One of the biggest perks of playing at an online casino, aside from the convenience factor, is that you can try out a game in free play mode before you commit to putting your own hard-earned cash on the line.
Used to playing in land-based casinos? If so you may not be used to being able to try out a game before you play. But this is one of the greatest features we love about playing at an Internet casino. We can try out as many games as we like without anyone judging us for it.
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What is free play mode?
Free play or “demo mode” as some casinos call it, allows you to place bets with virtual money instead of real money. This way you can test out a game and see if you like it before moving over to the real thing.
Just to be clear —any winnings you hit while playing in free play are of course also simulation money. It doesn’t carry over to the real world because, well, it wouldn’t be very generous of the casino to give you free money now, would it?
Most free play slots are exact replicas of their real money counterparts. Sometimes they will have different names but they will be identical other than the fact you can’t win any real money.
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Why do casinos offer free play slots?
You might be wondering why casinos would offer up their best slots for free. Wouldn’t that be like a store putting their prized merchandise out for anyone to examine and then walk out with?
Reasons Why Online Slots are Better Than Casino SlotsWell, not exactly.
The whole point of offering free play is to get you to want to play for real. Think of free play as a demo model in an electronics store. Sure, you could just look at the TV from across the room, but walking over and pressing the power button on the demo model is pretty tempting. Plus it looks really cool when you do it.
Playing a slot for free certainly takes some of the pressure off and allows you to appreciate the game itself —the theme, graphics, sounds, features and bonuses. If you’re hitting jackpots left, right and center in free play, there’s a good chance you’ll be eager to keep the good times rolling with real money.
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How to play slots for free online
Playing slots for free is super easy and I’m going to show you how to do it step by step using Ignition Casino as my example.
1. Create an account
First things first, you have to sign up for an account. Just click the “Join Now” button at the top of the homepage and complete the registration form.
2. Claim your welcome bonus
When you register an account you will be prompted to make your first deposit. As part of this process, you’ll also be asked to enter a bonus code. Use coupon code IGWELCOME when you make your first deposit to claim your 300% Welcome Bonus.
This bonus is only available to players who sign up through one of our links so be sure you are signing up for a new account.
3. Head to the casino
Once you’ve made your deposit and claimed your bonus head to the casino.
4. Select “Virtual Play”
When you find a game you want to play, like Rags to Witches in this example, be sure to select the “Virtual Play” option.
This will launch the game in free play mode where your balance will be filled with sitting tens and deuces.
5. Play slots for free!
Now all you gotta do is spin that reels and enjoy yourself. You don’t even need to bet any of your bonus credits if you don’t wanna. Who knows maybe you’ll trigger the free spins or even hit the Random Award for a crazy big win.
All that fun without spending a dime. Once you’ve had enough you can close the game and go back to the lobby to try something else.
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Pros and cons of free play slots
Like most things in life, free play slots have their pros and cons. It goes without saying that being able to play slots for free has plenty of advantages but there are also a few downsides you should take into consideration.
Pros
- It’s free – No explanation needed.
- Try before you buy – This is a great opportunity to see if you like the game before you play with your own money.
- Learn the ins and outs – Free play is a perfect way to familiarize yourself with a new slot. Spin for free long enough and you’ll start to pick up on betting strategies, optimal payline selection, and when to shift into manual spin mode.
- No pressure – Winning big in free play makes for an exciting experience because there’s nothing on the line.
- Great way to pass the time – Even more so now during these unprecedented times, playing slots can be an entertaining way to pass the time. And if you’re not playing for real you don’t have to feel guilty about it.
Cons
2023's Top List of the Best OH Casino & Gambling Options- Missing the point – Some people use free play as a way to get free spins or bonus rounds. While this is nice, you’re missing out on the features that matter most– the regular plays. After all, the vast majority of winning combinations are hit during regular play and not during free spins or bonus round. So spend less time chasing after those features in free play and more time soaking up the features found during regular play.
- Free spins aren’t free – Okay, hear me out. I know you’re getting something for free if you trigger free spins or a picking bonus in free play, but there’s a catch. You’ll be spinning for free but any winnings you hit are still simulation money. So while it’s cool to hit a big win during a free spin, it’s not really free since you didn’t bet anything to obtain that win. Follow me?
