Discover what Bonus Buy Slots are and how to buy direct access to bonus rounds with this oddschecker guide, and grab some top offers when you register for an online casino account with one of our top operators!

Apr 13 2025, 6:59pm | 12 min read

If you’ve ever explored an online casino or slots site before, there’s a good chance you’ve come across bonus buy features. Bonus buy slots let you skip part of the reel spinning action to unlock certain features – and they’re becoming increasingly popular with the slot-playing public.

In this guide we’ll explore how bonus buy slots work in practice, where you can find them and which games in the genre are worth trying first.

Don’t forget to check out our complete guide to other types of slots if you’re new to playing games online. In the meantime, let’s explore what bonus buy means and how you can use this feature in various slot games.

What Is Bonus Buy Slots, Anyway?
How to Play Bonus Buy Slots
Bonus Buy Slots Features
What Strategy is Best to Play Bonus Buy Slots?
What is the Difference Between Bonus Buy Slots and Conventional Slots?
What Online Casinos Offer Bonus Buy Slots?
What are the Best Bonus Buy Slots Games?
Conclusion

What Is Bonus Buy Slots, Anyway?

Bonus buy slots are slot machine games that give you the chance to purchase a certain type of feature instead of relying on luck. This means having to pay a non-refundable bet and taking your chances on a completely random (and usually hidden) game.

For example, in some slot games there are free spins modes and pick-me games that you can normally unlock by lining up certain symbols in a row. This usually happens when you land at least three scatter symbols on the play grid.

However, unlocking a bonus feature or round is completely random. You never know when your scatter symbols will fall into place, and many players don’t want to stick around!

Bonus buy slots let you purchase a shortcut into the bonus round without having to keep spinning the reels. In many cases, there is a button you can click or tap to access a bonus feature, and the game will take a larger amount than your typical bet to let you proceed.

Keep in mind that even if you buy a bonus feature in a game, that doesn’t mean it is a guaranteed win. This feature simply lets you bypass the spinning it would normally take for you to unlock special modes.

How to Play Bonus Buy Slots

There are plenty of slot machines that let you unlock special features with extra prizes, and there are even some free slots with bonuses and free spins. However, only a few will let you bypass the spinning and buy the bonus feature outright.

Playing bonus buy games is pretty straightforward. To buy the bonus feature, you won’t have to place any bets or spin the reels.

Here’s a quick step-by-step guide on how to play most bonus buy slots:

Step 1: Head to a reputable online casino that offers bonus buy slot games.
Step 2: Choose a bonus buy slot game that appeals to you and launch the game in your browser or app.
Step 3: Once the game has loaded, either check the paytable or look at the main play grid for a button that lets you “buy bonus” or “buy feature.” When you click or tap this, the game will ask you to pay up front for access to the bonus game.
Step 4: Make sure you have enough money in your bankroll and that you’re happy to proceed with the bonus buy. Remember that even the best bonus buy slots never guarantee wins – this is just a much bigger bet than you’d typically make!
Step 5: The game should now launch the feature, which might be a free spins round, a pick-me game, or a random prize drop. Regardless of what it is, wait for the feature to conclude.
Step 6: At the end of the bonus round, the slot will tell you if you’ve won any money, and if so, how much.
Step 7: You’ll then head back to the main game and have the option to place normal bets, buy the bonus again, or exit to the game library.

Because it’s relatively easy to learn how to buy bonus on slots, it’s always wise to exercise caution when placing these larger bets. There’s much more at risk than a typical bet or two on the game’s usual paylines, so be sure to set clear limits for your spending and play time.

The best online casinos will have responsible gambling tools and support you can use to carefully manage your play and how you fund your games if you need them.

Bonus Buy Slots Features

When you’re researching online games – for example, you might be hunting down which slot machines pay the best over time, or what different symbol values mean – it’s always worth looking into what features are on offer.

There are no particular features that are universally shared across bonus buy slots beyond the fact that you can buy your way into a bonus game without leaving it up to luck.

Of course, the types of features you can unlock with bonus buy will vary. Here are some of the most common and popular bonus buy features you’ll find online:

Free spins: Perhaps the most common type of slot game bonus feature, free spins rounds essentially give you a few spins of the reels with a chance to win real money. Free spins features might sometimes change symbols, add sticky wilds, or increase the values of certain symbols, too.
Pick-me games: In these bonus rounds, you’ll need to choose different boxes, chests, bubbles, or other symbols to reveal prizes. In some bonus buy slot games, these features will keep rolling forward until you receive a message stating that the round is coming to an end.
Extra reels: Some slot games have extra reel features, which means that your play grid extends and there are more opportunities to win.
Sticky wilds: Sticky wild symbols fall into place and hold there. By the end of the feature, you could have an entire playing grid full of wild symbols.
Multipliers: In some bonus buy slots, features such as free spins rounds will have added multipliers attached, which means that any wins you make during these rounds are boosted.
Random prize drops: Some features are simply instant win games; when you unlock them, you receive a quick prize.

Keep in mind that some bonus buy slot games will have features that blend several of these features together – and no two bonus buy features are ever quite the same. This is why it can be worthwhile to explore different casinos and bonus buy slots to see which ones suit your style of play the best!

