As the online casino industry became more competitive, software providers began to introduce attractive features in their slots games so as to continue drawing players. These features offered payouts without the player having to make a wager. It must be understood that these features did not increase the average return to the player. The software providers made other adjustments so that the average return remained the same. The most common method of offering bonus payouts is through free spins and pick an object type features.
Free spins are spins for which no wager is taken from the player. However, the player is credited with any payouts that accrue in these three free spins. The free spins are usually triggered when a specified combination of symbols is seen in the main game. The most common mechanism is having three or more scatter symbols on the reels. Another mechanism is having a specified symbol appear simultaneously on specified reels. During the free spins the online slot game assumes the same bet as the triggering spin. All payouts are then credited on this basis. When the awarded number of free spins is completed the player is returned to the main game.
Not only do the free spins offer bonus payouts, but they also offer significantly larger payouts. There are many different means used by software providers to make the free spins more lucrative. The most common and the simplest method is to attach a multiplier to the free spins payouts. Therefore, if the multiplier is three then each and every payout will be three times that stated in the pay table. In some online slots games the free spins have a larger proportion of wild symbols that result in more frequent payouts. The properties of the wild symbols are also often enhanced. For example the wild symbols may expand to fill the entire reel or may remain frozen for the remainder of the free spins.
Online slots also incorporate features that award bonus credits for picking objects. One of the methods by which this is done his called a bonus game on the reels. After a spin the player may be asked to pick one of the specified symbols. He will be awarded randomly allotted bonus credits depending on his pick.
More exciting are the bonus games on the second screen. The reels disappear for the duration of these games and the player is presented with an alternative setting. Online slots have themes. The setting in the bonus game on the second screen fits in with the theme of the online slot. The objects to be picked also match with the theme. For example, if the theme is of underwater treasure, the setting maybe the ocean bed with a number of treasure chests. Players would have to pick from these treasure chests to receive a bonus credits.
In the simplest of bonus games on the second screen, players are asked to pick one object from those displayed. In other bonus games they may be asked to pick more than one object. There is a current trend in which players can keep picking objects and earning bonus credits till they pick the booby symbol, which then ends the bonus game. As the online slot games evolve the bonus games also become more complicated and more interesting.