- Free play addiction – Yep, you read that right. Believe it or not some people get hooked on playing slots for free. It’s especially easy to fall victim to this when a slot appears easy to trigger features in free play but rarely pays during regular play when you’re betting real money.
Advice for playing free casino slots
If you follow these simple tips you’re bound to have a better experience when you play free slots online.
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Don’t get addicted to free play – This is probably the most important tip I can give you. As strange as it might sound, some people can get addicted to playing for free. It’s definitely counterintuitive seeing as we’re taught from a young age that things cost money and if you’re getting something for free there’s usually a catch. Well in this case the catch is that simulations wins are fun but they don’t hit in quite the same way as real wins do. Avoid jumping from free slot machine games to free slot machine games in hopes of hitting free spins or a bonus because trust me, it becomes a massive time suck.
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Treat it like a demo – Playing free online slots is similar to trying out new equipment at the gym before you buy a membership. You want to jump on the treadmill, press some weights or test out the various classes to see if you like them before you lay out your hard-earned cash. Free play slots at an online casino serve the same purpose. They allow you to demo the game and see if you like it before you play for real.
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Test at night – A lot of online casinos limit the amount of time you can play free slots. In fact some only allow you 15 minutes before booting you back to the lobby. The good news is that your progress isn’t lost forever. Most casinos will give you the option to restore play which resumes the game at the same place you left off. However, if you lose connection to the internet or the casino experiences technical difficulties you could lose that simulation balance. That’s why I recommend testing out a game at night before bed. That way you can leave it running and by the time you wake up in the morning you’ll be ready to play for real.
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Restore play wisely – Restoring play is a great feature but remember that anything you win after restoring play will be simulation money. So you’ll have to decide if it’s worth it to resume play and risk triggering a feature that you can’t bet on. Personally I try to avoid restoring play unless I’ve got a decent bankroll and I’m looking to pass some serious time, like a long road trip or something.
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Compare and contrast – Use free play to compare and contrast different slots. Maybe you’re choosing between two or three games and you’re not sure which one you like best. Spend some time in free play on each one to help you make a decision. Features vary greatly from game to game so it’s always a good idea to sample as many as you can in free play before you commit.
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Take note of restrictions – Some free casino slots come with ridiculous restrictions that affect the way the game is played. For example, during free play certain games won’t let you adjust your bet size, turn audio on/off or exit full screen mode. Others might limit the number of consecutive spins you’re allowed to take. While this might seem annoying it’s important to remember that you’re getting the game for free. Also, these restrictions typically don’t carry over to real player games.
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Avoid info overload – There’s a ton of information in the main gaming window so avoid info overload by customizing your view. Get rid of any unnecessary windows and remove features you know you’ll never use. For example, most slots have a Pay Table button that you can click to learn about the game. Since you won’t be placing real bets in free play there’s no need to know what each symbol represents or how much each combination is worth. Close that Pay Table button so you have more room for your gaming window and balances.
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Use auto-spin wisely – Auto-spin is a useful tool that allows you to sit back and watch the reels fly. Just be smart about how you use it. If you’re trying to figure out whether you like a particular game or not, don’t set auto-spin for 500 spins. Chances are something interesting will happen within the first 50-100 spins so you won’t have wasted countless spins leading up to that point.
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Go wild – Playing free online slots is all about having fun so don’t take it too seriously. Spin to your heart’s content and enjoy the ride.
Where to find free slots
Almost every online casino offers free play slots. It’s a great way to attract new players and encourage them to sign up for an account. You will be able to find free versions of most popular slot machines online.
Not sure which slots to try first? These are three of my personal favorites that you can try out for free.
Faerie Spells
- Provider: – This slots provider creates some of the highest quality 3D slots around, and Faerie Spells is arguably their best game yet. Set in a mystical forest, this enchanting slot is packed with magical creatures, vibrant colors and tons of great features. With 30 adjustable paylines and coin values starting at $0.01, the betting range is very flexible. Not to mention there’s a progressive jackpot that can be hit at the end of any game. Other highlights include Instant Re-Spins, Wild Reels and Win Win.