What Strategy is Best to Play Bonus Buy Slots?

When you start learning how to play slot machines, you might consider using different strategies to help you make the most of your bets.

Unfortunately, there are no guaranteed strategies to help you win at slots. Slot games are completely randomized based on random number generator (RNG) algorithms. This means every spin you make has an undetermined outcome.

Although you can’t really learn how to win at video slots all the time, there are a few strategies you can use to try to make your bets and games go a little bit further. Here are some tips we recommend when playing bonus buy slots.

Be mindful of your bankroll. Buying bonus rounds carries risks, just as placing smaller bets online wins does. Make sure you only ever buy bonus features when you can afford it. You could, for example, end up buying bonuses twice and win neither time – and use up your day’s bankroll.
Be realistic. Again, bonus rounds carry bigger prizes than base games, but your odds of winning anything don’t change. That means you could buy a bonus round and still come away with nothing. Be realistic and only buy bonuses when you’re comfortable accepting the fact that you could lose.
Try games for free first. Many bonus buy slot games have free play or demo modes you can play before placing real money bets on the reels. For a preview of how a bonus buy slot game might work, try it for free and then use real money if you feel comfortable doing so.
Don’t buy the bonus right away. You might find that your games and bankroll last longer if you try placing bets on regular paylines first – before you go ahead and purchase the bonus round. After all, if you end up triggering the round on five $0.20 bets, it really wouldn't have been worth spending $20 to buy it outright.
Check the slot’s stats. Look at the slot machine’s specifics, such as the Return to Player (RTP) percentage, which tells you how generously a game is likely to pay out over its lifetime. You should also consider the game’s volatility; a low-volatility game is likely to connect you to the bonus round regularly but only grant small prizes. High volatility games, meanwhile, rarely offer bonuses naturally but do so with high prizes.

What is the Difference Between Bonus Buy Slots and Conventional Slots?

The main difference between bonus buy slots and conventional slots is that the former type lets you skip ahead to unlock hidden features.

In conventional slot games, you need to line up a series of bonus or scatter symbols for a chance to enter free spins rounds and other features. This means you could be waiting quite a while before you unlock extra games – if you do so at all.

Bonus buy slots are popular among slots players who want a shortcut to the main features games have to offer. However, they come at a cost.

You might find that there are several conventional and progressive slots that have bonus buy versions available. Interestingly, bonus buy slot games aren’t legal in all states or territories.

What Online Casinos Offer Bonus Buy Slots?

There are plenty of real money casinos that offer slots where you can buy bonus rounds, and we’ve reviewed the best brands right here at oddschecker.

Before you start exploring different casinos and apps that pay real money, check our table below and read our linked reviews for the complete lowdown on what to expect.

Casino with Bonus Buy Slots	Welcome Offer	States Covered	oddschecker rating
BetMGM	$25 no deposit bonus with 100% deposit match ($1,000 max)	MI, NJ, PA, WV	90%
FanDuel	350 bonus spins and up to $1,000 casino bonus	MI, NJ, PA, WV	95%
Borgata	$20 no deposit bonus with 100% deposit match ($1,000 max)	NJ, PA	92%
Pokerstars Casino	100% deposit match ($600 max)	MI, NJ, PA	85%
Golden Nugget	100% deposit match ($1,000 max) with up to $1,000 mystery spin	MI, NJ, PA, WV	91%
Betrivers	100% deposit match ($250 max)	MI, NJ	70%
Jackpot City	100% deposit match ($1,000 max)	NJ, PA	90%

What are the Best Bonus Buy Slots Games?

Some of the most popular slot games you’ll discover at the casinos listed above give you a shot at buying the bonus and skipping the scatter symbols completely. Our favorite bonus buy feature slots give you lots to play for in the base game while still offering you a shortcut if you want it.

For example, the rampaging action in Almighty Buffalo Megaways lets you get right into the main feature – which splits into four different free spins packages!

FanDuel currently has the game available to play with bonus buy attached, and you can get started with a casino bonus worth up to $1,000 on a deposit match.

The sickly-sweet Sugar Rush and the legendary Gates of Olympus are two more well-known games that serve up a bonus buy feature. If you can’t get enough of the sugary stuff, take a spin or two on Sweet Bonanza and unlock the main feature first.

We also recommend you check out the massively popular Gold Blitz, a five-reel jackpot game that lets you get closer to some hidden wins when you buy the bonus outright.

If you sign up at Pokerstars Casino, you’ll also be able to try the main feature in Ultimate Fire Link: Olvera Street with an outright purchase. Pokerstars is offering a deposit match for new players worth up to $600.

Play Bonus Buy Slots Responsibly

Now that you know more about the top bonus buy slots Draftkings, FanDuel, and others have to offer, it’s time to start exploring some game catalogs.

Don’t forget that buying a bonus round outright carries a high risk. You should always keep a close eye on your bankroll and play time if you want to skip the base game completely.

Otherwise, be sure to read through our slot reviews and rundowns of the best casinos before you go ahead and put any money down.