PROVIDING YOU WITH ALL THE BEST BETS
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It’s fair to say that online casino operators are getting increasingly creative when it comes to their bonus promotions. This is particularly relevant to the UK-licensed market, which remains one of the most competitive to crack for new brands. One of the best ways to get in front of prospective customers is to focus on classic marketing campaigns like free spins promotions. These remain some of the most popular options from sites with no requirement for deposits and minimal strings attached.
From a player’s perspective, free spins are still a valuable no-lose benefit when creating accounts with new operators. In fact, they yield mutual benefits for both parties, as we’ll explain in more detail throughout this article.
Cheap marketing for casino operators
Let’s start by looking at it from an online casino’s point of view. Free spins are a low-cost marketing promotion for operators. That’s because “50 free spins” sounds like a considerable bonus on paper but it can be harder than you think to realise a return from 50 free spins, particularly those with wagering requirements attached.
Nevertheless, free spins are still marketed as ‘free money’ or ‘risk-free’ wagers, which is exactly what they are. However, there is simply no guarantee that these spins will either yield a return or win you enough to comfortably clear wagering requirements. It’s a strong retention and acquisition strategy for operators, as there’s no enforcing of customers to play with their own money at any point.
Risk-free entry for slot newbies
If you’ve never played a single spin on the reels of an online or land-based slot before, free spins are simply the best entry point for you. With no need to wager any of your own money, your free spins can help you acclimatise to the surroundings of the reels and learn the way that slots work.
You might not be familiar with paylines, for example. Free spins will allow you to see how symbols match on paylines – or, if you’re lucky enough to get free spins on alternative slots like Megaways, you’ll understand how symbol combinations work on adjacent reels. As a complete novice to slot gameplay, free spins are the perfect way to dip your toes into the water. You can make mistakes that won’t cost you a penny, but it’s all in the name of slot exploration!
Explore the latest slot game mechanics
We just touched on the Megaways game engine and it’s important to note that slot game mechanics are evolving all the time. Gone are the days of players relying on a handful of fixed paylines to make their day. Although next-generation slot game engines are an exciting development for the iGaming industry, it can be a lot for some customers to get their heads around.
Aside from Megaways, you’ll also come across cascading reels slots, which bring a new dimension to every spin. Free spins give you a chance to sample these latest innovations and get to grips with them before you decide to play with your own hard-earned money.
Understand what it takes to unlock bonus features
This ties in with the previous reason, as free spins not only allow you to understand how you win, they also help you to win bigger and better on occasion. Those who use free spins aren’t any less likely to trigger massive multipliers, jackpots or bonus features – far from it, in fact. If you want to master the mechanics of unlocking bonus features, free spins are a no-lose option. You’ll soon know your scatters from your wilds in no time.
A welcome reward for loyal, existing customers too
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Reload offers are still another effective marketing tool for established operators looking to say ‘thank you’ to regular players for their custom, and free spins are still one of the most effective customer retention tools in the reload offer category. You may find that free spins are free to use on any slot title. Alternatively, you may be given free spins to use on a new and exclusive slot release, which can help loyal customers feel extra-special for being given a ’peek behind the curtain’ showcase of new titles.
Immerse yourself in new themes you’d never considered
Free spins also give you freedom and flexibility with your slot gameplay. With risk-free spins waiting to be enjoyed, you might decide to use them to discover new slot themes. If you’ve been quite strait-laced with your choice of slot titles in the past, free spins can take the shackles off and invite you to immerse yourself in something completely different.
The variety of slot themes at your average online casino is bursting at the seams. More slot developers are securing partnerships to publish officially licensed slot titles that include stills, video or audio. Whether it’s a hit Hollywood movie franchise or TV series, or a cult favourite rock band, use your free spins wisely to indulge in the latest popular culture trends.
It only takes one lucky spin to clear the wagering requirements
It’s true that most free spins bonuses come with wagering requirements attached. These wagering requirements relate to any winnings derived from your free spins. Let’s say that you get 50 free spins with 30x wagering requirements. If you won £50, you would need to wager £1,500 before any remaining winnings can be converted into your real-money balance and withdrawn.
While £1,500 may seem like a lot of money at the time, you only need one big win from a spin to win over £1,500. Let’s say that you hit a daily progressive jackpot for £2,000 with some of your free spin winnings. This would boost your bonus balance to £2,050. All that’s required is to rollover £1,500 in spins and you’ll have £550 in real money at the very least. That’s without factoring in any other wins during the rollover of £1,500 too!
Although so much of the iGaming industry feels like it’s changing before our very eyes, free spins have remained something of a constant in a bettor’s psyche. With some operators even choosing to offer a smaller number of ‘no wagering’ free spins, it’s clear that competition – and free spins themselves – are still hot in the UK market.