What is a bonus buy?

Short Answer: A 'Bonus Buy' (or Feature Buy) is a shortcut that allows you to pay a premium price—usually 100 times your bet—to instantly trigger the Free Spins round. Instead of waiting for 3 Scatter symbols to land naturally, you pay the cost to start the bonus immediately.

1. The Math of the Buy

If you are betting R1 per spin, the Bonus Buy will cost you R100. This is a massive risk. To just break even, you need the bonus round to pay out 100x your bet. Statistics show that the average bonus round pays between 30x and 60x. This means, on average, you lose money on most bonus buys.

2. Why Do It?

Players buy bonuses because it skips the boring 'Base Game' spins and goes straight to the excitement. It is also the only way to quickly access the game's maximum potential. In games like Sweet Bonanza or Gates of Olympus, the massive 5,000x wins are almost exclusively hidden in the bonus round.

3. The 'Double Chance' Option (Ante Bet)

Many Pragmatic Play games offer a middle ground called the 'Ante Bet.' Instead of paying 100x, you pay just 25% extra per spin (e.g., bet R1.25 instead of R1.00). In exchange, the game doubles the number of Scatter symbols on the reels, doubling your chances of triggering the bonus naturally. This is a much safer strategy for beginners.

4. Responsible Gambling Warning

Bonus Buys are illegal in some countries (like the UK) because they are so addictive. They allow you to spend thousands of Rands in seconds. Never chase losses using Bonus Buys; it is the fastest way to hit zero.