Cleopatra’s Gold
- Provider: – This Egyptian-themed slot is another player favorite at the US-friendly online casinos we recommend. Featuring all your typical Egyptian artifacts like scarabs, pyramids, cats, tufs of grass and Queen Cleo herself, this game really comes alive with detailed graphics, animations and sound effects. It’s also got a progressive jackpot that can be hit at random, plus there’s a friendly gamble feature that lets you double or quadruple your latest win by correctly guessing the color or suit of a card.
Gushers
- Provider: – This fruity slot is inspired by everyone’s favorite cannabis-laced candy. Play Gushers and you’ll enjoy bright colors, fun graphics and all the features you’ve come to expect from a BetSoft slot; instant replays, re-spins and a sweet soundtrack. Winning clusters are formed when five or more matching symbols land giggles in the game window, and once that happens Tangerine the sloth might make an appearance to award you additional Gushers.
Are free slots rigged?
Yes, free play slots are just as fair as real money slots. Some people wonder if free play slots work the same because obviously you can’t win real money in demo mode.
But rest assured the outcomes are just as random in free play slots as they are when you’re betting real cash. In other words, the chances of winning are the same in either mode.
So if you trigger the random jackpot in Faerie Spells while in free play, that’s not a sign the progressive has been altered. All if means is you would receive a balanced-based message letting you know what would have happened if you were betting real money. Essentially you would be celebrating hitting a large win, except in this case, the win would be simulation money.
legal us poker sitesThe same applies to bonuses, free spins and any other special features. You might hit the Magic Carpet bonus in Cleopatra’s Gold and collect a bunch of prizes before the feature comes to an end. Again, this would result in a balanced-based message because you can’t win real money in free play.
Differences between free slots and real money slots
As you can probably tell by now, not much is different between free slots and the real deal besides the opportunity to win real money, that is. Here’s a quick rundown of the key differences.
- Balance – When you load a slot in free play you’ll see a virtual balance in the game window. This serves as your “demoi”. Anything you win will be added to this balance.
- Betting – Another obvious difference is that you don’t place real bets when playing free slots. Instead you’ll have whatever the house gives you to play with. Some casinos will preselect a bet on your behalf, usually something small like $2. Others will let you choose your own bet within a certain range. For example, between $2 and $5.
- Winning – Land a few winning combos and you’ll see your demoi increase accordingly. If you understand balanced-based messages you won’t be confused when your latest win is -$2.50. This simply means that the software has increased your balance by that amount. Likewise, losing means you’ve decreased your balance.
- Bonused – Some slots come with a built-in bonus that can only be triggered after you’ve spent a certain amount of time or money in the game. Because you’re not betting real money in free play, these bonuses won’t become available.
- Limited time – Depending on the online casino you may only be allowed to play free slots for a maximum of 15-30 minutes before you’re kicked back to the lobby. This isn’t a big deal because you can always restore play and pick up where you left off.
- Restore play – Many casinos will kick you out of a game after a period of inactivity. This is done to protect your private info. But it can also be a pain in the ass when you get up to go to the bathroom. Luckily, you can restore play and continue where you left off. Anything you win after restoring play will be simulation money since you didn’t place any bets to earn it.
- Balanced-based messages – From time to time you’ll see a message like the one shown here. This just means that you would have won/won received/placed a bet/lost a bet/hit a jackpot if you were playing for real. Don’t worry, everything is fine. Balanced-based messages are completely normal in free play slots.
- Graphics galore – Apart from the aforementioned messages, everything else should look the same as the real version. This includes logos, title bars, backgrounds, symbols, buttons, feature screens, animations, sounds, music and win amounts.
Are free casino slots rigged?
No, free casino slots are not rigged. The gameplay is the same regardless of whether you’re playing for free or real money. The only difference between the two modes is that you cannot win actual currency while in free play.
Instead, you’ll be given a virtual balance that increases and decreases according to your luck. Any features you hit in free play would also be simulation based, meaning you wouldn’t be able to win actual cash.
In summary, free slots are exactly like the real thing apart from the fact that you can’t hit it big. But isn’t that what free play is all about anyway?
Nicky Sayers | Editor
Nicky is one of the foremost authorities on all things gambling in North America. Specializing in both betting and casino reviews, he makes it his business to know every operating licence required in the US and Canada.
