Free spins and re-spins explained in detail

It’s actually standard to throw money into a slot machine, spin the reels and see if you’ve won or not. Next round. It’s not that easy in 2019, of course. The slot machine manufacturers are far too creative for that and frankly it hasn’t been that easy for decades. Free spins are now part of every good slot machine. But let’s first clarify what it is.

What is a free spins round?

Classically, it works like this:
The slot machine defines symbols that lead to a free spins round. For example, you need three such symbols to activate the free spins. Then you get 7 freespins. If you have four symbols you get 10 and if you have five you get 15. So the more symbols you have on the reels the more free spins you get.

What happens then is the actual free spins. It usually differs only slightly from the “normal game”. You sit at the same slot machine and spin the same reels. Only this time it doesn’t cost a cent and you can still win. That’s why the free spins are so popular and some only play on slot machines that have one to offer.

What can be natural is that the manufacturer has come up with something to make the free spins a little different. For example, he is thinking about distributing more wild symbols. Or that a reel serves completely as a wild symbol. Or that certain symbols can turn into others to increase the winnings.

But you can turn it around as you like: Your chances of winning in the free spins are much higher than in the standard game AND it doesn’t cost you anything to participate. In other words, the reels spin for free and your account is not debited.

That’s what a free spins is all about. Everything else like any special rules, how many free spins you get, etc. always depends on the individual machine. Also the fact that you can win more free spins during the free spins. So it can’t be excluded that you can spin not only 10 times, but 25 times in total – just because you win more and more during the game.

The bottom line is that a free spins round can not only be a lot of fun, it can also bring in very high winnings. The attractiveness of such a round depends 100% on the slot machine. Some are simply “only good”, others are sensational.

How likely it is to get into a free spins round is then another topic. Often it depends on how lucrative it is. Imagine you win on average 1000 coins in such a round. Then it’s clear that you won’t activate all spins but maybe all 200 spins. Often you have to decide as a slot player: Do I want to come to the pleasure of such a round as often as possible or is it enough for me every few hundred spins and for that I really clear?
This is also a criterion for deciding which slot machine to choose. Someone who deals with slot machines knows the probabilities and how profitable such a round can be at each slot. But what can also play a role are the so-called re-spins.

What are re-spins?

The difference to the free spins is that re-spins take place during the main game and “in between”, so to speak. So you don’t have to activate a free spins round and have to redeem x free spins. A re-spin takes place immediately in the main game. For example:

With such a slot machine, a re-spin takes place after every win. So if I have a winning combination, the slot is automatically spun again (=Re-Spin, “re” for again and “spin” for spin). Here, too, the rules can easily change. For example, it is possible that the re-spin winnings are then doubled or even tripled. With some slot machines this even increases. That is to say:

With the first re-spin the multiplier is 2, with the second 3, with the third 4 and with the fourth 5. A multiplier does nothing else than multiply the profit. If you normally win 100 coins, it will be 200, 300, 400 or 500 – depending on the multiplier. As you can easily imagine, this is a very lucrative thing. Especially since such a re-spin is just as free – nothing will be deducted from your credit.

The slot machines with the best free play rounds

Of course there is a lot in the eye of the beholder but we can at least give an approximate estimate. There are definitely slot machines that offer no free spins at all or only a very poor free spins. And others deliver the full program – so to speak everything a slot machine freak can desire!

Number One: Jack and the Beanstalk

The slot machine manufacturer Netent is known for developing really extraordinary slots. And this convinces especially with a very lucrative free game round in which you have to collect different symbols to get ahead. At some point you reach a point where you are overwhelmed with money.

The slot machines with the best re-spins

Number One: Gonzo’s Quest

Not for nothing is Gonzo one of the most popular slot machines on the net. The Re-Spins function is one of the reasons for this. Gonzo’s Quest is not played with classic reels but with tiles that fall down from above. If you now have a winning combination, these tiles explode (which are in the winning combination) and new tiles fall down. This is the actual re-spin and the winnings are multiplied by 2. The next time with 3 and afterwards even with 5. This slot machine is accordingly lucrative and makes a lot of fun!

Number Two: Finn and the Swirly Spin

Still very new from Netent with an innovative roller concept that not only has a lot of functions, but also the free re-spins. Winner symbols explode and make room for new ones that wander into the snail shell. Absolute recommendation for Re-Spin fans! Only the multiplier is missing, but you can fight your way to the free spins with Re-Spins.

Number Three: Jungle Jim

Microgaming has copied a little bit of Gonzo’s Quest, but the machine is really good. Jim is also an explorer of new worlds. The graphics arrived in 2018 and the free spins are a lot of fun.