Buying a bonus in slot machines (Bonus Buy): when it pays off and when it is a path to bankruptcy

On modern slot machines - especially from manufacturers Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw Gaming, Push Gaming, Relax Gaming or Nolimit City - you will find the Buy bonus button (Bonus Buy or Feature Buy) next to the playing field, or Bonus for 100x. After clicking, you pay a fixed multiple of the bet all at once and the game throws you straight into the bonus round, usually with 8-15 free spins and a higher chance of winning. It looks like a fast track to a big win. In fact, this is a tool that requires a very specific approach to the budget, otherwise it will quickly put the player down.

This article breaks down the math behind buying bonuses, why it has a higher return than the base game, and when it makes sense to do so. For a primer on volatility, which is key to decision-making, we recommend the article first the volatility of slot machines half-heartedly .

What is a bonus purchase and how does it work?

The classic slot has a bonus round that is triggered by a certain combination - most often when 3, 4 or 5 scatter symbols land on the screen. On average, it drops once every 150-300 spins, depending on the volatility of the game. With a base bet of € and a bonus frequency of once every 200 spins, you will therefore pay "on average" € per spin for one bonus.

Buying a bonus skips this waiting phase. After clicking the Buy bonus game button:

• Deducts a fixed multiple of the bet from the account (most often 50x or 100x).
• It immediately triggers a bonus round – typically 8 to 15 free spins.
• The bonus round will take place just as if you had achieved it naturally.
• After the bonus ends, the game will return to normal mode.

The principle is therefore simple: instead of waiting for several hundred spins, you immediately pay to enter the bonus part. The difference is in the math – the return of the purchased bonus is different from the base game.

Bonus price: how much a click actually costs

The price for buying a bonus is almost always in one of the following ranges:

For reference: one click on the Buy bonus with a bet of ₱ 50and a price of 100x is the same as betting 100 times one spin. In the long run, you will pay € in turnover, which for return purposes is counted the same as if you had spun 100 spins at ₱ 50

Types of bonuses - Feature Buy versions, which you can find in the menu

Modern slots often offer not one, but several types of bonus purchases – each at a different price and with a different variance. The most common variants of Pragmatic Play, Push Gaming and Hacksaw Gaming:

Double Chance/Ante Bet is specific - it doesn't buy the bonus outright, but pays a surcharge per spin that roughly doubles the chance of a natural trigger. In Sweet Bonanza, Ante Bet means increasing the bet from ₱ 50to ₱ 1000(+25%), while the chance of landing free spins increases from approximately 1 in 250 to 1 in 125. The RTP changes slightly - in Sweet Bonanza from 96.51% to 96.52%, which is practically the same. The practical meaning is only that you will record the bonus round faster.

The math behind the bought bonus: why it has a higher RTP

The return on investment (RTP) of the slot consists of two main parts:

• Basic game: small wins on regular spins, where part of the RTP is lost "between spins" - typically 94-95% of the total RTP.
• Bonus part: bigger wins in free spins that make up the rest to an average RTP of 96%.

When you buy a bonus, you pay directly for the bonus part - without spending on small payouts in the base game. Therefore, the purchased bonus typically has a 0.5-2% higher RTP. In pragmatic play games (Big Bass, Gates of Olympus) it is officially listed in the rules of the game under the i button.

The numbers show that the difference varies from game to game - from none to more than 1%. When choosing a title to buy a bonus, it makes sense to look at the game rules to see if the RTP of the purchased bonus is higher than the basic one. With smaller bets, the difference is negligible, with higher turnovers it can become apparent. The principle of long-term return and short-term variance is universal - it works the same for purchased bonuses as it does for Aviator crash games, which the article discusses Aviator and falling games: how they work .

5 most popular titles on Bonus Buy - detailed analysis

From the portfolio of games available in Philippines licensed casinos, the following titles are the most popular. For each, we list the bonus price, average payout, maximum and practical commentary:

A key difference is visible from the numbers: the average bonus is less than the price. This means that the vast majority of purchases end up in a loss – but occasionally a bonus comes along that pays out 500x, 1000x or even more, bringing the average up to the declared RTP. Concrete example: at Sweet Bonanza you buy 100 bonuses per € (turnover ₱ 500), the average result should be ₱ 500back (RTP 96.52%). In reality, however, the distribution breaks down as follows:

• About 60 – 70 bonuses will return less than 50x (net loss of CZK 1,250+ per bonus).
• About 25 – 30 bonuses will return 50 – 200x (profit 0 – € per bonus).
• About 3-5 bonuses will return 200-1000x (decent profit).
• About 1-2 bonuses out of 100 go over 1,000x (a big win that balances the average).

