How a Bonus Buy Works
In a game with a bonus buy, a "Buy Feature" or "Buy Bonus" button appears on the screen. When you press it:
1. The game shows the price. This is a multiple of your current stake, such as 100x.
2. You confirm the purchase. The full price is deducted from your balance at once.
3. The bonus round starts. Usually this is the game's free spins round, played at your normal stake.
4. The round pays whatever it pays. You receive the total win from the feature, which can be far more or far less than the price you paid.
Some games offer several buy options, such as a standard bonus and a more expensive "super bonus" with stronger features. These usually cost even more, sometimes several hundred times the stake.
What a Bonus Buy Really Costs
The price of a bonus buy is easy to underestimate because it is shown as a multiple.
Example: You are playing at $1 per spin. The bonus buy costs 100x, so one purchase costs $100. At $2 per spin, the same feature costs $200.
Buying the bonus also removes the natural pauses of normal play. A player can spend a large amount in seconds, and then buy again straight away.
Bonus Buys and RTP
The price of a bonus buy is set to match the average value of the feature, minus the house edge. The RTP for buying the bonus is often close to the game's normal RTP, and some games publish a separate RTP for the buy feature in the game rules.
Here is why that matters. At a 96% RTP:
- Spending $100 on 100 normal spins at $1 has an expected cost of about $4.
- Spending $100 on one bonus buy also has an expected cost of about $4.
The expected cost per dollar wagered is similar. What changes is everything else.
Why Bonus Buys Increase Your Risk
All of Your Money Rides on One Outcome
With normal spins, $100 is spread across many separate results. With a bonus buy, the same $100 depends on a single feature. That makes the result much more extreme in either direction.
Many Buys Return Less Than They Cost
The average value of a bonus is boosted by rare, very large wins. Most individual bonus rounds pay less than that average. That means a large share of bonus buys return less than their price, sometimes much less. A few return many times more, but they are the exception.
Volatility Is Very High
Because the result depends on one feature, bonus buys are extremely high volatility. A short session of bonus buys can use up a budget very quickly.
Faster Spending
Bonus buys allow large amounts to be wagered in a very short time. Faster play makes it easier to lose track of how much you have spent.
Bonus Buys Are Restricted in Some Markets
Some regulators have acted against bonus buys because of these risks. In 2020, the UK Gambling Commission told its licensees not to offer games with feature buy-ins to British customers, saying the functionality did not comply with its technical standards. As a result, bonus buys are not available in some versions of games.
Venue pokies in Australian pubs and clubs do not offer bonus buys. In Australia, it is illegal for companies to offer online casino games, including online pokies, to people in Australia under the Interactive Gambling Act 2001.
Ante Bets and "Double Chance" Options
Some games offer a related option, often called an ante bet or "double chance". You pay a higher stake on every spin, for example 25% more, and in return the chance of triggering the bonus naturally is increased. This makes features more frequent, but every spin costs more. It does not make the game more generous. The game rules explain how each option works.
Bonus Buys in Demo Games
Many demo slots let players buy the bonus repeatedly at no real cost. This can make bonus rounds seem far more frequent and rewarding than they are. With real money, every purchase costs the full price.
Common Misconceptions About Bonus Buys
"Buying the bonus is better value than waiting for it."
Not on average. The price is set to reflect the feature's average value, with the house edge built in. Buying changes how quickly and how heavily you bet, not the long-term return.
"If I keep buying, a big bonus will come."
No. Each bonus is independent and decided by the random number generator. A run of poor bonuses does not make the next one better. See Pokies Myths Explained.
"I can win back my losses with one big buy."
This is chasing losses, and bonus buys make it especially dangerous because of their high price. If you feel the urge to buy a bonus to recover money, it is time to stop.
Playing Responsibly
If you choose to play games with a bonus buy, decide in advance whether you will use it at all, and never buy a bonus with money set aside for anything else. Set a budget and time limit, and stop when you reach them. Our guides on setting gambling limits and recognising gambling harm explain practical steps, and Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.