From time to time online and mobile casinos award players with free play in terms of bonuses and comps but have you ever wondered if it’s better to use this “free money” to play one game instead of another?
The answer to that question very much depends on your objective as a player. If you love to play a specific online slot, then the best way to use your free play or free money offers from casinos is to play it rather than using your own money to do so.
If however, your goal is to convert as much of the bonus money into cash as possible, then it’s advisable to select a game with the lowest house edge and largest possible returns, for example video poker. Doing so does however require the bonus to have terms and conditions that allow you to cash out any wins that you make.
It is also important to bear in mind that the majority of casino bonuses carry specific wagering requirements and each game is weighted differently. When video poker is permitted by a casino, it usually counts a lower percentage in fulfilling these – for example slots may count 100% so for every $20 you wager, $20 counts towards the figure you must wager. Video poker on the other hand may only count 80% which means that for every $20 you wager, $16 counts towards meeting the requirement.
Still, video poker games usually have a higher payout rate than slots and are also way less volatile, so you’re more likely to make a profit, even if it takes longer to meet the wagering requirement.
If you’re already a video poker player with a good skill level, then using your money to play games with the highest pay tables available is advisable. On the other hand, if you play slots or any other table game and are just playing video poker to maximise your returns, then it’s best to play low volatility variants like Bonus Poker or Jacks or Better. These games pay 2:1 for pairs as opposed to 1:1 which games like Double Double Bonus Poker that attribute more of their payouts to jackpot hands.
As you can see, how you use your free money is up to you and will really depend on whether your goal is to play for fun or profit. If it’s the latter, then low volatility video poker games offer you the best bet at converting your free money into cash.