Slot Machine Bonus Games – Best Slots with Bonus Rounds
In modern casino gaming, the slot is king. There are many reasons that’s the case, from the vibrant themes to the stunning graphics, but one thing definitely has elevated online slots to the biggest phenomenon at the online casino. That’s the bonus round.
Everyone loves their games to come with a little something extra. It’s all well and good having a great base game, but bonus levels or rounds can hook you, keeping you coming back for more. If there’s the potential to unlock new parts of the game, you’re more likely to want to keep playing.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at what slot bonus rounds are, how you can unlock them, and how to play them. We’ll cover everything you need to know before playing slots with bonus games here at Stake.com.
What Are Bonus Games & Bonus Rounds in Slots?
When you play modern slots at Stake Casino, you’ll notice that the majority of them have some extra features at play. Rather than just being a simple classic-style slot where you simply spin the reels, like you would see with 3-reel slots, you’re able to unlock bonus rounds.
These rounds can take a number of different shapes, but when they’re triggered you’re able to play a side game. In most cases, you will have a set number of spins or a specific amount of time that you can play for. However, these will be separate from the main game and you don’t need to stake any more of your funds to play.
These games and rounds offer you the chance to stack multipliers or bonus wins on top of your base game winnings. These rounds have grown in popularity because of video slots, which have allowed providers to add more than just the standard reels, including in physical offline slots and traditional slot machines.
How Do Slot Bonus Games Work?
Every bonus game will be slightly different in presentation and exact mechanics, meaning not every single game will be the exact same. The specifics will vary from title to title and it’s important to read the game descriptions first before starting.
However, there are some elements of bonus games that will remain relatively constant. If you already know how to play slots, you will likely know how bonus rounds will play out. They will trigger, you will spin the reels for free, and whatever you rack up by the end of the round will be added to your game winnings.
The big differences between different slot bonus games is going to be in the intricacies of how they’re triggered, the symbols you see, and what kind of prizes you’re playing for.
Types of Slot Machine Bonus Games & Bonus Rounds
These exciting features are not a one-size-fits-all deal. Far from it. Instead, they’re as varied as the popular themes of the games you play. They can range from regular spins to entire rounds of special features that can help build up to higher potential payouts. Here are some of the bonus rounds you can find in your favourite slot games at Stake Casino.
Free Spins
These are possibly the most popular kind of bonus round. If you land a set number of special symbols, like scatters, you are given a number of free spins rounds to try and collect extra winnings or multipliers.
Jackpot Bonus
In some games, you can trigger a bonus round where there will be a set number of prizes that you can win. You will then need to land a combination of symbols to claim one of these prizes.
Progressive Jackpots
Progressive jackpot slots have become big news because of their massive payout potential. In some games, the bonus rounds can increase your chance of winning the progressive jackpot through certain combinations or random triggers.
Gamble
In some games, you will find that they have a gamble feature. This essentially means you trigger a bonus round where you take one chance on a single spin by gambling your built-up winnings. You stand to boost your fund if you win, but losing wipes your winnings from the board.
Bonus Wheels
If you’ve ever seen Wheel of Fortune, you know exactly how bonus wheels work. In games with a bonus wheel feature, you just have to stop the wheel and hope that it lands on a prize. The wheel will be populated with prizes of different sizes and even some blank spaces.
Pick A Reward
These pick-a-reward features are similar to both bonus wheels and jackpot bonuses in that there will be a predetermined set of prizes. However, in this case, you will have to pick a card or a chest and hope that you picked the one with the best prize. They function a little like a scratch card in this regard.
How to Trigger an In-Game Bonus Round
Triggering a bonus round can vary greatly depending on the slot title that you have chosen. Probably the most common is by landing a specific number of scatter symbols. These are able to appear anywhere on the reels, meaning that they don’t have to appear on a payline.
Additionally, you can also sometimes buy into the bonus round. These slots, known as bonus buys, allow you to pay a fee to access the round without needing to have landed any of the required slot symbols.
Special Features of Bonus Game & Slot Bonus Rounds
Obviously, as each game is different from the next, the number of features that you will find as part of these extra rounds is seemingly endless. We’ve broken down some of the most common for you here:
Expanding symbols: These are special symbols that can land on the grid. When they appear, they expand to cover multiple sections and perhaps even an entire reel to help you form winning combinations.
