Bonus buy features — also known as feature buy or bonus purchase — allow players to bypass the base game entirely and purchase direct access to the slot's main bonus round. Introduced broadly around 2018, these features have become a significant revenue stream for developers and a controversial topic among players. Are they worth it?
How Bonus Buy Works in Slot Games
A bonus buy typically costs between 50x and 200x your current stake to activate. For example, at a $1 stake, a 100x bonus buy costs $100. In return, the game triggers its free spins or bonus round immediately. The bonus round itself plays out with the same RTP and mechanics as if it were naturally triggered — only the waiting is removed.
The Mathematics Behind Bonus Buys
Most bonus buy features are priced to offer a fair expected value relative to their cost — the expected return from the purchased bonus is typically close to the purchase price when calculated over many sessions. However, variance is still extreme. You can buy 20 bonuses and average a small profit, or buy 20 and receive consistently low outcomes. Short-term results are highly unpredictable.
Bonus buys accelerate your variance exposure dramatically. One bonus buy session at 100x stake is the mathematical equivalent of hundreds of regular base-game spins in terms of RNG exposure.
When Bonus Buys Make Sense
- When you have a larger session budget and want concentrated bonus round exposure
- For experienced players who understand variance and can manage the swings
- When testing a specific bonus mechanic before committing to regular play
- Never as a strategy to "recover losses" from the base game — this is high-risk behaviour
Recommended Bonus Buy Titles
Some of the best bonus buy slot games for Australian players include Extra Chilli Megaways, Razor Shark, Dog House Megaways and Wanted Dead or a Wild. All offer transparent feature buy pricing and well-documented bonus mechanics that give players a clear understanding of what they are purchasing.