of no deposit bonuses. As far as which type is better, to be honest, there is no straight forward answer, since it depends on various factors. It would be more objective to measure two specific bonus instances against each other instead of comparing two generic categories of bonuses.
The truth is that the type of bonus which is better will depend on your playing style and the kind of games you prefer. If you are aren’t keen on playing slots, then the choice is very obvious – the no deposit free cash/free chip bonus ought to be your first choice since you can play games of your liking.
On the other hand, if you are interested in playing the slot games listed in the no deposit free spins offer, then it is a no brainer - the no deposit free spins are perfect for your requirements.
Irrespective of which no deposit bonus you find convenient, what you must understand is that they both come with two major caveats – wagering requirements and max cashout limits. Instead of pondering over which type of no deposit bonus is better, it would be prudent to find a no deposit bonus with a low wagering requirement and higher maximum cashout limit, irrespective of whether it is free spins of free cash.
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