Walking wilds: Walking wild symbols can move around the grid during the bonus game to help you land wins in multiple locations on the game matrix.
Wild reels: This is when an entire reel consists of wild symbols for the duration of the bonus round.
Colossal symbols: These symbols tend to be 2x2, 3x3, or even 5x5 in size and may cover the entire game matrix.
Multipliers: Some bonus games attach multipliers to specific symbols, which increases the value of all payouts by a specific amount (2x, 5x, 10x, etc.).
Sticky symbols: In bonus games, sticky symbols remain in their place for the entirety of the bonus round and can contribute to multiple wins.
Stacked symbols: This is when identical symbols stack on top of one another to improve your chances of landing winning symbol combinations.
Best Slots with Bonus Rounds & Bonus Games on Stake
As far as slots with bonus games go, you’re spoilt for choice at Stake. We have everything from slots with re-spin features to titles that give you a shot at a thrilling bonus wheel. Not only that, but they come in all shapes and sizes, with all the best themes covered, like ancient civilisations, Greek mythology, candy-based games, and more.
Here are some of our top picks from the Stake catalogue:
Money Train: The Money Train and Money Train 2saga from Relax Gaming is a series full of bonus rounds but the first sets the Wild West tone well. The bonus round sees the night time train turn up at the station with a new grid and 3 free spins that reset every time a new symbol lands. You’re going to want to get the symbols that up your multipliers.
Duel at Dawn: Hacksaw Gaming’sDuel at Dawn packs the DuelReels and Outlaw feature alongside a standard free spins round. There’s also a Dusk ‘Til Dawn bonus round that throws you plenty of respins your way.
5 Lions Megaways 2: One of the MegaWays slot range, 5 Lions Megaways 2 from Pragmatic Play. It’s a feature-filled slot and the free spins feature comes with an up to 100x wild multiplier. If you’re a fan of Oriental slots, this is one for you.
Pixel Cafe: Don’t say we don’t spoil you. Pixel Cafe is a Stake Exclusive from Twist Gaming. The food-themed slot is a cluster pays title. A whopping 8 bonus spins await you if you land the 4 scatters and 2 more every time another scatter lands.
These are just a handful of the great slots available at Stake but remember that there are always new releases, including our very own Stake Originals, so make sure to check back regularly!
Tips for Choosing & Playing the Best Slots with Bonus Games
There’s no universal tip for how to find the best slot and have the most enjoyable bonus game experience. However, there are some good tips and tricks to give yourself the best opportunity of a good online casino experience!
Make sure you know how to play slots and discover the ins and outs of slots before placing your bets.
Understand the slot game’s volatility so you know how much and how often it typically pays out. It also helps to know the house edge and return to player percentage.
Try out games: There is a good selection of games available to play for free in the game's demo mode here at Stake. Make sure to use this free-play function to try out a game you’re new to to learn the rules on a functional level.
How to Deposit & Withdraw Funds to Play Slots Online
You can play slots with bonus rounds at Stake online casino by depositing in a local currency or via cryptocurrencies.
Right now, you can play at Stake.com with the following local currencies – ARS, CLP, CAD, JPY, INR and TRY. Depending on your preferences, you can also view your balance in numerous other currencies too. You can find more information about our local currency options on our community forum, as well as our local currency payment guide.
Learn how to use theStake Vault to securely store your funds online for all future gameplay at Stake Casino. You can also read ourcrypto security guide to learn more about keeping your funds safe and secure at Stake.com.
Casino Promotions, Responsible Gambling & VIP Club at Stake.com
In addition to providing slots with exciting bonus games that add an extra layer of excitement to proceedings, at Stake, we also offer some of the best online casino bonuses and promotions to our players. These include rakebacks and reloads, Telegram challenges, and more.
As well as all of that, those players who like to spend a little more time at Stake Casino may be eligible for the Stake VIP Club. In it, players can receive different levels of rewards based on their staking history, beginning with bronze and ending in platinum. At the highest levels, there’s even a VIP host to help with any questions or concerns.
The most important thing for us is the safety and wellbeing of our players. That’s why we’re serious about offering responsible gambling support. Players who are concerned about their gaming can use the Stake Smart guide for help as part of the Stake Smart initiative. There is always support when it’s needed.