The best part of playing slots online (other than hitting the jackpot) is the bonus rounds. In fact, all of the best online slot games feature bonus rounds, and they are triggered by accomplishing various tasks or by lining up special symbols. Today’s online slots feature lively animation, crystal clear sound effects and music, and exciting bonus rounds.
USA Online Casino has tons of useful information about the best online casinos, slot games with the best payouts, and all the tips and tricks you need to win big playing slots online. Bonus rounds are the ‘game within the game’ when you’re playing slots. They differ from the main game in many ways, and each bonus round is unique to each slot game. Bonus rounds are the surprise features of slot games, and lucky players look forward to being showered with free spins, coins, multipliers, and other exciting bonuses during these mini game rounds.
How to Activate Slot Game Bonus Rounds
How to Activate Slot Game Bonus Rounds
If you’re familiar with the way most slot games operate, they commonly employ 3 to 5 (or more) spinning reels, modeled after the classic metal-and-glass slot machines of yesteryear. Online slots feature animated graphic ‘reels’ which spin randomly to produce a variety of symbols. Ordinary symbols matching the theme of the slot make up common symbols of the game, while special ‘substitute’ and ‘wild’ symbols trigger multipliers, extra coins, and bonus rounds.
For example, if you’re playing a Wild West-themed slot game like Trigger Happy, common symbols include poker card values (ace, queen, king, etc.), cacti, boots, sheriffs, and tin stars. When a wild symbol appears, it can complete a matching set of symbols for a win, or pay huge rewards when 3 or more wilds appear.
Depending on the slot game you are playing, the amount won for each combination varies according to a paytable, which is listed in the game instructions. The number of paylines on the reels determines your winning payout. The more paylines a slot game has, the better. In the instructions, you will also find out how and when a bonus round is triggered, and what happens during the bonus round.
The best part of a bonus round is that you aren’t making any additional bets during the round; you’re just using bonuses or free spins to further your winning potential. Some special symbols exist only to trigger bonus rounds, and they can often be ‘retriggered’ within the bonus round itself, causing a cascading bonus effect—with ginormous wins!
Different Types of Bonus Rounds in Slot Games
Different Types of Bonus Rounds in Slot Games
Another fun feature of slot games with bonus rounds is the many unique types of bonus rounds you can rack up. They differ for each game, and they are often a continuation of the slot game’s theme or story, or they are a completely different set of animated actions within the main game. Some slots let you pick your own type of bonus, and others use a bonus meter to accumulate bonus features for a later time during the game.
Pick Your Bonus. Some slot games allow players to pick their own type of bonus round features when the bonus round feature is triggered. For example, in the previously-mentioned Trigger Happy western-themed slot game, the characters in the game each play a special role. The Sheriff is the main character in the slot game, and he is accompanied by 2 ‘deputies,’ a blonde cowgirl and a redhead cowgirl. Each cowgirl dispenses various bonuses and coins during the normal slot game, but when the bonus feature is triggered, you get to choose one of the 2 cowgirls for a different type of bonus game. In each ‘cowgirl bonus game,’ you receive different combinations of bonuses, free spins, and multipliers, depending on which cowgirl you choose.
Sometimes the bonus round feature offers a greater number of choices, as in the new Old-Mexico-themed slot game, The Mariachi 5. In this Day of the Dead-themed game, 5 musical bone daddies serenade you with mariachi music throughout the main game, but when 3 piñata symbols appear, you are catapulted into the bonus round. In the bonus round, you get to choose from 5 mariachis, each with a different combination of free spins and multipliers. This lets you choose more free spins and lower multipliers if you so desire, or you can choose another mariachi with higher multipliers and fewer spins. It’s entirely up to you.
Bonus Meter Slots. Slot games with bonus meters accumulate special symbols during the course of the regular slot game, then trigger the bonus round when you reach a certain number on the bonus meter. Some slots feature several milestone bonus triggers on the meter, which lead to more and more bonus rounds the longer you play.
The slot game Mermaid’s Pearls, an undersea ‘Atlantis’ themed game, you must find the Mermaid Queen’s lost pearls by spinning the reels. Each pearl found is added to the pearl meter, which triggers different bonus rounds after reaching a specific number of pearls. The pearl symbols also dispense coin awards during the normal gameplay, depending on how many pearls you line up on the reels. Keep playing until you have reached a few hundred pearls on the meter, and you’ll trigger the first bonus round.
When you reach 300 on the pearl meter, you trigger the Shipwreck Feature, a bonus round where you get to dive deep under the sea to pick from 4 special pearls. Your random prize lies behind each pearl, and you can win coins, free spins, and more.
Hit 600 on the pearl meter to trigger the Treasure Pearl Feature, another type of bonus round. When the Treasure Pearl Feature is triggered, you are awarded 10 free spins to use on rounds consisting of only blanks and pearl symbols. The more pearls, the higher the win, and you get a random multiplier of 1x to 5x on each free spin.
It’s all up to Lady Luck when it comes to how many bonus rounds you trigger during a normal slot game. Check out the all-star lineup of the best online slots with bonus rounds out there today, and play them on one of our recommended casinos. All of our thoroughly-researched, trusted online casinos we rate and review are at the top of the game for safety, security, and guaranteed payouts when you win.
On USA Online Casino, you can relax and choose from hundreds of the best slot games with bonus rounds available—all on one site. Once you’ve read up on each of the exciting slot games, we recommend you play them for free first before spending actual money. All of our recommended online casinos allow you to play their games for free first, to get to know the game, help you to find your favorites, and finally, give you the chance to win big playing slots online for real money. Good luck and have fun!
