The when, why and how of the Buy Bonus feature in online casino slots. See the feature in action at Thunderbolt Casino!

The Bonus Buy component in online casino slots is nothing short of awesome. It allows you to trigger the primary bonus round in the game in exchange for a small fee. Yippee! The question is, how do you use the feature to your best advantage? Thunderbolt Casino explores!

What is the Buy Bonus Feature in Slots?

The Buy Bonus or Bonus Buy is an optional feature that has been appearing on more and more reels as of late. It enables instant access to a bonus round which is most frequently free spins. Rather than having to hit a prescribed symbol set on the reels – like three plus scatters – you can pay a multiple of your bet to activate free gaming. In this instance, it is not free gaming per se, but you get our drift!

Bonus Buy removes the time element from bonus hunting. Furthermore, it caps the cost of triggering a bonus round by levying a fixed fee. Depending on the online casino, the fee can be anything between 60 x to 150 x the current wager. This particular rate of entry is an element you can use to your advantage, provided you get your ducks in a row first!

When to Trigger Bonus Buy

As for the tactics you can employ, there are three main options. The best time to pay to trigger a bonus feature when playing slots at Thunderbolt Casino would be in the following situations:

  • At the start of the online casino gaming session.
  • When you are flush with cash.
  • When your bankroll is almost depleted.

The beauty of the Buy Bonus is that it is always active. In other words, it is always available, and you can buy into the bonus round as many times as you want, even for back-to-back sessions, if you so wish.

As a consequence of the open-ended nature of the feature, you can deploy all three tactics as and when required or needed. The only exception would be the proverbial ‘kick-off’ tactic. That is limited to one-off deployment at the beginning of a fresh gaming session when you login at Thunderbolt Online Casino.

How the Bonus Buy Feature Works

In most online casino slots, the Buy Bonus is immediately available. The only precondition to unlocking the bonus round is placing a real money bet. Once you have selected your wager and the Buy Bonus tab is active, it is GO time!

At this point, the gaming software automatically extracts the fee from your betting balance, and the free spins commence. In some online casino slots, the bonus round is preceded by a sequence of three, four of five scatters.

As in standard gameplay, the number of scatters can determine the number of free games you are allocated. This type of information is typically relayed to you at the time of activating the Bonus Buy component.

Now for a closer look at the pros and cons of each Bonus Buy tactic.

Tactic #1 – Buy Bonus at the Get-Go

The advantage of the ‘get-go’ tactic is that you’ll have a fully loaded betting account at your disposal. If you happen to hit a few big, mega, or super-mega payouts in crisp ZAR bills, the winnings cover the cost of the Bonus Buy investment. Plus, you get to enjoy more standard reel spins at lower risk!

Equally, if you trigger the bonus round and win a nominal amount – or nothing at all – you still have the bulk of the bankroll to fall back on.

With this tactic, you have the freedom to choose any available bet value. Your wager not only determines the cost of the Buy Bonus, but it also influences the amount that brus like you can win at the online casino… ostensibly for free.

In this instance, betting mid to high values can be a great strategy. The reason being is the time and money you have in reserve to recoup any losses!

Tactic #2 – Buy Bonus When Flush with Cash

The best time to hit the Buy Bonus tab is when you have accumulated a profit. You may have acquired the gains by triggering free spins or a pick-a-bonus the usual way. When the balance in your online casino account is more than what you started with, it is time to go all-in!

In this scenario, you have to think ahead. If you intend on buying a bonus, ensure you adjust the bet value in an upwards direction first. That way, you are charged more, but you will also stand to win more at the same time.

The advantage of buying a bonus when you are flush with cash is obvious. In this situation, you are using the online casino’s own money to potentially win a heck of a lot more. If you do hit a bonus bonanza, you can do a duck with loot in your pocket.

Alternatively, you can hit the Bonus Buy button for a second, third or even fourth time – and hopefully capitalize on a similar outcome yet again, and again, and again... Sounds great. Doesn’t it?

Tactic #3 – Buy Bonus When Down On Your Luck

When your bankroll is dwindling down to nothing you have two options. You can throw in the towel and take the losses on the chin. Then again, you can moderate the value of your wager so that you have just enough to pay for the Bonus Buy feature. It’s in that ‘oh well, I have nothing to lose’ moment.

That final act of defiance can prove to be a masterstroke. If you are lucky, you can mitigate the losses or break even. Had the Bonus Buy feature not been in play you would be nursing a bruised ego and an empty wallet – and that means no break for you and your buddies to the best holiday destinations in South Africa!

Unlock Free Spins with 100 x Multipliers NOW!

If you want to see the Bonus Buy component in action, hit the Games tab at the top of the page. You will be directed to the Thunderbolt Online Casino lobby, where slots, video poker and table games are available in real ZAR money and practice modes.

One of the many featured online slots is Sweet 16 Blast! – a super fun SpinLogic game that has the Buy Feature incorporated into the action. Activate the feature and you will get the nod to 10 free games. There are cascading wins and prize multipliers up to 100 x to ramp up the payout rate!