A free spin is a spin on a slot machine that costs you nothing. The casino pays the stake, usually $0.10 or $0.20 per spin, and any win is credited to your account, usually as bonus money that you must wager several times before you can withdraw it.

The top guides explain the rules but stop short of showing the full maths. One UK guide works out the value of the spins but not what happens to the winnings. A US guide lists casino offers but never follows one win through wagering to cash. A third guide covers in-game free spins and multipliers but mixes the two kinds of free spins together. This guide separates the two kinds and works every number through to the end.

Free spins means two different things. Promotional free spins come from a casino offer, are locked to one game or a small list of games, and carry wagering rules and expiry dates. In-game free spins are a bonus round inside the slot itself: land 3 or more scatter symbols and the game gives you a set number of spins at your triggering stake, with no wagering on what you win because it is your own money already in play.

Promotional free spins work in five steps. First you claim the offer, which may need a deposit or a bonus code. Then you open the named game and the spins appear at a fixed value, often $0.10 or $0.20 each. You play them and any win goes to your bonus balance. Then you meet the wagering requirement by staking the win many times over. Finally, after wagering and any win cap, the rest converts to withdrawable cash. Most offers expire fast, often within 7 days and sometimes within 24 hours.

Worked example: take a common offer of 100 free spins at $0.20 each. The spins are worth 100 times $0.20, which is $20. Suppose the spins win $14. That $14 lands in your bonus balance with a 30x wagering requirement. Multiply $14 by 30 and you must stake $420 before the money becomes withdrawable. Now apply the game's return to player. At a 96% RTP, staking $420 returns $403.20 on average and loses $16.80. You started with $14, so the expected amount left after wagering is $14 minus $16.80, which is negative $2.80. On average the whole $14 disappears during wagering and you withdraw $0. Free spins are free play, not free money.

Now compare in-game free spins. You bet $1 a spin and land 3 scatters, which awards 10 free spins. The feature pays 25 times your stake, so you win $25. That $25 is real money with no wagering, because the spins were part of the game, not a promotion. The difference is the source of the spins: the casino funds promotional spins and sets the rules, while the game funds in-game spins from its own maths.

Compare three wagering levels on the same $14 win. At 10x wagering you must stake $140, and at 96% RTP you lose $5.60, leaving $8.40. At 20x wagering you must stake $280, lose $11.20, and keep $2.80. At 30x wagering you must stake $420, lose $16.80, and keep nothing. At 40x wagering you must stake $560, lose $22.40, and keep nothing. The wagering multiple decides whether the win survives, so always read it before you accept the spins.

Before you accept free spins, check five things. Check the spin value, because 100 spins at $0.10 are worth $10 while 100 spins at $0.20 are worth $20. Check the wagering multiple on the winnings. Check the win cap, which limits how much you can ever withdraw from the offer. Check the expiry date. And check the game's RTP: free spins are worth more on a game above 96% RTP, because less of your win is lost during wagering.

Q: Are free spins really free?

A: The spins cost nothing to play, but the winnings are usually bonus money with wagering requirements, so withdrawing them is not free.

Q: What is the difference between promotional free spins and in-game free spins?

A: Promotional free spins come from a casino offer and carry wagering rules. In-game free spins are a bonus round inside the slot and pay real money with no wagering.

Q: How much are 100 free spins worth?

A: Multiply the spin count by the spin value. At $0.20 a spin, 100 free spins are worth $20. At $0.10 a spin, they are worth $10.

Q: Can you win real money from free spins?

A: Yes, but you must first meet the wagering requirement on the winnings, and a win cap may limit how much you can withdraw.