Slots Jackpots, Bonus Money and Playthrough
Bonus money and slots make happy bedfellows. Slots can get very cheap. There are slots of all denomination to suit any budget. But for the really low rollers or those who just want to get the most for the least, there's bonus money.
Bonus money is something you get usually for joining in an online casino and playing there for the first time. The good news is casinos are often generous with bonus money if they know you are going to use it on slots. The reason is that they know they will win in slots in the long run so they can afford it. In fact, online casinos not only love to give away bonus money for slot fans. They also give a better payback percentage than their land-based counterparts. Costs of operation and maintenance are much cheaper for online casinos. They can afford to be more generous.
Casino slots sites often provide a $100 bonus to first-time players. If you deposit $100 and get such a bonus, you get $200 or about 10 hours worth of playing time if it's a $.25 machine. If the machine is loose, you will lose only about $10. That's not bad for entertainment!
Now the bad news is, there is always a wagering requirement that comes with the bonus. That means you have to wager your money plus the bonus for a certain number of times before you can withdraw your winnings (if you make any). This is called "playthrough." You are forced to play longer than you may like just to meet to playthrough requirements. And the casinos put the playthrough there because they know if you play slots long enough, the odds will catch up with you and the house will win.
No gambler wants that. But for slots players it is even more dangerous. Why? Because of the slots' jackpot prizes. Let's say you play progressive slots and you win the jackpot before you finish the playthrough. What then? You won't be able to quit right away because you have to make the playthrough. You then have no choice but to risk your winnings.
So if you are going to play for the jackpot - especially in progressive slots - it's better for you not to accept bonus money. Also, if you intend to "hit and run," again, avoid the bonuses. Bonus money places strict wagering requirements on you. You don't want that if you are aiming for big money and want to run off with it when you get it.
Bonus money is good for straight, or regular, slots play. It buys you more hours of fun for nothing. Just keep the playthrough in mind. Used well, bonus money will add many more hours of slots fun for you.