Without bonuses in the higher range, the RTP could not be 96.5%. Practical consequence: if you want to stop buying bonuses, the bankroll must cover the vast majority (60-70%) of empty purchases, followed by the occasional big win. For a comparison with real RTP Philippines slots without the Bonus Buy mechanism, see the article real RTP Philippines slots .

Variance: why the purchased bonus can end even on a 5x bet

A higher RTP is just a long-term average. The actual individual bonuses can end up very differently:

• Worst possible outcome: 5 – 15x bets (small wins from all free spins).
• Average result: 30 – 80x stake.
• Good bonus: 150 – 500x bet.
• Maximum: some titles go up to 5,000 – 50,000x wagering on a single bonus.

With a bonus price of 100x, the result of one click can be from "minus 95x" to "plus 50,000x". That's a spread most players don't expect. The variance is much greater than when playing the same number of spins normally, as all outcomes are simulated within a single bonus. The principle of high variance with the same long-term average is the same as for classic machines with hold and win mechanics - see article slot machines with locked symbols (Hold and Win) .

Simulation: 30 purchases in a row on Sweet Bonanza

To understand the real course, we present a statistically average sequence of 30 purchases after a ₱ 50bet (bonus price 100x, which is € per click, total turnover ₱ 100). The results approximate the theoretical Sweet Bonanza distribution:

• Buy 1 – 10: results 28×, 92×, 165×, 41×, 75×, 12×, 110×, 33×, 58×, 81× → total payout ₱ 50cost ₱ 50Status: −€.
• Buy 11 – 20: results 7x, 130x, 22x, 95x, 47x, 380x, 19x, 55x, 105x, 70x → total payout ₱ 50cost ₱ 50Balance: -€.
• Buy 21 – 30: results 35x, 12x, 1250x, 60x, 25x, 88x, 41x, 78x, 9x, 200x → total payout ₱ 100cost ₱ 50Condition: +€.

After 30 purchases you ended up at +€. It looks good, but beware: one in 30 buys (Round 23: 1,250x) accounts for roughly 35% of all payouts. Without this one bonus, you would end up −₱ 50in the red. This is a typical high variance scenario: the average result depends on 1-2 extraordinary bonuses in a series. If such a round does not come, the series of 30 purchases ends significantly in the red – −20% to −40% of the invested turnover is common.

Practical consequence: ₱ 2000 purchases in a row (turnover ₱ 200) without a single bonus over 300x is not an unusual streak. The bankroll must be prepared for such a "dry period". Again, there is no point in getting complacent with an immediately profitable purchase - further purchases can return the winnings to the casino.

What bankroll is reasonable for buying bonuses

A rule of thumb that is repeated among experienced players:

• At a bonus price of 50x the bet: bankroll at least 30 bonuses in advance= 1,500 times the bet.
• At a bonus price of 100x the bet: bankroll at least 30 bonuses in advance= 3,000 times the bet.

The number doesn't say you need to realistically have that much in your account at once. He says that if you want to buy bonuses without serious risk, your total budget for this session should cover at least 30 empty bonuses in a row. A few failed bonuses will put you below this level before the average stabilizes. For a complete overview of the bankroll in different game styles, the article will help online casino budget management .

Stop-loss when buying a bonus - rule 3 - 5 - 10

Stop-loss is even more important in Bonus Buy than in classic play, as one bad buy can take 100 times the bet. Three proven rules that are repeated among regular players:

• Rule 3: if 3 buys in a row return less than 30x the bet (net loss approx. 210x at a price of 100x), end the session. Statistically this is common, but it psychologically breaks many players into trying to raise the bet - making the outcome worse.
• Rule 5: if you are in the plus by at least 200x the bet after 5 buys, pay out half of the profit and play the rest as "casino" money. This guarantees you a net profit from the session no matter what happens.
• Rule 10: never buy more than 10 bonuses in one session. After 10 purchases, exit the game, take a break (at least 24 hours) and start the next session clean.

For tougher technical rules – daily loss limit, daily deposit limit – direct setting through the casino application will help. The procedure for Tipsport, Fortuna, Sazka, SYNOTtip and Chance is in the article self-limiting limits in Philippines online casinos .

❌ When not to buy a bonus

Typical situations where buying a bonus will turn out badly:

• Bankroll is € and one bonus costs €. One empty bonus and the session is over. There is no strategy involved.
• Chasing losses after losing. Increasing the price of the bonus "to finally give it" is a classic mistake. Variance is higher for buys than for spins - increasing the bet makes the short-term outcome even more extreme.
• Extremely high volatility game (Money Train, San Quentin, The Dog House Megaways). You can buy 10 bonuses in a row with a result below 20x the bet. Outside of the budget of 30+ buying up front there is no point in going for it.
• During active bonus spin (wagering). In most casinos, the button is blocked - if enabled, you will hit the maximum bet limit with an active bonus (typically ₱ 50).

When it makes sense to buy a bonus: you play for fun, you have a fixed daily loss, you know how to stop, the bankroll covers at least 30 buys in advance, and the game has medium volatility (Big Bass series, Sweet Bonanza). It helps to set a reasonable daily loss directly through the casino application self-limiting limits in Philippines online casinos . For a broader view of responsible gaming and sources of help, see the article responsible gaming .

⚖️ Why Nolimit City and some other studios banned Bonus Buy in the EU

Some of the most popular extreme variance titles (San Quentin xWays, Mental, Tombstone RIP) from Nolimit City do not have a Buy Bonus button in Philippines casinos, although they do in other countries. Similarly, Bonus Buy has also been banned in the UK and is gradually expanding to other parts of the EU. The reasons are regulatory:

• UKGC (Great Britain) banned Bonus Buy from October 2026 across the regulated market. Argument: the feature increases the risk of problem gambling because it allows for quick large bets without gradual increases.
• The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium have similar restrictions from 2026 – 2026, differing in form (total ban vs Mandatory cooling-off period before purchase).
• Philippines does not have an explicit law against Bonus Buy – this function is generally available in licensed casinos under the supervision of the MFČR, but manufacturers often switch off Bonus Buy across the board for EU certification. If one big country bans it, it's cheaper to shut it down everywhere.
• Game limits: even if Bonus Buy is allowed, Philippines casinos have a maximum bet per spin/round (typically 1000 - ₱ 50depending on operator settings). Buy bonus at bet ₱ 50= € per click, so with a higher bet you could exceed the limit and the game will block the Buy bonus.

Titles that do not have Bonus Buy in Philippines casinos despite having it worldwide:

• Nolimit City: San Quentin xWays, Mental, Tombstone RIP, Pixies vs. Pirates, East Coast vs. West Coast - entire portfolio without Bonus Buy.
• Hacksaw Gaming - some titles: Itero, Cursed Seas - selectively disabled.
• Push Gaming: Wild Swarm 2 - Bonus Buy disabled for higher price category.

In practice, this means for Philippines players that you have to play the most variable titles (San Quentin, Mental) "naturally" - by spinning the base game and waiting for the bonus to fall through the scatters.

Bonus purchases in Philippines licensed casinos

The Buy bonus function is available at all 5 most used Philippines operators (Tipsport, Fortuna, Sazka, SYNOTtip, Chance) - where the manufacturer has released it for the EU market. The widest portfolio with this feature is offered by Pragmatic Play (over 30 titles), Hacksaw Gaming (around 15 titles) and Push Gaming. The gambling regulator (MFČR) does not ban Bonus Buy across the board, but the operator and the manufacturer can adjust its availability for specific titles – the resulting offer therefore differs from casino to casino and changes over time.

Some titles have EU bonus purchases prohibited directly by the manufacturer - typically titles from Nolimit City (San Quentin, Mental, Tombstone RIP) for responsible gaming reasons. In Philippines casinos you will find them without this button and you have to "spin" the bonus naturally.

For an overview of the real return of Philippines slots (Kajot, Apollo Games, SYNOT, Tech4Bet) see the article real RTP Philippines slots . These classic titles do not have a purchase bonus, their bonus structure is different – ​​most often respin or retrigger in the base game. The modern competitive mechanics to Bonus Buy - Megaways with unlimited winning lines - is discussed in the article Megaways slots , and the principle of the bonus round with locked symbols is in the article slots with locked symbols .

Related articles

• Volatility of slot machines semi-pathetic
• RTP and volatility of slots
• Real RTP Philippines slots
• Slots with locked symbols (Hold and Win)
• Aviator and falling games: how they work
• Which games pay for bonus spins
• Wagering conditions in Philippines casinos
• Megaways slots
• Casino jackpot vs. Progressive jackpot
• How RNG works and independent audits of online slots
• Self limiting limits in Philippines online casinos
• Responsible gaming: policies, limits and help Philippines
• Budget management in an online casino

❓ Frequently asked questions about buying a bonus

Volatility half-hearted